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BRACCONTINUED FROM Page 1ALosing armory worft have big impact on citywhile Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio could gain 9,364 military and civilian jobs.Brooks City Base has beenscheduled to close.Rusty Brockman, Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce director of economic development, said the potential increase in jobs at Fort Sam Houston could overshadow the economic loss of the closing of the New Braunfels’ armory.“I think only four to five people at the armory live in New Braunfels,” he said. “Sothe economic impact to New Braunfels hasn’t been that great in the larger scope of things. And although I wouldn’t want to mitigate the loss of the armory, we’ve suffered much larger economic losses, like the closing of Flextronics, when New Braunfels lost about 1,400 jobs.“On the other hand, the number of military and civilian people who live in New Braunfels and commute to Randolph Air Force Base has about a $1 million a year impact on the local economy. If additional jobs are created at Fort Sam Houston, it’s possible it could have a very positive economic impact on New Braunfels that would far outweigh the closing of the National Guard armory.”The Herald-Zeitung visited the armory Friday where an employee declined to comment and said no one was allowed into the area.U.S. Congressman I,amar Smith, R-San Antonio, also said the recommended realignment could have a positive impact on New Braunfels. While the Defense Department has not said where the 4th Battalion may move, they could stay close to home.Smith said one BRAC recommendation included closing the Army Reserve center in San Marcos and relocating other units, including the 4th Battalion, to a new facility in San Marcos.“One of the recommendations is for the Army to acquire land in San Marcos for a new facility that would accommodate the NationalBRAC CLOSINGS■ Army National Guard Reserve Center No. 2, Dallas■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, El Paso■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, California Crossing________■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, Ellinaton__________ . | , -■ - -t, ttf' M*r - - .■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, Lufkin _____________■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, Marshall■ Army National Guard Reserve Center, New Braunfels _■ Brooks City Base, San Antonio _________________■ Defense Finance and Accounting Service, San Antonio ______ _____■ Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, Texarkana _____________■ Naval Station, InglesideNavy Reserve Center, Lubbock _____ _■ Navy Reserve Center, Orange _________ _________■ Red River Army Depot, Texarkana _ ____________________■ U.S. Army Reserve Center No. 2, HoustonGuard unit in New Braunfels,” he said. If that happened, then the staff who live in New Braunfels could more than likely commute and not have to relocate.”Smith’s district director, O’Lene Stone, said a BRAC committee would conduct hearings this summer, and then forward its final recommendation to President Bush sometime in September.“President Bush can’t change the committee’s recommended list,” she said. “He can either accept it in its entirety, or reject the entire list.“It’s an all or nothing decision. Once the president makes his decision, the list will go to Congress, which also must either accept the list or reject the entire list. The all or nothing process was designed years ago to take the politics out of it.”The deadline for the president to approve or disapprovethe BRAC recommendations in its entirety is Sept. 23.If the president rejects the recommendations, the BRAC commission would have until Oct. 20 to submit a revised list.U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said the BRAC list released Friday was “a first step ... and by no means final.”
Newspaper Details
New Braunfels Herald Zeitung
New Braunfels, Texas, US
Sat, May 14, 2005
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Justin Y.
NA, 08 Jul 2020
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