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Natick Labs—Closing on the horizon?Sunday, October 26, 2003 - by Peter Golden A coming round of federally mandated base closings slated for 2005 may pit smaller, research-oriented facilities against larger military installations and result in the permanent shuttering of Natick Labs. For the MetroWest community, the labs remain a quiet presence. Its 2,000- plus workers and military personnel representing dozens of technical vendors and all branches of the armed services go to work every day on a 100-acre preserve on Rte. 27, just east of Lake Cochituate. Natick Labs' ongoing mission—what the military calls "Soldier Systems"—is a critical component of both homeland security and military effectiveness. "Meals Ready To Eat," along with boots and body armor, are the stuff that armies march with and cops rely on. But public knowledge of the technology breakthroughs continually achieved at Natick Labs in these and other areas, such as field shelters, clothing and research, is severely limited. During the 9/11 crises, increased base security raised the facility's otherwise minimal visibility which historically has been composed of occasional media coverage focusing on pollution abatement programs associated with lab programs terminated long ago. The real story at Natick Labs, however, although taking place out of the public eye, is no less vital to national security. While the defense of the nation is built on the backs and in the hearts of our soldiers, sailors and fliers, the equipment they rely on to fulfill their mission is the product of an ongoing series of relationships and affiliations between lab staff and the widely diverse community of academic, research and development providers present in the Greater Boston area. Threatening the labs' history of successful innovation is an ongoing process overseen by an independent Base Review and Closing commission (BRAC) that will result in a round of base closings in early 2005. In the last BRAC review undertaken in 1995, Natick ended up at the bottom of the retention list and only escaped closing by a hair. Fort Devens and the South Weymouth Naval Air Station were not so lucky. For a community of military personnel, technical vendors and scientists so adept at marshaling the brains needed to support the brawn of U.S. defense and homeland security efforts, such a prospect is highly frustrating. Nevertheless, this may have little influence on the BRAC commission as it considers the latest round of base reviews. Current criteria calls for capabilities assessments targeted on base size (and size counts), potential for expansion, regional economic climate and a host of other factors, few of which work positively in assessing Natick Labs' viability as a military base. Should the base be closed, the issue of Massachusetts' role in national defense aside, adaptive reuse of the facility is up for grabs. First pick goes to the federal government, then the state, whose appetite for new prison sites should be sufficient incentive for Natick residents and others in surrounding communities to sit up and take notice. Industrial or residential development, two other options should the federal government decide to auction the property to the highest bidder, would place additional burdens on Rte. 27, which is already overwhelmed by traffic. Further complicating the picture is an emerging master plan for residential development in nearby downtown Natick featuring hundreds of new townhouse units. In any case, closing the base offers no guarantees whatsoever of future use. Fortunately, state authorities, regional groups and business interests have already begun to ramp up an effort in defense of the labs, which by law is forbidden to lobby or undertake public affairs programs in its own defense. Sen. Kennedy and Gov. Romney have already met with BRAC officials to review options. Mass Development, the economic arm of state government, has outlined an excellent strategy for modifying BRAC commission base closure criteria in Natick Labs' favor. Changing those criteria, however, may prove to be a Herculean task. At the regional level the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce is shepherding the formation of a Natick Soldier Systems Alliance, which is already bearing fruit in the active participation of local businesses intent on maintaining long-standing productive relationships with what by general consensus is one of the country's great research facilities of any kind. A key objective of the Alliance is to foster community support. Being able to demonstrate the base's importance to its MetroWest neighbors will be an important component of presentations to the BRAC commission scheduled for soon after the new year. For those who depend on Natick Labs for a livelihood, and that number spins far beyond base employees, and for those who understand the importance of maintaining a defense presence in Massachusetts, keeping Natick Labs open is vital. Along with Hanscom Air Force Base, whose future is also uncertain, Natick is the only fully active federal military base in the state. Natick and the surrounding communities of Middlesex County have risen to the defense of the nation for centuries, starting with the first day of the American Revolution. Plaques honoring legions of dead from the Civil War, the first and second World Wars, Korea and beyond rest on every town common around these parts. In a very tangible sense Natick Labs is a symbol of the idea that we not only can make a substantial contribution to homeland security and national defense, but that we must. Natick Labs is the first and last link in a chain that grows smaller year-by-year, one that in days gone by included the Springfield Armory and Watertown Arsenal. Once again the towns of MetroWest are challenged, but this time instead of being called to the colors we must examine our feelings and reassess our part as citizens of a great nation. In that regard I believe Natick Labs, its soldiers and civilian colleagues deserve no less than our most heartfelt support. Copyright 2002, 2014 The Golden Group. |
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