Pennsylvania Panel Prepares For Military Base Closures And Reductions
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - A new panel created by Governor Tom Corbett to prepare for proposed military base reductions or closings held its first public meeting this week.
The Military Community Protection Commission is chaired by Lt. Governor Jim Cawley. He says the panel is intended to make sure Pennsylvania is ready to respond to any proposed cutbacks to the state's 12 military installations, but in particular, to be prepared for reductions that may be proposed as part of the next BRAC or Base Realignment and Closure process, expected in 2015.
Cawley says one task is to identify which installations may be in the crosshairs.
"Assessing what it is that we may believe are going to be more vulnerable locations than others so that we can put forward the most vigorous defense we can," Cawley said.
He envisions the panel or something like it becoming a permanent fixture rather than having the state lurching from BRAC process to BRAC process.
