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Future of Willow Grove

Agreement to keep base open

Willow Grove will house Pa. guard

"Associated Press
WASHINGTON - An agreement has been reached to preserve Willow Grove Naval Air Station for operations by the Pennsylvania National Guard and reserve units, a decision that ensures continued military use of the site.

The federal government's Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted in August 2005 to close the air station, about 15 miles north of Philadelphia.

Under a plan proposed by Pennsylvania, the Navy will transfer the land to the Air Force, which in turn will lease the property to the state. Eventually, it will be transferred to state ownership.

The deal was announced yesterday by Gov. Rendell in a joint release with Pennsylvania Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey. The three were notified in writing Thursday by Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne of the Air Force's support of the plan

"With its key strategic location, excellent airfield and existing facilities, it was vitally important that Willow Grove be maintained to support national defense, homeland security, emergency preparedness and other government missions," Rendell said.

Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, Pennsylvania's state adjutant general, called the decision "win-win" for the state. She said about 2,500 to 3,000 full- and part-time military personnel will be assigned to the base.

The arrangement will allow Pennsylvania to preserve the current military capability of the installation, permit possible joint use as a civilian airport, and allow the state to attract other government users to the site, Wynne told Rendell in a letter.

The Navy is scheduled to leave the site in 2011.

Rendell credited Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee, with spearheading the effort to gain the Air Force's

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Aug 26th 2015?

Pentagon, USAFR Command Section

General Myron Bartleby

The general sits at his desk reviewing the performance of the aircraft in his command. As he is doing so, there is something in the information that has been nagging at him. What exactly that is he did not know, but there was something in the latest report that just looked wrong.
He presses the intercom button, "Mitchell, come in here please."
A moment later the door opens and a young Captain steps in.
"Yes General."
"I need you to cross reference these (aircraft) tail numbers against bases they are assigned to."
The Captain walks in, takes the papers and walks out.

The General keep going over the numbers in his mind, and he knew something was wrong, but he couldn't say exactly what it was.

A few hours later the Captain knocks and enters the office.
"General, did you know there were four aircraft that were not officially assigned to any base still flying missions."
The Captain had never seen this particular expression on the Generals face before in the two years he had served as his aide. The look seemed like part of confusion, part astonishment and more than a little annoyance.
The General did not move, he just stared at the Captain for a moment before he spoke. The Captain shifted his weight a little, being a little disconcerted by the General staring at him with that particular expression.
Finally the General spoke. "Could you say that again, not assigned to any base?"
"Yes General, I would have been finished sooner, but I started checking into the records and it seems these aircraft have been operated by a unit that was supposed to have been closed down 10 years ago."
A look of anger flashed over the Generals face.
"Ten years ago? What base was it?"
"Willow Grove Air Reserve Base, General." The Captain replied.
"Never heard of it." The General said.



September 29, 2015
Willow Grove JRB, Building 201
General Barleby

"What do you mean no one ever got word to close?" The General asked.
Colonel Hatch, the Wing Commander at Willow Grove, replied calmly, even though the General appeared agitated.
"General, we got the orders that we were to close, but the orders to actually close never came."
The General looked at the Colonel, and began to feel more agitated. He stopped the next statement he was going to make and decided to try to find out what happened from the beginning.
The Colonel brought the General back to his office and they sat down and the Colonel brought up his computer and began to show the General the paper trail.
"As you see General, I have been trying to get information, especially after my predecessor retired. These are all of the emails I had sent and their replies."
The General was impressed; there was a list of over five hundred emails and scant replies. He noticed, with some concern, most had been directed to his own office.
While he was impressed, he was also very concerned. This entire incident made him look bad, and he was due for another star in the next year. This glitch brought all of that into a very unwelcomed light.
The General asked.
"In that time you still had inspections and four deployment rotations?"
"Yes General." The colonel replied.
"And no one said anything or asked questions."
"Yes, every time. And no one could give us an answer."
The General felt an uncomfortable feeling creep over him. This base is under his command; it is ultimately his responsibility for it not being closed. He needed to divert any responsibility away from his office and most particularly himself.

posted Monday, 12 September 2005