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Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com

What the Navy base does for Everett's economy

By Mike Benbow

The business community took some time to thank Naval Station Everett on Friday in a ceremony at the base designed to assure sailors that the sacrifices they make don't go unnoticed.

Four people with ties to Everett who have gone to Iraq and come back, are in Iraq now or are headed there, were singled out as representatives.

The base commander, Thomas Mascolo, sent a thank-you back to business people and the community at large, saying Everett has done a lot for the base during its 14 years of existence.

"Everett has been very strong in its community support," said Mascolo, who noted that as an A-6 pilot at Naval Station Whidbey Island, he was among those involved in a fly-by during the base's opening ceremonies in 1994.

Mascolo talked about how quiet the base is these days, noting its calm is inversely proportionate to what's going on in the world. "It's safe to say that our ships are either deployed or reporting to be deployed," he said.

Later, he talked about how the military is asking more and more from its members these days. "Sailors are going out to sea more and more often," he said, adding there is a cost for that.

He noted that sailors and their families appreciate it when their work -- and that cost -- is acknowledged.

He thanked the Everett chamber members for the discounts many of them provide for people in the service. He also thanked the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce for a program that has gone through all of Snohomish County to employ and support military spouses.

The chamber members were showing a little patriotism and Mascolo was being gracious.

There's nothing wrong with that.

But the truth is, the business community should be supporting the base and its people for no other reason than it's a huge part of the economy.

The base itself is the county's second largest employer, with a $205 million annual payroll. In addition to the sailors, the base has 650 civilian jobs.

Its military housing in Marysville recently added room for an additional 100 families previously housed in King County. And a new project under way on base will move about 500 sailors from bunks on the ships to additional housing and will, as Mascolo noted, "bring their wallets closer to downtown."

All sorts of numbers are available to help characterize the economic importance of the Navy. It buys food, equipment and other goods locally. It hires people to do a variety of jobs. And the sailors' families spend money in the community, just like all of us.

Mascolo provided one stat I hadn't heard before that was pretty impressive in terms of showing the significance of the military to the local economy.

He said when you count active military, their families and retirees, there are 72,000 Navy people in Snohomish County. There are also 4,000 Marines, 18,000 Army, 14,000 Air Force and 7,000 people affiliated with Coast Guard.

I mention that because it's easy to pick the Boeing Co. out of the crowd when it comes from the local economy. I'm guessing that around 26,500 people work for Boeing these days, in Snohomish County alone. The company is regularly in the news, especially lately, so we know how important its workers are to Everett.

The Navy base generally looks for ways to stay out of the news. And as Mascolo noted, its giant ships are often gone to the Persian Gulf these days, so they're not always top of mind.

Because of that, the economic significance of the Navy isn't so often acknowledged, but it should be.

Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com