Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has appointed U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen’s legislative director to lead a special committee that will study the impact of the Base Realignment and Closure Act on the county.

Phil Alperson will serve as Montgomery’s local BRAC coordinator for one year, officials announced Friday.

In his coordinator capacity, Alperson will develop a work plan that relates to base realignments, work with local military installations to ensure their concerns are addressed and be a liaison with Leggett’s staff.

“Montgomery County must do its part — and our federal and state government partners, and the private and nonprofit sectors must all pull together — to ensure that the BRAC transition is as smooth as possible,” Alperson said in a statement. “I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to the day we can put a welcome mat at Walter Reed’s front gate and provide our active and military veterans the highest-quality medical care they deserve.”

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The biggest effect on Montgomery County stemming from base realignment will be the shifting of services from Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the Bethesda-based National Naval Medical Center. Current estimates are that the Naval center will reap 1,400 new jobs and receive 435,000 new patients and visitor trips.

That’s out of 40,000 to 50,000 expected new people coming to Maryland due to BRAC.

Leggett told The Examiner earlier this year that he wanted to assemble a committee of experts to keep an eye on BRAC, similar to the one Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is overseeing at a state level.

Alperson has nearly 30 years of experience with the U.S. House and has been Van Hollen’s legislative director since he took office in 2003.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com