Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing has lost its 24-hour alert status, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The Air National Guard base had been one of the units ready to deploy action-ready air defense capabilities at a moments notice. The base remains open and will continue operating as a part of air defense. Nevertheless, this marks a reduction in the base’s mission, something local officials had hoped to avoid in a coming era of base closure proposals.

The air base employs more than 70 full time employees and serves as the gathering point for hundreds serving in the air national guard all over the region.