Alaska could lose 5,000 defense jobs

[Toots]

Alaska could lose 5,000 defense jobs

ANCHORAGE - Kulis Air National Guard Station in Anchorage was targeted for closure and most aircraft at Eielson Air Force Base would be moved elsewhere under a base closure and realignment plan released Friday by the Pentagon.

No major facility in Alaska was on the Department of Defense base closure list, but the state would lose 4,818 military or civilian jobs
<snip>
U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said he would oppose the changes at Eielson
<snip>
The Pentagon lists Eielson's loss at 2,821 military and 319 civilian jobs in a borough of 85,000 people.
<snip>
Closure of Kulis would mean the loss of 218 military and 241 civilian jobs, according to the Pentagon.
Operating at Kulis for 50 years has allowed the Air Guard to grow, Campbell said.
"Today we're one of the strongest combat search and rescue squadrons in the Air Force," he said.
<snip>
The Alaska total direct loss would be 4,624 military and 824 civilian jobs. Alaska facilities would gain 397 military and 233 civilian jobs, for a net job loss of 4,818, including 4,227 military jobs and 591 civilian jobs.

http://juneauempire.com/stories/051505/sta_20050515002.shtml

I say this will never happen but closing an Air National Guard base that specializes in Search and Rescue in a place that has so much empty wilderness. Doesn't make any sense at all.

[unhappycamper]

1. Guess Stevens was thrown overboard once the ANWR drilling rights

were given to Exxon or Shell or whomever. Maybe he'll break out his Amazing Hulk tie to save the day. . . .

[TahitiNut]

3. Incredible.

:silly:

[wakeme2008]

2. It is no surprise to me

as I posted yesterday in my thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1784053

When it comes to the Air Force, think good weather and GOOD GOLF courses....

[JohnLocke]

4. Kick (nt)

[Judi Lynn]

5. It looks as if Ted Stevens COULD become completely dispensible

if this does go through as indicated. He's Mr. Pork, for crying out loud. He's worked overtime trying to screw the U.S. taxpayers for Alaska gas, as in that horrendous double pipeline monstrosity.

If he can EVER get pried outta there, it will favorably alter a lot of things. You may remember this CBS 60 Minutes program on the goddawful idea for spending unneccessary money on this pipeline:

So why doesn’t the State of Alaska do it? “Well, we're going to get the royalties, but we're not in the business of developing and building a $20 billion natural gas line,” says Murkowski.

“They want their route to be built. They're playing hardball. They've played hardball from day one on it,” says Hoglund. “They want the pipeline to come right down through the middle of the state. They want the jobs. They made a tremendous amount of money when the oil pipeline was built. And so it's just a mantra in Alaska.”

And Alaska is getting its way, because even though it has one of the smallest populations, the state has inordinate clout in Congress. Its senator, Ted Stevens, chairs the Appropriations Committee, which controls the Federal purse strings. And Don Young, its only representative, runs the House Transportation Committee.

“I think if you're really interested in having some highways in your state, you're not going to buck the chairman,” says Hoglund.
(snip)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/19/60minutes/main574250.shtml

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Bush is closing 33 bases in the US

so he can open 14+ bases in Iraq, 5+ in Afghanistan, and who knows how many others in the region. So much for Homeland Security.

[salib]

7. Well, if he votes against the fillibuster

Maybe he can win some of that back. Hell, every vote could win back some gold for his state. It is SO PATHETICALLY curb-side in the Congress!

[cyr330]

8. Good

I never shed tears when I see a reliably red state get kicked in the teeth. Maybe this will teach them a lesson not to vote red again.

[sallyseven]

9. Bush is trying to scare the Sen and Cong.

He is so full of shit. Of course this makes Halliburton a much better deal. Any Congressman or Senator that doesn't do the right thing for the citizens of the US needs to get thrown out of office. Bush is killing us slowly.