Springfield Still in Danger of Losing the 183rd

TEH Senior Base Closing Correspondent, ETK, passes this New York Times item on to us which, in part, says this:

In Illinois, officials fear that Scott Air Force Base, near St. Louis, and the Rock Island Arsenal could be on the chopping block. These officials have also expressed concern that two Air National Guard bases, one in Springfield and another in Peoria, are considered vulnerable as the Air Force looks to merge many of its active-duty and reservist units.

In late March, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert and two other senior Illinois lawmakers wrote Mr. Rumsfeld to warn him that closing any National Guard base would, by law, require the state governor's approval.

The Pentagon's top acquisition official, Michael W. Wynne, wrote back to the lawmakers last month to inform them politely that they were wrong.

And a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ETK who continues to work tirelessly while continuing his advance toward old age.