TOPICS
TOPICS
BRAC panel adds bases to closure list
Members of the independent base closure commission voted Tuesday to add several military installations to the Pentagon's list of facilities that the panel will consider recommending for closure or realignment in the coming weeks.
The Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine and the Naval Broadway Complex in San Diego were added to the list of bases that could be closed. The Naval Master Jet Base at Oceana, Va., and two Air Force bases--North Carolina's Pope Air Force Base and Alaska's Galena Airport Forward Operating Location--will be considered for further reductions than the Pentagon proposed.
Each added base received at least seven of the nine commissioners' votes. Bases considered but left off the list because they did not receive enough votes included the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot; the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii; Georgia's Moody Air Force Base and North Dakota's Grand Forks Air Force Base.
The Pearl Harbor shipyard came the closest to being added to the list, with a five to four vote in favor of adding it. The commission questioned Pentagon officials Monday, asking why Portsmouth Naval Yard in Maine was on the list, and the Pearl Harbor shipyard, which has been rated as less efficient, was not. Pentagon officials testified that they made the best decisions possible, but would support additional recommendations.
The commission also voted in favor of looking at whether to merge several small facilities providing administrative, education and medical services.
Before deliberations began, BRAC Chairman Anthony Principi said a vote in favor of adding a base did not necessarily mean that commissioners ultimately would recommend closure. Rather, he said, commissioners were simply seeking to add some bases to the original list submitted by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on May 13 so comparisons can be made.
"We now have the opportunity to examine the broader picture," Principi said.
At least two commissioners will visit each base added to the list and representatives from the communities will be given an opportunity to testify in regional hearings.
Before the commission makes its final recommendations, Rumsfeld, the heads of the services and other Pentagon officials will be asked to provide comments.
For a full list of the Pentagon's BRAC decisions by state, click here.
COMMENTS
- After Defense Supply Center Columbus was passed over for this BRAC, the commission is talking about eliminating DFAS at DCSC. That's a couple thousand workers. That means that there will be even more empty office space and empty warehouse space than there already is there. Those buildings still have to be maintained. If the BRAC commission is somehow planning to save money, they need to shut down DSCC entirely, not just cripple it. Either leave things alone or shut it down and sell the facility for commercial development. Besides, the functions could be more efficiently facilitated at a place like Wright Patterson Air Force Base where they have lots of room and plenty of security. We're not dealing with cold war threats any more. There is no good reason why many functions can't be consolodated into a large facility like Wright Pat. instead of spreading them out in these dinky little facilities that were built for WWII. Robert M. Posted July 21, 2005 6:49 PM
- Mr. taxpayer, take a look at the red states versus the blue states. Then you will find your answer. Red states win overall and blue states lose. Red states with middle of the road politicians are getting a wake up, get on board or more losses will come your way. Political power, that's all it is. We seem to be too stupid to figure that simple formula out. GovExec.com reader Posted July 21, 2005 7:33 AM
- WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! Bush and Rummy will do what they want to do. Doesn't matter how many lies they have to tell to make it seem right. First of all, why would you have a BRAC right now in the middle of a war, while our men/women are dying for something that does not make sense. Every dollar we spend over there should be spent here in USA. One day we will all wake up and be a third world country because of this administration. Whey would want to put everything together on the coast lines to let them be destroyed by countries that hate us. Or spend billions to build new building in hurricane alley. They are closing my building Marine Corps Mobilization Command, which does all administrative work for all Marine Reserves, just to move us to Belle Chase, Louisiana. We own our building and pay $1.00 per month to rent the land. Why close us just to have to buy some land in Belle Chase and building 5 new buildings just for a hurricane to come along and blow it down. Does not make sense!!! I AM TIRED PEOPLE AREN'T YOU???? GovExec.com reader Posted July 21, 2005 8:34 AM
