An advisory group is worried about the future of the state's military bases.

In a nine-page report for Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, a group of retired military officials, state legislators and others argued that Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg and other bases face some hurdles.

The report notes that all of the bases are now located within cities, causing a potential for friction with local government. On a related note, it cautions that the area around the bases could be developed in ways that are "incompatible" with military uses, limiting their future expansion. 

"Only if the (U.S. Department of Defense) continues to perceive its North Carolina facilities as desirable will North Carolina continue to reap the benefits of economic development opportunities," the report says.

Participants were also interested in promoting existing military contracts among existing state businesses, getting community colleges and state universities more involved in military training and research, and replacing National Guard equipment damaged overseas.

A third major area of concern was qualify of life for members of the military.

The group said veterans hospitals need to work harder to meet the needs of female veterans, health care benefits should be available throughout the state and state taxes on military pensions should be lifted. 

As previously noted, the report called for a Cabinet secretary on military affairs.

Tom Ridge argued that Barack Obama is untested and inexperienced.

Speaking to reporters before a rally for John McCain in Fayetteville, the former head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that Obama does not have insight into foreign policy because he's not had any relevant military or political experience.

He said that McCain "knows the consequences of war in ... a personal way" and "understands when anybody at Fort Bragg puts on a uniform, the whole family puts on a uniform." 

Ridge said he was surprised that former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Obama.

"It seemed to me that he was more unhappy with the Republican Party than with John McCain, which is an interesting reason to go the other way," Ridge said. "I think he's wrong on this one."

The former Pennsylvania governor has traveled with McCain there and is campaigning with him today. The two are old friends from the Congressional class of '82, the only Vietnam veterans elected that year.

Some political observers have suggested that McCain is campaigning alongside old friends this week to keep his spirits up in the face of troubling polling numbers.

"Whatever John needs me to do to help get him elected president, I'm prepared to do," Ridge said. 

Ed Frawley of Wisconsin is campaigning with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole to help her refute ads that paint her as an inactive lawmaker.

Frawley was one of the featured speakers this afternoon when Dole's campaign bus tour stopped at state GOP headquarters, reports Lynn Bonner.

Frawley, whose son Jeff is a sergeant based at Fort Bragg, posted a YouTube video of decrepit barracks last April.

He said after he posted the video, Dole called the secretary of the Army about the crumbling barracks and introduced a bill that would improve maintenance at Army installations.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican, said Dole's response belies the image of her in a Democratic Senatoral Campaign Committee ad where "two old guys" talk about her low effectiveness rating.

"She's changed the lives of people silently, without asking for credit," Burr said.

Dole, a Republican, is campaigning in a tight race against Democrat Kay Hagan.

President Bush urged Congress Thursday to pass a war-funding bill that does not "tie the hands" of U.S. commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a speech at Fort Bragg, the president implored lawmakers to come to a consensus on giving U.S. troops the resources they need to complete their mission, the Associated Press reports.

"We should be able to agree that our troops deserve America's full support," Bush said from the Army base near Fayetteville. "And that means that the United States Congress needs to pass a responsible war funding bill that does not tie the hands of our commanders and gives our troops everything they need to complete and accomplish the mission."

Bush spoke at an outdoor review ceremony attended by 17,000 paratroopers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Many of them have returned in recent months from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"On behalf of a grateful nation, welcome home," he said.

State Sen. Kay Hagan used the news that Fort Bragg troops are returning to Iraq to attack Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

In a written statement, Hagan said, "The news yesterday that Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team will return to Iraq in the fall as part of the Pentagon’s 'regular rotation' of troops underscores the issues that this Administration and Elizabeth Dole have failed to address," said Hagan, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Hagan also criticized Dole opposition to an improved GI Bill sponsored by Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. Dole supports a competing bill co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Burr.

"When these brave men and women return home, they deserve support and care that is befitting the sacrifices they have made for our country, not another deployment mere months later, without an end in sight," Hagan said in a statement.

A Dole spokesman downplayed Hagan's statement.

"Mrs. Hagan should spend less time playing political games and more time figuring out her own position on the War in Iraq," said Hogan Gidley, a spokesman. "Meanwhile Sen. Dole will continue to be a leader on Senate initiatives that hold the Administration accountable on Iraq – like requiring the Iraqi Government to pay a decidedly greater share for their own reconstruction."

There are no details yet on what President Bush will talk about next week at Fort Bragg, but expect to hear accolades for the troops rather than political talk about the war supplemental bill being wrangled through Congress right now.

Fort Bragg just received good news today, when its commander said the 82nd Airborne division’s 1st brigade would return from Iraq three months early, Barb Barrett reports.

The unit of 3,500 paratroopers doesn’t leave Iraq until July, though, so they won’t be there to hear Bush’s remarks next week.

“The president looks forward to visiting Fort Bragg and thanking our soldiers and their families for their service and sacrifice in the war on terror,” White House spokeswoman Jeannie Mamo said this morning.

President Bush will be at Fort Bragg on Thursday to make remarks at a division review ceremony before troops there.

Barb Barrett reports that the president will speak at 10 a.m., according to the White House.

FAYETTEVILLE—Michelle Obama is speaking now with about two dozen members of military families in downtown Fayetteville as she continues campaigning for her husband, Barack Obama.

She spent a lot of time listening, but among her statements were that deployments should be shortened. Many of the invitation-only guests to the event were mililtary wives were from nearby Fort Bragg talking about problems with the vast military bureaucracy, Barb Barrett reports.

"People are so tired of this war they don’t want anything to do with the military," said one wife, who helps run a Family Readiness Group for families of military members.

Responded Michelle Obama: "I think a lot of what you’re seeing is that the deployments are too long."

Before the military adjust its family services to long deployments, she said, maybe the military should shorten deployments to reduce family stress.

"Because this war hasn’t been well-thought-out, the military has had to ... make do," she said.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made two of the same points.

In speeches to the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, both Democratic presidential candidates said they were appalled at the conditions at Fort Bragg.

A 10-minute YouTube video put together by the father of an 82nd Airborne paratrooper showed mold, peeling paint and broken plumbing at the barracks near Fayetteville.

Both candidates said that the conditions were not acceptable for returning veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

In their speeches, both candidates also said that they would work for each other, even using oddly similar language.

Clinton said she would "work my heart out" if Obama is the nominee, while Obama said he would support Clinton "in a heartbeat."

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge is traveling this week to an as-yet-undisclosed location in the Middle East, where he will meet with military and foreign officials.

Etheridge, a Lillington Democrat, is a member of the House Agriculture, Budget and Homeland Security committees, reports Barb Barrett.

His congressional district dips down to the U.S. Army base Fort Bragg outside Fayetteville.