MILITARY WRESTLES WITH POSSIBLE IMPACT, RAMIFICATIONS OF SEQUESTRATION
As the Washington, DC establishment continues to wrestle with political issues related to deficits, budget cuts and sequestration, the U.S. military has taken some initial steps toward cost-cutting and identified possible additional steps that it will take if Congress and the President do not reach an agreement that prevents mandatory, draconian budget cuts from being implemented on March 1.
In this memo from Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Jamie Morin and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General Larry Spencer to Air Force senior leadership on Monday, the current budgetary uncertainties are explained, and Morin and Spencer direct the Air Force to immediately implement tactics to reduce the rate of spending and mitigate the impact of the budgetary cuts that would become mandatory in the event that a political agreement is not reached. Importantly, the memo also says, “Our intent with these initial actions is to pursue reversible or recoverable steps and avoid impacts to core readiness.” Though the memo also directs the Air Force to curtail flying not directed to readiness, including air shows, there is some consensus that this does not mean that the Air Force is directing Air Force personnel to end their air show-related preparation for the 2013 season. In any case, those who feel that they are being directed to take permanent, irreversible and/or unrecoverable steps should get additional guidance before taking those steps.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget, Rear Admiral J.P. Mulloy, issued this, similarly-worded memo providing direction to Navy personnel on budgetary concerns. The Navy memo dictates a more general “reduction to flying hours,” without specifically referencing air shows or air show flying.
As the Washington, DC establishment continues to wrestle with political issues related to deficits, budget cuts and sequestration, the U.S. military has taken some initial steps toward cost-cutting and identified possible additional steps that it will take if Congress and the President do not reach an agreement that prevents mandatory, draconian budget cuts from being implemented on March 1.
In this memo from Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Jamie Morin and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General Larry Spencer to Air Force senior leadership on Monday, the current budgetary uncertainties are explained, and Morin and Spencer direct the Air Force to immediately implement tactics to reduce the rate of spending and mitigate the impact of the budgetary cuts that would become mandatory in the event that a political agreement is not reached. Importantly, the memo also says, “Our intent with these initial actions is to pursue reversible or recoverable steps and avoid impacts to core readiness.” Though the memo also directs the Air Force to curtail flying not directed to readiness, including air shows, there is some consensus that this does not mean that the Air Force is directing Air Force personnel to end their air show-related preparation for the 2013 season. In any case, those who feel that they are being directed to take permanent, irreversible and/or unrecoverable steps should get additional guidance before taking those steps.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget, Rear Admiral J.P. Mulloy, issued this, similarly-worded memo providing direction to Navy personnel on budgetary concerns. The Navy memo dictates a more general “reduction to flying hours,” without specifically referencing air shows or air show flying.
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