The House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee approved language in the annual defense bill to hold off ordering any bases closed next year, saying the threat of terrorism, the Iraq war and troop realignment in Europe and Asia should be completed before considering giving any bases the ax.

"For the Department of Defense to make irreversible decisions to close or realign military installations before these changes have been fully considered by both DOD and Congress would be a terrible mistake," Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., said.

Republican Rep. Henry Brown of Hanahan disagreed.

"I don't see any value in delaying it since it's going to happen anyway unless there is some strategic reason," he said. "If they are delaying it to keep the inevitable from happening, then I think it probably won't happen."

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from Columbia who represents parts of the Charleston area, supports postponement.

He sees McEntire Air National Guard Station east of Columbia as being unfairly singled out as a likely target for closure. Delaying the decision, he said, would give the base more time to build its case against clipping its wings.

"(Base realignment) is supposed to be about saving money," Clyburn said. "You aren't saving any money by closing McEntire."

He said he believes the Base Closure and Realignment Commission might overlook the importance of McEntire as a night training facility. "They ought to be highlighting the uniqueness of that facility," he said.

Clyburn said he would do everything he can to make sure the process is delayed, but that he realizes it could be an uphill battle, given Republican control of the House. Republicans support the president's desire to move ahead with the BRAC process. The measure also would have to win approval of the full House Armed Services Committee, which also is in doubt because the wheels already are in motion.

A military adviser to Gov. Mark Sanford and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce said there is nothing to gain by delay.

"It's just political maneuvering because they (supporters of the delay) are up for re-election," said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Tom Mikolajcik, who sits on the Governor's Military Advisory Committee and the chamber's Military Relations Policy Council. "They just want to go back to their constituents and say, 'I tried to stop it and slow it down, but they wouldn't listen.' "

He predicted the bill wouldn't pass the full Armed Services Committee, much less the House.

Clyburn discounted the notion that he is taking the stand for political purposes.

"Whether the decision is made tomorrow or two years from now will not have any impact on my political career at all," he said.

U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Texas, who has four bases in his district, is leading the charge to delay the process.

"The Department of Defense is making too many changes right now to be making permanent BRAC decisions," Ortiz said. "When a base is closed, that asset is forever lost to the military."

Under the current timetable, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will submit his base closure recommendations by May 16, 2005. The BRAC commission then reviews or changes the secretary's recommendations before presenting a final list to the president by Sept. 8, 2005. If the president approves the list, Congress receives it by Sept. 23, 2005, with 45 days to disapprove the list or the Defense Department begins closing bases.

The proposed delay would suspend the base closure process for 18 months after the Defense Department submits reports in the fall of 2005 on plans to change overseas basing and other military matters such as infrastructure requirements, changes in the active and reserve force mix and quick deployment.

"Giving Congress and the public sufficient time to review the Department of Defense's decisions on such critical matters before finalizing BRAC decisions is the responsible thing to do," Hefley said.

Click here to return to story:
http://www.charleston.net/stories/050704/sta_07brac.shtml