The 96th Regional Support Command was headquartered at historic Fort Douglas, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The old frontier post was established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. It bears the name Stephen A. Douglas, of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, for his role in opening and expanding the west. The fort originally covered more than 11,000 acres. Over the years, legislation has reduced it to 53 acres. Many of the old post buildings are on the National Historic Register. This reserve enclave, houses the 96TH RSC Headquarters, and nineteen other Army Reserve units, fourteen Naval Reserve units, and one Marine Corps Reserve unit. Additionally, the enclave houses a Post Exchange, the Selective Service and the Utah Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Fort Douglas was established by the U. S. Army during the Civil War, in October of 1862 . The fort was placed in Salt Lake City to provide a base for patrolling the Overland stage route and telegraph lines. Also, as the Utah War had occurred only three years prior to the Civil War, the Union Army leadership wanted to to prevent any potential alliance between the Mormons and the Confederate States. After the Civil War, Fort Douglas was retained as one of the Regimental permanent posts which were sited throughout the west. It's central location and proximity to rail service provided a useful base for dispatching troops as needed.
Secretary of Defense Recommendation: WI. Realign Fort Douglas, UT, by disestablishing the 96th Regional Readiness Command and establishing a Sustainment Unit of Action in support of the Northwest Regional Readiness Command at Fort McCoy, WI.
Secretary of Defense Justification:This recommendation transforms Reserve Component facilities and command and control structure throughout the Northwest Region of the United States. The implementation of this recommendation will enhance military value, improve homeland defense capability, greatly improve training and deployment capability, create significant efficiencies and cost savings, and is consistent with the Army's force structure plans and Army transformational objectives.
This recommendation is the result of a nation-wide analysis of Reserve Component installations and facilities conducted by a team of functional experts from Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Office of the State Adjutant General, and the Army Reserve Regional Readiness Command.
This recommendation realigns Fort Douglas, UT, and the Wichita Army Reserve Center, establishing Sustainment Units of Action in those locations in support of the Northwest Regional Readiness Command Headquarters. Relocation of multiple subordinate units from Vancouver Barracks and Fort Lawton, WA, to new Armed Forces Reserve Centers contributes significantly to enhanced training, mobilization and deployment.
This recommendation reduces military manpower and associated costs for maintaining existing facilities by closing two Reserve facilities and relocating the units onto an Active component installation and thereby significantly reducing operating costs and creating improved business processes.
This recommendation considered feasible locations within the demographic and geographic areas of the closing facilities and affected units. The sites selected were determined as the best locations because they optimize the Reserve Components' ability to recruit and retain Reserve Component soldiers and to train and mobilize units affected by this recommendation.
Although not captured in the COBRA analysis, this recommendation, in conjunction with the other parts of Recommendation 54 concerning USAR Command & Control Northwest, avoids an estimated $70.7M in mission facility renovation costs and procurement avoidances associated with meeting AT/FP construction standards and altering existing facilities to meet unit training and communications requirements. Consideration of these avoided costs would reduce costs and increase the net savings to the Department of Defense in the 6-year BRAC implementation period and in the 20-year period used to calculate NPV.
This recommendation provides the opportunity for other Local, State, or Federal organizations to partner with the Reserve Components to enhance homeland security and homeland defense at a reduced cost to those
Community Concerns:There were no formal expressions from the community.
Commission Findings: The Commission found no reason to disagree with the recommendation of the Secretary of Defense.
Commission Recommendations: The Commission found the Secretary's recommendation consistent with the final selection criteria and force structure plan. Therefore, the Commission approved the recommendation of the Secretary.
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