Safe For Another Year

Brick-a-BRAC

Published on May 13, 2005 By chiprj In Current Events

The Base Realignment And Closure Committe published its list today. And it looks like the Presidio of Monterey and Defense Language Institute are safe for another year. Much to the chagrin of the real estate speculators and doomsayers in the Korean school.

The base has been on the initial list every year since long before I was a student here but has always survived. Even during the lean years after Ft Ord closed down. And yet, every year the people that work on base get worked up over how this is "the year". When I got here about 18 months ago, there were rumors that 2004 was "the year". The inside the school gossip was so strong, that I was actually accused of being a liar and covering up for the Army! They were sure I knew the base was closing and just keeping it secret because I'd been ordered to.

I don't doubt that "the year" will come at some time in the future, but it's going to take something big to make us move. For one thing, it's not just a real estate issue. The language school has been here for over 50 years and the community has built an infrastructure that supports the language learning. We don't have small pockets of people speaking one language or another. We have populations of peoples from all over the world that have brought not only their language, but their culture, art, and history. We can do local field trips to museums and consulates. The area in Arizona that everyone "knows" we will move to has Nogales and a water shortage. So, I don't know that moving thousands of people to the middle of the desert is the best idea. We would lose so much in the "more than just grammar and vocabulary" category of language learning.

Here is a link where you can see the full results of the BRAC report .

My Ecosystem Details

Comments

ParaTed2k

on May 13, 2005

Yeah, I doubt the Presidio of Monterey will be on the BRAC short list anytime too soon. To tell you the truth, I thought it would be shut down with Ft Ord myself. I'm sure it took more than a year or so for the Presidio to adjust to the loss of support base from Ft. Ord, but then again, lots of small bases exist quite well without a major post to support it.

The Language school there is unlike any place I've ever seen. Most can name a lot of people who speak two languages. Many can name someone they know who speaks 3 or 4. However, to see a group of people at a table, each speaking a different language, and all understanding what each other is saying, that is almost non existent... but it is a daily occurance and DLI... and the people at the table don't think anything of it.

Besides, if they close The Presidio of Monterey, how would Cardinelli Brothers Used Cars stay in business? (((If they are still in business.. it has been awhile! ;~D

oleteach

on May 15, 2005

Very interesting article. How appropriate on this day of Pentecost to read this as a comment to your article.

"However, to see a group of people at a table, each speaking a different language, and all understanding what each other is saying, that is almost non existent... but it is a daily occurance and DLI... and the people at the table don't think anything of it."
I forgot to note the name of the commentor.

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