Testimony and Public Comments:

-  Public Hearings on May 17, 2005 including Testimony to BRAC commission by Secretary England & Admiral Clark

-  Public Comments from BRAC Public Forums November 28, 30 and December 1, 2005

Comments Submitted to BRAC Commission in August 2005

I'm a retired Navy Chief of 26 years. I live in Virginia Beach. Was stationed at NAS Oceana and worked as a F-14 Tomcat Maintenance Chief. While in the Navy I learned and it was stressed Safety is job 1. For that reason I highly recommend to you in the most strongest terms to close Oceana. There is better training for our nation's aircrew at Cecil. Plus and foremost it's only a matter of time before a jet crashes into the Lynnhaven Mall. Then What ??? And as far as the Navy Seal's mission goes. I ask you to remember two things. 1. The former CNO stated that " if he could have gotten Moody AFB, he would have taken it in a heartbeat". 2. ADM Natter stated under oath that the mission could be move. Now sir, both of these men know what they are talking about. And we must weigh WANTS vs NEEDS. And sir, we need a new Master Jet Base and we need Oceana to close before someone get killed. The record shows that the mayor and the city council does not listen to the navy when it comes to building townhouses/apartments in the landing pattern. I put all my faith and trust in you and God that the right thing will be done for OUR nation. I thank you for your time.

Recommendations: 1. Move all NAS Oceana based hornet squadrons to NAS Cecil Field. NAS Cecil Field is in close proximity to the needed training areas to maintain current readiness without the problems of encroachment that NAS Oceana currently suffers from. The Jacksonville community will benefit dramatically from the increase in Military Personnel in the area. 2. Move all P-3 squadrons from NAS Brunswick to NAS Jacksonville. The P-3 FRS is already in place as well as all required maintenance facilities. There is adequate room to facilitate the new Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA). 3. Move all NAS Jacksonville helicopter squadrons to NAS Oceana. This will include the squadrons currently at NS Norfolk and NS Mayport. NAS Oceana has ample room to house all east coast helicopter squadrons. The Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) squadrons will be based near NS Norfolk and will allow closer cooperation with naval surface and subsurface forces. Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) squadrons will be in close proximity to and ease the ability to train with Naval Special Warfare (NSW) forces. The community impact will be a positive one for Virginia Beach as NAS Oceana will continue to operate and problems with aircraft noise will decrease significantly. 4. Counter drug operations will require that a detachment be maintained at NS Mayport to ease integration with the surface fleet stationed at NS Mayport. 5. NS Norfolk will continue to operate as an Air Mobility Command (AMC) terminal, E-2/C-2/C-9/C-40 base.

I am a retired naval aviator who flew A-7 and F-18 aircraft from NAS Cecil Field and NAS Oceana. Additionally, I was Commanding Officer of a jet training squadron at NAS Kingsville in Texas. There is no question that NAS Cecil Field is the base of choice. When my student naval aviators needed to practice on land prior to going to the aircraft carrier for their initial qualification, there was nowhere for them to fly the carrier pattern at NAS Oceana. Noise abatement procedures prohibited these young men and women from properly training for the most perilous feat in naval aviation. I was shocked when Cecil Field closed, as the encroachment issue was virtually non-existent there vis-a-vis Oceana. We used to joke about how we used the shopping mall near Oceana as a "ground gouge" for our approaches to landing. Good weather, ample training ranges and less encroachment make Cecil Field your clear choice for the future of naval aviation.

I feel compelled to comment on the amazing change of position by the Virginia Beach City Council with regard to NAS Oceana and residential encroachment. From 1987 to 1991, I was the NAS Oceana representative to the Virginia Beach Planning Commission and City Council regarding land use planning and residential encroachment around NAS Oceana. I personally stood before the Planning Commission and City Council voicing the Navy's objection to incompatible re- zoning applications that encroached on Oceana. The Navy repeatedly warned that continued incompatible encroachment would ultimately result in the demise of NAS Oceana's operational capability. The City Council's response was "If the Navy wants protection from residential encroachment, let them buy it." (You will find that quote in Oceana's five year plan from the mid 80's under the heading of "AICUZ.") That was over eighteen years ago, (but I'm sure that the Mayor as well as several of the present council members, recall those meetings) and for the past eighteen years, the Navy's objections and warnings have been, for the most part, ignored. In my view, the fundamental issue is the quality of the training with regard to simulating the night carrier landing environment. Given the existing development around Oceana and OLF Fentress, it is impossible to effectively create the night carrier landing environment; there are too many visual references in the form of street and business lights. There are no visual references at sea. Practicing FMLP's (field mirror landing practice)at Oceana accomplishes nothing more than turning jet fuel into hot air and noise. Any plan by the State and City to "purchase open land around Oceana to curb future development" is moot. The damage has been done.....you can't "un-ring" the bell!

I am currently in the Navy and have been for 19 years now. I am stationed at NAS Oceana and was also part of the move from NAS Cecil Field. Once moving up to NAS Oceana, we all knew that the Navy made a big mistake by closing NAS Cecil Field. I lived and worked at NAS Cecil Field for 13 years and NEVER, EVER heard of anyone complaining about the JET noise. Another item of interest is the fact that we had 3 plane crashes during the time I was at NAS Cecil Field and if they happened here in Virginia Beach the Navy and the City would have a VERY BIG mess on the hands. All you have to do is look around and you will see how little the city cares about people building next to or near my base. I feel all they care about is getting more money from Taxes and that is why they are letting companies build like they are. I would close NAS Oceana and move the Jets. The CNO even said that the base will not be able to handle the JSF. If you close NAS Ocean now, the Navy will not have to find a new base for us when the JSF Jets are given to the Navy's Squadrons they will already have it. Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to make a comment on this matter.

I'm a retired Navy Chief of 26 years. I live in Virginia Beach. Was stationed at NAS Oceana and worked as a F-14 Tomcat Maintenance Chief. While in the Navy I learned and it was stressed Safety is job 1. For that reason I highly recommend to you in the most strongest terms to close Oceana. There is better training for our nation's aircrew at Cecil. Plus and foremost it's only a matter of time before a jet crashes into the Lynnhaven Mall. Then What ??? And as far as the Navy Seal's mission goes. I ask you to remember two things. 1. The former CNO stated that " if he could have gotten Moody AFB, he would have taken it in a heartbeat". 2. ADM Natter stated under oath that the mission could be move. Now sir, both of these men know what they are talking about. And we must weigh WANTS vs NEEDS. And sir, we need a new Master Jet Base and we need Oceana to close before someone get killed. The record shows that the mayor and the city council does not listen to the navy when it comes to building townhouses/apartments in the landing pattern. I put all my faith and trust in you and God that the right thing will be done for OUR nation. I thank you for your time.

Compliments On Your Firm Stand I wanted to thank you for the firm stand that you took with the city of Virginia Beach and the addition of NAS Oceana to your final list for consideration. I was a West Coast F-14 pilot relocated to NAS Oceana from NAS Miramar as the result of a previous BRAC decision to single site all F-14's. We arrived in late 1996 and I served there for 6 years. I was shocked at the encroachment on the base perimeter back in 1997 and it only grew worse the longer we were there. It is hard to describe the discomfort of turning onto final for Runway 5 while flying directly over Lynnhaven Mall and being able to look down through the glass atrium into a crowded food court. We are very fortunate that a catastrophic mishap has not yet occurred. The training areas are extremely limited with little to no overland training areas even available. NALF Fentress is laughable as an outlying field and, as anyone who has prepared for carrier operations there, is essentially negative training. The city of Virginia Beach has for too long lived in either a state of blissful ignorance or, more likely, blantant arrogance regarding its relationship with NAS Oceana and its tenant squadrons. Thank you for finally making them accountable for decades of poor decisions. Thank you for your time.

Making us ALL safe To the Commission, (Interesting Question) After the guidlines were given to the City of Virginia Beach to follow certain action in order to keep NAS Oceana, I and some fellow neighbors of mine are afraid we'll be left behind in the process. A quick question that I think you'll find important. It was said that the City would have to buy homes in Zone 1. I happen to live in what they have marked Zone 2. HOWEVER, we are ''on the line of Zones 1 and 2. Houses that you could almost ''throw a rock at'' are Zone 1, but a few of in just this area of the Zones, are EQUALLY in the flight path, planes the SAME distance to us, same noise level, but we are not included, should such a ''deal'' go through. My home, like the ones across Lynnhaven Pkwy, in Zone 1, are both +75 DNL, obviously. Can you honestly tell me that it is that cut and dry to ONLY aim at the homes in Zone 1? There are homes ''on the line of the 2 Zones, with NO DIFFERENCE in the altitudes of the planes. So a house ''on one side of the road'' will be considered unsafe to live, but another, yards away ARE safe? Of course I assume if the City goes through with the plan to buy homes in Zones 1, they will not go out of their way to buy the few homes in Zone two, that should actually qualify as Zone 1. I wouldn't blame the City, as they will want to buy as little as they have to, but it just seems that having it so cut and dry to say homes in just Zone 1 go, when there are SOME in Zone 2 in the same EXACT danger Zone. I didn't think this had been considered and I thought not considering SOME houses in the Zone 2, would still leave too much encroachment and even more so, danger for the strip of homes UNDER THE FLIGHT PATH, that are on the line of Zones 1 and 2, but not considered part of the homes needing to go. Thank you for your time Virginia Beach Resident

I live in Virginia beach & I live with the Jet noise & ever thing else that the base dishes out. I talk to the pilots that fly the f18 hornets & they tell me that the city has constructed so much arround the base that they no longer feel safe trying to land & take off.the thing that they talk about the most is lynhaven mall & the food court.they have told me that this is what they use to make there approach to the base.in other words they use the food court to make there turn & the pilots have told me many times that if they loose a plane at the mall that would be the end of oceana. if you would like to see what I am talking about go to the Olive Garden during flight operations & see for your self. Virginia beach city council has let every developer build anything any where any time,because most of the councill members have interest in the construction business one way or another. if the city is going to be buying up property arround the base they need to start with the mall not the houses.they just built a school in line with the flight path of the jets landing path.they have started to build a hospital right in the flight path of fentress air field which is not to far from the sports complex allong with the ampatheater all of these places are where grate numbers of people gather.they will not be able to meet the BRAC commission's complyances & i know it I have lived here a life time & have worked for city government for 27 years These people are very devious & greedy. they meet behind closed doors & do what they want.this place is not a tourist attraction it is a tourest trap. just go on the ocean front & read the signs you allmost have to have a lawyer to lead you arround so as not to get fined or put in jail. most of the pilots have told me they don't go to the beach as it is not people friendly. they go to Nags H