SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The U.S. Navy announced drastic cutbacks at its
                  sprawling base in Puerto Rico on Thursday, saying half the employees will not be
                  needed when it ends bombing exercises on nearby Vieques island.

                  More than 2,300 employees at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, including military and civilians, will be
                  transferred elsewhere or lose their jobs, said Lt. Scott McIlnay, a spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet in
                  Norfolk, Virginia.

                  The base, which has about 4,800 employees, is one of the largest employers in Puerto Rico and
                  injects an estimated $300 million into the economy each year.

                  A wave of protests led the Navy to conclude its last bombing exercises on Vieques firing range in
                  February. Military officials say they have less use for Roosevelt Roads, which administered the
                  bombing range from the main island.

                  Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.