thedrifter
05-18-05, 06:42 AM
Sent to me by Mark aka The Fontman
Marines offered to close MCRD
By Otto Kreisher
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
4:47 p.m. May 17, 2005
WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps commandant casually acknowledged Tuesday something that would have been considered unthinkable only a few years ago - the Marines offered to close the San Diego Recruit Depot in this current base closure and realignment process.
But Gen. Michael Hagee told the independent closure commission that the proposal was dropped because the cost of moving the historic training post from its location next to Lindbergh Field outweighed the possible savings.
Hagee's comments were the first indication that the Marines had changed their previous strong opposition to losing the San Diego boot camp, which has been creating or supporting Marines since 1921.
The depot was looked at in previous base closure rounds because of its congested location, because much of the recruit training must be done at Camp Pendleton and because the Navy had consolidated all of its recruit training at one location.
It also was known that San Diego officials would like to have the propert
y, which sits right alongside the main runway at Lindbergh, to expand the heavily used international airport.
But the Marines fought the proposal in the past, partly out of pride in the historic role of the base and because they argued they could not guarantee the ability to train all the recruits they might need in a rapid build-up of forces.
The past closure commissions accepted the Marines' judgment and kept the recruit depot open and the base was not on the closure list the Pentagon released Friday.
So Hagee's comments came as a surprise during the current commission's review of Navy and Marine proposal on the current list.
The issue was raised by retired Adm. Harold Gehman, who wondered if the Marines had considered closing the depot because of the encroachment from Lindbergh.
"Yes," Hagee replied. "The Marine Corps nominated the recruit depot for closure."
But, the top Marine added, "when it went through the analytical process, we found to have the same capacity elsewhere would cost us more."
Although the commission has the power to add bases to the proposed closure list, that would take the vote of seven of the nine commissioners, which is unlikely.
Ellie
Marines offered to close MCRD
By Otto Kreisher
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
4:47 p.m. May 17, 2005
WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps commandant casually acknowledged Tuesday something that would have been considered unthinkable only a few years ago - the Marines offered to close the San Diego Recruit Depot in this current base closure and realignment process.
But Gen. Michael Hagee told the independent closure commission that the proposal was dropped because the cost of moving the historic training post from its location next to Lindbergh Field outweighed the possible savings.
Hagee's comments were the first indication that the Marines had changed their previous strong opposition to losing the San Diego boot camp, which has been creating or supporting Marines since 1921.
The depot was looked at in previous base closure rounds because of its congested location, because much of the recruit training must be done at Camp Pendleton and because the Navy had consolidated all of its recruit training at one location.
It also was known that San Diego officials would like to have the propert
y, which sits right alongside the main runway at Lindbergh, to expand the heavily used international airport.
But the Marines fought the proposal in the past, partly out of pride in the historic role of the base and because they argued they could not guarantee the ability to train all the recruits they might need in a rapid build-up of forces.
The past closure commissions accepted the Marines' judgment and kept the recruit depot open and the base was not on the closure list the Pentagon released Friday.
So Hagee's comments came as a surprise during the current commission's review of Navy and Marine proposal on the current list.
The issue was raised by retired Adm. Harold Gehman, who wondered if the Marines had considered closing the depot because of the encroachment from Lindbergh.
"Yes," Hagee replied. "The Marine Corps nominated the recruit depot for closure."
But, the top Marine added, "when it went through the analytical process, we found to have the same capacity elsewhere would cost us more."
Although the commission has the power to add bases to the proposed closure list, that would take the vote of seven of the nine commissioners, which is unlikely.
Ellie