BRAC panel member warns not to rush

WASHINGTON — A member of the nation’s base-closing commission suggested Wednesday that the military wants to close some bases that could be needed later.

“We shouldn’t rush into closing down facilities that we may need in the future,” former congressman James Bilbray said as the Base Realignment and Closure Commission continued an opening round of hearings into the Pentagon’s plan to close nearly 180 military installations, including 33 major facilities.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld submitted the recommendations to the commission last week. The commission is using that plan as a starting point in preparing a base-restructuring package to submit to President Bush by Sept. 8.

Commission members are holding four days of hearings, concluding Thursday, as they begin a four-month review that will include at least 15 regional hearings and visits to affected bases.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Bilbray said the closure of several installations in previous base overhauls may have been unwise and suggested that the military may be on the verge of repeating the mistake.

The former Nevada lawmaker said he was particularly concerned about the proposed closure of Forts Gillem and McPherson in Georgia, asking top Army officials, “What is the logic of closing those?”

In an interview afterward, Bilbray said he’s also worried about the proposed closure of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, suggesting that those installations could be needed for aircraft returning to the United States from overseas military bases that are being closed or downsized.

South Dakota Sens. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, have proposed delaying the base-closing process in an attempt to save Ellsworth.

Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins said Wednesday that they support a delay, saying it makes no sense to close military installations during a war. The two Republicans want to save Maine’s Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey and Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army’s chief of staff, defended the closure of 15 Army installations and a far-reaching consolidation of reserve and National Guard units. Schoomaker said the moves are part of “once in a generation” restructuring to transform the wartime Army into a leaner, more agile force to confront post-Sept. 11 challenges.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Craig E. College, explaining the rationale for closing Gillem and McPherson, described the two Atlanta-area bases as relatively small “single-function” facilities with limited room to expand and absorb new missions.

Army officials also defended the proposed closure of the Red River Army Depot.

Commissioner Sue Turner, a retired Air Force general, pointed out that workers at the east Texas facility are contributing to the Iraq war effort by rebuilding damaged Humvees and Bradley armored vehicles.

“Why would you choose now to close Red River?” she asked.

Harvey said analysts concluded that the Army no longer needs five repair depots and could increase efficiency and productivity by closing Red River, located near Texarkana. The Army also wants to shut down the nearby Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant.

Although the commission is still in the preliminary stage of its work, members’ questions have suggested several potentially thorny issues. Commission Chairman Anthony Principi, resurrecting a theme that surfaced on the first day of hearings Monday, questioned the Army’s plans to close 176 Army Reserve installations and 211 Army National Guard centers.

The following is a schedule for the upcoming round of military base closings:

• July 1: Deadline for the Government Accountability Office to complete a review of the Defense secretary's list to ensure accordance with prescribed guidelines.

• Sept. 8: Deadline for BRAC commission to send its list to President Bush.

• Sept. 23: Deadline for Bush to either approve or

disapprove of list.

• Oct. 20: Deadline for list to be revised by the BRAC commission if Bush disapproves of it.

• Nov. 7: Deadline for Bush to certify the BRAC

commission list and submit it to Congress, which has 45 days to pass motion of disapproval or the commission's list becomes law.

• April 15, 2006: Termination of the BRAC commission's authority.

Source: Department of Defense