Military Bases

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Commission on Base Realignment and Closure's recommendations to the Army to realign its activities at two commands, focusing on whether: (1) there were any military benefits from the realignment; (2) there were any cost savings resulting from the realignment; and (3) the Commission assessed the economic impact of the realignment in one area.

GAO found that: (1) several military benefits could result from the realignment, including improved communications, reduced overhead costs and travel requirements, and more efficient use of facilities and equipment; (2) the estimated annual savings from the realignment will be $8.1 million, with recovery of the realignment costs ranging from 43 to over 200 years; (3) the Commission did not perform a detailed examination of the realignment's economic impact in one area, but determined that the impact on local employment would be minimal; (4) in one area, the realignment would result in the military population increasing from about 7,000 to 8,000 and the civilian population decreasing from about 3,800 to 3,100; (5) in one area, Army student personnel would increase from 1,600 to 2,500 persons; and (6) delaying the realignment until 1995 would increase the cost recovery period by about 9 years.