Tribal and military leaders work together

  • Published
  • By Tommie Baker
  • Alaskan Command Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Nearly 30 Alaska tribal first chiefs and presidents and a dozen top military commanders from throughout the state met to discuss proposed 2013 military activities in order to receive tribal input during the Alaska Tribal and Military Leaders Meeting Nov. 27 at JBER.

"The goal of this meeting was to continue to carry out the Department of Defense American Indian and Alaska Native Policy by enhancing our understanding and cooperation between Alaska's military and federally recognized Alaska tribes," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog, commander of Alaskan Command. 

Echoing the general, tribal leaders shared the goal as well. 

"This was my first time to attend, and I found it very informative. The government to government consultation is very important to the tribes," said Leo Lolnitz, first chief of the Koyukuk Tribal Council. "I learned quite a bit today. I would have even enjoyed another day to talk about the tribal concerns and the federal government's involvement."
These meetings help the military outline to the tribes: future deployments, new organizations and equipment, environmental clean-up efforts, and other activities the military anticipates in the near-future.

Recognizing and respecting tribal sovereignty and the status of tribal leaders is critical in building the relationships between the tribes and the various federal agencies. 

In Executive Order 13084, President Bill Clinton stated, "I am strongly committed to building a more effective day-to-day working relationship reflecting respect for the rights of self-government due the sovereign tribal governments."

"The Department of Defense American Indian and Alaska Native policy places installation commanders and tribal first chiefs, chairs, and presidents on equal footing," said Dr. Jerome Montague, Alaskan Command native affairs and natural resources advisor.

"Developing relationships between these key parties is essential to implementation of the policy." 

These relationships are pivotal to the military's success in Alaska since military installations are often close to tribal communities. 

"Consultation is always a dialogue, with information and opinion respectfully exchanged in both directions," states DoD Instruction Number 4710.02: DoD Interactions with Federally-Recognized Tribes.

Given how closely related the military and Alaska Native communities can be, the Alaska Tribal and Military Leaders Meeting is an excellent opportunity to address concerns that the tribes may have, Montague said.

There are 229 federally recognized tribes in the state of Alaska. The active duty and National Guard have a presence in about 75 of the tribal communities across the state of Alaska, he added. 

"The discussions throughout the day revealed there were several themes of broad tribal interest," according to Hoog.

The themes included: pace and degree of environmental remediation; effects of climate change on national security and village life; veteran tribal member access to veterans' benefits; and the need to always differentiate between the tribes and the corporations.
According to a 2008 Heritage Foundation, Center for Data Analysis report, it's noteworthy that American Indian and Alaskan natives serve in the military in the largest percentage for any ethnic group.

"The Alaska Natives and the military have had a good relationship in the past, and we want to continue to build and enhance that connection," Hoog said. "These types of meetings, where the leaders from tribes and the military gather for face-to-face discussions, are a cornerstone for building relationships for mutual trust."