BRAC 2005

BRAC 2005

In 2002, Congress authorized one round of BRAC to occur in 2005. In 2004, the House of Representatives inserted a provision in the FY 2005 Defense budget to delay BRAC beyond 2005. The Senate refused to approve such language and the threat of a presidential veto kept BRAC on track.

Since the last BRAC in 1995, three Secretaries of Defense have appealed to Congress for new rounds of closures. They knew how critical base closures would be in financing a transformed military for the 21st century, an issue magnified by current deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Click here for our 2005 BRAC Update outlining the process.

BRAC Commission’s Mixed Results

The BRAC Commission’s final votes are tallied. The results are mixed. While the commissioners voted to shutter or realign over 700 military installations nation-wide, they spared high-profile Pentagon closure targets in New England and South Dakota. The actions will still save tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, but the total will be considerably less than the Pentagon’s estimated $50 billion over 20 years. The panel seemed of two minds, open to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s vision of military transformation, but determined to save some bases that no longer had a mission. For example, the Commission voted to transfer all military aircraft away from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, but kept the base open through 2010 so the Pentagon can find a use for the base. Similar decisions were made in New York and New Jersey. These “contingent decisions” will delay communities’ efforts to retool their economies and deny the Pentagon the certainty – and savings – the BRAC process was designed to create.

The Commission has until September 8 to forward the list to President Bush, who intends to send it on to Congress, according to published reports. Congress then has 45 legislative days to reject the list or it is automatically approved. Congress cannot change the list. (From the September 2005 BENS Update.)

Commission Finishes Voting. Next Step: the White House
Last week the Commission finished voting on the Pentagon's list of recommended installations to be closed or realigned. Among the surprises included votes to keep open installations in New England and South Dakota that were among the most political contentious. Here is a complete list of changes recommended by the BRAC Commission.

Next, the Commission has until September 8 to forward the list to President Bush. He's expected to forward the list to Congress, according to some published reports

-- August 30, 2005

Commission To Begin Final Voting
After touring dozens of bases and listening to the exhortations of many more public officials, the BRAC Commission is finally ready to vote. This week, the commissioners will decide the fate of over 1,000 installations from all branches of the service across the country.

Five of the nine commissioners must vote to remove a base from the list. A base can be placed on the list, but only with seven of nine commissioners voting in favor. Once the list is complete, it must be sent to the White House by September 8. From there, President Bush can either forward the list to Congress or return it to the Commission for revision. Continue to watch this space and the BENS Update for more information.

-- August 22, 2005

Commission Adds More Bases to List
The BRAC Commission voted to add Navy installations in Virginia, California and Maine to the list of bases to be closed or realigned. The Navy Broadway Complex in San Diego and the Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Maine are now slated to be closed. The Naval Master Jet Base at the Naval Air Station Oceana in will be heavily realigned.

Members stated that the addition of these bases does not guarantee they will be on the final list sent to President Bush on September 8. Their inclusion allows the commission to hold further hearings and collect data comparing the newly added bases to other bases already on the list.

-- July 19, 2005

Realignments Leave Potential for Underutilized Assets
If the BRAC Commission leaves the Pentagon's recommendations substantially unaltered, then many more base communities will be dealing with difficult scenarios - a major realignment leaves substantially less troops, less jobs and less economic activity. But, unlike if the base had closed outright, there does not exist clearly-established mechanisms to easily turn the unused property and buildings over to the local community. BENS, with our long history advocating the BRAC process, will draft and submit recommendations fixing this shortcoming.

-- June 29, 2005

More Realignments, Less Closure
Looking at last month's base closure list, BENS sees a lot of realignment and very little closure. Over 200,000 positions will be either realigned or moved. Only about 26,000 positions are slated for elimination. Five percent of excess infrastructure is scheduled for the chopping block.

With a revised estimate of 10 to 12 percent excess infrastructure, we think the Pentagon didn't attack the excess capacity enough. There also wasn't enough jointness that would allow inter-service training. With so many realignments, many installations will have empty buildings and free space. BENS will encourage the Pentagon to allow local communities access to these areas for economic development.

-- June 7, 2005

Pentagon Releases Base Realignment and Closure List
Defense officials made public their list recommending 33 major base closures as well as hundreds of smaller realignments during a press conference at the Pentagon. You can view the list here.

A base with at least $100 million worth of impact is considered a major base. If 400 or more personnel are moved off a base or onto a new base, that is considered a major realignment.

The BRAC Commission will hold a series of hearings across the country as they examine the list and decide which bases should remain, which should be removed and which should be added. They must reporter their findings to President Bush by September 8. The president can either send the list to Congress or send it back to the commission for revision. The president cannot change list.

If the president sends the list to Congress by November 7, then Congress has 45 legislative days to act. If Congress does nothing, the recommendations become binding. Congress can pass a joint resolution rejecting all recommendations. Congress cannot alter the list.

BENS is examining the list looking to see if recommended closures and realignments best serve the goal of military transformation. Periodically check this page for updates.

-- May 13, 2005

Pentagon Revises Excess Capacity Estimate
Troops returning from posts in Europe and Asia will lessen the number of installations closed during the BRAC process, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said during a conference call with editorial writers across the country.

Original Pentagon estimates placed excess installation capacity between 20 and 25 percent. The new estimate hovers around 10 to 13 percent.

-- May 7, 2005

BRAC Commissioners Given Recess Appointment, Bypassing Threatened Senate Blockage
President Bush appointed the nine BRAC commissioners on the evening of April 1, circumventing an attempt to derail the process by Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott. Lott put a hold on the nomination of commission chairman Anthony Principi. Any senator can block any legislation or nomination from coming to the floor with a hold. Lott objects to the BRAC process and believes military bases in Europe should be closed before bases are shut down in the continental United States.

While the Senate was out of session for the weekend, the president appointed Principi as BRAC chairman, and the remaining eight commission members, bypassing any further obstruction by Lott.

-- April 1, 2005

Commissioner Replaced
President Bush has formally notified the Senate that he is withdrawing the nomination of Lt. Gen. Claude Kicklighter to the BRAC Commission. In his place, the president is naming Gen. Lloyd Newton, USAF, (Ret.) of Connecticut.

-- April 1, 2005

Additional BRAC Insights
As the BRAC commission finally takes shape, a number of BENS members have asked questions about the commission, the process and the goals of BRAC.

How does this group of commissioners rate with previous BRAC panels?

This collection of commissioners is as good, if not better, than the ones in the past. It's a senior group with more experience than earlier groups. It also has a wide range of individual perspectives, from overseeing the Veterans Administration to medical experience.

Once a base gets on a list, how likely is its removal?

Not likely. One study estimated that 85 percent of all decisions are upheld by the commission. It's a majority vote of commissioners to remove a base from the list and a super-majority (7of 9) to put a base on the list. Communities who find their bases on the list should spend their time lobbying for assistance not against closure.

Will BRAC speed up the Pentagon's transformation goals?

The transformation of the military into a 21st century fighting force is an uneven process - quicker in some areas than others. Originally, it was thought that new technologies would spur transformation. After al Qaeda's attacks, geo-political forces have shaped transformation efforts - the use of unmanned drones, new language skills needed, reliance on National Guard units. BRAC will help this process along, but it will continue to be uneven.

-- March 17, 2005

BRAC Commissioners Nominated
President Bush and congressional leaders have selected seven of the nine individuals to serve on the BRAC Commission. The president has until March 15 to submit their names from Senate confirmation. The White House selects three individuals, including the Commission chairman:

Former Veterans' Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi as chairman.

General James T. Hill, US Army (Ret.) of Florida

Brigadier General Sue Ellen Turner, USAF (Ret.) of Texas

The Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader each get two selections. House Speaker Denis Hastert selected:

• Former Utah Representative James V. Hansen

• Former White House Chief of Staff Samuel K. Skinner

• Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist selected:

• Lt. Gen. Claude Kicklighter, US Army, (Ret.)

• Adm. Harold W. Gehman, Jr. USN, (Ret.)

The minority leaders of each chamber get one pick apiece. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi selected:

Philip E. Coyle III, the Pentagon's chief tester from 1994 to 2001.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid selected:

Former Nevada Rep. James Bilbray

-- March 15, 2005

Timeline for 2005

• February 2005 – Last chance for DoD to revise its force structure and inventory plan

• March 15* – President nominates 9 commissioners for Senate approval

• May 16 – Secretary publishes recommended realignments and closures

• September 8 – Commission reports to President

• September 23 – President transmits to Congress his approval or disapproval of the entire list or sends it back to commission for revision

• November 7* – Last date for President to submit list to Congress

The recommendations are binding after 45 legislative days unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval.

Complete DoD Timeline

* Noncompliance terminates process

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