June 26, 2007
Dougherty, Bill CIV Commander Navy Region SE
Dooling, Charles CIV Commander Navy Region SE
Lareau, Miriam CIV Commander Navy Region SE
Rear Admiral Mark S. Boensel
Commander, Navy Region Southeast
Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL
RE: Social Bigotry Is Being Practiced at NAS Key West
Dear Admiral Boensel,
I am a good neighbor of NAS Key West and along with other neighbors on Geiger Key, Stock Island and Rockland Key are asking for your help.
We are living a nightmare orchestrated by the present personnel at NAS Key West.
On April 29, 2007, NAS Key West announced that changes to the take off/ fly over patterns with the new AICUZ map. We have been trying to determine, through FOIA filings, who at NAS Key West is responsible for those changes. (It is rumored that a local developer that was stopped in his bid to develop high priced condominiums in an area that was highlighted in the 2004 AICUZ map, had influence within the NAS Key West facility to alter the newest 2007 AICUZ map.) Somehow, that area is now buildable with the newest 2007 AICUZ map. Of course that is just rumor!
(And, this is just another rumor!) Did you know that the former Navy Commander of NAS Key West is now the City of Key West's City Manager? Guess who drove his appointment through the process? (Again, that is just another rumor.) Would you believe the same developer who now has the right to build under the new 2007 AICUZ map? (Sounds like someone had a little too much to drink and decided to spin a conspiracy theory. Or can all these pieces actually make a complete puzzle?)
Did you know that present NAS Key West personnel are requiring FOIA requests for simple answers to simple questions? Some have been rude to concerned citizens in questioning their loyalty to the country by emphasizing “ Don’t you know there is a war on?” We are not sure whether they are referring to IRAQ WAR or this war in Key West. I was personally questioned on my loyalty to our country on Memorial Day regarding my FOIA requests by NAS Key West personnel.
Did you know that NAS Key West has not filed any Environmental Impact Statement regarding
the use of the F18 Super Hornet at this facility?
So... thorough our limited research and no answers to our FOIA requests, I think we have our own take on what is going on at NAS Key West.
1. Traffic increases at NAS Key West from October 1 thru April 30th.
This is a “Party Navy Facility”. The winter months are cold up north and in the west and where else can you find a place that offers a free marina, free hotel, free restaurant and topless bars at 75 degrees fahrenheit? Tell me, why don’t they use NAS Lemoore CA Naval Facility that is optimized for F-18 training? No topless bars in the area?
2. New Commander Jim Brown does not have time to meet with neighbors to discuss his options.
Our homeowners association has been trying to confirm an appointment with him for almost a year. This guy must be very busy making all these changes without any community input from anyone except high-end developers. (Again, that is just another rumor.)
3. The NAS Key West Marina. This is a hot one!
Who owns those boats?
We want to make sure corporations are not mooring their boats here to entertain their business associates and Navy personnel on tax payers dollars. (Rumor has it that three of those boats are corporately owned). I was told that I have no business asking. I was told that MWR facilities are funded through private donations. On the US Congress website, it says that the Congress allocates over 50% of their budget. So why lie to us? What is so secret about these boats?
4. And last but not least, The 2004 AICUZ map was changed because the area which was removed from the 2007 AICUZ map consists of homes in the one million dollar range. (By the way, that developer of high end condos I spoke about above, lives in that area also.) Coincidence or what???? The homes on Geiger Key, Stock Island, Rockland Key and Big Coppitt Key are predominantly middle and working class abodes and mobile homes. NAS Key West has instituted their regrettable, arrogant response by targeting communities made up of low to middle income residents that are the backbone of this community. NAS Key West is hoping that this type of community will not have the means to fight back. It seems that the present NAS Key West commander wishes to employ “Social Bigotry” as a tactic to achieve his unrestricted goals.
I have contacted the following people with NO RESPONSE.
Dougherty, Bill CIV Commander Navy Region SE
Dooling, Charles CIV Commander Navy Region SE
Lareau, Miriam CIV Commander Navy Region SE
I hope you will respond.
Regards,
Paul S. Caruso