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Threat of sequestration prompts strong reactions
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Wednesday’s announcement by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta that the Pentagon is prepared to furlough Department of Defense civilian personnel drew strong reactions from local and state leaders while military leaders at Fort Stewart said they’ll continue to prepare for future budget cuts.
“Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, being a good steward of our taxpayers’ dollars, has already taken numerous measures over the past two years in the face of budgetary uncertainty,” said Kevin Larson, chief of public communications at Fort Stewart. “We have conducted and continue to conduct detailed planning for reduced budgets under fiscal uncertainty.”
Larson listed several measures the installation has taken in the past two years to reduce costs while still supporting combat missions in Afghanistan. These measures include the following:
•   Curtailed civilian professional development training and education.
•   Cut credit-card purchases from $5.7 million to $2 million. (Currently, the Stewart-Hunter deputy commander is the sole approving authority for all overtime, travel, awards and credit-card purchases.)  
•   Cut temporary duty travel from $1.1 million to $282,000.
•   Cut general services administration vehicles from $5.1 million to $3.3 million.
•   Cut custodial services from $3.8 million to $2.2 million.
•   Cut utilities from $19.4 million to $17 million.
•   Reduced workforce by 86 civilian personnel in the past five months using normal attrition and early retirements. (Stewart-Hunter Garrison civilian strength is at 993 today and heading down to 901 by the end of the fiscal year through attrition and early retirements.)
•   Eliminated and/or reduced overtime except in situations requiring critical missions affecting life, health or safety issues.
•   Installation Management Command-imposed greater restrictions on hiring.
Panetta’s announcement noted that sequestration will add an additional $470 billion in defense spending cuts to the $487 billion in defense spending cuts the Pentagon already is making during the next 10 years. He also said that although military personnel will not be impacted directly by the cuts, on-base services would deteriorate and military families would feel the cuts in several ways.
Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., responded to the Pentagon announcement by noting that the Senate has not passed a budget in the past four years. He acknowledged President Barack Obama submitted a budget but said it was “so unserious” that it didn’t get a single vote in Congress.
“The House has now twice voted to replace these arbitrary spending cuts with targeted reforms and reductions,” Kingston said. “While the president’s campaign-style speeches highlight the potential impact of the sequester, they ignore the fact that the Obama administration proposed this sequester in the first place but has done nothing to avert the cuts. Neither has the Senate, which is controlled by President Obama’s allies in Congress.”

Read more in the Feb. 23 edition of the News.

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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