MGRDC Studies

The Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) closure and realignment recommendations were delivered to the BRAC Commission by Secretary Rumsfeld on May 13, 2005.  This report comprised of approximately 190 separate recommendations that would produce as many as 837 distinct actions also involved an additional 160 installations that would gain mission or resources due to the proposed closures and realignments.  All told, these 2005 BRAC recommendations exceeded the number considered by all prior BRAC Commissions combined.  In addition to the unprecedented number, many DoD recommendations were extremely complex, proposing intertwining movements between and among numerous installations. 

Of the 190 DoD recommendations, the Commission approved 119 with no change and accepted another 45 with amendments; over 86% of those proposed by the DoD.  The commission rejected 13 DoD recommendations and significantly modified another 13.  The Commission forwarded a total of 182 closure or realignment recommendations, including 177 of the 190 recommendations from the eight installations it considered on its own initiative.  Of DoD’s recommended 33 “major” closures, the Commission approved 21, recommended realignment for seven, and rejected five.  In addition, the Commission recommended closure, rather than realignment, for Naval Air Station Brunswick, for a total of 22 major closures.  Of DoD’s 29 recommended “major” realignments, the Commission approved 25, closed rather than realigned one (Naval Air Station Brunswick) and rejected three.  In addition, it added one major realignment, for a total of 33 major realignments, including realignment of the seven installations proposed for closure by DoD. 

Over the next 20 years, the total savings of the Commission’s recommendations are estimated at $35.6 billion.