THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180361
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
If Norfolk is the Navy capital of the world, Portsmouth soon will be that for the Coast Guard.
In a move similar to that of the base closure and realignments that have affected the military over the years, the Coast Guard is shuffling resources nationwide, to the benefit of Hampton Roads.
The upcoming reorganization will make Portsmouth the Coast Guard's center of operations for the East Coast, says its district commander.
Forty states - from New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming eastward to the Atlantic Ocean - will come under the command.
The command's mission borders 29 countries and covers more than five million square miles of ocean, inland water and tributaries.
The Coast Guard is moving its Atlantic Area Command, headed by a three-star admiral, from its home on Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, to Portsmouth, beginning in June.
Rear Adm. William J. Ecker, a two-star admiral who has commanded the 5th Coast Guard District headquartered in Portsmouth for 16 months, said Tuesday that the streamlining plans - which will bring 600 new jobs to the area - have been designed to cut costs nationwide and consolidate functions.
The Department of Transportation's uniformed agency is undergoing a form of base closure and realignments, similar to that affecting the military in recent years, Ecker said.
A similar consolidation will take place with the Pacific Area Command, located on Coast Guard Island in San Francisco. The the 11th District Command in Los Angeles will merge and move its headquarters to San Francisco.
Another merger combine the 2nd and 8th districts in St. Louis and New Orleans respectively, with the consolidated headquarters locating in New Orleans.
Mandated by DOT to reduce its budget by $400 million over four years and its manpower by 4,000 over four years, Ecker said the latest streamlining results from 18 months of study.
More importantly, Ecker said, ``The implications are very positive'' for Portsmouth and Hampton Roads.
``Everyone is very pleased,'' he said. ``I think they were worried quite a bit the Coast Guard would be leaving the Portsmouth area where I would like to think we have been a good citizen for many years.
``Instead of leaving, we will have additional people in the local area.''
There are 1,662 uniformed Coast Guard members and 552 civilians assigned to the Coast Guard in Hampton Roads, plus another 450 active duty and 50 civilians based at the Yorktown Reserve Training Center of the Coast Guard.
With the addition of an estimated 400 active duty and 200 civilian Coast Guard positions, the Coast Guard's total presence will number more than 2,500 active-duty members and 800 civilians.
The Governors Island complex - off the southern tip of Manhattan - is the largest Coast Guard complex in the world, and has been a plush assignment for nearly 3,500 Coast Guard members and their families over the years. Schools, housing and recreation facilities on base allowed them to live on some of the most valuable government-owned property in the country.
Now that property stands a good chance of returning to municipal or civilian ownership.
With its move, the Atlantic Area commander - who will be named in December - will bring a staff of 160 members to the Portsmouth district office, located in the Federal Building on Crawford Parkway in downtown Portsmouth.
They are responsible for a broad range of Coast Guard resources, including 28 medium- and high-endurance cutters, four communications stations, 21 long-range and air interdiction aircraft, the International Ice Patrol and six Loran, or maritime position-locating stations.
``The jobs that are going to be transferred here are good solid jobs. They're the kind of jobs that will raise the per capita income around here,'' said Hans Gant, executive director of Forward Hampton Roads, the economic development arm of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.
Ecker said his office has not had time to determine the exact economic impact on the area. The Navy, in determining the recent impact of a 600-man ship relocating to Norfolk, estimated their annual salaries would exceed $12 million.
The larger of the Coast Guard activities coming to Hampton Roads is the Maintenance and Logistics Command. It is the Coast Guard's East Coast supplier and will account for more than 400 of the incoming positions.
Its future location in the area has not been determined, Ecker said. The General Services Administration (the caretakers of all federal property) is expected to select a location by the end of the year.
``The opportunity to compete for its location is open to all'' localities, he said. Such a facility will consist mainly of office space, vs. warehouse space, and need not be located on the water, Ecker said.
A formal solicitation for bidding on the location should be sent out by the end of October, he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Rear Adm. William J. Ecker said the streamlining plans have been
designed to cut costs nationwide and consolidate functions.
by CNB