On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced plans to ask Congress to scale back the military. The BRAC, or Base Realignment And Closure requests would be for 2013 and 2015. If approved the military could close bases, including some in Georgia.

The reductions are part of a plan by President Obama to cut nearly a half-trillion dollars from defense spending in the next ten years.

Robins Air Force Base is in Congressman Austin Scott’s middle Georgia district. He serves on the House Defense Committee and says he opposes BRAC. He says foreign installations are fair game, but cutting U.S. bases is a, “non-starter”.

“If he’s interested in reductions in the amount of DOD spending that we do overseas in all these other countries, then I’m certainly open to that. I think most Americans expect other countries to take care of their own national defense.”

The last BRAC took place in 2005. Georgia lost Forts McPherson and Gillem as well as a Naval Air Station in Metro Atlanta, and the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens.

Tags: Robins Air Force Base, Congressman Austin Scott, BRAC, military cuts