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[John Galt]

Pentagon proposes shutting down 180 military installations

[John Galt]

Pentagon Plans to Close 33 Major Bases

By LIZ SIDOTI

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon proposed Friday shutting about 180 military installations from Maine to Hawaii including 33 major bases, triggering the first round of base closures in a decade and an intense struggle by communities to save their facilities.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld also recommended a list of scores of other domestic installations - including 29 major bases - that will remain open but with thousands fewer troops. Dozens of others will gain troops from other domestic or foreign bases.

Overall, he has said his plan would save $48.8 billion over 20 years while making the military more mobile and better suited for the global effort against terrorism.

Rumsfeld's proposal calls for a massive shift of U.S. forces that would result in a net loss of 29,005 military and civilian jobs at domestic installations. He proposes pulling a total of 218,570 military and civilian positions out of some U.S. bases while adding 189,565 positions to others, according to documents obtained by The AP.

The closures and downsizings would occur over six years starting in 2006.

"Our current arrangements, designed for the Cold War, must give way to the new demands of the war against extremism and other evolving 21st Century challenges," Rumsfeld said in a written statement.

Even before the Pentagon announced the proposed changes, some lawmakers were vowing to spend the next few months working to stop the closures altogether or at least to protect their states' bases, while others whose bases gained jobs praised the Pentagon proposal.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., condemned the proposal to close Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod, calling it "a mistake."

"Otis is the number one base for homeland defense on the entire East Coast. ... It simply makes no sense to close Otis in the post 9/11 world."

"I'm absolutely pleased," Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri said after learning his state would keep all of its military bases. "That is the solid good news for the state of Missouri," said Skelton, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Among the major closures were Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, which would lose more than 2,700 jobs, the Naval Station in Ingleside, Texas, costing more than 2,100 jobs, and Fort McPherson in Georgia, costing nearly 4,200 jobs.

Other major bases - including the Army's Fort Bliss in Texas, the Naval Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., and Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland - would see gains, as they absorb troops whose current home bases are slated for closure.

Before closures or downsizings can take effect, the Defense Department's proposal must be approved or changed by a federal base closing commission by Sept. 8, and then agreed to by Congress and President Bush, in a process that will run into the fall.

In four previous rounds of closures starting in 1988, commissions have accepted 85 percent of bases the Pentagon recommended for closure or consolidation. However, the current commission's chairman, Anthony Principi, has promised not to rubber stamp Rumsfeld's list.

One major closure Rumsfeld seeks is Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, home to 29 B-1B bombers, half the nation's fleet of the aircraft, and the state's second largest employer.

Freshman Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., called the Pentagon "flat wrong" about Ellsworth, and he vowed to help lead an effort to delay the entire round of closures. "We will continue to fight to keep Ellsworth open," he said.

Rumsfeld also recommended closing the Naval Station in Pascagoula, Miss., which barely survived previous base closure rounds. The decision was a blow to Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., who had fought the 1995 round of closures. At stake are 844 military jobs and 112 civilian jobs.

New England took a major hit, and Connecticut suffered the biggest loss in terms of jobs with the proposed closure of the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Conn. Shuttering the installation would result in the loss of 7,096 military jobs and 952 civilian jobs.

Calling the recommendation "irrational and irresponsible," Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., said, "It insults our history and endangers our future."

The base - which began construction in 1872 as the Navy's first submarine base - is homeport to 18 attack submarines and also home of the Naval Submarine School, three submarine squadrons staffs and other support facilities.

Another facility that barely made it through the previous rounds but showed up on the latest hit list was Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine, whose shutdown would affect 201 military jobs and 4,032 civilian jobs.

President Bush's home state wasn't immune from the chopping block. Texas is slated to lose 15 facilities. In addition to Naval Station Ingleside, the Red River Army Depot and several Reserve and Guard installations are on the hit list.

New Jersey's Fort Monmouth is also slated for closure, triggering an angered Democratic Rep. Rush Holt to vow to "Fight like hell to change it. I'm not about to let the Pentagon's error put the fort and the soldiers it serves in harm's way."

The Pentagon also proposed eliminating scores of Reserve and National Guard bases, part of Rumsfeld's effort to promote "jointness" between the active-duty and reserve units.

Pennsylvania would lose 13 facilities, including the Naval Air Station at Willow Grove, while Alabama and California - the state hit hardest in the previous four rounds of closures - are to see 11 installations apiece shuttered, mostly affecting Reserve and Guard units and Defense Department accounting offices. New York is to lose nine.

Base closings represent a high-stakes political fight, because they affect jobs in congressional districts.

When a U.S. military installation shuts down, its officers and their families are uprooted and relocated to facilities elsewhere, leaving holes in customer bases of local businesses.

"Affected communities will be offered support and assistance through the Office of Economic Adjustment following the completion of the process," Michael Wynne, the Pentagon's technology chief said at a briefing on the recommendations.

Nevertheless, targeted communities, with their well-being on the line, are expected to harness the efforts of lawmakers, local civic officials and hired lobbyists, as well as base commanders themselves, to try to convince the commission to keep their facilities up and running.

For years, the military has operated more bases than it needs for the 1.4 million troops on active duty. Congress has refused to authorize a new round of base closings since 1995 but reluctantly signed off on the idea last year after President Bush threatened to veto an entire spending bill.

Lawmakers say it is unwise to close bases while U.S. troops are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Pentagon argues that the timing is perfect to enlist cost-cutting measures given pressures from the ballooning federal deficit and to reshuffle the stateside network of bases while it reshapes the entire military.

Closures in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995 eliminated or realigned 451 installations, including 97 major ones, resulted in a net savings to the government of about $18 billion through 2001. The Pentagon projects recurring annual savings of $7.3 billion from those four rounds combined.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050513/D8A2CTHG0.html

[John Galt]

WASHINGTON - A list of military facilities the Defense Department recommended for closure Friday:

Alabama:

Abbott U.S. Army Reserve Center, Tuskegee

Anderson U.S. Army Reserve Center, Troy

Armed Forces Reserve Center, Mobile

BG William P. Screws U.S. Army Reserve Center, Montgomery

Fort Ganey Army National Guard Reserve Center, Mobile

Fort Hanna Army National Guard Reserve Center, Birmingham

Gary U.S. Army Reserve Center, Enterprise

Navy Recruiting District Headquarters, Montgomery

Navy Reserve Center, Tuscaloosa

The Adjutant General Bldg, AL Army National Guard, Montgomery

Wright U.S. Army Reserve Center

Alaska:

Kulis Air Guard Station

Arizona:

Air Force Research Lab, Mesa

Allen Hall Armed Forces Reserve Center, Tucson

Arkansas:

El Dorado Armed Forces Reserve Center

Stone U.S. Army Reserve Center, Pine Bluff

California:

Armed Forces Reserve Center Bell

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Oakland

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, San Bernardino

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, San Diego

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Seaside

Naval Support Activity Corona

Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Detachment Concord

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Encino

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Los Angeles

Onizuka Air Force Station

Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant

Connecticut:

Sgt. Libby U.S. Army Reserve Center, New Haven

Submarine Base New London

Turner U.S. Army Reserve Center, Fairfield

U.S. Army Reserve Center Maintenance Support Facility, Middletown

Delaware:

Kirkwood U.S. Army Reserve Center, Newark

Florida:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Orlando

Navy Reserve Center, St. Petersburg

Georgia:

Fort Gillem

Fort McPherson

Inspector/Instructor, Rome

Naval Air Station Atlanta

Naval Supply Corps School, Athens

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Columbus

Hawaii:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Honokaa

Idaho:

Navy Reserve Center, Pocatello

Illinois:

Armed Forces Reserve Center, Carbondale

Navy Reserve Center, Forest Park

Indiana:

Navy Marine Corps Reserve Center, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Bunker Hill

Navy Recruiting District Headquarters, Indianapolis

Navy Reserve Center, Evansville

Newport Chemical Depot

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Lafayette

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Seston

Iowa:

Navy Reserve Center, Cedar Rapids

Navy Reserve Center, Sioux City

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Dubuque

>

Kansas:

Kansas Army Ammunition Plant

>

Kentucky:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Paducah

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Lexington

Navy Reserve Center, Lexington

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Louisville

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Maysville

>

Louisiana:

Baton Rouge Army National Guard Reserve Center

Naval Support Activity, New Orleans

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Baton Rouge

Roberts U.S. Army Reserve Center, Baton Rouge

Maine:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Limestone

Naval Reserve Center, Bangor

Naval Shipyard Portsmouth, Kittery

Maryland:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Patuxent River

Navy Reserve Center, Adelphi

Pfc. Flair U.S. Army Reserve Center, Frederick

Massachusetts:

Malony U.S. Army Reserve Center

Otis Air Guard Base

Westover U.S. Army Reserve Center, Citopee

Michigan:

Navy Reserve Center Marquette

Parisan U.S. Army Reserve Center, Lansing

Selfridge Army Activity

W.K. Kellogg Airport Air Guard Station

Minnesota:

Navy Reserve Center Duluth

Mississippi:

Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant

Naval Station, Pascagoula

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Vicksburg

Missouri:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Jefferson Barracks

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Kansas City

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, St. Louis

Marine Corps Support Center, Kansas City

Navy Recruiting District Headquarters, Kansas

Navy Reserve Center, Cape Girardeau

Montana:

Galt Hall U.S. Army Reserve Center, Great Falls

Nebraska:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Columbus

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Grand Island

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Kearny

Naval Recruiting District Headquarters, Omaha

Navy Reserve Center, Lincoln

Nevada:

Hawthorne Army Depot

New Hampshire:

Doble U.S. Army Reserve Center, Portsmouth

Naval Shipyard Portsmouth

New Jersey:

Fort Monmouth

Inspector/Instructor Center, West Trenton

Kilmer U.S. Army Reserve Center, Edison

New Mexico:

Cannon Air Force Base

Jenkins Armed Forces Reserve Center, Albuquerque

New York:

Armed Forces Reserve Center, Amityville

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Niagra Falls

Carpenter U.S. Army Reserve Center, Poughkeepsie

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Rome

Navy Recruiting District Headquarters, Buffalo

Navy Reserve Center Glenn Falls

Navy Reserve Center Horsehead

Navy Reserve Center Watertown

Niagra Falls International Airport Air Guard Station

North Carolina:

Navy Reserve Center, Asheville

Niven U.S. Army Reserve Center, Albemarle

Ohio:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Mansfield

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Westerville

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Dayton

Mansfield Lahm Municipal Airport Air Guard Station

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Akron

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Cleveland

Parrott U.S. Army Reserve Center, Kenton

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Whitehall

Oklahoma:

Armed Forces Reserve Center Broken Arrow

Armed Forces Reserve Center Muskogee

Army National Guard Reserve Center Tishomingo

Krowse U.S. Army Reserve Center, Oklahoma City

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Tulsa

Oklahoma City (95th)

Pennsylvania:

Bristol

Engineering Field Activity Northeast

Kelly Support Center

Naval Air Station Willow Grove

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Reading

North Penn U.S. Army Reserve Center, Morristown

Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station

Serrenti U.S. Army Reserve Center, Scranton

U.S. Army Reserve Center Bloomsburg

U.S. Army Reserve Center Lewisburg

U.S. Army Reserve Center Williamsport

W. Reese U.S. Army Reserve Center/OMS, Chester

Puerto Rico:

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Humacao

Lavergne U.S. Army Reserve Center, Bayamon

Rhode Island:

Harwood U.S. Army Reserve Center, Providence

USARC Bristol

South Carolina:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Charleston

South Naval Facilities Engineering Command

South Dakota:

Ellsworth Air Force Base

Tennessee:

U.S. Army Reserve Area Maintenance Support Facility, Kingsport

Texas:

Army National Guard Reserve Center No. 2, Dallas

Army National Guard Reserve Center (Hondo Pass), El Paso

Army National Guard Reserve Center, California Crossing

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Ellington

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Lufkin

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Marshall

Army National Guard Reserve Center, New Braunfels

Brooks City Base

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, San Antonio

Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant

Naval Station, Ingleside

Navy Reserve Center, Lubbock

Navy Reserve Center, Orange

Red River Army Depot

U.S. Army Reserve Center No. 2, Houston

Utah:

Deseret Chemical Depot

Virginia:

Fort Monroe

Washington:

1LT Richard H. Walker U.S. Army Reserve Center

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Everett

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Tacoma

U.S. Army Reserve Center, Fort Lawton

Vancouver Barracks

West Virginia:

Bias U.S. Army Reserve Center, Huntington

Fairmont U.S. Army Reserve Center

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Moundsville

Wisconsin:

Gen. Mitchell International Airport ARS

Navy Reserve Center, La Crosse

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Madison

Olson U.S. Army Reserve Center, Madison

U.S. Army Reserve Center, O'Connell

Wyoming:

Army Aviation Support Facility, Cheyenne

Army National Guard Reserve Center, Thermopolis

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050513/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/base_closings_list_9

[Jehan]

Good to see our president working for "National Security."

:roll:

[narikimakoto]

THis is stupid. Its goona ruin the economy

[learn to swim]

Most of those people are being redeployed so who cares? New jobs will be made where the new troops are moved. Again, no big deal.


This needs to happen. We have way too many bases for as mobile as a military we have become.


Some of those bases are being considered as oil refineries which will create jobs and lower the cost of gas so this is a great thing.



The president is cutting overspending on the militar but not cutting back its' capabilities.

[Locke25]

I'm quite sad that Cobb County, GA's Naval Air Station Atlanta might be closing. But apparently it's not going to hurt our economy that much. Although I'm still pissed. They shouldn't close it.

[sLiPpY]

Bases? they're all reserve centers. :lol:

[IronBrigadeMike (IBM)]

learn to swim wrote: Most of those people are being redeployed so who cares? New jobs will be made where the new troops are moved. Again, no big deal.


This needs to happen. We have way too many bases for as mobile as a military we have become.


Some of those bases are being considered as oil refineries which will create jobs and lower the cost of gas so this is a great thing.



The president is cutting overspending on the militar but not cutting back its' capabilities.

Yeah I pretty much agree with that, good points.

[Hobbie]

learn to swim wrote: Most of those people are being redeployed so who cares? New jobs will be made where the new troops are moved. Again, no big deal.


This needs to happen. We have way too many bases for as mobile as a military we have become.


Some of those bases are being considered as oil refineries which will create jobs and lower the cost of gas so this is a great thing.



The president is cutting overspending on the militar but not cutting back its' capabilities.

Thank you, LTS. :clap: :clap:

This very thing was what Rumsfeld was brought in to do, people. Before the 9/11 attacks, Rummy was signed on as SecDef in order to reorganize and recreate the US military. Needless to say, he's sort of been sidetracked, to say the very least. Many of those bases and reserve centers are outdated and unnecessary.

This is not a military cut back. It's a military consolidation and reorganization.

[IronBrigadeMike (IBM)]

Exactly! :clap:

[Republitarian]

Locke25 wrote: I'm quite sad that Cobb County, GA's Naval Air Station Atlanta might be closing. But apparently it's not going to hurt our economy that much. Although I'm still pissed. They shouldn't close it.

Don't worry. That list is just recommendations. Each choice is reviewed and inspected before it is finalized to be closed. Even then it could take several years for it to happen.

I still believe that a couple of our bases, and hopefully even the NAS would be saved here in GA.... And I'm just not saying that because it is just up the road either. ;)

[superchick]

Sounds like a fabulous idea to cut terrorism. Thanks team, great idea.
Less bases=Less terrorist acts.

Why do we even have bases in the US anyway, why don't we have them where all the terrorist nations are? Duh, that's what we have to worry about!*
*note middle name of superchick

[superchick]

On another note, am I the only one that finds it ammusing to see fatties as the spokespeople for organizations you would imagine to be fit, like the police, fireman, military, or the olympic comitttee?

[Hobbie]

superchick wrote: Sounds like a fabulous idea to cut terrorism. Thanks team, great idea.
Less bases=Less terrorist acts.

Why do we even have bases in the US anyway, why don't we have them where all the terrorist nations are? Duh, that's what we have to worry about!*
*note middle name of superchick

This post makes zero sense. :?

[narikimakoto]

I am against this idea of moving the bases. In only serves to cut back on the jobs of many american citizens across the country, since many towns are dependent upon us for jobs. Revenues in local areas, no matter where the bases are, in Japan, US, Germany, or otherwise, usually increase, since most guys go off base to buy stuff since the government doesnt provide to manu luxuries and amenities on the base, with exception of basics, such as housing and the like. There's a crude yet affective saying by my CO: "If you want porn, you dont get it on base. You get it off base and sneak it in."

[Locke25]

Republitarian wrote: Don't worry. That list is just recommendations. Each choice is reviewed and inspected before it is finalized to be closed. Even then it could take several years for it to happen.

I still believe that a couple of our bases, and hopefully even the NAS would be saved here in GA.... And I'm just not saying that because it is just up the road either. :wink:

I hope they decide not to close NAS. I don't mind them closing Fort Gillem or Fort McPherson, but just not my NAS!!!

[Classically Liberal]

Quote: West Virginia:

Bias U.S. Army Reserve Center, Huntington

Fairmont U.S. Army Reserve Center

Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Moundsville

This is interesting. The elites in Charleston spent the last week throwing an absolute hissy fit over the proposed closing of the reserve airbase. Even Republicans were predicting anarchy in the streets and cursing the name Bush. Yet, that didnt even make the list.

But, since this will only effect Huntington, Fairmont, and Moundsville...who cares now? :roll:

[anselfir]

narikimakoto wrote: THis is stupid. Its goona ruin the economy no, on the contrary it takes a big piece of the sectionalist pie out of politics.

[Scribbler1]

Ordinarily I would support this but since this administration has shown so much ineptitude as far as managing our military I have my doubts as to how wise these decisions are.
Particularly the Guard facilities. If we are in as much danger from another terrorist attack as people think, why then would we eliminate the very group who would be charged with stepping in when such an event (or flood, tornado, riot, etc.) happens?
I am all for closing unnecessary bases but I draw the line at eliminating Guard facilities.