Ellis Black

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VALDOSTA — A bill working its way through the General Assembly would help coordinate state efforts to aid Georgia’s military bases, especially if another round of base closures is looming, one of the bill’s co-signors said Wednesday.

Senate Bill 395 would establish a Joint Defense Commission, staffed by members of the Statehouse, Senate and Georgia residents. 

Sen. Ellis Black, R-8th District, who co-signed the bill, said the Statehouse did similar work last year but the Senate failed to immediately follow up.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Ben Watson, chairman of the veterans, military and homeland security committee. Black said the bill is still in committee in the Senate.

“There’s no forecasting where it will go once it gets out of committee,” he said.

SB 395 charges the committee with reporting the state’s military matters to the governor and lawmakers, as well as building programs to help military-dependent communities work with local bases and defense-related business.

The bill also tasks the committee with helping Georgia brace against any future threats to bases in the Base Realignment and Closure process.

Moody Air Force Base was recommended for closure in a previous BRAC round in 1991. Concerted efforts by Valdosta’s mayor, state and congressional representatives, prominent businessmen and base supporters resulted in the base being officially removed from the list; they were able to prove the BRAC panel’s closure recommendation was based on faulty and outdated information.

Black said the combined effort is the sort of coordination he would like to see on a state level.

“There’s a lot of concern there may be another BRAC round coming soon,” he said.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.