Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9502230093
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
``It is very painful,'' said Adm. Jeremy Boorda, the chief of naval operations. ``You're talking about things you really don't want to close, but you can't afford to keep.''
Boorda said Wednesday the recommendation the Pentagon will make next Tuesday won't name as many bases as in 1993, when the Navy took most of the cuts. But one senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that in terms of ``greatest dollar value'' of savings to be gleaned, the Navy would bear more in this year's closure round than the other services.
The tension that always precedes base-closure announcements is particularly high this year because top military officials say they hope this will be the last of four closure rounds since 1988.
Lobbyists, lawmakers and community activists are working on the assumption that if they can save a base this year, they may save it for good. They also know that once a base gets on the closure list, it takes a monumental effort to take it off.
``With a state like Virginia, we are concerned, but we're very well organized and we think we have valuable assets for the Department of Defense,'' said Rep. Norman Sisisky, D-Va., a senior member of the House National Security Committee.
The Tidewater area, including portions of Sisisky's district, is home to one of the densest concentrations of military power in the world. It includes the Norfolk Navy Base, home of the Atlantic Fleet; Langley Air Force Base, home of the Air Combat Command; Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, among others.
Such concentrations of facilities are highly regarded by the military. It is the relatively isolated bases that have lost personnel in recent years that are considered ripe for closure.
But the Norfolk area has left nothing to chance, establishing an elaborate ad hoc group of businesses, retired military officers, economists, politicians and lobbyists to press the case for saving these bases. Other regions have done the same.
The Army has submitted a list of 40 sites to be closed or cut back. Gen. Gordon Sullivan, Army chief of staff, said more facilities will be on the closure list this year than in the 1993 round.
Defense Secretary William Perry is expected to make the closure list public Tuesday. It will then go to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. By July 1, a revised list then goes to President Clinton and to Congress, where it must be accepted or rejected in its entirety.
by CNB