Scratcher,
I love your optimistic view regarding efficiency.
You do realize to most Americans govt spending and efficiency are polar opposite thoughts, right?
When has our govt ever spent tax payer dollars efficiently?
The idea that they need to get comfortable with each other is BS. Pope/Bragg, Elmendorf/Rich, McGuire/Dix all have been working together for decades, in many cases longer than I have been alive (46 yrs). However, the real problem is the military system. Certain costs can be lowered, i.e. hospital, and housing, but besides that very little can be saved. Commissaries and PX/BX are NAF, so this is not a factor. AFMPC at McChord will still be there for AF personnel, just like MPC will be there at Lewis when it comes to in/out processing. There will be duplication everywhere.
When the last BRAC occurred Belvoir was the winner. The post size increased by 75,000 (military and contractors). 7 yrs later and you can see they are still building, drive on the post and all you see is construction. This fact is why the costs were not saved at the rate projected. Drive on any base/post that has new construction and you will quickly surmise that the projects never finish on time, nor on budget.
I am from NJ, closing Monmouth was the smartest decision ever because that location is high real estate value. It was and is a land asset due to the proximity to the shore. Even if Dix wasn't connected to McGuire, it was still a smarter fiscal decision to close Monmouth. Dix is in the Pine Barrens (key word...Barrens...as OMG NO!) Land is cheap, the town exists solely for the military. Townies that rely on the military fight to keep the installations. Monmouth residents are affluent and closing the installation had little to no impact on their economy.
Will the end cost be lower than currently projected? Maybe. Monmouth is an example of why I say maybe. The AF had some of their closed bases purchased by large corporations. I can't remember the base, but it was in AF Times as the success story. A real estate developer came in and purchased the whole base. They than converted it into a 55+ adult community for flying enthusiasts. The commissary was sold off to a grocery store chain, the hospital, BX, Bowling Alley were all sold off too. All they did was reno the homes, tore down majority of office buildings to put more homes up on, some were kept for business purposes (docs, lawyers, accts). They sold the community out within months. It had everything a 55 yr old+ buyer would want, gated community, golf course, multiple pools, community center, libraries and a runway with hangars to boot! I believe they also sold out the Q's to a hotel chain, which made it even more attractive... grown kids with their own children didn't have to stay at the folks home, they were able to walk to the parents home, and come back to the hotel at night.
Like I said I am from NJ, not far from Monmouth, and my family(cousins) are salivating at the idea that this might become the dream 55+ community. Close to the shore, but walking distance to anything they want... hospital, banks, grocery stores, etc.
