What is BRAC?

"BRAC" is an acronym that stands for Base Realignment and Closure.  It is the congressionally authorized process Department of Defense has previously used to reorganize its base structure to more efficiently and effectively support our forces, increase operational readiness and facilitate new ways of doing business. The most recent iteration of base realignment was enacted as federal law in November 2005 as is known as BRAC 2005.

In response to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions, Governor Martin O’Malley and the State of Maryland received the tremendous honor of being asked to accommodate a significant expansion of the United States military installations.  As a result, Maryland would become the future home to thousands of our country’s federal civilian and military families.

With the arrival of new residents, jobs, and national defense and security activities associated with this expansion, Maryland has both an enormous opportunity and a substantial obligation. BRAC will bring to the State the myriad of benefits that flow from significant job growth, increased economic activity, and the enrichment of our communities by new workers and families. At the same time, it will pose the challenges of providing the additional infrastructure, housing, education, and economic development necessary to support BRAC, and of reaping the benefits of expansion without compromising Marylanders’ quality of life.

In January 2007, Governor Martin O’Malley convened the BRAC Subcabinet who are charged with coordinating state and local government and working in partnership to address the issues associated with BRAC. 

Several publications that address BRAC in Maryland are available.  The 2007 State of Maryland’s BRAC Action Plan Report outlines the BRAC Subcabinet’s goals and timeline for addressing the challenges associated with the State’s future increase in population and expansion. BRAC Stat charts the agencies’ progress at it relates to the BRAC Action Plan’s timeline, and the 2008 Progress Report highlights the accomplishments made by the BRAC Subcabinet in relation to the 2007 BRAC Action Plan.