THE IMPACTS OF MILITARY BASE CLOSURES AND REALIGNMENTS WITH SOME EXAMPLES BASED ON LOCAL REVITALIZATION PROGRAMS IN POLAND.

The literature in the field of economic sciences analyzes the role of military base (unit) on socio-economic development in many perspectives and scales but the local perspective is especially important as the location of military units has significant social, economic and spatial impacts and favors establishing relations between army and local entities, in particular self-government authorities, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations and residents. That is why also military base closures and realignments have prompted some of the most vocal public concerns in surrounding communities. The actual magnitude of local effects connected with closures is usually difficult to estimate, and is based primarily on case studies with some attempts to use statistical analysis in limited range (like employment). The other issue described in the literature is connected with the process of revitalization (recovery) of local communes. One of the instruments of programming the process of so-called mitigation of crisis in the degraded areas has been the local revitalization programs in Poland in recent years. Literature and empirical evidence proves that the closure and alignment of a military unit results in some socioeconomic distress for community and it may be a decisive factor for the emergence of situations in certain areas characterized by the concentration of negative social problems and the occurrence of other negative phenomena (in the economic, environmental, spatio-functional or technical sphere) what is a prerequisite for marking the revitalization area according to Polish law. The EU-financed projects designed in the program should provide an assist to aid community revitalization efforts. This article analyzes examples of local revitalization programs in communities where the military unit was closed. The aim of the case studies will be not only to learn about the actual impacts in the community and the proposals for minimizing those impacts, but also the assessment of the usefulness of the analysis of these planning documents to determine the socio-economic and spatial impacts of military dislocation on the local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]