Colonel Todd Allison, Garrison Commander for the Rock Island Arsenal, manages services and facilities for the 946 acres of Arsenal Island, which has a significant global and strategic reach. Since 1862, the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) has been a national treasure and cornerstone of the Bi-State Region. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in1988, which includes historic Quarters One built in 1871, the swing-span bridge completed in 1896, the Browning Museum built in 1905 (the Army’s second oldest), the Clock Tower Building built in1867, the hydroelectric plant built in 1901, the National Cemetery established in 1863 and still active, the Arsenal Island Golf Course established in1897, and Fort Armstrong established in 1816.
Colonel Allison said that RIA is the largest local employer in the Bi-State Region with 5,089 civilian, 471 military, and 669 contracted employees; 42% of this workforce are veterans. The induced employment impact of RIA is over 14,000 community jobs. The regional reach may also be demonstrated through the distribution of the employees of RIA that are 54% from Iowa and 43% from Illinois. Salaries average $75,989, and the local economic impact of is over $1.2 billion per year.
The Rock Island Arsenal is the only full-service Army installation in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. It supports more than 54K active, reserve, and retired military; civilian employees; and family members within a 150-mile radius, with 256 housing residents living on the island.
The Rock Island Arsenal is home to over 60 Department of Defense organizations and private companies with a global impact. RIA houses five major Commands that reach 32 states and 20 countries, including Army Sustainment Command, Joint Munitions Command, Army Contracting Command, First Army, and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The vision of the Rock Island Arsenal is to support “the readiness needs of the United States Army by leveraging local, operational, and strategic partnerships, focused on mission assurance now and into the future. RIA is the “Installation of Choice” to live and work.” The Installation Plan includes maintaining the environment that enables Rock Island Arsenal commands and organizations to successfully execute enduring missions and emerging requirements; providing programs that allow service members, families, and civilians to achieve their full potential and that enhance overall quality of life; fostering mutually supporting community partnerships, and leveraging community resources and relationships to improve services on and around RIA.
Key initiatives of the RIA include Inter-Governmental Support Agreements, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, Quarters One/Golf Course and Associated Facilities Enhanced Use Lease, Energy and Water Strategy or Energy Resiliency and Real Estate Management Legislation. Colonel Allison reported these initiatives are accomplished by working with the region through open communication, a robust local economy, an affordable cost of living, working with various local partners, and utilizing current and future technologies.
