BASE BACKERS ENCOURAGED BY RESPONSE LEADERS WARN ABOUT 'BRAIN DRAIN' IN CHINA LAKE MOVE.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

POINT MUGU - Advocates for Naval Base Ventura County say they were encouraged by last week's appeal to the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which is reviewing the possible transfer of thousands of jobs to Kern County.

The Ventura County supporters fear a severe blow to the local economy and a ``brain drain'' if the high-paying, technical jobs are transferred to the China Lake Naval Weapons Station.

U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, who spoke on behalf of Ventura County before the BRAC Commission, said even though the commissioners did not indicate what their final recommendation would be, she was heartened by their attention.

``I think the commission reaction was very positive. I'm hopeful. I thought the (Ventura County) base's presentation was overwhelming.''

Kathy Long, chairwoman of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and co-chairwoman of county's BRAC task force, also said she was encouraged.

``I think the commissioners listened to what we put forward, and that gave them cause to ask why we are on the list'' of the Pentagon's recommended base closures and transfers.

Under the Pentagon recommendations, Ventura County would lose more jobs than any county in the state, possibly more than 6,000 military and civilian support positions, largely because of job shifts from Point Mugu to China Lake.

The federal BRAC commission is holding hearings across the nation on the Pentagon recommendations and will make final recommendations of its own to President George W. Bush by Sept. 8. Thursday's BRAC hearing in Los Angeles was the main opportunity for Ventura County advocates and others from Southern California to make their cases to the commission.

China Lake stands to gain thousands of workers from Ventura County, which could boost the local housing market and economy around the community of Ridgecrest.

Supporters of the Naval Weapons Station China Lake took issue Thursday with many of the points raised by the Ventura County supporters.

Phil Arnold, representing the China Lake Defense Alliance, said moving jobs from Point Mugu to China Lake would be beneficial to the military.

``We think there is value in consolidation,'' he said. ``It makes sense to put people together where they can work together on a day-to-day basis,'' he said. ``China Lake has the most complete staff and resources, with room to expand. The community can handle the influx. The moves are cost-effective.''

He said there is plenty of land and water in the Ridgecrest area and developers are ready to build new homes in the area, where the cost of living is lower than in Ventura County.

Arnold also spoke out in support of maintaining the sea range at Point Mugu.

``We strongly support the sea range. It must be maintained. The question is, who must stay there and who can be moved to China Lake.''

The Naval Base Ventura County includes operations at Port Hueneme, San Nicholas Island and Point Mugu, and oversees activities in a 36,000- square-mile sea test range in the Pacific Ocean.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division there operates ``the largest instrumented sea test range in the world, providing a testing and training facility for the Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency and allied nations,'' according to the California Council on Base Support and Retention.

Capps said moving jobs out of Ventura County ``would likely have lasting consequences for our national security. Together, these facilities contribute substantially to the operational readiness of the Defense Department's total force, including development and testing of new weapons systems, joint war fighting experimentation, training and readiness, and Homeland Defense.''

U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Westlake Village, also testified before the BRAC commission, saying, ``China Lake is 150 miles from the primary sea range operating area. Relocating range operations, aerial targets and aircraft to China Lake will increase response times to the range, reduce on-range time, increase safety risk factors and significantly increase operating costs.''

Gallegly said he had spoken to a number of scientists and engineers from Point Mugu whose talent might be lost. ``Many of them told me they will not move their families to China Lake,'' he said. ``This will result in a tremendous loss of intellectual capital.''

Retired Rear Adms. George Strohsahl and Dana McKinney, both former commanding officers of the China Lake and Point Mugu operations, also testified in favor of the Ventura County base.

McKinney said he was concerned that shifting the jobs from Point Mugu to China Lake would result in a ``brain drain if these people refuse to move to China Lake.''

``The projected savings just aren't there, and it will increase the risk to our troops,'' he said.

Strohsahl called plans to move almost all of the staff from Point Mugu to China Lake, along with other resources, ``one of the worst nightmare scenarios I could imagine.''

``The sea range is a unique national asset,'' he said. ``If this realignment is allowed to proceed, we will have lost over 80 percent of our Naval Base Ventura County technical workforce.''

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, submitted written testimony to the commission and said the base is economically vital to the entire Ventura County and San Fernando Valley region.

``It does not make logistical or economic sense,'' Sherman said of the proposed transfer of weapons and electronic warfare functions.

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com