Los Alamitos Soldiers Fear Loss of Income

More than 3,000 Orange County-based military reservists and National Guard members, the bulk of them at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Los Alamitos, would lose their positions in cuts proposed Thursday by the Pentagon.

The cuts mean loss of part-time jobs and potential retirement income for the so-called “weekend warriors,” civilians who perform military duties on a part-time basis, among them dentists, surgeons and air traffic controllers.

Although units affected by the cuts have been identified by the Pentagon, authorities have not pinpointed which individuals will lose part-time military jobs.

“The whole thing is kind of vague,” said Lt. Stan Zezotarski, Sacramento-based spokesman for the California National Guard. “We don’t understand ourselves what positions are going to be cut and which ones won’t.”

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), himself a retired Air Force reservist, denounced the cuts.

“Our young men and women, coming home from Desert Storm, have an absolute right to a good slot in the Guard, Air Guard and reserves of all of our military services,” he said. “It’s terrible and, of course, grossly unfair.”

The county unit facing the biggest cut is the California National Guard’s 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), based in Los Alamitos. Members of the division are spread throughout California from the Oregon border to Mexico.

The Pentagon said the 40th must shed 2,805 of its 15,454 personnel by Sept. 30 and may also have to drop another 2,275 positions in 1993, for a total loss of 5,080 jobs.

“I hope I am here next year,” said Col. Peter Gravett, 50, chief of staff of the 40th. “I still have more that I want to do in the Guard.”

But his boss, Brig. Gen. Daniel J. Hernandez, 57, said: “We will do what we have to do but, like others, we would have liked to have seen things stay the same. . . . But I understand as a citizen that cuts have to be made, and budgets have to be balanced.”

Hernandez, who is scheduled to be promoted to major general Monday, said as commander of the 40th Division he has been working on the reductions for nearly two years with National Guard and Army officials in Washington.

“This is no surprise to me,” he said, but added that the cuts sadden him because the loss of part of the division means a “little loss of its great history.”

Hernandez said he is going to try to meet the manpower reductions without “involuntarily discharging any otherwise-qualified soldiers.”

Hernandez promised to reduce the numbers by normal attrition, higher enlistment standards and discharging those who fail to meet military and physical standards.

“Some qualified soldiers may have to train for jobs in different areas or transfer to other units, but we hope to retain all those who meet our standards,” he said.

Zezotarski, spokesman for the state Guard, said the 40th has been warned it may have to cut 2,275 more slots in the next fiscal year.

The other county-based units to be cut immediately are six smaller outfits in the Army Reserve and Marine Reserve. A total of 291 slots are to be cut from these smaller units, which include some medical and dental detachments.

They are: Detachment A, Marine Corps Reserve Air Traffic Control Squadron 48, El Toro, to be reduced 61 positions; 114th Surgical Team, Los Alamitos, nine slots; 195th Dental Service Headquarters Detachment, Los Alamitos, 10; 111th Dental Service Team, Los Alamitos, five; 312th Personnel Services Company, Los Alamitos, 144; 324th Dispensary, Los Alamitos, 10; 144th Neurosurgical Team, Los Alamitos, seven; 272nd Thoracic Surgery Team, Los Alamitos, seven, and Headquarters Detachment, 49th Medical Battalion, Los Alamitos, 38.

Army Reserve Maj. Robin Umberg, wife of Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove), said Thursday that she is “very surprised” that medical and dental units are among those targeted for cuts. She is a nurse who served seven months on active duty during the Gulf War last year. Her husband is also in the Army Reserve and was called to duty during Operation Desert Storm.

Many physicians have left Reserve medical units after being called up during the war. “Some physicians have said they could not (financially) afford to repeat that experience,” she said.

So far, neither of the Umbergs has been affected by the Reserve and National Guard cuts. She is a nurse assigned to the 6252nd Army Reserve Hospital unit in Santa Ana, which was not among units announced Thursday in the cutbacks. He serves as a legal officer who shuttles among various units.

“My goal is to stay involved” in the Army Reserve, she said, “as long as I possibly can. I really believe I’m involved in a worthwhile thing, even though it did play havoc with my life last year.”

Umberg, who has 19 years of military service, also acknowledged that she is looking forward to a military pension if she completes 20 or more years.

The reserves and National Guard award a retirement pension to members who complete 20 or more years of creditable service. That pension varies according to military rank, years of service and “points” accrued for various activities. Reserve and National Guard pensions, unlike regular military retirement benefits, are not paid until a person’s 60th birthday.

Many reservists and National Guard members could lose pensions if their slots are cut before they attain 20 years of service.

“There has been a lot of anticipation, a lot of apprehension,” Capt. Barbara Pool, 39, said Thursday at Los Alamitos. “We have no guarantees. I could be gone tomorrow. I am one of those persons who is particularly affected.” She has 16 years of service.

Officials are trying to reassign personnel into other Reserve units. For instance, all 61 air traffic control reservists of the Marine unit at El Toro are likely to get other Reserve jobs, Marine Capt. Betsy Sweatt said.

Sweatt, spokeswoman for El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, added, “It’s not 100% sure, but we think we can fit everyone from Detachment A into other (Reserve) positions.”

But even though the 61 Marines from that unit will probably find new slots in the Reserve, many expressed grief that Detachment A could be coming to an end.

“I think all the personnel, myself included, are sad to see this unit be deactivated,” Capt. Kevin Astrup, 30, of Irvine said Thursday afternoon. “Some of the members of the unit have been in it since it was activated in 1977.”

Astrup said he wants to remain in the Marine Reserve. “My father is a retired Marine, and I served on active duty in the Marines for five years,” he said. “I joined the Reserve to continue being in the Marines. I see the Reserve as an extension of my life.”

At Los Alamitos on Thursday, reactions varied as the soldiers learned of the manpower reductions. “We would like to think there is some way to stop the cuts,” said Sgt. Major William Urquhart, chief operations sergeant for the 40th Division.

“If you take away enough part-time strength,” he said, “eventually the full-time forces are going to have to be reduced.”

Contributing to this article were Times staff writer Donnette Dunbar and correspondent Bob Elston in Costa Mesa and staff writer James Bornemeier in Washington.