Thursday, March 08, 2012WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan says he will work to secure more missions, personnel and technology for the Youngtown Air Reserve Station in the wake of the 7% cut in positions at the base announced Wednesday as part of the Pentagon’s efforts to comply with defense cuts to take place over the next decade.
Ryan, D-17 Ohio, a member of the Armed Services Committee, expressed his disappointment the cut of 133 positions to the air base, though he expressed relief that they weren’t more severe. "My goal as a member of the Armed Services Committee is to begin the process of trying to land more missions, personnel and technology at Youngstown," he said.
“The announced reduction at the Youngstown base is significant, but I’m confident in the resiliency and professionalism of our reservists and their ability to continue to not only perform at a superior level, but also to help us lure future missions to our base,” he added.
The loss of 133 positions at YARS is part of the response to the Budget Control Act’s requirement to cut $487 billion from the defense budget over the next decade. In addition to a nationwide reduction of 900 Air Force Reservists, the U.S. Air Force also plans to reduce its forces by 3,900 active duty airmen and 5,100 Air National Guard airmen.
“This nationwide reduction will continue, and everyone will be asked to sacrifice. But there will also be consolidation and the shifting of missions,” Ryan said. Ohio air bases will see a reduction of nearly 1,600 positions, according to the congressman's office.
“This past year, Congress passed a misguided plan to make dramatic cuts throughout our national budget. In many communities across Ohio, from Mansfield to Dayton, these cuts run much deeper than the situation the Youngstown Air Reserve Station is now facing,” he said.
The Air National Guard Base at Mansfield, for example, will see the loss of 806 positions, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will lose 395, he noted.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.