Posted on 08/03/2005 3:05:41 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar
Remember the old saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure"? So it is, believe it or not, with the Department of Defense's plan to all but close Eielson Air Force Base. Locals think the decision is a bunch of garbage, but people down in Georgia seem to be quite pleased at the prospect of gaining from Eielson's demise.
Georgia congressman Jack Kingston has written to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission to say, among other things, "I am pleased" with the Air Force proposal to add 48 A-10 aircraft to Moody Air Force Base. A dozen of those aircraft would be coming from Eielson.
And leaders in and around Valdosta, Ga., which hosts Moody, have told military officials they see no problem with bringing in the additional aircraft and with the other changes proposed for the base. In fact, they have said the area's communities can accommodate an additional 15,000 military personnel.
Why read about this now?
Because if anyone wanting to keep Eielson open has anything to say about the plan, there's not much time left in which to say it and perhaps counter Eielson's would-be vultures.
The independent review BRAC Commission is about to get down to the business of deciding whether to remove or add any installations to the Defense Department's base closure list. Last week, the commission announced that it is wrapping up its site visits and community meetings and that commissioners will begin final deliberations the week of Aug. 22.
But the commission also noted that, while its official visits and meetings are coming to an end, public comments will be accepted until those final deliberations commence. Thousands of comments have already been submitted via the commission's Web site (www.brac.gov), which also makes available a variety of documents regarding the many installations recommended for closure or downsizing.
If you've got something to say about Eielson, do it now. Nothing against the good folks down in Georgia, but Eielson's aircraft and people need to stay here.
Huh!..isn't the Cold Weather Testing lab out there?
I went there a few times when I was at Wainwright. The AF had a better stuff at their exchange sometimes.
bump
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