The four commissions (activated in 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1995) generated 499recommendations for closing and realigning bases. Four base closure and realignment (BRAC) commissions, on the basis of their individual reports,recommended a total of 534 actions to close, realign, or otherwise affect specific bases, facilities,and activities. Most recently, in December 1998, the General AccountingOffice (GAO) reported that the four BRAC commissions generated 499 recommendations, but thatin its final tally "only 451 of these ultimately required action, primarily because 48 were changed insome manner by recommendations of a later commission." (7)
The closing of all 451 BRAC installations (major, minor, and "other") from the four rounds isexpected to be completed by the end of FY2001, as originally scheduled. The disposing of alltheclosed property, however, is expected to take many more years. In its recommendations to the 1995 Base Closure Commission, the Department of Defense estimated that adding the 1995 closures (recommended by DOD) to the previous ones would reducethe domestic base structure by approximately 21%. It has stressed that base structure reductions lag significantly behind thereductions in the defense budget and in the force structure (military units and personnel). 3197) that sought two additional rounds of base closures and realignments beginning in 2003 and2005. Costs and Savings

Two important aspects of analyzing costs and savings are associated with BRAC closings. At the request of Congress, the Department of Defense submitted a report in April 1998 on the status of baserealignments and closures. With this caveat, the DOD report proceeded to estimate net total savings from the four BRAC rounds of about $14 billion through 2001 (see Table 1). It projected that annual savings, thereafter,would be in the vicinity of $5.6 to $5.7 billion. a. General Accounting Office. Second, regardless of substantial initial costs, much greatersavings will be achieved in the long run as a result of the four rounds of military base closures. According to DOD's estimates, two new rounds, each roughly the size of the lasttwo rounds initiated in 1993 and 1995, would generate annual savings of about $3 billion after theyare implemented. The long-standing argument of many Members of Congress against anynew rounds as long as the Clinton Administration remained in place (because of perceived abuse inthe handling of McClellan and Kelly air force bases) has now become largely moot. A majorimpediment to further closures and realignments, thus, appears to have been removed.
Approximately 13 years ago, in December 1988, the first military base closure commission recommended the closing and realignment of 145 U.S. domestic bases and facilities. This action wasthe consequence of the Department of Defense's broad reevaluation of its mission in conjunctionwith the weakening and ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union. There was little need, according tothe Pentagon, to continue to retain the vast Cold War-era infrastructure. Funds saved from closingdown underutilized bases, DOD further noted, could be used to enhance development of newweapons and improved readiness.
The 1988 round of infrastructure reductions was followed by three additional rounds in 1991, 1993, and 1995. Since then, no further rounds of base closures and realignments have beenauthorized by Congress, despite repeated requests from the Department of Defense in recent yearsfor two additional rounds. The reasons for congressional resistance are two-fold. First, there isconcern over a likely backlash from constituents living in or near military installations. Second,many Members of Congress remain wary about a repetition of the perceived political intrusion bythe Clinton Administration that occurred in regard to the 1995 recommendations to close Kelly andMcClellan air force bases.
The four base closure and realignment (BRAC) commissions recommended, individually, a total of 534 actions to close, realign, or otherwise affect specific bases, facilities, and activities. InDecember 1998, the General Accounting Office reported that the four BRAC commissions generated499 recommendations, but that in its final tally "only 451 of these ultimately required action,primarily because 48 were changed in some manner by recommendations of a later commission."
The closing of all 451 BRAC installations (major, minor and "other") from the four rounds is expected to be completed by the end of FY2001, as originally scheduled. The disposing of all theclosed property, however is expected to take many more years. The Pentagon's current estimate ofthe percentage reduction in base structure as a result of the first four rounds is 21%. This figure isused as support for additional infrastructure reductions, since other key indicators, such as thedefense budget and the force structure (personnel and units) have declined 40% and 36%,respectively.
In terms of costs and savings associated with the first four rounds of closures and realignments, a DOD report (April 1998) estimated a net total savings of about $14 billion through FY2001. Itprojected that net annual savings, thereafter, would be in the vicinity of $5.6 to $5.7 billion. As forthe two new rounds currently being sought, the Pentagon has estimated an annual savings of about$3 billion after they are implemented.