Base Closure Recommendations

G2mil Magazine ^ | DEC 20, 2002 | Carlton Meyers

[Bodacious]

The upcoming 2005 Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) commission will trim excess domestic base infrastructure, which is estimated at 25% too large and costs billions of dollars a year. In addition, heighten base security is now a tremendous financial drain, and older buildings constructed during the Cold war have decayed and need replacement. The four previous base closure rounds now save our military $6.6 billion dollars each year. Read this GAO report (pdf) for more information. Nevertheless, there is a movement to derail the next round of base closures by convincing people it is cheaper to keep all bases open and lease land to earn money; thus expanding what is known as Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) facilities. This robs local communities of business property taxes and rarely produces net profits as cozy relationships result in contracts in which the government still pays for property maintenance.

Unfortunately, senior military officers are reluctant to close unneeded bases. They are fond of traditions and have personal memories which makes eliminating fat painful. Each military service provides the BRAC commission its recommendations which it may accept, reject, or sometimes add their own if they feel the services have ignored obvious targets because of political pressure from above, or in return for political support from certain congressmen. The temporary and independent BRAC commission carefully weighs all evidence and makes their recommendations to the President, who must accept or reject the entire list without changes. If he accepts the list, it becomes law unless Congress intervenes within 45 days. This has never happened since Congressmen from districts spared closures think the list is fair.

[Bodacious]

This is the GAO report link http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02433.pdf

I think that the Senators of the states having "small bases" should rise up in ANGER. We are working on a base surrounded by nothing but farm fields. The only thing disturbed during takeoff or landing are the liberals 14 miles away in town. We have room for expansion, no "quiet hours", and a wonderful relationship with the neighbors. The closing of this base would show the politics of big towns vs. rural areas.

[bigfootbob]

Yet another form of "Rural Cleansing" from the all knowing urban liberals.

[2banana]

Bush to California - All your bases are belonging to us and we are CLOSING them!

[IronJack]

This doesn't sound like military efficiency as much as military downsizing. I thought we had a Republican president. You know, the ones who usually FAVOR the military.

[caltrop]

We have, as I recall, 26 Army bases in Germany. Our ground forces in Germany are maintained at enormous expense and have no real mission. If we're going to close bases, Germany's where we should start.

[samm1148]

"Nellis AFB, Nevada - (to realign) This is a key medium-size base whose tenant units are better off elsewhere. The rapid growth of Las Vegas has enveloped the airfield causing community conflicts due to noise and demands for connecting roads through Nellis. Security is poor since the airfield is close to a major road with dozens of aircraft parked outdoors during exercises, while thousands of tourists visit the "Thunderbirds". In addition, the federal government has restricted growth in Las Vegas because air pollution becomes trapped in that valley, while Air Force jets at Nellis spew out tons of pollutants. Nellis is also an ideal location for a much needed civilian airport. More details are in this article: Moving Base Has Advantages"

I thought this was a pretty good article till I read this flawed passage. Nellis is restricted from more growth because of those evil military jets spewing out pollutants? But if the units are moved they want to expand it into another local airport???????? What is the word I'm looking for...ah yes ludicrous.

By the way the last time I looked at this issue McCarron (Las Vegas' airport) has one of the largest number of hourly departures and takeoffs. Of course I forget, how stupid of me. Those civilian 757's and 737's don't pollute like those mean military jets.

[pa_dweller]

...older buildings constructed during the Cold war have decayed and need replacement

This is crap! Where I work they are constantly replacing roofing as needed and the electrical and plumbing systems have been kept up. Several years ago the brand new shiny, flat roof (steel) warehouse had to have the snow shoveled off of it because it was in danger of collapsing while the 'poor old wooden derelicts' from WWI never complained.

[Bodacious]

Can you provide a link to the "Moving Base Has Advantages"
article or at least a source?

McConnell in Kansas is the same, surrounded by the city and "quiet Hours".

[dakine]

Most of the USAF bases are out in the boons, I say close them....

[Bodacious]

WRONG!!!!
Now the bases have been overrun by the URBAN SPRALL.....
The bases haven't moved, the towns and suburbs have grown around them........The large cities could absorb the loss and conversion of bases......a base in the "boonies" probably makes up 40% of at least 3 or 4 counties' income/taxes; if not 15% of the states overall wages for the less populated states like ND or SD, even NM.
The Boonies have space to expand and no lawsuits for "quiet hours".......directly restricting flight hours.

[saminfl]

If a base has a large amount of real estate and airspace, it is pretty safe from being closed.

[americanbychoice]

Take all our troops out of Germany as well as South Korea, since they now have an antiamerican president. Let those countries spend their own money on defense instead of american taxpayer dollars.

[sam_paine]

Those civilian 757's and 737's don't pollute like those mean military jets.

Not that it matters, but the 757 is the most (at least in late 90's) fuel efficient large passenger aircraft per seat in the world. Fuel consumption (and hence associated pollution) of an F-15 or 16 in afterburner is like comparing a top-fuel dragster to a honda minivan.

Neverthless, you're right that these folks clamoring for closure should use a different argument. Here at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, the city had to pay off the tiny villa of Del Valle to convert it to a commcl airport because noise would disrupt classes. What a crock. As if commercial airliners make more noise than the military jets....

[RichGuy]

A lot of these replies read as if someones personal pet base is on the list. This is what caused so much trouble with the BRAC commission before. The services have more bases than they require. As the article states, there is an optimum size for a base, and most current bases are less than optimum.

If the military was a business they would have consolidated long ago. What the military calls the Base Operating Support (BOS) tail has a minimum viable size that must be met at each base. This includes chaplains, gym staff, child care center, housing, dormitories, etc. Manpower to provide this tail can be reduced by having fewer dogs. Concurrently the teeth end of the dog is becomming more high tech and less manpower dependent, at least in the Air Force and the Navy. Moving the bases to areas with medium size towns or cities nearby further reduces the tail since apartments, houses, bowling alleys, restaurants, etc are already available.

[RichGuy]

This sounds like a good idea until you think about where the military are likely to be needed. We have bases in europe and asia because they are forward locations. If we had bases in and around Kuwait and Saudi Arabia we would not be building up in Qatar.

[americanbychoice]

We have bases in Kuweit and 2 in Saudi. We can relocate our bases in Europe, if we decide we really need them, to Poland Czech republic or Hungaria. They would welcome us with open arms.We don't need Germany.
As for south Korea, it is painful to realize that we can expect to be in the middle of an assaulting North and a backstabbing south. Their new Pres. has already stated that in case of a conflict with North Korea, the south will stay neutral. He also wants to reunite with the North, let them, after we pull out of there.

[cynicom]

Iron

Have you seen any expansion of the military??? Bush is using the Nat guard just like Clinton did, cause we aint got enough troops. Political talk is cheap at election time and it goes over well with the masses.

[quietolong]

Let's not put all our eggs in one basket now!

[cynicom]

Starve the military is always good for the masses. Been there, done that, did'nt like it. Baling wire to hold bombay doors shut, no parts, hayrope to hold doors shut, no latches. Slept in shacks that would not pass any housing code. Welfare checks went out on time and in full.

[boris]

"All your bases are belonging to us and we are CLOSING them!"

Please. Proper syntax in matters like this are of paramount importance.