Military Base Closures and Affected Defense Department Civil Service Employees

Publication Date: March 2006

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Military and defense

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Abstract:

As a step in the 2005 round of the base realignment and closure (BRAC) process, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (commonly referred to as the BRAC Commission) recommended on September 8, 2005, that a number of domestic U.S. military installations be closed or realigned. Overall, the BRAC Commission estimated that the recommended closures or realignments would result in a net decrease of 15,874 federal civilian jobs at the Department of Defense (DOD). On September 15, 2005, the President approved the commission's recommendations and transmitted them to Congress. Congress rejected H.J.Res. 65 (a resolution of disapproval of the BRAC Commission recommendations) on October 27, 2005. The BRAC Commission recommendations took effect on November 9, 2005, and are required to be implemented by 2011.

As BRAC-related closures and realignments are implemented, there will likely be several implications and options for affected DOD civil service employees relating to reductions in force (RIFs) and several types of transition assistance. In addition, DOD's National Security Personnel System (NSPS) and labor-management relations could have implications in some respects for how DOD employees are affected by the BRAC process.

This report will be updated if major changes occur in the BRAC process regarding DOD civil service employees. Implementation of NSPS is discussed in CRS Report RL31954, DOD's National Security Personnel System: Statute, Regulations, and Implementation Plans, coordinated by Barbara Schwemle.