Regional Economic Effects of Troop
Deployment for Middle East

Unless you live in a area with a high military personnel presence, the issue of how troop deployment impacts your regional economy may not be a great concern. It is a concern to those highly military-dependent communities.

How are local economies impacted by troop deployment? In large part, the major impact relates to lost personal income and spending to the local economy that results from movement of troops and their families.

A recent study by Economy.com says that "early estimates of the number of troops needed for an Iraqi invasion suggest that this impending military action is likely to have less severe economic effects as did the Gulf War. Still, regional economies exposed to troop movements will suffer nonetheless, delaying their recovery from the latest recession."

The South and West will feel more of the pain of this loss because that is where most military personnel are stationed. More specifically, the following military base communities are likely to feel the brunt of this impact:

- Jacksonville, NC.
- Kileen, TX.
- Fayetteville, NC.
- Clarksville, TN.
- Lawton, OK.
- Bremerton, WA.
- Fort Walton Beach, FL.
- Great Falls, MT.
- Norfolk, VA.
-Colorado Springs, CO.