The Virginian-Pilot
©
WASHINGTON
The Navy is sticking with a plan to relocate a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Florida, the service's top spokesman said Wednesday night, despite another admiral's comments earlier in the day suggesting the decision might not be final.
"Nothing has changed," said Rear Adm. Frank Thorp, the service's chief of information. "The Navy remains committed to making Mayport a nuclear-carrier-capable homeport."
At a House subcommittee meeting earlier Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, D-Norfolk, pressed Rear Adm. Philip Cullom, the Navy's fleet readiness director, on a plan to spend an estimated $671 million to upgrade facilities at Mayport to accommodate a nuclear carrier.
Wouldn't the new infrastructure duplicate that already in Norfolk, Nye asked. Cullom replied: "It's under discussion and deliberation right now, as to what is the best decision - and no decision has really been made at this point yet, as to whether it should be done or not."
Nye's office issued a news release that called Cullom's reply "a backtracking from the Navy's previous position." In January, Nye noted, then-Navy Secretary Donald Winter signed off on a plan to relocate a Norfolk-based nuclear carrier to Florida.
But Thorp said the Navy remains committed to Mayport as "a strategic dispersal alternative" for Atlantic Fleet carriers. All five of the ships currently are homeported in Norfolk; Navy officials worry they could be vulnerable to a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
Nye and others in Virginia's congressional delegation are fighting the planned move, which would shift jobs and money away from Hampton Roads. While Navy officials defend the plan, the Obama administration has agreed to review it.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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Send the Carrier
and all the associated superhornets with it.
TR
TR not sure what coherent direction your trying to take your argument however, I have spent the last 8 years watching “the hate the military groupies” in action (Kerry, Murtha, Reid etc..). They’d been dormant since Vietnam; however, they’ve managed to crawl from under the rug when the Iraq War started. Nye a democrat has no creditably hasn’t been in office long enough plus he belongs the party that denigrated the military for the past 8 years. Nye and the rest of the democrats need to keep their dirty little fingers out of the military’s business they’ve done enough damage. Let the NAVY decide their own strategic interests (without politics) as it benefits the country. Last time I’ve checked the US has never tortured prisoners even these detainees! My point TR is the enemy, some of which are now prisoners have no problem cutting off American military POW’s heads. I believe we can spill a little water up their noses especially if it helps to end the war. And if you believe water boarding is torture then you are clueless.
Good move..
As much as I disdain Nye, he is doing what any rep from any area is supposed to do, ensure that his/her area receives as much as it can get. If that means fighting to keep military assets, so be it. Regardless of whether the ship moves or not, Nye is doing what he is supposed to do.
That said, the recent financial mess ought to provide some insight. The mantra of "too big to fail" describes AIG and some other entities that we are now spending caj-illions on to keep afloat. We might not have this problem if the assets of AIG had been dispersed to begin with. I think that is a valid analogy for the homeporting issues. As others have rightly pointed out, it doesn't make sense and flies in the face of lessons learned the hard way to keep 'all one's eggs in one basket'. The Navy had a good homeporting strategy that was a causalty of BRAC in the early 90s'. BRAC has done far more damage than good to the nation, and the supposed savings are anything but. But dispersal of military assets is a good idea strategically and politically..
Washington has no more
business telling the military how to protect this country than they have telling banks who to lend money to.
I think that it is good to have a carrier in Mayport
I agree with the Navy to send one of the carriers to Mayport. This makes perfect strategic sense. However in the eyes of Representative Nye, it doesn't make economic sense. I realize that it will cost some money to make Mayport capable of servicing the nuclear power plant and support the personnel, but that is actuall a positive. We need more than one maintenance stop for carriers just like Norfolk needs more than one service station for cars. Another positive is that the preparations will give some stimulation to the people in that area. It may not be our area but it is still helping out our economy. I understand that Nye needs to be go through another election next year but he also needs to see the big picture. This isn't just about Virginia and the Tidwater area but about national security and I believe that is what the US Navy is thinking about and I support them in this decision.
politicians need to stay out of national security decisions
Navy is moving it for security and logistic reasons. No one has input into that for jobs, income, or any other reason. Have you noticed all the conflict overseas.....we need to be prepared to defend ourselves God forbid we are attacked and we have all our eggs in one basket.
Base the Bush Homeport Assignment On Navy Mission and Needs
Whenever the Pilot prints a story about the Bush homeport options they report that our area will lose jobs and money, as if we already have a claim to the ship. The ship has not been assigned a homeport and until it is, no city should expect the potential increase in jobs that will be required to support the carrier. As to where it should be located, politics should not interfere with an informed Navy decision. Why Mayport? An alternate location capable of handling air craft carriers would be a positive should something tragic happen here. The resurgence of Russia navy ships receiving invitations into Cuba and Venezuela could be one of the factors considered. Personally, I would move an entire carrier task force and at least one Expeditionary Task Group to Florida to be available to counter emerging threats in the Caribbean.
Well Broketaxpayer
The PREZs plan is to spend a trillion dollars to save the economy so I see no problem in the Military spending millions, especially since this money would be spent on US Labor to build the facilities...
ANOTHER THOUGHT
It would be great, economically speaking, to keep this ship here but what about the "military aspects" of moving this ship south?
Haven't we learned our lessons from other wars about keeping all of our military assets in one area?
It's a hard pill to swallow but maybe Norfolk should look at the "BIG PICTURE" here not the monies.
Norfolk is a great city but there's more at stake here than money.
Sniffle, Snort...
Toddler Sniffle Snort Nye couldn't fight his way out of wet toilet tissue. This story is nothing short of an endorsement of this democratic rubber stamp to try to make him look good. Come on Nye, "he said but she said" is big news along with that stupid "I'm really doin biddness look"? How about growing up and deliver facts not ifs, maybes, buts, ands or jelly beans. When is Nyes term up? Can't be soon enough...