The 98th Civil Affairs Battalion provided local leaders with an outbrief, or summary, of their recent exercises in King George County. The summary of their Validation Training Exercise (VTE) was introduced by Major Hernandez who gave an overview of their main Lines Of Effort (LOE). In civilian terms, the LOE is simply what they were tasked with researching before providing an end-product analysis. These major topics were Recreation, Transportation, Security and Health, Tourism, and Economic Development.
The Recreation Team, led by Captain Perez and supported by Sergeants Macias, Obcena, and Hancock, reviewed the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT]. Based on their interviews and analysis during the week they found that there was not a centralized area or park for residents and families to use and develop a sense of community. They found that activities for teens was lacking. Their recommendation was to host a free event on the DRHT to enable the King George County Board of Supervisors to make an informed decision about acquiring the trail. Captain Perez and his team felt that this proof-of-concept would allow local leaders to gather data from those that attend while building a sense of community for local residents as well as drawing residents in the region to promote tourism and economic development. The data could be gathered by surveys and interviews as well as vendor demonstrations. In the end, they felt the DRHT could serve as a major corridor in the area and could serve as a foundation for economic development.
Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, asked what the team meant by no centralized area. They explained that the YMCA and King George High School were really the only central points in the County that served as a social area for the County citizens. They felt the trail had “untapped potential” as a main artery to connect the community as a whole.
Next to present was the Transportation Team, led by Captain Cruz. His team summarized what many of us already knew, that with more construction planned for Interstate 95 and a new bridge on Route 301, traffic would be an issue. Their recommendation to reduce the traffic congestion was to implement public transit in the area that would be operated by King George County. By providing a shuttle that ran between Fredericksburg and Dahlgren along with ride-sharing options and incentives, the number of cars traveling through the County could be reduced. The team felt that it could also be used as a more local transit option, especially within the Dahlgren area.
Dr. Young said it sounded a lot like the idea he was presented from Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) that was too expensive. He asked if they had just used their idea or if this was something they arrived at independently. The team explained that yes, it was similar to the FAMPO concept, however it was based on their analysis that this was the best option they could find in the short time they had. They also said it differed from FAMPO’s idea in that King George would be operating the services, not FAMPO.
The Security and Health Team, led by Captain Enicks, presented a simple idea to install blue light emergency call boxes on the DRHT. He said they could be as simple or as complex as desired and could be powered by running electricity or use solar panels. He said installing these at regular intervals along the trail would increase security and allow better monitoring of the trail. It would also provide faster response times for emergency services.
Dr. Young thanked them but did speak up that the team’s true deliverable at the end of the week was a detailed security analysis of the various facilities they visited during the week. While it wasn’t disclosed publicly, Dr. Young said it was enlightening and worth the time involved.
The Tourism Team, led by Captain Chua and aided by Sergeants Valenzuela and Nazario, began their presentation by handing out a brochure. They said they worked primarily with Annie Cupka, Grant Writer, but also talked to numerous other people in the County such as Elizabeth Lee and Dr. Rob Gates. They also met with Claudette Jordan, Don Shelton, and others that Captain Chua said knew an incredible amount of information about the local area. Their recommendation had two major parts, a race series and a tour. The race series plan was was simple, just four races a year with a different focus, but drew an immediate positive response with applause from the crowd. The runners would get a medal at each race and at the end of each year, the four medals would form a larger medal. While this may not be a new concept, many races around the world use it, the combination of this idea with the idea of focusing on different areas of history, like Armed Forces and African American history, was what really drew the great response. Not to be overshadowed by such a great idea, their second recommendation was to have a guided bus tour through the County. Their catch phrase “Where Everything Started” fed off the history of the early Presidents born in the area up to more recent history with the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). This phrase tied to their brochure which included several historical points in the County along with places to eat and spend the night.
The final presentation came from the Economic Development Team led by Captain Baskelwhite. They primarily focused on the three priorities of the industrial park, natural gas lines, and broadband internet. They said several companies they spoke to mentioned the lack of natural gas and broadband as a reason why they did not have a location in King George County. As with the other teams, they brought up the DRHT as a great place to hold challenge events, such as an obstacle course race, and health events, like a fundraising walk for autism research. They also mentioned bring in other vendors, like microbreweries, and hosting festivals, like a bluegrass concert, as potentially beneficial events that could provide not only tourism but also economic development. Personally, I enjoyed the idea of a food event that would give residents and tourists the opportunity to sample local foods and recipes.
Major Hernandez summarized the presentation by saying the DRHT provided a “centralized point of access across the County” and could potentially connect various historical sites. He also said the teams saw the DRHT as a potential connector between the “blue and green” spaces, water and land respectively, to areas of commerce.
Dr. Young and Major Hernandez then opened the discussion up for feedback. The feedback from the Staff at the table was positive, especially from Tim Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation who joked that they had “done all of his work for him.” Personally, I apologized for misleading them earlier in the week and thanked them for entertaining my wife during the Town Hall and asked them to come back next year. Major Hernandez said he would certainly speak to his command staff about returning in the future and Dr. Young said they were more than welcome.
Major Hernandez and Captain Oh then presented the Board of Supervisors and the County with plaques to show their appreciation. The command staff also presented Dr. Young with a static line hook, a device used to ensure an airborne trooper’s parachute deploys when they jump from the plane. Dr. Young “gave it a try” and proceeded to do a mock jump to the delight of those watching. The crowd slowly began to disperse and the exercise was at an end. With luck, their upcoming deployment will go smoothly and they’ll return to their families safely. And maybe the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion will return again next year to test their soldiers’ mettle against the issues King George County is facing.
The Recreation Team, led by Captain Perez and supported by Sergeants Macias, Obcena, and Hancock, reviewed the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT]. Based on their interviews and analysis during the week they found that there was not a centralized area or park for residents and families to use and develop a sense of community. They found that activities for teens was lacking. Their recommendation was to host a free event on the DRHT to enable the King George County Board of Supervisors to make an informed decision about acquiring the trail. Captain Perez and his team felt that this proof-of-concept would allow local leaders to gather data from those that attend while building a sense of community for local residents as well as drawing residents in the region to promote tourism and economic development. The data could be gathered by surveys and interviews as well as vendor demonstrations. In the end, they felt the DRHT could serve as a major corridor in the area and could serve as a foundation for economic development.
Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, asked what the team meant by no centralized area. They explained that the YMCA and King George High School were really the only central points in the County that served as a social area for the County citizens. They felt the trail had “untapped potential” as a main artery to connect the community as a whole.
Next to present was the Transportation Team, led by Captain Cruz. His team summarized what many of us already knew, that with more construction planned for Interstate 95 and a new bridge on Route 301, traffic would be an issue. Their recommendation to reduce the traffic congestion was to implement public transit in the area that would be operated by King George County. By providing a shuttle that ran between Fredericksburg and Dahlgren along with ride-sharing options and incentives, the number of cars traveling through the County could be reduced. The team felt that it could also be used as a more local transit option, especially within the Dahlgren area.
Dr. Young said it sounded a lot like the idea he was presented from Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) that was too expensive. He asked if they had just used their idea or if this was something they arrived at independently. The team explained that yes, it was similar to the FAMPO concept, however it was based on their analysis that this was the best option they could find in the short time they had. They also said it differed from FAMPO’s idea in that King George would be operating the services, not FAMPO.
The Security and Health Team, led by Captain Enicks, presented a simple idea to install blue light emergency call boxes on the DRHT. He said they could be as simple or as complex as desired and could be powered by running electricity or use solar panels. He said installing these at regular intervals along the trail would increase security and allow better monitoring of the trail. It would also provide faster response times for emergency services.
Dr. Young thanked them but did speak up that the team’s true deliverable at the end of the week was a detailed security analysis of the various facilities they visited during the week. While it wasn’t disclosed publicly, Dr. Young said it was enlightening and worth the time involved.
The Tourism Team, led by Captain Chua and aided by Sergeants Valenzuela and Nazario, began their presentation by handing out a brochure. They said they worked primarily with Annie Cupka, Grant Writer, but also talked to numerous other people in the County such as Elizabeth Lee and Dr. Rob Gates. They also met with Claudette Jordan, Don Shelton, and others that Captain Chua said knew an incredible amount of information about the local area. Their recommendation had two major parts, a race series and a tour. The race series plan was was simple, just four races a year with a different focus, but drew an immediate positive response with applause from the crowd. The runners would get a medal at each race and at the end of each year, the four medals would form a larger medal. While this may not be a new concept, many races around the world use it, the combination of this idea with the idea of focusing on different areas of history, like Armed Forces and African American history, was what really drew the great response. Not to be overshadowed by such a great idea, their second recommendation was to have a guided bus tour through the County. Their catch phrase “Where Everything Started” fed off the history of the early Presidents born in the area up to more recent history with the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). This phrase tied to their brochure which included several historical points in the County along with places to eat and spend the night.
The final presentation came from the Economic Development Team led by Captain Baskelwhite. They primarily focused on the three priorities of the industrial park, natural gas lines, and broadband internet. They said several companies they spoke to mentioned the lack of natural gas and broadband as a reason why they did not have a location in King George County. As with the other teams, they brought up the DRHT as a great place to hold challenge events, such as an obstacle course race, and health events, like a fundraising walk for autism research. They also mentioned bring in other vendors, like microbreweries, and hosting festivals, like a bluegrass concert, as potentially beneficial events that could provide not only tourism but also economic development. Personally, I enjoyed the idea of a food event that would give residents and tourists the opportunity to sample local foods and recipes.
Major Hernandez summarized the presentation by saying the DRHT provided a “centralized point of access across the County” and could potentially connect various historical sites. He also said the teams saw the DRHT as a potential connector between the “blue and green” spaces, water and land respectively, to areas of commerce.
Dr. Young and Major Hernandez then opened the discussion up for feedback. The feedback from the Staff at the table was positive, especially from Tim Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation who joked that they had “done all of his work for him.” Personally, I apologized for misleading them earlier in the week and thanked them for entertaining my wife during the Town Hall and asked them to come back next year. Major Hernandez said he would certainly speak to his command staff about returning in the future and Dr. Young said they were more than welcome.
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| Captain Oh, Cathy Binder, Ruby Brabo, Dr. Neiman Young |
Major Hernandez and Captain Oh then presented the Board of Supervisors and the County with plaques to show their appreciation. The command staff also presented Dr. Young with a static line hook, a device used to ensure an airborne trooper’s parachute deploys when they jump from the plane. Dr. Young “gave it a try” and proceeded to do a mock jump to the delight of those watching. The crowd slowly began to disperse and the exercise was at an end. With luck, their upcoming deployment will go smoothly and they’ll return to their families safely. And maybe the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion will return again next year to test their soldiers’ mettle against the issues King George County is facing.
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