KITTERY — James Courter has a thankless job.

As chairman of the military base-closing commission, he walks into towns across the country, closes their military bases and forces thousands of people out of work.

By the nature of the job, Courter should be the villain. Instead, he’s winning rave reviews from Democrats and Republicans, and even from those harmed by base closings.

“This guy is the Dr. Death of base closings. Yet he is able to carry it off with integrity, just the right amount of humor, and with the element of humanity,” said Barry Steinberg, a Washington lawyer who specializes in saving military bases.

Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell gives Courter high marks, even though he criticized Courter’s commission for closing Loring Air Force Base in northern Maine.

“Both Democrats and Republicans admire his fairness in handling a very difficult task. His knowledge of national defense issues has won him widespread respect,” said Mitchell.

Courter and another base commission member were in Maine on Saturday to tour the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which the commission recently put on a list of bases to be reviewed. Then they headed to Boston for a hearing on closing New England bases.

Courter, a former member of Congress from New Jersey, was appointed chairman of the commission in 1991 by President Bush.

He is doing what 535 members of Congress couldn’t do in a decade. In 1991, Courter’s commission closed 34 military bases, saving taxpayers an estimated $1.5 billion each year.

At 51, Courter is small-town lawyer from New Jersey, a father of two girls, a lover of tennis.

He served in Congress for 12 years, representing some of the most affluent communities in northern New Jersey.

He was known as a dependable Reagan loyalist, a staunch supporter of the “Star Wars” anti-missile defense system and aid to the Nicaraguan rebels. Defense contractors say he is a man who never saw a weapon system he didn’t like.

In 1989, Courter lost a bruising campaign for governor of New Jersey against Jim Florio, a Democrat.

Courter’s life often seems contradictory. He was a Peace Corps volunteer and one-time Democrat who evolved into a Republican and Jack Kemp loyalist.

A great supporter of the Reagan-era military buildup, Courter now finds himself overseeing the military build-down.

“I don’t think there’s a conflict,” Courter tells reporters. “I believe in peace through strength. Unnecessary defense spending does not enhance our nation’s security. It degrades it.”

Closing Loring was one of the most difficult decisions in 1991 because of the arguments made to keep the base open, said Courter, one of two commissioners who voted to keep the base open.

Why would anyone want to be on this commission?

“There is a great sense of satisfaction that comes in doing this type of work,” Courter said.

“It’s a rare opportunity to get things done in a very measurable way in a short period of time. Congress doesn’t always do that. As a member, we often found ourselves debating the same issue year after year after year,” he said.