Vol. 2, No. 21
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September 1, 2005
Nevada's Online State News Journal
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CRIMINAL DEFENSE |
COPYWRITING
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Top News Story:
BRAC Clears Two Major Nevada Military Bases
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Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot Taken Off Chopping Block
Mineral County Economy Dependent On Base -- Ruling Brings Sighs Of Relief To Residents, Workers
Word came at the speed of light from the halls of Government: Hawthorne Ammunition Depot not to be closed. The decision by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) was not in keeping with Pentagon wishes but was their decision to make.
Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-NV), an ardent supporter of keeping the depot open praised the decision saying, "I am gratified that the BRAC Commission understood and agreed with the evidence that showed the depot had great economic and strategic significance.
In a prepared statement, Governor Kenny Guinn said, "I am heartened to know the BRAC Commission listened to our objections to the closure proposal and took them seriously." The governor praised the residents of Mineral County for doing "such an eloquent job in making an excellent case to keep the depot open.
Officials in Hawthorne had said the Pentagon's suggestion that less than 200 people would be affected by the depot's closing was drastically wrong. They said at least half the workforce in Hawthorne would be affected. Hawthorne officials say the base employs 550 people and Hawthorne's closure would have affected about 30 percent of the workforce in Mineral County.
The Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot came into existence during WWII and can store thousands of tons of bombs and ammunition. With potential closure of bases in Europe and a continuing war effort in Iraq, many felt the closure at Hawthorne would be detrimental to our military effort. The ammunition from European bases will be stored in Hawthorne and other ammunition depots around the country.
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152d High Rollers Remain Airworthy Heroes Of Gulf War, Protect Nevada
Governors Across Nation Win First Battle To Protect Air Guard Units
After a day or two more of debate the BRAC Commission voted to save the Nevada Air National Guard base in Reno and the 152d Air Guard unit known as the High Rollers. Various state governors have gone to court to preserve the rights of individual states to have the protection of the Air National Guard. According to Pentagon sources, the various guard units are under the control of state governors unless they are called up for a national emergency such as war.
In Nevada, the guard flies C-130 cargo type aircraft and have participated recently in flood situations as well as other weather related emergencies. The unit is most well known from the Gulf War when they flew RF-4 supersonic jet aircraft. Gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons was one of those Gulf War pilots and has been at the forefront of the fight to save the unit.
Several state governors around the country faced with air guard base closures have gone to court to stop the closures saying the air guard is at the disposal of the state's governors and therefore the Pentagon cannot arbitrarily close the bases. At least one federal judge has agreed with the governor's arguments. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn has not joined in any of the lawsuits at this time.
The Washoe County Commission sent a letter to the BRAC Commission calling for the Air Guard unit to remain in Reno. Washoe County Commission Chairwoman Bonnie Webber said "The men and women of the Nevada Air National Guard are a critical component of the Governor's emergency management team and need to be capable, ready, and able to respond to any emergency on a moment's notice."
There are eight C-130 airplanes based in Reno and the BRAC preliminary decision could still be overturned according to Pentagon rules. On September 8 the Commission report will be sent to President Bush who then will have until September 23 to make a decision to either accept or reject the rulings.
If the President rejects the reports, or parts of the reports, he will send it back to the commission with his recommendations. The commission then has until October 20 to respond to those recommendations and report their findings back to the President.
If Mr. Bush rejects the Commission's finding a second time, the process ends. However, if the President approves the report, it will then be sent to Congress, which has until about the first of the year to either accept it or block it. Regardless of all those decisions, the BRAC Commission will be dissolved on April 15, 2006.
Closure of the bases that fall into the recommended list must take place before the end of 2011.
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