KWCH 12 – by Anne MeyerA major cut for the Air National Guard unit based at McConnell Air Force Base.
According to Sharon Watson with the Adjutant General’s Office in Topeka, around 30% of full time guard members at McConnell will be cut. That works out to around 150 jobs. Plus at least 60 part-time jobs are being cut as well.
Most of those guard members will get work at other guard locations in the state.
The 127th Command and Control Squadron was eliminated earlier this month. We also know the 184th Munitions Squadron is also being eliminated and the 177th Information Aggressor Squadron will be cut later this year.
“If you are one of the airmen who isn’t going to have a job at the end of the day and you have mortgages, or kids in college, its tough,” said Wing Commander Colonel Jeff Jordan. “There is no doubt about it, we are trying to do everything we can to help.”
Col. Jordan says most of the affected airmen are being transferred to jobs elsewhere, but about 25 of the full-time members will likely not get new jobs.
The cuts are part of the ongoing federal reductions in defense spending, which are going on nationwide.
Guard members remaining at McConnell will continue their intelligence work and cyber missions helping war fighters around the world.
We reached out to Congressman Mike Pompeo to get his reaction to the cuts. He said he’s been working over the last several months to convince others in DC that these cuts are bad for national security.
“McConnell and the 184th are vital to our nation’s security and the greater Kansas community,” Pompeo said. “Having visited the base over a dozen times, I can attest to quality of our airmen and the importance of their missions.”
Pompeo said he is working with Senators Roberts and Moran to help make McConnell and the 184th be successful for years to come.
http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/major-cuts-at-mcconnell-air-force-base/28243476
“The cuts are part of the ongoing federal reductions in defense spending, which are going on nationwide.”
Cuts in defense spending are always popular, but there will never be any cuts in our imperial storm troopers attacking other countries for their resource wealth. The “cuts” will only affect our ability to defend ourselves as a nation.
“Guard members remaining at McConnell will continue their intelligence work and cyber missions helping war fighters around the world.”
And of course, they’ll never let one of their spies go.