THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502240522
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF AND WIRE REPORT
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
In a reminder that military base closings and consolidations extend beyond U.S. shores, the Pentagon announced Thursday that it intends to close or reduce operations at eight overseas support installations.
The overseas installations targeted for closure or curtailment include four in Germany, which was the nerve center of U.S. and allied defenses during the Cold War.
U.S. forces have pulled out of hundreds of sites in Germany since 1990.
The Pentagon also said it would curtail activities at a tenant command in Sigonella, Italy, that is used by the U.S. Navy.
The main support function for the Navy's 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean will remain at Sigonella.
A naval support facility in Antigua, a Caribbean operation used by the U.S. Atlantic Command, will be abandoned.
The Antigua facility consists of 188 leased acres and structures used to provide support for special operations training, search and rescue training and security assistance training with Eastern Caribbean security forces.
Closing the facility will save $2.8 million annually, $1.25 million of that in leasing costs.
The Pentagon said it intends to shut down Wiesbaden Hospital in Lindsey, Germany, and - as with other installations overseas that house U.S. forces - return the site to the host government.
The United States does not own any of the land on which it operates overseas.
An ammunition site and housing areas elsewhere in Germany also will be closed or curtailed.
The Pentagon did not say how many members of the U.S. military would be affected by the reductions but said each of the eight sites has fewer than 1,000 personnel.
KEYWORDS: BASE CLOSINGS MILITARY BASES by CNB