The real BRAC list of proposed base closures and realignments has been released. Contrary to earlier speculation, S.C. did well, and Shaw AFB will gain rather than be closed.
Numerous facilities in Texas will indeed be closed, but the Lone Star state is projected to gain 9,000 jobs. Close to home, cutbacks are recommended for Houston-area Ellington Field, which has local folks worried.
Local political leaders vowed to fight for sufficient military assets to protect Houston and the Gulf Coast region after the Pentagon recommended that all 17 F-16 combat jets stationed at Ellington Field be retired.Posted by Alan at May 14, 2005 05:38 AMIn addition to retiring the aircraft belonging to the 147th Air National Guard, the proposal calls for closing the Army National Guard Reserve Center based at the airfield. Otherwise, Ellington Field avoided the closings list.
"The good news obviously is that Ellington Field will remain open," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land. "Also good news is that we're looking probably at making a significant future, a significant impact to the future of homeland security and national security by building a joint mission base out of Ellington Field."
He said he hopes to work with other area political leaders and the Pentagon to replace the F-16s with newer planes.
Combat aircraft are needed at Ellington to protect Johnson Space Center, the Port of Houston and the many petrochemical complexes along the Houston Ship Channel and elsewhere, DeLay said.