A realistic assessment

By Staff
Sept. 7, 2003
A realistic assessment of the current situation regarding the 2005 round of military base closures was presented to the Kiwanis Club of Meridian last week by two informed people: Lamar McDonald, president of the Navy Meridian Team, and Bill Johnson, president of the Meridian Area Navy League.
The U.S. Department of Defense is determined to shutter about 100 military bases and the bottom line seems to be money. With U.S. troops on station in trouble spots around the world, one still must wonder at the sanity of closing military bases. And, yet, the base realignment and closure round known as BRAC clearly is coming as DoD moves to save money.
McDonald and Johnson are spreading the word in advance that Naval Air Station Meridian could be on the closure list, even as they and many other like-minded volunteers are working hard to keep NAS off the list for good reason. More than 60 percent of Navy strike pilots that is, pilots who fly missions from aircraft carriers are trained at NAS Meridian. It is one of only two such training installations in the country.
The key word in the DoD strategy seems to be "jointness," or how to maximize military efficiency by some combination of inter-service training Air Force pilots training with Navy pilots, for example. Already, activities at NAS Meridian have begun to reflect how the base can extend its reach to other areas. The Regional Counter Drug Training Academy is located at NAS Meridian and U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran has earmarked more money for that purpose.
That NAS Meridian is the largest employer in Lauderdale County with some 3,700 military and civilian personnel at work there every day may become a secondary consideration as BRAC looms. This round of base closures will likely not be driven by the economic considerations in local communities.
Our view continues to be that NAS Meridian is a vital link in a chain that makes the American military the strongest in the world. Still, we must remain vigilant. Joining the Navy League is one way to show support for the base. Call 693-1306 for details on how to join up.
Beyond that, stay tuned.