FORT BELVOIR, Virginia (AP) -- The Army is considering a proposal to allow a private developer to build a military-themed park that would include Cobra Gunship rides and bars including a "1st Division Lounge."
Military officials said a massive entertainment and hotel complex built next to a national Army museum could draw more than 1 million people a year. But authorities in Fairfax County are objecting because of already traffic-clogged roads surrounding the proposed site.
A theme park devoted completely to the military? A military theme park? I'm sorry, but I appear to be having this WTF moment--asking myself if I'm still in this Twilight Zone nightmare. Continuing on with the story:
"You can command the latest M-1 tank, feel the rush of a paratrooper freefall, fly a Cobra Gunship or defend your B-17 as a waist gunner," according to the proposal, which was obtained by The Washington Post.
County officials have no authority over the Army's decision because the site is federal property. County Supervisor T. Dana Kauffman said he thought the entertainment concept died last year and said he had no interest in turning a military museum into "Disney on Rolling Road."
But the Army notified the county last week it is planning to move the military museum from Fort Belvoir to a site a few miles away that would be large enough for the entertainment complex.
Then again, maybe a military theme park isn't such a bad idea after all? Sure, the kids could come in and enjoy the B-17 Belly Gunner's ride, where they get to shoot down German Messerschmitts, or they can drive an M-1 tank through the Iraqi desert--blasting away at the old Soviet-built tanks. I'm sure there will be plenty of firing ranges--shoot Osama and win a Kewpie doll! Or how about the grenade toss at anti-war liberals? We could even have some more non-violent rides in Army World. You've heard of the Merry-Go-Round? How about the Cavalry-Go-Round? Hey, it is a horse ride? And guess what kids--if you join the Army, you get a free lifetime pass to Army World, so you can bring your children and grandchildren into the exciting life of the military.
Of course, there is a few undesirable elements we wouldn't want to show in Army World. We wouldn't want to show pictures of dead American soldiers, or even pictures of wounded American soldiers--bloody, with stumps of what use to be their arms and legs before they stepped on land mines. We wouldn't want these kids to listen to the stories of previous American veterans--stories of death, violence, hatred, and misery. Or perhaps these kids would like to read the letters sent back by soldiers on the front to their families, describing the sorrow and loneliness and longing for the end of the war so that these soldiers could return to their families--doesn't matter which war these letters came from. We really wouldn't want to show this stuff in Army World--that could hamper Army recruitment efforts at the theme park.
It would appear that The Washington Post has some more information regarding Army World:
The Army said Tuesday it will not consider a Florida developer's proposal to build a 125-acre military theme park at Fort Belvoir that would include the "Chateau Belvoir" hotel and an entertainment district with bars like the "1st Division Lounge" and several "4D" rides.
"That proposal . . . was dead on arrival, and will be dead on arrival if resubmitted," said Keith Eastin, the Army's assistant secretary for installations and environment in an e-mailed statement.
Eastin said the Army is willing to consider some type of "visitor destination concept" to go with a new national Army museum at Fort Belvoir but said it "would be done in a tasteful and appropriate manner," according to the statement.
The Florida developer, Universal City Property Management III of Orlando, submitted an unsolicited proposal for the military-style theme park.
Supervisor T. Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) was so upset after hearing about the Universal City proposal last year that he threw company representatives out of his office. He said he had no interest in turning a military history museum into "Disney on Rolling Road." After the meeting, he said, he thought the entertainment concept for the Army museum was dead.
"It seems fairly clear that the Pentagon brass has decided the only way they can succeed with the Army museum is to make a museum wrapped in an amusement park," Kauffman said.
At last week's meeting, county officials pressed the post's commander, Col. Brian W. Lauritzen, about the plans for a large entertainment complex. Lauritzen, who did not use the phrase "theme park" to describe the plans, said the demand for more space for the museum complex seemed to be coming from Army leaders above him.
I would say that the Pentagon brass is worried at both the declining recruitment numbers, and the fact they are using up whatever troops they have in their extended tours in Iraq. And the Pentagon brass is so worried that a U.S. pullout from Iraq would cause the Army to relive the stagnating 70s of dwindling recruitment numbers, reduced expenditures, and expanding threats against the U.S. So we get these crackpot ideas being seriously considered by the Army--such as a military theme park being placed next to an Army museum. How long will it be before the Army realizes that the American public can see through this charade.
Or then again, will the American public even see through this charade?
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