The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission Defense voted to consolidate 26 defense finance and accounting service centers into five locations, two more than originally proposed by the Pentagon.
Centers in Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, will remain open as the Pentagon suggested, although the Denver center will be closed. Under the revised plan approved by the independent commission, sites in Cleveland, Limestone, Maine, and Rome, N.Y., will remain open.
More than 6,300 jobs will still be moved to new locations, and more than another 1,000 positions will be eliminated. The handful of sites remaining open will likely see a significant boost in workers. Commissioners said that the compromise accomplishes the Pentagon's goal of consolidating to reduce costs, but eases the impact on small communities already affected by base closings. The panel will send its recommendations to President Bush by Sept. 8. Both the president and Congress must then approve the decision.
