Key Issues > Realigning and Closing Military Bases
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Realigning and Closing Military Bases
Reducing unneeded infrastructure has historically been difficult for the Department of Defense (DOD) due to its extensive portfolio of facilities, public concern about the economic effects of closing military bases on communities, the perceived lack of impartiality of its process for making decisions on realignments and closures, and legal requirements.
- DOD has faced long term challenges in maintaining its extensive portfolio of facilities and reducing unneeded infrastructure. The statutory purpose of base realignments and closures (BRAC) is to provide a fair process that will result in the timely closure and realignment of military installations inside the United States. Over the past 25 years, DOD has relied on five rounds of BRAC to reduce and reshape its domestic base structure.
- The most recent BRAC round, which DOD implemented between 2005 and late 2011, was the fifth such round undertaken by DOD since 1988 and was the biggest, most complex, and costliest BRAC round ever. During the BRAC 2005 round, DOD implemented hundreds of BRAC actions that affected more than 800 defense locations in the United States.
- Senior DOD officials have stated that DOD continues to have excess infrastructure and that additional BRAC rounds may be needed to make further reductions and achieve cost savings. In the event that DOD undertakes future rounds, the BRAC process will help DOD to better match its infrastructure to its force structure in supporting military missions and readiness.
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Military Bases
Military Base Realignments and Closures
Military Base Realignments and Closures
Excess Facilities
DOD Needs More Complete Information and a Strategy to Guide Its Future Disposal Efforts
GAO-11-814, Sep 19, 2011
GAO-11-814, Sep 19, 2011
Military Bases
Analysis of DOD's 2005 Selection Process and Recommendations for Base Closures and Realignments
GAO-05-785, Jul 1, 2005
GAO-05-785, Jul 1, 2005
More Reports
Defense Infrastructure
Communities Need Additional Guidance and Information to Improve Their Ability to Adjust to DOD Installation Closure or Growth
GAO-13-436, May 14, 2013
GAO-13-436, May 14, 2013
Defense Infrastructure
Improved Guidance Needed for Estimating Alternatively Financed Project Liabilities
GAO-13-337, Apr 18, 2013
GAO-13-337, Apr 18, 2013
Afghanistan Drawdown Preparations
DOD Decision Makers Need Additional Analyses to Determine Costs and Benefits of Returning Excess Equipment
GAO-13-185R, Dec 19, 2012
GAO-13-185R, Dec 19, 2012
Export Controls
Compliance and Enforcement Activities and Congressional Notification Requirements under Country-Based License Exemptions
GAO-13-119R, Nov 16, 2012
GAO-13-119R, Nov 16, 2012
DOD Joint Bases
Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
DOD Is Addressing Knowledge Gaps in Its New Acquisition Strategy [Reissued on August 13, 2012]
GAO-12-822, Jul 26, 2012
GAO-12-822, Jul 26, 2012
Combating Nuclear Smuggling
DHS has Developed Plans for Its Global Nuclear Detection Architecture, but Challenges Remain in Deploying Equipment
GAO-12-941T, Jul 26, 2012
GAO-12-941T, Jul 26, 2012
Military Base Realignments and Closures
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Technology Center Construction Project
GAO-12-770R, Jun 29, 2012
GAO-12-770R, Jun 29, 2012
Defense Health Care
Applying Key Management Practices Should Help Achieve Efficiencies within the Military Health System
GAO-12-224, Apr 12, 2012
More...GAO-12-224, Apr 12, 2012
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