A news report Thursday said Hill Air Force Base - Utah's single largest employer - is "the Pentagon's first choice for closure" among its five air logistics centers.
But on Friday, Air Force brass were busy telling an angry Utah congressional delegation that the story has no basis - and that it considers Hill a "top tier" base that should remain open.The Air Force suggested the report came from the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) - which will actually decide which base to close. Officials there also quickly told Utah's members of Congress such reports are in error.
It all began Thursday when Inside the Pentagon, an independent newsletter, quoted anonymous "government sources" saying Hill is the Pentagon's first choice for closure because competing bases are in larger states more important to President Clinton's re-election.
They include the two lowest-rated depots at McClellan Air Force Base, Calif., and Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. Warner-Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is rated a "middle-tier" base. And Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is rated by the Air Force in its top tier with Hill.
Inside the Pentagon said Air Force officials earlier proposed downsizing all five bases (instead of closing one or two) because they did not want the administration to take resulting political heat - and are trying now to work through the back door to close Hill.
Last week, the base closure commission added all five logistics centers to base closure consideration lists - and said it may close one or two to save more money than downsizing all five.
After the Inside the Pentagon story appeared Thursday, Utah's members of Congress protested to the Pentagon, the base closure commission and the White House - and huddled Thursday with Gov. Mike Leavitt on how to attack the problem and the reports.
Rep. Jim Hansen and Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, all R-Utah, met Friday morning with Rudy de Leon, undersecretary of the Air Force, and two two-star generals about the report.
De Leon declined comment after the meeting, but Bennett said, "He flatly said Hill would be the most expensive base to close, and that the Air Force would testify before the BRAC that closing Hill would be a mistake."
De Leon also gave Hansen a letter saying, "The closure of Hill AFB would be inconsistent with the Air Force's analysis of depot installations. Our analysis placed Hill AFB in our top tier." He said the Air Force also prefers downsizing all five bases.
Hatch added that de Leon told them, "The White House is completely `hands off' (on the base closure process). I think that's probably a standard line, though."
Hatch said what worried him from meeting with Air Force officials is "they feel some of the comments in this rag (Inside the Pentagon) are coming from the BRAC staff" - or the people with most influence on which bases finally close.
The delegation scheduled a later meeting with one of the BRAC commissioners, Rebecca Cox, and key staffers. Hansen said that in phone calls, "They were as shocked as anybody (about the story) because it does not square with what they had heard from the Pentagon" - and they denied any political pressuring or influence.
Hatch said, "If I were on the BRAC, I'd be offended by this report. . . . We're working to make sure the process is as apolitical as possible. As long as it is, we're fine. If it becomes political, we're in trouble."
Hansen explained some of the reasons. "McClellan (a low-ranked base competing against Hill) is in California - and that's kind of important to President Clinton" - since it has the nation's most presidential electoral votes.
He added, "Kelly (another low-ranked base in Texas) has the largest population of minorities in the whole Air Force system. Forty percent of all the minorities work at one base. That happens to be Kelly. (So closing it) doesn't happen to be a popular thing politically."
Of course, California and Texas also have 86 members of Congress between them - and Utah has five.
But Hansen and the others say if the commission sticks to measures of military worth, Hill will survive.
"In every single study, Hill ranks in the first tier," Hansen said. "With all of this data, the conclusion is clear to anyone that if Hill is recommended for closure, it can only be for political expediency."
He noted that five of the eight BRAC commissioners are scheduled to visit Hill next Wednesday - but members of the Utah delegation may have difficulty attending because of budget votes and defense bill markups.
Also next Thursday, Utah officials plan to testify at a regional BRAC hearing in San Francisco about why they feel Hill should be spared.