NORFOLK, Va. (AP) _ A state commission has released a report detailing how Virginia can help grow the military’s presence in the state. The military is a major driver of the economies of northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. In 2013, the Defense Department spent more than $58 billion in Virginia. While the Defense Department has called for a new round of base closures and realignments because of excess infrastructure, Congress has repeatedly rebuffed those efforts. The report aims to put Virginia in a better position to grow its military presence and protect what it has should base closures occur in the future, among other things. The Governor’s Commission on Military Installations and Defense Activities made 20 distinct recommendations in its report Tuesday. It says the majority of them can be achieved within seven years.
