Furloughs kick in amid anger, resignation
Stars and Stripes
By Chris Carroll
Published: July 12, 2013
WASHINGTON — About 650,000 Defense Department civilians began doing their part this week to save the department nearly $2 billion — by not coming to work. They’re not exactly enthusiastic about pitching in.
But they found things to do. Some strategized ways to cut their own budgets, while others took the opportunity to formally protest their furloughs. According to the Merit System Protection Board, which adjudicates disputed personnel actions by the federal government, nearly 900 federal employees, including DOD workers, had filed appeals as of early Thursday.
Others worked out some of the frustration through exercise.
“On a normal day, I’d be working on combating terrorism in South Asia,” said Christine Smith, a civilian employee in the Office of the Secretary of Defense who was furloughed Monday. “Today, I’m going for a run.”
Smith was one of dozens of Pentagon workers who met Monday afternoon for a 5-mile “fun run” from the building’s north parking lot to the U.S. Capitol. But organizers unceremoniously cut it a mile short to symbolize the 20 percent pay cut imposed by the one-day-per-week furlough, which could run through September.
read more here
Showing posts with label sequestration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sequestration. Show all posts
Friday, July 12, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
National Guardsmen worth-less to Congress
Federal budget cut furloughs to slash full-time National Guard soldier, airmen pay 20 percent
By Associated Press
Published: July 4, 2013
KAPOLEI, Hawaii — More than 1,100 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Hawaii — and thousands in other states — will be living with 20 percent less pay over the next three months as the Defense Department carries out automatic federal budget cuts.
Guard members will be furloughed for one day a week starting Monday, so helicopter pilots and mechanics, pay and finance clerks and others who keep the guard operating will have eight hours less each week to do their jobs.
It’s not clear precisely what effects the unprecedented cuts will have. They could, however, make it more difficult for the guard to fly helicopters to help put out wildfires or rush to the scene of natural disasters in trucks.
“Our general sense is that short-term, it’s going to be a terrible hardship for those soldiers, airmen and their families. But if it goes on for any length of time, that may have a negative impact on our readiness and our ability to respond,” said Hawaii National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Chuck Anthony.
The military’s furloughs were only supposed to involve civilians, but large numbers of National Guard members who wear Army and Air Force uniforms full-time will experience them as well. The National Guard added military technicians to the furlough list in May, after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel gave official notice to begin furloughs for civilians.
read more here
PTSD I Grieve from Kathleen "Costos" DiCesare on Vimeo.
By Associated Press
Published: July 4, 2013
KAPOLEI, Hawaii — More than 1,100 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Hawaii — and thousands in other states — will be living with 20 percent less pay over the next three months as the Defense Department carries out automatic federal budget cuts.
Guard members will be furloughed for one day a week starting Monday, so helicopter pilots and mechanics, pay and finance clerks and others who keep the guard operating will have eight hours less each week to do their jobs.
It’s not clear precisely what effects the unprecedented cuts will have. They could, however, make it more difficult for the guard to fly helicopters to help put out wildfires or rush to the scene of natural disasters in trucks.
“Our general sense is that short-term, it’s going to be a terrible hardship for those soldiers, airmen and their families. But if it goes on for any length of time, that may have a negative impact on our readiness and our ability to respond,” said Hawaii National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Chuck Anthony.
The military’s furloughs were only supposed to involve civilians, but large numbers of National Guard members who wear Army and Air Force uniforms full-time will experience them as well. The National Guard added military technicians to the furlough list in May, after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel gave official notice to begin furloughs for civilians.
read more here
PTSD I Grieve from Kathleen "Costos" DiCesare on Vimeo.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Sequester hits wounded at Fort Bragg Medical Center
Federal budget cuts hit Fort Bragg Army hospital
Associated Press
Posted on June 16, 2013
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The Army medical center at Fort Bragg is cutting services and telling workers to take unpaid time off as a result of federal budget cuts ripple through the Defense Department.
Womack Army Medical Center and its clinics and pharmacies serve more than 200,000 Fort Bragg soldiers, airmen, their families and retired military veterans.
read more here
Associated Press
Posted on June 16, 2013
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The Army medical center at Fort Bragg is cutting services and telling workers to take unpaid time off as a result of federal budget cuts ripple through the Defense Department.
Womack Army Medical Center and its clinics and pharmacies serve more than 200,000 Fort Bragg soldiers, airmen, their families and retired military veterans.
read more here
Monday, June 10, 2013
El Paso residents upset over air show being canceled but not much else?
When Fort Bliss officials had to cancel the air show people got upset over entertainment they would have to do without. Are they upset with what the military has to do without because of sequestration cuts?
Fort Bliss receiving backlash from public over cancellation of Amigo Airsho
By Bill Melugin
June 8, 2013
EL PASO, Texas — Fort Bliss spokesman Maj. Joe Buccino told KFOX14 he woke up to a barrage of emails Saturday morning, most of which were from unhappy El Paso residents who are angry about the cancellation of the Amigo Airsho.
The airshow has been a yearly tradition for the last 31 years, drawing huge crowds every year it's been in action at Fort Bliss' Biggs Army Airfield, but due to sequestration, the military post can no longer host the event.
"Well, the reaction has not been positive. People like the air show, people are accustomed to doing it, and it's something people in the community have grown up with in some cases," Buccino said. "We understand that people are upset about this, but this wasn't a decision Fort Bliss made, we were forced to make this decision by the Department of Defense guidance on sequestration."
At a time when sequestration is forcing Fort Bliss to cut back on supplies and furlough some of its workers, Buccino says it would send the wrong message if they spent money to host the extravagant airshow, on top of the fact that hosting civilian airshows is prohibited under sequestration.
read more here
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Plan to shut military supermarkets shows difficulty of cutting defense spending
Plan to shut military supermarkets shows difficulty of cutting defense spending
Washington Post
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Published: June 1
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Motion sensors and razor-wire coils ring the ammunition depot on this vast Marine Corps base. Sentries stand watch in the lobby of the headquarters complex. Military police officers patrol the barracks every few hours. But no building here boasts the defenses of the giant, government-run supermarket, whose bright, wide aisles are stocked with seemingly every brand of every food product available in America — Heinz ketchup, Oscar Mayer bacon, Lay’s chips — all sold at close to wholesale prices.
The cost of ordering the goods, filling the shelves and checking out customers is all borne by the American taxpayer.
Three summers ago, Richard V. Spencer, a retired investment banker who serves on a Pentagon advisory board, proposed shutting down the commissary at Camp Lejeune and every other domestic military base, a step that would save taxpayers about $1 billion a year.
He called several large retailers to see if they would be willing to take over the markets. None were, but Wal-Mart, which has stores within 10 miles of most U.S. bases, proposed offering equivalent discounts to troops, their spouses and their retired brethren. He figured other national chains would follow suit.
read more here
Washington Post
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Published: June 1
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Motion sensors and razor-wire coils ring the ammunition depot on this vast Marine Corps base. Sentries stand watch in the lobby of the headquarters complex. Military police officers patrol the barracks every few hours. But no building here boasts the defenses of the giant, government-run supermarket, whose bright, wide aisles are stocked with seemingly every brand of every food product available in America — Heinz ketchup, Oscar Mayer bacon, Lay’s chips — all sold at close to wholesale prices.
The cost of ordering the goods, filling the shelves and checking out customers is all borne by the American taxpayer.
Three summers ago, Richard V. Spencer, a retired investment banker who serves on a Pentagon advisory board, proposed shutting down the commissary at Camp Lejeune and every other domestic military base, a step that would save taxpayers about $1 billion a year.
He called several large retailers to see if they would be willing to take over the markets. None were, but Wal-Mart, which has stores within 10 miles of most U.S. bases, proposed offering equivalent discounts to troops, their spouses and their retired brethren. He figured other national chains would follow suit.
read more here
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Speaker of the House silent on cuts at Military Hospitals
Speaker of the House silent on cuts at Military Hospitals
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
June 1, 2013
When John Boehner said "I got 98 percent of what I wanted." with sequestration no one asked him how he dared be so happy when it meant so much harm to the American people. Congress hadn't managed to pass a budge that had a chance of passing for the simple reason it helped the wealthy but harmed the rest of the American people. We're used to it. We're used to people like him always shooting his mouth off about what he thinks the people want when he doesn't seem to care about what we need.
As most of us were reading how Meals on Wheels would no longer be able to deliver hot meals to thousands of elderly people and the disabled, he was whining about the Air Traffic Controllers and how cutting their hours made it hard on members of congress to have to wait in line with the rest of us. They acted fast to fix that problem.
Bridges and roads fall apart but instead of putting thousands to work fixing them, he approved of so many public workers losing their jobs.
Cops and firefighters lost jobs after most of these jobs are done by veterans coming home from combat and still wanting to serve their communities.
When he pushed and pushed to blame someone over what happened in Benghazi, he didn't seem too interested that Congress cut the budget for security. Boehner doesn't seem too interested in the outcome of the 98% of what he wanted would do unless it directly affected members of Congress.
We've heard speech after speech and hearing after hearing on the backlog of claims at the VA but what we didn't hear was that there has been a history of congressional ambivalence to what disabled veterans face when they come home. The VA claims were higher during other administrations simply because Congress never really got their act together on making sure veterans didn't have to wait in long lines to be treated and compensated for what their service did to them. Reporters failed to inform the American people that when troops were sent to fight in two wars there were less people working on taking care of them than after the Gulf War. That is how we ended up in the mess in 2009 when the backlogs hit 915,000.
Now it seems we have the ultimate betrayal. Workers at Military Hospitals are being cut. Yes, that is the truth but it is doubtful Boehner will do a damn thing about it.
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
June 1, 2013
When John Boehner said "I got 98 percent of what I wanted." with sequestration no one asked him how he dared be so happy when it meant so much harm to the American people. Congress hadn't managed to pass a budge that had a chance of passing for the simple reason it helped the wealthy but harmed the rest of the American people. We're used to it. We're used to people like him always shooting his mouth off about what he thinks the people want when he doesn't seem to care about what we need.
As most of us were reading how Meals on Wheels would no longer be able to deliver hot meals to thousands of elderly people and the disabled, he was whining about the Air Traffic Controllers and how cutting their hours made it hard on members of congress to have to wait in line with the rest of us. They acted fast to fix that problem.
Bridges and roads fall apart but instead of putting thousands to work fixing them, he approved of so many public workers losing their jobs.
Cops and firefighters lost jobs after most of these jobs are done by veterans coming home from combat and still wanting to serve their communities.
When he pushed and pushed to blame someone over what happened in Benghazi, he didn't seem too interested that Congress cut the budget for security. Boehner doesn't seem too interested in the outcome of the 98% of what he wanted would do unless it directly affected members of Congress.
We've heard speech after speech and hearing after hearing on the backlog of claims at the VA but what we didn't hear was that there has been a history of congressional ambivalence to what disabled veterans face when they come home. The VA claims were higher during other administrations simply because Congress never really got their act together on making sure veterans didn't have to wait in long lines to be treated and compensated for what their service did to them. Reporters failed to inform the American people that when troops were sent to fight in two wars there were less people working on taking care of them than after the Gulf War. That is how we ended up in the mess in 2009 when the backlogs hit 915,000.
Now it seems we have the ultimate betrayal. Workers at Military Hospitals are being cut. Yes, that is the truth but it is doubtful Boehner will do a damn thing about it.
Walter Reed hospital workers receive furlough notices
May 30, 2013
ABC7 has confirmed the region’s two military hospitals are furloughing more than 3,500 civilian employees who care for the nation’s wounded warriors, nearly their entire civilian staffs.
The impacted employees are from departments across the board at both hospitals, including members of the trauma team, physical therapists and nurses. They will be forced to take 11 unpaid furlough days starting in July.
Hospital officials say the furloughs affect 2,392 caregivers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. That’s 94% of the civilian staff there.
Officials say 1,163 caregivers at Fort Belvoir’s hospital in Virginia are being furloughed, affecting 85% of its civilian staff.
read more here
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Budget cuts cancel Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment
Budget cuts lock down USMC’s ceremonial unit
Marine Corps Times
By Hope Hodge
Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 18, 2013
The Marine Corps’ premier ceremonial unit is the latest target of federal budget cuts.
Several upcoming performances by the Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment were abruptly canceled Friday on orders from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, according to an official with knowledge of the situation. The unit is based in Washington and includes the “Commandant’s Own” Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps, the service’s official Color Guard and its famed Silent Drill Platoon.
All of the canceled shows — five total — were scheduled for this week at Marine Corps bases in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The directive from Hagel’s office restricts travel for all musical and ceremonial units, according to Marine officials at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where the Battle Color Detachment was to perform Friday.
Hagel’s office could not immediately provide a copy of the directive.
read more here
Marine Corps Times
By Hope Hodge
Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 18, 2013
The Marine Corps’ premier ceremonial unit is the latest target of federal budget cuts.
Several upcoming performances by the Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment were abruptly canceled Friday on orders from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, according to an official with knowledge of the situation. The unit is based in Washington and includes the “Commandant’s Own” Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps, the service’s official Color Guard and its famed Silent Drill Platoon.
All of the canceled shows — five total — were scheduled for this week at Marine Corps bases in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The directive from Hagel’s office restricts travel for all musical and ceremonial units, according to Marine officials at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where the Battle Color Detachment was to perform Friday.
Hagel’s office could not immediately provide a copy of the directive.
read more here
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Fort Hood cuts could hit training and operations
Fort Hood cuts could hit training and operations, lead to civilian furloughs
By Juan Castillo
American-Statesman Staff
March 1, 2013
FORT HOOD — More than 5,200 civilian workers at Fort Hood face possible furloughs, and operations and training would be reduced at the Army post under deep, across-the-board federal spending cuts that President Barack Obama authorized Friday night.
The spending cuts won’t affect uniformed soldiers, however, because military personnel are exempt, as are Social Security and Medicare.
The realities of the cuts, known as sequestration, came into focus as the president, who opposed the spending cuts, signed the order putting them into effect Friday night after Congress failed to reach a deal to stave them off.
read more here
Friday, March 1, 2013
Official: Fort Hood Soldiers, families affected by budget cuts
Official: Soldiers, families affected by budget cuts
Family programs, maintenance will see reductions
March 1, 2013
By Rose L. Thayer
Killeen Daily Herald
Now that the sequester has kicked in, Fort Hood and Central Texas may not see changes immediately, but if no action is taken, there will be changes, said local and Army officials.
“Bottom line, up front, sequestration will affect soldiers, families and our civilian workforce and the community businesses around installations,” said Brig. Gen. Curt Rauhut, director of resource management for Installation Management Command, during a discussion panel Wednesday.
Sequestration — which includes $12 billion in automatic cuts to the Army over the next seven months — combined with a continuing resolution and the emerging shortfall in war funding have created “a devastating environment to operate in,” said Maj. Gen. Karen E. Dyson, director for Army Budget.
Aside from the negative impact to soldiers’ readiness and training schedules, officials also foresee reductions to family programs and an inability for installations to modernize facilities and sustain routine maintenance.
All family programs are being looked at now, Rauhut said. No decisions have been made as to what will be cut, but a reduction in hours at child development centers and other youth programs, such as sports or recreation, are on the table.
read more here
Family programs, maintenance will see reductions
March 1, 2013
By Rose L. Thayer
Killeen Daily Herald
Now that the sequester has kicked in, Fort Hood and Central Texas may not see changes immediately, but if no action is taken, there will be changes, said local and Army officials.
“Bottom line, up front, sequestration will affect soldiers, families and our civilian workforce and the community businesses around installations,” said Brig. Gen. Curt Rauhut, director of resource management for Installation Management Command, during a discussion panel Wednesday.
Sequestration — which includes $12 billion in automatic cuts to the Army over the next seven months — combined with a continuing resolution and the emerging shortfall in war funding have created “a devastating environment to operate in,” said Maj. Gen. Karen E. Dyson, director for Army Budget.
Aside from the negative impact to soldiers’ readiness and training schedules, officials also foresee reductions to family programs and an inability for installations to modernize facilities and sustain routine maintenance.
All family programs are being looked at now, Rauhut said. No decisions have been made as to what will be cut, but a reduction in hours at child development centers and other youth programs, such as sports or recreation, are on the table.
read more here
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sequester will raise the cost of troops medical care?
Military to spend more on care under sequester
By Gregg Zoroya
USA Today
Posted : Thursday Feb 28, 2013
Sweeping budget cuts going into effect Friday create a paradox for military medicine: spending money to save money, Army, Navy and Air Force medical officials say.
As thousands of civilian medical workers are furloughed because of the “sequester,” patients will be sent to private doctors at public expense to receive timely medical care, according to the military medical officials.
“This will result in increased medical care costs to the DOD (Department of Defense) and American taxpayers,” says an Army Public Affairs statement released this week.
The point of the sequester cuts established by Congress and signed by President Obama was to slash federal spending by $85 billion across the federal government.
Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Navy surgeon general, wrote in a recent message to sailors that “Navy Medicine will not and cannot hang a ‘closed’ sign at the front door of our facilities. We will work ... to refer care as necessary, also recognizing that referring out care does not save money in the long run.”
read more here
By Gregg Zoroya
USA Today
Posted : Thursday Feb 28, 2013
Sweeping budget cuts going into effect Friday create a paradox for military medicine: spending money to save money, Army, Navy and Air Force medical officials say.
As thousands of civilian medical workers are furloughed because of the “sequester,” patients will be sent to private doctors at public expense to receive timely medical care, according to the military medical officials.
“This will result in increased medical care costs to the DOD (Department of Defense) and American taxpayers,” says an Army Public Affairs statement released this week.
The point of the sequester cuts established by Congress and signed by President Obama was to slash federal spending by $85 billion across the federal government.
Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Navy surgeon general, wrote in a recent message to sailors that “Navy Medicine will not and cannot hang a ‘closed’ sign at the front door of our facilities. We will work ... to refer care as necessary, also recognizing that referring out care does not save money in the long run.”
read more here
Fort Hood families talk about cuts
Fort Hood Families Take Part In Army's Online Fiscal Cliff Chat
KCEN News
Posted: Feb 27, 2013
By Sophia Stamas
If Congress can't agree on a national budget by Friday, automatic spending cuts will take effect, delivering a hard hit to the military.
As the deadline draws near, more military families and civilian employees have questions about how the sequester might affect them.
So today the Army hosted a live chat on it's Twitter feed.
The three main topics were impact on soldier training, civilian furloughs, and how they could affect programs and services to military families.
"I'm concerned about retirement pay," says Tamma Ruth.
After 23 years as an Army wife, Tamma is intently tuning into the buzz over automatic spending cuts.
She says, "My husband has served, and been in Iraq, and been in harm's way for a long time, and I think he deserves to have his full military retirement."
read more here
KCEN News
Posted: Feb 27, 2013
By Sophia Stamas
If Congress can't agree on a national budget by Friday, automatic spending cuts will take effect, delivering a hard hit to the military.
As the deadline draws near, more military families and civilian employees have questions about how the sequester might affect them.
So today the Army hosted a live chat on it's Twitter feed.
The three main topics were impact on soldier training, civilian furloughs, and how they could affect programs and services to military families.
"I'm concerned about retirement pay," says Tamma Ruth.
After 23 years as an Army wife, Tamma is intently tuning into the buzz over automatic spending cuts.
She says, "My husband has served, and been in Iraq, and been in harm's way for a long time, and I think he deserves to have his full military retirement."
read more here
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has a tough job ahead
Hagel vows to ‘take care’ of DoD work force
Army Times
By Marcus Weisgerber
Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 27, 2013
WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel pledged to take care of the Defense Department’s military and civilian work force even as billions of dollars in defense spending cuts loom.
In his first address to the Pentagon work force as defense secretary on Wednesday, Hagel said the DoD needs “to deal with this reality” that about $46 billion in cuts, known as sequestration, are set to kick in Friday.
“We need to figure this out,” Hagel said. “You are doing that. You have been doing that. We need to deal with this reality.”
If hit with these spending cuts and a yearlong continuing resolution, which is $11 billion less than the Pentagon’s planned 2013 budget, senior defense officials have said they would need to furlough most of DoD’s 800,000 civilian workers over the next six months. Military pay is exempt from the sequestration cuts.
“Our budget problems here, if nothing else what we’re dealing with, what you’re dealing with, what we’re all dealing with, is yes, dollars coming down; but it’s the uncertainty of the planning, it’s the uncertainty of the commitments, the uncertainty of what’s ahead,” Hagel said.
read more here
Just noticed this is post 18,000!
Army Times
By Marcus Weisgerber
Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 27, 2013
WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel pledged to take care of the Defense Department’s military and civilian work force even as billions of dollars in defense spending cuts loom.
In his first address to the Pentagon work force as defense secretary on Wednesday, Hagel said the DoD needs “to deal with this reality” that about $46 billion in cuts, known as sequestration, are set to kick in Friday.
“We need to figure this out,” Hagel said. “You are doing that. You have been doing that. We need to deal with this reality.”
If hit with these spending cuts and a yearlong continuing resolution, which is $11 billion less than the Pentagon’s planned 2013 budget, senior defense officials have said they would need to furlough most of DoD’s 800,000 civilian workers over the next six months. Military pay is exempt from the sequestration cuts.
“Our budget problems here, if nothing else what we’re dealing with, what you’re dealing with, what we’re all dealing with, is yes, dollars coming down; but it’s the uncertainty of the planning, it’s the uncertainty of the commitments, the uncertainty of what’s ahead,” Hagel said.
read more here
Just noticed this is post 18,000!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
American Legion Commander "Washington is failing troops and veterans"
Washington failing military, Legion leader says
Army Times
By Rick Maze
Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
The head of the nation’s largest veterans’ group said Tuesday that Washington is failing troops and veterans.
Army veteran James Koutz of Boonville, Ind., national commander of the American Legion, criticized politicians for using the defense budget and service members as pawns in a battle over deficit reduction and spending priorities.
He also objected to attempts to increase out-of-pocket Tricare costs for retirees and opposed a recent Pentagon move to create a new medal for drone operators that ranks higher in precedence than some medals awarded to combat troops on the ground.
read more here
also
New VA clinics, expansions left in limbo
By Kevin Freking
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
WASHINGTON — A veterans’ health clinic in Brick, N.J., is in such disrepair that when the snow gets heavy, patients have to go elsewhere for fear the roof might collapse. Another in San Antonio has extensive mildew and mold problems that could prove a health hazard for employees and patients in the coming years.
In Lake Charles, La., it’s not the condition of a clinic but the lack of one. It’s estimated that 6,000 veterans would enroll in VA health care if the community were to get a new clinic.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has cited these examples as it sought approval from Congress last year for a dozen new or expanded health clinics around the country.
Lawmakers anticipated that the cost for the current fiscal year would probably run into the tens of millions of dollars, but the estimate from the Congressional Budget Office came in at $1.2 billion. The nonpartisan CBO said that sound accounting principles require the full cost of the 20-year leases for the clinics be accounted for up front.
The huge jump in the clinics’ price tag left lawmakers scrambling, and in the face of the budget-cutting climate on Capitol Hill, the VA request stalled. Now the agency is warning that unless lawmakers act, some currently operating clinics may have to close after their old leases expire and other long-planned expansions will not go forward.
read more here
Army Times
By Rick Maze
Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
The head of the nation’s largest veterans’ group said Tuesday that Washington is failing troops and veterans.
Army veteran James Koutz of Boonville, Ind., national commander of the American Legion, criticized politicians for using the defense budget and service members as pawns in a battle over deficit reduction and spending priorities.
He also objected to attempts to increase out-of-pocket Tricare costs for retirees and opposed a recent Pentagon move to create a new medal for drone operators that ranks higher in precedence than some medals awarded to combat troops on the ground.
read more here
also
New VA clinics, expansions left in limbo
By Kevin Freking
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
WASHINGTON — A veterans’ health clinic in Brick, N.J., is in such disrepair that when the snow gets heavy, patients have to go elsewhere for fear the roof might collapse. Another in San Antonio has extensive mildew and mold problems that could prove a health hazard for employees and patients in the coming years.
In Lake Charles, La., it’s not the condition of a clinic but the lack of one. It’s estimated that 6,000 veterans would enroll in VA health care if the community were to get a new clinic.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has cited these examples as it sought approval from Congress last year for a dozen new or expanded health clinics around the country.
Lawmakers anticipated that the cost for the current fiscal year would probably run into the tens of millions of dollars, but the estimate from the Congressional Budget Office came in at $1.2 billion. The nonpartisan CBO said that sound accounting principles require the full cost of the 20-year leases for the clinics be accounted for up front.
The huge jump in the clinics’ price tag left lawmakers scrambling, and in the face of the budget-cutting climate on Capitol Hill, the VA request stalled. Now the agency is warning that unless lawmakers act, some currently operating clinics may have to close after their old leases expire and other long-planned expansions will not go forward.
read more here
Congress gets paid after screwing up country
Whatever budget battle's outcome, lawmakers themselves unaffected
By Joyce Tsai
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 25, 2013
WASHINGTON — Sequestration’s across-the-board assault on hundreds of thousands of government workers is set to hit Friday, but some will be spared, including active-duty troops and Defense Department civilians working in combat zones.
Add to that short list of protected workers: congressional lawmakers, who could put a stop to it all.
“The whole thing is dripping with irony and hypocrisy,” especially if you consider that they’re the ones who created this problem in the first place — and now seem resigned to letting it happen, said David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, a nonpartisan government watchdog group in Alexandria, Va.
read more here
By Joyce Tsai
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 25, 2013
WASHINGTON — Sequestration’s across-the-board assault on hundreds of thousands of government workers is set to hit Friday, but some will be spared, including active-duty troops and Defense Department civilians working in combat zones.
Add to that short list of protected workers: congressional lawmakers, who could put a stop to it all.
“The whole thing is dripping with irony and hypocrisy,” especially if you consider that they’re the ones who created this problem in the first place — and now seem resigned to letting it happen, said David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, a nonpartisan government watchdog group in Alexandria, Va.
read more here
Friday, February 22, 2013
Maj. Gen. Lynn A. Collyar says ‘Lots of money’ left after sequester
General: ‘Lots of money’ left after sequester
DOD Buzz
By Richard Sisk Thursday, February 21st, 2013
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The former head of Army logistics tried to assure a nervous audience of defense industry executives Thursday that “it’s not all doom and gloom” for their bottom lines despite the massive budget cuts underway as the nation’s military rebalances after nearly 12 years of war.
“Our budget still has almost $500 billion” at the baseline even when the impact of major automatic defense spending cuts under the “sequestration” process on March 1 is taken into account, said Army Maj. Gen. Lynn A. Collyar, former director of Defense Logistics Agency’s logistics operations.
“That’s a lot of money,” Collyar said of the $500 billion. “We can’t afford to just throw money around,” he said, but “there is still a lot of money out there” for companies that can adapt to the new era of declining defense budgets.
read more here
DOD Buzz
By Richard Sisk Thursday, February 21st, 2013
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The former head of Army logistics tried to assure a nervous audience of defense industry executives Thursday that “it’s not all doom and gloom” for their bottom lines despite the massive budget cuts underway as the nation’s military rebalances after nearly 12 years of war.
“Our budget still has almost $500 billion” at the baseline even when the impact of major automatic defense spending cuts under the “sequestration” process on March 1 is taken into account, said Army Maj. Gen. Lynn A. Collyar, former director of Defense Logistics Agency’s logistics operations.
“That’s a lot of money,” Collyar said of the $500 billion. “We can’t afford to just throw money around,” he said, but “there is still a lot of money out there” for companies that can adapt to the new era of declining defense budgets.
read more here
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
98% of what Boehner wanted hits military hard
This is what Boehner had to say about the cuts In an interview with CBS' Scott Pelley from August 2011, Boehner conveys that he was very pleased with the result of the negotiation: Boehner: When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I'm pretty happy.
Reminder of how we got here is Congress didn't do their jobs. The budge is their responsibility and the only budget they came up with didn't have a chance in hell of passing the Senate because it was not, repeat, not what the American people wanted. It was Paul Ryan's budget that slaughtered the middle class, poor, elderly, veterans, disabled and anything that didn't matter to the rich they were protecting. Now they can't understand that all of this is also hurting the people protecting this country!
Army plans $92 million in cuts at West Point
By Brian Tumulty
Gannett Washington Bureau
Posted : Wednesday Feb 20, 2013
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Military Academy at West Point will take the biggest hit from planned Army budget cuts in New York.
The military academy has been targeted for $92 million of the $351 million in Pentagon money that will be slashed statewide when across-the-board federal “sequestration” cuts take effect March 1.
Construction of a new dormitory to house 650 cadets will be postponed.
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2/19: Army lays out state-by-state cuts in report
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a request for proposals to build the $170 million dormitory late last year, but a contract has not yet been awarded.
The dormitory would be the first new one at West Point since 1965 and the first since the academy opened its doors to women. Women comprise 18 percent of the cadet corps.
read more here
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Defense Department set to announce furlough plan Wednesday
Could someone please remind members of Congress IT IS THEIR JOB TO CONTROL THE FUNDS OF THIS COUNTRY AND THIS IS THEIR FAULT?
Defense Department set to announce furlough plan Wednesday
Chris Carroll
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 19, 2013
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department intends to notify Congress on Wednesday of a plan to furlough nearly 800,000 civilian employees one day each week beginning in April, a defense official said Tuesday.
Federal law requires the Pentagon to warn Congress of furloughs at least 45 days in advance, and other regulations require direct notification of employees at least 30 days in advance.
Cutting workdays and pay will happen if Congress does not find a way to avert budget cuts known as “sequestration,” which are scheduled to kick in March 1 and cut $500 billion out of the Pentagon budget over the coming decade. Military leaders have warned of constricted operations, reduced weapons buys and eventually, reduced end strength for the services.
For now, however, military troops are spared a direct impact of sequestration on their paychecks, and most civilian workers will be the first to bear the brunt.
Defense officials say the most likely scenario would be 22 days of furlough – one day each week – beginning in the last week of April and running through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
read more here
Monday, February 18, 2013
President Washington would be ashamed
President Washington would be ashamed
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
February 18, 2013
Today is Presidents' Day selected in honor of our first president, George Washington's birthday. While most Americans have the day off, a group of Americans are still working. They are standing watch over this nation, deployed all over the earth and risking their lives in Afghanistan while too many Americans have forgotten all about them. They return to their hometowns as veterans but again, forgotten about by the other Americans enjoying their freedoms because of their efforts.
President Washington was the first president and knew what it was like to fight for this nation and be ready to pay any price asked to defend these shores. He also knew what it was like to be a veteran.
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
February 18, 2013
Today is Presidents' Day selected in honor of our first president, George Washington's birthday. While most Americans have the day off, a group of Americans are still working. They are standing watch over this nation, deployed all over the earth and risking their lives in Afghanistan while too many Americans have forgotten all about them. They return to their hometowns as veterans but again, forgotten about by the other Americans enjoying their freedoms because of their efforts.
President Washington was the first president and knew what it was like to fight for this nation and be ready to pay any price asked to defend these shores. He also knew what it was like to be a veteran.
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."He was not alone among Presidents with the dual title of President and Veteran.
President George Washington
Chester A. ArthurWe have never really lived up to George Washington's dream of treating veterans right but now with Congress has been playing political "chicken" with the budget causing sequestration cuts to hit almost everything, it will be hitting the troops and their families hard in a time when they need more than they have been getting. Families are on the front lines standing watch over the troops. If they are not supported then we cannot say we support the troops when we cannot support their families.
James Buchanan
George H. W. Bush
George W. Bush
Jimmy Carter
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Millard Fillmore
Gerald Ford
James A. Garfield
Ulysses S. Grant
Benjamin Harrison
William H. Harrison
Rutherford B. Hayes
Andrew Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
John F. Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln
Did not experience combat but served during Black Hawk War burying the dead shortly after battles ended.
James Madison
William McKinley
James Monroe
Richard Nixon
Franklin Pierce
James K. Polk
Ronald Reagan
Theodore Roosevelt
Zachary Taylor
Harry S. Truman
John Tyler
"Funding for soldier and family programs such as the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, Soldier Family Assistant Centers and the Army Substance Abuse Program will be reduced," the Army memo stated.But that is not all. Military suicides at an all time high and this is what is coming.
Odierno warned that even programs to boost the number of counselors and therapists to combat military suicides – one of the Army's top priorities – would be at risk under sequester.
"We will not be able to afford the number of counselors we have today," Odierno said.
Army Planning Cuts on Family Programs
Feb 18, 2013
Military.com
by Richard Sisk
The Pentagon has begun a "deep dive" review of more than 170 military family and recreation programs on bases worldwide to identify redundancies and efficiencies -- all the while insisting that the effort is not aimed at scrapping facilities in the new era of tight budgets.
Pentagon officials said that Army daycare programs, the focus of an ongoing investigation over the hiring of more than 30 workers with criminal backgrounds Fort Meyer, Va., were also included in the 120-day task force review.
"We're going to be peeling these back, looking for redundancies," said Charles Milam, the acting deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, about the programs targeted for the data-driven review that he leads.
read more here
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Langley air show canceled over sequestration threat
Langley air show canceled over sequestration threat
By Jeff Sheler
The Virginian-Pilot
Published: February 16, 2013
Citing budget uncertainties and the threat of sequestration, Joint Base Langley announced Friday it is canceling the Langley air show, which was set for May 3-5. A spokeswoman for Oceana Naval Air Station said it may cancel its show as well.
"The Air Force has to consider the fiscal challenges affecting the Department of Defense and the nation," Col. Korvin Auch, 633rd Air Base Wing commander, said in a statement announcing the cancellation.
"We're taking prudent steps now in order to be good stewards of taxpayer resources while focusing on maintaining readiness."
At Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, spokeswoman Kelley Stirling said that canceling its annual show
"is definitely being considered, but no decision has been made."
If sequestration happens, Stirling said, the Navy is expected to cancel shows by the Blue Angels flight demonstration team for the remainder of the year. Since the Blue Angels are a big part of Oceana's show, she said, "that would mean our show gets canceled regardless."
read more here
By Jeff Sheler
The Virginian-Pilot
Published: February 16, 2013
Citing budget uncertainties and the threat of sequestration, Joint Base Langley announced Friday it is canceling the Langley air show, which was set for May 3-5. A spokeswoman for Oceana Naval Air Station said it may cancel its show as well.
"The Air Force has to consider the fiscal challenges affecting the Department of Defense and the nation," Col. Korvin Auch, 633rd Air Base Wing commander, said in a statement announcing the cancellation.
"We're taking prudent steps now in order to be good stewards of taxpayer resources while focusing on maintaining readiness."
At Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, spokeswoman Kelley Stirling said that canceling its annual show
"is definitely being considered, but no decision has been made."
If sequestration happens, Stirling said, the Navy is expected to cancel shows by the Blue Angels flight demonstration team for the remainder of the year. Since the Blue Angels are a big part of Oceana's show, she said, "that would mean our show gets canceled regardless."
read more here
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