Our community finds itself in an interesting situation while dealing with the U.S. Army.On the one hand, there is a history of distrust, much of it surrounding the handling of chemical weapons stored at the Anniston Army Depot and the future of that stockpile.
On the other hand, there is a friendly, longtime partnership that pays tremendous benefits to both parties and must be cultivated more to avoid having both pay serious consequences.
□□□
An invitation was issued to community leaders and interested parties last month to attend a Military Affairs and Security Committee meeting, an informational committee sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
Although there were brief discussions on four or five issues, most of it was nothing new and had already been reported.
What was fairly new was the only item that had been printed on the invitation letter and was interesting enough to fill the room with leaders preparing for a new task. It is one that could see some interesting bedfellows team up when on other issues, such as chemical weapons incineration, they might be bitter enemies.
BRAC, it is called, meaning Base Re-Alignment and Closure Commission.
A new round of military base closings are believed to be coming in 2005, and just the mention of such Castor Oil brings back the horrible taste this area has from the loss of Fort McClellan. Many jobs and good friends were lost when the post became abandoned, almost as if a ghostly wind swept through and took them all away, leaving the buildings behind.
Still here, however, is the depot, and on it, almost 4,500 jobs, which many of us count on for a living.
The Anniston Army Depot is by far the largest employer in Calhoun County.
□□□
The Army has an interest here, too, that hopefully it will remember when considering where to vacate and where to stay.
Although most of the plans for McClellan’s redevelopment involve private enterprise, the Alabama National Guard maintains an active training facility with access to excellent training grounds. It is being used now to prepare about 200 Special Forces troops for deployment in Afghanistan.
The Center for Domestic Preparedness, under the U.S. Department of Justice umbrella, is located on McClellan, and chances are that it will become more and more a shining star in America’s plans for dealing with terrorism. Other “national interest” allies of the military exist here, such as defense contractors.
Location, on an interstate between Atlanta and Birmingham, makes the Anniston depot facility attractive.
It is wise for the community to begin planning now how to defend its defense industry.
One thing is certain because of politics; any closings announced in 2005 will be decided long before then.
