By KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The Pentagon recommended Friday morning that the 131st Fighter Wing at Lambert Airport be moved. Jeff Rainford, chief of staff to Mayor Francis Slay, says the wing will be moved to Nellis AFB in Nevada and Atlantic City Air Guard station.
The Pentagon's list says the move will mean the loss of 34 military and 215 civilian jobs (for a total of 249). Included in the move will be the wing's 15 F-15 fighter jets.
According to its website, the wing is the eighth oldest Guard unit in existence and is made up of 1,300 people including more than 1,000 volunteer citizen-soldiers.
Rainford says the wing has an economic impact on the region of $110 million.
"The military made this for military reasons and we're not experts on military matters," Rainford said. "But Senators Bond and Talent tell us they think it will hurt the military and hurt homeland security and they're going to fight it, so we're going to help them in any way we can."
Rainford added the move won't impact the City of St. Louis or Lambert Airport that much, but that it's a regional issue that all leaders should address.
The wing was slated to move to a new facility near Lambert Airport because its current home is too close to a new runway being built. Rainford says the first hint that the move might happen came a few weeks ago when local and state leaders wrote the Air Force, asking they start negotiating the details of a new facility, and the Air Force rejected.
U.S. Senator Kit Bond says he was stunned by the recommendation. He says moving the fighter wing would leave St. Louis at the central part of the country less secure.
"That, I think, is the most important selling point we can make to the commission; that for homeland security we need to continue the mission that the 131st Fighter Wing is providing," Bond said.
Congressman Todd Akin said in a statement he will work to change the BRAC Commission's mind about the wing. He calls the move "ill-advised."
"To remove this important fighter asset from its current location makes no sense from a homeland security perspective and is a recommendations which I oppose," Akin said.
The Base Realignment and Closure Commission will study the list and make final recommendations in coming months.