WASHINGTON — While the automatic federal budget cuts have spurred a blame game and little action in the nation’s capital, in the Air Force’s Pacific command they’ve triggered an apology from the top man. WASHINGTON — While the automatic federal
WASHINGTON — While the automatic federal budget cuts have spurred a blame game and little action in the nation’s capital, in the Air Force’s Pacific command they’ve triggered an apology from the top man.
Gen. Herbert J. Carlisle, who leads the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, with bases in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Japan and South Korea, sent an email last week to everyone who serves under his command lamenting the impact of the cuts. He cited the furlough for civilian military workers, in particular.
“It hurts me to say that after all our military has asked of our civilian employees and after their hard work and dedication, if the furlough is executed they will face 22 nonconsecutive unpaid, nonduty days during the furlough period between 21 April and 21 September,” Carlisle wrote. “There is no other way to say it: This will have a significant financial impact on our civilians.”
The furloughs, likely to begin next month, will mean the loss of one day of work a week through September.
Carlisle said Air Force officials were “doing everything in their power to avoid a furlough, as it breaks faith with those who tirelessly strive to make our Air Force better.”
Nationwide, the loss in civilian military income in all branches will total about $4.8 billion, with California and Virginia facing the most.
“While some actions are out of our hands, I promise to do everything in my power to maintain … readiness, mission focus and financial well-being,” Carlisle wrote. “You are the Air Force’s most important asset, and our country owes you a debt of gratitude for your service and sacrifice.”
Carlisle said that because of the timing of the cuts — and the fact that some areas were fenced off from the budget knife — operations, maintenance and flying hours were being cut by 40 percent for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
“So bottom line, we’ll have to do less with less,” he wrote. “There will simply be some training events, operations and exercises that we won’t be able to support.”
