Letter: Bases should be spread out

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 9:15 a.m.

Katrina's lessons illustrate the wisdom of cancellation of all the recommendations to relocate or close military bases.

Consider the proposals to transfer nearly all National Guard forces and/or equipment from the various states to only several locations. These troops and equipment must be available to governors for instant deployment if needed to control emergencies (when they return from foreign duty).

Consider consolidation of the many Air Force bases and equipment into just several locations. This could make large classes of aircraft subject to possible simultaneous destruction through ingenious attacks.

Consider the targets created by relocating essential government employees, now dispersed throughout the Washington, D.C., region, into unused military bases. Security for so many coming and going would be next to impossible.

Consider if the East Coast submarine bases had been consolidated into Gulfport, Miss., as proposed several years ago. Where would they be today?

Consider the many votes to be nailed down through preserving the work forces as they presently exist.

RICHARD E. LAW