From: fist@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Richard Pierson)
Subject: Re: SEALs & Recon in Beach Surveys
Reply-To: fist@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Richard Pierson)
Organization: Bell Communications Research (Bellcore)
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 18:15:45 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.143524.21543@cbnewsl.cb.att.com>,
oshea@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (d.o'shea) writes:
|> 
|> Media Event.  
|> 
|> The whole thing was a DoD public relations operation.  
|> 
|> Was Ft. Drum, N.Y. scheduled to be closed?
|> 
|> Flames on, ignition, full power!
|> 
Yes on the Ft Drum closing, up until 5 years or so ago it
was strictly a National Guard training base that was used
by all the services for winter training (including USMC, 
they have their own motor pool up there that is not handled
by MATES or UTES 50th AMD).
When 10th started moving in they took over almost all the
barracks relegating the Guard units to older and older
barracks every year till they were pulling wood stoves out
and installing "new" coal fired heating systems (which could
only be started by a "Black seal" licensed engineer of which
the Guard has none and they would not supply). They then
proceeded to take over the "engineers" training area and
build a brand new central steam heating plant, PX shopping
mall, 5 new clubs and a multitude of new barracks. During
this time 10th mountain took over all post duties, closing
every gate on and off post at 1800 hours- 0600 and leaving
only the main gate 6 miles from the National Guard barracks
area open and disallowing military vehicles (NGuard type)
off post, posting MP's at every PX satelitte store checking
for spit shined boots (coming in out of the field and any
other thing they could think of) in short everything they
could think of to keep Guardsman out of contonment. So
the 50th in a good decision decided to not pay by cash
on payday anymore but by check back at home station, man
did that put a dent in paying off the new construction.
During this time period the MP's would sit at the only
route to the "New post" side and pull over any NG vehicle
heading to PX (unless it had an 04 or above in it) and
find safety violations, forcing you to turn back
To most of us that AT check is play money and AT is generally
a break even proposition financially. 
The building that went on when 10th moved in was really
something to see, hundreds of condos in previously vacant
and farmland went up literally overnite and the locals
who owned property made a killing. Of course they did not
hire local construction companies but brought them in
from Texas to do all the military building on post which
after seeing it, I would not let them build me a shed let alone
a barracks. Building cracked from foundation to roof (we're
talking seeing daylight here from an outside wall room).
At any rate the Guard units from other states got so fed
up they cancelled or chose alternate AT sites so NY state
does not get the training money from guard units it normally
would. Unfortunately Ft Drum is the only arty range where you
can use the laser on the FIST V so that forces some of our
unit to go up there until Ft Dix is OK'd for it.
If 10th pulls out of Ft Drum the unemployment rate in the
watertown area will at least double  and would probably
force the closure of the new mall out on 81 not to mention
the FastFoodJoints(mcD, BK,Wendys, PH, TB, etc) that have
blossomed. Ft Drum is so far behind with the generations
of simulators that other states are installing in the ever
present search for funding from other states that the only
people who would notice it's abscense would by arty units
(Fist teams) and maybe the tankers (but FT Dix has LANES
training now and A LOT of BRAND NEW TANK TABLES.. hint hint
for you training types reading this Ft Dix is hi-tech now
and teaches M2 and M1A1). I can't see Ft Drum closing now
that we have a demorepublican president and a demorepublican
NY Govnr. Nope NFW (course maybe the south wont get so many
bases being realigned right out from under the north east's
butt like has gone on the last 15 years).

-- 
##########################################################
There are only two types of ships in the NAVY; SUBMARINES 
                 and TARGETS !!!
#1/XS1100LH	#2/10/10/92
Richard Pierson E06584 vnet: [908] 699-6063
Internet: fist@iscp.bellcore.com,|| UUNET:uunet!bcr!fist  
#include <std.disclaimer> My opinions are my own!!!
I Don't shop in malls, I BUY my jeans, jackets and ammo
in the same store.