AFIT was, for months, on the chopping block. It was facing everything from complete shutdown and privatization to merging with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.
BRAC came up with a plan to keep both AFIT and the Naval Postgraduate School open and independent.
Commission member Samuel Skinner said, “We’re taking great graduate schools and allowing them to get the synergies of being great and share their expertise and hopefully avoid some duplication. I hope this motion will raise the quality, which is already excellent.”
The commission members voted unanimously to keep AFIT open. The decision was met with a combination of praise and relief from Miami Valley Congressman Mike Turner.
Turner said, “This is great news. We got the opportunity to tell the story of AFIT. The great quality of education and the importance of the Air Force. This is good news because we had the affirmation that AFIT is doing a great job and providing quality education and to promote the Air Force.”
The commission plans to add another board based in Washington, D.C., to coordinate between the two schools in Ohio and California.
The commission also voted to move the School of Aerospace Medicine from a base in Texas to Wright-Patterson, which would add about 800 jobs.
Previous Stories: August 25, 2005: BRAC Commission Votes To Keep AFIT At WPAFB August 24, 2005: Ohio Military Facilities Targeted In Final Round Of BRAC Votes August 24, 2005: BRAC Commission Begins Final 3 Days Of Discussions August 10, 2005: Lawmakers In Nation's Capital To Save AFIT, DFAS August 2, 2005: Thousands Show Up To Support AFIT, WPAFB August 2, 2005: Supporters Rally Around WPAFB, AFIT July 28, 2005: Groups Plan Large Support Effort For WPAFB, AFIT July 26, 2005: AFIT Supporters Continue Fight To Keep Facility Open July 22, 2005: Supporters Map Strategy To Save AFIT July 20, 2005: Loss Of AFIT Could Result In Economic Downturn July 20, 2005: AFIT Fights To Stay Open At WPAFB July 19, 2005: BRAC Commission Votes To Put AFIT On Hit List July 19, 2005: Will AFIT Be Targeted By The BRAC Commission? July 19, 2005: Vote Expected Tuesday On Future Of AFIT July 18, 2005: AFIT, WPAFB Supporters Monitor BRAC Hearings