Jumper: BRAC decisions needed to continue transformation

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  • By 1st Lt Tim Dougherty
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  The Air Force chief of staff told the Base Realignment and Closure Commission on Aug. 20 that while many of the decisions related to base closure are “gut wrenching,” the changes are needed to allow the Air Force to continue to transform to meet the war-fighting demands of the 21st century.

“The decision to close many of these bases is very personal to me,” Gen. John P. Jumper said. “Many of us will feel the impact of these decisions. I lived at many of these bases as a kid while my dad was coming up through the ranks. However, this is the time for tough and bold decisions. It’s an opportunity that we must seize to allow us to continue to be able to respond to emerging missions around the world today.”

The Air Force has experienced BRAC rounds in the past, with the most recent occurring in 1995 after the Air Force shrunk by 200,000 Airmen. However, the general said, there are major differences between the Air Force’s current recommendations and those from past rounds.

“In 1995, the BRAC rounds were a consequence of decisions that had already been made relative to troop strength,” the general said. “The recommendations today are proactive. This round doesn’t only accommodate planned reductions. Instead, it allows us to reset our force, anticipate challenges and establish organizations we need for the future.”

General Jumper said the recommendations are both strategy and capability based, and they support the intent of the BRAC panel, which is to divest the Air Force of infrastructure it no longer needs, while improving the effectiveness and military value of retained assets.

“We know we’ll be a smaller force; however, we’ll be a more lethal force thanks to advancements in technology,” the general explained. “We know where and when and how we station our forces must change in order to enable the transformation required by the new security environment.”

The general also said the BRAC recommendations were made with a single, total force -- active, Guard and Reserve -– in mind and not just as a combination of individual components or representatives.

“The Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve are integral parts of the Air Force,” General Jumper said. “Maintaining an optimal mix of manpower and missions among components is key to their continued relevance and critical to their contribution to the finest Air Force in the world.”

Saying “we know what to do and we need to act,” the general stressed to the panel that this round of BRAC proceedings is the most significant opportunity to take critical steps in the transformation process in his 39 years of service.

“Change is not easy and we know that,” he said. “But we need to have the courage to take the steps we think need to be taken. It is my conviction that the Air Force recommendations taken together with the other service’s recommendations are the right thing to do for the nation.”

The hearings were the last formal opportunity for representatives from the Department of Defense to provide testimony before the panel sends a final version of the recommendations to President Bush by Sept. 8. The president can either reject the list or accept it without modifications. If he accepts the list, it is submitted to Congress, which can similarly accept or reject it.