BASE CLOSINGS UNVEILED

Texas, Alabama, New Mexico and Pennsylvania would shoulder much of the burden from 57 military base closings announced today. But the list -- as expected -- left off several large installations that employ thousands of voting civilians. Defense Secretary William Perry, unveiling the recommendations, said the "painful process" would net $6 billion in savings by 2001. (That amount, by the way, will be invested in weapons modernization, he added.) The 57 bases include 15 large facilities in a dozen states. Even after the closures, Perry said, the military will have more bases than it needs to maintain all its Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine forces. "This was a pretty wimpy list," says TIME Defense correspondent Mark Thompson. "They've reduced military people and weapons a lot faster than real estate, and as long as this is the case, we will continue to waste defense dollars."