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U.S. bases already jockeying to stay off 2005 base closure list
By Tara Copp
Scripps Howard News Service
February 14, 2004

WASHINGTON - The United States military is considering bringing a significant number of overseas-based soldiers back to the U.S., an action which could have an impact on how many bases remain open domestically, Pentagon leaders said this week.

"Our current posture reflects the Cold War strategy," said Raymond DuBois, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment. "We anticipate realigning or closing some large, permanent bases in favor of small and scalable installations better suited for deployments."

The Pentagon's plan to scale down its presence in Korea and Europe is due in the next 90 days so that it can be used in conjunction with the base closure process, DuBois said.

"We are in negotiations with foreign governments," DuBois said Thursday, at the first House subcommittee hearing on the base closure process. "The Secretary (Donald Rumsfeld) will make recommendations on (how many) troops will return to the U.S. from Korea and Europe ... The timeline would be over the next five to six years, but if you're going to return an Army Division from Germany, you need to know that before spring's out, so that the Army can calculate that (in its basing needs in the U.S.)," DuBois said.

Scaling down bases overseas has created two opportunities: Countries abroad looking to get a part of the U.S. defense spending are reaching out to the Pentagon, and U.S. bases trying to survive the 2005 base closure round are beginning to tout open housing space as an asset.

Romania's Minister of Defense Ioan Mircea Pascu said he's talked to several members of Congress and the Pentagon about creating alternative, smaller bases there. In 2003, Romania's Constanta Base was used by U.S. troops to deploy into Iraq. The country is working to join NATO this year.

"We're discussing technical aspects right now, only after then will we know what locations would be used and what the requirements of those locations would be," Pascu said in a telephone interview from Romania.

Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., has had two bases in his state close - Wurtsmith AFB in 1991, and KI Sawyer AFB in 1993. On Thursday, when the Pentagon officials and members of Knollenberg's House sub-committee gathered to hold the first hearing in 2004 on BRAC, he used the opportunity to warn against closing bases that U.S. troops overseas might need to return home to.

"How can you close a base in the U.S. when you are going to have the need to accommodate people coming back from locations around the world?" Knollenberg asked.

Both Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn have lobbied the Pentagon to first consider closing overseas bases before they would consider shuttering domestic bases.


	U.S. bases already jockeying to stay off 2005 base closure list By Tara Copp Scripps Howard News Service February 14, 2004 WASHINGTON - The United States military is considering bringing a significant number of overseas-based soldiers back to the U.S., an action which could have an impact on how many bases remain open domestically, Pentagon leaders said this week. "Our current posture reflects the Cold War strategy," said Raymond DuBois, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment. "We anticipate realigning or closing some large, permanent bases in favor of small and scalable installations better suited for deployments." The Pentagon's plan to scale down its presence in Korea and Europe is due in the next 90 days so that it can be used in conjunction with the base closure process, DuBois said. "We are in negotiations with foreign governments," DuBois said Thursday, at the first House subcommittee hearing on the base closure process. "The Secretary (Donald Rumsfeld) will make recommendations on (how many) troops will return to the U.S. from Korea and Europe ... The timeline would be over the next five to six years, but if you're going to return an Army Division from Germany, you need to know that before spring's out, so that the Army can calculate that (in its basing needs in the U.S.)," DuBois said. Scaling down bases overseas has created two opportunities: Countries abroad looking to get a part of the U.S. defense spending are reaching out to the Pentagon, and U.S. bases trying to survive the 2005 base closure round are beginning to tout open housing space as an asset. Romania's Minister of Defense Ioan Mircea Pascu said he's talked to several members of Congress and the Pentagon about creating alternative, smaller bases there. In 2003, Romania's Constanta Base was used by U.S. troops to deploy into Iraq. The country is working to join NATO this year. "We're discussing technical aspects right now, only after then will we know what locations would be used and what the requirements of those locations would be," Pascu said in a telephone interview from Romania. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., has had two bases in his state close - Wurtsmith AFB in 1991, and KI Sawyer AFB in 1993. On Thursday, when the Pentagon officials and members of Knollenberg's House sub-committee gathered to hold the first hearing in 2004 on BRAC, he used the opportunity to warn against closing bases that U.S. troops overseas might need to return home to. "How can you close a base in the U.S. when you are going to have the need to accommodate people coming back from locations around the world?" Knollenberg asked. Both Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn have lobbied the Pentagon to first consider closing overseas bases before they would consider shuttering domestic bases.
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