December 2002 Editorial

The Voice of Business, Industry & the Professions Since 1942
North Carolina's largest business group proudly serves as the state chamber of commerce

Editorial

Military Base Closings

Business and political leaders reacted with appropriate alarm over the past year as foreign competition forced the closing of dozens of textile plants around the state. And the legislature responded by endorsing new economic development policies that will improve North Carolina’s ability to attract relocating and expanding industries that will bring new jobs for those who were thrown out of work. We wrote approvingly about that legislation in this space last month.

But it’s odd to me that hardly a word of concern is being heard in Raleigh over the perilous future facing another of North Carolina’s traditional industries – our military bases. Another round of Base Realignment and Closure hearings is set to begin in Congress next year, and two huge facilities in Eastern North Carolina are on the target list – Cherry Point Marine Core Air Station and the nearby Naval Air Depot. There also is some concern about the future of Camp Lejeune and the New River Marine Corps Air Station.

Cherry Point and the Naval Air Depot are Eastern North Carolina’s largest industrial employer, with a payroll of more than $640 million. They buy $140 million a year in goods and services from businesses Down East. Camp Lejeune and the Marine Corps Air Station have a combined payroll larger than the entire Research Triangle Park. The economic impact of their loss would make Hurricane Floyd look like a spring rain.

President Bush has indicated his strong support for continuing the series of base closures begun by the Department of Defense in the early 1990s. Four previous rounds of base closures have shuttered 100 of the 500 major military installations in the United States. Two more rounds of closings are possible in 2003 and 2005.

Several chambers of commerce in Eastern North Carolina are attempting to marshal public support for the bases, but local officials say they’ve been disappointed so far by the lack of public awareness of the issue and the absence of strong support from Gov. Mike Easley. The New Bern chamber (252-637-3111), the Jacksonville/Onslow County chamber (910-347-3141), the Carteret County chamber (252-726-6350) and the Wayne County chamber (919-734-2241) need our help and we ought to respond to their pleas. NCCBI members should learn more about this critical issue and the enormous impact that losing one or more of our military bases would have on the state’s economy. -- Steve Tuttle

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