BASE BACKERS READY TO FEND OFF CLOSURE.

Byline: Douglas Clark Daily News Staff Writer

While talk on Capitol Hill of another round of military base closings is cause for concern, civilians who successfully defended the base at Point Mugu two years ago say they are ready and able to take on Washington again - if necessary.

``It concerns me,'' Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn said of the quadrennial defense review released Monday, which proposes closing more bases to pay for weapons purchases. ``But we're probably as well prepared as any group in America to defend their local military base.''

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, announced $6.3 million in engineering, technical and logistics services that will come to the area through Department of Navy contracts.

``We must not let up on our efforts to keep our bases secure, but this is another step toward guaranteeing the sustainability and importance of our military installations,'' Gallegly said in a statement.

After fighting to keep Mugu open during a wave of closings in 1995, a partnership between civilians and military personnel was formed. The Regional Defense Partnership 21st Century has developed strategies for maintaining the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at Point Mugu.

Those strategies include finding ways to bring new activities to base

operations; creating more partnerships between the military and the private sector; and enhancing opportunities to adapt military technologies developed at the base for nonmilitary use.

Also, Flynn said the Southwest Defense Alliance was formed three months ago to lobby on behalf of 14 bases in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico that do military research, development and testing.

Flynn said the alliance is important because sometimes there is a bias among admirals for East Coast bases.

``The air, land and sea space in the Southwest is relatively uncongested when compared to the East. Sometimes even people in the Pentagon don't know that,'' he said. ``We just want to make sure we're treated on a level playing field.''

Despite the possibility of more base closings in the future, there has been good news, too.

Earlier this month, the Navy selected the Naval Air Weapons Station at Point Mugu as the preferred site for four E-2C Hawkeye squadrons now based in San Diego.

Flynn called the selection of Point Mugu a ``strong signal'' that the Pentagon sees the importance of maintaining its operations here.

Phillis Thrower, public affairs officer for the base, said, ``We're just hoping for the best. We're being very positive.''