Base closures a top concern for incoming GOP lawmakers.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.

As they begin to establish their presence on the House Armed Services Committee, incoming Republicans are gearing up to fight for their local military bases. In anticipation of a round of base closures planned for 2005, several lawmakers said in interviews that protecting their military installations will be a top priority during the next two years.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., was elected to the seat vacated by fellow Republican J.C. Watts, who also served on the House Armed Services Committee. Cole indicated that his district has been represented on the committee for the last 50 years, largely because it's home to Tinker Air Force Base.

In addition to Tinker, Cole's district includes the Army's Fort Sill and Altus Air Force Base, plus a huge concentration of retirees, he said.

Cole said he has concerns about the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round.

"Oklahoma is one of only seven states that has not lost a military facility in a BRAC process, so each time we go through it, it's another roll of the dice. These facilities are extraordinarily important locally, certainly in my district, without question. Being on top of that process, being supportive of our institutions, and making sure we get through it is important," he said.

"Tinker and Fort Sill are the two largest employers in my district. Tinker is actually the largest employer in the state of Oklahoma, with over 28,000 military and civilian personnel."

Cole explained that he is the only Oklahoman on the House Armed Services Committee, so he also needs to "look after Lance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla., and also a munitions facility in McAllister, Okla."

He plans to get involved in a project to convert a maintenance repair and overhaul facility "that has a possibility of having a public-private partnership between Tinker Air Force Base and the private sector. It could generate a lot of jobs and strengthen Tinker's ability to survive future BRACs," Cole said.

"You want to do it in a way that does not cannibalize existing industry. We have a Tinker industrial park, a big employer in my district. It has over 28 companies, roughly 4,000 employees. That's in addition to what goes on at Tinker itself. So you want a new facility that complements and reinforces Tinker's abilities," he said.

Cole said that during his time on HASC, he hopes to examine the issue of force structure. Do we have the forces on hand to handle the challenges that face us in various parts of the world? We're now routinely deploying guard units for extended periods of time, I think far beyond what any of us thought was going to be the case when the current force...