© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Scott AFB cutting more than 300 civilian jobs

The Belleville Gate entrance to Scott Air Force Base near Belleville, Ill.
(via Wikimedia commons/SSGT CHAD R. GANN, USAF)
The Belleville Gate entrance to Scott Air Force Base near Belleville, Ill.

Scott Air Force Base plans to cut more than 300 jobs as part of an Air Force restructuring plan and could get rid of more positions.

Base spokeswoman Karen Petitt said 321 jobs will be cut. Of those 122 are vacant. The base about 25 miles east of St. Louis has 5,085 civilian jobs so the cuts represent 6.3 percent of its civilian positions.

The Air Force is cutting about 9,000 jobs around the country to save money and restructure civilian operations.

The jobs being cut include civil engineers and communications and maintenance workers. Some areas such as the U.S. Transportation Command won't lose jobs.

Col. Michael Hornitschek is Scott's commander. He said the cuts were a product of tough decisions.

Hornitschek said more cuts are possible early next year.