How Bases Will Be Targeted For Shutdown The Defense Department has issued its draft selection criteria for closing or realigning domestic military installations. It said “military value” will be the top priority. The proposed criteria are: Military Value 1. The current and future mission capabilities and the impact on operational readiness of the Department of Defense’s total force, including the impact on joint warfighting, training, and readiness. 2. The availability and condition of land, facilities and associated airspace (including training areas suitable for maneuver by ground, naval, or air forces throughout a diversity of climate and terrain areas and staging areas for the use of the Armed Forces in homeland defense missions) at both existing and potential receiving locations. 3. The ability to accommodate contingency, mobilization, and future total force requirements at both existing and potential receiving locations to support operations and training. 4. The cost of operations and the manpower implications. Other Considerations 5. The extent and timing of potential costs and savings, including the number of years, beginning with the date of completion of the closure or realignment, for the savings to exceed the costs. 6. The economic impact on existing communities in the vicinity of military installations. 7. The ability of both the existing and potential receiving communities’ infrastructure to support forces, missions, and personnel. 8. The environmental impact, including the impact of costs related to potential environmental restoration, waste management, and environmental compliance activities. The draft was published in the Dec. 23 Federal Register. Comments are due by Jan. 28.