SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 2 ⎯ Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives2.4.1 Limiting Factors Influencing Army Screening Criteria and AlternativesU.S. Army Force Structure: The force structure, or types and numbers of units in the Army, is carefullydeliberated, analyzed, and determined by the executive branch of government with careful considerationand input from senior national defense officials, defense planners, and senior military officers.The size and structure of the Army is modified in accordance with national security and defensepolicy and balanced with the realities of a changing global environment. It is not within the scope ofauthority of the Army to change its prescribed force structure. This includes both the number andtypes of BCTs that the Army mans, equips, and trains. The Army has established the appropriate balanceof units between IBCTs, HBCTs, and SBCTs. The Proposed Action cannot alter that establishedbalance by either reducing the number or type of established BCTs in favor of another type of BCT.The balance is established and cannot be revisited by this document or the decision it supports.As part of screening analysis assumptions therefore, the number and type of BCTs in the Army cannotchange, nor can the 2/25 th simply not transform as it has been directed by the QDR. At this time,seven SBCTs have been determined to be required to meet national security and defense requirementsand the 2/25 th is the fifth of those seven BCTs to be established, as detailed in the ACP (see Section1.2.1.12 for discussion on the locations of the other SBCTs). The only decision that is within thescope of Army influence is the location at which it will permanently station the 2/25 th SBCT uponcompletion of its initial combat deployment.Military Construction (MILCON) Limitations: This chapter has already discussed the need forspecific facilities to support Soldiers and their Families. If these facilities do not exist, they must beconstructed in a timely manner to support the 2/25 th after it returns from scheduled deployment inearly 2009. USACE executes the Army military construction process for installation facilities andranges. USACE follows a standard construction process for both range infrastructure and garrisonconstruction projects. Funding appropriation and programming usually begins more than 5 years beforethe start of a given construction project. Submitting project requests and subsequent congressionalappropriation, budget validations, and Army programming of funds typically requires 2 yearswithin the MILCON process. It normally takes USACE an additional 3 years or more, following theprogramming of funds, to plan, design, review, award, and construct military construction projects.This process includes site-specific planning, multiple design reviews, award of the contract, and construction.The diagram below details the 5-year military construction planning process for Army projects.This timeline is used by USACE for garrison support projects, including Soldier housing, administrativeoffices, vehicle maintenance and parking facilities, and training range construction.PY -5USACE Military Construction Process(PY=Program Year)PY -4 PY-3 PY-2PY-1Resourcing:• Funding Appropriation/ Programming/Validation• Army Programming of FundsUSACE Issues Design Directive:• Planning, Multiple DesignSubmittals, Solicitation, andContract Award• Project Environmental AnalysisConstruction:• Construction begins• Construction completed1 to 2 years after projectcommencementFebruary 2008 2–11 2/25th SBCT Final EIS