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Last of Northeast’s active military airfields fights to survive (NAS Brunswick Likely to Close)
AP | 3/28/05

Posted on 03/28/2005 2:32:25 PM PST by pabianice

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The smaller NAS South Weymouth (MA) was closed in 1997. The area has never recovered and the base remains a wasteland of abandoned buildings and rotting runways.
1 posted on 03/28/2005 2:32:25 PM PST by pabianice
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To: pabianice

I'm sitting a stones throw from the former NAS Memphis & Naval Air Technical Training Center, the former closed, the latter moved to NAS Pensacola in the mid 1990's. We did get most of the Bureau of Naval Personnel here which has helped to offset things some.

It's been a tough row for this town since then, but things bottomed 3-4 years ago, and we are starting to see some real diversified growth, as opposed to total dependence on the USN.

Plus we inherited one of the best landing strips in the state, and 19,000 or so acres of real estate for industrial development. It was hard on this little town (Millington, TN) but not the end of the world.


2 posted on 03/28/2005 2:41:28 PM PST by GaltMeister (“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”)
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To: pabianice

this is insanity! what is different about this than clinton's closings? nothing! anyone who has been thru sere or flown there on the skypigs knows how valuable this particular base is. this is really sad...


3 posted on 03/28/2005 2:42:58 PM PST by ColdWarNavyVet_dirsup (it wasn't cold... 'specially not below the line of death ;-))
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To: pabianice

What happened to Hanscom AFB?

That one is still active.....

and so is Pease, which I thought was in New Hampshire....


4 posted on 03/28/2005 2:44:23 PM PST by MikefromOhio (Terri is going to die and then the mob is going to blame both Bush brothers. Realism is dead on FR)
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To: pabianice

My daughter and son-in-law are both stationed at Brunswick. After the length of winter, my daughter would probably recommend they close the base and move to a warmer climate.

Those planes take a beating in winter up there.


5 posted on 03/28/2005 2:44:44 PM PST by PhiKapMom (AOII Mom -- Increase Republicans in Congress in 2006!)
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To: pabianice

are they going to lease this one to the chinese too?
they use imported chinese 'slave labor' to work the former long beach naval shipyards that now belong to the chinese... our buddy, our pal... guess it doesn't matter which administration we have now, our military is being undercut before our eyes, modernization indeed!


6 posted on 03/28/2005 2:46:53 PM PST by ColdWarNavyVet_dirsup (it wasn't cold... 'specially not below the line of death ;-))
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To: pabianice

Doesn't this create a serious air defense gap? I reckon the justification presumes that "there is no credible threat of aerial attack" or some such ... sort of our version of the ill fated "10 year rule" that nearly resulted in the UK being beaten by Hitler.


7 posted on 03/28/2005 2:47:44 PM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: MikeinIraq

Well, I do know that there is now commercial aviation using Hanscom. Not sure what military if any, remains.


8 posted on 03/28/2005 2:50:03 PM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: pabianice
The title does not match the thrust of the article. The title says likely to close, the article says positioned NOT to close.

???

9 posted on 03/28/2005 2:50:15 PM PST by JohnnyZ (“When you’re hungry, you eat; when you’re a frog, you leap; if you’re scared, get a dog.”)
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To: ColdWarNavyVet_dirsup
"Last of Northeast´s active military airfields fights to survive"

http://news.mainetoday.com/apwire/D893GROG0-85.shtml

I don't know where the title of the thread came from.

10 posted on 03/28/2005 2:55:36 PM PST by JohnnyZ (“When you’re hungry, you eat; when you’re a frog, you leap; if you’re scared, get a dog.”)
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To: GOP_1900AD

yeah I am almost certain there is still military at Hanscom...

hell they still have a military member or 3 at Ft. Ritchie, which was brac'd in 1995....


11 posted on 03/28/2005 2:58:02 PM PST by MikefromOhio (Terri is going to die and then the mob is going to blame both Bush brothers. Realism is dead on FR)
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To: MikeinIraq
Hanscom is still in business, in fact it's grown. They now fly in RC-135/JSTAR/AWACs type aircraft. I live about 10 miles west of it and when the win is from the east, I'm in their flight path. They do a lot of electronics systems development there, Raytheon and others are right around the corner.
Pease is till use for ANG/AFR units that do refueling.
The thing about NAS Brunswick is that it's primary purpose is the P-3 Orion. They are being phase out to be replaced with UAVs.
12 posted on 03/28/2005 2:59:14 PM PST by ProudVet77 (It's boogitty boogitty boogitty season!)
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To: pabianice
The smaller NAS South Weymouth (MA) was closed in 1997. The area has never recovered and the base remains a wasteland of abandoned buildings and rotting runways.

But that isn't the Federal Government's fault. The City of South Weymouth could have petitioned to take over the property and to develop it. It was a choice that apparently wasn't chosen. To insist that we continue to keep these little bastions of federal spending open have to cease. For a really sad journey, drive through Fort Ord sometime.

13 posted on 03/28/2005 2:59:40 PM PST by FLCowboy, (Hillary is changing her colors. She's a chameleon. No, she's a liberal.)
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To: MikeinIraq
and so is Pease, which I thought was in New Hampshire....

Pease shut down in 1991. It's a air national guard base now.

14 posted on 03/28/2005 3:00:55 PM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: pabianice

Why are they still closing bases? Who is going to get the land when its closed? In California we have seen corrupt crony deals with the closed bases, and one has to wonder if someone is pulling some political capital to close the base and make money off of it.

The bases are divided into lots and auctioned off one to a person to individual citizens. Instead some buddy of some corrupt politician will get the deal to develop it, and all the nongovernmental organizations that might squawk get their piece, but the average taxpaying citizen, who should be allowed the opportunity never gets a chance.

The bases that have historic significance should stay in the hands of the military, IMO. Mare Island shipyard was shut down a few years ago. It is mightily haunted by the past, with wonderful buildings and significant history to the pre-state days of California, the civil war days, and of course WWII and the liberty ships. Its a dirty rotten shame that the deal was negotitated to shut the place down and the cronies of the politicos were given the place. The whole place is falling into disrepair, historical buildings and factories will be unsalvagable soon.

One wonders if closing the bases is following the disarmament plans that inspired the base closures 20 years ago? Is our government following an international authority by closing these bases? One has to wonder, especially since the meeting last week to create the North American Community, a merger of Mexico, Canada and the US.


15 posted on 03/28/2005 3:10:10 PM PST by hedgetrimmer
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To: ProudVet77

They are not replacing the P-3 Orion with a UAV. Wherever you got that information is very misinformed. The P-3 Orion is being replaced by the 737 MMA (Multi Maritime Aircraft).

I am currently stationed at NAS Brunswick, and while on the record I have no comment, off the record, I wouldn't read too much into this. I don't think this base is going anywhere.


16 posted on 03/28/2005 3:10:18 PM PST by Hostel (You can find all of this information on the net. GOD BLESS GOOGLE!)
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To: ProudVet77; All

They are not replacing the P-3 Orion with a UAV. Wherever you got that information is very misinformed. The P-3 Orion is being replaced by the 737 MMA (Multi Maritime Aircraft).

I am currently stationed at NAS Brunswick, and while on the record I have no comment, off the record, I wouldn't read too much into this. I don't think this base is going anywhere.


17 posted on 03/28/2005 3:11:53 PM PST by Hostel (You can find all of this information on the net. GOD BLESS GOOGLE!)
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To: pabianice
The end of my street backs on the BAS property - and both the Base and BIW provide good jobs and are a key to the economy here - the salaries that flow in keep probably hundred or thousands additional of business and services going.

The biggest advantage the Base has is it's location - as a northern naval air station is serves a key geographic role. I'd hate to see this area lose it.
18 posted on 03/28/2005 3:13:18 PM PST by Fido969
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To: pabianice

That would be a shame. When I was a Sea Cadet I attended several summer training sessions at NAS Brunswick and it was very pleasant. A really nice little base.

There is still Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, located on the Massachusetts Military Reservation along with Otis Air National Guard Base. CGAS Cape Cod has helos only, if I recall correctly.

In New England I believe CGAS Cape Cod would be the only active duty air station if NAS Brunswick closes.


19 posted on 03/28/2005 3:16:23 PM PST by Rubber_Duckie_27
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To: Hostel


I agree, but the headline is misleading, then.


20 posted on 03/28/2005 3:18:56 PM PST by Fido969
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