The Department of Defense is gathering information about its 425 military installations in the United States to assess which will remain open and what roles they will play in the future. This is known as the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Congress authorized the fifth round of base closures last year.

May 15 _By this date, the secretary of defense must come up with a list of military installations that he recommends for closure or realignment.

Sept. 8 - The deadline for the nine-member panel that studies the list to present its findings to President Bush.

Sept. 23 - President Bush sends the panel and Congress a report containing his approval or disapproval of the commission's recommendations. If he approves of the recommendations, they are binding after 45 legislative days unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval or adjourns.

Oct. 20 - If the president rejects the Commission's recommendations, it must submit revised recommendations by this date.

Nov. 7 - The president must approve the revised recommendations and transmit approval to Congress by this date or the process ends. If he approves of the recommendations, they are binding after 45 legislative days unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval or adjourns.

April 15, 2006 - The work of the Commission must be concluded.

Source: Defense Department background on base closings: http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/