Delegation Praises BRAC Commission’s Decision To Keep NCCo Guard Base Intact

WILMINGTON, DE — Proclaiming it “an enormous victory for the State,” Delaware’s congressional delegation praised the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission for rejecting the Pentagon’s original plan to gut the New Castle County Air Guard Base, removing its entire fleet of C-130 cargo planes and relocating more than 150 civilian and uniformed personnel. After the unanimous vote, Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Tom Carper (D-DE) and Congressman Mike Castle (R-DE) issued the following statement: “Today’s decision by the BRAC Commission to reject the realignment of New Castle County Air Guard Base is an enormous victory for the State of Delaware and the nation as a whole. We have said all along that the original recommendation to gut Delaware’s Air Guard was based on inaccurate information and faulty reasoning. Shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who serve on the Base, the Governor and the County Executive, we did our homework and presented our case. The process worked and logic prevailed. This decision will help ensure the security of the Northeast, while keeping the state’s emergency response team intact. “In addition to reversing the New Castle recommendation, the Commission also supported the Pentagon’s proposal to bring more personnel to Dover Air Force Base. At a time when many bases are being closed or downsized, Dover actually increases in personnel — a powerful statement about its importance in the overall structure of our military and a testament to the extraordinary men and women who serve at the Base.” The BRAC Commission has until September 8, 2005, to submit its recommendations to the President, who has until September 23, 2005, to accept or reject the list in its entirety.