Sequestration will hit bases hard

As commander of Air Force Materiel Command, I lead an organization of some 80,000 military members and civilian employees whose work touches every aspect of the Air Force. Kirtland Air Force Base is one of the bases in my command.

My people research, develop, buy, test and maintain everything the Air Force needs to carry out its mission — from uniforms to fighter aircraft.

Sequestration impacts every piece of the AFMC mission and, as a result, the entire Air Force. It will hit AFMC hard on three fronts — our mission, our people, and our bases such as Kirtland.

I do not yet know the precise reductions AFMC will take under sequestration, but, for planning purposes, cuts for the remainder of this fiscal year ending Sept. 30 are about $300 million, or 29 percent of our remaining operating account, and $1.4 billion, or 40 percent of the remaining readiness account we operate on behalf of the Air Force.

Recapitalization and modernization will be slowed. Some costs will rise, and much-needed capabilities will take longer to get into the hands of our war fighters. This will be the case at all AFMC units, including the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland.

At the Air Force Test Center, the developmental test mission will be significantly impacted as we reduce operations at test ranges, stop all flight testing (except for the F-35) and test support toward the end of the fiscal year, and determine the status of upcoming Summer Test Pilot School classes.

Within the Air Force Sustainment Center, we will have to reduce sustainment operations at three depots by as much as 40 percent for the remainder of fiscal year 2013. Rough estimates include deferment of 297 aircraft and 197 engines for depot maintenance and major modifications. Depot operations will slow, aircraft availability and mission capable rates will drop, and some aircraft will simply be grounded. It could take up to five years for depot operations to “catch up” once fully funded.

In the Air Force Research Labs, sequestration will slow research; new technology transitions will be delayed to the war fighter for both immediate needs and long-term requirements for critical missions in the years to come.

AFMC’s workforce is 77 percent civilian. The majority of AFMC will be hit hard by the planned civilian furloughs that will cut workers’ pay by 20 percent through September 30. The impacts will be significant. I don’t know anyone who can take a 20 percent cut to their income and not feel it.

Many employees live paycheck to paycheck. A 20 percent pay cut is driving some to face fears of how to pay their bills. Many have expressed the need to work a part-time job or withdraw from their retirement accounts to make ends meet.

We are breaking faith with our civilian airmen.

I am responsible for nine bases in AFMC, in nine states across the country. Budget reductions will cut into our ability to maintain these bases, forcing base commanders to make tough calls on what to repair. Only emergency repairs will be accomplished.

The potential impacts on defense contractors will also be felt. Thousands of contractors provide goods and services to AFMC and the Air Force. Sequestration will cause some contracts to be modified. Small contractors will be hit especially hard since they do not have the financial depth of larger defense contractors.

If the House of Representatives’ Fiscal Year 2013 budget bill becomes law, its impact on sequestration translates into taking a step toward more regular order and removes uncertainty associated with the budget environment to date for this fiscal year. It will end the continuing resolution and finally give us a budget for fiscal year 2013.

While not all that we requested, we hope the bill, when eventually reconciled with a Senate version, will give the Department of Defense more clarity and flexibility as it carries out sequestration reductions.

Simply put, the impacts of sequestration are severe — to our mission, our people, and our bases and local communities.