The worst news from the Base Realignment and Closure Commission comes to Milwaukee, with the recommended closure of the air reserve station at Mitchell airport.

That would cost a couple hundred people their jobs in the Cudahy-Milwaukee area. Governor Jim Doyle says the 440th airlift wing is his biggest concern right now. He says although the overall impact of the gains and losses in the state are still unknown, he hopes to convince the department of defense that the 440th is necessary for the safety of Americans.

“But I do really believe that the 440th has extreme value to the defense of the United States and that's what we have to make. It can't just be 'Oh, we want to have the jobs and somebody else shouldn't have them.' We really have to demonstrate how important this is to the defense of the United States.”

Governor Doyle says by closing the 440th, the state's economy would lose 90 million dollars along with the majority of Mitchell airport's fire response capability to the community.