Pentagon awash in pink slips, preparing 800,000 civilian furloughs

Washington Times ^ | 20 Feb 13 | Kristina Wong

[SkyPilot]

The Defense Department on Wednesday officially notified Congress that it plans to begin furloughing its 800,000 civilian employees across the country if automatic spending cuts begin March 1, estimating the states would lose a total of $4.86 billion in workers’ wages this year.

According to Pentagon estimates, among the hardest-hit states would be Virginia, which would have about 88,000 affected workers and salary losses of $660.9 million; California, with 62,600 workers and $419.7 million in lost wages; and Maryland, with 45,700 workers and $359.3 million in lost earnings.

“This is not a Beltway phenomenon,” Jessica L. Wright, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told reporters at the Pentagon. “More than 80 percent of our civilians work outside of the D.C. metro area. They live and work in every state of the union.”

Under the furlough plan, civilian workers would be forced to take one day of unpaid leave each week for 22 weeks from late April through September, costing them about 20 percent of their pay during that time, Pentagon officials said.

In a written message, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told civilian workers that they “will be provided at least 30 days’ notice prior to executing a furlough and your benefits will be protected to the maximum extent possible.”

He added that the Pentagon “also will work to ensure that furloughs are executed in a consistent and appropriate manner.”

Mr. Panetta noted that the department has been funded by a continuing resolution that has limited spending to 2012 levels and said the effects of sequestration may be felt more intensely because of it.

[SkyPilot]

But whatever I am, I am not a liar, that is something you cannot claim.

Did you ever say on this board that you were collecting disabiltiy or that you were disabled in any way?

Be careful on how you answer this RFEngineer.

Even more important than what you say, you should be aware of what God says. I have warned you of this before.

Proverbs 26:19

[ducttape45]

You sir,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I have only four words I'd love to say to you but God won't let me. I only respond by saying that I will pray for you.

God's Holy Word says in Matthew 5:43-48, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Go in the peace of the Lord.

[SkyPilot]

I'm finally working my up to make a wage that at least helps me keep my head above water and all I get from folks like RFE is, "well, tough luck dude. I want you fired for being a money loving government employee and I don't want to pay your salary." Granted, I know there is government waste. I see it day in and day out. I cringe inside when I see the thousands, and yes, millions and billions being wasted. I really do.

Don't listen to RFEngineer or anyone else.

The waste in military, or any government agency, is not your burden.

Believe me, there is more "waste" in EVERY agency, Federal, State, and Local, that is more sinful than anything you should be associated with.

Every cop on this forum who padded his retirement for the last year of his career in order to maximize his/her retirement is guilty of sin. God knows it, and they know it. It was a crime, and they should be held accountable for it.

You, ducttape, are trying to earn your income despite what our Lords in Washington DC are doing.

I have the feeling that this is all about to collapse, politically speaking. I think that Paul Ryan, John Boehner, and Eric Cantor have NO idea what is taking place. They are holding meetings, and they think they have it all in hand.

Good luck.

[RFEngineer]

SkyPilot, I am not on disability.

Go ahead, post that one reference where I jokingly referred to being on the dole.

You, however, are the worst kind of liar and deceiver. You cannot be reasoned with using mathematical fact, or economic logic.

Yet here you are lying your @ss off on the sequester day after day.

folks in government need to consider other employment. Many of them will need to find something to do.

You give them comfort and false hope that they will be fine.

[RFEngineer]

“I have only four words I’d love to say to you but God won’t let me”

Say them. you’re thinking them, so God has already noted what is in your heart. It will be instructive, perhaps cathartic to you. Then update your resume.

You don’t realize it, but the guy who tells you the unadulterated truth is more of a friend than the guy who lies with a smile.

[SkyPilot]

Go ahead, post that one reference where I jokingly referred to being on the dole.

I know the reference (I have it) and it was not meant in jest. You deceived. Here on this forum. You continue to deceive.

Your credibility here is now zero.

Crawl away.

On your belly.

Leave men like ducttape45 alone.

Men like him work for their living, they worship Jesus Christ, and they are better men than you will ever be.

[RFEngineer]

“Your credibility here is now zero.”

Really? Post it. Or are you afraid?

If you really are daring post the full context.

“Men like him work for their living, they worship Jesus Christ, and they are better men than you will ever be.”

He will also be more unemployed than I will ever be, thanks to you.

[RFEngineer]

“Hang in there. God is in control.”

No, the bond market is in control. God doesn’t control human frailties like deficit spending.

[SkyPilot]

You should read Psalm 29.

Give your heart to Christ. He is there for you.

Take care.

[Rockitz]

I work on a base and the increase in civilian employees has been relentless in the past 4 years. Most are absolutely worthless. Many are “retired” officers that didn’t make the cut. I’ve never understood it in this environment and I have attributed it to Obama deliberately bloating the civilian workforce to buy democRat votes.

[Rockitz]

I work on a base and the increase in civilian employees has been relentless in the past 4 years. Most are absolutely worthless. Many are “retired” officers that didn’t make the cut. I’ve never understood it in this environment and I have attributed it to Obama deliberately bloating the civilian workforce to buy democRat votes.

[leapfrog0202]

This is shi!. Even if they were furloughed when back on the job they will get every penny of back pay. How does that sound to those suckers that believe the communists bull shi!.

______________________________
A furlough is a furlough. It’s 1 day per week for 22 weeks. That is 20% of my husband’s pay and NO THEY WILL NOT GET IT BACK. There will be no back dating as people will be forced to take the day off.

Maybe everyone here thinks it’s great but I can tell you that we cannot afford to lose 20% of his pay. Now if the government or some other employer said take a 10% pay cut or lose your job that would be different. 20% is a lot.

I’m so glad to see all these conservatives here dancing and thinking this is great news. Please explain that to my husband. I’ve been laid off and now we lose 20% of his pay. Sure he gets an extra day off a week - big deal, we need the money.

[leapfrog0202]

Because it is cutting with an ax. It is not directed in the right places and it is insignificant to the total budget problem. It is a huge problem for individual DOD workers. I’m looking at a 20% reduction in my pay for a 7 month period.

That said, I think it is a bluff...or playing chicken.
________________
Don’t you love how everyone here is thrilled that we’re losing 20% for 7 months?

Guess what, the real pork, the congress loses NOTHING.

[dead]

Good post. No intention whatsoever on the government’s part of trying to make real sustained cuts where they make sense. Panetta’s pentagon only seeks to cause maximum pain, until they get their candy back.

[USAF80]

A year or so ago they asked each branch of the mil for suggestions to save money. They got thousands of ideas. They implemented a few of them but we did not get any feed back. My idea would have saved over $50K per year that we are still wasting.

[vicar7]

Actually you are right: The budget would be more than last year we are only cutting that growth so it could be seriously bloated even then.

[SkyPilot]

The lack of public understanding on this issue is maddening, and amusing at the same time.

I think Rush Limbaugh is contributing to the fallacy, and many Conservatives who have no idea what is truly going on.

Yes, a baseline budgeting is a reality. There is planned growth in every budget, and liberals always decried every proposed reduction as a "cut" and the media carried their water.

Certain increases had to be forecasted into any budget. The increase in fuel costs alone has taken huge forecasts of the military budget put them into negative territory.

The Freepers here who think the evisceration of the US military that is taking place is all smoke and mirrors are WRONG, and dead wrong. They tune in their AM radio station, hit a few Twitter keystrokes, and think the world revolves around their musings. It does not.

The US military is reeling from a previous $487 Billion cut under King Obama 1. The conflict between the Congress and the President on the budget in the form of the Continuing Resolution has frozen funds and decreased the military operating budget. The Sequestration is the final knife.

Military pay and most procurement dollars cannot be touched during this fiasco, so Operations and Maintenance is going to be gutted.

If you don't know the facts, please learn them before engaging keyboard. Most Americans are as clueless as American Idol commercial watchers. We do not need more of those here.

What is happening is a total meltdown of the US military, right before our eyes. And many Republicans and Conservatives are either clueless or complicit.

[vicar7]

By your own definition 487 billion was not a real cut. Asking them to make a real 2% cut does not seem extreme. Especially if it is across the board for everyone. The Pentagon procurement is awash with inefficiency as well as many other areas. Nothing changes until serious people that want to level with the folks take over. Their is no point in changing it now. Obama will just play with it for a political game rather than do what is necessary for the country. Even the 10 least conservative Freepers could find 100 billion of real waste that could be really cut using Tom Colburn as a resource.

[rumandmonkey]

I’m a defense contractor and I’m not sure if I am going to get laid off or not. My company hasn’t told me anything except wait and see what happens.

I may be ok since my contract has already been paid for through 2013. I hope so anyway!

[darrellmaurina]

126 posted on 2/22/2013 5:57:52 PM by momf: “I think the congresscritters salaries and benefits could easily be cut.”

The 27th Amendment is an issue. No cuts in Congressional compensation can take effect until after the November elections next year at the earliest:

“No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”