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WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) -- Military bases in the U-S, including Utah, face an uncertain future.
The Pentagon is seeking to close or consolidate some of its 425 facilities to save as much as 7 (B)billion dollars a year.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the money would be better spent improving fighting capabilities amid threats from terrorists.
However, communities worry that closing nearby military bases will hurt their economies.
Congress authorized the fifth round of Base Realignment and Closure - commonly known as BRAC - last year.
The first deadline in the year-long process is March 15, when President Bush must name a nine-member commission that will review a list of closures that Rumsfeld will propose by May.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
