Two 2005 BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) commissioners
and the director of the Mark Center spoke to local leaders Wednesday about the
possibility of a future BRAC and what the area should do to prepare.
According to Gen. Bob McMahon (ret.), the president of the
21st Century Partnership, the President has called for another BRAC in 2015.
The panel informed the local leaders of what they should do
to prepare for that potential.
Andrea Morris, the director of the Mark Center, said, “Look
beyond to find out who you are and what you want to be,” when she gave her
closing comments Wednesday at the Middle Georgia Technical College auditorium.
Commissioner Philip Coyle, Gen. James Hill and Morris
reviewed the previous processes and warned that instillations need to prepare
well in advance in order to avoid being on the list.
“Waiting for the BRAC list to come out is far, far, far too
late,” said Morris.
Hill stated that with the Air Force having three similar
instillations – Hill AFB, Tinker AFB and Robins AFB – “The Air Force will put
at least one of them on the block.”
Coyle told the audience that if the BRAC happens in 2015 –
it still needs to be approved by Congress – then the “emphasis will be on cost
savings, cost savings, cost savings.” She added the last BRAC was about
consolidation.
McMahon told the audience, “We have the ability to make the
difference … I am confident we can continue the tradition of Robins being a
receiver in the next round of BRAC.”
HHJ News
