By Alabama Public Radio
Washington, D.C. – President Bush has nominated eight people to serve on the commission charged with closing U.S. military bases. Alabama has four bases--the Anniston Army Depot, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Fort Rucker in Ozark and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby said in a statement Tuesday that he strongly believes that the state's military installations provide critical support and military value to national defense. Congress authorized the fifth round of base closures in 2004. If confirmed by the Senate, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission will review a list of closures the Pentagon must propose by May. The President picked former Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi to lead the nine-member independent commission.