Good Friday 13th news about HAFB triggers joy

Rumsfeld's proposed BRAC list recommends a net loss of only 145 jobs at Hill. The other two remaining air logistics centers added jobs — Robins Air Force Base in Georgia gained 749 jobs and Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma added 355.

According to Rumsfeld's list, Hill will gain 278 military jobs but lose 423 civilian positions if BRAC approves the list.

Other changes due to realignment include the shuffling of F-16s across the country in an effort to consolidate the Department of Defense's F-16 fleet. Aging F-16 fighter jets from Hill's reserve 419th Fighter Wing will be reassigned to Florida and Texas. Members of Utah's congressional delegation said the shift could end up expanding Hill's workload.

Hill will add six block 40 F-16s from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, which would be closed under Rumsfeld's recommendations.

Other workload additions include maintenance of the F110 engine and additional workload for the LANTIRN pod. The low altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night technology allows aircraft to fly at low altitudes, at night and during bad weather to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons.

"It's a banner day for the state of Utah," Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said in a press conference Friday. "It could have been just the reverse. We could have been talking about the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in our economy."

Scott Schryver, a real-estate agent, said he was relieved Friday morning when he heard Hill did not make Rumsfeld's list.

"No doubt the values of homes would have dropped" if Hill had closed, Schryver said. "It would have been a major issue for sellers in our market."

Brian Robbins and Mike Alvord agree. The contractors feared that a steady flow of homebuilding contracts would end if the base closed.

"We're definitely dependent on Hill," said Alvord, who lives in North Ogden. "Building would stop because there would be such a surplus" in the housing market if the base closed and thousands of military personnel moved away.

"If Hill goes down, then we go down with it."

Kenneth Judd, who works on base as a member of the 388th Fighter Wing, said he was happy to see Hill survived a possible closure.

But news of realignment still worried Judd Friday. He has been working on base for only eight months and loves it.

Judd said he fears he could be transferred to another base during the realignment process.

"I'm from New York. Utah is very different from New York," he said. "I'm just not ready to leave. This is a great place to work."

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E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com