The city of Johnston has become the first Greater Des Moines city to be named a Home Base Iowa community. Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced today that Johnston, along with Franklin, Story and Muscatine counties, met the criteria to become designated as Home Base Iowa Communities. Additionally, Kirkwood Community College and North Iowa Area Community College have been designated as Home Base Iowa Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMPs). Signed into law a year ago by Branstad, the Home Base Iowa program provides incentives for retiring service members to live and work in  Iowa, to include fully exempting military pensions from state income tax. “We’ve seen the momentum build with this program through the 1,300 veterans hired thus far,” Branstad said in a release. “With the support of our education CHAMPS, our Iowa communities and the aggressive career and recruitment efforts of the program, we are both pleased and excited to know what began as a great idea is now becoming a program recognized as a national model.” Johnston, which is home to Camp Dodge, already has a high percentage of service-connected residents and assets available to service members through the National Guard base. With the newest additions, there are now 18 Home Base Iowa communities.