Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is the process that the Department of Defense (DoD) uses to reorganize its installation infrastructure to more efficiently and effectively support its forces, increase operational readiness, and facilitate new ways of doing business. Each round of BRAC results in the closure and/or realignment of selected military bases around the country. This is an important issue to governors because military installations are often critical to state economies generating thousand of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity and tax revenue.

Military Installation Development
The BRAC process presents communities the opportunity to redevelop surplus property at closed or realigned military installations. However, preparing an installation for civilian use can be very costly because many communities will need to make infrastructure improvements and formulate an economic stimulus package that attracts or retains businesses in or around the installation. To achieve a successful redevelopment plan-at both the planning and implementation stages-securing financial assistance and creating diversified financing mechanisms is essential.

• NGA Fact Sheet on Financing Military Installation Development

BRAC Commission Final Report to the President:

• BRAC Report 1 (Includes all of Volume 1 and Part of Volume 2)
• BRAC Report 2 (Includes the rest of Volume 2)

DoD List of Bases Recommended for Realignment and Closure
Summary of DoD BRAC List by State

DoD Report, Volume I:

• BRAC Report, Vol I, Part 1: Results and Process (14MB)
• BRAC Report, Vol I, Part 2: Detailed Recommendations (1.8MB)

Service Reports:

• Army (2.3 MB)
• Navy/Marine Corps (1.1 MB)
• Air Force (5 MB)

Joint Cross Service Group Reports:

• Education and Training (3.3 MB)
• Headquarters and Support Activities (1.6 MB)
• Industrial (2.3MB)
• Intelligence (253 KB)
• Medical (1.8 MB)
• Supply and Storage (409 KB)

National Guard
The BRAC Commission's Office of General Counsel has released a memo indicating the Commission should remove much of the language from DoD's BRAC recommendations that deal with the closure, realignment, transfer, retirement, and organization of the Air National Guard.

• BRAC Commission: Discussion of Legal and Policy Considerations

General Counsel Memo
In May 2005, the BRAC Commission sent a letter to Attorney General Gonzales inquiring as to the "legal authorityof the Secretary of Defense to effect changes to National Guard and Air National Guard units and installations."Similar correspondence was sent to the Department of Defense (DoD). DoD responded on July 5, 2005.

• Letter from BRAC Chairman Principi to Attorney General Gonzales
• DoD's response

National Guard BRAC Commission Hearing in Atlana, GA (June 30, 2005)

• Tuxill Testimony
• Vavala Testimony
• Rainville Testimony
• Tackett Testimony
• Lempke Testimony
• Haugen Testimony

Other Resources:

• BRAC Commission Web Site
• BRAC Commission Process Summary
• DoD BRAC Web Site
  
  
• NGA Fact Sheet on BRAC
• NGA Fact Sheet on Redevelopment of Former Military Installations

Background Materials:

• May 2005 DoD Update on BRAC Process
• BRAC Act as Amended by FY 05 Authorization Act
• DoD BRAC Timeline
• The BRAC Commission
• DoD Facts and Figures: The Impacts and Benefits of Past BRAC Rounds
• BRAC Final Selection Criteria
  Criteria DoD uses to determine which military installations to close or realign. Priority consideration is given to military value.
• DoD Memo on Military Value
• DoD Unclassified Force Structure Report (March 2005)
  Report is based on the probable threats to national security for a 20-year period from 2005 to 2024.
• Overseas Basing Commission Report (May 2005)
  Report evaluating the timing and synchronization of DoD's global rebasing initiatives.
• GAO Report: Military Base Closures—Observations on Prior and Current BRAC Rounds (May 2005)
• GAO Report: Assessment of DoD's Report on the Need for a BRAC Round (May 2004)