Posted on 08/26/2005 8:50:39 AM PDT by jwalburg
WASHINGTON - The base closing commission voted today 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.
Kansas is likely to get good news later today as the commission is expected to approve plans to add more than 700 personnel to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita and Forbes Field in Topeka and move more than 200 personnel to Fort Leavenworth.
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.
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.
Within minutes of opening its session today, the nine-member panel signed off on proposals to shift forces around Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
Later, it was to vote on whether to approve the Pentagon's recommendations to close Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, N.M.
The commission wasn't expected to take up the revamping of the Air National Guard, a contentious proposal that some states have sued over, until the afternoon.
"Another sleepless night in Clovis," Stacey Martin, president of local chamber of commerce, had lamented after the commission put off a vote on Cannon until Friday.
The panel must send its final report to President Bush by Sept. 8. The president can accept it, reject it or send it back for revisions. Congress also will have a chance to veto the plan in its entirety but it has not taken that step in four previous rounds of base closings. If ultimately approved, the changes would occur over the next six years.
In May, the Pentagon proposed closing or consolidating a record 62 major military bases and 775 smaller installations to save $48.8 billion over 20 years, make the services more efficient and reposition the armed forces.
Across the country, communities anxiously awaited word on whether their Air Force bases would be scrapped or spared, as politicians who represent them flew to Washington to be present for the high-stakes votes - and serve as personal reminders of their exhaustive efforts to persuade the commission to save their homestate bases.
Throughout the day, the commission plowed through dozens of Pentagon recommendations to consolidate education, medical, administrative and training programs and small facilities spread across the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Just before adjourning, the commissioners started in on the Air Force proposals, deciding to shutter the Onizuka Air Force Station in California and the Galena Airport Forward Operation Location in Alaska, which the Air Force uses for training and to land fighter jets when necessary.
Also in Alaska, the commission chose to keep Eielson Air Force Base operational, rejecting a Pentagon plan to sharply scale back personnel and aircraft there.
"The commission clearly saw our argument that its airspace and training facilities are too valuable and it is impractical to 'warm base' such a cold place," Gov. Frank Murkowski said.
Air Force officials say their proposal as a whole is designed to make the service more effective by consolidating both weapons systems and personnel as the force moves to a smaller but smarter aircraft fleet.
The Air National Guard plan would shift people, equipment and aircraft around at 54 or more sites where Guard units are stationed. Major Air Guard and Reserve facilities in Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would close. In some states, aircraft would be taken away from 25 Air Guard units. Those units would get other assignments such as expeditionary combat support roles. They also would retain their missions of aiding governors during statewide emergencies.
The proposed closure of Ellsworth, home to half the nation's fleet of B1-B bombers, has created a huge political headache for Thune, a freshman senator. He has spent the past few months working almost exclusively on saving the base, and, perhaps, his political future. The Republican had argued during the 2004 campaign that he _ rather his Democratic opponent, then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle _ would be in a better position to save Ellsworth.
Shutting down Cannon would cost Clovis, N.M., a small town on the Texas-New Mexico line, nearly 3,000 jobs on the base and as many as 2,000 more related jobs in the community. The base that is home to four F-16 fighter squadrons represents a third of the local economy.
I didnt want to see all the B1-bs at one base. what if saboteurs took out the whole fleet.
I'm damned glad that the Bush people intervened on behalf of Thune, because he was gonna look like a fool, and Bush personally lobbied John Thune to take on Daschle.
We protect our majority by helping our own.
tommy is saddened by this news!
LLS
I'm sure Dashle is "saddened".
Eggzaaaaactly.
This is a political move on the part of the Republicans make no mistake. But damn, Thune just got elected and the Bush administration was going to pull the rug out from under him?
It's how things work sometimes and it's time the pubbies take advantage of the spoils of victory.
Sure, there are those who will claim that such exceptions negate the efficiency of closing the bases.
Nah. There's a couple of places that can be put on hold for just a bit. Ellsworth is one of them.
Yeah, Bush intervened even after Thune made a fool of himself and the President by coming out AGAINST John Bolton...simply because he was having a temper tantrum.
I like Thune, I even sent money to his campaign, but I thought coming out very vocally against Bolton, and telegraphing that it was because of the base, was not smart for someone that was in the Senate for less than 6 months....and who Bush personally campaigned for, and Frist actually went to S. Dakota to help him out.
Just a little classless, and I hope that privately, he will make this up to Bush...
AWESOME!
Article should have enthusiastically reported that Thune came through with his promise and delivered the goods - and in the first paragraph, not buried at the end.
Yes. I hope Thune never plays the "disappointed Daschle" routine again after this, even if driven by feelings of state loyalty. It might seem like loyalty to some in SD, but if Thune has greater ambitions, eventually, he needs to be above that.
True, but at least it's at the end of the article. They usually lead with that kind of stuff.
Now last, and possibly most important - I want all privately-owned radios to be immediately impounded...They might be used to issue instructions to saboteurs.
I think we need an "Amber Alert" for Daschle....nobody has seen him in South Dakota since the election. Last we heard Daschle was holed up with some high power DC lobbyist in a Virginia mansion.
Ellsworth bump for the Bone! One of the prettiest and most deadly airplanes flying! Thanks, Mr. Reagan!
Not a bad idea. Perhaps Registered should get on this right away.
What is Dashcle up to these days? I heard he's the new tour guide at Wall Drug.
What is funny about Daschle being a lobbyist is...that when the last election was over, supposedly Soros and the other sugar daddies behind the Dems, gave notice to the dems that they didn't want them being bought out by the lobbyists and other special interests...
because they said THEY own, them and they don't want to have to compete with other lobbys...
AND, if any of you have watched the HOUSE of Reps on C-span at all....ole sleaze ball, Raum Emmanuel of Illinois, (one of Clinton's gofers) is constantly giving speeches about making stricter laws about getting contributions from lobbyists, going on trips paid for by lobbbyists, etc...
So, Daschle has signed up with a lobbying group, and is STILL being kept out of power, by Soros and gang...lol
I am glad for Thune and for S.D. Hopefully, Thune will continue to make all of us glad we supported him.
So little tommy can keep his job on the fry line at McDonalds after coming to the realization it is all he is trained to do.
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