Military Bases: DOD Has Processes to Comply with Statutory Requirements for Closing or Realigning Installations

Abstract : DoD may be required to meet specific statutory requirements before closing or realigning installations that are authorized to employ 300 or more DoD civilians. In light of these requirements, DoD has historically used the BRAC process for closing or realigning bases that are above statutory thresholds. However, in March 2012, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment) testified that because of fiscal and strategic imperatives, in the absence of an additional BRAC round, DoD may be forced to use its existing authorities to begin to realign and close bases. Subsequently, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 mandated GAO to review the processes that DoD uses to close and realign military installations outside of the BRAC process. This report describes the extent to which DoD has processes in place to implement installation closures and realignments within the United States, and the extent to which DoD has implemented closures and realignments outside of the BRAC process. To conduct its work, GAO examined DoD's approach to implementing basing actions and interviewed DoD officials to identify how their approach ensures compliance with 10 U.S.C. Section 2687. GAO is not making any recommendations in this report. In commenting on this report, DoD stated that the report, in general, explains the processes it follows to comply with requirements for closing or realigning installations outside of a congressionally authorized BRAC process.