The day the base stood still.

• Author: Grafton, Jon W.
• Position: England Air Force Base

Facing the imminent closure of England Air Force Base, the community of Alexandria, Louisiana, turned adversity to advantage.

Flying Tigers and Fighting Falcons no longer split the air with gentle thunder. The "stealthy" sounds of flight have vanished from the night. On December 15, 1992, England Air Force Base closed, and a 40-year relationship with its host city ceased. The "peace dividend" arrived in Alexandria, Louisiana.

As America grapples with the difficult task of defense conversion, Alexandria offers hope to many rural and small urban areas devastated by domestic military base closures. This is not a story of unique, not-to-be-repeated events but of a process that galvanized a community to embrace the future. It is a tale of citizen involvement and prudent city fiscal management.

Alexandria, LA: A Military Heritage

Alexandria is a city of 49,188 persons, nestled in the Red River valley and surrounded by rich agricultural and timber lands. Two hundred years of development tides have enriched the city with every significant ethnic, cultural and religious group in Louisiana. Until recently, Alexandria had been isolated by a network of substandard, two-lane highways. The transportation-stifled economy also missed the "oil boom stimulus" due to the lack of oil in the region. Thus, Alexandria's regional economy depended on a triad of agriculture/timber, general government employment and active military bases. In the late 1980s, with cutbacks in general government and declining agriculture prices, the military presence was vitally intertwined with the local economy.

Alexandria's relationship and experience with the military runs deep. During the Civil War, a retreating Union Army burned the town to the ground. World War I brought a massive construction program with numerous induction/training camps being built in the Alexandria area to process units of America's first world-class army. Prior to World War II, massive training maneuvers were held surrounding Alexandria. It was not unusual to see men who would become great national heroes, such as Eisenhower and Patton, resting on the front porch of Alexandria's Bentley Hotel. WWII saw the activation of four major infantry camps and two airfields in Alexandria's vicinity.

After WWII, the camps and bases were closed. Alexandria's economy declined. In the minds of the community, there was a clear relationship between the presence of the military and prosperity.

In 1954, the Air Force decided to open a "permanent" air base in Alexandria. With that pledge of permanence, the City of Alexandria donated the bulk of the acreage that became England Air Force Base. From that time forward, the constant presence of Air Force personnel and equipment in Alexandria was normal. The community saw the planes off to Vietnam, Panama and Saudi Arabia. Alexandrians worked, worshiped and played with the 3,500 military personnel at the base. Loss of a pilot sent the town into mourning. They were Alexandria's friends and neighbors.

In 1989, Alexandria received a wake-up call. The Air Force had decided that close air support of ground troops needed a hot, fast, sexy new airplane. The A-10 "Wart-hog" then in use was big, green, slow and tough. Coincidentally, the Air Force started studying small bases in its Tactical Air Command for possible closure. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was nominated for closure because of its A-10 configuration and civilian building encroachment. Alexandria, with its A-10 configuration, was notified that its base had been named as an alternate to the closure of Myrtle Beach. The Pentagon explained that it was necessary to study all alternatives. The notice informed the city that within 30 days there would be a public hearing in Alexandria to hear why England should not be closed.

Turning Fences into Consensus

That notice was the seminal event that ultimately has resulted in Alexandria's position of strength today. The community, which, like any community across this country, had been historically split over many issues, found a common issue, a reason to turn fences into consensus. Rallying around an ad hoc coordinating group formed from members of the Chamber of Commerce, the community responded. In less than 30 days, a massive community effort generated a 200-page case detailing why England should not be closed, commitments from all state and federal elected officials to be at the public hearing, enlistment of businesses to encourage...