BRAC criteria comment period ends soon

The base realignment and closure (BRAC) process is now underway, with the Chamber and city gearing up to make sure the wing's aircraft remain at Mountain Home AFB.

The deadline to comment on the draft Base Realignment and Closure criteria is nearing.

The initial criteria were published in the Federal Record on Dec. 31, and the comment period ends Jan. 28.

The latest round of base realignments and closures follows rounds held in 1991, 1993 and 1995, and relies heavily on the same criteria used at that time. The current authorization by Congress, however, applies only to bases inside the United States.

"The eight criteria proposed for this round were based on the accepted, tested, and proven criteria used in past BRAC rounds," the Department of Defense said.

Because of the lack of development (encroachment) near the airbase, good flying weather and nearby training ranges and airspace that are considered "outstanding" by the Air Force, and cost of living that makes airmen's dollars go further than in some parts of the country, Mountain Home AFB is not considered a prime candidate for closure.

But in the past, the base has shown up, temporarily, on some closure lists, and the current round does not allow for bases to show up on the list and then be dropped, later. Which is why the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee, the city of Mountain Home, and the state are already putting together a lobbying effort to make sure Mountain Home AFB stays off the list.

In fact, the list itself will be a closely guarded secret until it is released and all personnel involved in putting the list together have been sworn to secrecy.

Although the criteria will be similar to previous BRACs, the process this time, however, will be a little different.

All bases in the country already have been putting together a series of documents to help higher commands make the final recommendations and next month the Secretary of Defense is required to submit to Congress, as part of the FY05 military budget justification, a force-structure plan "based on an assessment... of the probable threats to the national security" for a 20-year period ending in 2025, and a "description of infrastructure necessary to support" that force structure, as well as "a discussion of excess categories" of infrastructure. That is expected to be a general description and not a specific list.

On Feb. 16, the final selection criteria for closing bases will be announced. Congress has until March 15 to disapprove of that criteria, or, by not acting, accept it. The Secretary of Defense can make revisions until February of 2005. If he does so, those revisions must be part of FY06 budget that he must submit to Congress for approval or modification.

In March of 2005 the president will submit to the Senate the names of members who will serve on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

The key date will be May 16, 2005, when the Secretary of Defense announces the bases being recommended for closure or realignment. The BRAC commision will then analyze the list and by Sept. 8, 2005 make is recommendations to the president. The president can, by Sept. 23, 2005, approve the list, or reject it. If he rejects it, it goes back to the commission for revision. If he accepts it the recommendations are binding unless, within 45 days, Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval.

Although the Secretary of Defense has not announced the force structure he will recommend, Rumsfeld is known to prefer a much leaner military than the Pentagon would prefer. Analysts have suggested that up to 20-30 percent of the U.S. bases could be closed based on the recommendations Rumsfeld is expected to make.

In recommending military installations for closure or realignment, the Department of Defense will give priority consideration to military value, based on the following preliminary criteria, as published in the Federal Register:

1. The current and future mission capabilities and the impact on operational readiness of the Department of Defense's total force, including the impact on joint warfighting, training, and readiness.

2. The availability and condition of land, facilities and associated airspace (including training areas suitable for maneuver by ground, naval, or air forces throughout a diversity of climate and terrain areas and staging areas for the use of the Armed Forces in homeland defense missions) at both existing and potential receiving locations.

3. The ability to accommodate contingency, mobilization, and future total force requirements at both existing and potential receiving locations to support operations and training.

4. The cost of operations and the manpower implications.

5. The extent and timing of potential costs and savings, including the number of years, beginning with the date of completion of the closure or realignment, for the savings to exceed the costs.

6. The economic impact on existing communities in the vicinity of military installations.

7. The ability of both the existing and potential receiving communities' infrastructure to support forces, missions, and personnel.

8. The environmental impact, including the impact of costs related to potential environmental restoration, waste management, and environmental compliance activities.

Comments should be submitted to the Department of Defense by Jan. 28, to be considered in the formulation of the final criteria.

Interested parties should submit written comments to: Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations & Environment), ATTN: Mr. Peter Potochney, Director, Base Realignment and Closure, Room 3D814, the Pentagon, Washington DC, 20301--3300. Cite the Federal Register announcement of Dec. 23, 2003, in all correspondence. Interested parties may also forward their comments via facsimile at 703--695-- 1496.

For further information contact Mr. Mike McAndrew, Base Realignment and Closure Office, ODUSD(I&E), (703) 614--5356.