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Mother Nature doing her thing with former air base
To the editor:
I reported for duty at Blytheville Air Force Base on 6 June, 1966. When I drove in the main gate, I was immediately impressed with the neatness and cleanliness of the base. The grass was all mowed and edged and all the buildings were painted and well-maintained. This base remained in this state of appearance and upkeep until the base was closed in 1992.
The local municipalities were given a multi-million dollar gift when the base closed. What they failed to maintain, Dear Old Mother Nature quickly stepped in and claimed it. I now see from the main entrance of the base, behind the old Officers Club, the sad deterioration of the B.O.Q., or also known as the transient quarters. It was not repaired when needed, so Mother Nature stepped in and started doing her work.
I have been informed the responsible party does not have the funds to tear it down and properly dispose of it. It is poor advertisement for anyone interested in locating on the base.
The housing area which was known as the nineteen hundred area, when the base was open, is now in a state of disrepair. It is a eyesore and it appears the only way to fix it is with bulldozers and wrecking crews. It was a gift given away to Mother Nature. It is a known fact that if we do not take care of our property, Mother Nature will gladly return it to the earth. Some structures just take longer than others to disappear.
I am disheartened when I drive through the base where I lived and worked while serving in the military. I guess I still look at it through a military man's eyes and may be too critical, but I don't think so. This is still a free country and I am just expressing my own personal feeling.