By AP/KWMU
Washington, DC – U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is hinting the list of recommended base closures to be released in May might not be as long as first thought.
He says the military needs more facilities now than it might have a year or so ago.
For one, thousand of troops will return to the U.S. this year from overseas bases that were more crucial during the Cold War.
Some estimates have said 20-25% of all U.S. bases are not needed, but Rumsfeld now says closures list will likely come in below that range.
That could be good news for the Metro-East's biggest employer: Scott Air Force. Scott barely survived the last round of closures and officials there spent the last decade making improvements in hopes of never coming that close again.