Swords into plowshares: military conversion for the 1990s

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Jan, 1994 by Judith Braffman-Miller

The Administration envisions putting 100,000 new police officers on the streets by creating a National Police Corp that would offer military veterans and active military personnel a chance to become law enforcement officers. It also wants military personnel to be trained for vital civilian professions via the Montgomery GI Bill. The program would enable them to go on a salaried educational leave of absence for a year before taking retirement. Yet another proposal is the creation of an educational fund managed by the National Science Foundation. Its purpose will be financing grants for professionals formerly engaged in military work so they can be taught the latest developments in important civilian technology: renewable energy resources, environmental cleanup, biotechnology, and synthetic materials.

The Clinton Administration also seeks the creation of a national information network to link every home, classroom, library, and business via computer by the year 2015. This would put libraries, educational materials, databases, and public records on line for public use. The aim would be to increase public access to many different types of important data.

This extensive plan of military conversion for the 1990s would include the formation of a civilian Advanced Research Projects Agency, the DOD's research and development branch. The new agency would sponsor civilian R&D and technology projects, develop and produce manufacturing expertise for sophisticated technologies and innovative new products, and create jobs for engineers, scientists, and technicians.

Special conversion grants and loans also may be made available to defense contractors via the Small Business Administration (SBA). Funding for the Export-Import Bank can be expanded to assist small businesses in developing export markets. Small businesses could be aided further in this conversion plan via the formation of a Technical Extension Service through the SBA, modeled after the successful Agricultural Extension and Minnesota's Project Outreach Program, to give them prompt access to technological know-how. In addition, a 50% tax exclusion can be offered to small businesses and innovative entrepreneurs. This would translate into long-term investments in new ventures. Also being considered is a targeted investment in plants and productive equipment in the US. so that companies can convert innovative ideas into new products and effectively compete in the world economy.

The Clinton Administration also is endorsing the development of regulations to enable those portions of military bases that have been cleaned up environmentally to be altered in order to undertake commercial functions before cleanup of the entire base commences--but only if such changes are consistent with public safety. The transfer of military land to surrounding communities can be accomplished more speedily if the land is sold for less than market rates, as long as the purchaser has shown that the intended long-term use will provide employment opportunities that otherwise would not exist should the sale not go through. Buyers of land via this program who do not make good on the stated plan will face financial penalties. The Administration intends to finance this conversion program through shrinking the national deficit by cutting spending, closing corporate tax loopholes, and requiring the very wealthy to pay their fair share of income taxes.