"Jim Carriere" wrote in message
. ..
Jim wrote:
If they have to close Oceana - which they shouldn't - would the Pensecola
area be worth investigating? specifically the area around Whiting. Only
encrochment there would be from livestock. Good weather, multiple fields
.........?

Uhh, you should take a closer look at Whiting. There are housing
developments RIGHT OUTSIDE the front gate. As for other encroachment, the
town of Pace is talking about ending the lease on some land that is one of
the OLFs. I'm not sure about the "good weather" either, from about May
through October you have thunderstorms nearly every afternoon, not to
mention the hurricanes

Basically a whole new base far away from the current population centers
would have to be made, and that still wouldn't address the weather.

I was thinking of a bit north of Whiting or maybe northwest. I was just
there and was very surprised how undeveloped it is. I haven't been in the
area for over 25 years and the lack of progress surprised me. There was
base housing just outside the main gate near the end of the runway back in
the '60s and some trailer parks out the back gate. Don't know about the
other bases in the area - Elyson is now and industrial park, Sofley is a
training base and mainside is as bad as Oceana. Seems like anyplace they
try will suffer from NIMBY and the area around Whiting looks like it could
use some help. Don't know if being that far from the fleet would be good
AISTR it was a big pain for the Cecil based A7 personnel to hike up to
N'folk for deployment.