JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Every day, more than 80,000 people go to work at one of 11
military locations across Joint Base San Antonio, which has become a key part
of the San Antonio community.
San Antonio has grown substantially in the past 10 years,
spurring rapid development that is consistently edging closer to the boundaries
of its military bases.
“As communities around military locations continue to grow,
the military has to make sure training is still effective when considering
development and land use in the local area,” said Meg Reyes, JBSA installation
encroachment manager. “Things such as bright lights or bird attractants close
to military boundaries can hinder certain types of training and possibly affect
sustainability of the military’s long-term mission.”
Both local and military officials are already working to
find mutual solutions. JBSA recently worked with specialists from Marstel Day,
a conservation and consulting firm, to host training on the Department of
Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program Jan.
11-15.
The program is a tool used to reduce incompatible
development near military locations by helping to resolve land use conflicts
that threaten military capabilities. The program accomplishes this by working
with local organizations, businesses and governments to find innovative
solutions that benefit all parties involved.
Attendees at the training included representatives from the
Air Force Civil Engineering Center, 12th Flying Training Wing, 502nd Air Base
Wing, the city of Schertz, Bexar County and several Texas conservation
organizations. Throughout the week, participants worked together to develop
solutions that address land use concerns across JBSA.
“This training is one of the first steps to finding
long-term solutions. Success for everyone involved really comes down to
communication. The only way that everybody wins is if the military and
community work together,” Reyes said.