CRW CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MGMNT'S TWR CLOSURE DECISION FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES; CITING SAFETY CONCERNS.

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AT CRW ATCT; ALMOST ALL SHIFTS ARE SCHEDULED WITH LESS THAN THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CTLRS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY DUTIES FOR THE SHIFTS. ONE DAY; I WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK THE EVENING SHIFT WITH THREE (3) OTHER CTLRS. THE SHIFTS REQUIRE AT LEAST FIVE (5) ATC CTLRS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND EXPEDITIOUS FLOW OF TFC; AS FAA ORDERS REQUIRE. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY; WE HAD ONE OF THE CTLRS CALL IN SICK PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF HIS SHIFT. OVERTIME WAS AUTHORIZED; HOWEVER; ONLY 1 PERSON WAS ELIGIBLE; DUE TO OVERTIME REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER SHIFTS. THIS PERSON COULD NOT BE REACHED. I NOTIFIED THE ACTING AIR TFC MGR OF THE SITUATION AND RECOMMENDED THAT WE GO VFR TWR FROM XA00 HRS UNTIL XC00 HRS. HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS WORKING ON IT AND HE HAD TO CALL THE AIR TFC MGR. THE AIR TFC MGR CALLED BACK AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLOSE THE TWR AND MAKE IT UNCTLED. I INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAVE NO PROCS FOR THIS AND RECOMMENDED US TO GO TO A VFR TWR AS WE HAVE PROCS FOR THIS AND HAVE BEEN TRAINED. HE THEN ORDERED ME TO CLOSE THE TWR AND RUN THE TRACON WITH THE 2 CTLRS WE HAD. MYSELF AND THE OTHER CTLR PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE MGR'S DIRECTION AS ORDERED. FOR THE NEXT TWO (2) HRS; THE CRW ATCT FACILITY WAS IN COMPLETE TURMOIL. WE REALLY HAD NO IDEA ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THIS. WE WERE SHORT STAFFED; SIGNIFICANTLY BUSY (THE NEED FOR THE VFR TWR); AND NOW FORCED TO COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN TO DO SOMETHING WE ARE NOT TRAINED TO DO; NOR HAVE PROCS TO FOLLOW. THE ACFT WERE PUT INTO MANY UNSAFE SITUATIONS TO INCLUDE: CONSTRUCTION ON AND AROUND THE ARPT; SAFETY EQUIP NOT MONITORED; A CHANGE WITH ROUTINE OPS; LCL WX NOT DISSEMINATED VIA ATIS; AN INABILITY TO ADJUST AIRFIELD LIGHTING PANEL; UNFAMILIAR ACFT ON THE GND; AND THE LIST GOES ON. ONE INSTANCE A HELI; ON AN ACTIVE RESCUE FLT; WAS DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE OP. ALSO ANOTHER ACFT CALLED ON APCH FREQ BECAUSE HE WAS LOST ON THE ARPT AND COULD NOT FIND THE FBO. I INFORMED HIM OF THE LOCATION. WHEN THE PLT CROSSED THE RWY; HE THEN BROADCASTED ON THE APCH FREQ THAT HE WAS XING THE RWY INSTEAD OF THE FREQ WE HAD DESIGNATED AS THE UNICOM. LUCKY FOR HIM THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT ON FINAL OR DEPARTING AT THAT TIME. ANOTHER ACFT WAS REQUIRED TO GO AROUND DUE TO AN UNSAFE GS INDICATION. WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE WHETHER THE GS INDICATOR INDICATED GREEN OR NOT. CRW IS NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED TO CLOSE AT ANY TIME! IT IS A 24 HR FACILITY. THIS MGR'S DIRECTION; CONTRARY TO BOTH CTLR'S JUDGEMENT ON DUTY; COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC AND PUT THE CAREERS OF BOTH CTLRS IN JEOPARDY.