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South Texas Military Task Force warns Army Depot workload loss could cost thousands of local jobs
Summary
Task force representatives told commissioners the Corpus Christi Army Depot has seen employment fall from about 5,900 civilians in 2011 to roughly 2,700 today and could lose another 1,000 jobs as helicopter workload declines; the task force outlined advocacy steps and asked to continue county sponsorship at current funding levels.
Representatives of the South Texas Military Task Force updated San Patricio County Commissioners Court on efforts to protect local military jobs and installations, and warned that changing Army procurement priorities could lead to substantial job losses at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD).
Creston Cook, executive director of the task force, and Chairman Alan Wilson reviewed the group's mission to "promote, protect, and communicate the value of our area military installations," and listed installations the task force advocates for, including Corpus Christi Army Depot, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Naval Air Station Kingsville and Coast Guard operations.
Why it matters: CCAD historically performed depot-level overhaul work for Army helicopters. The task force said the Army's shift away from helicopters toward other aircraft and procurement decisions awarding large contracts to out-of-state firms are eroding the depot's workload and employment base.
Key points from the presentation
- Employment and contracts: Cook said CCAD employment fell from about 5,900 civilians in 2011 to about 2,700 currently, and he cited a projection that the depot could lose roughly 1,000 civilian positions in the next two years as helicopter airframe work declines.
- Contract awards: Cook showed a recent $71 million award to Lockheed in Orlando for Apache maintenance that the task force contends could have supported depot work in Corpus Christi.
- Task force actions: The task force is working with the depot, local leaders and congressional staff to advertise the depot's capabilities, pursue alternative workloads (including unmanned systems and component-level work), and push state-level advocacy such as the Texas Military Preparedness Commission.
- Local recognition: The presentation noted that the City of Corpus Christi received designation as a Coast Guard City and that local efforts supported EV charger funding for depot operations.
County response: Commissioners thanked the task force for its advocacy. Commissioner Yardley was cited as an active participant on the task force board.
Ending: The task force asked the court to continue sponsorship at current funding levels; the presentation did not include a formal court vote on funding at that time.
