CTroyMathis
14 May 2005, 01:13 PM
Posted on Sat, May. 14, 2005
State may gain jobs but lose four bases (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/11647487.htm)
By Chris Vaughn and Dave Montgomery
Star-Telegram Staff Writer; Star-Telegram Washington Bureau
The Congress fought it, and the public feared it.
After four years in the making, the breathlessly awaited list of bases and facilities that the Pentagon no longer wants was unleashed by the Department of Defense -- on Friday the 13th, no less.
Texas would lose four major bases but come out ahead overall in the battle for jobs under the Pentagon's closure list, which targets 33 large bases in 22 states. The announcement brought howls of protest from community and congressional leaders in the hardest-hit parts of the country.
But the Pentagon recommended hundreds more realignments that would ultimately increase the number of service members based in Texas and several other states.
Texas' overall job gain, military and civilian, would be 6,150, the third-highest in the nation. Naval Air Station Fort Worth would grow by at least 426 jobs.
That's of no comfort to people in the Texarkana area, where leaders are coping with the realization of potentially losing 2,650 jobs through the closure of the Red River Army Depot and the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant.
"They've got their heart and soul in protecting the soldier in the field, and they're working 24/7," said Bowie County Judge James Carlow. "All of a sudden this list comes out and tells them, 'What you're doing doesn't make any difference. We don't need you anymore.' "
Texas leaders had been bracing for bad news, despite an intense campaign to preserve the state's 18 major installations that produce an annual economic impact of $77 billion, according to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission.
Hardest-hit were South and East Texas, where the Pentagon targeted Naval Station Ingleside, Brooks City Base in San Antonio and the Red River depot for closure. Each would lose more than 2,000 people.
Also on the list were seven Army National Guard facilities, most in East and far West Texas, and a handful of reserve centers.
Spared for closure but facing reductions in missions and troop levels are Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
Texas lawmakers condemned the recommended closures and have vowed a unified effort to restore the bases during a four-month review by the nine-member Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The panel is headed by Anthony Principi, former secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he planned to meet with leaders of the affected communities beginning Sunday as the state prepares to "press our case" before Principi's commission.
"Overall, Texas comes out a net winner," Cornyn said, "but obviously there are a lot of concerns with some specific decisions."
Gov. Rick Perry announced the creation of a state "strike force" aimed at vigorously fighting the Texas closings recommended by the Pentagon.
"These are world-class facilities that help our men and women in uniform, and they're essential assets in the war on terror that America cannot afford to lose," Perry said. "The state of Texas is prepared to make every effort to keep these bases open."
Perry signed an executive order creating the Base Realignment and Closure Response Strike Force that will review the closure proposals and marshal state and community support to reverse the decision.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Rumsfeld's list "is a first step in the base-realignment process and is by no means final."
Focus on joint bases
The Bush administration and the Defense Department, buffeted by the costs of the war in Iraq and the staggering prices associated with new weapons systems, have sought since 2001 to reduce the military's infrastructure.
At one time, officials said the military didn't need 25 percent of its base capacity. In the end, the closings list wasn't nearly that large, mostly because the Pentagon needs the room for tens of thousands of troops returning from overseas.
The focus of much of the realignment was on establishing joint facilities, which more than one service can use.
"Because jointness is key to creating military value, that was our goal," said Michael Wynne, the Pentagon's technology and weapons-buying chief, who oversaw the base-review project.
A few bases qualified as winners under the resulting realignments, two of them hitting the Army jackpot. Fort Bliss in El Paso and Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio stand to gain 11,500 and 9,300 troops, respectively, under the realignment.
Texas would have a net gain of 9,838 military positions and a net loss of 3,688 civilian and contractor jobs under the plan, putting the state 6,150 jobs ahead.
Naval Air Station Fort Worth, the nation's first joint reserve base, is scheduled to get an additional two squadrons and additional aircraft from two existing squadrons.
At least 426 military and civilian jobs could be added at the west-side base at the expense of bases in Georgia, Oklahoma and Arizona that would be closed or realigned.
"We have always felt we had a very compelling case" for expanding the base, said Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth.
Bill Ehrie, chairman of the Texas Military Preparedness Commission and a former commander of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, said the realignments recommended were more extensive than he anticipated.
"It's a good day for some, a rough day for others," Ehrie said. "We lost some installations I would have liked to have kept. But we gave it our best shot. Now we'll have to address some issues with the BRAC commission at the regional hearings."
Wichita Falls' loss
In Wichita Falls, stunned local leaders spent Friday trying to assess the fallout from the potential loss of 2,600 Air Force personnel from Sheppard Air Force Base, a major training facility for pilots and enlisted personnel.
Sheppard had been on few of the analysts' impact lists, while Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo had appeared on most of them. But Goodfellow was untouched.
The Air Force wants to move some medical training from Sheppard, which accounts for 20 percent of the Wichita Falls economy, to Fort Sam Houston and aircraft-maintenance training to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
What is unknown is whether the more than 2,600 positions Sheppard is to lose are permanently stationed personnel or whether fewer students would rotate through Sheppard.
"It certainly will have a negative economic impact," said Tim Chase, president of the city's Board of Commerce and Industry. "There's no way to minimize that. But there are several factors that lead me to believe the economic impact will not probably be as significant as it would lead you to believe."
Carlow said East Texas leaders will immediately begin trying to convince base-realignment commissioners of the value of Red River, which rebuilds and repairs Bradley vehicles, Humvees and Patriot missiles.
Although Red River barely survived past base closings, people thought the pace of Iraq-related work made it safer this time.
"I think they made a mistake," Carlow said. "I intend to show them they did."
The news was mixed in San Antonio, with about 70,000 jobs at its four Air Force and Army bases, but hard to complain about in the end. Even with the removal of the Air Force from Brooks City Base, the city could gain 3,100 jobs.
"We knew Brooks was going to be vulnerable again," said Ed Davis, economic-development manager for the city. Brooks had appeared on the Pentagon's 1995 list but was later removed by commissioners.
"Although we hate to lose the jobs at Brooks, we've already got a redevelopment process under way. We're about three years ahead of any other community," Davis said.
Lackland would lose about 3,100 jobs under the realignment, and service at Wilford Hall Medical Center would be reduced. But Davis said officials hope that those positions would only be shuffled to Fort Sam Houston, scheduled to become the military's joint medical-training site.
"We support what the [Department of Defense] is doing, and we know why they're doing it," he said. "We're not saying that all their recommendations are sound, though."
Perry was asked how the state stood to lose four military bases with two Republican senators and a Republican governor who personally knows President Bush, also a Texan.
Perry said that the Pentagon followed a "relatively blind process" and that the state will use its clout to try to stop the closures.
"I'm sure glad we've got a president that's from Texas and our senators are doing a good job," Perry said. "This is a team approach, and we will use every person on that team in whatever way that we can."
Staff Writer Jay Root Contributed to This Report, Which Includes Material From the Associated Press.
Base-closing timeline
Monday: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before the nine-member base-closing commission.
May through August: The commission will hold public hearings, visit sites and collect data on each facility on the Pentagon's list to determine whether the Defense Department proposal was justified. The commission can change the list.
Sept. 8 The deadline for the commission to forward its report of recommendations to the president.
Sept. 23 The deadline for the president to accept or reject the recommendations in their entirety. If they are accepted, they will become final unless Congress rejects the recommendations in their entirety by the end of its 2005 session.
Oct. 20: The deadline for the commission to submit a revised report to the president.
Nov. 20, 2005: The deadline for the president to approve a revised report and send it to Congress. The Pentagon will then have six years to close, downsize or move bases on the final list.
SOURCE: The Associated Press
State may gain jobs but lose four bases (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/11647487.htm)
By Chris Vaughn and Dave Montgomery
Star-Telegram Staff Writer; Star-Telegram Washington Bureau
The Congress fought it, and the public feared it.
After four years in the making, the breathlessly awaited list of bases and facilities that the Pentagon no longer wants was unleashed by the Department of Defense -- on Friday the 13th, no less.
Texas would lose four major bases but come out ahead overall in the battle for jobs under the Pentagon's closure list, which targets 33 large bases in 22 states. The announcement brought howls of protest from community and congressional leaders in the hardest-hit parts of the country.
But the Pentagon recommended hundreds more realignments that would ultimately increase the number of service members based in Texas and several other states.
Texas' overall job gain, military and civilian, would be 6,150, the third-highest in the nation. Naval Air Station Fort Worth would grow by at least 426 jobs.
That's of no comfort to people in the Texarkana area, where leaders are coping with the realization of potentially losing 2,650 jobs through the closure of the Red River Army Depot and the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant.
"They've got their heart and soul in protecting the soldier in the field, and they're working 24/7," said Bowie County Judge James Carlow. "All of a sudden this list comes out and tells them, 'What you're doing doesn't make any difference. We don't need you anymore.' "
Texas leaders had been bracing for bad news, despite an intense campaign to preserve the state's 18 major installations that produce an annual economic impact of $77 billion, according to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission.
Hardest-hit were South and East Texas, where the Pentagon targeted Naval Station Ingleside, Brooks City Base in San Antonio and the Red River depot for closure. Each would lose more than 2,000 people.
Also on the list were seven Army National Guard facilities, most in East and far West Texas, and a handful of reserve centers.
Spared for closure but facing reductions in missions and troop levels are Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
Texas lawmakers condemned the recommended closures and have vowed a unified effort to restore the bases during a four-month review by the nine-member Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The panel is headed by Anthony Principi, former secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he planned to meet with leaders of the affected communities beginning Sunday as the state prepares to "press our case" before Principi's commission.
"Overall, Texas comes out a net winner," Cornyn said, "but obviously there are a lot of concerns with some specific decisions."
Gov. Rick Perry announced the creation of a state "strike force" aimed at vigorously fighting the Texas closings recommended by the Pentagon.
"These are world-class facilities that help our men and women in uniform, and they're essential assets in the war on terror that America cannot afford to lose," Perry said. "The state of Texas is prepared to make every effort to keep these bases open."
Perry signed an executive order creating the Base Realignment and Closure Response Strike Force that will review the closure proposals and marshal state and community support to reverse the decision.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Rumsfeld's list "is a first step in the base-realignment process and is by no means final."
Focus on joint bases
The Bush administration and the Defense Department, buffeted by the costs of the war in Iraq and the staggering prices associated with new weapons systems, have sought since 2001 to reduce the military's infrastructure.
At one time, officials said the military didn't need 25 percent of its base capacity. In the end, the closings list wasn't nearly that large, mostly because the Pentagon needs the room for tens of thousands of troops returning from overseas.
The focus of much of the realignment was on establishing joint facilities, which more than one service can use.
"Because jointness is key to creating military value, that was our goal," said Michael Wynne, the Pentagon's technology and weapons-buying chief, who oversaw the base-review project.
A few bases qualified as winners under the resulting realignments, two of them hitting the Army jackpot. Fort Bliss in El Paso and Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio stand to gain 11,500 and 9,300 troops, respectively, under the realignment.
Texas would have a net gain of 9,838 military positions and a net loss of 3,688 civilian and contractor jobs under the plan, putting the state 6,150 jobs ahead.
Naval Air Station Fort Worth, the nation's first joint reserve base, is scheduled to get an additional two squadrons and additional aircraft from two existing squadrons.
At least 426 military and civilian jobs could be added at the west-side base at the expense of bases in Georgia, Oklahoma and Arizona that would be closed or realigned.
"We have always felt we had a very compelling case" for expanding the base, said Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth.
Bill Ehrie, chairman of the Texas Military Preparedness Commission and a former commander of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, said the realignments recommended were more extensive than he anticipated.
"It's a good day for some, a rough day for others," Ehrie said. "We lost some installations I would have liked to have kept. But we gave it our best shot. Now we'll have to address some issues with the BRAC commission at the regional hearings."
Wichita Falls' loss
In Wichita Falls, stunned local leaders spent Friday trying to assess the fallout from the potential loss of 2,600 Air Force personnel from Sheppard Air Force Base, a major training facility for pilots and enlisted personnel.
Sheppard had been on few of the analysts' impact lists, while Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo had appeared on most of them. But Goodfellow was untouched.
The Air Force wants to move some medical training from Sheppard, which accounts for 20 percent of the Wichita Falls economy, to Fort Sam Houston and aircraft-maintenance training to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
What is unknown is whether the more than 2,600 positions Sheppard is to lose are permanently stationed personnel or whether fewer students would rotate through Sheppard.
"It certainly will have a negative economic impact," said Tim Chase, president of the city's Board of Commerce and Industry. "There's no way to minimize that. But there are several factors that lead me to believe the economic impact will not probably be as significant as it would lead you to believe."
Carlow said East Texas leaders will immediately begin trying to convince base-realignment commissioners of the value of Red River, which rebuilds and repairs Bradley vehicles, Humvees and Patriot missiles.
Although Red River barely survived past base closings, people thought the pace of Iraq-related work made it safer this time.
"I think they made a mistake," Carlow said. "I intend to show them they did."
The news was mixed in San Antonio, with about 70,000 jobs at its four Air Force and Army bases, but hard to complain about in the end. Even with the removal of the Air Force from Brooks City Base, the city could gain 3,100 jobs.
"We knew Brooks was going to be vulnerable again," said Ed Davis, economic-development manager for the city. Brooks had appeared on the Pentagon's 1995 list but was later removed by commissioners.
"Although we hate to lose the jobs at Brooks, we've already got a redevelopment process under way. We're about three years ahead of any other community," Davis said.
Lackland would lose about 3,100 jobs under the realignment, and service at Wilford Hall Medical Center would be reduced. But Davis said officials hope that those positions would only be shuffled to Fort Sam Houston, scheduled to become the military's joint medical-training site.
"We support what the [Department of Defense] is doing, and we know why they're doing it," he said. "We're not saying that all their recommendations are sound, though."
Perry was asked how the state stood to lose four military bases with two Republican senators and a Republican governor who personally knows President Bush, also a Texan.
Perry said that the Pentagon followed a "relatively blind process" and that the state will use its clout to try to stop the closures.
"I'm sure glad we've got a president that's from Texas and our senators are doing a good job," Perry said. "This is a team approach, and we will use every person on that team in whatever way that we can."
Staff Writer Jay Root Contributed to This Report, Which Includes Material From the Associated Press.
Base-closing timeline
Monday: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before the nine-member base-closing commission.
May through August: The commission will hold public hearings, visit sites and collect data on each facility on the Pentagon's list to determine whether the Defense Department proposal was justified. The commission can change the list.
Sept. 8 The deadline for the commission to forward its report of recommendations to the president.
Sept. 23 The deadline for the president to accept or reject the recommendations in their entirety. If they are accepted, they will become final unless Congress rejects the recommendations in their entirety by the end of its 2005 session.
Oct. 20: The deadline for the commission to submit a revised report to the president.
Nov. 20, 2005: The deadline for the president to approve a revised report and send it to Congress. The Pentagon will then have six years to close, downsize or move bases on the final list.
SOURCE: The Associated Press