“Which brings me to the subject of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the biggest single-site employer in Ohio and the nerve center of Air Force innovation. Wright-Patt, as it is called locally, may be the most important driver of economic activity in western Ohio, especially nearby Dayton — home of the Wright brothers from which the base derives part of its name. Wright-Patt is a case study in how U.S. defense spending can contribute to economic growth.”
“But it is what the Air Force does at Wright-Patt that makes the base an engine of growth for the Dayton area, accounting directly and indirectly for about 14% of the regional economy. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the home of the Air Force Materiel Command, the sprawling organization that buys all of the Air Force’s aircraft, missiles, and other warfighting equipment. In a typical year, the command consumes nearly a third of the Air Force’s entire budget, which this year totals $184 billion.”
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Thompson, L. (2018, April 18). Mega-base: What Wright-Patterson Air Force Base means for the economy of Ohio. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2018/04/18/mega-base-what-wright-patterson-air-force-base-means-for-the-economy-of-ohio/?sh=2f1d8abe3131
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Although not a direct effect on education outreach programs for the heritage site, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base informs a lot of decisions for the Aviation Heritage Museum. They share land, so they also share road access, maintenance, and governing policies. It is helpful to know how this influence may affect the area.
