All About AFIT and the BRAC

                 Prior to submitting recommendations for realignment and closure to the independent Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) of 2005, the  DoD gave considerable attention to AFIT and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS).  Moving each to the respective service academies was considered, as were the consolidation of AFIT at the NPS, and the privatization of each.  Because of three factors: 1) the uniqueness of professional military education, 2) the importance of a world class educational facility as a part of the military structure, and 3) the  long term benefits of attracting future military leaders from other countries; the DoD made no recommendation concerning either institution.

                 However, by letter of July 1 2005 , BRAC chair Principi requested information from the DoD as to what consideration was given to the closure or realignment of the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH and the Defense Language Institute at Monterey , CA , with Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey , CA , to create a consolidated professional development education center.

                The DoD response was that realignments of NPS and AFIT, but not of DLI, had been considered, but not recommended as it had been determined that graduate education was a core competency of the department. At the July 19 meeting of the commission, the issue of a realignment of AFIT at the NPS was raised.  After Commissioner Newton asked that the possibility of co-location at other locations also be included for consideration, the commission voted (eight affirmative, with one recusal) for a more general approach, i.e., adding the NPG, the DLI and AFIT to the list of installations to be considered for possible closure or realignment.

                 The Dayton business community, acting through the Dayton Development Coalition, as well as elected officials at both state and local levels, immediately mounted the strongest possible campaign to retain AFIT at WPAFB.  The commission was invited to Dayton , and Commissioners Newton and Skinner came to Dayton on August 2 for a meeting and tour of AFIT.   The Commissioners and members of the BRAC staff met with Governor Taft, Senators DeWine and Voinovitch,  Congressmen Hobson, Boehner, and Turner; and also with local elected officials and community leaders.  The community perspective of the case for AFIT was presented by Marilyn Reid, Greene County Commissioner; Dr. Vince Russo, retired from the Senior Executive Service with ASD and AFRL; Gen John Nowak, Lt Gen USAF (Ret) and CEO Logitec; and Dr. Dan Curran, President, University of Dayton .  Also provided were the results of two community-generated studies.  The first showed the relative military values of AFIT and NPS as scored by the BRAC process to be seriously in error. The second demonstrated serious flaws in the BRAC cost analysis claiming a savings to result from realignment of AFIT at NPS and showed that such action would actually lead to a significant cost increase.          

                The regional hearing of the entire BRAC commission concerning possible actions affecting the state of Ohio was held in Washington on August 10.  Testimony was given by Senator DeWine, Congressman Hobson, Congressman Turner, General Nowak and Dr. Curran.  After brief remarks by Senator DeWine and Congressman Hobson citing the advantages to the Air Force of retaining AFIT and of the numerous previous studies that had shown the advantages of doing so, to the dominant testimony emphasized the unique aspects of an AFIT education, and of the essential role of the WP location.  

                Dr. Curran made the case against the privatization of AFIT, emphasizing three areas: 1) that a true market test in 1998 had shown that privatization would not save money; 2) the unique aspects of courses, classification, the military faculty, and quick response; and 3) that AFIT already made use of civilian institutions, through DAGSI, for non unique courses. He closed by quoting ex AF Secretary Peters, as saying that it is inconceivable that a cost savings from privatization would offset the value of Air Force programs, tailored to Air Force needs.  

                Gen Nowak made the case for retention of AFIT at WPAFB: that the Air Force’s critical graduate education needs cannot be met nearly as well—if at all— at any other place or institution, government or civilian.  He gave special emphasis to 1) AFIT’s collocation and strong links with the largest concentration of military scientists in the country, 2) that AFIT is a new campus with state-of-the-art buildings and facilities, and 3) that the BRAC cost analysis of the savings projected from a realignment with NPS was flawed, and would actually not provide return on the initial investment.  He also testified that, although a community conducted study of the costs of realigning the NPS at AFIT  would produce an annually recurring savings of $41.8 million/year, it was the position of the community that both NPS and AFIT should remain open and continue to work together to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. 

                Following testimony and a session of questions from the commissioners to those testifying, Congressman Turner then reiterated the advantage of the location at WPAFB: that AFIT is not a stand-alone school, but that AFIT education is integrated with NASIC and the laboratories.  

                Beginning with the addition of AFIT to the list of institutions under consideration for BRAC action and through the final decision, AFIT received strong support by other means as well.  The Dayton Daily News regularly provided supportive articles and editorials, numerous letters supporting AFIT were posted on the BRAC website, and a number of city councils in the community passed and submitted to the BRAC commission resolutions supporting the retention of AFIT at WPAFB.  

                The BRAC hearings at Arlington , VA on August 24-27 moved more rapidly than many expected, with consideration of NPS and AFIT occurring on the morning of Thursday, August 25. The recommendation of the BRAC staff, presented to the commissioners by Mr. Syd Carol, was not for relocation or privatization of either institution, but rather that a single board be established for the NPS and AFIT for curriculum and collaboration matters.  This board would be empowered to direct changes at the schools.  Comments by commissioners following this presentation suggested that the objective of the Commission would be to “put teeth” into the existing Educational Alliance between the NPS and AFIT.   The recommendation, codified through a motion by Chairman Principi (given below) was adopted in a 9-0 vote by the BRAC commission.  

                (Motion by Chairman Principi)

               I move that the Commission find that when the Secretary of Defense failed to recommend the realignment of the Navy Postgraduate School Monterrey, California, and the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, he substantially deviated from final selection criteria 1 and 4 and the force-structure plan, that the Commission add to the list of installations to be closed or realigned the recommendation: realign the Naval Postgraduate School of Monterrey, California, and the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, by forming a new and permanent oversight board responsible for curriculum review and approval and program development for the resident and non-resident degree-granting programs at both schools;  

                This board, consisting of an equal number of members from the governing boards of each school, civilian education authorities recommended by the U.S. Secretary of Education, and other education officials as designated by the Secretary of Defense, will be chartered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and will provide a formal report of its actions and accomplishments to that office biannually. 

The board's duties will consist of those actions listed as goals in the memorandum of agreement that formed an Educational Alliance between the Secretaries of the Air Force and Navy on December 4, 2002 .  This board will be located in the national Capitol region.  

                By this recommendation, the newly-formed board will also have the authority to take action to eliminate unnecessary curricula and program duplication, identify, approve, and implement programs of collaboration and research and instruction between the school, and expand non-resident programs and arrangements with private institutions of higher learning to meet common curriculum and non-Department-of-Defense-focused class requirements, at chapter 11, section 193 of the bill.  

                And that the Commission find this additional recommendation is consistent with the final selection criteria and force-structure plan. 

(This motion, as given pp. 48-49 of uncertified transcript of July 25, morning session, was seconded and carried unanimously.)

                    The Commission will deliver its final recommendations to President Bush by September 8. If accepted, Congress will have 45 legislative days to reject the recommendations in their entirety or they become binding on the Department of Defense.

                                             BRAC Comissioners 2005

The Honorable Anthony J. Principi – Chairman: Graduate of USNA, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and former counsel to US Navy.

The Honorable James H. Bilbray: Former US Representative Nevada and  member, House Armed Services Committee.

The Honorable Philip Coyle: Former Asst Secretary of Defense for Test and Evaluation; and Co-Chairman of the DoD Joint Cross-Service Group for Test and Evaluation, BRAC 1995.

Admiral Harold W. ( Hal ) Gehman, Jr., (USN, Ret): Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, and Commander in Chief of the U.S. Joint Forces Command.

The Honorable James V. Hansen: Former US Representative from Utah; Navy veteran.

General James T. Hill (USA, Ret): Former Commander of the US Southern Command.

General Lloyd W. "Fig" Newton (USAF, Ret): Former Commander of Air Education and Training Command; Executive Vice-President, Pratt and Whitney, Military Engines.

The Honorable Samuel K. Skinner: Former Chief of Staff to President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of Transportation. Former member, US Army Reserve.

Brigadier General Sue E. Turner (USAF, Ret): Former Director, USAF Nursing Services.

General Sue E. Turner (USAF, Ret): Former Director, USAF Nursing Services

                                                                                                                                 Prepared by P. J. Torvik.