NNSA SCRAPS PLANS TO CUT SECURITY JOBS AT Y-12

The National Nuclear Security Administration has scrapped plans to reduce the size of the guard force at the Y-12 National Security Complex following last month’s security breach. NNSA spokesman Steven Wyatt confirmed that a previously approved restructuring plan for security contractor WSI-Oak Ridge had been cancelled as a result of the July 28 break-in. WSI had approval to cut as many as 51 security jobs under the plan, and the company had planned to eliminate 34 security police officer jobs as well as three other security-related positions before the security breach. Wyatt said that because WSI’s contract was assigned to M&O contractor B&W Y-12, essentially making it a subcontract, WSI no longer had the authority to carry out the restructuring plan. But he said there are no restructuring plans under the current structure. “Reassigning the WSI contract obviously stems from the July 28 incident and the pressing need to improve overall management of the Y-12 Proforce,” Wyatt said in a statement. “The direct cause of the cancellation was because WSI no longer had the authority to pursue the restructuring plan when the WSI contract was assigned to B&W.”