The Associated Press
©
HAMPTON
Officials at Joint Base Langley-Eustis say it's not yet known whether they'll have to lay off employees as part of the Air Force's plan to eliminate 9,000 civilian jobs, though they pledged Friday to do everything in their power to avoid forcing out workers.
The service announced the cuts in Washington on Wednesday, saying that more forcewide reductions are probably on the horizon. The news triggered criticism from members of Congress who represent states affected by the changes.
At the Langley side of the base, officials said they expect to lose about 500 positions, though 300 of those are already vacant. Some jobs at Fort Eustis also will be affected. In a written statement, the base said the Air Force is planning another round of early retirement and voluntary separation incentive offers for early next year. In addition, the service is working to move employees who are in positions set to be eliminated into vacant jobs that need to be filled.
"The Air Force is pursuing all available voluntary force management measures with the goal of avoiding involuntary measures," the statement said. "Right now, we are not sure whether a reduction in force will be necessary."
Employees who are in positions that will be cut have already been notified, and supervisors are "communicating with their workforce in candid terms to minimize uncertainty and maximize options," the service said.
"We know uncertainty can cause great stress and we are doing everything we can to share information across the workforce as soon as it becomes available."
The Air Force reductions are part of far-reaching efforts by the Pentagon to reduce defense spending across the military.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Corinne Reilly, (757) 446-2949, corinne.reilly@pilotonline.com
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Permanent loss of capability
With all due respect for the military brass, their advice to Congress on maintenance matters is questionable at best and 75-90% faulty. Having spent over 30 years in maintenance of military equipment, there is a level and depth of expertise lost in cuts like this that the brass that changes address every two years will never "clearly understand" as they believe they do. Repair and good maintenance of these often antiquated structures containing multiple integrated generations of technology is learned over a lifetime. When the continuity of experience is severed and mentors lost, it is impossible to recover. Not difficult--impossible. Congress will hear what they want and cut what they want and taxpayers will pay dearly to unscrew it.
EPA is hiring
more regulation needs more regulators
I think you cut and paste
I think you cut and paste your slogan into the wrong story. Maybe your masters will give you have credit.
Bands
They have two different bands at JBLE, get you a horn and go work in one of the bands they have at Joint Base Langley Eustis.
Comment deleted
Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Personal attack, name calling
Blame the current administration.
With the current administration saying "we must have defense cuts" what are the services supposed to do? They aren't left with much of a choice. And what happened to all those jobs promised by the current administration? We are on a downward spiral. I hope voters have enough sense to turn this around in the upcoming elections.
Now you think the Air Force
Now you think the Air Force is a jobs program because you think you can use this story as a job against your enemy?
Not only area
My mom called tonight and mentioned that they were cutting 600 positions at Warner Robins in GA, too
Cutting vacant positions
That's gotta hurt!
No worries, these 9,000 should have no problem finding
new work. With all the Bush tax cuts that the wealthy have been receiving for the past 10 years, we must be down to about o% unemployment now.
What the heck, another round of tax cuts for the rich. Got to make sure they have plenty of money to create all these jobs for the rest of us working dolts. Oh, what would we ever do without the great job creators?