The Pentagon's proposal calls for closing nearly 180 installations and offices, including 33 big bases, in the first major restructuring of the nation's military network in a decade.

The House Armed Services Committee today approved, 44 to 8, an independent commission's proposal to close 34 military installations and realign 48 others.

Three commissions - in 1989, 1991 and 1993 - have recommended closing more than 100 installations.

The military announced its final plan to close 33 major installations.

Three independent commissions, which met in 1988, 1991 and 1993, decided to close 70 major installations.

The Pentagon recommended closing nearly 180 military installations and offices, including 33 big bases like Groton's.

Since 1990, the military has closed more than 800 installations overseas, including scores of small installations, but those do not require commission approval.

As part of the plan, Mr. Cheney will also ask the commission to close 12 minor installations and reduce or realign 28 others.

A similar process, used in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995, closed 451 installations, including 97 major bases; federal auditors estimate that the closings brought savings of $15.5 billion.

Lawmakers and Pentagon officials have predicted that the 1995 round of decisions, scheduled to be the last one, could close more installations than the previous three combined.