Bi-State Regional Commission meets monthly on the third Wednesday of the month. Read more for highlights from recent meetings.
Rock Island Arsenal Update
Vision/Mission. Colonel Daniel Mitchell, Garrison Commander of the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA), provided an update on RIA activities. The Garrison vision sees the Rock Island Arsenal as a renowned place to work, live, and play with a superior quality of life. This includes community engagement and leadership at all levels understanding the value RIA is to national security and the local community. The Garrison mission is to deliver and integrate installation support services to enable readiness for RIA mission partners.
Small Footprint/Global Impact. The RIA employs more than 6,000 people living in a six-county radius. The majority of the employees are civilians, and RIA supports 566 active military and 485 reservists. RIA is the only full service Army installation in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota and home to over 50 Department of Defense organizations and private companies with a global impact. The local economic impact is over $1.2 billion per year. The average salary is $89,288 with an average length of service of 14 years. Many of the employees serve the RIA’s major comments including U.S. Army Sustainment Command, First Army, U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, U.S. Army Garrison RIA, RIA Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District, U.S. Army Contracting Command Rock Island, and Civilian Human Resource Agency.
One example of community engagement and partnering on services is the intergovernmental agreements with RIA for community partners to provide services. A meeting was held in November with community partners to highlight the process and potential services, such as engineering and design, custodial services, grounds maintenance, snow removal, emergency dispatching, etc. In addition, the RIA is looking for assistance from the community related to medical network, workforce development and affordable housing.
Events/Visitors. Colonel Mitchell concluded with a note on Armed Forces Day celebrations May 16-19, 2024, and the Army’s 249th Birthday set for June of this year. Those who have not yet secured a visitor’s pass, can go to the Welcome Center (open 7 days a week 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) at the Moline gate. The visitor application process is found here: https://home.army.mil/ria/index.php/my-fort/all-services/gate-information allowing for easy access to the amenities on the island. Colonel Mitchell expressed his appreciation for the Commission’s support of RIA and its vision/mission.