R 261300Z MAY 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL ALMAR(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 023/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE 2005 (BRAC 05) ASSESSMENT TO DATE//
REF/A/MSG/SECDEF PA/YMD:20050518/10221//
REF/B/MSG/SECDEF PA/YMD:20050519/10221//
NARR/REF A IS SECDEF PA BRAC 2005 PUBLIC AFFAIRS GUIDANCE, PART ONE.
REF B IS SECDEF PA BRAC 2005 PUBLIC AFFAIRS GUIDANCE, PART TWO.//
POC/H.J. BRATTAIN/GS-15/LFL/-/TEL:DSN 225-8202/-//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON 13 MAY 05, THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DELIVERED
THE LIST OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASE CLOSURES AND REALIGNMENTS
TO THE BRAC 05 COMMISSION.  THE BRAC COMMISSION WILL CONDUCT ITS OWN
REVIEW OF THE LIST AND PRESENT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT
FOR HIS APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL DURING SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.      
2.  REACHING THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS HAS REQUIRED TREMENDOUS
EFFORT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPERB PERFORMANCE OF
THOSE MARINES, SAILORS, CIVILIAN MARINES AND CIVILIAN CONTRACTORS
FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE MARINE CORPS WHO CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TIME AND
ENERGY TO THIS ENDEAVOR.  YOUR DILIGENCE IN THE RESEARCH,
COMPILATION, AND REVIEW OF COMPLEX DATA DURING THIS DELIBERATIVE
PHASE ALLOWED THE JOINT CROSS SERVICE GROUPS AND MILITARY
DEPARTMENTS TO PERFORM VITAL ANALYSES RELATED TO THE DECISION MAKING
PROCESS.  THE FIRST DATA CALL ALONE, ISSUED ON 7 JAN 04, CONTAINED
WELL OVER 700 QUESTIONS ADDRESSING CAPACITY.  HUNDREDS OF SUBSEQUENT
DATA CALLS WERE ISSUED THAT FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SCENARIOS AND A
VARIETY OF ISSUES RELATED TO MILITARY VALUE, EDUCATION AND TRAINING,
SUPPLY AND STORAGE, COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND COSTS AND SAVINGS.  THESE
DATA CALLS WERE ISSUED WITH EXTREMELY TIGHT TIMELINES, REQUIRING
INTENSIVE AND SUSTAINED LEVELS OF EFFORT AND EXPERTISE ACROSS A WIDE
ARRAY OF DISCIPLINES. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WE MET THE CHALLENGE.
3.  THAT SAID, OUR JOB IS NOT YET OVER.  WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE
INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS, STAKEHOLDER AND LOCAL COMMUNITY INTEREST IS
LIKELY TO BE INTENSE AND FOCUSED.  COMMANDERS ARE REMINDED TO
FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMANDS WITH THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
GUIDANCE DISSEMINATED IN THE REFERENCES AND GOVERN THEIR ACTIONS
ACCORDINGLY.
4.  FURTHER, AS WE POSTURE OURSELVES TO EXECUTE THOSE BRAC ACTIONS
THAT MAY BECOME LAW LATER THIS YEAR, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
COMMIT OURSELVES TO THOSE WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE BRAC
RECOMMENDATIONS.  CRITICAL PLANNING FACTORS THAT WE ALL MUST WORK
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS INCLUDE PERSONNEL AND UNIT MOVEMENTS, CIVILIAN
WORKFORCE IMPACTS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND REAL ESTATE ISSUES, FACILITIES
PLANNING AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, TRANSPORTATION OF
EQUIPMENT, AND BUDGET REQUIREMENTS.
5.  AGAIN, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS
WHOSE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION PERMITTED THE MARINE CORPS TO
PARTICIPATE SO EFFECTIVELY IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROCESS.  OUR
CONTINUED SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THIS ENDEAVOR WILL ENSURE THAT OUR
CORPS IS BETTER POSITIONED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST
CENTURY.  THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE.
6.  SEMPER FIDELIS AND KEEP ATTACKING, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S.
MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//