marinefamily5
04-29-05, 07:42 AM
i was wondering if anyone had the low down on what bases might be closed.....i know that the last time they closed bases my last duty station was real close to be closing...( MCAS BEAUFORT ) in south carolina right outside from parris island....but didn't know if anyone would of heard anything
I've heard there is a big push to steer clear of the Marine Bases. However, here's a list:
US Marine Corps Base Closure List
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia - This Korean war era base is far from any major air or seaport, and far from any Marine units. As a result, the Corps built a seaport logistics facility at Blount Island near Jacksonville, Florida in the 1980s. Albany should close with its activities moved to Blount Island, Camp Lejeune, and Quantico to save money and provide superior support. The Marines have recently funded a major expansion of Blount Island to perform overhaul and inspection work adjacent to ship piers rather than hauling equipment hundreds of miles to and from Albany. A recent DoD report noted that Albany was one of the nation's most underutilized depots.
The manpower and money saved should allow the Corps to open a spare parts facility at a US Navy base in Italy and another in Bahrain to greatly improve support in those regions, and replace its two ageing aviation maintenance support ships in Baltimore.
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California (realign) - This World War II base is far from any major air or seaport, and far from any Marine units. It is actually three bases, the Yermo maintenance and storage area, the main base eight miles away at Nebo, and a rifle/pistol range complex. Logistics activities can provide superior support at Camp Pendleton or 29 Palms, or if forward-based in Guam or Okinawa. However, the desert air is ideal for storage of excess equipment. Therefore, the base may "realign" becoming the Yermo Annex of Marine Corps Base 29 Palms with a dozen Marines supported by a hundred civilians. This annex will be for storage, although some maintenance work may still be done.
The Nebo complex and rifle range area can transfer to the US Army. Fort Irwin is nearby and needs the family housing and some buildings. It is also an ideal location for a heavy Army Reserve or National Guard armor unit. The rest of Nebo can become an urban warfare training center which Fort Irwin needs as a modern National Training Center, which it can share with the Marines.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California - Budget problems caused by high-priced aircraft will force the Corps to eliminate over a dozen flying squadrons during the next decade. The Navy-Marine TacAir plan calls for the Corps to eliminate seven fighter-attack squadrons to afford the F-35/JSF. While Miramar is a beautiful base, it is surrounded by a booming urban area whose vocal residents complain about noise, which is why the Navy happily left in 1997.
Miramar has the highest off-base housing costs of any air station, and training is limited by congested civilian air traffic and quiet time for the locals. Moreover, San Diego needs another airport and Miramar is the only practical location. Dispersing Miramar aircraft to other Marine Corps and Navy air stations will save the Corps millions of dollars each year. If such a move is considered too costly, the Corps can "sell" Miramar to the city to fund new facilities elsewhere. More details can be found here: Dispersing MCAS Miramar (http://www.g2mil.com/miramar.htm)
Marine Corps Mountain Warfare School, California - this tiny base in the midst of a huge national forest was founded during the Korean war to prepare Marines for mountain warfare. It was mothballed during the Vietnam war as the Corps determined it was no longer needed. For unknown reasons, the base was later reoccupied even though the Corps hasn't been involved in mountain warfare since Korea. Note that Marines in Afghanistan didn't engage in "mountain warfare," they stayed on roads. Later Army units marched through mountain trails, but didn't engage in the type of World War II Alpine "mountain warfare" taught to Marines.
This school absorbs funds and manpower needed for new urban warfare facilities elsewhere. Marines can attend US Army or foreign mountain/winter warfare schools on occasion, but such training should be a low priority. Marines are a rapid reaction force, which always involves urban areas. The rare mission of chasing guerrillas or terrorists in mountains should be left to specialized Army units. The base should be mothballed and returned to the US Forest Service again, or possibly transferred to the California National Guard for urban warfare and mountain warfare training for all armed services.
Marine Reserve Support Unit, Kansas City - This is a tiny base with 200 Marines which somehow ended up in Kansas City. It should move to any Marine base, probably co-located with Marine Forces Reserve, which will also move from New Orleans.
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California (realign or close) - This tiny, concrete base is the worst place to train new recruits. The roar from the adjacent airport is constant while tourists roam about gawking at recruits and taking photos. Training facilities are so limited that recruits already move 40 miles north to Camp Pendleton for their final four of eleven weeks.
There are three options: 1) move MCRD up to Camp Pendleton; 2) move MCRD to Nebo at Barstow (see Barstow above); 3) expand MRCD Parris Island, which already has the capacity to double its load, although facilities would need to be modernized. The US Air Force trains more airmen recruits each year at one base in Texas, and the Navy trains twice as many at a single location. A major war would quickly empty most of Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejuene, providing ample facilities for another MCRD to support a major war.
The city of San Diego wants this base to expand its airport. However, if the Marine Corps closes MCAS Miramar instead, it may keep "Marine Base San Diego" because of its ideal location near the Navy. It could accommodate the Reserve Support Unit from Kansas City, reserve headquarters from New Orleans, a small Marine Corps Logistics Facility (from Barstow), or any Navy or Marine unit which needs space in the San Diego region. Another option would be a small Marine Corps Air Facility which uses the runway at adjacent civilian Lindbergh field. This could accommodate the VIP aircraft and C-130s from Miramar and maybe a reserve F/A-18 squadron.
Osotogary
04-29-05, 07:51 AM
marinefamily5,
Sometimes alot of good information is available on the Department of Defense website. I think it is Defenselink, or something of that fashion. You may have do some navigating /searching but I am sure that you will find a little bit of what you are looking for. Try searching using Yahoo or Google search engines and look for "defense budget" or just typing in "closed military bases". I am sure that there are other suggestions out there but mine might help you along.
Good luck.
In addition to my previous post, here is the timeline for BRAC 2005 -
* March 15: President Bush to name members of the fifth Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission.
* May 16: Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to give the BRAC commission and Congress the Pentagon’s recommendations for military facilities that should be closed.
* Sept. 8: BRAC commission to make its own base closure recommendations.
* Sept. 23: Presidential decision on whether to accept or reject the BRAC recommendations in their entirety — the White House’s only options. If Bush accepts the plan, it becomes final within 45 legislative days, unless Congress passes a joint resolution to block the entire package.
* Oct. 20: If Bush rejects the BRAC recommendations, the commission has until this date to submit a revised list of proposed closures.
* Nov. 7: President to approve or disapprove the revised recommendations.
* April 15, 2006: The commission terminates