Enid breathes sigh of relief that list spares base

ENID, Okla. (AP) _ The roar of a single jet rang out the city's joy Friday when news came that Vance Air Force Base had been spared from the Defense Department's targeted list of base closures.

Saturday, May 14th 2005, 11:46 am

By: News On 6

ENID, Okla. (AP) _ The roar of a single jet rang out the city's joy Friday when news came that Vance Air Force Base had been spared from the Defense Department's targeted list of base closures.

The aircraft was on a routine training flight from the base west of town, but 21-year-old Christina Reed couldn't help but take it as a sign her new baby's future was secured.

``That's our whole economy,'' she said from the downtown jewelry store where she works and military couples sometimes shop for wedding bands.

In a region that reaps more than $220 million annually from the presence of Vance, the exclusion of the base from the military's list of recommended closures and downsizing brought enormous relief.

All five of Oklahoma's major military installations escaped the list, which will be forwarded to the Base Realignment and Closure commission for consideration in the nation's latest round of base closings.

Mayor Ernie Currier said he hadn't even realized how anxious he was until after the news came.

``I've been telling people that it may be cloudy outside but the sun is shining in Enid, Oklahoma,'' the beaming mayor said.

More than 2,500 military and civilian personnel work at the base, making it Enid's largest employer. The base trains pilots for the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Allied nations.

Under Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's proposal, Vance would gain 99 jobs.

``If we had not had it, Enid would have been a gas stop,'' said Bell Jewelry owner Bob Clemens. ``We are tickled pink they're staying.''

Larry Hawthorne, the owner of a northwestern Oklahoma-based Pepperidge Farms distributorship, had put off big business decisions until he knew Vance's fate. Even his plan to buy a bigger home had been on hold.

He serves the base's commissary and said he was confident in Vance's mission and the community's efforts to help preserve it.

``All these things were positives, but you just don't know,'' said Hawthorne, who kept his radio tuned for news of the military's decision as he made deliveries Friday morning.

By mid-morning, he had decided in favor of the new house.

From the road signs that call Vance ``The Pride of Enid'' to the city's infusion of funds to help the base expand its security perimeter, elected officials had long cited community support as a factor that could sway the military's decision.

Over lunch at a downtown restaurant, Pat and Clarence Wallace said they tried to show their own support by attending community rallies for the base and troops.

Currier had told residents in recent weeks he was 95 percent optimistic Vance would survive.

``As a community I felt we had done everything in our power we could do,'' he said. ``No pun intended, but we felt we had all of our bases covered.''

Some had feared the base would be targeted because of its small size, despite the fact uncluttered skies over Enid made it a perfect training ground.

Storm clouds loomed heavy over the city Friday morning as the announcement was made, but by afternoon jets circled over the nearby farmland like summer insects.

``Keep on Flying!'' the Enid News & Eagle proclaimed in a special Friday afternoon edition.