BRAC Coming … But When?
Given the history of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) actions, it’s possible that the next one has already begun, remotely possible it could materialize in 2017, and increasingly likely in 2019 if it doesn’t.
But nothing is certain, BRAC expert George Schlossberg, told an attentive crowd of approximately 100, at last week’s briefing sponsored by The Patuxent Partnership, St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce, and Southern Maryland Navy Alliance.
“You can’t predict what the next BRAC will look like, or even if there will be one,” he said. Schlossberg is certain, however, that there will be reductions in force structure leading to reductions in base structure. When reductions are made impacting military bases, the BRAC structure allows communities an opportunity to provide comment into the procedure.
Mr. Schlossberg’s lengthy involvement with BRAC began with the concept’s first iteration in 1987. He currently serves as General Counsel for the Association of Defense Communities, communities just like those in Southern Maryland surrounding NAS Patuxent River. He is a partner at Kutak Rock, LLP’s Washington, D.C. office, and author of “How Congress Cleared the Bases: A Legislative History of BRAC.”
Some of the lessons he shared, from his years as a participant in much of the legislative and procedural history of BRAC, are that it is unlikely today’s assessments will nail realities 20 years from now; that it is easier to hold on to properties than to get them back; and that it is unlikely a BRAC will occur in an even year, that is, not in the years of congressional elections.
Despite the complicated procedure to eliminate redundancy in the military, Mr. Schlossberg said the BRAC process improves the longer it is utilized. One improvement which is beneficial to military communities is that they have opportunities to weigh in on decisions regarding military bases within their boundaries.
The initial four criteria in the BRAC process involve a variety of assessments that provide a valuation of all of the quantifiable components that go into maintaining readiness of all forces. These criteria deal with valuation of everything from hardware and infrastructure to personnel and also calculates what is needed in reserve to meet the readiness mission.
The subsequent four criteria, where communities have a direct involvement are cost, savings, economic impact on a community, and environmental factors. A countdown has already begun for the DoD to deliver to the Secretary of Defense much of the data that goes into the top four criteria. Mr. Schlossberg said that data was due in 90 days and would be submitted.
“Is this a BRAC?” he asked rhetorically. “No. But these are necessary things [for a BRAC]. From a community point of view BRAC works for us,” he said. With a formal BRAC process, the second set of criteria come into play. If the reductions are done in private, there isn’t an opportunity for communities to step in.
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