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BRAC: Military Bases Make Their Case
Night Stalker
Member Posts: 11,967
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 29, 2005
Pg. 1
Military Bases Make Their Case
Recommended closings will soon be public
By Philip Dine, Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau
CRYSTAL CITY, VA. -- With just two weeks to go before the country learns which military bases are recommended for closing -- and as Illinoisans nervously await the fate of Scott Air Force Base -- the pace at the new Base Realignment and Closure office here is growing more frenetic.
In a hastily thrown together sixth-floor suite, hand-drawn arrows taped to the walls lead to the commission's office, where dozens of newly hired employees are scrambling to compare bases even as some await basic equipment like computers and phone books.
The BRAC commissioners haven't even been sworn in yet, but their first public hearing is set for Tuesday on Capitol Hill to allow citizens, state officials and others to provide information the commission can use in its deliberations. They'll also be whisked behind closed doors for classified briefings from top military officials about how U.S. global military needs affect the issue of domestic bases.
Just a mile away at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has increased -- to daily -- the tempo of briefings he's getting from two panels he set up in 2002 to examine base closings from the perspective of cooperation among military services, intelligence, training, research and development, and other key areas.
Rumsfeld has to provide a recommended list of base closings to the BRAC Commission and to Congress by May 16, but he hopes to make it public by May 13 -- two weeks from today.
If history is a guide, most of the recommendations will be adopted. Billions of dollars in economic impact and employment could be at stake for communities around the country.
"This is critical. We're pulling out all the stops," Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Thursday.
Whether the intense lobbying will make a difference is unclear. But with crunch time at hand, and at least two bases in Illinois seen as potentially vulnerable -- Scott and the Rock Island Arsenal -- Blagojevich was in Washington on Thursday pressing the state's case. He huddled privately with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., met twice with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and had lunch with delegation members, including Reps. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., and John Shimkus, R-Ill., to talk about Scott and the other bases.
"We spent a lot of time discussing our plans to do everything we can so that in these base closings, Scott is spared," Blagojevich said. "It is absolutely essential we keep it open. It contributes $1.5 billion to the state's economy and supports nearly 50,000 jobs."
Even as they wage an energetic -- and expensive -- campaign to keep Scott off Rumsfeld's list, Illinois officials are planning how to respond if Scott is recommended for closure: Push for an increase in Scott's missions at the expense of bases elsewhere.
"What we're proposing isn't just that we save Scott but that we actually expand it," Blagojevich said.
It's a complex battle that states like Illinois are waging, because of the number of decision-makers involved. Along with the BRAC commissioners and Rumsfeld, Congress and the White House will play major roles as the process winds into the autumn.
But the key decision looms in two weeks, when Rumsfeld makes his recommendations. Precedent suggests that about 85 percent of those on his list will remain there -- and be closed or downsized.
In Rumsfeld's view, about 20 percent of the military's capacity is excess. With 425 bases around the country, many observers have focused on the prospect that nearly 100 bases could be closed or sharply downsized. But the formula is actually more complex, because what the Defense Department is examining are its 3,000 properties, ranging from bases to training facilities, from the Pentagon to buildings in a host of cities.
The Illinois congressional delegation is working with Missouri legislators to push for Scott, and with Iowa's delegation on Rock Island. The state of Illinois and the cities of Peoria and Springfield are spending at least $500,000 for lobbying and public relations efforts. The two cities are trying to protect National Guard wings.
"Just as with the folks for Scott Air Force Base, our hope is to keep the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria and the 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield," said Roberta Parks, chief operating office for the Peoria Chamber of Commerce. She is co-chairman for Peoria of the area's Base Retention Task Force. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., was instrumental in forging the joint effort.
"We feel like we've done everything we can do, so that gives us some comfort," said Gary Plummer, president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. "We remain concerned, of course. We want to be prepared to react quickly once the report is issued."
Illinois officials and legislators are trying to take advantage of the presence of Illinoisan Sam Skinner on the nine-member BRAC Commission. Skinner served as U.S. transportation secretary in the administration of former President George Bush. Skinner was one of the two appointments that Hastert got to make; only one could be from Illinois.
Even if the news is good in two weeks for Scott supporters, they and boosters of other bases won't let up. They'll have to work to remain off the closure list, they say, because cities whose bases were targeted will work furiously to get off -- at somebody else's expense.
NSDQ!
www.nightstalkers.com
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
April 29, 2005
Pg. 1
Military Bases Make Their Case
Recommended closings will soon be public
By Philip Dine, Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau
CRYSTAL CITY, VA. -- With just two weeks to go before the country learns which military bases are recommended for closing -- and as Illinoisans nervously await the fate of Scott Air Force Base -- the pace at the new Base Realignment and Closure office here is growing more frenetic.
In a hastily thrown together sixth-floor suite, hand-drawn arrows taped to the walls lead to the commission's office, where dozens of newly hired employees are scrambling to compare bases even as some await basic equipment like computers and phone books.
The BRAC commissioners haven't even been sworn in yet, but their first public hearing is set for Tuesday on Capitol Hill to allow citizens, state officials and others to provide information the commission can use in its deliberations. They'll also be whisked behind closed doors for classified briefings from top military officials about how U.S. global military needs affect the issue of domestic bases.
Just a mile away at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has increased -- to daily -- the tempo of briefings he's getting from two panels he set up in 2002 to examine base closings from the perspective of cooperation among military services, intelligence, training, research and development, and other key areas.
Rumsfeld has to provide a recommended list of base closings to the BRAC Commission and to Congress by May 16, but he hopes to make it public by May 13 -- two weeks from today.
If history is a guide, most of the recommendations will be adopted. Billions of dollars in economic impact and employment could be at stake for communities around the country.
"This is critical. We're pulling out all the stops," Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Thursday.
Whether the intense lobbying will make a difference is unclear. But with crunch time at hand, and at least two bases in Illinois seen as potentially vulnerable -- Scott and the Rock Island Arsenal -- Blagojevich was in Washington on Thursday pressing the state's case. He huddled privately with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., met twice with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and had lunch with delegation members, including Reps. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., and John Shimkus, R-Ill., to talk about Scott and the other bases.
"We spent a lot of time discussing our plans to do everything we can so that in these base closings, Scott is spared," Blagojevich said. "It is absolutely essential we keep it open. It contributes $1.5 billion to the state's economy and supports nearly 50,000 jobs."
Even as they wage an energetic -- and expensive -- campaign to keep Scott off Rumsfeld's list, Illinois officials are planning how to respond if Scott is recommended for closure: Push for an increase in Scott's missions at the expense of bases elsewhere.
"What we're proposing isn't just that we save Scott but that we actually expand it," Blagojevich said.
It's a complex battle that states like Illinois are waging, because of the number of decision-makers involved. Along with the BRAC commissioners and Rumsfeld, Congress and the White House will play major roles as the process winds into the autumn.
But the key decision looms in two weeks, when Rumsfeld makes his recommendations. Precedent suggests that about 85 percent of those on his list will remain there -- and be closed or downsized.
In Rumsfeld's view, about 20 percent of the military's capacity is excess. With 425 bases around the country, many observers have focused on the prospect that nearly 100 bases could be closed or sharply downsized. But the formula is actually more complex, because what the Defense Department is examining are its 3,000 properties, ranging from bases to training facilities, from the Pentagon to buildings in a host of cities.
The Illinois congressional delegation is working with Missouri legislators to push for Scott, and with Iowa's delegation on Rock Island. The state of Illinois and the cities of Peoria and Springfield are spending at least $500,000 for lobbying and public relations efforts. The two cities are trying to protect National Guard wings.
"Just as with the folks for Scott Air Force Base, our hope is to keep the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria and the 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield," said Roberta Parks, chief operating office for the Peoria Chamber of Commerce. She is co-chairman for Peoria of the area's Base Retention Task Force. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., was instrumental in forging the joint effort.
"We feel like we've done everything we can do, so that gives us some comfort," said Gary Plummer, president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. "We remain concerned, of course. We want to be prepared to react quickly once the report is issued."
Illinois officials and legislators are trying to take advantage of the presence of Illinoisan Sam Skinner on the nine-member BRAC Commission. Skinner served as U.S. transportation secretary in the administration of former President George Bush. Skinner was one of the two appointments that Hastert got to make; only one could be from Illinois.
Even if the news is good in two weeks for Scott supporters, they and boosters of other bases won't let up. They'll have to work to remain off the closure list, they say, because cities whose bases were targeted will work furiously to get off -- at somebody else's expense.
NSDQ!
www.nightstalkers.com
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
Comments
"In Rumsfeld's view, about 20 percent of the military's capacity is excess." This I don't understand. Can someone explain what they mean by "capacity"? I'm assuming they're talking about things like storage, etc., but I'm not sure.
Didja hear about how Bush wants to turn all the closed military bases into oil refineries? Lord, what a bunch of idiots...
Why not? Old military bases have enough room for them and are usually far enough away from cities to where they shouldn't cause a problem.
quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey"In Rumsfeld's view, about 20 percent of the military's capacity is excess." This I don't understand. Can someone explain what they mean by "capacity"? I'm assuming they're talking about things like storage, etc., but I'm not sure.
Capacity.......the ability to wage war and keep military strength up. Rumsfeld's view is screwed up! Our military has been shredded to pieces by the politicians. We used to have enough troops to handle conflicts in 3 theaters around the world and still have enough to keep here at home to defend the 'homeland'.
Now there's barely enough 'capacity' to handle what's on our plate now. [V] Back during WWII the Army had around 100 Divisions. Now we're lucky to have maybe 15. [V]
Why not? Old military bases have enough room for them and are usually far enough away from cities to where they shouldn't cause a problem.
The base in my town, is the center of town, it would be a big problem.
100,000 [:)] lemmings [:)]can't be wrong
quote:
Why not? Old military bases have enough room for them and are usually far enough away from cities to where they shouldn't cause a problem.
The base in my town, is the center of town, it would be a big problem.
So, ya want new refineries to help lower the cost of energy but you don't want a refinery near you. [}:)]
You're one of them NIMBY folks huh? [V]
***NIMBY*** Not In My Back Yard
quote:
Why not? Old military bases have enough room for them and are usually far enough away from cities to where they shouldn't cause a problem.
The base in my town, is the center of town, it would be a big problem.
100,000 [:)] lemmings [:)]can't be wrong
Hotshoot. that's exactly what the citizens of Puerto Rico said before they realized the crippling effect which comes hand and glove with the loss of a base near your home. Now, all of the sudden, the folks in PR are dumping tons of money, effort, and political pressure on the U.S. to PLEASE STAY!!!!
I'll offer your town is next if they loose both the base and reject any backfill project for that terrain.
Just some food for thought.
I'm headed to the range, will talk with you all later. [:D]
NSDQ!
www.nightstalkers.com
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10