July 2, 2009
The Honorable Tim Johnson
Chairman
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
The Honorable Chet Edwards
Chairman
The Honorable Zach Wamp
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
House of Representatives
Subject: Force Structure: Actions Needed to Improve DOD’s Ability to Manage,
Assess, and Report on Global Defense Posture Initiatives
In its ongoing global realignment of U.S. forces and installations, the Department of
Defense (DOD) plans to reduce the number of troops permanently stationed
overseas, consolidate overseas bases, and establish a network of smaller forward
locations with limited personnel. Realigning the U.S. overseas posture involves
closing obsolete and redundant bases, constructing new facilities costing billions of
dollars, and ensuring that other needed infrastructure is in place to support realigned
forces and missions. These significant changes to force structure both in the United
States and overseas are being implemented to enhance operational efficiencies and
ensure access during future contingency operations. DOD requests for overseas
military construction projects extend around the world including Europe, the Pacific,
Southwest Asia, and Central America. For fiscal year 2010, DOD requested
approximately $1.5 billion, or 7 percent, of the regular military construction request
for overseas military construction. The Congress has supported the DOD’s efforts to
reassess and realign its overseas posture to better respond to emerging security
challenges, but the Senate Appropriations Committee has expressed concerns about
the department's ability to effectively manage and accomplish such an ambitious
program as well as the fidelity of the global basing plan given the rapidly changing
global security environment.
GAO-09-706R Global Defense Posture
