DRUGS, LACK OF MONEY HURTING NAVY

Admiral Says He Fully Supports Another Round Of Base Realignment, Closure

NORFOLK - The Atlantic Fleet is doing a good job at keeping its sailors and
protecting its many bases in Hampton Roads.

But drugs are taking a toll on retention, and there's not enough money to
replace aging ships, Atlantic Fleet commander Adm. Robert Natter said in a
state-of-the-fleet briefing Thursday.

Natter, the Atlantic Fleet commander for just over a year, also said the
Navy desperately needs to keep training ranges at Vieques and that another
round of base closings are needed.

The admiral weighed in on the issue of base closures, a topic of vital
importance in military-rich Hampton Roads.

"I fully support a BRAC," Natter said just a day after a Defense Department
spokesman caused a furor by saying that another round of Base Realignment
and Closure might remove military operations from Hampton Roads.

Virginia's congressional response to this was predictably hostile.

While not commenting on whether Hampton Roads should or would lose military
people or commands, Natter did say, "every base in the country should be
considered in a BRAC."

It's estimated the United States has 23 percent more bases than it needs
and that closing them would save an estimated $3.5 billion a year that
could then be spent on more pressing military needs -- such as more ships.

A recently approved supplemental budget for the military will give the
Atlantic Fleet about $367 million, the bulk going for much needed air
operations and ship repairs.

But the money does not deal with budgeting for new ships. Natter described
"a serious shortfall" in keeping up the current 315-ship Navy. Even more
ships and planes will be needed, Natter said, if the Bush administration is
serious about forward deploying more U.S. forces in Asia.

Natter also talked about another politically sensitive issue, Vieques.

The 9,500 residents of that Puerto Rican island are set to vote Nov. 6 on
whether to allow the Navy to use part of the island as a bombing range. The
Bush administration has announced plans to abandon military exercises on
the island in 2003 and has asked that the vote not take place.

Atlantic Fleet ships have trained at Vieques for decades before going on
deployments, and the Navy has yet to find a suitable replacement.

"I would very much like to keep Vieques," said Natter, who said he would
"not be timid" in giving his advice to the administration.

Republicans and Democrats alike claimed Bush's decision to halt bombing on
Vieques is motivated more by trying to appease Hispanic voters than
concerns about national security.

In the last year, Natter said, security for the fleet has improved both
here and overseas.

Force protection became a major topic after the October terrorist attack on
the Norfolk-based USS Cole that killed 17 sailors as it refueled in the
Yemeni port of Aden.

In Hampton Roads, those precautions included erecting protective booms
around ships. Posting more military and civilian guards, building
watchtowers and installing surveillance equipment.

Battle groups on deployment also have new equipment to thwart terrorists,
which Natter refused to identify,

"We can't protect everything," Natter said. "But I want terrorists to say
that 'This is too hard. I'm going someplace else.' "

Drug use by sailors, especially use of the club drug ecstasy, is a
particularly bothersome problem, Natter said.

"We have a problem. I don't want to hide that problem," he said.

The admiral said the command will try to curb drug use through more
counseling and more drug testing.

Natter talked about meeting sailors who had been caught doing drugs and
were being kicked out of the Navy.

"I was struck with how sharp they were. It made me want to cry."