Semper shut out?
Wilmington Star News
Feb. 12, 2007

By closing the state highway through Camp Lejeune, the Marines may lose more than they'll gain. The public certainly will lose - not merely a convenient shortcut, but one that could conjure a little patriotism along the way.

N.C. 172 through the base offers both a pleasant drive and the quickest route from Wilmington to Emerald Isle, Morehead City or Beaufort. Approaching the gate just past Sneads Ferry, drivers wait for a fresh-faced sentry to wave them through. The road meanders past marked tank crossings, tactical landing zones named after birds, and thousands of acres of pine forest.

This deceptively peaceful setting is where the few and the proud hone their fighting skills. It's difficult to leave without feeling a personal connection to the young men and women who serve.

Sadly, civilians who don't have business on the base are about to lose that experience, along with a scenic shortcut, when N.C. 172 becomes the Marines' private road.

Most motorists will accept the permanent detour around the base; whether it's always necessary or not, Americans since 9/11 have surrendered convenience and individual rights in the name of security. Given that rationale, a few extra miles and a few extra gallons of gas would seem a small price to safeguard the men and women who protect us.

It's a shame, though, that such a simple and effective goodwill program will also be sacrificed.