Reaction of Members of the BRAC Commission to Testimony by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard B. Myers
On May 16, 2005, the Commission on Base Realignment and Closure heard testimony from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard B. Myers. After the hearing, members of the commission met with the media and answered questions on a number of important issues.
Changing the Pentagon’s Recommendations: Commission Chairman Anthony Principi cited Secretary Rumsfeld’s comments on the linkage that exists between one proposed change in the military’s basing infrastructure and others. Said Mr. Principi, “I think it will be more difficult [to make changes]. I wouldn’t say that it ties our hands, but certainly as we look at making changes to the secretary’s recommendations, we just need to be mindful that it’s a daisy chain and if we touch one part of it, it could have an impact on other parts, and that indeed makes our work more complex and more difficult. But I don’t see it as stopping us in any way.”
Former U.S. Rep. James H. Bilbray indicated that the issue was less one of interconnectivity, and more a matter of the sheer number of bases. “When they give you so many things to look at — no other BRAC Commission has ever had to look at as much as this BRAC, and that’s what makes it difficult,” said Rep. Bilbray
The Commission’s Review Process – Mr. Principi indicated that one or more of the commissioners would visit any bases that experience a “major impact,” and that the commission will hold “roughly” 16 regional hearings.
The Impact of Guard and Reserve Base Changes on Recruiting and Retention – Commission member Gen. Lloyd W. Newton (USAF, Ret.) repeated the comments made by Gen. Myers, who indicated that potential job losses might be less severe than expected, due to the possible relocation of new missions to the facilities. Commission member Gen. James T. Hill (USA, Ret.), cited the dedication of the members of the reserve and National Guard as the main motivation for military service. “And I don’t know that we’re going to see that change,” he said, adding, though, that, “a lot depends on how everything comes out.”
Accuracy of Potential Savings Estimates – Commission member Philip Coyle noted that previous commissions had eliminated bases from the Pentagon’s proposed closure list because they felt the cost savings weren’t sufficient to justify shutting the base. Indicating that this was an area where the commission were seeking input from local communities, Mr. Coyle said, “one of the things that we will want to hear from communities where we visit is: ‘Do you think the Department of Defense got the costs right here? Does this seem about right to you?’”
The Role of Politics in the Pentagon’s Selection Process – None of the Commission members expressed the belief that politics had played a role in the process, and several, including Mr. Principi and Samuel Skinner, specifically stated they had seen no indication of such. Mr. Principi said, “I have not evidenced any politics playing a role in these recommendations.”
Mr. Skinner echoed Secretary Rumsfeld’s comments that the Pentagon was at least entitled to the benefit of the doubt. “Secretary Rumsfeld pointed out today a lot of work has gone into this by a lot of people, both uniformed and civilian, and they’re entitled to a presumption of regularity [in the process].”
For additional information or comments, contact Christopher Hellman at (202) 546-0795, Ext. 197