Closure of Ceiba Base to Proceed

El Vocero de Puerto Rico (Spanish-language article) ^ | May 15, 2003 | Javier Maymí

[Ebenezer]

(English-language translation)

The Navy and the Department of Defense "will do all they can" to proceed with a definite closure of the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba in 2005, according to sources with the Armed Services Committee of the [U.S.] House of Representatives and the Pentagon.

"Without the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility operations in Vieques, Roosevelt Roads is not of much value to the Navy. The operations that remain there may be transferred to other bases and the Department of Defense would save money which it may invest in other things, such as the new training system," a congressional source stated.

It has been learned that both the outgoing Commander of the Atlantic Fleet Robert Natter and his successor, Admiral William Fallon, are recommending a ceasing of operations in Ceiba to their superiors in the Pentagon, a call that Department of Defense Comptroller Dov Zockheim is receptive to. [Zockheim] is in the process of conducting a "prospective" study of the investments that the agency will make in fiscal years 2005 and 2006.

"The new Virtual At Sea Training (VAST) system that was adopted to replace Vieques is not cheap. What Natter and Fallon are seeking is that the monies that would be invested in keeping Roosevelt Roads open be used [instead] to improve and expand facilities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina that will be used for the training," the source stated.

VAST is a computerized system that uses virtual technology to recreate targets and cities at sea. As this new training system has been conceptualized, Navy pilots would use this technology to practice maneuvers and bombings on virtual cities at sea, probably in waters on the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

However, there are others who are lobbying to keep Roosevelt Roads open so as not to lose the multimillion-dollar investment that the Navy has made in facilities. The Ceiba station boasts the only port in the Atlantic Ocean - with the exception of the Hampton Roads Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia - with the capacity to station a complete attack group and the hemisphere's largest airstrip.

"There are two good arguments here. Those who defend the facilities say that that investment would be wasted. Those who want to close [the station] say that the Navy would be spending millions of dollars to maintain a facility whose military use would be minimal," [he] added.

[Mike Darancette]

We should have our military bases in friendly countries.

[Okies love Dubya 2]

My husband and I lived on Roosey Roads from late 96 till March of 99--does anyone know if the SBU-20 Det Carib is still active down there?

As far as the closure goes, I can only imagine the whining that will accompany the hundreds of millions of dollars yearly and the civilian jobs being lost. The base was not on the nicest part of the island (swamp area), so I don't think most of the military down there will be too sad to see it close, but I could be wrong.

[Kenton]

A nostalgic salute to "Rosie Roads". The Enlisted Man's beach there was one of the the most beautiful places I've ever been.

[Beck_isright]

We should also cease and desist sending our tax dollars to those ingrates. They can become their own nation if they don't want our military to put bases there. If it was not for us, they would have been a colony of Castro over 30 years ago.

[thegreatbeast]

Yeah, now I can't wait for that jerk Serrano in NY bitch about how unfair this is. He can choke on it.

[Okies love Dubya 2]

That it was! We made some great friends down there and we'll never forget surviving Hurricane Georges back in 98 with a 3-month-old baby and no electricity! She did better than we did!

[umgud]

This is a real hoot. Vieques won't be cleaned up and the locals won't be able to use it either. Now the locals are going to loose jobs (over 1,200 I've heard) and the economic benefit afforded by the Navy base.

I guess Al Sharpton, Geraldo, the Hollywood left and others who protested there have finally won (he he).

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I love your tag!

[hornetguy]

Yup, The E beach was great place to barbeque and have a brew. I was stationed at Roosey Roads in '80 and 81. I was 24 and single, got scuba certified and a pilots license while there. Had a great time. Too bad the lefties have killed a good thing.

[Beck_isright]

Thank you.

[Ebenezer]

I did some Naval Reserve training at Roosey Roads and can remember those pesky little biting bugs known throughout the base as "mee-mees". In fact, the Navy Exchange there sold these t-shirts celebrating the mee-mees as the "official" mascot of Roosey Roads.

The closure of Vieques and Roosey Roads is a huge egg on the face of Puerto Ricans who support statehood but did nothing to stop this from happening. In fact, it was, ironically, a pro-statehood Governor (Pedro Rosselló) who negotiated the closure with then-President Clinton (aaaagh, spit!) and emboldened the leftist, anti-American agitators who are demanding complete independence for the island. What is equally ironic is that Rosselló wants to run for Governor again.

For the record, Rosselló identifies himself as a Democrat when it comes to national politics.

[hardhead]

It probably makes sense militarily - why spend money at a location that is hostile. Closure of military facilities in Puerto Rico has been going on for some years now. Ramey AFB to name one, even though the USCG has utilized some of it's facilities. Weren't Fort Buchanan and Fort Brooke also closed?

[Ebenezer]

Fort Brooke closed many years ago, while the word out there is that Fort Buchanan may close in 2005.

Let's not forget the old Naval Support Activity in San Juan. That facility also closed a long while back.

[mddlchldofhstry]

I completely agree I think that the Puerto Ricans down here are really screwing up their own lives and they don't even know it. In the years to come when there are almost no jobs on the south east side of the island and all the business that are there go out of business because of the lack of the navy base they will truly understand what a mistake it has been.
as for the whole puerto ricans not being able to use the vieques island land anyways. I agree I that it is hysterical. All the protests and all the whining and they can't even use the land hahahahaha. As you may have geussed I'm in the Navy stationed in Roosevelt Roads. So believe me when I say the navy will function just fine without the base here. Let them have their preacious island and poverty.

[umgud]

My kid bro (42 yrs old) is a Lt Cmndr in the reserves and also thinks this is hilarious.