Many communities and states invested millions of dollars in their attempt to prevent their local military bases from being on the Pentagon’s list for closure or realignment. The dreaded list was released in May and is now in the hands of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). BRAC’s nine members – recently appointed, just for this task – will provide a “final” list to the president in early September. Once he agrees to it, the full list will go on to the congress for an up or down vote – no changes.