Albany- Friday was a busy day for Senator Saxby Chambliss. He went to Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem, unfortunately with bad news for those bases. But he's ending the night on a good note.
"Been a long day but thank goodness I get to come home with the right responses here," says Chambliss. It's a response he's been working to get for a long time, that MCLB Albany was not on that dreaded list. Chambliss says, "Today is a pretty significant day for our state. Obviously Im very pleased that MCLB is not on the list."
He got word of the news first thing this morning. "As the General told me this morning, he said you know I've always told you that the Marine Corps loves Albany," says Chambliss. That message was loud and clear Friday when workers at the base heard their jobs were safe.
Base worker Edrean Ausby says, "Oh, I was so happy, Im happy, Im happy, I'm so happy." "We're too important and we do too much for the United States and that's the way I feel about it," says worker Richard Conner. Now the base will be doing even more with over 150 new jobs and more expansion.
"We're going to be a net gainer of jobs and I think you're going to see that increase now," says Chambliss. He says along with the increase of jobs, joint service opportunities will increase as well as the quality of life in South Georgia. He thanks the workers at the base for playing their part in the base's success.
"They're the ones from the military and civilian standpoint that carry out the missions that have been placed there," says Chambliss. But his work isn't done. He'll fight for the Georgia bases on the closure list.
"We've got a lot of work to do relative to those four installations and we told them that this is the beginning of the process."
However, it's the end of a long waiting period for workers at MCLB Albany and their supporters.
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