Panetta warns of degraded military readiness from spending cuts

CNN ^ | February 6th, 2013 | Tom Cohen

[Freeport]

Washington (CNN) - Furloughed workers, reduced combat readiness, shrunken naval operations and cuts to Air Force flying hours and weapons maintenance.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta listed those consequences as he provided a stark warning Wednesday about the effects of impending budget cuts on the military. The result, he said, would be "the most serious readiness crisis" faced by the military in over a decade.

[Freeport]

When CNN goes after the Love-In... Well...

[GeronL]

SO, bashing Christians, opening it to Wiccans, gays and lowering standards to put women into combat doesn’t degrade it at all??

[Travis McGee]

In the local news today, (Jax FL) they are reporting naval deployments being canceled on the very last day before casting off lines. The local angle is the sailors who ended leases, etc, and the havoc it’s causing for their family plans.

[BitWielder1]

There are tons of wasteful programs they could be cutting instead.
But nooo, they're going after highly visible and essential services first so they can cry for more taxpayer money.
On purpose no doubt.

[Freeport]

I’m sure that there may be some little amout of posturing at this point, but as an “Evil Contractor”, according to POTUS, I’ve seen the start of sequestration in action: Both by memorandum from the CNO, direct PMA action and by contract cancellation.

I have yet to be directly affected, but I’ll probably see a 20% wage reduciton soon due to time loss; from 40 to 32 hrs per week.

If sequestration hits, I’ll probably get out of the industry for good. I’m tired of the train wrecks.

I’ll just have to explain why I’m getting out to my family in uniform and some of my friends who have kids still in the military... I just can’t do it any more.

[Biff55]

There’s talk in our facility that we’ll have to dump our own trash, and bring in our own toilet paper to cut down on costs. Seriously.

[Wolfie]

When you’re broke, you’re broke. It’s not like you’re bankrupt in one area but not another. And we’re broke. At least that’s what everybody keeps saying.

[bert]

Make the cuts, introduce and pass the bill restoring that which is very important and important.

If there is proper planning, the vote can occur on the date following sequestration.

The Senate will then be forced to act.

[V_TWIN]

I live there (Jax FL) and work for the USN as a civilian fed. employee. We are being told to prepare for a one day a week furlough through September.

What we do is help ensure the US Navy warfigher is ready at all times. One day a week might not sound like much but it will cause the USN to not be as combat ready as they otherwise would be.

[Right Brother]

Its the same here in my city. They propose a property tax levy, put it on the ballot, then claim that if it doesn’t pass, teachers, fireman, policeman, etc. will be cut. Of course, there is no threat of a cut in the number of administrative staff, management salaries, pensions, or benefits.

[V_TWIN]

“we’ll have to dump our own trash, and bring in our own toilet paper to cut down on costs. Seriously.”

If thats all the impact you get considr yourself lucky. See my post #9.

[BitWielder1]

Of course, there is no threat of a cut in the number of administrative staff, management salaries, pensions, or benefits.

Of course not. People may be OK with that.

[USAF80]

We had a big GI party last week base wide.

[Biff55]

Oh LOTS more than that. Cutting critical programs that significant impact the Warfighter.

[Night Hides Not]

Panetta can KMA. Why not cut defense spending if our forces are going to be sitting idle? Apparently there was no contingency planning for an attack on our embassy in Benghazi. The forces were available, but our leadership sat on their collective hands.

Sorry...just frustrated.