Pacific Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1959, Tokyo, Japan                                Alfred Linton left discusses Mildenhall move. Of Job offers pinned to bulletin Board by Bird americans and British cooperate in. Unique project operation placement by Robert j. Dunphy staff writers a photos by Ted Rohde Bird aide Brief Burtonwood workers on operation placement. Finding jobs for s workers i operation placement a Lively la Bor relations project has gone int High gear at Burtonwood air base eng land As All other . Air Force activities on the erstwhile big Supply depot Start grinding to a halt a novel program designed to help find work for British employees who will be idled by the Clos Down of Burtonwood late this year operation placement is proving to be a highly successful example of Anglo american teamwork. A the project was set up under the direct Tion of 35-year-Old_Claude Bird Burton Wood s Busy civilian personnel director who comes from san Antonio tex., and it has been hailed As a unique Experiment in us. Air Force employee relations abroad. The  which lies about 20 Miles from Liverpool has been in process since the inactivation of the norther ii at Materiel area Europe last june. An idea of its Progress May be gleaned from the fact that the base employed almost-.4,000 britons a year ago As against just 1,400 today. Under opt Tion Hac ement the us air Force is working hand in hand with the British ministry of labor in trying to Fin new jobs for employees who have been declared redundant in the depot s  last december an average of 150 employees monthly have been Given their Pink slips and layoffs Are expected to continue at about this rate until the depot closes completely following the phaseout being conducted tinder the supervision fits commander col Edwin a. Hamilton. According to an earlier air Force an Riou Cement Burtonwood. Willbe closed in the latter part of this year Atilia the base will be returned to air mini control after a 10-year tenancy by the  the move the military air trans port service terminal and other Mats activities at Burton pod will be shifted to Mildenhall in Suffolk and other units will a traits feared to Alconbury v v during the phaseout operation place ment is seeking to find jobs for Burton Wood employees at other . Installations in Britain if possible or to Pla a them in British Industry. The workers at whom placement aim particularly Are the temporary air ministry employees since the hard Core of British civil sew ants working for the american sati Burtonwood will be offered jobs else where in England. The system works like this.  a. .-., As an employee receives his redundancy notice he is invited to report to the head quarters of operation placement where heis interviewed by representatives of both the ministry of labor arts the . Air Force regarding qualifications and Job jux reference. " the application he completes contains records of his past performance at Burton Wood his personal history and the specific area in which he would be willing to accept work the Beauty of the program is that the Job locating machinery is set in no poll the worker expresses his desire for continued employment with the . Air Force at another base his application is processed by the american personnel  the other hand if he wishes to obtain employment locally his papers go next door to the ministry of labor staffer who takes Over from there. Through operation placement prospective employers will be provided with the exact Date that the applicant is available for employment along with a Complete background file and his Pant performance  -. Personnel Man Bird who is spearheading the program at Burtonwood declared Pecan t guarantee jobs for everyone but we certainly will place far More people through this program because of the added emphasis Given the problem by the . Air Force and the ministry of  have the full cooperation of both the ministry of labor and the air ministry and we have. Pledged our Tuu support  the employees special consideration for Job vacancies on All other . Install to Tiosh in Britain,1, t 1 a openings on or and ican bases at Mildenhall Alc bribery a i d Bents aftershave Conie through Bird noted but Many of the employees have turned Down the jobs because it would mean they would have to pull up their stakes in Lancashire and move with their families hundreds of Miles  of the workers is 25-year-old Thomas Twigg a Storeman at the Mats air freight station. Married and the father of three children Twigg pointed out that he was forced to turn Down the offer 01 a Job at Mildenhall because he had recently become eligible for government subsidized housing at Huyton 10 Miles from Burton Wood after waiting four  Linton a Storeman with Mats passenger service on the other hand said he had decided to accept employment a Mildenhall in his old Job. Linton 49 and the father of three children said he would leave his family behind in Widnes. An commute on weekends until he found hous. Ing near  placement has been welcomed by the majority of the workers who look upon the program As a considerate gesture by the departing americans but Only the wholehearted cooperation of the British government agencies Jias made the pro Gram the Success it is. Friday. Of Bru T 20, 1959 the stars and stripes Page 11