Bloviations

The following is the text of a letter sent to Colonel Richard Flatau, Jr., the current Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

As I promised, you should feel free to use the text of my letter as a starting point for your own.

Dear Colonel Flatau,

I attended the April 21, 2008 meeting of the City of Jacksonville’s Trails and Greenways Commission at the Jacksonville Commons Senior Center. The Commission is responsible to the City Council and Mayor for providing advice on trails and greenways throughout Jacksonville.

I was disappointed that there was no representative from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (the Commission’s charter requires that one be appointed, though I am not certain of the process). Camp Lejeune and its large population of Marines, Sailors, and family members is the single largest constituency in Jacksonville. For there to be no representation at Citizen Advisory Board meetings is disheartening, and not representative, I think, of the partnership required between a military facility and its host community. I encourage you to ensure that representatives from the appropriate Marine Corps Base entities fully participate in Citizen Advisory Boards. The City of Jacksonville cannot fully support the Marines, Sailors, and family members if their needs are not voiced.

It was discussed at the Trails and Greenways Commission that Marine Corps Base failed to send the City of Jacksonville a letter of support for the construction of a connecting recreation trail from the Beirut Memorial to connect with the existing path at the Camp Knox entrance. The effect of this is a delay in funding for the path (from 2009 to 2010). I find this disturbing and disappointing. The path will connect the housing areas of Tarawa Terrace I and II with the Downtown region of Jacksonville and will allow the families living there to walk or bicycle to the several parks and businesses in the Downtown area. In addition to encouraging businesses to remain Downtown and encouraging growth in that area, the path will encourage more exercise for military members and their families. The end result will be healthier military members and families, and a healthier Downtown Jacksonville. As the path will mostly be on Camp Lejeune property, it is crucial that the City have the support of the Base’s military leadership. I strongly urge you to send the City of Jacksonville a letter expressing your support for this path and further urge you to use Marine Corps Base resources to the fullest extent possible to assist the City in constructing the path.

It is important that Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and the City of Jacksonville have strong ties and work together with the most important single goal: To provide the highest level of services possible to the Marines, Sailors, and family members in our mutual communities. It is an attainable goal, but only if the leaders of each work together.

The address is

Colonel Richard P. Flatau, Jr.
Commanding Officer
Marine Corps Base
PSC Box 20004
Camp Lejeune, NC 28542-0004

Knock yourselves out.