Fort Monmouth Might Close

[“WASHINGTON - The Pentagon wants to close Fort Monmouth and restructure several other New Jersey bases as part of a massive reorganization of the nation’s military installations.

The recommendations still must be reviewed -- and could be changed -- by an independent commission before they go to the president. But today’s announcement is bad news for the Army research base and its more than 5,200 workers.

Some other bases would lose jobs, including Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (186 positions) and Naval Weapons Station Earle (61), Others would gain, including Fort Dix (353 jobs), McGuire Air Force Base (535), Picatinny Arsenal (693) and 177th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Atlantic City (269).”]

Snip…

Fort Monmouth, right in the heart of Monmouth County, is on the new potential base closings list. At one time, I would guess that the threat of the closing of the Fort would have been a much bigger deal, since so many people from the area were employed there. Over the past 20 years though, the Fort has become less important as a local employer, although, according to this article, quite a number of jobs would be affected.

[“Fort Monmouth officials estimate that its closure would affect some 22,000 jobs once businesses that provide goods and services to the base are counted.

Fort Monmouth’s payroll, including benefits, is about $478 million, but base officials estimate its economic impact on the community at around $3.24 billion.”]

The $3.24 billion “economic impact” (whatever that means) amount seems exaggerated to me. Given a population in Monmouth County of about 630 thousand, that is about $5,142 per man, women and child. I doubt many people would notice in a year if Fort Monmouth were to close tomorrow.