Posted on 05/13/2005 9:06:15 AM PDT by bookworm100
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department (search) on Friday proposed shutting down 33 of the 318 major military bases across the United States.
The proposal triggers the first round of base closures in a decade and kicks off an intense struggle by communities and lawmakers to save their facilities.
Aside from the 33 bases recommended for closure, another 29 based are being recommended for realignment. More than 775 other smaller military installations, including National Guard and Reserve facilities, will also be closed or realigned, according to the recommendations.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Just damn....Moody AFB is closing. My father was stationed there when I was a kid and it was wonderful.
We were stationed in Germany twice....stationed at Nellis AFB in Nevada, but Moody AFB was my favorite. I cried like a baby when my father retired and we moved to New York.
"I cried like a baby when my father retired and we moved to New York."
It's okay I cried like a baby when i went to college in NY, and then cried like a baby (tears of joy that is) when i left NY.
It's sort of weird being an military kid then having dad/mom retire. I'm still getting used to it after 3 years.
The list mentions the Naval Installation in Pascagoula. Are they closing the Home Port? It was only built about 10 yrs. ago, right?
I grew-up in the shadow of Willow Grove NAS. It is slated to close. I wonder what will happen to the rest of the base since technically it is now called Willow Grove Joint Reserve Base. Maybe it is just the Navy that is vacating?
Either way, I remember watching Chance-Vought F8U Crusaders from the parking lot as they spooled up their engines for takeoff. Man were they LOUD! Wasn't quite the same when they transitioned to A4 Skyhawks. No A-B's... But hey, at least they were still jets.
I also remember the old P2V Neptune ASW aircraft with the auxiliary jet pods on the wings. They then shifted to P3 Orions way back, can't remember when.
Even today, when I go to visit the family, I make it a point to cruise by the base to see what's on the flightline. I guess with the draw down of the ASW effort (fewer P3's) and the long-ago retirement of the A4, the Navy has no use for the base.
Too bad.
Good to read your memories. I flew out of Willow Grove for a number of years. I think you are right with the loss of ASW the base is very redundant. Shame, I loved the area and the folks.
Mississippi Ping
I can go one better! when I was about 2 years old, my mother & I were in the old "Bazaar" -- a kind of shopping mall / flea market located right along the glidepath to the airstrip. A Navy FJ2 Sea Fury (Navy version of the F-86 Sabre) flamed out on takeoff and pancaked right on the roof of the building. Everybody got out before the roof collapsed. My Dad & infant brother watched the whole thing from the parking lot. I have no memory of the event, but it makes for a great story. The entire area around Willow Grove NAS used to be open fields, but no more. Development has encroached to such an extent that any flight accident gets the surrounding community up in arms.
What the Pentagon wants and what the Senate will give them are not always the same thing. This should be an interesting fight.
Actually Moody is having a net gain...
They're losing 604 Military and 145 Civilians, but gaining 1274 Military and 50 Civilians.... for a net gain of 575 personnel.
If somone is anti-military, penalize them.
Heard this morning Pascagoula Naval Station, is being scrapped. Just what this state doesn't need. If Keesler is ever shut down, I'm moving.
Jeff
Guess that ole Trent is not as influential as he thinks that he is!!!!!!!!!!!
Doc showing reasons why is at
http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/pdf/Vol_I_Part_2_DOD_BRAC.pdf
I was stationed at Keesler in the late 80s and 90s.
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