washingtonscene
BRAC on the Table Base closures once again
are being considered. T
op military leaders painted a gloomy picture for lawmakers during an annual state-of-the-mili-
tary briefing in February. Continued budget cuts and the looming specter of sequestra- tion have led some of the services to sup- port base closures as a way to save money. Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) will be speaking at MOAA’s Council Presidents’ Dinner Wednesday, April 5, in Alexandria, Va., as part of the week’s Storming the Hill events.
Gen. Stephen Wilson told lawmakers: “In today’s budget environment, it makes sense to invest wisely, so [base realign- ment and closure (BRAC)] would help us make smart investments to prepare for the future.” If President Donald Trump forges ahead with campaign promises to significantly in- crease defense and infrastructure spending while cutting taxes, “there’s a strong argu- ment that we’re going to have significant deficit repercussions,” said Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). SASC Chair Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said members of Congress must talk about another round of base realign- ments and closures. McCain’s comments signal a depar-
ture from the status quo on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have long memories about unforeseen challenges and the missed promises of financial wins; the last round of base closures in 2005 ini- tially cost more than it saved. But now, said Vice Chief of Staff of the
Army Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, “We save year over year, annually, $1 billion from the BRAC that took place.” If BRAC were to be approved, the states most likely to be affected would include
38 MILITARY OFFICER APRIL 2017
California, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, where half of all active duty personnel are concentrated. But all instal- lations likely would be reviewed during the initial phases of BRAC. McCain said the across-the-board de- fense spending cuts that went into effect in 2011 mean the next defense budget needs to be carefully scrutinized so vital programs aren’t cut.
The same should be applied to any
future rounds of BRAC, McCain said. Speaking of the commission that recom- mended the round of closures in 2005, McCain said, “Frankly … [they] made some very bad decisions.” Members of Congress need to take a
more active role in decisions that have long-term national security consequenc- es. “Like sequestration, it’s kind of a cowardly act, because it’s an authentica- tion that we can’t make the tough deci- sions ourselves,” McCain said. These discussions, and state-level efforts
in response, will certainly get the attention of MOAA members nationwide. “We are paying close attention to dis- cussions of a BRAC,” said Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret), MOAA’s vice president of Gov- ernment Relations. “If one is approved, we will work with our chapters and councils in the affected states to ensure the cascading effects on our retirees, families, and veterans are being addressed. And we will have time to watch this develop, given the lengthy lead time and notification requirements.” MO
— Contributors are Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret), vice president; Cmdr. René Campos, USN (Ret); Col. Mike Barron, USA (Ret); Capt. Kathy Beasley, USN (Ret); Brooke Goldberg; Col. Phil Odom, USAF (Ret); Lt. Col. Aniela Szymanski, USMCR; Jamie Naughton; and Forrest Allen, MOAA’s Government Relations Department; and Gina Harkins, senior staff writer. Visit
www.moaa.org/email to sign up for legislative news updates.
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