South Texas officials say proposed workforce reductions at CCAD risk weakening one of the nation’s most critical military aviation facilities.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The future of Corpus Christi Army Depot is front and center in Washington as South Texas leaders push federal officials to halt deep job cuts they say could damage national security and devastate the regional economy.
Representatives from the South Texas Military Task Force, the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, union leaders, and Mayor Paulette Guajardo are meeting directly with federal decision makers, warning that further downsizing at CCAD puts one of the nation’s most critical military facilities at risk.
Advocates say CCAD is not just a local employer but a vital link in military readiness nationwide.
“There is an emergency here and I would like the community here to know that there is some jeopardy in us losing some of our military bases in South Texas,” said Wes Hoskins with the South Texas Military Task Force. “We are here to advocate for our military and our Navy.”
Union leaders say the threat is already showing up on the payroll.
Dave Berger, President of the American Federation of Government Workers Local 2142, says the Depot has experienced roughly an eight percent reduction in jobs each year. He says employees are actively working to bring in new missions and expand CCAD’s role across federal agencies.
“Customs and Border Patrol, they fly a lot of 60’s. (UH-60 Black Hawk ) The Forestry Department flies a lot of 60s,” Berger said. “It would be better to keep that internal with the government fixing it so we can fix it here. Sikorsky is not raking us over a barrel and taking that work away from us.”
Mayor Paulette Guajardo says the next round of cuts could be catastrophic for the Coastal Bend. She warns up to one thousand additional jobs could be eliminated, leaving just thirteen hundred workers at the Depot.
“It’s very important that we are here (in Washington D.C.) in person, making certain that everybody sees us and they understand the urgency of our situation,” Guajardo said.
Supporters of CCAD emphasize its national importance. The Depot is the world’s largest rotary wing repair facility and a Department of Defense Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence.
Union leaders say CCAD injects more than 1.6 billion dollars into the South Texas economy every year and supports thousands of additional jobs outside the gates of the base.
City Councilman Mark Scott says the numbers and the performance back up their argument.
“CCAD can show you that they can actually repair helicopters cheaper than the private sector,” Scott said. “We have a good story to tell. We just need to get in the right conversations with the right people.”
Those conversations are now underway. Local leaders are urging Texas lawmakers to pressure the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army to reverse any downsizing plan, warning that weakening CCAD could ripple far beyond Corpus Christi and directly impact military readiness across the country.