NWS EARLE CIVILIAN HOUSING BRIEF

NWS EARLE CIVILIAN HOUSING BRIEF

NWS EARLE BACKGROUND Navy Organization Mission Facilities Organization Tenant Commands Security

NAVY ORGANIZATION National Command Authority Department of Defense Department of the Navy United States Marine Corps United States Navy Fleet Commander Navy Facilities Mid Atlantic NWS Earle Naval Sea Systems Command

EARLE HISTORY AND ORIGINS A waterfront location provided ships with a safe and operationally advantageous port to take on ammunition. An inland storage area, safe from possible submarine bombardment, provided access to commercial rail facilities with lines coming from the west, where the majority of ammunition shipments originated. On August 2, 1943, construction began and in a short time, storage bunkers, a road and rail network, numerous buildings, and a pier complex were built. Named after Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance during World War I. The station was commissioned on December 13, 1943 as the Naval Ammunition Depot Earle. Earle continued to develop after World War II, keeping pace with the changing needs of the Navy.

The Earle Naval Weapons Station, Earle/Leonardo Pier complex, is located along the northern New Jersey shore in the south end of Sandy Hook Bay. It is located 4 miles west of Sandy Hook and 7 miles southeast of Staten Island. LOCATION

MISSION OF NWS EARLE Providing ammunition to the fleet. An integrated work force of military and civilian personnel operate the inland storage, renovation, transshipment and demilitarization facilities.

FACILITIES Mainside Waterfront The 10,000 acres which comprise Mainside, house the majority of Earle's departments and facilities. The pier stretches 2.2 miles into the Sandy Hook bay and comprises 2.9 miles of pier/trestle surface area. Both areas are connected by Normandy road, a 15-mile military road and rail line.

NWS EARLE ORGANIZATION The Ordnance Detachment performs the station's primary mission - providing ammunition to the fleet. An integrated work force of military and civilian personnel operate the inland storage, renovation, transshipment and demilitarization facilities. The Ordnance Department provides ammunition for nearly every class of ship operated by the United States Navy and Coast Guard as well as commercial vessels from other countries. The Public Works Detachment runs the railroad, consisting of 130 miles of track, nine locomotives and 520 pieces of rolling stock. The Port Services Division, located on the Pier Complex, provides a full range of services for visiting and homeported ships. The station also manages handling equipment and containers for the fleet and shore stations, including design, testing, acquisition, in-service engineering and logistical support. Earle is in many ways like a small town, with homes, office buildings, factories, restaurants, cars and trucks.

NWS EARLE TENANT COMMANDS Combat Logistics Group Two, Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity Mobile Mine Assembly Unit Three Superintendent of Shipbuilding Portsmouth Detachment Earle Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two Detachment Earle Atlantic Ordnance Command Detachment Earle Public Works Center Site Earle Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation Center.

SENATOR BECK BACKGROUND ON MEETINGS Congress passed the Military Housing Privatization Initiative in 1996, allowing DoD to work with the private sector to renovate and manage the on-base housing (Public-Private Venture- PPV) A waterfall established a preference for certain occupants, based on this order: Active Duty families Unaccompanied military members Active duty National Guard and reserve Civil service employees Military retirees Civil service retirees A January 1998 memo authorized the PPV partner to lease housing to unaffiliated civilians if they are unable to fill the housing with those who are part the waterfall These agreements apply to all bases with PPV agreements and are not unique to Earle NWS Earle entered into a PPV agreement with Balfour Beatty Northeast Housing in 2004

10/18 MEETING- NWS EARLE, LOCAL OFFICIALS Captain Steingold The Navy and Balfour Beatty prefer to have military personnel in the housing There has been a 30 day vacancy, which allows the PPV partner to open it up to unaffiliated civilians Believes civilians will not pose a security risk There will be background checks He reviews everything personally and has the power to ban anyone from the base Guests would have to undergo the same background check as the unaffiliated civilians Access cards will not allow anyone to have access to munitions area People come on and off the base every day without a problem

CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY EVERYONE ELSE: Non-military having access to a major weapons depot Location is undesirable; only those with mal-intent would live there Children who may be curious/mischievous wandering around Information on shipments/base activity could be compromised (Operational Security) Cyber security- Hacking through Wi-Fi access and other cyber infrastructure There is no guarantee that the base would be secure; risk can never be 0% Why increase risk just so Balfour Beatty can make more $? Background checks used by Navy would not have flagged some (any?) of the recent attackers This would exacerbate existing problems with Tinton Falls/Colts Neck schools

11/22 MEETING- CONGRESSMAN SMITH/ DENNIS MCGINN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY Congressman Smith reiterated the security concerns and provided input based on his own experiences dealing with the aftermath of bombings in Africa Navy personnel felt that they could handle the security issue Lack of on base amenities was brought up as a reason no one wants to live there Agreed to postpone leasing until February Russ Macnow stressed the schools/property tax issue, lawsuits would be filed it this goes ahead

NWS EARLE SECURITY Active Measures Security Forces Contract Security Force Navy Security Force Physical Security Fence line Main Gate Security Bunker Security Waterfront Security Passive Measures Anonymity of NWS Earle. Rural nature of the surroundings. Support from the local community. Government rail line and road. Waterfront location.

CIVILIAN HOUSING IMPACT 30 homes added to the security concerns. 60+ civilians now NWS Earle responsibility. Guests of the residents. Vendors, & contractors How can we say adding this much to the present security requirement will enhance the security of the station and the surrounding community?

SECURITY Screening of potential renters. Screening of potential renters visitors Vehicle inspections Driver and occupant Screening Fort Dix (Background Check) Threatcon on Main Gate Does it change access for guests. Extensive screening of contractors, military and civilian personnel. Additional screening requirements for civilian guest visitors. Bottom Line Creates Additional Security Requirements in an increasingly dangerous environment.

COSTS Civilian Renters Pay 2099.00 Heat Hot Water Gas and Electric Included. Active Duty Sailors and Marines Pay E1 E4 2253.00 E-5 2448.00 E-6 2622.00 E-7 2688.00 E-8 2760.00 E-9 2913.00

PX Fitness Center Movies Sports Playing Fields ACCESS TO NAVY MWR FACILITIES

NAVAL WEAPONS STATIONS IN THE U.S. Naval Weapons Stations in the United States Yorktown (Lincoln Housing) No Civilians Seal Beach California (Lincoln Housing) No Civilians Earle NJ (Balfour Housing) Civilians

QUESTIONS How does opening up the housing to civilian residents improve security? How can you expect Colts Neck Police to be required to enter a federal installation to arrest civilian residents? Will they be allowed on Normandy Road as residents? Will they be allowed to use Navy Facilities other than housing? Will they be allowed to walk throughout the base? How will you monitor when they have a guest sty over for a prolonged period?

QUESTIONS PART 2 How does putting strangers in housing around active duty military families engender trust that when you live on base it will be with your fellow service members? How does charging them more than their civilian counterparts engender trust? How does allowing strangers on a military installation prevent WIIFI from being hacked? How does it preserve facilities meant for service members? How does adding more people to the screening of visitors improve security?

QUESTIONS PART 3 How does the Navy justify adding civilians now to the Naval Weapons Station when they paid over 20,000,000 to keep them off in 2009? How does adding a 9,000,000 front gate screening facility designed to prevent people from entering the base without extensive screening improve security when we are allowing un-vetted visitors to enter the Weapons Station.

It Doesn t THE ANSWER