Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military From: ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Base Closings/Defense Cuts Keywords: 7th LID, 9th ID, Fort Ord, Fort Lewis, Closing? Message-ID: <13884@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 12 Feb 90 04:26:16 GMT References: <13782@cbnews.ATT.COM> Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Organization: The Boeing Co., BAC MMST, Seattle, WA Lines: 91 Approved: military@att.att.com From: ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) In article <13782@cbnews.ATT.COM>, scameron@blake.acs.washington.edu (Scott Cameron) writes: > > > From: scameron@blake.acs.washington.edu (Scott Cameron) > > Rumors are flying here in the Northwest that DOD is contemplating the > following scenario as part of the so-called "peace dividend" defense cuts: > -Demobilization of the remaining two active brigades of the 9th ID > (Ft. Lewis WA) > -Relocation of the 7th LID from Ft. Ord, CA to Ft. Lewis > -Closing Ft. Ord > > Does anyone in netland have any information about whether this proposal is > or is not actually in the works? If so: > - Is the 7th to be upgraded to a heavy division? > - What changes in mission are contemplated for the 7th Div? > - What organizations will provide training support for Camps Roberts and > Hunter-Liggett (CA-Arng training sites) > > (Personally, this strikes me as a strange idea, since the two places in the > world where tensions arent even pretending to lessen are Korea (9th ID primary > mission region) and Latin America (from which the 7th is now returning). But > then I'm not a Pentagon policymaker so what do I know? ) I think this might be a good move. First, the 7th Infantry Division (Light) ("Bayonet") is a 'full division'. The current need for a mixed force with light infantry has been validated by past and recent deployments. It is more advantageous and easier to 'keep' the 7th Inf Div (Lt) active and deactivate the 9th. The 9th Infantry Division (Motorized) is not a full-strength division and has always been sort of a 'bastard child' in the Army. It first owes its existence and stationing at Fort Lewis to the late Senator Jackson. During Vietnam, Ft Lewis became a Basic Training Post. After, there were studies being made to use Ft Lewis for various activities. At the time, I was assigned to the US Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Holabird, Maryland, already designated for closing. One plan I worked on was moving the entire Intelligence Center and School to Fort Lewis (there was another part of the School at Fort Devens, Mass, another part in Florida, and the aviation part in Fort Huachuca, AZ). Jackson said he didn't care as long as something was stationed at Lewis. Westmoreland wanted the 9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables") reactivated and stationed there. Westmoreland won out - over the objections of the Army Staff. The Intel Center & School moved to Arizona - the 9th to Ft Lewis. Then the 9th became in succession, 'Hi-Tech', 'Light', 'Motorized', 'Test Bed', etc - without really settling down to a specific strategic mission. I Corps ('Eye Corps') was moved from Korea to Ft Lewis - and staffed at about 50% manning. So, the loss of the 9th is no biggy - keeping the 7th active is a good decision. Now, as to moving from Ft Ord (disaffectionatly called 'Planet Ord') to Ft Lewis is also a good move. Ft Lewis has more training area space and the Yakima Training area for brigade-size manuever. Ft Ord has almost none - you can barely manuever a battalion around Ft Ord. The terrain at Hunter-Ligget is terrible for manuevering. Why do you think California lets the Army/Marines 'own' it and train there? It's no good for anything else. Additionally, the 7th deploys to a lot of places for training and other deployments (Panama?). When stationed with the 7th ID ('82-'83) as XO of the division's MI Battalion, we deployed to Korea (twice), Alaska (twice), conducted an amphibious assault in Florida, and training in Panama. The most frightening aspect was watching C-141s trying to land then lift off of tiny Monterey Airport - one at a time! For major deployments we had to convoy all the way to Travis AFB. Ft Lewis, on the other hand, sits side by side with McChord AFB and it's Troop Lift Wing of C-141s. Just like Ft Bragg-Pope AFB. This will dramatically increase the 7th's readiness and rapid deployment. Fort Ord itself - though a beautiful place to live (with two of the best golf courses in the country (Bayonet and Blackhorse) is not very well suited to garrison a division. It was fine as a Basic Training Post in the 60s (I underwent Basic Training there in Aug-Sep '61) but the troop housing, motor pools, facilities et al are just not layed out for a combat division. Highway 101 runs right through the post - separating troop areas from rifle ranges (the beach ranges). There's been very little troop housing and facility construction - and the divison headquarters itself is in an old wooden structure. The 7th ('Crushed Beercan Division') (Surfside Seven) over the past few years has successfully defended the freedom of California Beaches (yeah, dude!). Time to move up to Slug Country where we don't tan - we rust! mike schmitt