Military Base Closures: Time for Another Round?
Abstract
On May 19, 1997, Secretary of Defense William Cohen released a long awaited report, the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). In the report, a major review of military strategy and capabilities, he called for two additional rounds of military base closures, one in 1999 and the second in 2001. He explained that, in spite of four previous rounds of closing bases (1988, 1991, 1993, and 1995), the downsizing of DOD's infrastructure had fallen behind the downsizing of its force structure [units and personnel]. He pointed out that: Since the first base closure round, force structure has come down by 33% and will have declined by a total of 36% when we finish the reductions under the QDR. During the same period, we will have reduced domestic infrastructure by 21%.... We must shed more weight. He further explained that closing more bases was dictated not only by the desire to achieve a proper balance between infrastructure and force structure, but also by the need to secure significant savings that would allow DOD to fund adequately future readiness and weapons acquisition programs. He stated that without the savings from new rounds of closing, DOD would be hard-pressed to fulfill its missions and responsibilities in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 02, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA540203
Entities
People
- David E. Lockwood
Organizations
- Library of Congress