Final base-closing report criticizes Pentagon

Published: Sep 09, 2005
Source: www.cnn.com



WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon overestimated savings from base closings by $30 billion and some of its plans for streamlining the Army, Navy and Air Force might have made the services less efficient, a federal commission that reviewed the process said Friday.

In its final report, the nine-member panel also questioned whether the Pentagon should have postponed the current round of base closings and consolidations, the first in a decade, until a major review of the national defense strategy was finished.

With its five months of work complete, the base-closing commission voiced its concerns even as it approved roughly 86 percent of what Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld recommended as he sought to save money by getting rid of extra space in the domestic military network.continue..