(Washington, DC)—Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, joined by District Department of Employment Services (DOES) Director Joseph Walsh, today celebrated the opening of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Career Transition Center.  The center will provide career counseling, job search assistance and training opportunities to federal employees affected by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Initiative.

“At the BRAC Career Transition Center, employees affected by the closure of the Walter Reed facility will have convenient access to employment services,” said Mayor Fenty.  “Our goal is to provide every resource necessary to ease the transition for workers during this time.”

In May 2005, the federal Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission released domestic military installation closure and realignment recommendations. As part of its recommendations for the District and surrounding states, the BRAC Commission called for relocation of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. An additional five bases, the Bolling Air Force Base, the Naval District Washington, the Potomac Annex, the Anacostia Annex, and Leased Space DC, are located in the District and will be affected.  An estimated 13,200 positions at the six District bases, including 4,000 WRAMC positions, will be dislocated or realigned.

The BRAC Career Transition Center is exclusively available to civilian personnel affected by the BRAC initiative. The Center, conveniently located in the Delano Hall Building of the WRAMC, will offer unemployment compensation orientation, job search and placement assistance, access to the DOES Virtual One Stop (VOS) System, job listing databases and access to a strong regional network of committed private and public sector employers.

The District was awarded a $1 million BRAC National Emergency Grant from the US Department of Labor in June 2007. The grant is part of $10 million allocated to BRAC employment support services in Maryland, Virginia and the District. The grant will fund District efforts to support dislocated and realigned employees. The District has received over 300 inquiries from WRAMC employees regarding education and training opportunities. The BRAC Career Transition Center will enable DOES to rapidly accommodate thousands more.

“By adding the BRAC Career Transition Center to our list of career centers throughout the city, we are continuing our efforts to make sure that residents in need will have immediate, convenient access to District employment support.” said DOES Director Walsh.