The fight for Oceana is heating up with Virginia leaders denouncing a move by the BRAC staff to allow Florida a formal hearing to make its pitch for the jets and jobs in Virginia Beach. The hearing is set for Saturday, August 20th. Florida will have one hour. Earlier in the day, Texas was also going to be given an hour for its pitch, but that has been canceled. Florida's Governor Jeb Bush wants to make his argument for re-opening Cecil Field in Jacksonville BRAC Commissioners vote to close the base. Read the BRAC announcement for yourself and Senator John Warner's stern response below.

BRAC Commission Announces August 20th Hearings

Arlington, Virginia, 12 August, 2005-Today, the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) announced that it will hold two hearings on 20 August. A morning hearing will allow the Secretary of Defense or his representatives to provide their final comments before the Commission marks up the recommendations and presents them to the President. The afternoon session will focus again on the Commission's July 19 consideration of closing the Oceana Naval Air Station. Testimony will be received from Virginia representatives as well as those from Florida which is proposing to return Cecil Field to the Navy. Cecil Field, no longer a military installation, was ordered closed by the 1993 BRAC.

Chairman Anthony J. Principi stated, "These hearings give us a last opportunity to review the Defense Department's priorities and concerns regarding the BRAC proposals as well as to learn whether NAS Oceana is the optimal future location for the Navy's East Coast Master Jet Base. It is extremely important we conduct this additional hearing regarding the Navy Master Jet Base, in order to make the right decision based on the force structure plan and criteria established in law."

"In keeping with the Commission's high standards of transparency and thoroughness, we are asking the State of Florida to testify on the record in public hearing on its informally stated offer to return Cecil Field to the Navy and for the State of Virginia to have equal time on the matter," continued Chairman Principi.

"The Commission is carefully considering all viable options for the relocation of the East Coast Master Jet Base, should the Commission decide that NAS Oceana is inadequate to meet future military requirements," Principi added.

The City of Jacksonville Airport Authority and the State of Florida have agreed to return 17,686 acres, constituting Cecil Field, to the Navy to establish a new East Coast Master Jet Base. Cecil Field was originally one of two Navy Master Jet Bases.

NAS Oceana was added on 19 July to the BRAC list of installations for realignment or closure consideration. The final mark-up, during which the Commissioners will be voting on each individual installation suggested for closure or realignment, is scheduled for 24-27 August, and the Commission's final recommendations will be submitted to the President by 8 September. The Secretary will begin at 8 am. The Florida portion will begin at 1 pm.

CHAIRMAN WARNER WRITES BRAC COMMISSION ONFLORIDAHEARING ANNOUNCEMENT

Today Senator John W. Warner, R-Va., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote the Chairman of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, on the Commission’s decision to hold a hearing on August 20 to review proposals by the State of Florida related to the BRAC Commission’s consideration to realign or close the master jet base at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

Dear Chairman Principi:

On August 11, 2005, I was notified that the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission will hold a hearing on August 20, 2005, to review proposals by the State of Floridarelated to the BRAC Commission’s consideration to realign or close the master jet base at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

I find the announced additional hearings inconsistent with the straight forward assessment of the military value of Oceana in sworn testimony by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Mullens to the Commission on August 4, 2005, who stated: “I need now—your Navy needs now—Naval Air Station Oceana.”

I am also concerned that the Commission, having taken actions to request plans from local communities, and now scheduling a hearing for the State of Florida to present its plans, appears to stand in violation of Section 2903(d)(E) of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 which directs that,

"In making recommendations under this paragraph, the Commission may not take into account for any purpose any advance conversion planning undertaken by an affected community with respect to the anticipated closure or realignment of a military installation."

I have reviewed the public records released by the BRAC Commission to date related to the proposals by the State of Floridapending before the Commission. The proposals constitute, in my view, “advance conversion planning” for the potential relocation of aircraft to the respective local areas. Congress specifically intended for the Commission not to exhaust valuable resources and time reviewing complex promises and proposals from affected communities trying to influence the Commission’s final deliberations.

This development raises questions. Are you going to schedule additional hearings to review proposals or bids from other communities? Is it appropriate to have what may be perceived as a public auction at a time when the personnel and resources at Naval Air Station Oceana are serving the wartime needs of this nation?

Further consideration of these planning efforts threatens the integrity and the legality of the BRAC process and the final recommendations of the BRAC Commission. The BRAC law directs that the Commission must determine whether the Secretary of Defense deviated substantially from the force structure or the selection criteria, and legally complied with all provisions in the statute. This is the Commission’s charter. The law clearly provides the parameters for your responsibilities and actions.

I urge you to respond to this letter as promptly as possible because I am counseling with the local community and the Commonwealthof Virginiawith regard to their legal rights.

With kind regards, I am

Sincerely,

John Warner