Base Closures

GAO provided information on how the Department of Defense (DOD) could further improve its efforts to enhance the Cost of Base Realignment Action (COBRA) model used in the base closure cost-estimating process. GAO noted that DOD should give cost and savings criteria greater emphasis when it evaluates such industrial activities as maintenance depots. GAO also noted that DOD could improve COBRA by: (1) basing the model's standard factors on recent base closure experience; (2) computing all government costs that accrue as a result of base closures and realignments; (3) updating model documentation needs and ensuring that the model's programming and algorithms are independently verified; and (4) modifying the model so it can handle simultaneous realignment of multiple organizations. In addition, GAO believes that DOD should strengthen its oversight of the cost-estimating process to ensure that all of the services use the same approach in making their estimates.