Base Instincts - The Case for Military Base Closures

Budget Watchdog All Federal

In this episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal, host Steve Ellis sits down with TCS Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy to discuss their comprehensive new report, "Base Instincts: A Case for Base Realignment and Closures at Home and Abroad."

Nearly 20 years have passed since the last Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round in 2005, yet the Pentagon continues to operate with significant excess infrastructure capacity. Murphy reveals striking findings from recent Pentagon reports showing 19-22% excess capacity across military installations, while also uncovering troubling inconsistencies in how this excess is being reported and measured.

The conversation explores why BRAC - a unique congressional process that packages base closure recommendations into an up-or-down vote - has been such an effective tool for eliminating wasteful spending, saving taxpayers an estimated $13.8 billion annually from previous rounds. Murphy breaks down what went wrong with the costly 2005 round, including problematic "joint basing" initiatives and contractor-driven cost overruns that have made lawmakers hesitant to authorize new closures.

Challenging common assumptions about the economic impact of base closures, the hosts examine data showing that affected communities often see unemployment drop and income rise in the decade following closures, when proper redevelopment planning occurs. The episode also addresses the Pentagon's overseas footprint of 750 bases in 80 countries, costing $55 billion annually.

With deferred maintenance backlogs reaching $137 billion and ongoing fiscal pressures, Ellis and Murphy make the case that a new BRAC round could save an additional $2.7 billion per year while enhancing both fiscal responsibility and national security.