Civilian furlough impact felt ACC-wide

  • Published
  • By Benjamin Newell
  • ACC PUBLIC AFFAIRS
WASHINGTON --  Editor's Note: This article was combined from publications by the Air Force News Service, Shaw AFB, Nellis AFB, Seymour Johnson AFB and Air Combat Command.

As DOD enters the furlough period, the department will concentrate on the core mission of defending the United States and its interests, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said July 8.

"That's where our center of gravity is during this furlough period," Little said.

Because of sequestration, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made the difficult decision to furlough approximately 85 percent of DOD civilian employees one day a week through the end of the fiscal year, a total of 11 days, the press secretary said.

"My assumption is the vast majority of that population is on furlough at least one day this week," Little said.

Throughout Air Combat Command bases, commissaries, which active duty and retired families depend on for groceries, will be closed one day a week. At Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the commissary will close every Monday, while Seymour Johnson AFB, S.C. will shut its doors every Tuesday due to civilian furloughs.

Little estimated the action will save the department $1.8 billion by the end of September, and also said some missions in the department will be impacted.

"We're very clear with our own staff that there will be some impact, and we expect other offices to have similar impacts," the press secretary said.

ACC's Inspector General is adjusting how it certifies grounded aircraft units as "ready." Units in a degraded readiness status may not maintain the ability to spin up for missions on a moment's notice, according to the IG office.

What happens in fiscal 2014 remains up in the air, Little said in response to a reporter's question about the possibility of future layoffs.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves talking about layoffs at this stage," he said. "Right now we're in the furlough period and no decisions have been reached about what may happen going forward."

Civilian personnel employees at Shaw AFB, S.C., cite increased workloads and more complex multitasking as an early impact of sequestration and civilian furloughs. "The toughest part about my job would be the amount of multi-tasking we have to do," said Suzanne Brooks, 20th Force Support Squadron civilian personnel officer at Shaw.

With a furlough in effect, a little more work has been added on to her plate, including paper work and reviewing records while also trying to help employees find employment opportunities.

Little said much of what will happen depends on the government's ability to move beyond sequestration.

"[Hagel] has been clear that he would like for there to be a deal on sequestration, so we can lift this burden off of all our employees in the department," Little said.

Sequestration "was an unfortunate mechanism designed to avoid unfortunate consequences. We're seeing some of those consequences already in regards to military training and readiness," the press secretary said.

"It's unfortunate we're in this period but we're going to muscle through it best we can," he added.

Editor's Note: This article was combined from publications by the Air Force News Service, Shaw AFB, Nellis AFB, Seymour Johnson AFB and Air Combat Command.