Hill backers to give final plea to BRAC

Briefing could put base in a position to gain more jobs

Published: Monday, June 6, 2005 9:38 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Utah's decades-long courtship with the Base Realignment and Closure Commission may finally be over.

In fact, today's soiree may just be a formality.

Hill Air Force Base backers will plead their case once and for all today, when BRAC commissioners are expected to take a tour of the state's largest military installation.

The state's local and federal leaders and the Utah Defense Alliance have guarded Utah's military installations from the threat of closure since the BRAC commission's inception in 1988.

Hill escaped the four previous BRAC rounds with little damage, and the Pentagon's recommendation this year proposed a net loss of 145 jobs at the base.

"Apocalypse was closure; anything short of that is a success from our standpoint," said Vickie McCall, president of the Utah Defense Alliance. "We did not lose the jobs that we really had concern over, and we're very, very thankful to be in the position that we're in."

Now Hill is in a position to gain more jobs.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said he plans to show BRAC commissioners just how strong the base is by showing off several locations on the base. Commissioners Jim Hansen, the former Utah congressman; Lloyd "Fig" Newton, a retired Air Force general; and Philip Coyle are expected to tour the base, Hill spokeswoman Marilu Trainor said.

Story continues below

After a morning briefing with Hill staff, commissioners are expected to take a stroll through both the Ogden Air Logistics Center's F-16 and A-10 maintenance lines as well as the landing gear facility, Trainor said.

The commissioners are also expected to meet with leadership from the active-duty 388th Fighter Wing as well as the reserve 419th Fighter Wing. Both wings could possibly be affected by the Pentagon's recommendations to the BRAC commission.

"We are supporting the commission's request and are prepared to explain the missions of the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings and our other associate organizations," said Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan, Hill's senior military leader and commander of the Ogden ALC. "We will address any issues or questions the commissioners may ask and clarify any information they need about the data submitted earlier by Hill's organizations."

The Pentagon ranked the base 14th out of 154 Air Force facilities in the ability to host fighter missions.

Bishop said Hill backers' strategy Monday is to reinforce the Pentagon's recommenda- tions to the BRAC commission.

"I think the military really saw the value that we have here, and it was clear in what we could be receiving," Bishop said. "The only thing we could do is actually add programs here."

After touring the base, BRAC commissioners will meet at a Layton steakhouse for lunch with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., members of the Utah Defense Alliance, local legislative leaders and Utah's congressional delegation.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...

i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...

Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...

Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...

can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...

Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...

These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...

My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...

It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...

You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...

Advertisements