Panel Votes to Close 5 Major Army Bases (Ga.,NJ, Va., Mich.)

[underpants]

Funny, during the Clinton administration there was much histrionics when Ft.Monroe was mentioned now none what so ever.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Politics/wireStory?id=1063845

Commission Votes to Shut Down Five Major Army Bases in Georgia, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan

WASHINGTON Aug 24, 2005 — The commission considering the Pentagon's proposal to restructure hundreds of U.S. military bases voted to shut down five major Army bases in Georgia, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan.

As it began final voting Wednesday with lightning speed, the nine-member panel also signed off on closing nearly 400 Army Reserve and National Guard facilities in dozens of states, creating instead new joint centers.

The commission decided to side with the Pentagon in closing Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson in Georgia, Fort Monroe in Virginia, the U.S. Army Garrison in Selfridge, Mich., and Fort Monmouth in New Jersey.

Much of the Army's proposal was approved in minutes and as a package. But the commission was debating Fort Monmouth in New Jersey and the Red River Army Depot in Texas separately.

[Squatch]

1. RIP Fort Monroe...

[patdem]

3. That's alright, as beautiful and scenic as Ft. Monroe is, they will turn

it into a resort and golf club for the Pentagon brass. :grr:

[Squatch]

4. The city of Hampton has a reversion clause...

namely, that when the fort is no longer used for Federal purposes, it reverts to city control. Does Wal-Mart come in a shape with turrets?

[underpants]

5. The harbor is out of bounds on the right, the live ordnance on the left

:nuke:

As I said above back in '93 (or '94) when Ft.Monroe was first mentioned, for obvious reasons, everyone in Hampton Roads were all in a fuss about how Clinton (he chose the base closings?) just didn't understand the historical significance of Ft. Monroe and a quick survey was done showing how prohibitively expense cleaned up would be. Now, with W in office, no one said a word-that I heard about.

[Squatch]

7. Here ya go...

Link

There is a large amount of unexploded ordnance buried throughout Fort Monroe and much of it pre-dates the Civil War – and it was put there by the Union Army. There are documented findings of ordnance buried as far down as ten feet on Fort Monroe and under structures that are on the National Register of Historic Places -- possibly including the Catholic Church on the Post. How do you clean buried ordnance under historically significant structures?

[underpants]

8. That seems to be new

Okay so the mayor of Hampton did do what was supposed to be done.

Still the uproar, to me, seems to pale in comparison.

[Squatch]

9. I agree. (BTW, that press release was dated 7-7-05)

I used to work on Fort Monroe, so it's going to be sad to see it go. It truly is one of the last real "forts" in operation today.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Panel Votes to Close 5 Major Army Bases

Panel Votes to Close 5 Major Army Bases

By LIZ SIDOTI
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 24, 2005; 10:15 AM

WASHINGTON -- Commissioners weighing the Pentagon's plan to restructure hundreds of U.S. military bases spared a large Army depot in Texas but agreed with proposals to shut down five other major bases elsewhere.

The nine-member panel chose to shrink, rather than close, the Red River Army Depot in Texas, which repairs Humvees and Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

But, as it began final voting Wednesday with lightning speed, the panel sided with the Pentagon in closing Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson in Georgia, Fort Monroe in Virginia, Army Garrison Selfridge in Michigan and Fort Monmouth in New Jersey.

The panel also signed off on closing nearly 400 Army Reserve and National Guard facilities in dozens of states, creating instead new joint centers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082400389.html

[Eugene]

6. Breaking: The BRAC has voted to keep the Groton, CT sub base open.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2005/08/24/connecticut_waits_anxiously_for_sub_base_decision/

Vote on Brunswick, ME Naval Air Station expected shortly.

edited to add link