Collection of BRAC related news articles and clippings. Produced for Commission staff review.

Supplemental articles from the Marine Corps Times.

Community Correspondence - letters from 9 concerned citizens regarding the closure of Cannon AFB

Community Correspondence - Letter from Barrett G. Greene requesting that the Niagara Falls Air Force Reserve base be closed

Community Correspondence - Letters from 3 concerned citizens from the surrounding community of Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base in support of keeping the installation open.

Community Correspondence - 501 letters from concerned citizens of Cannon Air Force Base pleading with the commission to reconsider closing Cannon AFB.

Department of Defense Clearinghouse Response: DoD Clearinghouse response to an e-mail from the BRAC Commission regarding Air Force consideration of costs to other federal agencies.

Department of Defense Clearinghouse Resposne: DoD Clearinghouse response to a letter from the BRAC Commission regarding NI Industries at Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant.

Community Correspondence - 300 letters to the commission from Niagara Falls AFB expressing deep concern about the possible closure of the base.

Letters from citizens regarding concerns with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission's (BRAC) decision to have 672 jobs realigned from Naval Support Activity Crane

Community Correspondence - 6 letters to the commission regarding Crane Naval Base and also thanking the commissioners for their attention during the hearings in St. Louis.

Department of Defense Clearinghouse Response: DoD Clearinghouse response to a letter from the BRAC Commission requesting breakout of criteria 1-4 scores for all four Naval Shipyards.

Community Correspondence - 9 Letters from a concerned citizen to each member of the commission regarding the New London Sub Base.

Community Correspondence - 23 letters from citizens employed in the private sector around Oceana expressing concern over the base's possible closure.

Community Correspondence from Citizens Concerning the Closure of Cannon AFB. 500 Letters

Community Correspondence from Citizens concerning the closure of Cannon AFB, NM. 469 Letters

Community Correspondence from Citizens concerning the closure of Cannon AFB. 520 Letters

Community Correspondence from Citizens concerning the closure of Cannon AFB, NM. 457 Letters

Letter from David W. Able, Mayor of the City of Washington, Indiana, to Commissioner Samuel K. Skinner.

Community Correspondence from Citizens Concerning Cannon AFB. 532 Letters

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress' request of June 22, 2005, that we provide answers to questions relating to our June 14 testimony on the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). At the June hearing, we discussed the estimates of government paperwork burden provided in the annual PRA report (known as the Information Collection Budget) that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released, as well as results from our report on agencies' PRA processes and compliance."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over the years, the Department of Defense's (DOD) military compensation system has become an increasingly complex and piecemeal accretion of pays, allowances, benefits, and special tax preferences. DOD leaders have expressed concern that rising compensation costs may not be sustainable in the future and could crowd out other important investments needed to recapitalize equipment and infrastructure. Given the looming fiscal challenges facing the nation in the 21st century, GAO believes it is time for a baseline review of all federal programs to ensure that they are efficiently meeting their objectives. Under the Comptroller General's authority, GAO (1) assessed whether DOD's approach to compensation provides adequate transparency over costs; (2) identified recent trends in active duty compensation, and how costs have been allocated to cash and benefits; and (3) reviewed how active duty servicemembers perceive their compensation and whether DOD has effectively explained the value of the military compensation package to its members."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In October 2003, an envelope marked "Caution: Ricin Poison" was discovered at an airmail facility in Greenville, South Carolina. Ricin is a poison that, in certain forms, can cause death. The U.S. Postal Service has emphasized to its employees to be on the alert for "suspicious mail" that may pose a threat and has developed guidance for them on how to identify and respond to such mail, in order to protect them from harm. Postal inspectors and emergency responders help in the responses to suspicious mail by performing an initial assessment of the threat it poses. This report describes (1) actions taken by various agencies, in responding to the incident, to protect the health of postal employees and the public; (2) Postal Service guidance related to suspicious mail in place in October 2003 and the extent to which it was followed during the incident; and (3) subsequent changes made in this guidance and the extent to which current guidance addresses issues raised by the incident."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In April 2002, the Department of the Navy launched the DD(X) Destroyer program to develop a stealthy, multi-mission ship that would provide advanced land attack capability to support forces ashore and contribute to military dominance in shallow coastal waters. Numbers and costs for the DD(X) have changed since the inception of the program. According to the program's official cost estimate, the first ship is expected to cost $3.3 billion, with per unit costs decreasing as production progresses. DD(X) is approaching Milestone B and critical design review--two key decision points that will shape the future of both the program and the Navy itself. This testimony focuses on (1) the challenges the DD(X) program is expected to encounter, (2) the program's approach and progress in managing attendant risks, and (3) potential consequences if program progress falls short of expectations."