On Tuesday, February 27th Doug Mah from the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the Senior Action Network. These meetings are held at the Senior Center in downtown Olympia, 222 Columbia St., and start at 8:00 am.

Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) is a large part of the South Sound community. Local governments and area businesses benefit from knowing who, why, and how JBLM contributes to their financial bottom line and the community fabric. A 2023 study conducted by the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership demonstrates the large economic and community impact JBLM has on the region.

JBLM employs more people than Microsoft in Washington State. JBLM is the number one employer in the South Sound region and the third largest employer in the State of Washington. The total economic impact attributable to the existence of JBLM is more than 85,400 total jobs in Thurston and Pierce counties. In addition, JBLM contributes $ 5.3 billion in new and sustained labor income and $5.7 billion in economic output to the region. In Thurston County alone, almost 1 in 5 jobs are associated with JBLM and in total contributes about 10 percent of Thurston County’s total economic output. JBLM is an economic powerhouse that we cannot ignore.

Thurston and Pierce counties are also home to more than 122,000 veterans, in part because of the presence of JBLM. In addition, the region is home to more than 25,000 folks receiving military retiree pay and the South Sound has the highest percentage of disabled veterans statewide with almost 49,000 veterans receiving disability payments in the region. Veterans and military retirees choose to stay in the South Sound region and enrich our lives where we work, live, and play.

The large number of disabled veterans in the region must force local governments and businesses to assess if and how we are meeting their unique needs and requirements.

In total, about 380,000 people are affiliated with JBLM in the South Sound. This includes active duty, civilian workers, veterans, retirees, spouses, and children.

If local government officials are not considering JBLM as part of their decision making, we are failing to address the evolving needs for service members, veterans, and their families. If area businesses are not considering how to build better relationships with folks directly and indirectly affiliated with JBLM, we are missing huge business opportunities.