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Base Realignment and Closure Commission
In May 2005, the federally mandated Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) presented its report to the Department of Defense (DoD) on recommendations for the placement of military installations and the location of DoD personnel.
Fairfax County and its neighbors will be greatly impacted by the final implementation of the BRAC plan. Northern Virginia's proximity to Washington, DC and the Pentagon as well as the the availability of commercial office space has made the area an attractive location for DoD agencies and public sector contractors.
 What will be the impact on Fairfax County from the BRAC Commission recommendations?
Overall, Fairfax County will see a net new job gain as an estimated 21,000 people (5,000 military personnel and 16,000 civilian employees) will move to Fort Belvoir in the southeastern part of the county by 2011. The Fort is an 8,656-acre Army base that currently employs more than 22,000 civilian and military personnel and is one of the largest employers in Fairfax County. In preparation for the influx of people, Fort Belvoir will construction new facilities on the base.
Among the entities that will move to Fort Belvoir are:
- Army and DoD organizations from leased space in the Washington region.
- Medical care functions formerly located at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland.
- National Geospatial Intelligence Agency units.
- Inventory Control Point functions from bases in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
- Selected Defense Intelligence Agency activities.
The area surrounding Fort Belvoir is also expected to see a large influx of new jobs as private sector contractors move to be in close proximity to their government clients.
Currently, economic studies and analysis are being conducted on the full impact of the BRAC on the county. Once those results are known, they will be posted on this page, so check back often for updates.
For more information, visit the following Web sites:
May 2006
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