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Last Friday, March 19, 2010, Central Florida hosted the 60th Anniversary Celebration of an Interservice Agreement between the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. For the Central Florida Region, this 60-year agreement has resulted in positive economic impact by producing thousands of high-wage-high-skill-high-value jobs. During the program, Captain Harry “Smokey” Robinson, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando remarked, “President Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘It cannot be too often repeated that in modern war, the chief factor in achieving triumph is what has been done in the way of thorough preparation and training.'”
Upper Left: Orange County Commissioner Bill Segal provides remarks at the 60th Anniversary Celebration. Joining him on stage were (Left to Right) Robert M. Matthews, Deputy for Acquisitions & Operations, NAWCTSD; and Captain Harry “Smokey” Robinson, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando; and Dr. James Blake, SES, USA Program Executive Officer, PEO STRI. Upper Right: Captain Harry “Smokey” Robinson provided special remarks during the 60th Anniversary Celebration held Friday, March 19, 2010. Captain Robinson is an “Advisory Member” to the Board of Directors of the Central Florida Partnership. He is shown with Dr. James Blake, SES, USA Program Executive Officer, PEO STRI. “Click Here” for more pictures of the 60th Anniversary Celebration.
Upper Left: Shown (Left to Right) at the 60th Anniversary Celebration are Captain William “Roto” Reuter, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando; Captain Reuter is Class Chair of Leadership Orlando (Class 80); Lieutenant General Tom Baptiste, (U.S. Army Retired), President/Executive Director, National Center For Simulation; and Daniel C. Holsenbeck, Ph.D., Vice President, University Relations, University of Central Florida. Upper Right: Shown (Left to Right) at the 60th Anniversary Celebration are Captain William “Roto” Reuter, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando; Captain Harry “Smokey” Robinson, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando; and Jacob V. Stuart, President, Central Florida Partnership. “Click Here” for more pictures of the 60th
60th Anniversary Celebration Important to Central Florida and to America
An agreement that began sixty years ago between the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy is still benefitting members of our military service. The agreement, formally signed by the Secretaries of the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy on March 20, 1950, still has relevance today as the PEO STRI (Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation) and NAWCTSD (Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division) continue to collaborate on training and simulation systems that train our service members. The early simulation systems (or training devices, as they were referred to in the early years) were rudimentary, but they were the catalysts that “set in motion” the very sophisticated systems that touch the lives of every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine.
Longest Standing Agreement Between Any of the Military Services
The Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy is the longest standing agreement between any of the U.S. Military Services. During his remarks, Captain Harry “Smokey” Robinson, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer, NAWCTSD/NSA Orlando said, “it is glorious that this original partnership would one day lead to the major concentration of Department of Defense Training and Simulation that resides here today in Central Florida. These pioneers understood the importance of the work they were doing to train the Warfighters of their day. As any combat veteran can tell you, training saves lives; and that’s why what we do is important today is as it was 60 years ago.”
One of the Most Important Jewels in Our Community’s Economic Crown
There’s no doubt about it; one of the most important jewels we have in our community’s economic crown is the Modeling, Simulation and Training “Cluster,” whose concentration is found in the Central Florida Research Park and which is anchored by our military partners. Our community currently enjoys the enviable position of being the nation’s epicenter for Modeling, Simulation and Training (MS&T) with an estimated 102 companies, nearly 17,000 direct and indirect jobs, an average salary over $70,000 and a Gross Regional Product of nearly $3 billion.
Now a Critical Part of Our Strategy for Economic Diversification
Once the best kept economic secret of our community, this unique alliance of military commands, academia and industry is now a critical part of our community’s strategy for economic diversification – and an asset which must be both vigorously defended and aggressively strengthened. And it all begins with our military command partners of “Team Orlando” – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard – located in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the University of Central Florida.
Cooperation, Collaboration and Partnerships Important to Our Region
Managing over $5 billion in contracts designed to support today’s Warfighter, the collective success of these commands is predicated upon the high level of cooperation, collaboration and partnerships that exist within the community, including shared expertise and facilities with the University of Central Florida, the Simulation and Training Technology Center, the Partnership I and Partnership II and soon-to-be Partnership III Buildings, the Institute for Simulation and Training, the National Center for Simulation, and the Florida High Tech Corridor. (By the way, the Simulation and Training Technology Center, Partnership I, II and III Buildings alone represent over a $55 million investment by the State of Florida in shared State (University) and Federal (Department of Defense) lab and office space.)
Central Florida Partnership Supports Modeling, Simulation & Training Industry
Working with others, the Central Florida Partnership is “ready, willing, and able” to help preserve and expand this economic cluster for our “family of communities.” Toward this end, the 2010 Baker Hostetler Central Florida Partnership “Trip to Washington, D.C.,” planned for Wednesday and Thursday, June 23 & 24, 2010, is themed around how we can better “grow, maintain, and enhance” the Modeling, Simulation & Training Industry, especially as it relates to the State of Florida.
Partnership “Trip to Washington, D.C” Planned for June 23 & 24, 2010
Our Official Delegation will include Rick Walsh, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Florida; John Hitt, President of the University of Central Florida; Meg Crofton and Ray Gilley, Chair and President of Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; Alex Martins and Jacob V. Stuart, Chair and President of the Central Florida Partnership; General Thomas L. Baptiste, President of the National Center For Simulation; and the Chairman of the National Center For Simulation, Lee W. Lacy, Ph.D., CMSP, with Dynamics Research Corporation. In addition we’re waiting to receive confirmation from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty.
Register Now—Space is Limited
So you will know, our “site” is “up and running” and you can register, right now, as a participant of the 2010 Baker Hostetler Central Florida Partnership “Trip to Washington, D.C.,” just “click here.” As a reminder, we’ve reserved only forty (40) rooms and forty (40) seats to-and-from Washington, D.C. So, please register now, to avoid disappointment later.
The Central Florida Partnership Is Working To Turn “Ideas To Results”
The Central Florida Partnership was created to be a place where regional leaders could convene, set priorities, address our region’s toughest problems and identify our greatest opportunities. Serving business, civic and community leaders in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia Counties – the Central Florida Partnership is a business led initiative where we will collaborate, cooperate and coordinate – solving the problems that matter most to the millions of people who live, work, learn and play in the Central Florida Region.
Jacob V. Stuart
President
Central Florida Partnership
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1234
Orlando, Florida, 32802
Direct Dial: 407.835.2517
Email Address:
jacob.stuart@ideastoresults.org
Web: www.ideastoresults.org
The Central Florida Partnership is a collaborative of business and civic leaders committed to procuring a better tomorrow for Central Florida’s seven counties – Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia. We are thoughtful leaders united by a single, guiding principle – that we have both the power and the responsibility to make change happen. Working together, through four “Lines of Business” – Orlando, Inc., (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce) (Regional Entrepreneurship), BusinessForce (Public Policy and Advocacy), myregion.org (Regional Research and Resolves) and Leadership Orlando (Regional Leadership) – the Central Florida Partnership is moving “Ideas to Results.”
