Ft. Monmouth and BRAC

On August 24th, 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission delivered disappointing news for the people of Monmouth County and for our soldiers serving bravely around the world. Its decision to include Fort Monmouth on its final closure list will have serious implications for our military’s research, development, and testing capabilities, and for the current support of our soldiers in the field. It will also affect our state's economy.

For several years, I have been working to strengthen Fort Monmouth's mission and ensure that it has the technical infrastructure it needs to support our troops. Immediately after the May 13, 2005, Pentagon announcement that Fort Monmouth was slated for closure, I worked with a tight-knit and bipartisan team of federal, state, and local elected leaders, employee representatives and employees, business leaders on the Fort Monmouth Patriots Alliance, and other community leaders to respond. During that time, we hosted commissioner tours, testified before the BRAC Commission, provided reams of information, held private meetings, and literally answered every question and counter-argument raised. Though we had many arguments, the main thrust of our case was that losing Fort Monmouth intellectual capital – its talented, experienced, and highly qualified employees – would disrupt to current military operations and long term transformation of the military. Some Commissioners agreed with us, but regrettably, not enough to win.

I will continue to work with our federal, state, and local community leaders to make this transition as smooth as possible. I thank you for your past support of my efforts to save Fort Monmouth. Residents have written letters to me, attended public events I hosted, and gave generously of their thoughts and advice, which I deeply appreciated. This is a loss for all of us, but working together, we can develop a plan for our community that maximizes opportunities for growth and prosperity in the years ahead. Please feel free to contact me at any time by phone (609-750-9365), by mail at the address listed on this page, or via e-mail.

Links on BRAC Transition Assistance and Information

• DoD BRAC Transition and Employee Assistance
• DoD Office of Economic Adjustment
• DoD brochure on "Help For Military Families"
• National Association of Installation Developers/Association of Defense Communities

Press releases, letters and other BRAC-related actions

• Holt Reacts to BRAC Commission Decision to Uphold DoD's Decision To Close Ft. Monmouth (August 24)
• Corzine, Holt, Pallone Hold Press Conference To Discuss Efforts To Save Ft. Monmouth (August 18)
• Rep. Holt's testimony before the BRAC Commission Regional Hearing (July 8)

• Holt, Pallone Congratulate Ft. Monmouth's Winning Team in the Army's Annual "Top 10 Greatest Inventions" Award Competition (June 8)
• Holt, Pallone Prepare for BRAC Commission Visit (June 1)
• House letter to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld demanding the release of all BRAC data (May 27)
• Holt Remarks on House Floor in Support of Withholding BRAC Implementation Funds (May 26)
• House Blocks BRAC Implementation Funds Until Data is Released (May 26)
• Holt Remarks on House Floor over BRAC (May 25)
• Holt, Pallone Voice Support for Amendment to Defense Bill Delaying BRAC (May 25)
• Acting Governor Codey Annouces Study to Examine Pentagon BRAC Data (May 24)
• Holt-Pallone-Saxton-Smith letter to BRAC Commission Requesting Regional Hearing in New Jersey (May 18)
• Holt-Pallone Statement on Army Testimony Before BRAC Commission (May 18)
• Holt, Pallone Blast Defense Department for Recommending Ft. Monmouth's Closure (May 13)

Materials from the May 13 town hall meeting in Tinton Falls

• Rush’s letter to constituents
• BRAC Criteria
• BRAC Commissioners
• BRAC FAQ

Reports of interest

• Government Accountability Office Report on 2005 BRAC Round (May 2005)
• Congressional Research Service Historical Overview of BRAC
• Congressional Research Service Report on the 2005 BRAC Commission
• Congressional Research Service Overview of 2005 BRAC Process
• Government Accountability Office Report on Previous BRAC Rounds

Links

• BRAC Commission homepage
• Defense Department BRAC homepage
• Fort Monmouth