Editor, Finally the (drum roll) “big decision” has been made. No fifth brigade. Fort Stewart is, however, going to get almost 1,000 more troops/personnel.
Oh no, Hinesville will now cease to exist as we know it!
I think Hinesville, Liberty County will make out just fine. Now concentrate on attracting good paying, non-defense oriented business.
For the people, businessmen, developers who are outraged, let’s get outraged together over the crumby, blighted neighborhoods like mine (Sharon, Lesa, Elaine streets) in Hinesville. Let’s get outraged over a poor veterans health care system that has been slow to respond to returning war disabilities. Let’s get outraged over the fact when I joined the Army in 1978 I was told when I retired I was to have free medical care for the rest of my life. That was reneged in the 1980s with something called TRICARE, which I must pay into! Let’s get outraged over the fact that National Guard and Reservists, some of whom have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan several times, have to wait until they are 60 to get retiree TRICAR medical benefits, but if they go to war and it’s after 2008 they get their retired pay 90 days per every 90 days in a combat zone instead of age 60. For those who went before 2008, tough luck.