Making the case for the base

Military value and not economic impact is the theme for the Connecticut delegates tomorrow at the BRAC meeting in Boston.

From the New London Day

When the state argues at a hearing in Boston on Wednesday that the Naval Submarine Base in Groton should not be closed, the lineup of speakers will not include anyone describing the potential economic impacts.

That's a good move, according to experts on base closings from around the country.

Every community facing the loss of a military base can argue that it will be devastating economically, so it won't score any points with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission, the experts agree.

“The bottom line is military value,” said Paul J. Hirsch, president of Madison Government Affairs in Washington, D.C., a lobbying firm that has done a lot of base realignment and closure business.