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Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the Senate Armed Services Committee's IS A trader to America

If the Air Force says it doesn't need the bases, let's close 'em.

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

Of course, the workers at these bases scream loudly too. I was at a base targeted in the last BRAC. The PR campaign was sickening. A committee was formed. Consultants were hired (using non-military funds). We had post-wide meetings (it was a small post) to outline how to handle the big day when the BRAC commission would visit. We were told how to act, what to wear, reminded to cut our grass, etc. We were given time off to line the streets to chear and show our enthusiastic support for the base.

I still think the base should have been closed. I work elsewhere now.

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

They are fools, then. The PX and comissary benefits have very visibly nosedived in my short 12 years. Very few things are a bargain there anymore. The PX no longer offers solid bargains to the GI anymore. They carry designer crap for God-knows-who. I am not paying 35 bucks for a shirt for a 10 yr. Be damned if I can find a simple $5 tshirt for him, though. You can almost always do better at wally world. Yeah, you might save a whopping 50 cents on a $20 item. It is shameful what they have disintegrated into.

The Commissaries are almost as bad, dry cereal is the only real bargain there anymore.

(Razwan gets down from the soapbox)

Bigger screams may come from the operators of bars and cathouses which will no longer have clients.

And, before I get flames, let me say that the vast majority of military people are good, patriotic Americans upon whom this country's freedom depends. That would include even some of the patrons of the bars and cathouses.

The locating of bases according to political pull rather than according to national defense need is a scam which needs to be closed down.

We could stand to, f'rinstance, locate a few more bases along our southern border in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona and a few less in pleasant retirement havens like Florida and California.

We could even stand to beef up bases on our northern borders where the weather is unpleasant but the word is out to terrorists about easy places to cross. Some of our bases in Alaska, North Dakota and Montana may be among our most necessary not only for this but to guard the continent from the most logicial location of airborne attack.

Most of all, we could tell the Canadians to take over the meals on wheels program in Bosnia and Kosovo if NATO deems it so damned important because we have places where our troops are needed worse.

Cheap Stuff at PX comment......That used to be true, now most will shop at Wally World, or on sale specials downtown/off base as the PX/BX AFEES ?? system has become "the" scam of the DOD IMHO.

Of course I base this opinion on 26 years of active duty watching the "good deal" run down the drain .

Stay Safe.......

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

There is a lot of truth in this, but they also retire in the area and have free medical coverage for life. Many retirees will have to move in order to be close to a base hospital.

There is also the consideration of jobs. I know, because I was a part of a base closing as a full-time civil service employee with the GA Air National Guard.

For the record, there are bases that need to be closed, as their missions are outdated, or it can be performed at another base. I do not condone a decrease in spending for the most part. The thing that so many overlook is that the US Senators, powerful US Reps and Governors really make the decisions on the closings.

They forget to hold the unit's/base's military readiness/effectiveness in mind, and vote only to keep their friends employed.

If the Air Force says it doesn't need the bases, let's close 'em. The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX. Another myth from the ranks of the un-informed - at least as far as "cheap stuff" is concerned. They recently opened a WalMart very close to Nellis AFB - it hurt the BX in a big way. Years ago they forced base gas station's to sell at or near the same price as local sellers. True, some items at the commissary are cheaper than off-base. Oh, forgot - several years ago they instituted the surcharge thing. To cover the cost of ? - lower prices ?? One of the few remaining perks is no tax - but WalMart is hitting that hard. Just where can I find all this "cheap stuff" you are refering to? By the way - the Army has a PX (Post Exchange), the Air Force calls it the BX (Base Exchange). Just thought you needed some enlightenment. LVM

If the Air Force says it doesn't need the bases, let's close 'em.

It seems you and some others don't understand how this game is played.The AF and army brass are given order to "find bases to close and present us a list of potentials candidates for closing." The AF or army then follows orders and presents these lists,and the politicians who want to get the land cheap to subdivide jump in front of tv cameras and says "I have here a list of bases the army and AF say need to be closed."

A similiar thing happened when the Navy first put women on ships and in fighter planes. They do this and ORDER the Adirals whose commands these changes just took place in that "here they are,make it work". They then go back one year later and ask how it's working,and beam in pride as the Admirals they ORDERED to make it work surprise everybody by reporting that indeed it IS working! WHOODATHUNKIT??????

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

BTW,you will hear ME screaming louder than most people,and I don't live withing 75miles of any military base or PX.

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

You must not frequent the PX much. Wal-Mart beats the PX in price 9 times out of 10.

Perhaps you meant the Commissary...which is rapidly catching up in price to off-base stores.

The biggest screams come from the retired military around the bases, pissed because they won't be able to get cheap stuff from the PX.

do not beleive so. Wal Mart is cheaper.What is your military experience?As far as warner is concerned, just because he is a senator does not make him creditable.If being a senator gives you wisdom and creditbility then hillary is a god.