BASE CLOSURES

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Process

Over the years, Congress has passed legislation that under normal conditions makes it impossible for the Department of Defense (DoD) to close or realign military bases in the United States. Since 1977, all base closures in the United States have been carried out under special legislation that created independent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commissions which are given the authority to act on a temporary, one-year basis.

Special legislation created the first base closure round in 1988. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 set out the procedures for three more base closure rounds that occurred in 1991, 1993, and 1995, but the authority to close bases under this act expired in 1995. Under Senator Levin’s leadership as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 authorized an additional base closure round which took place in 2005.

Senator Levin recognizes that closing unneeded installations and getting rid of excess infrastructure is an essential part of building the lighter, more mobile, capable military that we need in order to respond to the increasingly diverse and complex national security challenges that we face today. The DoD estimated before the 2005 round that it maintained as much as 25% excess infrastructure, which means that we are spending billions of dollars each year maintaining infrastructure that the nation simply does not need.

The base closure round conducted in 2005 gave the United States the opportunity to structure its military to meet the threats of today, while at the same time achieving significant savings so that we can give our men and women in uniform the best weapons, tools, and training that they need to carry out their mission. The commission considered 190 DoD recommendations and generated an additional 8 closure or further realignment recommendations themselves. The commission recommended 182 separate closures or realignments which affected about 1,000 bases with either a decrease or an increase in personnel.

In addition to allowing DoD to reorganize itself to be more efficient and effective, BRAC saves money by eliminating excess infrastructure. DoD estimates net savings from previous BRAC rounds at $16.7 billion through 2001, plus recurring savings of an additional $7 billion per year after 2001. According to the 2005 BRAC commission report, their recommendations will produce annual savings of $4.2 billion and a net present value savings over 20 years of $15 billion, after one-time implementation costs of $21 billion are taken into account. Senator Levin is convinced that these billions of dollars of taxpayer money will be better spent by protecting our troops and giving them the resources they need in conflicts around the globe and on the front lines of our war on terrorism.

Impact of the 2005 BRAC Round on Michigan

Michigan bases were affected, both gaining and losing, by ten different BRAC recommendations. Overall, the commission’s final recommendations will benefit Michigan. According to the commission, Michigan will experience a net increase of 635 direct jobs and 528 indirect jobs, for a total increase of 1,163 jobs, as a result of the 2005 BRAC round. The most significant projected increase is a gain of 1,728 direct and indirect jobs at the Detroit Arsenal.

The most significant reductions are 277 direct and indirect jobs at W.K. Kellogg Air National Guard Base (ANGB) and 243 at Selfridge ANGB. Under the commission’s recommendations, Michigan will have fewer aircraft, going from a total of 46 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve aircraft of four types (KC-135, A-10, C-130 and F-16) at Selfridge ANGB and W.K. Kellogg ANGB down to 32 aircraft of two types (A-10 and KC-135). Along with the closure of the U.S. Army Garrison, Selfridge, these are the most significant reductions in Michigan. The commission did not agree with DoD’s recommendation to close W.K. Kellogg, and mandated an enclave be kept open.

Detroit Arsenal. Senator Levin worked with Governor Jennifer Granholm and Michigan community leaders to make the case that Michigan’s military installations make a critical contribution to our national security efforts. The result of the BRAC process in 2005 represented a very positive outcome for Michigan with over 1,100 new jobs coming to the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. The BRAC Commission, upon recommendation from the DoD, named the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan the Joint Center of Excellence for Ground Vehicle Development and Acquisition. This new center will incorporate the development and acquisition community for all of the DOD’s manned and unmanned ground vehicles. The job gains come from Redstone, Alabama; Rock Island, Illinois; and Quantico, Virginia.

Defense Logistics Information System and Defense Reutilization Management Service in Battle Creek. Senator Levin also worked with Governor Granholm and Michigan community leaders to persuade D0D to keep the Defense Logistics Information System (DLIS) and Defense Reutilization Management Service (DRMS) in Battle Creek, Michigan. These two components of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) are responsible for managing – from purchase to disposal – nearly every piece of equipment, part and gallon of fuel in the possession of the DoD. The DLA is one of the largest employers in Battle Creek and securing its future in West Michigan was a significant accomplishment, as many DLA components were consolidated in two other states.

W.K. Kellogg Air National Guard Base. Senator Levin worked with Governor Jennifer Granholm, Congressman Joe Schwarz, and Michigan community leaders to prevent the proposed closure of this facility. The BRAC Commission accepted the argument of the Michigan delegation and reversed the DoD’s proposal to close Kellogg Air National Guard Base. Over the coming years, Senator Levin will continue to work with the Air Force to identify an appropriate mission for Kellogg Air National Guard Base.

Army Garrison at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The DoD also recommended the closure of the Army Garrison at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. While the community was not opposed to the closure of this facility, it did want to make sure the critical support services, such as the pharmacy and health clinic, remained open. Senator Levin has led the effort to ensure that the Army Garrison land remains in the hands of the Michigan Air National Guard and that funding is in place to ensure these facilities and services remain available to the community. To date, the Air Force – on behalf of the Michigan Air National Guard – has filed with the Army a request to acquire the Army Garrison land.