Defense budget cuts announced last month will essentially bring our military back to the military size of the pre-9/11 timeframe. It marks a dramatic shift in military mindset and capability and will bring about a massive overhaul of defense department personnel.
In addition to cuts of personnel and programs, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta stated they may have to look at another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). The reference to BRAC was made in the Pentagon’s blueprint for cutting $487 billion from the defense budget. As those familiar with the process know, BRAC can be a very painful act of selecting bases and then closing them.
The 2005 BRAC deadline was just reached in September of last year and many communities, including the Washington, D.C. area, are still dealing with the aftermath of new traffic patterns, new facilities, and closed office spaces.
I have witnessed the results of BRAC first-hand, most recently when I worked as a contractor at Fort Monmouth, NJ. The commanding general of the Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) once stated that it would take 15 years to see a savings from closing Ft. Monmouth, if then. The real cost is often intellectual capital – the scientists and engineers who leave government service.
Fort Monmouth was largely occupied by Department of the Army civilians, many of them cemented into their local communities. New Jersey was their home and many refused to leave. Some went to other government agencies like the VA or Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. However a number simply retired well before they planned to. Many chose to accept a severance and then took contracting positions to do similar work, rather than leaving their community to stay in an Army position.
BRAC looks good on paper, figuring in the true costs – to include the loss of historical knowledge, the impact on the local community, and the construction costs of building new facilities, the benefits begin to look a little less enticing.
Legislators have been quick to jump on the White House proposal, and adamant opposition has been heard from both democrats and republicans, who vow they won’t allow another round of BRAC any time soon.
For those that work in the defense industry, the best thing to do is stay flexible and pay attention to both national and local news. Keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to what is going and being said. The military more than likely will continue to need you, your skills and your clearance. The question is do they need you where you live or somewhere else.
