Taking Stock of the Army's Base Realignment and Closure Selection Process

by Hix, William M.

• ISBN13: 9780833029928
• ISBN10: 0833029924
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

The Army has been doing its part to help downsize the defense establishment, closing 23 major installations in the four rounds of base closures and realignments, closing many more minor intallations, and realigning others. Many believe that excess installation capacity remains, so more rounds are sure to come. The Army's process for selecting installations has received the most praise among those of the military departments, but it can be improved.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii
Figures	ix
Tables	xi
Summary	xiii
Acknowledgments	xxi
Abbreviations	xxiii
Introduction	1	(4)
Background	1	(1)
The Roles of the Military Departments in the Last Four BRAC Rounds	2	(1)
Improved Methodology Recommended	3	(1)
Organization of this Report	3	(2)
Ten Desirable Properties for a BRAC Selection Process	5	(6)
Can Be Audited and Reproduced	6	(1)
Maximizes Objectivity and Internal Consistency	6	(1)
Uses Separate and Independent Assessment Criteria	6	(1)
Considers Externalities	6	(1)
Provides a Complete Option Set	7	(1)
Considers Both Current and Future Installation Needs, Given a National Security Strategy and Force Structure	7	(1)
Hedges Against the Most Important Uncertainties in Future Stationing Needs	8	(1)
Leads to Efficient Use of Assets	8	(1)
Leads to Reduced Long-Term Costs	8	(1)
Leads to Improved Operations	9	(2)
How the Army Has Approached Recent Bracs	11	(48)
The BRAC Process	11	(2)
On the Constitution of the Commission	11	(1)
Requirements of the Secretary of Defense	12	(1)
Actions Subsequent to Defense Recommendations	12	(1)
The Army's Role in the Process	13	(3)
Development of the Army's Process	14	(1)
DoD Selection Criteria	14	(2)
The Army Process	16	(2)
Installation Assessment	18	(15)
Ranking Maneuver Installations	19	(10)
Ranking Classes of Installations Other Than Maneuver	29	(3)
Critical Evaluation of the Installation Assessment Step	32	(1)
Army Stationing Strategy, Military Value Assessment, and Recommendations	33	(22)
Maneuver Installations	37	(4)
Major Training Areas	41	(1)
Command-and-Control and Administrative Support Installations	42	(3)
Training Schools	45	(2)
Professional Schools	47	(1)
Ammunition Production	48	(1)
Ammunition Storage	48	(1)
Commodity Installations	49	(1)
Ports	50	(2)
Depots	52	(1)
Proving Grounds	52	(1)
Medical Centers	53	(2)
Industrial Facilities	55	(1)
Recommendations on Other Categories of Installations	55	(1)
Summary of the Outcome of BRAC 1995	55	(4)
A Critical Assessment of the Army's Process	59	(16)
Summary Assessment	59	(1)
Auditability and Reproducibility	60	(1)
Objectivity and Internal Consistency	61	(1)
Separation and Independence of Criteria	62	(1)
Consideration of Externalities	62	(1)
Completeness of Option Set	62	(2)
Consideration of Current and Future Requirements	64	(1)
Consideration of Hedges	64	(1)
Efficient Use of Assets	65	(1)
Reduce Long-Term Costs	65	(6)
Improve Operations	71	(1)
Summary	71	(4)
A Proposed Process	75	(8)
Steps in the Proposed Process	76	(4)
Asset Inventory	76	(1)
Estimate of Future Requirements	77	(1)
Develop Alternative Allocations of Requirements to Assets	78	(1)
Estimate Cost of Alternatives	79	(1)
Apply Constraints	80	(1)
Assessing the Proposed Process	80	(3)
Bibliography	83