RRAD Makes Staff Reductions
By: Jade Cunningham
Updated: January 17, 2013
Big changes are happening at Red River Army Depot.
They announced Wednesday that they'll be reducing their workforce by just over 350 people.
In 2004, the Red River Army Depot increased its personnel.
"Our leadership here is looking for all opportunities to maintain that level of readiness and support to our nation."
However now things have changed.
"Our mission and workload numbers have been reduced because as you know the army has transitioned out of Iraq," said Colonel Doyle Lassitter. "There's been a reduction of forces in Afghanistan, so mission requirements supporting the Department of Defense have been reduced."
So on February 23rd, 357 people will be let go.
"The workforce that'll be affected will be both our contract workforce and also our term workfoce here at the Depot."
In a press release sent by RRAD, term employees are "hired to perform specific tasks for a prescribed time. When work is no longer available, they are typically released. The affected term workers include both Wage Grade and General Schedule employees who support the depot's administrative, production, inspection, and maintenance operations. The contractor personnel from URS also provide the same support skills."
While officials aren't sure about what this means for surrounding communities, they know it'll have a big impact.
"We haven't done calculations on what this specific reduction in force will impact on the economy."
And it doesn't stop there, because the possibility of more cuts could happen.
"We'll look at this monthly and make assessments of our workload and workforce we need so we can support that."
But for now, Lassitter says they're doing what they can to help make the transition a bit easier.
"We're trying to ensure that they have the support not only from work location, but also from their emotional and psychological state as well."
Some of those leaving have been with the Red River Army Depot for as long as eight years. Each individual will be notified personally within the next few days.
