Army contracts out force protection at U.S. bases.

• Author: Fein, Geoff S.
• Position: Security Beat

To meet growing force-protection needs, the U.S. Army is beginning to turn over security functions at bases around the country to private contractors. The move is intended to relieve the burden on Army, National Guard and reserve security units.

The Army plans to replace, by November 1, uniformed soldiers with private-sector guards at Fort Dettick, Md.; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; Fort Myer, Va., and Fort McNair, D.C., as well as Walter Reed Medical Center, D.C., and Tooele Army Depot, Utah.

The contractors are being hired under a new program initiated by the Army's Installation Management Agency, which was established in 2002 to bring together all base-support functions reader a single umbrella. The prime...