Base closing panel winding up process
Site visits to wrap up next week, followed by several weeks of deliberations as commission prepares its recommendations.
The Base Closure and Realignment Commission will wrap up its site visits and hearings on individual bases next week, ending three months of cross-country travel to dozens of installations recommended for closure.
Over the next several weeks, commissioners and staff will review documents and meeting minutes before marking up their own recommendations.
"While we continue to receive written data throughout the remainder of the process, it is critical that our review and analysis team is allowed the necessary time to thoroughly read, evaluate and incorporate the data that has, to date, been provided," Anthony Principi, the panel's chairman, said in a statement.
Commissioners are in North Carolina and Ohio Tuesday and will travel to Indiana Wednesday.
On Thursday, the commission will hold a public hearing on Capitol Hill on the possible closure of Oceana Naval Air Station, one of eight recommendations the commission last month added to the list for consideration.
Next week, commissioners will spend most of their time visiting other installations they voted to add to the list. They also will meet with Air Force and Air National Guard leaders Aug. 11 on Capitol Hill to resolve lingering issues surrounding the Pentagon's recommendation to take all aircraft from several Air National Guard bases.
The commission's recommendations are due to the White House by Sept. 8.