Military

DATE= 8/2/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= PENTAGON/BASES (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-278917

BYLINE= ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE= PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// FOLLOWS BELIDA CR 2-278639 OF 7/25/01 ///

INTRO: A senior Pentagon official has revealed defense officials are considering shutting down some bases even if Congress fails to approve a formal plan to close military facilities. More from V-O-A Correspondent Alex Belida at the Pentagon.

TEXT: The disclosure by Undersecretary of Defense Pete Aldridge came as he unveiled the Pentagon's plans for seeking congressional authorization for a new round of cost-saving military base closings.

Such closings are considered politically controversial, and some members of Congress have already signaled their opposition to any further shutdowns.

But the Pentagon is adamant about the need to reduce the number of military facilities worldwide, saying some 20 to 25 percent of all current facilities are unnecessary or under-utilized.

Mr. Aldridge says the potential savings from new base closings could reach three-point-five billion dollars annually money that could be used to modernize the armed forces.

But he acknowledges the fight for congressional approval for what the Pentagon calls the Efficient Facilities Initiative will be very difficult.

///ALDRIDGE ACTUALITY///

It's going to be tough. You've heard and we've heard some people are very much against this process. Some other people are very much for it, recognizing we need to do something.

///END ACTUALITY///

Responding to a V-O-A question, he says one option in the event of congressional rejection is the possible mothballing of bases.

///ALDRIDGE ACTUALITY///

Clearly you could shutdown and essentially mothball (bases) and that's certainly one of the considerations that should be brought into the factors and we have to take all those into account.

///END ACTUALITY///

///OPT/// The plan unveiled by the Pentagon calls for creation of a new commission by early 2003 to review the base closing recommendations of defense officials. The commission will then send its own recommendations to the President. The President will have two weeks to accept or reject the proposals. If the President approves, the recommendations will be sent to Congress, which will have 45 days to reject them. Otherwise they take effect.

///OPT/// The new legislation slightly alters the previous base closing system used to conduct four rounds of shutdowns since 1988.

///OPT/// Pentagon officials say those rounds resulted in the closing of nearly 100 major military installations and generated savings of over 14 billion dollars. ///END OPT///

There are approximately 100 U-S bases overseas. There are some 420 major installations in the United States itself. (SIGNED)

NEB/BEL/MAR