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Georgia's political leaders left out emotional pleas about lost jobs and damage to local economies Thursday as they tried to poke holes in the Pentagon's arguments for closing four state military bases. The military says the closures are based on hard numbers and measurable effects on military efficiency — not politics, not job losses. So Gov. Sonny Perdue, members of Georgia's congressional delegation and other speakers spent their time talking numbers while addressing a committee of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. They told the committee that closing Fort Gillem or Fort McPherson in metro Atlanta, Naval Air Station Atlanta or the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens wouldn't save the Pentagon as much money as it thinks, would hurt military operating ability and would damage national security. For example, retired reserve Marine Maj. Gen. Larry Taylor noted that the Pentagon's numbers showed it would save money by eliminating jobs at Naval Air Station Atlanta. But, Taylor pointed out, 307 of those jobs the Pentagon listed have already been moved or eliminated. Those ghost salaries and benefit costs throw projected savings off by $25 million, he said. Over 20 years, the Pentagon estimates that savings from its proposed closings would be $910 million for the Naval Air Station, $895 million for Fort McPherson, $421 million for Fort Gillem and $21.8 million for the Navy Supply Corps School. The military estimates it would cost $79 million to build facilities to house offices and soldiers moved from Fort McPherson to other bases. "But we think the actual cost to rebuild is $277 million," retired Army Brig. Gen. Phil Browning said. Browning heads up the state's Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, whose job is to save Georgia's bases. Members have been gathering numbers, information and documents to fight the closings for months. Closure committee members listened for two hours, scribbled notes and asked the speakers to provide their evidence in written form. They will take the information back to the full commission for final discussion this summer. The commission also may make last-minute additions to the list this month. Rep. David Scott, from Georgia's 13th District, said he felt Georgia made progress toward persuading the commission to change its mind. "I think we have turned the ship a little. We have not turned the corner, but we have scored some points," he said. Other Georgians in attendance had an easier job. They presented the committee evidence that bases like Fort Benning and the submarine base at Kings Bay were ready to absorb soldiers and sailors being moved from closing bases. The commission must present a final closure list to President Bush for consideration by Sept. 8. The president can send the list back to the commission for reconsideration with comments and suggestions, but the commission does not have to heed them. It must give a final closure list to the president no later than Oct. 20. The president must approve the list and forward it to Congress by Nov. 7. He can effectively veto the list by not passing it on, and the process will stop. Congress has 45 working days to consider the list. It can reject it in full by joint resolution, but it cannot change the list. The list becomes law if Congress does not reject it.

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