KEN SWARNER:JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD 2010 >>>

Fort Lewis and McChord officials reiterated and updated plans for making Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base one installation by Oct. 1, 2010 as required by the Base Realignment and Closure laws.

Speaking to the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee this morning, Public Affairs officials from both installations said the process to establish Joint Base Lewis-McChord continues to move forward.

Under the current plan, Fort Lewis will provide control of installation services such as public works and recreation for both installations as originally envisioned. The joint base commander will be an Army colonel, similar to the current garrison commander position. The joint base deputy commander will be an Air Force colonel.

Army and Air Force units will continue to train and report to their Army or Air Force commands, as it is now. The 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord will also maintain management of McChord’s airfield on behalf of the joint base commander.

In total, 12 joint bases will be developed across the United States. The first five finish the process in September 2009, while the remaining seven, including Fort Lewis, officially transform to a joint base January 2010 and complete the transition in September 2010.

While the Army takes the lead for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, it is only one of two joint bases to be led by the Army. Seven of the 12 joint bases are to be commanded by the Air Force, and four by the Navy.

Currently there is no plan to create a thoroughfare between the two installations, though that may change once the Cross Base Highway is built. For the time being, people moving from one base to the next will need to re-enter security gates.