Pentagon establishes time line, Web site

SCRIPPS HOWARD
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has created an official time line and Web site to inform military communities about what lies ahead leading up to the list of base closings.
The Web site offers descriptions of related legislation, Capitol Hill speeches and testimony, the Pentagon's time line for the closings and frequently asked questions.
On its time line, the Pentagon describes what its review and inventory will accomplish:
UThe plan is the Pentagon's assessment of what the probable threats to national security will be in the next 20 years, combined with an analysis of what real numbers of Army units, Naval carriers, Air Force wings and Marine units will be needed to meet the threats and what funding is anticipated in the next 20 years to keep the units operating.
UA comprehensive inventory of military installations worldwide. Each branch will report how many active-duty and reserve facilities it has.
UA description from each branch about what it needs to support the plan.
UA discussion of excess infrastructure and excess capacity.
UAn economic analysis of the affect that closing or realigning military installations would have on the Pentagon's goal of reducing excess infrastructure.
UA certification on whether more closings will be needed after 2005 and, if so, plans for another base closing round by 2011.
XOn the Web: www.defenselink.mil/brac