Less than 3 dozen civilian cuts at Shaw AFB

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Air Force plans to reduce the number of civilian workers will affect only about 30 of the 1,200 civilians working at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter.

Master Sgt. Kristina Barrett says that those positions will be eliminated during the next three years but it’s not clear that anyone will lose a job. She says some of those workers could fill positions that are now vacant.

The commander of Joint Base Charleston meets with the media later Friday to discuss planned Air Force cuts.

The Defense Department has directed the Air Force to return its civilian staffing to 2010 levels. That means the service will have to eliminate about 9,000 positions.

Part of the effort is to eliminate redundant Air Force positions.