Hopes projection puts to rest fears of closure | Letters

The headline in the Aug. 21 Whidbey News-Times gives me, along with the residents of Oak Harbor, great relief. Announcing the expected arrival of more than 2,500 people due to the expansion of the P-8A Poseidon fleet at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station will give the Oak Harbor area a nice boost. I sincerely hope that this news finally puts to rest the fears of many that NAS Whidbey is at risk of closure due to the OLF Coupeville dispute when the use of the outdated OLF is discontinued. With the arrival of these new folks, the Oak Harbor area regains losses suffered from normal Navy transitions and remains a viable base into the foreseeable future.

August 26, 2013 4:38 pm

Editor,

The headline in the Aug. 21 Whidbey News-Times gives me, along with the residents of Oak Harbor, great relief.

Announcing the expected arrival of more than 2,500 people due to the expansion of the P-8A Poseidon fleet at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station will give the Oak Harbor area a nice boost. I sincerely hope that this news finally puts to rest the fears of many that NAS Whidbey is at risk of closure due to the OLF Coupeville dispute when the use of the outdated OLF is discontinued.

With the arrival of these new folks, the Oak Harbor area regains losses suffered from normal Navy transitions and remains a viable base into the foreseeable future.

I would also like to endorse an idea that was expressed by the Navy and Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson. They explained that, in order to be most operational, the base needed either OLF Coupeville or a third, parallel runway.

I believe it’s time to build a third, parallel runway at Ault Field. This way, I believe everyone would win.

The residents of Central Whidbey would escape the consequences of the hazardous noise, and the Navy would have a safe training ground for their EA18G pilots.

A win-win for the entire area.

Michael Monson
Coupeville