The State of Washington hosts several major military bases and significant installations of all branches of the military; many in the Northwest Metroplex or right next door. Pierce County is the home of Ft. Lewis and Mc- Chord Air Force Base. Kitsap County is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Base Kitsap and the Keyport Undersea Warfare Research Station. Island County is the location of Naval Air Station Whidbey, and Snohomish County hosts the Everett Navy Base.

Military bases contribute significantly to economic activity throughout the state. In Island County, 88 percent of the economic activity comes from military bases. Other counties with large percentages of economic activity from bases include Kitsap (54 percent), Pierce (30 percent), Spokane (9 percent), and Snohomish (5 percent).

Sales by Washington companies to local bases total $528 million per year. In King County alone, businesses sold $174 million to bases statewide. Forty-four companies in the state derive 100 percent of their business from military bases, and 30 others generate more than half of their business from the bases.

While much of the health care is provided to service personnel and their families on base, $116 million is paid out per year to private health care providers in Washington State. Schools also receive federal assistance for educating military dependents. Local districts receive millions in school impact aid from the federal government. The military presence in and near the Greater Seattle region is responsible for the creation of more than 134,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion.