Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow
Fuel Local Economic Growth
Carteret County is one of the premier supporters of Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow (ACT), a public/private partnership that exists to protect and sustain jobs at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Fleet Readiness Center East..
ACT’s purpose is to “be an advocate for our military assets,” and Carteret County is heavily invested, reported former ACT President Greg Lewis of Carteret County. The military operations at Cherry Point are the largest single employer of Carteret County residents. Nearly 9,500 people (active duty military and civilian employees, retirees and family members) who live in Carteret County are dependent on Cherry Point’s payroll.
The regional annual economic impact of Cherry Point is nearly $2.05 billion to the four counties of Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico.
The Marine Corps, Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard directly or indirectly employ more than 10 percent of North Carolina’s workforce. The military’s contribution to North Carolina’s economy is nearly $32 billion; only agriculture contributes more.
FRC East is the largest industrial employer in North Carolina located east of I-95, providing more than 3,000 civilian jobs with an annual salary twice the national average. FRC East is recognized as a “Vertical Lift Center of Excellence.”
MCAS Cherry Point is designated as the future site of the largest concentration of F-35B Joint Strike Fighters.
“ACT is working hard to ensure these aircraft arrive on schedule,” Lewis said.