Chet Edwards For Congress

May 25, 2005
Lawmakers Question Army Post Analysis

Waco Tribune Herald
From STAFF REPORTS |

U.S. Reps. Chet Edwards and John Carter on Tuesday heaped further doubt on a proposal to move troops from Fort Hood, noting that analysts omitted 37,600 acres of land newly available for training at the massive Army post.

Lawmakers said they learned the acreage had not been considered during a second meeting with Department of Defense officials to discuss the initial Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) proposal, which would cut nearly 8,500 troops from Fort Hood by 2011.

"The availability of training acreage is a major consideration in the BRAC process and it is again troubling that important information like this was not considered in the initial proposal," Carter, R-Round Rock, said in a statement.

Edwards, who represented the post until January, told the Tribune-Herald that the additional 37,600 acres made available to the post resulted after endangered species restrictions were lifted for the land, allowing more fort property for actual training.

Fort Hood officials last month announced a partnership with nearby property owners to increase habitat for two endangered bird species while freeing up training ground. It calls for landowners to work with the fort to restore and maintain viable habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo.

However, the subsequent gain in training ground for Fort Hood was not factored into the BRAC analysis.

"That's not a criticism of the Army," Edwards said. "They've been working on BRAC for several years and this development is just a month old. But it means a vital component in the Army's analysis is now changed and it ought to be considered by the BRAC commission." Edwards said he had serious questions about any proposal that "would move thousands of soldiers out of Fort Hood at a cost of half a billion dollars to taxpayers to an installation (Fort Carson, Colo.) where they would have to travel 150 miles by railcar to conduct training maneuvers."

As the BRAC recommendation stands, Fort Hood will have 40,863 military personnel by 2011. Current defense estimates indicate 49,305 soldiers will be based at Fort Hood by the end of 2005.