SUBASE NEW LONDON TO STAY OPEN - 7 votes for 1 against, 1 abstaining

[u-5075]

SuBase New London to stay open
the vote was 7 for, 1 against and 1 abstaining.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard also will stay open
and here too the vote was 7-1-1.

Brunswick Naval Air Station however
will be closed.

Otis Air Base still in question.

[u-5075]

From Bloomberg.com

U.S. Panel Rejects Plan

From Bloomberg.com

U.S. Panel Rejects Plan to Close Connecticut Sub Base (Update1)
Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- A U.S. commission rejected the Pentagon's recommendation to shut the submarine base in Groton, Connecticut, calling the facility essential for U.S. Navy operations and training.

The action by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission is a victory for Connecticut community leaders and for General Dynamics Corp.'s Electric Boat unit, which builds and repairs the vessels 2 miles from Naval Submarine Base New London. Eighteen submarines whose mission is to defend carrier battle groups and assault land and sea targets are kept at the base, where about 7,800 military personnel are stationed and 2,400 civilians and contractors work.

The independent panel's chairman, former Veterans Affairs secretary Anthony Principi, said at the hearing in Arlington, Virginia, today that it would be a ``tragic loss to this nation'' to close the base and disperse its subs to sites in Virginia and Georgia. ``New London is more than piers and parking slots for nuclear subs,'' Principi said. ``It is truly a center of excellence in submarine warfare.''

The 7 to 1 vote to keep the sub base open was the biggest setback so far for the Pentagon's plan for all military branches. The panel also voted 7 to 1 to keep Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine open, a site Principi said was ``the gold standard'' by which to measure shipyards.

In other votes, commissioners backed proposals from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The panel's decisions aren't final until deliberations end in three days, and President George W. Bush and Congress will consider the decisions next.

[novagator]

If they close down the

If they close down the base at Otis, the Coast Guard will have to move because they cannot aford to keep the base up by themselves. The next closest airstation is Cape May and they only fly Dalphines and not the jayhawks, so New England will not have CG aircover for S&R missions.

[anonymous]

I cheered when I heard

I cheered when I heard on the radio news this morning New London and Portsmouth would remain open and operational. Glad some genius somewhere remembered there is a war on.

Steve R.

[u-5075]

August 24, 2005]

[color=#000000]August 24, 2005]

[u-5075]

UNAMINOUS VOTE TO SHUT DOWN

UNAMINOUS VOTE TO SHUT DOWN OTIS AIR BASE by BRAC commission. There goes our air cover and Search and Rescue.

[desert boat]

About OTIS and the Coast

About OTIS and the Coast Guard SAR function]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[silent runner]

My understanding of these proceedings

My understanding of these proceedings is that nothing will be final until Congress signs off. My concern, (being in Oregon), is where are they going to move all the chemical weapons now stored at Umatilla? Even though a very slow destruction of all chemicals has been in progress for some time, there are still alot of 'nasties' here. On a side note, the Pacific Northwest has lost most of it's Air Defense coverage by 'realigning' McChord AFB and moving the Portland ANG 142nd FG to Montana. This whole package has me thinking back to about the mid '30's.