THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 6, 1995 TAG: 9508040206
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: Beth Barber
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Many more salvos between the forces for/against military/civilian amphitheaters and we may have to invite Bob Hope to seal a truce.
Letters on this page today show that some folks take criticism of the Little Creek concert series as an affront to the Navy. That's too bad. Military and civilian alike can rightly huff, ``After all we've done for you!'' Raise your hands, for instance, all Navy dependents who'd rather be packing for Cherry Point.
The reflexive defensiveness of military folk is no more helpful than the reflexive offensiveness of some civilians. The Navy is a volunteer force now, and anybody who joined on the strength of cheap seats for Tim McGraw is in for a major upset. So is anybody whose measure of civilian support for the Navy is carte blanche.
The Navy has gotten too little tax money and too many bum raps - Tailhook, the indictment of the whole for the acts of the few, prime among them. But the Navy goofs, too, and the current operation of the Little Creek amphitheater through Morale, Welfare & Recreation is a goof.
It does compete directly with private enterprise, which is the clearest of the no-nos that are listed in the applicable Department of Defense memo (and are generally as clear as Chesapeake tap water). Events, the memo says, shall not directly compete with similar events offered in the local civilian community.
It doesn't say, ``unless those events are financed in part by municipal taxpayers, or are hard for young sailors to get to, or occur in communities heavily dependent on military paychecks and abounding in Navy retirees.''
It does say that the events ``shall be open to the general public . . . must be infrequent, not weekly or monthly; increase military/civilian interaction; and enhance community relations.''
The lawyers, alas, will have the final say. But so far, the Navy seems to argue that its concerts are open to the public, but not enough public and performers come to constitute competition - or to increase military/civilian interaction? If not, why have them?
And what's mostly enhanced is curiosity. Our oceanfront is not the Bering Sea: What are the limits of MWR's reach in a million-plus metropolitan area? Is duplication of amusements and amen-i-ties the best use of MWR funds or could more serious needs be met? Where do MWR funds go anyway? How much should come the city's way as amusement tax? And how much is this prolonged friendly ire detracting from bigger funding battles the Navy must fight? by CNB