"The Department of Defense has decided through its BRAC recommendations to dramatically neglect the northeastern United States. This is a strategic mistake as geographical military diversity is essential to defending the United States and providing a platform for our forces to deploy quickly to places around the world. With Maine and Connecticut among the hardest hit states in the country, the decision to withdraw from an already under-represented region with defense personnel, runs counter to our national security interests.
"The northeast is already one of the nation's least guarded regions at a time when military concerns increasingly focus on homeland defense. The 18 Northeastern and Midwestern states, which hold about 40 percent of the nation's population, account for only 10 percent of the active duty military personnel located in the country.
"Maine is an ideal state to contribute to defense missions and gain from this activity and I am in disbelief at the recommendations. The state of Maine has made extraordinary contributions to our nation's defense. Maine occupies a far corner of our nation's territory, serving as the principle gateway to our nation's largest and most densely populated metropolitan areas, a region of over 22 million people.
"Military installations in Maine defend land, sea, and air approaches into New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions. Further, it continues to be an ideal site for the launch of military operations overseas. Our strategic location, valuable infrastructure, and highly skilled and experienced workforce are models for the rest of the nation. Regional balance and geographic diversity are critical components to an effective military strategy."
###