Over 300 jobs coming to WPAFB after restructuring
Fairfield Echo – An Air Force restructuring designed to cut costs by eliminating thousands of civilian jobs will actually result in a net gain of 363 positions at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as it becomes a bigger center of acquisition, research and development, officials said Wednesday.
That underscores the importance of Wright-Patterson as the Air Force strives to trim spending and operate more efficiently in response to Congress’ demands to reduce the federal budget deficit, members of Congress and retired Air Force officials said.
It makes sense to have acquisition functions in the same location as research and development efforts , the officials said.
“The recognition of the value in acquisition, life-cycle management, and research and development is very clear and obvious,” said Joe Zeis, vice president and chief strategist of the Dayton Development Coalition, who is a retired Air Force wing commander .
The Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered at Wright-Patterson, will reduce its number of centers across nine bases to five from 12 to eliminate 1,051 civilian jobs by Oct. 1, 2012. The AFMC, which will retain its headquarters at Wright-Patterson, will lose an additional 1,088 civilian positions during that period because of a system wide Air Force streamlining of base support functions.
