LIMESTONE (AP) – The Defense Finance and Accounting Service center that was spared by the base closing commission this year revealed a plan Thursday that calls for nearly doubling its work force over the next three years.

The proposal calls for lifting the work force from its current level of 352 to 662 by fiscal year 2008, officials said. That means additions of 150 jobs in the coming year, 84 in fiscal year 2007 and another 76 the year after that.

DFAS officials began briefing workers on Thursday

DFAS officials expect the required approval from the Pentagon next week. Hiring will begin once funding is received through the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill.

The Pentagon originally wanted to close the Limestone facility. But the base closing commission spared the Limestone center and a similar facility in Rome, N.Y., as it voted to reduce the number of accounting centers from 26 to five.

“BRAC 2005 provides the opportunity to implement site consolidations, streamline DFAS operations, and support our goal to provide best value to the warfighter,” said Zack Gaddy, director of the DFAS system.

DFAS expects that between 10 and 20 percent of the new jobs could be filled by employees transferring from other locations. Local residents can apply for the rest.

The DFAS center was established more than a decade ago to ease the impact of the shutdown of Loring Air Force Base during an earlier round of base closings. Loring’s closing eliminated 4,500 military jobs and 1,100 civilian jobs.

The Limestone center currently handles the books and ledgers for domestic Air National Guard bases and active duty Air Force bases in Europe.

Limestone will expand its vendor pay, corporate organizations, and Air Force Field Accounting missions, and it will also become the Center of Excellence for Transportation Working Capitol Fund Accounting, officials said.

AP-ES-12-15-05 1719EST

Copy the Story Link