Norfolk OffBase is located in central Norfolk, Va. It is surrounded by a virtual alphabet soup of military bases: USN, USAF, USMC, CIA, USA, NASA, and the USCG. All told, there are 14 major military installations within a 50-mile radius, along with several major military contractors and numerous smaller support facilities. With nearly a quarter-million active-duty service members in the area, it is readily accepted that everyone in town is or knows someone in the military, is a veteran, has a family member on active duty, or works in the defense industry.
Given the need for more voices for peace that challenge the military machine and encouraged by the support of the local community, we established Norfolk OffBase as a GI coffeehouse in November 2008. Not a coffeehouse in the traditional sense, OffBase is a resource center for active-duty military and veterans in the area, as well as a convergence space for local peace and progressive groups.
We seek to provide accurate information, referrals, and counseling regarding the rights and duties of U.S. service members under U.S. and international law.
We also strive to inspire service members, their families, and the greater community with movies, readings, studies reflecting a wide variety of viewpoints, and local performances of music, dance, comedy, rap, and poetry.
The decision to establish OffBase as an affiliate of WRL was an easy one. The longevity and resistance component of WRL was important, but just as important was WRL’s mission to address the root causes of war. The idea of addressing racism, oppression, and occupation made it a natural fit in our established connection with regional peace and social justice groups.
In the last month, we’ve hosted several events, such as a discussion of feminism with women from the Islamic community and secular speakers. We also facilitated our monthly book review, Political Pages; hosted local groups planning events around the U.N. Day of Peace; and participated in organizing a bus for the March 20 Antiwar March and the Immigrants Reform Rally and March in Washington, D.C., attended by more than 200,000 people.
We recently concluded the Women’s Peace Group “Corporatism vs. Democracy” course and will be offering it again this spring. A local labor college, the Virginia Workers Justice Center, has also begun working at OffBase to establish a lecture series and a workers’ resource center.
Over the past year, Norfolk OffBase was active in organizing The Road to No War, a five-day, 53-mile march to 13 military sites in June, during which a public call for disarmament was made. On Veterans Day, we hosted the first presentation of the “Eyes Wide Open: Cost of War to Virginia” display of combat boots and civilian shoes at a city park. And a group from OffBase and the neighboring farm market reclaimed a vacant lot across the street by engaging the community in establishing an urban garden.
We have hosted and promoted several speakers since opening, including Cindy Sheehan and WRL National Committee member Frida Berrigan. We also received an impromptu visit from Governor Tim Kaine and State Delegate Kenny Alexander, who met with one of our veteran/members to discuss the restoration of voting rights for felons.
All this has been achieved by volunteers with the expenses paid solely by donations from the community network. We are actively seeking new veterans to intern over the summer with a specific focus on military outreach and building the local chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
For 2010, our goals include securing a facility that would allow us to provide transitional housing for newly discharged veterans, in addition to an expanded community meeting space, book store, and quite possibly a coffee shop.
For more on Norfolk OffBase, visit offbase.ning.com or www.facebook.com/norfolk.offbase or email norfolkoffbase [at] gmail.com (norfolkoffbase[at]gmail.com).
