Military Bases

The Army is consolidating or converting more than 40 laboratory functions into several streamlined organizations. Specifically, the consolidations reviewed by the 1991 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission included the Combat Materiel Research Laboratory Medical Research and Development Command, along with the Corps of Engineers Library. Only the Army Research Laboratory consolidation requires military construction, and the cost estimate for it has increased slightly since it was submitted to the Commission in April 1991. The number of civilian positions to be cut as a result of the three consolidations remains essentially the same as that submitted in 1991.

GAO found that: (1) the Army has planned to consolidate over 40 laboratory functions into several streamlined organizations; (2) the Army Research Laboratory is the only facility that requires military construction at an estimated cost of $234 million; (3) most of the Army's estimated cost savings have resulted from the elimination of civilian personnel positions; and (4) the Army's estimate of the number of civilian positions eliminated as a result of facility consolidation has remained the same since 1991.