By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Politicans and other people from seven Midwestern states who are concerned about the possible closure of military bases will have a chance to speak out Monday in St. Louis.
Three members of the Base Realignment and Closure - or BRAC - Commission will be at Saint Louis University Monday morning to hear public comments on the closure list.
In the St. Louis area, Scott Air Force Base is adding jobs, but proposed cuts to other facilities total more than 1,900 positions.
BRAC Commission spokesman Robert McCreary says the hearing will help commission members learn more about the facilities on the list: "The regional hearing is only one opportunity. It's important to know that the BRAC commission is accepting information every day. So this is not the [only] opportunity. We're there to gather information."
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made the closure recommendations last month. He hopes to trim nearly $50 billion from the Pentagon's budget.
But the BRAC commission needs to approve the cuts before sending them to Congress and the President.