The U.S. House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee rejected plans to close Savannah's Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), a decision outlined in President Joe Biden's 2023 proposed budget released in March.
The initial announcement in April prompted a bipartisan lobbying effort against the military training facility's closure. U.S. House Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler), whose district includes the facility, and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), a Savannah native, both said closing the CRTC could have grave repercussions as Russia "aggressively threatens the world order."
U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton) and U.S. Rep Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) have also voiced their support for the CRTC.
Credit: Nancy Guan / Savannah Morning News
Credit: Nancy Guan / Savannah Morning News
While the Defense Subcommittee's report outlined broad support for keeping the Savannah-based center open, the budget still requires a full House Appropriations Committee vote before advancing to the House and Senate for final passage.
“This is a major win for the First District, our military service members, and national security. The fight is not over, but this proves what Georgians already knew: the Savannah CRTC is an indispensable piece of the Air Force’s fighter pilot training,” said Carter.
The Savannah CRTC, also known as the Air Dominance Center, shares an airfield with the Air National Guard's 165th Airlift Wing at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. The CRTC provides a realistic training environment for both reservist and active duty fighter pilots to enhance their air combat capabilities.
Three other similar combat training facilities are housed in Michigan, Wisconsin and Mississippi.
The White House's recommendation to close the Savannah CRTC was to allow the Defense Department to save money by eliminating an "underutilized" and "redundant" operation.
However, proponents of the center have touted the Savannah CRTC's unique location and cost-effective operations. Out of the four training facilities in the U.S., Savannah's is the least expensive to operate due to its colocation with the 165th Airlift Wing. Its three-year average direct expenditures amounts to about $4 million while other CRTCs average direct expenditures range between $12 million to $16.8 million.
Credit: Corey Dickstein/savannahnow.com
Credit: Corey Dickstein/savannahnow.com
In April, commander of the Air National Guard, Maj. General Thomas Grabowski, said the CRTC's geographic location off the East Coast allows for plenty of air space for air-to-air combats such as dogfights.
In addition, a new hangar, a $24 million federal investment, is under construction with a ribbon-cutting set for September. If the closure goes through, the training center would be shut down in April 2023.
Grabowski said about 120 civilian and military positions would be affected, but the overall economic impact of the potential shutdown is difficult to calculate.
The facility includes lodging with 283 rooms and 711 beds, a dining facility with throughput for 800 people per hour, and a 7,800 square-foot, state-of-the-art conference center.
Carter vowed to keep up efforts in advocating for the center as the budget package winds through Congress.
“Our world-class military service members deserve world-class resources and training. They get that at the Savannah CRTC,” said Carter.
Nancy Guan is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities. Reach her at nguan@gannett.com or on Twitter @nancyguann.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: U.S. House subcommittee rejects Biden proposal to close Savannah combat training center
