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Sen. Randy Brogdon has authored a measure to block any efforts to relocate prisoners from the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay to Oklahoma.
That’s after President Barack Obama signed an executive order to close the prison within a year. Brogdon said previous locations considered for inmates have included Fort Sill in southwestern Oklahoma. He said it is critical for the State Legislature to back efforts by Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation to stop that from happening.
“Oklahoma lives have already been lost as a result of terrorism with the 1995 bombing of the Murrah building. Bringing in these criminals who helped mastermind 9/11 could make us a target for future terrorist attacks,” said Brogdon, R-Owasso. “Under no circumstances should they be brought here.”
Brogdon’s measure, Senate Current Resolution 4, calls for Congress to block any efforts to bring Gitmo prisoners to Fort Sill or any other new or existing location within the State of Oklahoma.
“These are individuals who remain a threat to our nation and to the freedoms we enjoy. I am outraged that anyone would even consider bringing them to Oklahoma,” Brogdon said. “I will do everything in my power to make sure that never happens.”
U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (R OK-5) introduced a bill Tuesday designed to bar the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to Oklahoma.
Fallin filed her bill in response to President Obama’s order to shut down the detention center within a year.
A list put together two years ago of potential transfer sites for those now being held at Guantanamo included Fort Sill. Critics of Obama’s decision fear that 2007 list could be revived.
“Guantanamo Bay holds some of world’s most dangerous criminals, including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks,’’ said Fallin, adding that holding such terrorists in a secure offshore location makes good sense.
“Granting mass murderers the kind of rights they would be afforded on American soil is as wrongheaded as it is dangerous, and I will continue to oppose any plans to move these men into the United States.”
She said her legislation would bar use of federal funds to transfer detainees to Oklahoma.
Her legislation is co-sponsored by the other four Oklahomans in the House: Republican Reps. John Sullivan, Frank Lucas and Tom Cole and Democratic Rep. Dan Boren.
Three of Oklahoma's top legislative leaders got a first-hand look at the new construction going on at Fort Sill on Wednesday. Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, House Speaker Chris Benge of Tulsa, and the new Senate President Pro Tem, Glenn Coffee of Oklahoma City, took a drive-through tour of the post to see how Fort Sill is getting ready for the thousands of new residents expected because of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).
After their tour, they met with local and state officials to discuss ways the legislature may be able to help pay for the transition. They say that providing state financial help may be tough this year as early projections indicate that lawmakers will have about $250,000 less to work with this year. However, Lieutenant Governor Askins offered an idea which may not require using any state funds.
The discussion that President-Elect Barack Obama may create a federal stimulus package that puts Americans back to work on government projects has many cities and states licking their chops, and some are already creating wish lists for projects. "If the talk is about what can we do to help build new jobs and how can we build infrastructure, then, to me, what's going on in the Lawton-Fort Sill area as a result of the construction and new missions at Fort Sill, should lend itself to fitting that definition," she said.
The President-Elect's agenda was only one item that Askins planned to share with local and state leaders. "This is going to take a partnership of federal, city, and state, and multiple cities," she said. "I believe as communities and school districts all around this area are going to be impacted by the influx of people."
House Speaker Benge and Senate President Coffee says that despite some claims made during the election cycle, the state legislature does recognize Fort Sill's impact on Oklahoma. However, lawmakers will need to prioritize what financial assistance will be provided this year to help prepare for BRAC. Benge says they will need to rank BRAC's needs along with the rest of the state's government. "Does it mean we need to do more? I think we need to take a look at that and see," said Coffee. "We certainly want to be committed to helping to be good partners with the community, and with the military, so this will continue."
Oklahoma's treasurer is expected to release an estimate of the state's revenues on Friday, and that figure will give lawmakers an idea of how much money they will have to work with next year. Last year's estimate was exaggerated, and lawmakers ended up with less money in the coffers than projected.
On June 20, nearly 150 wounded servicemen and their families enjoyed the first ever Warrior Transition Unit Family Fun Day at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Sponsored by Freedom Alliance, this Troop Appreciation event was held at Lake Lectra at Fort Sill for wounded soldiers and those who care for them. Freedom Alliance provided food and entertainment including a dunk tank, moon bounce, face painting, miniature golf, paddle boats, and horseshoes.
"It is our honor," commented Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon, "to sponsor this Family Fun Day as a way to show our support and appreciation for those who serve and sacrifice for our country. The families of our service members make great sacrifices as well and we want to do what we can to show our appreciation to our military families and help our wounded warriors in their recuperation."
The WTU provides transition assistance with the mission of overseeing the health, welfare, and morale of Warriors receiving medical care at Fort Sill. While most of the recovering soldiers in the care of the WTU are from the National Guard, there are others who were stationed in Germany and Puerto Rico.
The Troop Appreciation event at Fort Sill was one of twenty-three similar events held by Freedom Alliance so far this year, in support of our troops. Freedom Alliance has hosted Troop Appreciation Dinners for servicemen and women at Fort Campbell in Kentucky; Fort Bliss in Texas; Fort Carson in Colorado; Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas; McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey; Fort Bragg in North Carolina, among others.
In addition to hosting Troop Appreciation Dinners, Freedom Alliance distributes "Gifts from Home" care packages to military personnel deployed overseas and provides scholarships to children of military heroes, among other programs. For more information please visit www.FreedomAlliance.org.
The mission of Freedom Alliance is to advance the American heritage of freedom by honoring and encouraging military service, defending the sovereignty of the United States and promoting a strong national defense.
Construction is under way on the new Air Defense Artillery School that's being relocated to Fort Sill, and the Army post is seeing an influx of soldiers and equipment as part of deployment operations.
The ADA School is being moved to Fort Sill from Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, commonly called BRAC.
About 150 soldiers and their families are scheduled to arrive in June with the 31st ADA Headquarters, but the bulk of arrivals at Fort Sill are connected to the post's mission as a deployment platform.
Lead elements of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, which include National Guardsmen from 11 states, began arriving in January with about 50 aircraft. "It will reach its peak in terms of numbers of people and aircraft in June and July at close to 3,000 people on the ground and almost 100 aircraft," Fort Sill Garrison Commander Col. Robert S. Bridgford said.
Another multistate combat aviation brigade, the 28th, will arrive in early 2009 with approximately 3,600 Guardsmen, and a third brigade, the 40th, will follow that.
"We've had huge preparations for mobilization. We've increased the number of pads out at the airfield to allow us to have up to 100 aircraft, and we're going to increase that later on to about 130 ... and we've done a lot of renovation and minor construction in support of the mobilization," Bridgford said.
Bridgford said barracks, administration facilities and the airfield have been reworked to give the mobilizing units better operations centers from which to train. Mobile barracks also have been erected to support the 3,000 additional soldiers who will go through combat basic and advanced individual training this summer.
Bridgford said the first two funding increments for the ADA School have enabled construction to begin for key components in relocating the ADA School, and officials expect to break ground in late summer or early fall on the 31st ADA Brigade complex and the Armed Forces Reserve Center.
Of the 11 buildings in the ADA School complex currently being built, the tactical equipment maintenance facility is about 65 percent complete. It will house the Patriot missile system equipment and the training for it.
Other projects nearing completion are the ADA School's dining facility and its Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence building.
Meanwhile, Lawton Public Schools already have issued $68 million in bonds to expand its facilities, and voters will decide May 13 on an additional $38.5 million bond proposal.
Sen. Randy Brogdon has authored a measure to block any efforts to relocate prisoners from the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay to Oklahoma.
Brogdon’s measure, Senate Current Resolution 4, calls for Congress to block any efforts to bring Gitmo prisoners to Fort Sill or any other new or existing location within the State of Oklahoma.
