Military

Defense Distribution Depot Red River
Red River Army Depot (RRAD)

The Red River Army Depot, also known as the Red River Ordnance Depot, was activated in 1941 as an ammunition storage site. In July 1995, the BRAC Commission recommended realigning Red River Army Depot by moving all maintenance missions, except for those related to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Series, to other depot maintenance activities. The installation retained its ammunition storage mission, intern training center, civilian training, and rubber production facilities. Part of the TACOM family since 1998, today Red River provides depot maintenance for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Multiple Launch Rocket System, and Combat Tactical Wheeled Vehicles. Its electronics repair facility supports the Bradley, Multiple Launch Rocket System, and a variety of missile support and aircraft armament subsystems. The depot is also the worldwide center for Patriot and Hawk missile re-certification.

In 1995, RRAD was taken off the Base Realignment and Closure Commission after seven of the eight commissioners decided that it was essential for military readiness. Red River was saved because it is modern, well-maintained facility with dedicated and efficient employees. Red River has many advantages over other depots including newer infrastructure and facilities; a close proximity to Fort Hood, the largest military base in the country; and a central location, which provides timely and efficient logistics support to major Army customers throughout the Continental United States. Importantly, Red River has recently improved its capacity utilization and implemented many efficiencies. These initiatives have resulted in RRAD becoming one of the most cost effective and productive military depots in the Army. In 1998, 1999, and 2000, RRAD successfully executed its workload and finished the year above the financial plan.

The Red River Army Depot (RRAD) is located approximately 18 miles west of Texarkana, Texas, in the northeast corner of Texas in central Bowie County. The RRAD shares a common border with the government-owned and contractor-operated Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant (LSAAP), which is located adjacent to and east of RRAD. Population served: 1,300 soldiers, dependents, and civilian employees. Total defense complex population is 2,500 including tenant activities. Size: Over 18,000 acres and 523,000 square feet of production space. The depot reservation of over 36,000 acres makes it one of the U. S. Army Materiel Command's largest supply and maintenance installations.

Three principal highways, Interstate 30, U.S. Highway 67, and U.S. Highway 82 provide access to RRAD. The installation is within 200 miles of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. RRAD encompasses 18,446 acres of land that contains mostly semi-improved acreage in pine and hardwood forests. Improved areas include approximately 1,400 buildings consisting of ammunition igloos, standard magazines, warehouses, administrative offices, a supply-training center, a light track overhaul facility, a central distribution center, and demolition facilities. Two man-made lakes, Caney Creek Reservoir and Elliot Creek Reservoir, are located within RRAD and supply installation drinking water. RRAD also has two active and two inactive small arms firing ranges.

RRAD was established in 1941 through the acquisition of farmland and residential areas to create an ammunition storage facility. Construction of the depot was initially hampered by housing shortages and lack of equipment, but final construction was permanent. Red River was originally intended only as an ammunition storage depot. However, no sooner had the first train loads of ammunition begun to arrive, that the demands of World War II caused top defense planners to take another look at the new installation. A good labor market, excellent transportation facilities and the installation's nearness to the great southwestern training areas and southern ports were reason enough to expand the depot mission. Construction of modern maintenance and storage facilities was completed in record time and Red River was soon in the business of storing and repairing all types of ordnance material - from tanks to wrist watches. By 1943 the depot's mission had expanded to include general supply storage, tank repair and an ordnance-training center. The ordnance training center trained thousands of ordnance soldiers before finally closing in 1955.

Most of the land at RRAD is currently used for ammunition storage and associated quantity-distance (QD) safety zones. As part of the U.S. Army Industrial Operations Command, RRAD has also been a major depot-level support facility for maintenance, repair, and overhaul of major weapon systems and components. The RRAD has been the Center of Technical Excellence for overhaul of light and medium weapon systems including the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Series, Multiple Rocket Launcher System, Fire Support Team Vehicle, M9 Armored Combat Earthmover, and M113 Armored Personnel Carrier family of vehicles. The installation has also stored, shipped, and maintained conventional ammunition and various types of missiles. Tenant organizations that have used RRAD's facilities include the Defense Distribution Depot Red River, U.S. Material Command School of Engineering and Logistics, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, and Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office.

The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended the realignment of Red River Army Depot. The RRAD realignment recommendation included the movement of all maintenance missions, except for that related to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Series (BFVS), to other depot maintenance activities, including the private sector. The Secretary of the Army made the decision that all maintenance missions, except BFVS and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), would be relocated to Anniston Army Depot (ANAD), Anniston, AL. The Army also proposed the relocation of the associated non-BFVS/MLRS maintenance mission support from Defense Distribution Depot Red River, Texas (DDRT), to Defense Distribution Depot Anniston, Alabama (DDAA).

The depot has obtained ISO9002 registration for both its mission areas and is working toward registration for the administrative areas. This association with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a worldwide federation of national standard bodies from some 130 countries, sets RRAD apart from any other military installation and provides an edge in future competitions. As of mid-2001 Red River Army Depot is the only depot in the Army that has its entire mission area ISO registered.

Throughout the years, the depot's missions have been expanded, and today Red River is engaged in activities ranging in scope from producing timber to conducting research and development for a number of items used in the rebuilding of combat vehicles. RRAD is also deeply involved in civilian training programs. It is the site of Army Material Command's Intern Training Center.

In October 1991, the distribution mission of the depot was transferred to Defense Distribution Region Central (DDRC), creating Defense Distribution Depot Red River, TX (DDRT). In February 1993, DDRT transferred to Defense Distribution Region West (DDRW) when DDRC was disestablished. As of October 1997, with the disestablishment of DDRW, DDRT became one of 22 Defense Distribution Center (DDC) depots.

The Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Operations Center at the Defense Distribution Depot Red River, Texas, opened 08 February 2000. The new DOC is located on the grounds of the Red River Army Depot, Texas. The new facility is 680,000 square feet comprised of 280,000 sq. ft. of operations space, 360,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, and 40,000 sq. ft. of administrative space. The DOC has almost one mile of conveyor, .7 miles of towline and 250 carts, a sortation system of 130 carriers and 64 chutes, 51 shipping and receiving cargo doors, and staging for 100 truck trailers. Approximately 600 of DDRT's 800 personnel work in the new facility. There are only two or three places like this in the United States. This is one of the crown jewels in the defense distribution system.

DDRT, one of the 22 DDC depots, provides distribution support of repair parts for tracked and wheeled vehicles, and aircraft and weapons systems owned by DLA and by the military services. Distribution support is also provided for major end items to include: light tracked combat vehicles, primarily the Bradley Infantry Vehicles; wheeled vehicles and trailers; and communication and maintenance shelters. DDRT stores 112,136 items valued at $5.5 billion in 205 warehouses on the grounds of the Red River Army Depot.

Not only is DDRT the storage site for the vehicles, it also builds and maintains a kits of basic items that accompany the vehicles when shipped to Army units in the field. These kits contain such things as spare parts, tools, technical publications and diagnostic equipment needed for minor maintenance and to keep a particular item up and running until fully operational systems are in place.

DDRT is the sole distribution point for the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System. This system being fielded throughout the Army links communications between wheeled vehicles, tracked vehicles, helicopters and soldiers on foot. DDRT also assembles the SINCGARS kits for fielding units.

BRAC 2005

Secretary of Defense Recommendation: DoD recommended to close Red River Army Depot, TX. It recommended that these facilities formerly stationed at Red River relocate: the storage and demilitarization functions of the Munitions Center to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, OK; the munitions maintenance functions of the Munitions Center to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, OK and Blue Grass Army Depot, KY; the depot maintenance of Armament and Structural Components, Combat Vehicles, Depot Fleet/Field Support, Engines and Transmissions, Fabrication and Manufacturing, Fire Control Systems and Components, and Other to Anniston Army Depot, AL; the depot maintenance of Powertrain Components, and Starters/Generators to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, GA; the depot maintenance of Construction Equipment to Anniston Army Depot, AL, and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, GA; the depot maintenance of Tactical Vehicles to Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA and Letterkenny Depot, PA; the depot maintenance of Tactical Missiles to Letterkenny Army Depot, PA; the storage and distribution functions and associated inventories of the Defense Distribution Depot to the Defense Distribution Depot, Oklahoma City, OK It also recommended to disestablish the supply, storage, and distribution functions for tires, packaged Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants, and compressed gases.

Secretary of Defense Justification: DoD claimed that its recommendation would support the strategy of minimizing the number of industrial base sites performing depot maintenance for ground and missile systems. The receiving depots had greater maintenance capability, higher facility utilization and greater opportunities for inter-service workloading. This recommendation would reinforce Anniston's and Letterkenny's roles as Centers of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Combat Vehicles (Anniston) and Missile Systems (Letterkenny).

This recommendation would decrease the cost of depot maintenance operations by consolidation and elimination of 30 percent of duplicate overhead structures required to operate multiple depot maintenance activities. This recommendation also would increase opportunities for inter-service workloading by transferring maintenance workload to the Marine Corps.

This recommendation would relocate storage, demilitarization, and munitions maintenance functions to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and thereby would reduce redundancy and removes excess from Red River Munitions Center. This recommendation would allow DoD to create centers of excellence, generate efficiencies, and create deployment networks servicing all Services.

This recommendation relocates storage, demilitarization, and munitions maintenance functions to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and thereby reduces redundancy and removes excess from Red River Munitions Center.

This recommendation allows DoD to create centers of excellence, generate efficiencies, and create deployment networks servicing all Services.

This recommendation would relocate the storage and distribution functions and associated inventories to the Defense Distribution Depot Oklahoma City at Tinker Air Force Base. It also would contribute to the elimination of unnecessary redundancies and duplication, and streamlines supply and storage processes.

The disestablishment of the wholesale supply, storage, and distribution functions for all packaged POL, tires, and compressed gas products would support transformation by privatizing these functions. Privatization of packaged POL, tires, and compressed gas products would eliminate inventories, infrastructure and personnel associated with these functions and products.

DoD Estimated Payback: The total estimated one-time cost to the Department of Defense to implement this recommendation was $456.2M. The net present value of all costs and savings to the Department of Defense during the implementation period would be a cost of $216.6M. Annual recurring savings to the Department after implementation would be $76.5M with a payback expected in 4 years. The net present value of the costs and savings to the Department over 20 years would be a savings of $539.0M.

DoD Economic Impact on Communities Estimate: Assuming no economic recovery, this recommendation could result in a maximum potential reduction of 4,176 jobs (2,500 direct and 1,676 indirect) over the 2006 -2011 period in the Texarkana, TX - Texarkana, AR Metropolitan Statistical area, which would be 6.2 percent of the economic area employment. The aggregate economic impact of all recommended actions on this economic region of influence was considered and could be found at Appendix B of Volume I of DoD's BRAC recommendations.

DoD Community Infrastructure Assessment: DoD's review of community attributes indicated no significant issues regarding the ability of the infrastructure of the communities to support missions, forces and personnel. When moving from Red River Army Depot to Tobyhanna, DoD estimated that 5 attributes would improve (child care, medical health, safety, population center, and transportation) and 1 would decline (employment). When moving from Red River to Letterkenny Army Depot, DoD estimated that 2 attributes would decline (child care and housing) and one would improve (safety). When moving from Red River to Anniston Army Depot, DoD estimated that 3 attributes would improve (child care, cost of living and population center) and 1 would decline (housing). When moving from Red River to Tinker, DoD estimated that seven attributes would improve (population, child care, education, employment, housing, medical and transportation) and one attribute would decline (crime). There were no known community infrastructure impediments to implementation of all recommendations affecting the installations in this recommendation.

DoD Environmental Impact Estimate: Closure of Red River Army Depot might require consultations with the State Historic Preservation Office to ensure that cultural sites would continue to be protected. Closure of operational ranges at Red River would necessitate clearance of munitions and remediation of any munitions constituents. The remediation costs for these ranges might be significant and the time required for completing remediation would be uncertain. Contaminated areas at Red River would require restoration and/or monitoring. An Air Conformity Analysis would be required at Anniston, Tobyhanna, and Letterkenny. Anniston was located over a sole-source aquifer, which might require additional mitigation measures/pollution prevention to protect the aquifer from increased depot maintenance activities. The industrial wastewater treatment plant at Anniston might require upgrades. Additional operations at Tinker might impact wetlands, which might lead to operational restrictions. This recommendation would have no impact on dredging; marine mammals, resources, or sanctuaries; noise; or threatened and endangered species or critical habitat. This recommendation would require spending approximately $4.8M for environmental compliance costs. These costs were included in the payback calculation. Red River reported $49.1M in environmental restoration costs. Because the Department would have a legal obligation to perform environmental restoration regardless of whether an installation were closed, realigned, or remained open, these costs were not included in the payback calculation. This recommendation did not otherwise 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. There were no known environmental impediments to implementation of this recommendation, according to DoD.

Community Concerns: The community stated that the Army must retain all depots to support the warfighter and combatant commanders, disputed DoD's assertion of excess capacity, and claimed the recommendation deviated substantially from the military value criteria. The community focused on the Industrial Joint Cross Service Group's creation of 2.6 million direct labor hours of capacity at Anniston and Letterkenny Army Depots to justify closure of the Red River Army Depot (RRAD) over Army objections, and the artificial use of a 60-hour work week instead of the DoD 40-hour standard for determining capacity. Also highlighted was the disestablishment of the top-ranked Defense Distribution Red River, TX, center due to the potential closure of the RRAD. The community emphasized that there was no excess capacity to eliminate because Red River was running at twice its 2003 level of effort and pointed to a major backlog of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) awaiting repair at the depot. They also highlighted that RRAD is the only facility that strips and replaces track pads and manufactures M1 road wheels. The community proposed leaving the Red River Army Depot, Munitions Center, and Defense Distribution Center intact. The community argued that the economic impact from closure would be devastating, creating a projected unemployment rate exceeding 14 percent of the total employment in the seven surrounding rural towns.

Commission Findings: The Commission found that many vehicle and weapons systems repaired at Red River are critical to ongoing real-time efforts in Operations Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom, and was unwilling to take the risk of closing a ground vehicle depot-level maintenance facility during a time of war and uncertainty. The Army is already surging its industrial base capacity with the execution of 12 million direct labor hours (DLH) in fiscal year 2004, and goals of 19 million DLH in fiscal year 2005 and million DLH in fiscal year 2006 at the Army's five maintenance depots. The Commission found that Red River is operating at twice its fiscal year 2003 level (when BRAC data-calls were issued) and that there is no current excess capacity within Army's maintenance depots. The Army's depot level maintenance workload has and continues to increase to respond several critical Army efforts. Ongoing business process reengineering efforts have also successfully resulted in significant process improvements at each of the maintenance depots. In response to community concerns, the Commission recalculated the economic impact to incorporate increased staffing, and if closure had been approved, it would have resulted in a negative economic impact of 8.3 percent of area jobs. The Commission's analysis determined that the amended realignment recommendation would best meet the military's future needs and requirements.

Commission Recommendations: The Commission found the Secretary of Defense substantially deviated from final selection criteria 1, 2, 3 and 6 and the Force Structure Plan. Therefore, the Commission recommends the following:

Realign Red River Army Depot, TX. Relocate the storage and demilitarization functions of the Munitions Center to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, OK. Relocate the munitions maintenance functions of the Munitions Center to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, OK, and Blue Grass Army Depot, KY. Relocate the depot maintenance of Tactical Missiles to Letterkenny Army Depot, PA. Disestablish the supply, storage, and distribution functions for tires, packaged Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants, and compressed gases.

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 other recommendations can be found in Appendix Q.