Snowe, Michaud, Pingree Continue Work To Sustain Brunswick's Commissary & Exchange Service

Press Release

As part of their ongoing effort to sustain commissary and exchange services for the thousands of veteran beneficiaries who will continue to reside in the mid-coast region of Maine following the closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station (BNAS) in 2011, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe along with U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) yesterday, in a letter, urged Under Secretary of Defense Gail H. McGinn to thoroughly examine the U.S. Department of the Navy/Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) study which affirms the previous decision of the department to close the commissary and exchange.

"We strongly urge that you carefully review the Navy study as we believe that a critical examination will reveal that the Navy omitted and failed to analyze relevant facts, highlighted irrelevant statements, and relied on analytic methodologies that resulted in significant uncertainties in data on which Navy findings and recommendations are based," the lawmakers wrote. "We believe that a critical analysis of the Navy's review is particularly important as your review and findings will inform and shape Secretary Gates' fiscal year 2011 budget recommendation to President Obama on this issue.""

The bipartisan trio concluded, "In addition to support from local community leaders, you should also be aware that General Craig McKinley, USAF, chief, National Guard Bureau, supports the request of Major General John Libby, USA, adjutant general, Maine National Guard, for continued exchange and commissary operations in Maine. In a letter to General Libby, dated July 8, 2009, General McKinley stated that, ‘The Department of Defense needs to continue providing these important benefits to the current and retired military members of our Nation's military forces, and their families. They deserve nothing less.' We couldn't agree with General McKinley more."

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