Media Center

Thank you. I strongly urge you to keep Fort Gillem open. Closing Gillem would be a blow to our military and national security in this time of war. Remember, we now have soldiers in 140 nations and the closeness of Gillem to the world’s busiest airport ensures rapid deployment around the world.

We have an all volunteer army and Fort Gillem is irreplaceable in our ability to recruit, train and deploy our combat ready volunteer army, the backbone of which is the Army Reserves and National Guard, which is the heart and soul of Fort Gillem. Atlanta offers important benefits for our recruitment. Closing Gillem and losing Atlanta would weaken our recruitment when the military is already overextended.

Today, we live in a world of terrorists and Atlanta is home to the CDC and the world’s busiest airport, each are known terrorist targets. Atlanta will be more vulnerable to a terrorist attack if we close Gillem because Gillem coordinates Atlanta’s first responders in the event of a terror attack which is why the Criminal Lab, FEMA, Red Cross, and GEMA are at Gillem.

Also, the COBRA cost data used by the Pentagon does not match the data provided by Gillem, especially the costs of moving personnel and reconstructing headquarters elsewhere. Congress has provided $200 million for construction at Gillem over the last 8 years and it would not be good stewardship of taxpayer dollars to walk away and abandon brand new crime labs, reserve centers, and headquarters buildings. We will save more money by keeping Fort Gillem open than rebuilding the Fort elsewhere.

Commissioners, this is a time of war. We live in a different world following 9/11; we have combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, unknown and serious threats coming out of Iran, Syria, and North Korea and 45% of the combat soldiers are National Guard and Army Reserve, which is the main mission of Fort Gillem. The plans to close bases like Gillem were made prior to 9/11 when we were at peace; now, we are at war. Therefore, I respectfully urge you to please, keep Fort Gillem open.

Thank you.