thedrifter
06-10-08, 07:19 AM
Lejeune training input sought
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
Plan includes small-arms, helicopter mission hikes
June 9, 2008 - 10:25PM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Navy and Marine Corps officials are asking for public comments about proposed training increases at Camp Lejeune.
Monday, at the first of four public information sessions about the training proposals, a variety of authorities were available to answer questions about the plans. The meetings are part of an environmental assessment of the training proposal.
The training proposal includes a 20 percent increase in small arms training at Lejeune, increased fixed-wing and helicopter missions, a 10 percent increase in MK-19 40-mm grenade rounds, a 5 percent increase in artillery mortars and tank rounds and new training with Hellfire missiles at Brown's Island.
Most of the increases were proposed because of the growing size of the force at Camp Lejeune, said base spokesman 1st Lt. Craig Thomas.
"More personnel means more training," Thomas said.
But any change on base impacts the community, Thomas said. So the Marines and the Navy are examining how the increases and new training will affect noise and the environment.
The only training not already happening at some level on base is the Hellfire missile training, said Jim Schleining of Camp Lejeune range operations. The Hellfire is a precision-guided missile, which can reduce collateral damage in real-world situations, Schleining said.
Brown's Island should be the only area affected by the missiles training, he said. But Navy officials are working to ensure the training is safe for the community before it begins, Schleining said.
Right now, Marines have to book Hellfire training months in advance at other bases, such as Fort Bragg, he said. The plan would allow Lejeune Marines more opportunities to train with the weapon before deploying.
The fixed-wing and helicopter sorties will be missions from Virginia, but they will drop dummy bombs without explosives, so the only noise impact off base will be the aircraft noise, Schleining said. The other training would increase because of the increasing number of infantry battalions coming to Lejeune.
Camp Lejeune already works to mitigate the noise problem, and will continue to do so, said Kerry Buchinger with Navy facilities engineering command at the base.
The base has a dedicated noise-reporting hot line, and noise monitors are placed around the base - in Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge, Dixon, Bear Creek and Verona, Buchinger said. If the monitors ever exceed 130 peak decibels, base range control would call for an immediate cease-fire, she said.
Recently, the base has moved some steel-cutting operations to a more internal location on base and will continue to move more operations because of the noise impact on Sneads Ferry, said Erin Atkins, air quality program manager at Camp Lejeune. The base also has a retaining wall in Verona to reduce noise and quiet hours from midnight to 6 a.m. daily and from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.
In addition to noise, environmental experts are examining whether the training will impact public health, fishing, air quality, natural resources, animal life, water quality, soil or other resources.
Residents are invited to submit comments until July 7, and Susan Admire, project manager for the range operations environmental assessment, will put together a list of all the comments arranged by topic for the group to discuss.
If the environmental assessment finds there is no significant impact, and Navy officials determine the training is safe, Hellfire missile training would begin within the next year. Other training would reach the proposed levels by 2011.
The group will host three more public information sessions: today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sneads Ferry Community Center; Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m. at East Carteret High School; and Thursday, 4 to 7 p.m. at Havelock Tourist and Event Center.
All meetings are open-house style.
Contact interactive content editor Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8467. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.
Ellie
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
Plan includes small-arms, helicopter mission hikes
June 9, 2008 - 10:25PM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Navy and Marine Corps officials are asking for public comments about proposed training increases at Camp Lejeune.
Monday, at the first of four public information sessions about the training proposals, a variety of authorities were available to answer questions about the plans. The meetings are part of an environmental assessment of the training proposal.
The training proposal includes a 20 percent increase in small arms training at Lejeune, increased fixed-wing and helicopter missions, a 10 percent increase in MK-19 40-mm grenade rounds, a 5 percent increase in artillery mortars and tank rounds and new training with Hellfire missiles at Brown's Island.
Most of the increases were proposed because of the growing size of the force at Camp Lejeune, said base spokesman 1st Lt. Craig Thomas.
"More personnel means more training," Thomas said.
But any change on base impacts the community, Thomas said. So the Marines and the Navy are examining how the increases and new training will affect noise and the environment.
The only training not already happening at some level on base is the Hellfire missile training, said Jim Schleining of Camp Lejeune range operations. The Hellfire is a precision-guided missile, which can reduce collateral damage in real-world situations, Schleining said.
Brown's Island should be the only area affected by the missiles training, he said. But Navy officials are working to ensure the training is safe for the community before it begins, Schleining said.
Right now, Marines have to book Hellfire training months in advance at other bases, such as Fort Bragg, he said. The plan would allow Lejeune Marines more opportunities to train with the weapon before deploying.
The fixed-wing and helicopter sorties will be missions from Virginia, but they will drop dummy bombs without explosives, so the only noise impact off base will be the aircraft noise, Schleining said. The other training would increase because of the increasing number of infantry battalions coming to Lejeune.
Camp Lejeune already works to mitigate the noise problem, and will continue to do so, said Kerry Buchinger with Navy facilities engineering command at the base.
The base has a dedicated noise-reporting hot line, and noise monitors are placed around the base - in Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge, Dixon, Bear Creek and Verona, Buchinger said. If the monitors ever exceed 130 peak decibels, base range control would call for an immediate cease-fire, she said.
Recently, the base has moved some steel-cutting operations to a more internal location on base and will continue to move more operations because of the noise impact on Sneads Ferry, said Erin Atkins, air quality program manager at Camp Lejeune. The base also has a retaining wall in Verona to reduce noise and quiet hours from midnight to 6 a.m. daily and from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.
In addition to noise, environmental experts are examining whether the training will impact public health, fishing, air quality, natural resources, animal life, water quality, soil or other resources.
Residents are invited to submit comments until July 7, and Susan Admire, project manager for the range operations environmental assessment, will put together a list of all the comments arranged by topic for the group to discuss.
If the environmental assessment finds there is no significant impact, and Navy officials determine the training is safe, Hellfire missile training would begin within the next year. Other training would reach the proposed levels by 2011.
The group will host three more public information sessions: today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sneads Ferry Community Center; Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m. at East Carteret High School; and Thursday, 4 to 7 p.m. at Havelock Tourist and Event Center.
All meetings are open-house style.
Contact interactive content editor Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8467. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.
Ellie