Military Bases

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's decision to build new enlisted personnel housing at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. GAO noted that: (1) the Army justified its decision to build new enlisted personnel housing rather than renovate the Fort's basic training barracks; (2) the Fort's housing needs significantly increased due to the relocation of two schools from the soon-to-be closed Fort McClellan and the Army's decision not to relocate three basic training battalions from Fort Leonard Wood; (3) based on prior experience, the Army reasonably determined that building new housing was more cost-effective than renovating the old barracks, since construction and renovation costs were basically the same; (4) the cost-of-base-realignment-actions model and an Army economic analysis showed that greater cost savings would be realized by leaving the basic training battalions at Fort Leonard Wood; and (5) although the Army has tentatively planned about $41 million in modernization projects for the basic training barracks, these projects are not part of a formal budget request and have a low priority.