By eliminating
excess infrastructure, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
process saves billions of dollars, redirects defense resources to
their most important uses, and encourages cooperation between the
different branches of the armed forces. The rapid transformation of
America's foreign policy following September 11, 2001, does not
diminish, but enhances the importance of BRAC in the nation's
overall national security strategy. BRAC frees up resources for
investment in the force of tomorrow and helps to create a flexible,
efficient environment supportive of the broader shifts needed to
confront the new challenges of the 21st century.
BRAC
Wars, Episode Three
by Jack Spencer
and Kathy Gudgel
July 18, 2005
A recent event
co-hosted by The Heritage Foundation and the Minuteman Institute
for National Defense Studies examined the issues surrounding the
2005 round of BRAC, specifically those that concern the National
Guard and the states. Two Adjutant Generals who are actively
dealing with BRAC issues in their states echoed concerns voiced at
previous events that neither they-nor their senior leadership-were
fully part of the process. Another concern, they said, was that the
contributions of the National Guard were not fully appreciated by
Washington bureaucrats. Other panelists disagreed, arguing that the
Pentagon had the responsibility to make decisions based on national
security and that the information-gathering process should be
focused more on national concerns then on state or local
concerns.
BRAC and Per Capita Income
by Jack
Spencer
July 8. 2005
Critics charge
that the BRAC process devastates communities economically. To begin
with, the Department of Defense is not a jobs program; its
foremost aim should be national security. But beyond even that,
this criticism is untrue. A Heritage Foundation Center for Data
Analysis study of per capita income in counties that have been
affected by BRAC shows that healthy economic growth is the norm.
When communities are proactive and creative in responding to BRAC,
they prosper. Over 115,000 jobs have been created in past recovery
efforts. In addition to running through the numbers, this paper
looks at how towns and counties hosting listed bases can hit the
ground running in the BRAC process.
Base
Realignment and Closure: National Guard and Regional
Implications
by Jack Spencer
and Kathy Gudgel
May 23, 2005
A recent conference
hosted by The Heritage Foundation and the Minuteman Institute for
National Defense Studies considered the potential ramifications of
the latest round of BRAC on the National Guard. The
Guard faces unique challenges in the BRAC process, but BRAC
presents the Guard, like other services, with many
opportunities.
BRAC
Must Not Be Delayed
by Jack
Spencer
May 20, 2004
Before transformation
can fully succeed, the Pentagon must make the best use of its
scarce resources and create an environment that invites and
supports change. An intelligently executed BRAC will help to
achieve this by creating a solid foundation on which to build the
future force, and it will free the resources necessary to reinvest
in the force of today and tomorrow. Delaying the BRAC process and
requiring additional studies to be completed before the process can
commence is not justified.
Making
the 2005 BRAC a Success
by Jack Spencer
and Kathy Gudgel
March 29, 2005
Some critics
charge that with
the U.S. military engaged in the war on terror, fighting in Iraq,
and facing uncertain future threats, now is not the time for BRAC.
But the Department of Defense has too much infrastructure, and the
money, resources, and personnel invested in it could be put to
better use. BRAC would help to focus resources on realigning,
training, and moving a 21st century fighting force that has
outgrown its 20th century support structure.
Before the Overseas Basing Commission
by Jack
Spencer
September 1,
2004
President George W.
Bush announced on August 16, 2004, that the United States will
alter its overseas basing infrastructure in the coming years.
Today, maintaining excess base infrastructure at home and abroad is
draining much-needed resources. To maximize efficiency on the
battlefield, the Pentagon must begin by improving efficiency in its
support structures. This efficiency will free up dollars that can
be reinvested to help the Department of Defense achieve the rapid
deployment capabilities that it seeks and build in the flexibility
needed to respond to threats as they emerge in the
future.
The Defense Authorization Bill: A Survival Guide
by Jack Spencer,
Baker Spring, Nile Gardiner, Ph.D., Brett D. Schaefer, and John J.
Tkacik
July 20, 2004
The primary arguments
for delaying BRAC are false. The Pentagon has been in a state of
continuous review for a number of years and has a sound
understanding of its force requirements, and has been arguing for
additional rounds of BRAC since 1998. The Pentagon must make the
best use of its scarce resources and create an environment that
invites and supports change. BRAC sets a good example in this
regard and increases overall flexibility.
Guidelines for a Successful BRAC
by Jack
Spencer
January 6,
2004
The Office of the
Secretary of Defense has released proposed selection criteria to
guide the next round of BRAC. While the criteria will
ensure that military, economic, and environmental value will all be
considered, a broader set of guidelines that work hand in hand with
the criteria would guide the process toward achieving the
Pentagon's transformation objective. If intelligently executed,
BRAC can help to ensure a successful long-term defense
transformation.