Posted on 08/26/2005 6:57:26 AM PDT by CedarDave
Commission Votes to Save Ellsworth Base
By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The base closing commission voted Friday to keep open Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota - rejecting the Pentagon's plan to close it - as the panel labored toward conclusion of a politically delicate task that has brought alternating sighs of relief and exasperation in communities across America.
The surprise decision was a setback for Pentagon leaders, a blessing for South Dakotans who feared losing some 4,000 jobs, and a victory for Sen. John Thune and the state's other politicians who lobbied vigorously to save the base. Thune, a freshman Republican, unseated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle partly on the strength of his claim he could help save the base.
As it made decisions this week on the first round of base closings in a decade, commissioners also bucked Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld by voting to keep open two major Navy bases in New England - a submarine base in Connecticut and a shipyard in Maine. Other contentious issues in the Air Force restructuring remained to be heard later Friday.
Ellsworth, most famous for its Cold War-era arsenal of missiles and nuclear bombers aimed toward the Soviet Union, is home to half the nation's fleet of B1-B bombers. The Pentagon had wanted to move all the bombers at their other location, Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
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But the commission found that closing Ellsworth wouldn't save any money over 20 years, and that it actually would cost nearly $20 million to move the planes to the Texas base. The Pentagon had projected saving $1.8 billion over two decades with the closure.
"We have no savings, we're essentially moving the airplanes from one very, very good base to another very, very good base, which are essentially equal," commissioner Harold Gehman said about the proposal.
As the commission voted, Thune smiled as he accepted handshakes of congratulations from other lawmakers, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was awaiting a decision on the proposed closure of Cannon Air Force Base in his state. Thune said the decision was not political.
"Obviously our arguments got through. The current and future value of Ellsworth Air Force base got through," he said moments after the vote.
Your military reasons are all very worthwhile. Might I inject politics? Both Florida and New Mexico are Presidential swing states with a good no. of electoral votes.
Think of the additional military votes gained by moving the Oceana program to Cecil Field in Florida. It would be the opposite effect in New Mexico if Cannon were to close. I believe Pres. Bush lost New Mexico by just 300 to 600 votes in 2000.
You missed my point. I honestly believe, because I've seen it personally that the military wants to close outdated redundant facilities. It's the politicians who force the military to waste taxpayer dollars. Lets be honest and call it what it is--welfare for their constituents.
Personally. I'd think a heartland location would provide enough time to deal with almost all forms of attack save a space-based attack. plus there is the polar route to the most likely destinations for the bones to consider. All our eggs in one Texas basket would be too vunerable to SLCM nukes, would it not?
I'm glad to hear it because John Thune deserves a break.
good news. this saved us a senate seat.
Whew . . . sigh of relief here in SD.
that's politics. if by doing this, he taught our side how to play the game, it was worth it.
That's the justification for keeping Eielson AFB active. Decision was yesterday, didn't even make the map.
THIS IS GREAT..AS POLITICVAL AS WASHINGTON IS AND
ESPECIALLY THE DEMOCRATS..IT WAS BEYOND BELIEF THAT
RUMMY EVEN THOUGHT OF CLOSING THIS SITE...IT HAS MADE
ME COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED THAT SEN. THUME WOULD BE PUT
IN A BIND LIKE THIS....I AM HAPPY THE COMMISSION HAD THE
GUTS TO TELL ..RUMMY, THE DUMMY,..STICK IT. Jake
Good luch to you on Cannon. Unfettered air space was another reason the Commission proposed to keep Ellsworth off the list plus Ellsworth AFB is the 2nd largest employer in the state of SD.
My husband and I retired from the AF here in Rapid City, SD 7 years ago and one of the reasons was because of an AFB here.
'Economic-wise, Clovis would lose 1/3 of its jobs and just become another dusty west Texas town.'
BRAC is worse than I thought. Texas would get a piece of NM.
You say you'd trust the Pentagon more than the BRAC commissioners???? What are you smoking? The panel is completely independant. In fact, the Pentagon did NOT follow 4 out of the 6 criteria used to close a base. I have followed this from the very beginning and have been to many meetings, etc here as I live in Rapid City, SD near Ellsworth. Another statement of fact is that Ellsworth has a 95% efficiency rating in their training missions....Dyess AFB where they were going to move the rest of the B1's is less than 40% efficiency. Plus, Dyess AFB has a bunch of lawsuits pending due to "noise complaints."
This is an important win for Thune and the people of SD. I have NO idea why the Pentagon put this one on their list for closure.
I don't think the base is redundant. Having a single base for all your B-1b bombers strikes me as a bad idea anyway.
I don't think this base should have ever made the list in the first place.
Good point, but as you've stated I'm sure the Pentagon has evaluated the strategic importance of their decision to close Ellsworth. I trust the war fighters in the Pentagon to make these decisions based on strategic military usefullness more than I do a politician looking to bring home the bacon.
No sir, nothing political going on at the Pentagon with respect to picking which bases to close or how savings are being caluculated. No command turf wars going on, or rivalries between Generals and Admirals. Nothing of the sort.
When I was in the CG, if John Breaux said jump, the Commandant would ask how high, and Breaux wasn't the only one. Yost before him was worse.
Life after Admiral or General is what a lot of these guys are interested in.
Yep, every time. They've taken an oath to defend the country. Their first duty is to that oath. The commissions goal is to make sure the pork is spread in the most politically advantageous way. Now since it's in your backyard you want to defend your pork which I can understand in a Senator Byrd sort of way. But please understand the military does not function to provide employment for the civilian community.
I think it's a bit of both. Politicians want their welfare for their state, but the Military doesn't want to truly downsize. They'd rather get more funds to keep a big military. Now if a facility is truly outdated then yes they'll kill it. Or if they don't have good community support of the base, then they'll kill it. But some they put on the list are there just because they know they won't get closed. If the politicians tell them to cut X% of bases then they'll give a list that does just that. They know some won't ever be cut becuase the politicians won't let that happen and they know others won't be cost effective. So they end up closing what the military wants to close and nothing more. (well for the most part).
That's funny!! I wish I could tax people 15.3%, waste the money and get them to believe it was forced savings. Thanks for the laugh.
Congresspersons, and the senate take an oath as well. The brac commission is the closest thing to non-partisan/apolitical that I believe exists. They have looked at the facts/bottom line in all cases that I am familiar with and have not shown any partizanship that I am aware of.
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