US Navy In-Digestion
Submitted by James on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 5:16pm
The path taken by the US Navy for its proposed Outlying Landing Field in North Carolina is strewn with lies, missteps, deception and stupidity. But if you thought the Navy had learned anything from its years of incompetence, you'd be wrong. The Daily Advance has the story.
Despite the buildup for an announcement this week, the Navy might not be ready to reveal Thursday what sites should be considered further for a pilot training field, officials said Tuesday. For weeks, residents of counties across northeastern North Carolina have been waiting with bated breath for Nov. 15 — the date Navy officials had indicated they would announce which of 22 sites in Virginia and North Carolina are worthy of further study for an outlying landing field.
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A Navy admiral has told a state commission studying potential OLF sites that he must present all of his information to the Secretary of the Navy by Thursday. But it is unclear how long it will take Navy Secretary Donald Winter to digest that information, and when he will be making an announcement, several Navy spokesmen said Tuesday.
Digest the information? What the heck does that mean? Is Winter going to all-of-a-sudden rule certain sites out of bounds for political reasons? And why does the Secretary of the Navy get to know what the Navy's planning when We the People are kept in the dark about the potential destruction of a big part of our state?
I truly don't get this at all, but it gets even worse because the governor's study group appears complicit in the back-room scamming.
In public hearings, the governor’s study group has repeatedly heard residents say they do not want an OLF in northeastern North Carolina. However, the task force does not plan to make a formal recommendation about where the OLF should go, at least not right now, Eagles said. State Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, a member of the study group, said during the last task force meeting that he wanted the panel to take a formal stand opposing an OLF in northeastern North Carolina. But he couldn’t get support for a vote on his motion.
Owens said he nonetheless expressed his views, not only to the task force but Gov. Easley in a conversation.
“I recommended that the OLF go to Virginia, not North Carolina, not come anywhere in North Carolina,” Owens said Tuesday.
But Eagles said it would have been premature for the task force to take a formal position on an OLF site at this point. He also questioned how much clout a task force recommendation would have with the Navy anyway. “This has just been a screening process,” Eagles said.
So if the governor's task force has no clout, why the charade? And if it does have clout, why isn't it acting to protect the interest of North Carolina instead of the interests of the United States Navy? Our state has bent over backwards for decades to accommodate the needs of all the branches of the military. It's about time they started to reciprocate.
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deja vu
haven't we already been down this road?
Are we fixed?
Let me know if the problem crops back up.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
More on the story
in the N&O itself. Read it closely. Tell me if you see what I see: the beginnings of a sell-out.
What's really going on here is a classic case of Prostitution 101. The Navy's initial offer was rebuffed - not enough payola to get northeast North Carolina to put out. So now the Guv is floating the possibility of "more incentives." As if any amount of money is worth destroying a gigantic swath of the goodliest land.
Beverly Perdue got this issue nailed right early on. If there's a community in NC that wants this monstrosity, let 'em have it. But if there's not, no dice.
There is not enough incentitive by the Navy
for any community in NE NC. Maybe Havelock and ACT are willing to prostitute a community for more jets, but I would wager Beaufort County and North, the Navy cant buy us.
Easley did not empower the study group
with any power other than to be a sounding board. A place to collect information.
A place in North Carolina for the people to go to to give the Navy information that the Navy should have been going to the various locales and getting this information.
This study group did not prioritize nor did they include the NO OLF option as Rep. Owens tried to do.
This is the letter from Gov. Easley to Rep Butterfield
So did he recommend to Rep Butterfield that none of these sites is good for us as we are opposed to it? Why did he have to wishy-washy his recommendation? Regardless, I hope that is what he said. Also, I wish these people would include statements that include all the sites, not just the new ones or Washington County site.
The proposed OLF would not bring NC more prosperity and
would cause irrepairable damage to many, many North Carolinians, who also, would not benefit from the OLF.
I am suspect of any discussion of the financial benefits it may bring NC.
ANY benefits realized by an OLF established to service aircraft primarally stationed in another state is dishonest unless it is discussed as a "temporary benefit". The enviormental damage potential alone should be a flashing yellow light.
The Navy long range plans (6 Years out) from what I am told, calls for NO Navy Aircraft permanently stationed in Coastal NC. Establishing an OLF in NC for the convienience of Navy squadrons in VA solves lots of problems in VA by dumping them in NC.
The Navy allowed the developement encroachment upon Virginia Oceana base over a great number of years.They never really addressed it until it was too late. Now the solution for them is to dump this issue on North Carolinians who will realize almost no benefits over the long haul.
The develpoment of OUR NC Coast is OUR responsibility and OUR obligation to our children. We must make ourselves heard for their sake.
My sence is that MOST North Carolinians do not want an OLF anywhere in Coastal NC. We must not allow the conversation to degrade the the place where it is "here in NC, or there in NC". We must drive the agenda.
North Carolina hosts the largest and greatest Military bases in the United States. Let there be no question of our high regard and respect for our Men and Women in uniform.
My word is No on OLF, but let the people be heard. Its their land. Its their home.
Marshall Adame
Based on this information
the two squadrons would be sent down here and then moved back up. Something well within the realm of possibilities. Remember, in 1993 Cherry Point was suppose to get a lot of jets, but the 1995 BRAC redirected them to Oceana because to facilitate these planes would require creating more capacity on the East Coast. Capacity in this definition included runways. This OLF is a runway. The Navy keeps saying they want additional capacity. They want this capacity in NC and away from Oceana for the benefit of Hampton Roads. This excess capacity concern is what took the planes away from us in the first place. Now the Navy is willing to give us 24 planes for the right to be the sole Oceana practice field.
Folks, dont be fooled. The very next BRAC after this OLF is built will see Fentress or this second OLF required to be closed because of excess capacity. Which facility is the Navy going to close? At that point, every FCLP will be held at this new OLF. OOOOOO, Cherry Point still has, if we are lucky, 24 planes. That is one helluva deal for the people of Hampton Roads and the Navy. Sucks hard for us, even for the folks around Havelock when they should of had most of Oceana's jets in 1993.
No, there is no way that I can accept this OLF forced on any community. If someone is jumping up and down on Gov Easley's, Senator Dole/Burr, Rep Jones and Butterfield's desk screaming for this OLF, then give it to em. This OLF must NOT be forced on any community that does not wish it.
Financial benefit. The Navy says $49 to $53k a year to be a gate guard? Yea right......most gate guards get at most $29k a year. They are GS-4/5 positions if federal.
Did the Navy account for all the farmers, businesses, workers that will be removed from the county when people do not accept the restrictive use easements and subtract that money from the NET monetary impact of the county? Did the study group do this math or question the data the Navy presented? Why should these farmers, etc have to decide if they want to accept these restrictive use easements in the first place.
A lot of people mentioned the fairness aspect of this process. Meaning what is done in NC should already be completed in VA. How many restrictive use easement documents have been handed out to the people out to the 65 dB DNL contour line in VA to support Oceana and Fentress? How many people have been condemned off their land around Oceana and Fentress in the 75> dB DNL contour line to support the military mission?
The answer is none.
No one has yet to be condemned in mass like the Navy is planning to do in North Carolina. When you want to know how the Navy is going to treat us in NC, all you have to look at is the current ROD. 25,000 acres condemned without splitting parcels. We cannot ever forget that. 25,000+ acres are condemned right now, today for this process. No acres are condemned to help the master jet base that has a serious encroachment concern that threatens the very existence of Oceana. NC will be the dumping grounds and Hampton Roads will reap the benefits.
All of North Carolina elected officials need to understand that. North Carolina is being singled out by the Navy and treated differently so we are allowed to have 24 planes.
Thank you Marshall on your stand!
If the people wish it, then let em have it. If the people and local governments do not wish it, then keep it as far away from them as possible
The Department of Defense acknowledges it is the responsibility of the local government to support the military mission of any facility in their jurisdiction. If a local government does not wish it and up front says we dont want it, it would seem that facility should go someplace else. Upfront, communities have been saying no thank you.
In this entire process who has been trying to be civil and fair? the Navy with condemnation as the first choice, or the local governments declaring no thank you. not one acre of land is available for this plan?
Regardless of what the Navy is stating, I will always go back to the source documentation.....This OLF is not required....hummmmm, seems only right that the voice of the people and local government should hold even more weight when the Navy demands land for a want.
With the military taking over eastern North Carolina and
ardently working along side politicians, developers and shop keepers who are desperately trying to emulate the build up in Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads and Newport News would think that they might ease off a little in regards to taking another fifty square miles for an OLF.
Rural North Carolinians are being treated similar to the American Indian by our government. They are going to be moved off their land by gunpoint.
Yet, the people of Jacksonville Florida were allowed to vote on a referendum in regards to having an OLF.
We have no say.
Let's start putting it on ballots
Not at the state level, that's not allowed. But local government can find creative ways to vote for anything they want. It might not be binding, but why not get it on ballots next year?
Are there any elections experts out there who could advise on this? Calling Gerry Cohen! (who is an expert in everything official in North Carolina).
referenda
Here in Mecklenburg we recently had a vote on repealing our half cent sales tax that is dedicated for public transit. This was put on the ballot by petitioning. If I remember right, the instigators had to get signatures from five percent of the registered voters here in the county.
"jump in where you can and hang on"
Briscoe Darling to Sheriff Andy
Trail of Tears?
Give me a break - but to compare this to the Trail of Tears is ludicrous. Your families are not being separated. You are not being hunted down with weapons. You are not being infected with previously unknown to you diseases. You are not being forced to abandon the religion of your fathers and profess one that you find abhorrent. You are not being forced to abandon your language, learn a new one, and take new names that your new masters find appropriate. Comparing this situation to the plight of the Native American is like comparing a firecracker and the Hiroshima bomb.
If the OLF goes through - you will be paid for your land. You will not be simply thrown off of it the way the Cherokee were. You will not be forced to march 1200 miles from home with few supplies and little assistance. During the Trail of Tears, 17,000 Cherokee and 2000 Black Slaves were forced at gun point to leave their land. At gunpoint. Literally.And somehow I doubt that 4000 of you will die of disease and starvation should you have to leave your land. Even though the Supreme Court said they could keep their land,it was NC's own much beloved Andrew Jackson who said
Remind me again why we honor this asshole with a dinner? Doesn't that sound like a GWB move to you?
I know it must feel like this is what is happening to you, but it's not. You have rights; they had none. You have the support of the Governor, the Council of State, the State Legislature, and the democrats of the Congressional Delegation.
And you have the support of regular people all across the state. People who are willing to work to help you save your land - we're not salivating so we can get our hands on it. For God's sake, you just had someone suggest that we get it on the ballot in every county. Do you honestly believe the Cherokee - or any Native tribe had that recourse?
Please do not misinterpret my post. I am against any OLF anywhere in NC. But engaging in the kind of hyperbole you did just now does not help your cause.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
nt
nt
Marshall Adame
ICloud, comparisons with the trail of tears is a stretch
and I am glad you took it to task. None of us have suffered to the degree American Indians suffered. We should refrain from such comparisons.
NO OLF......That should be the message.
Did you get my call?
Marshall Adame
Easley is criticizing Dole on OLF
I'm sure you all already saw this, but just in case:
http://ncdp.org/OLF_Elizabeth_Dole_Easley
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