Sequestration
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Wow, a guy who doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, raised a fine family, ran successful businesses, etc, etc, etc is denigrated while the demonstrated performance in office of a non-tenured college professor and 'community organizer' is lauded.
Let us not forget this little bit of demonstrated background info when comparing to a religious belief that does no harm:
Obama and His Pot-Smoking ‘Choom Gang’ - ABC News
Obama had multiple opportunities to work the problem. He didn't meet with the opposition until the day sequestration took effect, 1 March.
A leader leads. This guy campaigns.
Heckuva job, Barry.
Let us not forget this little bit of demonstrated background info when comparing to a religious belief that does no harm:
Obama and His Pot-Smoking ‘Choom Gang’ - ABC News
Obama had multiple opportunities to work the problem. He didn't meet with the opposition until the day sequestration took effect, 1 March.
A leader leads. This guy campaigns.
Heckuva job, Barry.
Do a Hover - it avoids G
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Sequestration “would destroy the military” and cause an “inability to defend the nation” argued Senator John McCain, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services committee. “Cuts of this magnitude would be catastrophic to the military,” testified General Raymond Odierno, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, to Congress. “From a pure national security perspective, the gap between the U.S. military and our closest rivals will collapse with sequestration,” wrote the Washington Times. And it would create a U.S. military akin to a “paper tiger…unable to keep up with potential adversaries.” said Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. “In effect, it invites aggression.”
(I do of course fully understand why some individuals would want to say such things.)
Last edited by John Farley; 3rd Mar 2013 at 11:19.
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This message was sent to all Navy and Marine units by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. On March 1, sequestration was enacted — necessitating the following actions:
DTG 022300Z Mar 13
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
CMC WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 014/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAR//
SUBJ/DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY RESPONSE TO SEQUESTRATION//
RMKS/1. LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE NO BUDGET DEAL HAD BEEN REACHED, THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT REQUIRED SETTING IN MOTION THE AUTOMATIC, GOVERNMENT-WIDE CUTS KNOWN AS SEQUESTRATION. GIVEN THAT REALITY AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACT OF BUDGETARY UNCERTAINTY IMPOSED BY AN INDEFINITE CONTINUING RESOLUTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY INTENDS TO COMMENCE SOME REDUCTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
2. NAVY PLANS TO:
A. SHUT DOWN CARRIER AIR WING TWO (CVW-2) IN APRIL. THIS WILL INITIATE THE PREPARATIONS TO GRADUALLY STAND-DOWN FLYING IN AT LEAST
THREE ADDITIONAL AIR WINGS WITH TWO MORE AIR WINGS BEING REDUCED TO MINIMUM SAFE FLYING LEVELS BY THE END OF THE YEAR;
B. DEFER USNS COMFORT HUMANITARIAN DEPLOYMENT TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, “CONTINUING PROMISE 2013″, INCLUDING SUPPORTING SHIPS,
SEABEES, AND MEDICAL UNITS;
C. CANCEL OR DEFER THE DEPLOYMENTS OF UP TO SIX SHIPS TO VARIOUS AORS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL;
D. LAY UP FOUR COMBAT LOGISTICS FORCE (CLF) UNITS IN PACOM STARTING IN APRIL;
E. RETURN USS SHOUP (DDG 86) TO HOMEPORT EARLY AND NOT PROCEED AS USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) ESCORT TO CENTCOM;
F. RETURN USS THACH (FFG 43) TO HOMEPORT EARLY FROM DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHCOM.
3. WE WILL ALSO IMMEDIATELY:
A. BEGIN NEGOTIATING CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS TO DE-OBLIGATE EFFORTS FOR ANY INVESTMENT PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THE REMAINING UNOBLIGATED BALANCE WILL BE INSUFFICIENT AFTER THE SEQUESTRATION REDUCTION IS APPLIED. MAJOR PROGRAMS AFFECTED INCLUDE VIRGINIA-CLASS SSN ADVANCE PROCUREMENT, REACTOR POWER UNITS AND JOINT HIGH SPEED VESSEL (JHSV 10);
B. COMMENCE FINAL PLANNING TO SLOW MARINE CORPS DEPOT MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING REDUCTIONS IN THE NON-PERMANENT WORKFORCE;
C. CANCEL MARCH INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT SCREENING FOR FUTURE PILOTS/NFOS;
D. ANNOUNCE INTENT TO CANCEL BLUE ANGELS SHOWS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2013 [FOUR SHOWS: MACDILL AFB (TAMPA, FL), NAS CORPUS CHRISTI TX, VIDALIA GA, MCAS BEAUFORT SC];
E. CEASE NEW USMC ENROLLMENTS IN VOLUNTARY EDUCATION TUITION ASSISTANCE;
F. CANCEL MARCH NAVY RECRUITING MEDIA SUPPORT AND REDUCE THE MAJORITY OF ADVERTISING CONTRACTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE UNDER CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS.
4. THESE ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PRESERVE SUPPORT FOR THOSE FORCES STATIONED OVERSEAS AND CURRENTLY FORWARD-DEPLOYED. REDUCTIONS IN LOWER-PRIORITY FORWARD OPERATIONS, AND SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN ALL OTHER OPERATIONS, TRAINING, AND MAINTENANCE ARE THE RESULTS OF THIS SELECTION PROCESS. WE MADE THESE CHOICES CAREFULLY, WHILE TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR ABILITY TO REVERSE OR QUICKLY RESTORE NEGATIVE EFFECTS IF AND WHEN FUNDING IS RESTORED.
5. ACTIONS WE HAVE TAKEN TO DATE WILL CONTINUE, TO INCLUDE THOSE AFFECTING THE DEFERRAL OF MAINTENANCE FOR USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72); THE DEFERRAL OF REPAIR WORK FOR USS MIAMI (SSN 755) AND USS PORTER (DDG 78); THE DELAYED DEPLOYMENT OF USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN 75) AND USS GETTYSBURG (CG 64); THE CIVILIAN HIRING FREEZE; THE PLANNING FOR CIVILIAN FURLOUGHS; AND THE REDUCTION OF ALL TRAINING NOT RELATED TO THE READINESS OF DEPLOYED OR NEXT-TO-DEPLOY FORCES.
6. NAVY DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDS THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THESE AND OTHER DECISIONS CREATE BOTH AMONGST OUR PEOPLE AND IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY UPON WHICH WE RELY. THE LACK OF A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION TO AVOID SEQUESTRATION IS DEEPLY REGRETTABLE. THAT SAID, WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION AS WE FACE IT, NOT AS WE WISH IT COULD OTHERWISE BE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE FOREMOST IN MIND, EVEN AS WE TRY HARD TO KEEP WHOLE THE FORCE STRUCTURE WHICH SUPPORTS THEM. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FLEET AND FLEET MARINE FORCE FULLY INFORMED AS FOLLOW-ON DECISIONS ARE MADE.
7. RELEASED BY RAY MABUS, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.//
BT
Source:-
Department of the Navy Response to Sequestration
Carrier Air Wing Two - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DTG 022300Z Mar 13
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
CMC WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 014/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAR//
SUBJ/DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY RESPONSE TO SEQUESTRATION//
RMKS/1. LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE NO BUDGET DEAL HAD BEEN REACHED, THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT REQUIRED SETTING IN MOTION THE AUTOMATIC, GOVERNMENT-WIDE CUTS KNOWN AS SEQUESTRATION. GIVEN THAT REALITY AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACT OF BUDGETARY UNCERTAINTY IMPOSED BY AN INDEFINITE CONTINUING RESOLUTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY INTENDS TO COMMENCE SOME REDUCTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
2. NAVY PLANS TO:
A. SHUT DOWN CARRIER AIR WING TWO (CVW-2) IN APRIL. THIS WILL INITIATE THE PREPARATIONS TO GRADUALLY STAND-DOWN FLYING IN AT LEAST
THREE ADDITIONAL AIR WINGS WITH TWO MORE AIR WINGS BEING REDUCED TO MINIMUM SAFE FLYING LEVELS BY THE END OF THE YEAR;
B. DEFER USNS COMFORT HUMANITARIAN DEPLOYMENT TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, “CONTINUING PROMISE 2013″, INCLUDING SUPPORTING SHIPS,
SEABEES, AND MEDICAL UNITS;
C. CANCEL OR DEFER THE DEPLOYMENTS OF UP TO SIX SHIPS TO VARIOUS AORS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL;
D. LAY UP FOUR COMBAT LOGISTICS FORCE (CLF) UNITS IN PACOM STARTING IN APRIL;
E. RETURN USS SHOUP (DDG 86) TO HOMEPORT EARLY AND NOT PROCEED AS USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) ESCORT TO CENTCOM;
F. RETURN USS THACH (FFG 43) TO HOMEPORT EARLY FROM DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHCOM.
3. WE WILL ALSO IMMEDIATELY:
A. BEGIN NEGOTIATING CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS TO DE-OBLIGATE EFFORTS FOR ANY INVESTMENT PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THE REMAINING UNOBLIGATED BALANCE WILL BE INSUFFICIENT AFTER THE SEQUESTRATION REDUCTION IS APPLIED. MAJOR PROGRAMS AFFECTED INCLUDE VIRGINIA-CLASS SSN ADVANCE PROCUREMENT, REACTOR POWER UNITS AND JOINT HIGH SPEED VESSEL (JHSV 10);
B. COMMENCE FINAL PLANNING TO SLOW MARINE CORPS DEPOT MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING REDUCTIONS IN THE NON-PERMANENT WORKFORCE;
C. CANCEL MARCH INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT SCREENING FOR FUTURE PILOTS/NFOS;
D. ANNOUNCE INTENT TO CANCEL BLUE ANGELS SHOWS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2013 [FOUR SHOWS: MACDILL AFB (TAMPA, FL), NAS CORPUS CHRISTI TX, VIDALIA GA, MCAS BEAUFORT SC];
E. CEASE NEW USMC ENROLLMENTS IN VOLUNTARY EDUCATION TUITION ASSISTANCE;
F. CANCEL MARCH NAVY RECRUITING MEDIA SUPPORT AND REDUCE THE MAJORITY OF ADVERTISING CONTRACTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE UNDER CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS.
4. THESE ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PRESERVE SUPPORT FOR THOSE FORCES STATIONED OVERSEAS AND CURRENTLY FORWARD-DEPLOYED. REDUCTIONS IN LOWER-PRIORITY FORWARD OPERATIONS, AND SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN ALL OTHER OPERATIONS, TRAINING, AND MAINTENANCE ARE THE RESULTS OF THIS SELECTION PROCESS. WE MADE THESE CHOICES CAREFULLY, WHILE TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR ABILITY TO REVERSE OR QUICKLY RESTORE NEGATIVE EFFECTS IF AND WHEN FUNDING IS RESTORED.
5. ACTIONS WE HAVE TAKEN TO DATE WILL CONTINUE, TO INCLUDE THOSE AFFECTING THE DEFERRAL OF MAINTENANCE FOR USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72); THE DEFERRAL OF REPAIR WORK FOR USS MIAMI (SSN 755) AND USS PORTER (DDG 78); THE DELAYED DEPLOYMENT OF USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN 75) AND USS GETTYSBURG (CG 64); THE CIVILIAN HIRING FREEZE; THE PLANNING FOR CIVILIAN FURLOUGHS; AND THE REDUCTION OF ALL TRAINING NOT RELATED TO THE READINESS OF DEPLOYED OR NEXT-TO-DEPLOY FORCES.
6. NAVY DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDS THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THESE AND OTHER DECISIONS CREATE BOTH AMONGST OUR PEOPLE AND IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY UPON WHICH WE RELY. THE LACK OF A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION TO AVOID SEQUESTRATION IS DEEPLY REGRETTABLE. THAT SAID, WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION AS WE FACE IT, NOT AS WE WISH IT COULD OTHERWISE BE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE FOREMOST IN MIND, EVEN AS WE TRY HARD TO KEEP WHOLE THE FORCE STRUCTURE WHICH SUPPORTS THEM. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FLEET AND FLEET MARINE FORCE FULLY INFORMED AS FOLLOW-ON DECISIONS ARE MADE.
7. RELEASED BY RAY MABUS, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.//
BT
Source:-
Department of the Navy Response to Sequestration
Carrier Air Wing Two - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I see the genius that wanted to name a ship after the most corrupt Congressman, who slandered and libeled Young Marines BEFORE any investigation, has seen fit to cut the most used assets of the US Navy.
Among the list.....I did not see a single Admiral getting his walking papers!
SecNav is an absolute Dork! But....he and Barry Boy have a mutual admiration thing going.
Did they cut the VIP fleet of Airplanes?
Did they cut the numbers of Admirals commensurate with the cut in assets?
Among the list.....I did not see a single Admiral getting his walking papers!
SecNav is an absolute Dork! But....he and Barry Boy have a mutual admiration thing going.
Did they cut the VIP fleet of Airplanes?
Did they cut the numbers of Admirals commensurate with the cut in assets?
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Defence spending realities
This snippet re the US economy is from another forum:
'I think the best way to look at the effect of the $85 Bn sequester is to look at fiscal year 2012 which finished 30th September 2012:
Spent $3,538billion, Taxes $2,241billion,Deficit $1,297billion
So the $85billion sequester would have affected fiscal 2012 thus:
Spent $3,453billion,Taxes $2,241billion, Deficit $1,212billion
So the $85billion sequester would have shaved 2.4% from spending and 6.55% from the deficit, but the deficit would still be 35% of spending and 54% of taxes. Obviously there is still a very long way to go.'
As the $85billion is spread across the US economy, it should not cripple their defenc(s)e capacity. In 2010, the US defence-related spend was about $700billion representing around 31 percent of near $2,300billion federal revenue. Seems like plenty of scope for efficiencies.
The same hysteria re defence budget constraints is ongoing in Australia because defence spending was reduced by about 10 percent for this year; although now at around $24billion, still represents 7.5 to 8 percent of estimated government revenue and that is among the top 15 spenders on defence worldwide. See: http://www.comw.org/pda/fulltext/120...Comparison.pdf
The emotive hype re economic constraints seems to be emerging from those lobbying on behalf of big spend defence industry. They are largely pricing some military hardware beyond affordability of many nations and are really disregarding the increasingly parlous state of some economies.
'I think the best way to look at the effect of the $85 Bn sequester is to look at fiscal year 2012 which finished 30th September 2012:
Spent $3,538billion, Taxes $2,241billion,Deficit $1,297billion
So the $85billion sequester would have affected fiscal 2012 thus:
Spent $3,453billion,Taxes $2,241billion, Deficit $1,212billion
So the $85billion sequester would have shaved 2.4% from spending and 6.55% from the deficit, but the deficit would still be 35% of spending and 54% of taxes. Obviously there is still a very long way to go.'
As the $85billion is spread across the US economy, it should not cripple their defenc(s)e capacity. In 2010, the US defence-related spend was about $700billion representing around 31 percent of near $2,300billion federal revenue. Seems like plenty of scope for efficiencies.
The same hysteria re defence budget constraints is ongoing in Australia because defence spending was reduced by about 10 percent for this year; although now at around $24billion, still represents 7.5 to 8 percent of estimated government revenue and that is among the top 15 spenders on defence worldwide. See: http://www.comw.org/pda/fulltext/120...Comparison.pdf
The emotive hype re economic constraints seems to be emerging from those lobbying on behalf of big spend defence industry. They are largely pricing some military hardware beyond affordability of many nations and are really disregarding the increasingly parlous state of some economies.
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Emotive hype. Perhaps, but don't forget that just like SDSR cuts, sequestration has a disproportionate effect on one group of citizens ie the military. This knocks on to morale, fears for job security, civilians employed at bases, families etc.
From an outsiders perspective, it looks like both sides are playing at brinkmanship with an institution that is revered by its citizens. The British government and perhaps the Oz government could get away with it. Not so sure with the American government. Even if smoke and mirrors are used to blame the other side....
From an outsiders perspective, it looks like both sides are playing at brinkmanship with an institution that is revered by its citizens. The British government and perhaps the Oz government could get away with it. Not so sure with the American government. Even if smoke and mirrors are used to blame the other side....
RR ... Do you know if the Americans log Flying Time as Brakes Off To Brakes On ? If so then the cunning plan introduced by a certain Air Force during the 70's Fuel Crises to log Flying Time as Airbourne to Touchdown might save that 18% right away 
Senator McCain was engaging in a bit of hyperbole. I think Bushranger has the right idea.
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This is a great link, nice to see a spin like this on the subject
DoD To Charge Admission Fee For Base Access To Fix Budget Shortfalls | The Duffel Blog
DoD To Charge Admission Fee For Base Access To Fix Budget Shortfalls | The Duffel Blog
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This piece is from Bloomberg today. It is very interesting in that it gives a view as to why US Defence spending is so out of control. 
Five Military Cuts That Would Fix Sequestration - Businessweek
Five Military Cuts That Would Fix Sequestration - Businessweek
Forget the Furlough....the Base Access Fee that Hagel is pushing is the thing to get upset over!
DoD To Charge Admission Fee For Base Access To Fix Budget Shortfalls | The Duffel Blog
DoD To Charge Admission Fee For Base Access To Fix Budget Shortfalls | The Duffel Blog
BEagle,
They didn't - it was all mocked up in a hangar in Area 51, with built in time delays on comms. Where have you been? Even the greenest member of the "Grassy knoll society" knows that!
They didn't - it was all mocked up in a hangar in Area 51, with built in time delays on comms. Where have you been? Even the greenest member of the "Grassy knoll society" knows that!
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Surely the people most likely to get (have got) to the moon are those with a single minded intent to develop and procure a capability whilst at the same time not paying too much attention to the sums involved.
In both respects the US are the only show in town. Laudable on the one hand whilst a little careless on the other.
And no matter how deep these cuts bite, they're still going to be one of perhaps two military super powers in our lifetimes.
In both respects the US are the only show in town. Laudable on the one hand whilst a little careless on the other.
And no matter how deep these cuts bite, they're still going to be one of perhaps two military super powers in our lifetimes.
Last edited by orca; 5th Mar 2013 at 16:07.
Stab Aug Syst - Off : I hope you are being ironic over the base access fee proposal - after alln it's on the Duffel Blog!
ORCA - ignore the cost of the moon shot and similarly ignore/actively erase the wartime background of key German technicians, primus inter pares being the poster boy of the 'space race', SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Wernher von Braun (promoted to SS-Major in June 1943)
ORCA - ignore the cost of the moon shot and similarly ignore/actively erase the wartime background of key German technicians, primus inter pares being the poster boy of the 'space race', SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Wernher von Braun (promoted to SS-Major in June 1943)
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Imagine it works like this(I'm going to make up some numbers but they're reasonably close): Of the entire DoD budget, 75% is non-discretionary spending(health care, retirement, etc) so you actually operate with 25%. Well, let's say we've spent 12.5% already since we assumed Congress would sort this thing out, so we've got 12.5% remaining. So once a 10% cut is taken in the remaining 6 months left, 2.5% is remaining for the next 6 months and somethings are contractually obligated (JSF) so operations and maintenance takes the hit.
Gosh....you go fishing....throw out the bait....get your finger around the line and some guy comes along and chunks a great big ol' Rock into the middle of your Pond for you.
