The base-closing commission voted Wednesday to close a Navy engineering facility that would cost Charleston 500 jobs. But it also approved proposals that could add 1,400 jobs at Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base.

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission still must act this week on Pentagon proposals that could cost Charleston an additional 650 jobs.

Also, the commission has to vote on an Air Force plan to move 426 active-duty airmen and nine F-16 fighters to Eastover’s McEntire Joint National Guard Base from an Idaho Air Force base.

The Pentagon plans to move the Naval Facilities Engineering Field Division South, which handles construction management for projects in 22 states, from Charleston to a Navy base in Jacksonville, Fla.

Almost all of the engineering unit’s employees are civilians; more than half have indicated they plan to stay in Charleston and find other work.

“I was hopeful that the commissioners had taken the time to consider the strong arguments put forward by our team of local leaders,” said U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., who represents the Charleston area. “It puzzles me as to how this decision was made.”

Now Charleston leaders are awaiting the panel’s votes on Pentagon recommendations to close the city’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which accounts for 400 jobs, and transfer 250 jobs from the Charleston Naval Weapons Station.

The base-closing panel went along with Pentagon plans to move the 3rd Army headquarters to Sumter’s Shaw from forts Gillem and McPherson in Atlanta. About 820 soldiers are assigned to the Army unit.

The commission also OK’d plans to consolidate the Army’s three drill sergeant schools at Fort Jackson and establish a regional Army Reserve command on the Columbia post.

The Reserve command would be moved from Birmingham, Ala. About 300 troops and civilians work for the Reserve center now. The Army has not said how many would be transferred to Fort Jackson.

The commission still must consider a plan to establish a chaplains’ school for all the armed services at Fort Jackson.

Overall, Fort Jackson stands to gain 615 jobs if all of the Pentagon’s proposals are approved.

The commission wraps up voting on Saturday. It will report its finding to President Bush by Sept. 8. The president and Congress then must approve or reject the commission’s proposals in their entirety.

Reach Crumbo at (803) 771-8503 or ccrumbo@thestate.com.