Commission Sets ‘Last Day – First Day’ Relocation

In addition to “last day – first day” school considerations (previous item), the Overseas Basing Commission’s final report to the President recommends the same approach for medical facilities and housing for service members and families expected to be relocated during massive realignments of American troops from overseas bases. The report states that, historically, Army basing in the United States has been in areas that are not prepared to deal with sudden surges in local population and their demands on medical facilities. Thus the commission concludes that adequate medical support must be in place before large numbers of service members and their dependents are relocated. The commission also warns of the recruitment-and-retention risk if service families are moved into inadequate housing, and suggests that decisions about Base Realignment and Closing must take last day – first day relocation considerations into account.