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HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AP) -- Hill Air Force Base could face more than 700 job cuts as part of a restructuring plan recently announced by the Air Force.
Hill Air Force Base could see 737 military jobs cut and an increase of 87 civilian jobs on base. About 20,000 civilian and military employees work at Hill.
The proposal suggests eliminating 660 positions for the 388th Fighter Wing because of a nationwide reduction of F-16s.
The base houses 72 F-16s in its 388th Fighter Wing, but would lose 24 of those according to the restructure plan, which calls for the early retirement of 134 F-16s nationwide.
The proposal also calls for a reduction of 144 military positions and one civilian position for the 649th Combat Logistics Support Squadron.
Exactly which positions will be realigned, eliminated or added and when that will take place isn't yet known, said Charles Freeman, the base's deputy director of public affairs.
"As far as how positions are going to be taken off the books, we'll find that out at a later time," he said. "This is all designed to make the Air Force in a leaner position to do our jobs well."
Freeman said Hill officials might publicly discuss the proposal in more detail on Monday.
Utah Republican Rep. Rob Bishop is concerned about the Air Force's proposal and the impacts it could have on Hill.
Bishop said that the proposal is based on plans to cut 249 planes out of the Air Force's fleet: the 134 F-16s, three A-10s and 112 F-15s. While Hill could eventually house a fleet of F-35s, which will replace the country's F-16s, Bishop said it is illogical to get rid of existing aircraft before new jets arrive.
"We should never remove a plane until we have a replacement ready to be used. We are not there yet," Bishop said in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune.
He asked in the 2010 Defense Authorization Bill for a one-year delay on aircraft reduction plans. The House passed the measure Thursday, but the bill still needs Senate approval.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
