Military

Fort Monmouth

Fort Monmouth (pronounced mon-mith) is located on the "Jersey Shore" just ten minutes West (20-30 minutes on a sunny weekend day in July and August) of the Atlantic Ocean. It is one and one-half hours South (three hours on a weekday at 7:00 am) of New York City, one and one-half hours North (remember the weekends and holidays) of Atlantic City, and one and one-half hours (holidays are the busiest time here) East of Philadelphia.

Fort Monmouth was home to the Army Materiel Command's (AMC) Communication and Electronics Command (CECOM) until the BRAC 2005 Commission recommended its closure. The shopping center, commissary, and exchange facilities also serve Earle Naval Weapon Station and the Coast Guard at Sandy Hook. The front portion of the commissary collapsed during the storm of January 1996. A new facility was constructed with a completion date of May 1998. The Fort Monmouth community is comprised of active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Reserve Components, retired military, Department of Defense appropriated and non-appropriated fund employees, contractors, and family members.

Strategically located throughout Fort Monmouth, tenats include U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications Systems, Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, and the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School. Within this framework, is the Garrison's responsibility for Base Operations/Contractor Support, Real Property that includes main post and the Charles Wood Area, as well as various programs and services to enhance the Well-Being for soldiers and civilians at Fort Monmouth.

The mission of the US Army Communications-Electronics Command is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain technologically superior integrated Communications, Command and Control, Computer, Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Sensor (C4IEWS) capabilities for America's Warfighter. CECOM provides the architectural framework and systems engineering to ensure joint interoperability and horizontal technology integration across the battlespace. CECOM executes its mission throughout the life cycle of warfighting systems and platforms through an integrated process of technology generation and application, acquisition excellence and logistics power projection.

Army Installations continue to undergo enormous changes in order to achieve its mission and vision. Limited funding and dwindling resources remains the number one problem among installations throughout the United States and abroad. As the proprietor for installation management at Fort Monmouth, the Garrison provides support to CECOM elements, and tenants organizations on post and at locations throughout the world.

The realignment of CECOM to the Main Post and the Charles Wood Area (CWA) is underway. This effort consists of vacating the COB, closing the Evans Area and VHFS, and divesting of 246 Olmstead AFH units in CWA. Programmed amount for construction is $47M, affecting the movement of 3,500 personnel. Resulting environmental studies and remediation for closures is $21M. BRAC construction completed includes converted barracks and buildings gutted to an open office space environment. Major cost involved in providing handicapped accessibility: ramps and elevators. The 1200 area will also house a 240 seat cafeteria along with a facility for NJ Blind Commission concession sales in this area. IEWD, relocating from VHFS, VA, has a new home. The primary facility is built to top secret standards and includes a secure compound containing pre-engineered storage warehouses.

Fort Monmouth is home to the USMAPS, who train approximately 250 students per year to enter as freshman at West Point. The FBI Information Processing Center is located in Bldg 1203. They employ about 135 people.

The Fort Monmouth Police Department, under the Office of the Provost Marshal, provides a full array of law enforcement services to the entire Fort Monmouth community. The police department is comprised of both Military Police and Department of Defense Officers. The Physical Security Division (PSD) conducts security inspections for vulnerability, badging and access to restricted areas through Visitor Control. PSD also conducts various crime prevention programs: National Night Out, Operation Ident-A-Kid, and McGruff, "The Crime Fighting Dog". Fort Monmouth sponsors the Military Affiliate Radio Station (MARS). Message traffic and Phone Patch support for US Army personnel & families continue to be provided. Classes are provided annually for the community to obtain amateur licenses.

The new Child Development Center (CDC) opened in August 1996, at a contract cost of $3.57M. It is centrally located in the Charles Wood Housing Area, near the Youth Services and School Age Services (YS&SAS) and the outdoor pool. This facility will accommodate approx. 244 children (infant through kindergarten), not including double functioning spaces, i.e. AM & PM Part-Day Preschool). The old CDC facility was turned back to the command for use as an administrative facility. The 18-hole golf course has a recently completed new pro shop, golf cart storage area and renovation of locker rooms. A new irrigation system was also installed to eliminate use of city water and use surface water on the course. We are also upgrading tees/greens, cart paths, and constructing a golf maintenance building. A full array of modern Morale, Welfare and Recreation activities are available including: a 900 seat movie theater, Centralized Hospitality and Catering Office (Bldg 801) renovated Auto Craft Center with new car wash, 20-lane bowling center with new lounge area, Officers' Club Dining/Meeting Room upgrades, Lane Hall's new Atrium addition, the completion of a Deli Section and an Atrium addition. Remote food service annexes are also provided.

Fort Monmouth is considered a leader among Army installations in providing infrastructure development and support. Following the goals, objectives and strategy outlined in Army Vision 2010 and Joint Vision 2010, the Garrison (through the Directorate for Public Works) is moving forward with the Army vision for future. Future development plans include proposed construction at Olmstead Gardens. The area will be set up to accommodate mission essential requirements and to support the creation of a parks recreation or playground area for children. It should be noted that there was extensive research and analysis (i.e. manpower/resource requirements, time, cost and material estimates) conducted to determine the best possible solution for the housing situation at Fort Monmouth. The decision to modernize existing structures through renovation, revitalization and construction provided the best fit for the requirements, our soldiers, their families and the entire Fort Monmouth community.

BRAC 2005

Secretary of Defense Recommendation:Close Fort Monmouth, NJ. Relocate the US Army Military Academy Preparatory School to West Point, NY. Relocate the Joint Network Management System Program Office to Fort Meade, MD. Relocate the Budget/Funding, Contracting, Cataloging, Requisition Processing, Customer Services, Item Management, Stock Control, Weapon System Secondary Item Support, Requirements Determination, Integrated Materiel Management Technical Support Inventory Control Point functions for Consumable Items to Defense Supply Center Columbus, OH, and reestablish them as Defense Logistics Agency Inventory Control Point functions; relocate the procurement management and related support functions for depot level repairables to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and designate them as Inventory Control Point functions, detachment of Defense Supply Center Columbus, OH, and relocate the remaining integrated materiel management, user, and related support functions to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Relocate Information Systems, Sensors, Electronic Warfare, and Electronics Research and Development & Acquisition (RDA) to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Relocate the elements of the Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems and consolidate into the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Realign Fort Belvoir, VA, by relocating and consolidating Sensors, Electronics, and Electronic Warfare Research, Development and Acquisition activities to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and by relocating and consolidating Information Systems Research and Development and Acquisition (except for the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems) to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign Army Research Institute, Fort Knox, KY, by relocating Human Systems Research to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign Redstone Arsenal, AL, by relocating and consolidating Information Systems Development and Acquisition to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign the PM Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Enterprise Systems and Services (ALTESS) facility at 2511 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA, a leased installation, by relocating and consolidating into the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Secretary of Defense Justification:The closure of Fort Monmouth allows the Army to pursue several transformational and BRAC objectives. These include: consolidating training to enhance coordination, doctrine development, training effectiveness, and improve operational and functional efficiencies, and consolidating RDA and T&E functions on fewer installations. Retain DoD installations with the most flexible capability to accept new missions. Consolidate or collocate common business functions with other agencies to provide better level of services at a reduced cost.

The recommendation relocates the US Army Military Academy Preparatory School to West Point, NY, and increases training to enhance coordination, doctrine development, training effectiveness and improve operational and functional efficiencies.

The recommendation establishes a Land C4ISR Lifecycle Management Command (LCMC) to focus technical activity and accelerate transition. This recommendation addresses the transformational objective of Network Centric Warfare. The solution of the significant challenges of realizing the potential of Network Centric Warfare for land combat forces requires integrated research in C4ISR technologies (engineered networks of sensors, communications, information processing), and individual and networked human behavior. The recommendation increases efficiency through consolidation. Research, Development and Acquisition (RDA), Test and Evaluation (T&E) of Army Land C4ISR technologies and systems is currently split among three major sites-Fort Monmouth, NJ, Fort Dix, NJ, Adelphi, MD, and Fort Belvoir, VA, and several smaller sites, including Redstone Arsenal and Fort Knox. Consolidation of RDA at fewer sites achieves efficiency and synergy at a lower cost than would be required for multiple sites.

This action preserves the Army's "commodity" business model by near collocation of Research, Development, Acquisition, and Logistics functions. Further, combining RDA and T&E requires test ranges, which cannot be created at Fort Monmouth.

The closure of Fort Monmouth and relocation of functions that enhance the Army's military value, is consistent with the Army's Force Structure Plan, and maintains adequate surge capabilities. Fort Monmouth is an acquisition and research installation with little capacity to be utilized for other purposes. Military value is enhanced by relocating the research functions to under-utilized and better equipped facilities; by relocating the administrative functions to multipurpose installations with higher military and administrative value; and by co-locating education activities with the schools they support. Utilizing existing space and facilities at the gaining installations maintains both support to the Army Force Structure Plan and capabilities for meeting surge requirements.

DoD Estimated Payback: The total estimated one-time cost to the Department of Defense to implement this recommendation would be $822.3M. The net of all costs and savings to the Department of Defense during the implementation period would be a cost of $395.6M. Annual recurring savings to the Department after implementation would be $143.7M with a payback expected in 6 years. The net present value of the costs and savings to the Department over 20 years would be a savings of $1,025.8M.

This recommendation would affect non-DoD Federal agencies. These would include, the U.S. Post Office, the Department of Justice and the General Services Administration. In the absence of access to credible cost and savings information for those agencies or knowledge regarding whether those agencies would remain on the installation, the Department assumed that the non-DoD Federal Agencies would be required to assume new base operating responsibilities on the affected installation. The Department further assumed that because of these new base operating responsibilities, the affect of the recommendations on the non-DoD agencies would be an increase in cost. As required by Section 2913 (d) of the BRAC statute, the Department has taken the effect on the cost of these agencies into account when making this recommendation.

DoD Economic Impact on Communities Estimate: Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential reduction of 9,737 jobs (5,272 direct and 4,465 indirect jobs) over the 2006 - 2011 periods in the Edison, NJ Metropolitan Division, which would be 0.8 percent of economic area employment.

Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential increase of 422 jobs (264 direct and 158 indirect jobs) over the 2006 - 2011 periods in the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY Metropolitan Division, which would be 0.1 percent of economic area employment.

Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential increase of 89 jobs (49 direct and 40 indirect jobs) over the 2006 – 2011 periods in the Columbus, OH Metropolitan Division, which would be 0.01 percent of economic area employment.

Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential increase of 9,834 jobs (5,042 direct and 4,792 indirect jobs) over the 2006 – 2011 periods in the Baltimore-Towson, MD Metropolitan Division, which would be 0.6 percent of economic area employment.

Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential reduction of 1,218 jobs (694 direct and 524 indirect jobs) over the 2006 – 2011 periods in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division, which would be 0.04 percent of economic area employment.

The aggregate economic impact of all recommended actions on these economic regions of influence was considered and can be found in Appendix B of Volume I of DoD's 2005 BRAC Recommendations.

DoD Community Infrastructure Assessment: DoD's review of community attributes revealed no significant issues regarding the ability of the infrastructure of communities to support forces, missions, and personnel. When moving from Fort Monmouth to Aberdeen, MD, DoD estimated that the following local area capabilities would improve: Cost of Living and Medical Health. The following attributes would decline: Safety and Transportation. When moving from Fort Monmouth to West Point, DoD estimated that the following local area capabilities would improve: Education and Employment. The following attribute would decline: Housing. When moving from Fort Monmouth to Fort Belvoir, DoD estimated that the following local area capabilities would improve: Employment and Medical Health. The following attributes would decline: Education and Safety. When moving from Fort Monmouth to Fort Meade, DoD estimated that the following local area capabilities would improve: Cost of Living and Medical Health. The following attributes would decline: Education and Safety. When moving from Fort Monmouth to Columbus, OH, DoD estimated that the following local area capabilities would be improved: Cost of living, Employment, and Medical Health. The following attribute would decline: Safety.

DoD Environmental Impact Estimate: Closure of Fort Monmouth would necessitate consultations with the State Historic Preservation Office to ensure that sites would continue to be protected. Fort Monmouth's previous mission-related activities would result in land use constraints/sensitive resource area impacts. An Air Conformity Analysis and a New Source Review and permitting effort would be required at Aberdeen, West Point, and Fort Belvoir. The extent of the cultural resources on Aberdeen, West Point, and Fort Belvoir would be uncertain. Potential impacts might occur as result of increased times delays and negotiated restrictions. Additional operations at Aberdeen, West Point, and Fort Belvoir might further impact threatened/endangered species that could lead to additional restrictions on training or operations. Significant mitigation measures to limit releases might be required to reduce impacts to water quality and achieve US EPA water quality standards. Due to the increase in personnel there would be a minimal impact on waste production and water consumption at Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC), OH. This recommendation would have no impact on dredging; land use constraints or sensitive resource areas; marine mammals, resources, or sanctuaries; noise; or wetlands. This recommendation would require spending approximately $2.95M for environmental compliance activities. These costs were included in the payback calculation by DoD. Fort Monmouth reported $2.9M in environmental restoration costs. Because the Department would have a legal obligation to perform environmental restoration regardless of whether an installation was closed, realigned, or remained open, these costs were not included in the payback calculation. This recommendation would not impact the costs of environmental restoration, waste management, and environmental compliance activities. The aggregate environmental impact of all recommended BRAC actions affecting the installations in this recommendation had been reviewed by DoD. DoD claimed that there were no known environmental impediments to implementation of this recommendation.

Community Concerns: The communities surrounding Fort Monmouth, NJ as well as many elected officials, maintained that a significant number of current civilian employees would not move to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, creating a serious "brain drain" for the Land C4ISR mission. They further claim that Aberdeen Proving Grounds has virtually no existing C4ISR mission or capability. Advocates for Fort Monmouth questioned the availability of qualified personnel for technical jobs at other locations. They believed a move would have detrimental effects on all of the programs underway at Fort Monmouth, and could potentially harm soldiers involved in wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The community disputed DoD's justifications that test and evaluation activities were limited by Fort Monmouth's small size, and claimed that established and growing relationships with the nearby Fort Dix-McGuire AFB-Navy Lakehurst complex overcame any constraints on future mission activities. Some advocates went further and urged the Commission to consider realigning Fort Monmouth, converting it into an enclave, and merging it with Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst. There was also concern that closure would have a significant negative impact upon the local retiree and veterans' community, as well as the economy of that portion of NJ.

Commission Findings: The Commission found that moving the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (known as the Night Vision Laboratory) and the Program Manager Night Vision/Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (PM NV/RSTA)at Fort Belvoir would add costs and risks to important ongoing programs.

Next, the Commission found that loss of some intellectual capital is a concern and is to be expected in this closure, and agreed with the Department's view of this as an implementation challenge that must be managed with careful planning and sequencing. The Department pointed out that there is a nationally recognized science and technology workforce in Maryland containing the highest percentage of professional and technical workers (about 24 percent).

The Commission concluded that adverse effects of moving existing programs could be managed over the six-year implementation period by properly sequencing the movement of programs to ensure no loss in service, or by providing temporary redundant or duplicative capabilities as necessary to ensure continuous and uninterrupted program integrity. The Commission was also told by the Secretary of the Army that under no circumstances would the Army permit the move to sacrifice or shortchange ongoing C4ISR support and services to warfighters in the field. While the Commission accepted this pledge, and agreed with the Department's position, the critically important nature of the missions resulted in the Commission adding modifying language to ensure that the intent of both the Department and the Commission would be clearly understood by future Secretaries and other leadership during the implementation period. A reporting requirement was also added so Congress could exercise the necessary independent oversight to make sure the Commission's intent was faithfully implemented by the Department. The Commission also believes Congress' oversight on this issue may benefit from review by the Government Accountability Office.

Last, to ensure that all parties correctly understand which organizations remain at Fort Belvoir and which move to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the following Unit Identification Code (UIC) level of detail is provided.

1. The following organizations remain at Fort Belvoir under this recommendation as amended:

2. The following organizations move from Fort Belvoir to Aberdeen Proving Ground under this recommendation as amended:

Commission Recommendations: The Commission found that the Secretary of Defense substantially deviated from final selection criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, and the Force Structure Plan. Therefore, the Commission recommends the following:

Close Fort Monmouth, NJ. Relocate the US Army Military Academy Preparatory School to West Point, NY. Relocate the Joint Network Management System Program Office to Fort Meade, MD. Relocate the Budget/Funding, Contracting, Cataloging, Requisition Processing, Customer Services, Item Management, Stock Control, Weapon System Secondary Item Support, Requirements Determination, Integrated Materiel Management Technical Support Inventory Control Point functions for Consumable Items to Defense Supply Center Columbus, OH, and reestablish them as Defense Logistics Agency Inventory Control Point functions; relocate the procurement management and related support functions for depotlevel repairables to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and designate them as Inventory Control Point functions, detachment of Defense Supply Center Columbus, OH, and relocate the remaining integrated materiel management, user, and related support functions to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Relocate Information Systems, Sensors, Electronic Warfare, and Electronics Research and Development & Acquisition (RDA) to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Relocate the elements of the Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems and consolidate into the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Realign Fort Belvoir, VA, by relocating and consolidating Sensors, Electronics, and Electronic Warfare Research, Development and Acquisition activities to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, except the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (the Night Vision Lab) and the Project Manager Night Vision/Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (PM NV/RSTA), and by relocating and consolidating Information Systems Research and Development and Acquisition (except for the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems) to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign Army Research Institute, Fort Knox, KY, by relocating Human Systems Research to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign Redstone Arsenal, AL, by relocating and consolidating Information Systems Development and Acquisition to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Realign the PM Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Enterprise Systems and Services (ALTESS) facility at 2511 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA, a leased installation, by relocating and consolidating into the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems at Fort Belvoir, VA.

The Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the Congressional Committees of Jurisdiction that movement of organizations, functions, or activities from Fort Monmouth to Aberdeen Proving Ground will be accomplished without disruption of their support to the Global War on Terrorism or other critical contingency operations and that safeguards exist to ensure that necessary redundant capabilities are put in place to mitigate potential degradation of such support, and to ensure maximum retention of critical workforce.

The Commission found that this change and the recommendation as amended are consistent with the final selection criteria and the Force Structure Plan. The full text of this and all Commission recommendations can be found in Appendix Q.