W.P.A.F.B. — Some Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (W.P.A.F.B.) employees are unsure about their futures.
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A civilian employee for nearly two years told News Center 7 working at Wright-Patt is the best job he’s had. He asked to remain anonymous, fearing speaking out could cost him his job or put his supervisors in a bad position.
“Everyone is fearing for their job,” he said. “I’ve seen more people cry, I’ve seen more people just completely distraught.”
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As previously reported by News Center 7, these worries came after federal employees received an email asking for bullet points on what they completed at work the previous week. The Defense Department told staff to pause their replys.
The employee said some employees were concerned about sharing the information because much of the work they do is classified or top secret. “I don’t think any of us were offended by having to put five bullet points, I think 99% of us could do that very easily but its who the information is going to and the way in which it was requested,” the employee said.
The Pentagon has said it plans to terminate five to eight percent of the military’s civilian employees to produce efficiencies.
The Department of Defense has an annual budget over $800 billion. “There are waste, redundancies and headcounts in headquarters that need to be addressed,” Said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
When News Center 7 reached out to Wright-Patterson about potential cuts among probationary employees, they sent the following statement:
“There are rumors and speculation circulating regarding the status of probationary employees. As of now (Thursday, 20 Feb, 6:30 p.m.), NO probationary termination notices have been sent to AF employees at Wright-Patterson AFB. We do not have the number of Wright-Patterson AFB employees who may be affected by termination actions. We are supporting the Department of the Air Force as it makes decisions on the future of its workforce and continue to support our employees with extensive resources dedicated to their well-being.”
>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employee shares fears about uncertain future
News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz says close to 40,000 people come through the Wright-Patt gates to work at the base.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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