Community Correspondence – Letter dtd 08/8/2005 to Commissioners Hansen and Hill from William Russ, Major General U.S. Army (Ret) Page: 2 of 2

                                
DCN 7490
Executive Correspondence
organization that plays a critical role in meeting the C4ISR
needs of the Warfighter every day is going to be arbitrarily and
unjustifiably dismantled, in the midst of the GWOT.
It is my understanding that this BRAC round was supposed to be an
opportunity to achieve inter-service jointness within DOD. The proposed
relocation of Team C4ISR to Aberdeen does nothing in this regard and, in
fact, completely severs that organization's connections with nearby Fort
Dix/Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Center/McGuire AFB. This Joint Base,
with its three contiguous service installations, is the home to many C4ISR
test and evaluation activities and is near the Army's center for C4ISR
expertise at Fort Monmouth. Accordingly, it would have been an ideal
location for a truly Joint DOD C4ISR Command structured reporting to the
Commander, Joint Forces Command. I briefed this concept to Army, Air Force
and Navy leadership during my last year in command and would welcome the
opportunity to discus it with you if your schedule permits.
As a resident of Virginia, I have no personnel equity in the final BRAC
decision. Yet as a citizen and taxpayer, I do want to ensure the facts are
adequately evaluated resulting in the right/best decision for the well being
of our nation. That is the reason that I have elected to share my concerns.
I look forward to discussing this issue with you at your convenience. I
firmly believe that if the Army fully understood the role performed by Team
C4ISR at Fort Monmouth, it would never have recommended their relocation to
Aberdeen, and it is my sincere hope that the Commission will rectify this
situation. The lives of countless Warfighters depend upon it.
William Russ,
Major General, U.S. Army (Retired)
3624 Ransom Place
Alexandria, Va 22306
Phone# work 703-413-5316; home 703-768-8569