Overseas troop realignment plan will impact base closure process

Pentagon officials assured House Armed Services Committee members today that preliminary information on the long-term study of the U.S. global force posture will be sent to Congress next month and "will inform" next year's base closure process.

Defense Undersecretary for Policy Douglas Feith could not provide any detailed information on the expected relocation of U.S. forces from long-established bases in Europe and Asia during the hearing but promised to be more forthcoming in a subsequent closed session. Lawmakers have sought details on those plans because of the obvious impact they might have on domestic base closings.

"We're very conscious of the BRAC process and of having the decisions that will inform that process" made in time for next March's release of the closure and realignment recommendations, Feith said.

He added that the process of moving troops out of bases in Germany, South Korea and Japan and establishing less elaborate alternatives in Eastern Europe and elsewhere "will roll out in months and years."

But he said the information that will affect domestic bases "will be made in the next few weeks."