Spokane leaders optimistic about Fairchild

The last time the United States did a wholesale reduction of its military bases, Fairchild Air Force Base had a strong patron in Congress: Speaker of the House Tom Foley.

Foley no longer is in office, but Spokane leaders believe the city’s largest employer should be safe when the cuts are announced.

“We’re cautiously optimistic, but we don’t know for sure who is on the list,” said Jill Strait, a spokeswoman for freshman U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris, R-Wash., who holds Democrat Foley’s old seat.

Fairchild boosters have made three trips to Washington, D.C., to tout merits of the base. Congress authorized the fifth round of Base Realignment and Closure – known as BRAC – last year. The nine-member commission will review a list of closures Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is schedule to propose Friday.

Fairchild has some advantages in that it has ample land and airspace for expansion, has a variety of missions and is considered a desirable posting by Air Force employees, Strait said. It also houses the only air refueling wing on the West Coast, she said.

McMorris has said Fairchild is the second-most requested assignment in the Air Force after Hawaii. She even hopes the base might be expanded to take on missions removed from bases that will be closed, Strait said.

“The positive qualities of Fairchild can speak for itself,” Strait said. “It’s a great place and people obviously want to be stationed here.”

That was echoed by Rich Hadley of the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, which has been heavily involved in lobbying to save the base. He said Fairchild meets many of the military’s requirements for staying open.

The base is popular with air personnel because of Spokane’s affordable housing, good schools, abundance of outdoor amenities and good weather, Hadley said, adding the loss of Foley should not hurt: “This BRAC, even more than the previous ones, is separate and above the political scene,” Hadley said.