Looming budget cuts could take big bite out of military related jobs

From Joint Base Lewis McChord to Boeing, the threat of
massive military budget cuts could have a dramatic impact
on our area. And there are plenty of dire warnings being
made as Congress faces a deadline to take action by the
end of the year before a $1.2 trillion mandatory
federal budget cut takes effect.

Some estimates say military spending accounts for as much
as $8 billion and over 100,000 jobs in Washington
state alone.

While some bases could face cutbacks, our major complexes
including JBLM should be relatively safe because the
Pentagon has already refocused many of its military
centers, according to retired Maj. Mike Lyons, CBS News
military analyst, in an interview with Seattle’s Morning
News.

>>Interview: CBS military analyst Maj.
Mike Lyons on impact of mandatory budget cuts

But he says the bigger threat is to defense contractors
like Boeing and Lockheed Martin and the thousands of jobs
they create.

“They’re calling it Armageddon from a job loss perspective
on the civilian side,” Lyons said. “While we all agree we
should cut the defense budget those unintended
consequences really trickle down.”

That was the warning Wednesday from Robert J. Stevens,
chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin
Corp., in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee.
Stevens told lawmakers the company could be forced to cut
10,000 jobs if Congress fails to come up with alternatives
to the mandatory across the board reductions slated to go
into effect Jan. 2.

Republicans and Democrats are trying to undo the cuts they
voted for last summer when they agreed to a deficit-
cutting budget.

Lyons said regardless of what happens regarding the
mandatory cuts, upcoming changes in strategy likely mean
more layoffs at military contractors like Boeing.

“If you look over the horizon, we’re going to devote more
money toward drone technology and unmanned vehicles. We’re
going to get to this military
that’s less reliant on people,” said Lyons.