Lawmakers against naval training relocation

[CommunityEditor]

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Navy would be making “a serious mistake” if it relocates the training air wing at Naval Air Station Kingsville to the Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., according to a letter from Texas’ two senators and Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz.

Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, both R-Texas, and Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, sent a letter to Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of naval operations, requesting that NAS Kingsville’s Training Air Wing Two remain at the South Texas base. The Navy is considering combining the Kingsville wing with NAS Meridian’s Training Air Wing One, according to the letter.

Lt. Brett Dawson, a spokesman for the chief of naval air training, was not able to offer more details about the Navy’s plans or the letter.

“(The chief of naval air training) is not able to discuss it at this time,” Dawson said.

Relocation “would represent a serious mistake and would compromise the (Navy’s) ability to produce the finest naval and Marine aviators,” according to the letter, released Wednesday by Ortiz’s office.

“We cannot support unification of the two commands at one installation. In fact, we understand that unification would severely disadvantage naval and Marine Corps student pilots at the losing installation, thereby compromising fleet readiness,” the letter said.

Attempts on Wednesday afternoon to reach Hutchison, Cornyn and Ortiz were unsuccessful.

The training wings are responsible for providing the fleet with newly winged Navy and Marine Corps aviators. The Air Wing consists of about 250 student naval aviators, 75 instructor pilots, 80 civilian personnel and 100 T-45A and T-45C Goshawk aircraft, according to the air wing’s Navy Web site.

Dick Messbarger, executive director of the Greater Kingsville Economic Development Council and a longtime advocate for South Texas’ military presence, said consolidation would make better sense if Meridian’s assets came to Kingsville.

“Twice, in 1993 and 1995 during the (Base Realignment and Closure), the Navy recommended single-strike pilot training at Kingsville,” Messbarger said. “In 1995, it was the highest-rated training base. Historically, Kingsville has been the base with the most capability.”


Article: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_kingsville_airtraining_011509/

[forcedj]

First the Virginia politicians cry that the Norfolk area will suffer dire consequences and the Navy will become ineffective if it moves one of the five aircraft carriers homeported there to Mayport, FL. Now the Texas politicos are saying that Naval Aviation will suffer if the Navy closes NAS Kingsville, Texas. Now, I have to say that it is disappointing to me when I see the Navy close facilities. But it’s mostly because of the sentimental value for all the people who served there. I understand that from a fiscal point of view, it has to be done (usually). I would just like to know where these politicians acquired their military expertise; in these cases ‘naval’ expertise. If they want to say that closing the facility will cause whatever consequences to their region, fine. But don’t try to tell us that the Navy and the nation will suffer as a whole because of it when in reality you probably have no experience with, and know nothing about military/naval operations.

Dan

[Shep]

I havent been to the Norfolk area in awhile but I would love to see the Navy pull out of there. I've never seen such a place that disliked the Navy being there. Of course it would never happen but I'd love to that city crumple and fall apart because the most organization in town left and destroyed their economy. Sorry for thread jacking but I hate Norfolk!

[forcedj]

I havent been to the Norfolk area in awhile but I would love to see the Navy pull out of there. I've never seen such a place that disliked the Navy being there. Of course it would never happen but I'd love to that city crumple and fall apart because the most organization in town left and destroyed their economy. Sorry for thread jacking but I hate Norfolk!


I was never PCS to Norfolk, but I’ve been through there several times for a few schools, TADs, and pulled in there a few times on sea duty. Never had any issues with me or the Navy being disliked the way people often claim. Quite the opposite actually. Why would you want something like that to happen?

Dan

Dan

[YomanDenver]

I was never PCS to Norfolk, but I’ve been through there several times for a few schools, TADs, and pulled in there a few times on sea duty. Never had any issues with me or the Navy being disliked the way people often claim. Quite the opposite actually. Why would you want something like that to happen?

I think you know the answer to that question. Back to Kingsville...

I for one have never been to Kingsville or Meridian, from what I understand with Meridian, it's in BFE. If Kingsville is the same way, I doubt anyone would even notice it was gone.

I find it funny how these political leaders have spun the relocation idea to seem like Kingsville makes the Navy and not the other way around. It's always easy to tell when people are going to be out money, especially when they make bogus claims void of any common sense.

As for Norfolk, I've been there for a school before, but have never been stationed there. Only thing I didn't like about the area was the traffic, everything else was nothing negative, except for the people tellling you to stay off of Hampton Road.

[MPLisa]

I've been to Kingsville, it IS in BFE. South Texas is HOT, and it is HUMID near the Gulf. Corpus isn't bad, but its sort of a place that has lots of potential, but isn't going anywhere. Kingsville is also home to a T A & M campus. If the Navy is looking to save money, why not consolidate training with the USAF up in Del Rio, @ Laughlin AFB? (Del Rio, on the Rio Grande, across from Ciudad Acuna, MX, is another pit in the middle of BFE).