Hits and Near Misses : San Diego: Rocked by news that the Naval Training Center was a last-minute addition to the closure list, city leaders vow to fight to keep the base open.

Shocked business and political leaders joined together Friday to oppose a surprise announcement that put this city’s venerable Naval Training Center on the Pentagon chopping block.

Mayor Susan Golding said the training center, a fixture in San Diego since 1923, apparently was a last-minute addition to a list of 30 major military installations that Defense Secretary Les Aspin recommended be shut down to save money.

“San Diego has to fight very hard to prevent the NTC’s closure. It will be a tremendous loss to the businesses around it and to the city,” Golding said at a noon press conference.

But even if the center is closed, Navy officials said San Diego will gain about 7,800 military and civilian employees who will be transfered here from other bases that are eliminated.

Chamber of Commerce President Gilbert Partida said a committee of local business leaders has been formed to lobby the Defense Department to keep the training center open.

“We want to ensure that the decision (to close the base) was made on a sound factual basis. Bases are being closed because they are not of strategic importance. We believe the NTC is of strategic importance,” said Partida.

Chamber officials said the NTC has an annual payroll of $79.6 million and contributes about $135 million to the local economy. The base employs 5,186 military personnel and 402 civilians. An estimated 16,000 recruits are expected to graduate from the base’s boot camp this year.

The Navy’s recruit training center in Orlando, Fla., was also recommended for closure. If both the Orlando base and the San Diego base are shut down, the Great Lakes training center near Chicago will be left as the Navy’s only boot camp.

Friday’s announcement from the Pentagon hit San Diego like a lightning bolt. Earlier this month, Golding and business leaders were riding a wave of exuberance when the city’s congressional delegation informed them that San Diego would be spared from any major cuts.

In fact, Navy officials announced plans to make San Diego a “megaport” by assigning additional ships and sailors here from other bases scheduled for closure. Business leaders said the additional ships and personnel will generate millions in revenue to the local economy and create thousands of new jobs.

On Friday, Golding and Partida said San Diego will still come out ahead despite plans to close the training center. In the long run, San Diego is expected to absorb an additional 7,877 military and civilian employees from other bases that will be closed or realigned.

Phil Warzeka, whose family owns Pacific Service Dry Cleaners, said his business would be affected if the training center is closed but said “it’s not something we couldn’t overcome.” The family operates five stores near Navy facilities, including two stores that serve personnel at the training center.

“Overall, we depend on the military for about 60% of our business. But even if they do close the NTC I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic change. We’re supposed to get a net gain of about 7,000 jobs out of this. So, we may still come out on top,” said Warzeka.

Another surprise announcement Friday was the Navy’s proposal to move the Top Gun fighter pilot school at Miramar Naval Air Station in north San Diego to Lemoore Naval Air Station, near Fresno. But transfers to Miramar from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County and the Marine facility at Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii will result in a net gain for that San Diego base.