Isakson, Gingrey: Dobbins Clears Major Hurdle for Military Commissary

Facility Would Serve Thousands of Military Personnel, Veterans in Metro Atlanta

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., today announced that Dobbins Air Reserve Base has cleared a major hurdle in its quest to build a military commissary on the base. Isakson and Gingrey have been working for more than a year to try to ensure a seamless transition between the closure of existing commissaries serving metro Atlanta and construction of the new commissary.

“This is fantastic news for Dobbins as well as the thousands of military personnel and veterans in the metro Atlanta area,” Isakson said. “Congressman Gingrey and I look forward to working with the Department of Defense to ensure final approval of the commissary at Dobbins.”

“The approval from the Defense Commissary Agency is a major step towards ensuring that metro-Atlanta area servicemen and women — and veterans — are not forced to travel upwards of two hours to use a commissary,” said Gingrey. “Senator Isakson and I will continue working closely with the Department of Defense so that those men and women who have served our country so honorably are not left without convenient access to these facilities.”

On March 31, the Commissary Operating Board of the Defense Commissary Agency agreed to recommend approval of a commissary at Dobbins Air Reserve Base to the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, who will ultimately make the final decision on the facility. There is no timeline for a decision by the Department of Defense.

Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson in Atlanta, as well as the Naval Supply School in Athens, are scheduled to close in 2011. At that time, Fort Benning, which is located two hours southwest of Atlanta, will be the closest commissary serving the metro Atlanta military population.

Isakson and Gingrey believe it is critical to maintain a convenient commissary for the metro Atlanta military community, and Dobbins Air Reserve Base meets all the requirements outlined by the Department of Defense to build and maintain a commissary.
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