The Pentagon’s plan to move the 1st Infantry Division and 1st Armored Division from Germany to the United States is strategically unwise and logistically improbable, according to a commission that is advising Congress.
The “precipitous” movement of the divisions “is without strategic imperative and is not necessary to be implemented on the planned scheduled timetable” to maintain national security, according to the Overseas Basing Commission.
“There is no known rationale for some of the near-term moves of forces back to the [United States],” according to the commission’s report. “The facilities they will go to are unprepared for their return and will not be even identified until last quarter 2005, with planning, programming, design and construction of the necessary facilities years beyond the arrival of the returning forces.”
The six-member commission was established one year ago to provide Congress with an independent perspective to transformation than the one being promoted by the Bush administration. Its members include four retired flag officers and two prominent businessmen.
The report is to be used by Congress and others who have oversight on base closings and realignments.
In Europe, the Army has announced that its force of 62,000 permanently based soldiers is expected to be reduced to 24,000. The Würzburg, Germany-based 1st ID could begin moving back to the States as soon as next summer, according to previous Army announcements, while the Wiesbaden, Germany-based 1st AD could begin moving back in 2007.
On Friday, U.S. Army Europe officials declined to share their views of the report.
“It’s above our level,” said Michael Tolzmann, a USAREUR spokesman. “It would be inappropriate for us to respond.”
The transformation spokesman for the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart was unavailable for comment.
The report also criticized the Pentagon for not coordinating its plans for overseas bases with the requirements of the war in Iraq or the Base Realignment and Closure process, or BRAC. The BRAC, which decides what military bases in the United States to close, realign or expand, gets under way later this month when the BRAC commission receives the Defense Department’s recommendations.
But a Pentagon spokesman on Friday said that military planners have worked in unison with Congress, stateside planners and overseas host nations to develop its global transformation plan, contrary to the reported results of the Overseas Basing Commission.
“There have been extensive hearings and briefings with Congress and multiple interactions with our allies and affected nations,” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe Carpenter, a Defense Department spokesman.
Carpenter added that the closing of overseas bases and movement of units, troops and families back to the United States is being planned in coordination with the separate BRAC process.
Stars and Stripes reporter Nancy Montgomery contributed to this report.
