Peterson Reserve C-130 wing plans for flying, civilian work hour reductions

by 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

2/28/2013 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- Automatic budget cuts triggered by sequestration set to begin March 1 could result in a reduction of up to 18 percent of flying hours and civilian employee furloughs in the 302nd Airlift Wing here. These actions could create significant challenges for the Air Force Reserve Command unit in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta notified Congress Feb. 20 that the Department of Defense is prepared to implement furloughs for civilian employees in response to sequestration. If sequestration occurs, the military services and defense agencies expect to furlough most DOD civilian employees for an average of one day per week for up to 22 weeks starting as early as late April. This equates to about a 20 percent cut in work hours and pay for that time frame.

Roughly 99 percent of the 302nd AW's full-time work force of 195 Air Reserve Technicians and 21 federal civil service employees, including the commander of the C-130 airlift wing could be furloughed, potentially facing a 20 percent reduction in civilian weekday work hours during the furlough time frame.

"The possibility of civilian furloughs and potential reduction in flying hours for our Reserve wing is extremely challenging" said Col. Jay Pittman, 302nd AW commander. "The group commanders and I have discussed possible options. Scheduling of aircraft maintenance, flying hours, ground and flying training and mission support for our Airmen will be scrutinized and adjusted. While we will do everything we can to avoid it, these cuts have a good chance of affecting our readiness and ability to perform our mission at our current level, and that would be new and unsettling territory for us."

Discussing the impact sequestration would have on the wing's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System mission, Lt. Col. Luke Thompson, chief of aerial fire fighting explained, "We are working on contingency plans in the event sequestration becomes a reality. Our deploying aircrews, C-130 aircrew instructors and MAFFS crews will take priority for available flying training hours."

"The MAFFS mission is a priority for our wing and we will do everything we can to ensure the 302nd is ready to support it when called upon by the U.S. Forest Service," Pittman added.

The 302nd AW along with Air Force Reserve wings around the nation are awaiting further guidance from Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command should sequestration and subsequent cuts occur.

"The ARTs and Reserve Airmen of this wing have succeeded in every aspect of our mission when previously faced with challenges to include limited resources, but the possibility of sequestration and civilian furloughs in my opinion, may present one of our greatest challenges to date," said Pittman.