Editor,

A recent letter to the editor from Michael Monson, president of the anti-Navy group, stated people were crying “Chicken Little” because of the belief the base would close if the Coupeville group was successful in preventing the Growlers from flying out at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station’s OLF Coupeville.

A base unable to train using carrier airplanes would retain little military value when the next Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, round comes.

Military value is the main criteria for closing bases.

The fairy tale “Pinocchio,” in which the carpenter’s wooden child’s nose grew whenever it told a lie, is more appropriate.

Monson probably requires a wheel barrow to cart around his nose. First, stating his goal was to close OLF Coupeville, later restating the goal is closing NAS Whidbey to Growlers and closing OLF, while saying their group was not anti-Navy.

For a year, he claimed he was never informed of airplane noise prior to home purchase. The Whidbey News-Times recently published an article revealing Monson, when purchasing his home, indeed signed a document warning of airplane noise surrounding his home.

Once again, Monson’s nose grew.

NAS Whidbey will likely close if this anti-Navy group is successful shutting down OLF Coupeville and preventing carrier jets flying from NAS Whidbey.

I helped to get NAS Whidbey off the 1991 BRAC closure list and have returned annually 21 times to Washington, D.C. in the intervening 23 years to make sure Pentagon leadership is aware of overwhelming local support for NAS Whidbey and the Navy.

I also have carefully followed the base closures and realignments and issues that impact military value of military bases.

My story of Mr. Monson’s lack of reliability to state the truth is much more accurate than his statement there would not be a base closure if the Coupeville group was successful in preventing the Growler’s from flying out of NAS Whidbey.

Mac McDowell

Oak Harbor