45 Jobs In Salina Lost To Federal Cutbacks

Federal funding cuts to the Kansas National Guard will prompt the loss of 45 jobs in Salina.

The Guard was recently notified of a significant reduction in federal funding that supports the Readiness Sustainment Maintenance Sites in Salina and Fort Riley. The current 2013 annual budget for the facilities of $22 million is being cut by approximately $15 million.

National guard maintenance employees were told the bad news at a meeting Friday in Salina.

According to the Kansas Adjutant General’s Office, there are currently 182 positions total in the program.. There are 45 positions at Salina and 137 at Fort Riley.

The 45 positions at Salina will be eliminated over the next several months and the facility will close in January. However, 8 staff will be given the opportunity to take a position at Fort Riley based on their skill set and other factors. Specifically, 12 employee’s positions will be cut effective October 2nd, and 25 employee’s positions will be cut effective January 16th.

At Fort Riley a total of 60 positions will be cut over the next several months. Specifically, 46 employee positions will be cut effective October 2nd and 12 employee positions will be cut effective January 16th.

Depending on the exact budgetary cuts to the program, the final number of employees remaining in the program in Fort Riley will be between 70-85 in late January.

These numbers may change slightly as the budget information from Department of Defense could change some over the next few weeks.

The maintenance sites rebuild and refurbishes military equipment for the Department of Defense.

Though the maintenance facility is closing, the National Guard will still have a strong presence in Salina. The 108th Aviation Battalion, the Great Plains Joint Training Center, the recruiting command headquarters, the civil air patrol state headquarters, officers and warrant officer training, and the Smoky Hill Weapons Range.