Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., wants the Air Force to eliminate more civilian jobs.

In a letter sent March 24 to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, McCain expressed his disappointment that the reductions in headquarters positions that she had touted at a recent Armed Forces Committee hearing actually came from reassigning people to other offices rather than removing them from the payroll. McCain is chairman of the committee.

Resource: Read the letter

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who was deputy secretary at the time, had issued a memo directing the Air Force to strive for a 20 percent reduction in government civilian staff, eliminating "lower priority activities." McCain said the Air Force has not eliminated those activities.

Instead, the Air Force redesignated the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency as the 25th Air Force, and created the Installation and Mission Support Center, two subordinate commands that McCain argues are in direct contradiction to Carter's directive.

The cuts were intended to make operations more efficient and save money, but the Air Force has responded with a "shell game" that accomplishes neither goal, McCain charged.

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