Audit agency denies support of NORAD move

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Apr 5, 2007 | by PAM ZUBECK THE GAZETTE

The government's audit agency disputes statements by Adm. Timothy Keating last month that it supports the move out of Cheyenne Mountain.

"That's not true," said Davi D'Agostino, director of the Government Accountability Office's Defense Capabilities and Management team.

At issue are Keating's comments made March 22 during a news briefing at the headquarters of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base.

Keating said his decision to place the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center on "warm standby" was backed by the GAO's review. The GAO was asked to review the move several months ago by the House Armed Services Committee after Keating didn't provide a written report about the change last summer, a committee spokeswoman said.

Warm standby would pull most of the 1,100 workers from the mountain.

"They found it is beneficial to improved combat readiness and effectiveness," Keating said on March 22 of the GAO report, which is not finished.

Keating's remarks came as he handed command to Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart and prepared to move to U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii.

Keating's plan calls for workers who watch for air or missile attacks against the United States and Canada to move from Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station to Peterson. The underground facility would be kept ready if needed, but it wouldn't be staffed.

D'Agostino said House Armed Services staff were briefed in March on the GAO's preliminary findings. She said it's typical to provide the Defense Department a statement of fact reflecting information obtained from defense officials to get feedback on potential technical changes.

That statement of fact included statements made by NorthCom officials that the move would be beneficial to the mission.

But those statements were not findings by the GAO, she said.

"Basically, what the admiral did is take things attributed to NorthCom people and said we confirmed it, and that's not true," D'Agostino said. "Also, we did not find cost savings, and we did not confirm what they claim are operational benefits. GAO did not confirm those things."

D'Agostino did not reveal the GAO's findings and said the House committee staff has requested more information. She said a research team will return to Colorado Springs to do additional work in the next few weeks, with the report expected in May.

In a prepared statement, Michael Perini, NORAD and NorthCom director of public affairs, noted the GAO report is not complete.

"Therefore, we will wait to review their findings before any further comment," he said. "However, we are committed to finding the most effective and efficient ways to take advantage of Cheyenne Mountain's unique capabilities to defend our homeland against the types of threats that we face today and possibly in the future."

Keating could not be reached for comment at Pacific Command.

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