{"id":26678,"date":"2017-12-14T15:52:12","date_gmt":"2017-12-14T15:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/12\/14\/the-new-brac-strategy-capability-over-cost-savings\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:18:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:18:35","slug":"the-new-brac-strategy-capability-over-cost-savings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2017\/12\/14\/the-new-brac-strategy-capability-over-cost-savings\/","title":{"rendered":"The new BRAC strategy: capability over cost savings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 After years of arguing that a new round of base closures is needed to save the Pentagon money, the department has a new strategy \u2014but members of Congress are already expressing skepticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a November interview, Lucian Niemeyer, assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and environment, said lawmakers felt the messaging for a new round of the base realignment and closure process, or BRAC, from the department \u201cwasn\u2019t compelling enough\u201d and said his team has \u201cdone some re-messaging a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon estimates that a new BRAC could close about 22 percent excess capacity for an annual savings of $2 billion or more by 2027. But members of Congress have openly expressed skepticism about that figure, particularly in light of the 2005 BRAC process that saw significantly higher costs than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niemeyer, a longtime Capitol Hill staffer, noted he has a history with BRAC and understood how the Pentagon\u2019s dollar argument was a non-starter on the Hill. As a result, the department will now focus on the idea that a new BRAC furthers the Trump administration\u2019s new National Security Strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn authorization for the ability to realign and close bases gives that flexibility that we can then best align our forces and station our forces to maximize lethality,\u201d Niemeyer explained. \u201cThe goal here is to [increase] lethality stateside to go ahead and be able to deter our adversaries from acting around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe believe there are, ultimately, billions out there we could save annually, but just as compelling is the ability to make our forces more lethal by where they train, how they train, where they are co-located,\u201d Niemeyer said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about location, location, location.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t