Editor,
In 1991, Whidbey Island Naval Air station was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure list for closure. According to a Seattle Times article at the time, this listing was due to: political pressure to look at “alternatives” to the Outlying Field Coupeville and a small, vocal group, “WISE,” that proclaimed major health impacts with Navy training.
This listing shocked the county where 55 percent of the jobs base — per the final BRAC report — would have been lost. The larger community went “all out” to show the value of Whidbey and, after a minor miracle, NAS Whidbey was taken of the list.
Today, the 1991 BRAC scenario is unfolding again.
We now have a politician, Karla Jacks, who stated, “The neighbors of the OLF bear the brunt of the noise from Navy aircraft; both Camano and Whidbey island residents hear and feel the impacts as well,” and, “We need to work on alternatives to the Navy’s training air operations sites …” That was in her April newsletter.
And, based on the Washington state public disclosure website, she received significant funding from persons who signed Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve’s moveon.org petition, which promotes closure of OLF Coupeville.
Additionally, COER President Michael Monson congratulated Jacks on her campaign Facebook site with, “Way to go! Good luck.” Ironically, her next Facebook message asks for more campaign funding.
COER, with many legacy WISE members, is aggressively engaging with Island County commissioners in their attempt to gain that same 1991 political traction. COER members contributed to Helen Price Johnson’s campaign and are now focused on that second seat.
COER knows that having one or two commissioners promoting their bogus claims from “permanent hearing damage” to “heart disease” could sway the Department of Defense to look at “alternatives,” as they did in 1991.
Defense experts predict the next BRAC round will occur in 2017 or shortly after.
Having worked on many basing studies and with anticipated force structure changes, Whidbey squadrons can be absorbed at other bases. Moreover, NAS Whidbey won’t exist without OLF — all other major air stations have two or three active runways — this is well-known.
We should follow the lead of other bases, like Wright Patterson, which is preparing for BRAC by rallying their community and politicians — not electing “at-risk” leaders. They know that community support, symbolized by the political leadership comments, has always been a major BRAC factor.
Jacks recently tried to “correct the record” in a letter to the editor; however, the above facts — and money profile — has not changed.
She can truly correct the record by stating unequivocal support for NAS Whidbey and pledging not to ask for “alternatives”; stating that COER’s “over-the-top” accusations are not validated by a single, submitted claim; and returning any funding from COER members who are actively trying to close OLF Coupeville or Ault Field.
Without these actions, we simply can’t risk 30,000 jobs of our county neighbors such as teachers, cooks, retailers, mechanics, truck drivers, the quality training for the aircrews going into harm’s way for us, and 88 percent of our economic activity and tax base per a Washington state study.
Simply put, we can’t risk “Jacking” the Navy out of Whidbey.
Scott Smith
Oak Harbor
