More talk over defense budget cuts

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Massachusetts Lt. Governor Timothy Murray will talk about what state is doing right now, to promote and protect military bases, at a meeting in Newton Wednesday morning.

Back in February, he created the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force , after the Department of Defense announced that it plans to cut spending by $500 billion over the next decade. This equates to about 17 jobs at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee--including 13 full-time civilian positions and four reservist positions. The government also wants to cut in half the number of C-5 cargo planes housed on the base by 2016.

Several jobs at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield could also be at risk.

But the mission of this new task force is to come up with a plan to prevent cuts to any of the state's military bases.
Lt. Governor Murray believes there are alternative ways the Defense Department can reduce costs.