Colorado Springs officials, some State officials, and some friends from Pueblo recently stood before representatives of the current rendition of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission [BRAC] to argue the case that Fort Carson should remain "Strong" and a vital part of our Colorado Springs metropolitan community and its economic base. We're guessing that the essence of what was conveyed through the various presentations was very similar to all the presentations before BRAC. All communities cherish the special relationship with the military bases and the portions of the DOD budget that benefit directly and indirectly their respective communities.
Arguably, the ultimate decisions which will come out of the BRAC process are to be based upon military necessity and efficiencies. However, those who really believe this to be the bright line test are naïve. Politics plays an ever increasing role in the decisions. Unfortunately, Colorado has a pretty weak political team to either cheer for or effect a final decision. Recent committee assignments given to Sen. Gardner and Rep. Lamborn may help by having a camel's nose under the decision tent, but when push comes to shove, our team here in Colorado will have a very small voice.
Does this mean that the BRAC axe will fall on Fort Carson this time around? From our business perspective, we do not believe so. We base that on the volumes of project manuals, specification books, design analyses, structural calculations, and plan sets we have been producing for contractors under funded contracts to build tens of millions - perhaps even hundreds of millions - of dollars of significant headquarters type installations, infrastructure improvements, and base housing for and at Fort Carson. Dollars previously invested are not necessarily indications of permanence, but DOD would be under greater than normal scrutiny to explain these huge expenditures for a project to be cut or diminished. Even politicians will stand to be criticized for, on the one hand, approving budgets for these vast improvements only to abandon the projects mid-stream. This fact somewhat evens the playing field and compensates for the rather weak political team we have to defend our positions here in Colorado Springs.
We are optimistic. Have we missed something here??
Arguably, the ultimate decisions which will come out of the BRAC process are to be based upon military necessity and efficiencies. However, those who really believe this to be the bright line test are naïve. Politics plays an ever increasing role in the decisions. Unfortunately, Colorado has a pretty weak political team to either cheer for or effect a final decision. Recent committee assignments given to Sen. Gardner and Rep. Lamborn may help by having a camel's nose under the decision tent, but when push comes to shove, our team here in Colorado will have a very small voice.
Does this mean that the BRAC axe will fall on Fort Carson this time around? From our business perspective, we do not believe so. We base that on the volumes of project manuals, specification books, design analyses, structural calculations, and plan sets we have been producing for contractors under funded contracts to build tens of millions - perhaps even hundreds of millions - of dollars of significant headquarters type installations, infrastructure improvements, and base housing for and at Fort Carson. Dollars previously invested are not necessarily indications of permanence, but DOD would be under greater than normal scrutiny to explain these huge expenditures for a project to be cut or diminished. Even politicians will stand to be criticized for, on the one hand, approving budgets for these vast improvements only to abandon the projects mid-stream. This fact somewhat evens the playing field and compensates for the rather weak political team we have to defend our positions here in Colorado Springs.
We are optimistic. Have we missed something here??
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