Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, September 21, 1993 TAG: 9309210258
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
By a vote of 83-12 on Monday, the Senate rejected a motion to disapprove the work of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. By law, the entire package takes effect unless both the Senate and House overturn the panel's proposals in their entirety.
Both of Virginia's senators, Democrat Charles Robb and Republican John Warner, voted to accept the commission's recommendations.
This marks the third round of base closures in five years. Another swipe at reducing military infrastructure is planned for 1995.
The bulk of the direct job losses will be concentrated in three states: California, slated to lose more than 40,000 military and civilian defense-related jobs; Florida, facing the loss of 22,000 jobs; and South Carolina, which is expected to lose more than 14,700 jobs.
Among the major installations on the list are Alameda Naval Air Station in California, the Orlando Naval Training Center in Florida and the Charleston Naval Station and Naval Shipyard in South Carolina.
Slated for closure are 35 major bases and 95 minor facilities; 27 major and 18 minor installations will be realigned.
The commission estimated that closing the bases will save about $4 billion from fiscal 1994 to fiscal 1999 after one-time closure costs of $7 billion.
Reflecting the general consensus that the closures were a done deal, no motion of disapproval surfaced in the House and only nine senators spoke on the issue during Monday's low-key debate.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Sam Nunn, D-Ga., expressed his sympathy for the affected communities, but argued that if the bases aren't closed, the military will have to reduce the size of its force.
"One way or another people are going to lose jobs," Nunn said.
The senator warned that failure to shut down installations would return the military to the hollow armed services of the 1970s when the United States "kept the bases and eroded readiness of forces to fight."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a sponsor of the resolution to reject the closings, described her effort as "a last-ditch plea." She contended that the panel failed to acknowledge the economic impact of its decisions, especially in her state.
"It's almost like a doomsday machine. It goes on and on regardless of what happens," Feinstein said of the commission.
Sen. John Glenn, a member of the Armed Services Committee, reminded his colleagues that as the military reduces the number of troops and weapons, base closings are a necessary, if painful, process.
"We just can't afford to keep everything open that we would like to keep open all over the country," the Ohio Democrat said. "The Cold War has passed us. . . . We don't need all these bases, and basically we can't continue to pay for them."
The Defense Department is scheduled to begin closing the bases in January, although it is still in the process of shutting facilities from the two previous rounds.
\ CLOSINGS IN VIRGINIA\ \ Army: Vint Hill Farms, Fauquier County.
\ Navy: Radio transmission operation, Driver. Naval air facility, Virginia Beach. Planning, Estimating, Repairs and Alterations (Surface), Norfolk. Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Norfolk Detachment, Norfolk. Naval Air Depot, Norfolk.
by CNB