Congressmen vow to fight plan to close Moon's 911th Airlift Wing
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A portion of the United States Air Force Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport is seen from across the highway. The Air Force said in a statement Friday it plans to retire or transfer all seven C-130 aircraft from the base over the next two years.
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WASHINGTON -- Area senators and congressmen vowed Friday to fight the Air Force's plans to close the 911th Airlift Wing in Moon within the next two years, moving two of its seven C-130 transport planes to other bases and retiring the rest.
It isn't yet clear whether the base's troops would be transferred to other bases. The Pentagon "only gave us specifics about our plans and our mission but not our people," said Capt. Shawn Walleck, spokesman for the airlift wing.
Congressman Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, plans to fight the decision, saying congressional authority is required to close bases where more than 300 civilian employees work.
"I'm going to give it all I've got to work with the team to keep that base open," Mr. Murphy said. He and other members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation have requested a meeting with Air Force leaders to make their case to keep the base open.
The base closure, if it is not reversed or modified, will affect more than 1,900 personnel who work there, including 54 active duty troops, 1,422 reservists and trainees, a little more than 300 Air Force civilian workers and 136 other civilians, including contractors, according to data kept by the base.
In addition, 609 jobs indirectly related to the base could be lost in the surrounding community, many in the hospitality industry, officials predicted.
The closure could occur in September 2013, officials said.
"Right now, this is the initial plan that they have rolled out," said Col. James Finney, the base's commander. "All of the discussions will be ongoing between the Department of Defense and Congress."
The closure is part of a larger restructuring plan aimed at addressing automatic defense spending cuts triggered by a congressional super committee's failure to reach agreement on spending cuts.
Already, elected officials including members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation and other community leaders have registered strong objections to the plan as it pertains to Pittsburgh.
"We've known for some time that the Air Force was looking at force structure. We didn't know the full extent of it until it was revealed today," Col. Finney told reporters.
He summoned personnel to a meeting within 30 minutes of the announcement to explain the process and pledge whatever assistance is possible for those affected.
"I think right now everyone is just trying to get their arms around what the announcement is and figure out what the future holds," Col. Finney said.
First Published February 4, 2012 12:00 am
