ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 3, 2007) – U.S. Army representatives yesterday confirmed the Army's commitment to the successful implementation of the 2005 BRAC recommendation to close Fort Monmouth in Monmouth County, New Jersey and create a C4ISR Center of Excellence at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in Harford County, Maryland.
"The BRAC recommendations were great news for Maryland and the nation. We won this based on mission and merit. The recommendations are a testament to the strength of Maryland's military bases, our military and the communities that support them," said Senator Mikulski. "As Chair of the Maryland congressional delegation, I will continue to lead our members through the state's BRAC implementation. Working with Governor Martin O'Malley, our state legislature and our County Executives, I want to make sure Maryland gets the resources our communities need to accommodate the thousands of jobs and families coming to our state."
Governor O’Malley appointed Lt. Governor Brown chair of the BRAC Subcabinet. The Lt. Governor and the Subcabinet will present an action plan that includes budgetary and legislative priorities to the Governor on December 1st.
“Governor O’Malley and I thank our Congressional Delegation for their tremendous effort on behalf of Marylanders. Senator Mikulski and Team Maryland worked tirelessly to ensure that Maryland would be a gainer in the 2005 BRAC decisions and today she heads our federal effort as we strive to ensure an efficient and timely transition,” said Lt. Governor Anthony Brown. “Maryland is ready. We are training our workforce, building our infrastructure, and enhancing our quality of life.”
Army Materiel Command has developed a step-by-step timeline for moving assets into Maryland and a detailed funding plan to support these moves while ensuring no disruption in support for the warfighter. Maryland's federal delegation, working closely with state and local officials as Team Maryland, stands ready to provide whatever support the Army requires to ensure that this transition is completed successfully and on-time.
The 2005 BRAC recommendations will bring thousands of new employees to the state. This includes 10,000 new jobs that will never leave the country, in addition to 85,000 existing jobs on bases and up to 40,000 non-direct jobs. In addition, 28,000 families are expected to move to Maryland.