January 9, 2015

The Pentagon announced plans to consolidate military facilities in Europe. It plans to return 15 installations to European nations, a move that could save DoD more than $500 million per year.    

The plan is a result of the European Infrastructure Consolidation process intended to find long-term efficiency and effectiveness with the basing of U.S. personnel.  

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment John Conger summarized the effort saying, “As a result, we will not need as many support personnel to maintain a reduced infrastructure, in terms of both U.S. military and civilian personnel and host-nation employees. Approximately 1,200 U.S. military and civilian support positions will be eliminated, and about 6,000 more U.S. personnel will be relocated within Europe.”    

The major impact on U.S. personnel will come from the closure of Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall, England, which currently hosts a KC-135 tanker wing, and will result in a loss of 3,200 military and civilian personnel.    

However, the establishment of two F-35 squadrons at RAF Lakenheath calls for an additional 1,200 U.S. personnel and will partially offset the loss at RAF Mildenhall. The F-35 squadrons are slated for arrival in 2020.