Dugway and TAD at risk

Fourth in a four-part series.

Utah's military presence doesn't begin and end with Hill Air Force Base.

Tooele Army Depot and Dugway Proving Ground are also at risk in the federal government's upcoming round of base closures.

These bases might be small in comparison to Hill — Hill employs more than 10 times the work force of both TAD and Dugway combined. But they, too, are important to the U.S. military, says Jim Hansen, the former Utah congressman who now serves on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

"It always amazes me that people come in and drool all over Hill but don't realize that Dugway is extremely important for the state of Utah," Hansen said.

In a way, TAD and Dugway will have to fend for themselves. The Utah Defense Alliance, an organization that seeks to protect all of Utah's bases, is devoting nearly all its efforts to save the state's largest military installation.

"We're working with Tooele and Dugway somewhat," said Rick Mayfield, executive director of the Utah Defense Alliance. "They are such small facilities in comparison to Hill that the majority of our time is spent at Hill."

The other shoe?

Tooele Army Depot can't escape Hill's shadow.

So far, Hill has managed to escape BRAC's grip. TAD hasn't been so lucky.

"We're the red-headed stepchild of Hill," said Malcolm Walden, BRAC transition coordinator at the Tooele Army Depot.

"But we're a viable stepchild," depot spokeswoman Kathy Anderson said.

BRAC cut thousands of jobs from TAD during the 1993 base closure round, while Hill remained unscathed. The Department of Defense moved the depot's troop support, maintenance, storage and distribution missions to other bases around the country.

TAD officials fear another major realignment is on the horizon.

"They could privatize us, they could make us a contract facility, they could realign us — any number of things could happen," Walden said. "After our experience last time, we take nothing for granted."

When asked about TAD's chances in BRAC, Mayfield said, "That's a real question in my mind. I would doubt they would expand."

Expand, no; survive, maybe. TAD is the last major ammunition depot in the West, with easy access to roads, rail and local airports, Walden said.

And unlike Nevada's Hawthorne Army Depot, TAD stores "active, go-to-war" munitions, Walden said.

"That's one of the reasons why we are a valuable national asset," Walden said. "For what we do, we're it in the West. Now there are others in the East, but this side of the Mississippi River, this side of the Rocky Mountains, it's us. So that gives us some geographical insulation, and it gives us some BRAC insulation."