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BRAC plan would give Alabama 2,664 jobs
From staff/wire reports
Redstone Arsenal could gain more than 1,655 jobs
in the Pentagon's 2005 round of base realignments and closures,
part of the state's net gain of 2,664 jobs.
Fort Rucker and Anniston Army Depot would gain more
than 1,000 jobs each, but Maxwell Air Force Base would lose about
1,251 jobs in the realignment. No major Alabama bases are recommended
for closure. The recommendations now go to the Base Realignment
and Closure Commission, which will forward a recommendation to the
president by Sept. 8.
Eleven small Guard and reserve centers around the
state will be closed under the Base Closure and Realignment proposal,
but most involve only a small number of jobs.
The Pentagon's list showed the Army air training center
at Fort Rucker possibly gaining the most jobs at 1,888, and Anniston
Army Depot gaining 1,034. Maxwell would 1,251 jobs Ѡ740
military and 511 civilian.
Redstone's potential gain would come mainly from civilian
jobs.
U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, and other members
of Congress got about an hour's advance notice of how bases in their
district fared.
"There's good news today. As expected, Redstone
did very well," Cramer said during a 9 a.m. news conference
at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. Cramer applauded
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, Gov. Bob Riley and the rest
of the state's congressional delegation, who he said "worked
to make sure Redstone was BRAC-proof."
He also recognized the local BRAC committee, headed
by local attorney Joe Ritch and retired Army Lt. Gen. James Link,
who lobbied on Redstone's behalf.
The area came together "the way our area is good
at coming together," Cramer said. "Once again, that has
paid off for us."
Then he cautioned that the game is just beginning.
"While we celebrate today, this is just the beginning
of this process. We have to let ourselves think that anything could
happen. Other communities will be plotting their strategy.
"Between now and Sept. 8 is the critical time,"
Cramer said.
Cramer said Redstone prepared itself well for the
BRAC, adding new buildings and proving itself vital to the nation's
defenses.
Army officials at Redstone Arsenal were to hold a
1 p.m. news conference today to discuss the news and the effect
on Redstone, its workers and the Huntsville community.
Today's unveiling of the BRAC recommendations begins
a lengthy public comment period for communities with military bases
to react to Rumsfeld's plan. The national BRAC committee will hold
regional hearings until Sept. 8, when a final plan must be presented
to the president with any changes. The president has several weeks
to sign or reject the BRAC plan in full; line item changes are not
allowed.
Once the president signs off, Congress then has 45
legislative days to accept or reject the BRAC report without changes.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced last
week this round probably wouldn't be as large as expected because
of new plans to bring American military units home from Europe and
Asia. Pentagon planners had pointed out that America's bases had
an excess of 25 percent capacity, and there were rumors for months
that the Pentagon wanted to close 100 or more military bases in
the United States.
The overcapacity figure has now shrunk to less than
12 percent, Rumsfeld said last week.
From 1988 to 1995, the military has closed 97 major
bases and more than 200 minor bases and has realigned 145 military
units, according to a Pentagon briefing Tuesday. The estimated savings
for the previous BRAC rounds is nearly $17 billion through 2001.
This round would save $48.8 billion over 20 years, Rumsfeld said.
Redstone Arsenal gained 1,600 jobs in the last BRAC
in 1995, which merged the Aviation and Troop Command in St. Louis
with the Missile Command, creating the Aviation and Missile Command
now based at Redstone.
Congress has funneled more than $200 million in construction
to improve the base over the past five years with a modern, three-phase
office complex for the Space and Missile Defense Command as well
as other missile work conducted here.
Also, Army planners want to spend about $150
million to improve the munitions school and another $300 million
to improve the airfield and build testing facilities there.
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