Talk about BRAC held at MGTC

jclark@sunmulti.com

 

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.”

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