When a military base slowly shrinks over the course of years, the effects can be more troubling for the local community than a complete closure. Many military towns have seen a gradual loss of jobs as the Department of Defense moves to reduce infrastructure as an alternative to closing a base.
Tim Ford, the head of the Association of Defense Communities, recently told Federal News Radio that many people who publicly oppose a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) would admit privately that a planned closure is easier to deal with than a gradual shrink.
The BRAC process involves transparency leading up to a final decision. A community can make plans to repurpose the buildings in order to evolve the local economy. On the other hand, the local community can find itself facing silent job losses and large swaths of unused buildings if the DoD shuts down bits and pieces of the base.
Budget concerns, changing politics, and shifting military strategies all contribute to these changes. A revised BRAC process may be the key to ensuring the best long-term results for affected communities, but many difficult decisions remain.
We follow these affairs closely because our industrial tugs are used by military bases as GSA-approved materials handling equipment. In fact, industrial tugs can help make day-to-day operations more efficient for the military.
With that in mind, the good news is that many military bases are finding ways to streamline operations and reduce costs to avoid closure.
For more information about industrial tugs for military and DoD applications, as well as a wide range of products for businesses of all kinds, visit DJProducts.com.