Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: CMC Airboss on July 06, 2005, 11:39:07 PM
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Although it wasn't listed on the most recent Base Realignment Commission's (BRAC) latest report, there are deep rumblings that NAS Oceana may not survive this round of base closures.
(AP) - Virginia officials are scrambling to protect Oceana Naval Air Station, which suddenly appeared on the radar of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
BRAC Chairman Questions Keeping NAS Oceana Open (http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=3550342&nav=23ii0Elx)
MiG
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Okay... why keep it?
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It needs to go. The community has moved to close to it. Too many jet noise complaints too. Besides they DESERVE to lose it.
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What is its mission? What's it do?
Its funny how bases that have been around forever get complaints of noise from suburbs that sprouted up around it. They should be careful what they complain about....they may get their wish.
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It's a naval air station. AFAIK, all of the Tomcats are kept there. I'm not sure what else is there.
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NAS Oceana is the East Coast Master Jet base, housing most active duty Atlantic Fleet Navy fighter squadrons. All of the F-14's are based there along with F/A-18C,D,E,F Hornets and Super Hornets. Its proximity to the world's largest naval base (NAS Norfolk) removes a lot of the logistical problems associated with getting air wings to their ships when departing for a cruise. LePaul is right: The majority of the economy in that area was built up from the Navy presence. No one that has moved there since 1942 didn't realize there was a Navy airport nearby. Though, recent years have brought in more tourism to Virginia Beach, losing the base would be a huge blow to the area, at least til it is built back up with other industries. Also, the environmental cleanup of that base for re-use would be monumental - probably hundreds of millions of dollars.
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Closing Oceana would be kind of like closing Pensacola.......Simply put it would mean the death of an entire area. Plus the people that live close to it should pay attention to the area they live in...after all jets fly there.
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Originally posted by CMC Airboss
NAS Oceana is the East Coast Master Jet base, housing most active duty Atlantic Fleet Navy fighter squadrons. All of the F-14's are based there along with F/A-18C,D,E,F Hornets and Super Hornets. Its proximity to the world's largest naval base (NAS Norfolk) removes a lot of the logistical problems associated with getting air wings to their ships when departing for a cruise. LePaul is right: The majority of the economy in that area was built up from the Navy presence. No one that has moved there since 1942 didn't realize there was a Navy airport nearby. Though, recent years have brought in more tourism to Virginia Beach, losing the base would be a huge blow to the area, at least til it is built back up with other industries. Also, the environmental cleanup of that base for re-use would be monumental - probably hundreds of millions of dollars.
Bah... when I was in VF-51, we were in Miramar along with the E-2 squadrons. The EA-6B were in Washington, the A-7s were in LeMoore and the S-3 were in San Diego. I'm not sure where they kept the A-6. Our ship was in Alameda.
The fact that all of the F-14s have been in Virginia regardless of their ship assignments has pretty much proven that there's really no need to break up the aircraft types to east or west coast.
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Originally posted by Reschke
Closing Oceana would be kind of like closing Pensacola.......Simply put it would mean the death of an entire area. Plus the people that live close to it should pay attention to the area they live in...after all jets fly there.
The way sailors are treated here, this area DESERVES to die. F@#$ Virginia Beach. They hated us until they found out that they may lose the base. Now they are whining about the job losses it would cause..screw em.
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Originally posted by ASTAC
The way sailors are treated here, this area DESERVES to die. F@#$ Virginia Beach. They hated us until they found out that they may lose the base. Now they are whining about the job losses it would cause..screw em.
No kidding. I went to "A" School in Damn Neck (just like you, I'm sure), and it was quite common to have civilians yell derogatory things to us. It was quite a refreshing surprise coming to San Diego (in the early 80's) and discover that we were genuinely appreciated.
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I used to live in Norfolk, on the base. Yes, I was a Navy Brat. Most depressing, boring place I ever lived. Went to school off base and was known as one of "those kids".
There's a great sign at both Cherry Point and the airbase near Paris Island (Beaufort, SC can't remember the base name...) that says:
That "Noise" you hear is the sound of freedom...
Kind of cheesy, but lets people know...
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Dad was in the Navy for 20 years, I lived near Fighter Country and Fighter Town.
In his last year in the Navy (1991) I remember visiting the Base in the VA-85 Hangar and the USS America, Never will I ever forget those Moments. For nearly half of my life I lived under Navy Aircraft. My First word was Jet.I had lived in Pensacola, San Diego, Virginia Beach.
Finally I moved away, to the Eastern Panhandle of WV, And the Sky was empty, except for ANG C130's out of Martinsburg.
One Day, My Dad and I were driving home (Late 90's), We heard a distinct Whine in the Air, Naturally my Father and I looked out the Window. He said "What is it Will?", I scanned the Horizon. He said, "Thats gotta be an S-3!!!" (He served aboard the Nimitz with VS-33) I spotted the Aircraft very low, it was an A-10 Thunderbolt. ;):D
After all those years, he could pick up the distinct GE Turbofans, Although slightly different the engines are nearly identical.
Closing Oceana is Crazy Talk. A Huge Portion of the Navy's Squadrons are there, Correct?. Where would they go?
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The plan is to move all the squadrons to Moody AFB in GA...alot less encroachment to the surrounding areas. It would be a good move for the Navy I think. My hate for this community aside. Operationally it would be much better to move out.
Sandman: Yup I went to "A" School at Dam Neck too. I teach ASW Air Control across the street in Gallery Hall now. The "A" school staff has given Dam Neck a black eye recently. 11 instructors went to mast for sexual harassment, selling libery passes and selling orders.
My only question..what is to happen to Dam Neck after Oceana closes? In 2000 Dam Neck lost it's status as an independent base and became "NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex" FCTCLANT became a tennant command. Of course even FCTCLANT is gone, split between Training support center Hampton Roads and the Center for Surface Combat Systems in Dahlgren, VA(my office is CSCS)..boy I just love the "regionalization" crap. But since our HQ is out of town all our minor admin goes through TSC HR..and TSC owns the building..It's like answering to 2 chain of commands once you get past the DIVO level. In a nutshell the good shore duty at Dam Neck is gone. I'm ready to go back to sea again.
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Originally posted by Nefarious
Closing Oceana is Crazy Talk. A Huge Portion of the Navy's Squadrons are there, Correct?. Where would they go?
There are just eight F-14 squadrons and ten F/A-18 squadrons at Oceana.
There are twenty F/A-18 squadrons at NAS Lemoore.
...oh and the F-14's are going to go away in the not too distant future.
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Originally posted by Sandman
There are just eight F-14 squadrons and ten F/A-18 squadrons at Oceana.
There are twenty F/A-18 squadrons at NAS Lemoore.
...oh and the F-14's are going to go away in the not too distant future.
Think only one 14 squad left....All 14's left in the Navy were moved to Oceana over the past couple years, and after the last few deployments the squads have either decommed or transitioned to that "Super Hornet" POS.
Sandman: see my post above
BTW. Got the midwatch (0000-0600) on the Taylor Hall Quarterdeck as I type this.
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Originally posted by ASTAC
My only question..what is to happen to Dam Neck after Oceana closes? In 2000 Dam Neck lost it's status as an independent base and became "NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex" FCTCLANT became a tennant command. Of course even FCTCLANT is gone, split between Training support center Hampton Roads and the Center for Surface Combat Systems in Dahlgren, VA(my office is CSCS)..boy I just love the "regionalization" crap. But since our HQ is out of town all our minor admin goes through TSC HR..and TSC owns the building..It's like answering to 2 chain of commands once you get past the DIVO level. In a nutshell the good shore duty at Dam Neck is gone. I'm ready to go back to sea again.
Don't ya just love "competency aligned organization"? ;)
I just noticed that Damn Neck was a annex to Oceana. This wasn't the case when I was there. Anyway... if Oceana goes away, does this mean that Damn Neck goes also? I can't imagine that the Navy could get by with just one FCTC.
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do you remember the layout? Which one is "a" School and which part of the big building is Taylor Hall?
(http://maps.google.com/maps?q=virginia+beach,+VA&ll=36.779244,-75.957863&spn=0.004362,0.007298&t=k&hl=en)
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When I was there, the bulk of our school was south of the barracks.
We didn't spend a lot of time in the buildings next to the beach. We did some mock-ups and then NTDS training in the newer buildings, but that was it.
I don't remember which one is Taylor Hall.
Keep in mind, I was only there for seventeen weeks. I was a PACFLT guy. ;)
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I'm gonna be a PACFLT guy soon...up to start "negotiating" orders in November..gonna try fpr Pearl Harbor. I'd settle for San Diegio or Everett/Bremerton area. Sick of the LANTFLT.
Unless you went here in the 50's..building 127 which is Gallery/Taylor?hopper Halls has been here since the 60's..Walker Hall which is the OS "A" school I think was built in like 85...I went here in '93
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Pearl isn't any friendlier to squids than VA Beach. ;)
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Yeah, but at least the Scenery and weather will be ALOT nicer...besides..I want to go on one of those WESTPAC cruises all the west coast guys talk about.
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What ports nowadays?
The only sure thing during my cruises was that we would hit Subic Bay.
...but I did manage to get to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Australia, Maldives, and Kenya.
FWIW, Australia is the only one worth going to. ;)
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Originally posted by ASTAC
Think only one 14 squad left....All 14's left in the Navy were moved to Oceana over the past couple years, and after the last few deployments the squads have either decommed or transitioned to that "Super Hornet" POS.
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/145_1120799248_a6.jpg)
Oh! I've slipped through swirling clouds of dust, a few feet from the dirt.
I've flown the Intruder low enough to make my bottom hurt.
I've SRTC'd the desert, hills and valley, mountains, too.
Frolicked in the trees, where only flying squirrels flew.
Chased the frightened cows along, disturbed the ram and ewe,
and done a hundred other things, that you'd only care to do.
I've smacked the tiny sparrow, bluebird, robin, all the rest.
I've injested baby eagles, simply sucked them from their nest.
I've streaked through total darkness, just the other guy and me,
and spent the night in terror of things I could not see.
I've turned my eyes to heaven, as I sweated through the flight,
put out my tired hand and touched The Master Caution Light.
Intruders Forever!!!