Closing of Military Bases (BRAC)

Closing of Military Bases (BRAC)
Name	Base Realignment and Closure
Caption	Map of military installations affected by BRAC rounds
Established	1988
Jurisdiction	United States Department of Defense

Closing of Military Bases (BRAC)

The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process is a statutory mechanism for the United States Department of Defense to reorganize United States Armed Forces installations, consolidate United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force and United States Marine Corps facilities, and dispose of surplus property. BRAC proceedings intersect with statutes such as the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 and involve actors including the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and independent Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission members.

Overview and Legal Framework

BRAC operates under federal law including the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 and guidance from the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration, with oversight mechanisms linked to the United States Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and the United States Supreme Court in case of litigation. The process requires coordination among agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration for airfields, the Environmental Protection Agency for contamination, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development when addressing community needs. Legal instruments and precedents involving the National Environmental Policy Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and decisions referencing the United States Court of Appeals shape procedural and remedial obligations.

History and Rounds of BRAC

BRAC evolved from ad hoc closures after World War II and the Vietnam War into formalized rounds beginning with the 1988 commission created during the Reagan Administration; subsequent rounds occurred in 1991, 1993, 1995, and 2005 under presidents including George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Notable closures affected installations like Fort Ord, NAS Alameda, Brookley Air Force Base, Charleston Naval Shipyard, and Rocky Mountain Arsenal, with impacts tied to post-Cold War drawdowns, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission reports, and shifts after the Soviet Union dissolution. Each round generated implementation plans coordinated with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and local redevelopment authorities inspired by precedents such as the Defense Conversion initiatives of the 1990s.

Decision-Making Process and Criteria

The BRAC commission applies criteria established in statute, evaluating factors such as military value, cost savings, mission effectiveness, environmental liabilities, and capacity for consolidation, referencing analytic tools used by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Congressional Budget Office assessments, and modeling from the RAND Corporation. Commissioners consider impacts on readiness for operations like those of the United States Central Command and the United States European Command, and weigh community factors involving entities like state governors and local base redevelopment authorities. The closed process has involved classified assessments, public hearings before the commission, and final recommendations transmitted to the President of the United States and returned to the United States Congress for approval or disapproval under the statutory timeline.

Economic and Community Impacts

BRAC decisions have produced pronounced effects on localities such as San Francisco, Mobile, Alabama, San Diego, Tucson, and Charleston, South Carolina, influencing employment trends analyzed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, regional planning by metropolitan planning organizations, and redevelopment led by local redevelopment authorities and economic development corporations. Economic analyses conducted by institutions like the Congressional Research Service, the Brookings Institution, and Economic Development Administration offices examine job displacement, tax base erosion, and opportunities for civilian reuse including technology parks, industrial campuses, and education partnerships with universities such as University of California, Davis or Auburn University. Community responses have involved litigation in federal courts, advocacy by veterans’ groups like the American Legion, and coordination with agencies including the Small Business Administration for contracting transitions.

Environmental and Property Remediation

Environmental remediation at closed sites invokes statutes such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, with cleanup overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency in coordination with the Department of Defense and the Army Corps of Engineers. High-profile remediation projects at sites like Naval Station Newport, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, and Hunter Army Airfield confronted contamination from hazardous waste, unexploded ordnance, and petroleum products, requiring technical input from the Environmental Protection Agency, academic laboratories, and private contractors. Transfer of property for reuse often proceeds under the Base Closure Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act and involves conveyance mechanisms to Local Redevelopment Authorities and entities such as state governments, tribal nations, and nonprofit organizations.

Implementation, Realignment, and Reuse

Implementation phases translate BRAC recommendations into action via timelines managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, service secretariats like the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army, and installation commanders coordinating with General Services Administration for property disposal. Realignment converts capacities at installations—examples include conversion of Naval Air Station Alameda into mixed-use developments, redevelopment of Fort Ord into academic and residential uses anchored by institutions like California State University, Monterey Bay, and conversion of shipyard facilities to commercial maritime uses. Redevelopment partners frequently include state economic development agencies, municipal governments, and private developers, and projects often leverage federal programs administered by the Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce.

Criticism, Controversies, and Political Debate

BRAC has been subject to critique from members of the United States Congress, state governors, and municipal leaders over perceived politicization, regional favoritism, and inaccuracies in cost-benefit analyses presented by entities such as the Government Accountability Office and think tanks like the Cato Institute. Controversies have arisen regarding alleged lobbying by defense contractors including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, legal challenges in the United States Court of Appeals, and debates over national security priorities involving the National Security Council. Proposals to alter or suspend BRAC have been advanced in congressional hearings and by presidents, with recurring disputes over the balance between fiscal savings, force posture, and impacts on communities represented in state delegations and local elected officials.

Category:United States military installations