Public officials say Guard will take over Naval Air Station

<p>The Georgia National Guard will take possession of the Naval Air Station Atlanta property when the facility closes as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) decision, several public officials said Thursday.</p><p>The 107-acre property is next to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb County.</p><p>"This development comes at an excellent time for the Georgia National Guard, when we are asking our citizen soldiers to perform at a higher level than ever before in Georgia history," Gov. Sonny Perdue said. "The Naval Air Station has been a good neighbor for Cobb County residents, and the transition to the National Guard will ensure the long-term viability of the property and jobs in the surrounding area."</p><p>Joining the governor in making the announcement were Republican U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Republican U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey and Tom Price.</p><p>The state received confirmation of the deal Wednesday in a memorandum from Joseph W. Whitaker, deputy assistant secretary of the Army.</p><p>Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's adjutant general, said the property will be transferred to the state without cost.</p><p>"Not many things in life are free," he said, noting that under the BRAC law was a provision for the Navy to transfer the property to another branch of the military. In this case, the Navy transferred it to the Army which will license it to the Georgia National Guard.</p><p>"This was the result of a great deal of work by so many people, and this transition will further enhance the strong military presence in Georgia and enhance the capabilities of the Georgia National Guard," Chambliss said.</p><p>The senator said the guard will benefit from the training and resources at the new facility.</p><p>"As we continue to call on them more and more in this era of new threats, it underscores why this facility is so critical," Chambliss added.</p><p>"The role of the National Guard is ever-changing and providing them with the training tools and resources they need will benefit us all in the future," Price said.</p><p>"The facilities on the Naval Air Station property are excellent and this will give us the opportunity to increase our efficiency and readiness by co-locating a number of key units and functions on one base," Poythress said. "This is also a great location in terms of recruiting demographics for new soldiers and airmen."</p><p>The guard says it expects about 1,500 soldiers to be based on the property.</p><p>Poythress said he expects the rich recruiting pool in the Atlanta area to take care of some of the increase. He also said some units in south Georgia where recruiting has been slow will be transferred to the Atlanta facility.</p><p>"None of this will happen for a couple of years at least," he said. "They (Navy) won't all go at one time. They'll be rolling out over time. As they begin to vacate, we'll begin to locate. It will probably last 3 to 3 1/2 years."</p><p>The Naval Air Station Atlanta property includes about 100 buildings with a total of more than 600,000 square feet. It includes hangars, classrooms, administrative space and temporary billeting.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/10/114692