By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 14, 2007 - Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter and Army Secretary Pete Geren sent letters to installation commanders Dec. 12 telling them to prepare for possible furloughs due to a lack of funding for the global war on terror. The secretaries alerted commanders to prepare to scale down operations if necessary.
"Unless Congress provides supplemental funding for war-related operations, it will become necessary for you to furlough civilian employees at your base or installation," Winter wrote. "You must follow all applicable legal, regulatory, and labor relations contractual requirements pertaining to furloughs, including requirements for advance notification to those affected."
Winter directed Navy and Marine commanders to complete the detailed planning necessary to reduce operations at their facility and furlough certain employees if and when directed. He noted that no furloughs are authorized at this time.
He added that Marine Corps operations and maintenance funding likely is expected to remain sufficient until mid-March 2008.
"However, absent additional funding, you must be prepared to furlough employees paid directly by funds appropriated to Operation and Maintenance," he wrote. "That is why you must begin planning immediately. The Commandant of the Marine Corps will provide additional implementation information as it becomes available."
Winter vowed commitment to find a solution to the shortages. "I am personally committed to finding a solution to this problem," he said. "We will do everything within our power to manage this most difficult of circumstances, and I remain hopeful for a solution."
In his letter to Army commanders, Geren forecast that the Army's operations and maintenance budget has sufficient funds to continue full operations until mid- to late-February.
"In late November, (Gen. Richard A. Cody, Army vice chief of staff) asked that you prepare plans to reduce operations due to the absence of (global war on terror) funding. I appreciate your prompt and thoughtful attention to our request," Geren wrote. "Regrettably, our funding situation has not changed, so we must continue preparations for implementation of these plans."
Geren said commanders soon will receive specific guidance through human resources channels on furlough notification procedures and engagement with any bargaining entities that may act on behalf of affected employees. Only civilians paid directly by funds appropriated to the Army's operations and maintenance fund will be affected, he said.
The Army secretary said Cody will provide additional instructions on how to determine which employees are exempt from furlough. Geren said the standards for exemptions may not encompass the full breadth of employees identified as "mission essential" in contingency budget plans.
"I know you must have your full civilian workforce in place to accomplish your mission so we are taking these steps to implement a furlough as a last resort," he continued. "I am committed to finding a solution to this problem and remain hopeful we will do so."
In accordance with statutory provisions, the Defense Department is required to report potential furloughs within the Army, Marine Corps and combatant commands to Congress. The memoranda by Winter and Geren were issued in conjunction with a letter by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England sent Dec. 7 to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives.
"The furlough will negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities," England wrote. "More importantly, it will affect the critical support our civilian employees provide to our warfighters -- support which is key to our current operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq."
England lamented the possibility that civilian furloughs and reduced military capabilities could result from budget shortfalls.
"While these actions will be detrimental to the nation, there are no other viable alternatives without additional Congressional funding," he said. "Your support in providing these needed funds would be greatly appreciated."
Showing posts with label furlough. Show all posts
Showing posts with label furlough. Show all posts
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Congressional Report Confirms Furlough Predictions
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 12, 2007 - A Congressional Research Service report confirms the Defense Department estimate for when the Army and Marine Corps will run out money and be forced to furlough civilians and shutter bases. The report, released Dec. 6, says the Army will run out of operations and maintenance money by mid-February, and the Marine Corps will run out of funds a month later. Amy Belasco, Stephen Daggett and Pat Towell wrote the report, titled "How Long Can the Defense Department Finance FY2008 Operations in Advance of Supplemental Appropriations?"
The service, a part of the Library of Congress, affirmed the DoD projections. The report says that the Army and Marine Corps may be able to push that date back a bit by transferring funds and slowing down spending. "These measures would, however, reduce remaining financial flexibility and may disrupt day-to-day operations," the report says. And even these steps will only delay the inevitable for a couple of weeks.
The president requested $189.3 billion for war on terror supplemental funds. Congress approved about $17 billion for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, but the rest of the funds are tied up in a disagreement between Congress and the president over a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq.
Without the supplemental funds, the Army will be forced to curtail training and shutter many bases. The service also will be forced to furlough about 100,000 civilian employees and lay-off about 100,000 contractors. Furlough notification letters will go out to unions and employees beginning next week, DoD officials said.
"The Defense Department may be able to sustain operations longer by invoking the Feed and Forage Act or by using novel, unprecedented measures, such as assigning the Navy and Air Force to pay costs of Army operations overseas," the report says.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today that the department already is using reprogramming authority as much as it can. "It would require Congress to authorize more reprogramming authority than they already have," he said.
"But the real danger is, if you use up all the Navy and Air Force operations and maintenance budgets, what you do is start to chip away at what I would call the strategic capability of this nation in terms of being able to provide capability for other contingencies around the world," he said. "With a fairly committed Army and Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be a dangerous thing to have the Navy and Air Force unable to operate and provide basic strategic reserve we have."
Congress is scheduled to adjourn on Dec. 21. If it does not reach an agreement on funding, the legislation will not be considered until after Congress reconvenes, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 15.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 12, 2007 - A Congressional Research Service report confirms the Defense Department estimate for when the Army and Marine Corps will run out money and be forced to furlough civilians and shutter bases. The report, released Dec. 6, says the Army will run out of operations and maintenance money by mid-February, and the Marine Corps will run out of funds a month later. Amy Belasco, Stephen Daggett and Pat Towell wrote the report, titled "How Long Can the Defense Department Finance FY2008 Operations in Advance of Supplemental Appropriations?"
The service, a part of the Library of Congress, affirmed the DoD projections. The report says that the Army and Marine Corps may be able to push that date back a bit by transferring funds and slowing down spending. "These measures would, however, reduce remaining financial flexibility and may disrupt day-to-day operations," the report says. And even these steps will only delay the inevitable for a couple of weeks.
The president requested $189.3 billion for war on terror supplemental funds. Congress approved about $17 billion for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, but the rest of the funds are tied up in a disagreement between Congress and the president over a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq.
Without the supplemental funds, the Army will be forced to curtail training and shutter many bases. The service also will be forced to furlough about 100,000 civilian employees and lay-off about 100,000 contractors. Furlough notification letters will go out to unions and employees beginning next week, DoD officials said.
"The Defense Department may be able to sustain operations longer by invoking the Feed and Forage Act or by using novel, unprecedented measures, such as assigning the Navy and Air Force to pay costs of Army operations overseas," the report says.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today that the department already is using reprogramming authority as much as it can. "It would require Congress to authorize more reprogramming authority than they already have," he said.
"But the real danger is, if you use up all the Navy and Air Force operations and maintenance budgets, what you do is start to chip away at what I would call the strategic capability of this nation in terms of being able to provide capability for other contingencies around the world," he said. "With a fairly committed Army and Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be a dangerous thing to have the Navy and Air Force unable to operate and provide basic strategic reserve we have."
Congress is scheduled to adjourn on Dec. 21. If it does not reach an agreement on funding, the legislation will not be considered until after Congress reconvenes, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 15.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Defense Department Notifies Congress of Furlough Moves
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 11, 2007 - The Defense Department has officially notified Congress that the department will begin the furlough process for civilian employees of the Army, the Marine Corps and the combatant commands. Congressional leaders have released a letter from Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England dated Dec. 7. In it, England gave legislators the required 45-day notice before beginning furloughs.
The furloughs will become necessary if Congress does not pass a global war on terror spending bill. "Without GWOT funding, only operations and maintenance funds in the base budget are available to cover war-related costs," England said in the letter. "O&M funds also cover salary costs for a large number of Army and Marine Corps civilian employees."
England reminded legislators of a letter he sent Nov. 8 to explain what would happen without supplemental war funding. "I emphasized that without this critical funding, the department would have no choice but to deplete key appropriations accounts in order to sustain essential military operations around the world," he wrote in his Dec. 7 letter.
The House passed a $50 billion bill last month with funds to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it included legislation that directs the president to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq by December 2008. The measure failed in the Senate. President Bush has vowed to veto any bill that includes a troop-withdrawal timetable.
England's letter begins a process that could affect 100,000 civilian employees. "Specific furlough notices will be issued in mid-January," England said in his letter. "The department will also begin notifying appropriate labor organizations."
If the legislation does not pass, the Army will be the first service affected, in mid-February, and the Marine Corps about a month later. The services will be forced to divert operations and maintenance funds to continuing combat operations. Civilian employees in the United States and overseas would be affected.
"The furlough will negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities," England wrote. "More importantly, it will affect the critical support our civilian employees provide to our warfighters -- support which is key to our current operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq."
Congress has passed a $460 billion Defense Appropriations Act for 2008, but this is not enough to fund ongoing operations.
England told the lawmakers the Defense Department has no choice but to begin the furlough process. "While these actions will be detrimental to the nation, there are no other viable alternatives without additional congressional funding," he wrote.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 11, 2007 - The Defense Department has officially notified Congress that the department will begin the furlough process for civilian employees of the Army, the Marine Corps and the combatant commands. Congressional leaders have released a letter from Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England dated Dec. 7. In it, England gave legislators the required 45-day notice before beginning furloughs.
The furloughs will become necessary if Congress does not pass a global war on terror spending bill. "Without GWOT funding, only operations and maintenance funds in the base budget are available to cover war-related costs," England said in the letter. "O&M funds also cover salary costs for a large number of Army and Marine Corps civilian employees."
England reminded legislators of a letter he sent Nov. 8 to explain what would happen without supplemental war funding. "I emphasized that without this critical funding, the department would have no choice but to deplete key appropriations accounts in order to sustain essential military operations around the world," he wrote in his Dec. 7 letter.
The House passed a $50 billion bill last month with funds to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it included legislation that directs the president to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq by December 2008. The measure failed in the Senate. President Bush has vowed to veto any bill that includes a troop-withdrawal timetable.
England's letter begins a process that could affect 100,000 civilian employees. "Specific furlough notices will be issued in mid-January," England said in his letter. "The department will also begin notifying appropriate labor organizations."
If the legislation does not pass, the Army will be the first service affected, in mid-February, and the Marine Corps about a month later. The services will be forced to divert operations and maintenance funds to continuing combat operations. Civilian employees in the United States and overseas would be affected.
"The furlough will negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities," England wrote. "More importantly, it will affect the critical support our civilian employees provide to our warfighters -- support which is key to our current operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq."
Congress has passed a $460 billion Defense Appropriations Act for 2008, but this is not enough to fund ongoing operations.
England told the lawmakers the Defense Department has no choice but to begin the furlough process. "While these actions will be detrimental to the nation, there are no other viable alternatives without additional congressional funding," he wrote.
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