Gov.
Blagojevich vows to fight for Great Lakes Naval Training Center
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[MAY 14, 2005]
CHICAGO --
Responding immediately to the U.S. Department of Defense's decision
to place the Great Lakes Naval Training Center on its list of
military installations recommended for closure or realignment, Gov.
Rod Blagojevich expressed his deep disappointment with the Defense
Department's recommendation to eliminate some 2,000 jobs from Great
Lakes, the only naval training center in the country, and vowed to
keep vigorously fighting to save the station.
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The governor has been leading a
coordinated effort for more than two years with the Illinois
congressional delegation, other elected officials and local leaders
to prevent Illinois' military installations from ending up on the
Defense Base Realignment and Closure list that will be announced in
September.
"While I'm deeply disappointed with
the Defense Department's recommendation for the Great Lakes Naval
Training Center, these dedicated workers and the entire community
can rest assured that this battle is not over," Gov. Blagojevich
said. "Great Lakes is home to the U.S. Navy's only Recruit Training
Command and is the Navy's largest training center. For more than 80
years, Great Lakes has been turning civilians into seamen and seamen
into sailors, and continues to play a critical role today in our
nation's preparedness and security. Thanks to the efforts of the
state, the congressional delegation and the local community, we have
a very strong argument that the Great Lakes Training Center has
tremendous military value, and we will aggressively advocate for the
retention of these jobs and the instrumental services they provide
our nation."
The governor is continuing the
strong partnerships that have existed between the state of Illinois,
the congressional delegation and the local community to preserve and
strengthen the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.
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Great Lakes Naval Recruit Training
Command in Illinois is the central processing location for naval
recruits. Approximately 50,000 recruits pass through annually, with
an estimated 15,000 recruits onboard the installation at any time,
and it is the third largest base in the Navy. Great Lakes Service
School Command is the central training location for naval enlisted
students. Students there either arrive directly from the Recruit
Training Command or are returning from the fleet for further
training. While new recruits are onboard the Recruit Training
Command approximately nine weeks for basic training, Service School
Command students will be onboard from two weeks to 14 months,
depending on the curriculum.
The Great Lakes Naval Training
Center is home to the U.S. Navy's only Recruit Training Command. The
largest military installation in Illinois and the largest training
center in the Navy, the base includes 1,153 buildings on 1,628 acres
and uses 50 miles of roadway to provide access to the center's
facilities.
The BRAC Commission will publicly
release its report by Sept. 8 and will send it to President Bush.
The president has until Sept. 23 to approve or disapprove the list.
Then, by Nov. 7 the president must submit the list to Congress, which must
also approve or disapprove the list.
[News release]
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