Could Be Long Time Until Next Round

As part of its recommendations, the base closings panel also suggested that the next round of base closings not occur until 2015, saying that while the closings process is a practical mechanism “to achieve difficult but necessary goals,” such exercises should be undertaken about every 8 to 12 years, and linked to the Quadrennial Defense Review, a study the Pentagon conducts every four years to examine the defense posture. The commission said it would have been “far preferable” to wait for the results of the review that is currently underway. The prior base closings commission was in 1995, preceded by commissions in 1993, 1991 and 1988.