Although military bases have opened and closed regularly throughout American history, a systematic process for base closing dates only to the late 1980s. A number of closings occurred in the period following the Vietnam War and the subsequent reduction in military expenditure, but this process had come to an end after a failed effort to close Loring Air Force Base in Maine in 1976. New legislation required Environmental Impact Statements, making base closing dramatically more difficult.

A systematic process for closing bases, now known as BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) began with the passage of legislation in 1988. The "realignment" portion of this approach refers to the potential for shifting missions and staffing levels at existing bases. BRAC, therefore, although normally thought of as a base-closing process, can in fact lead to recommendations for increased activity at selected "realigned" facilities.

Legislation establishing the base-closing process was initiated by...