Sequestration

[greg48]

Just wondering peoples thoughts on this "Sequestration", I work for DOD and am fixing to get hammered on my pay check. My bigger fear, being myself a Veteran is those in the Afghan theatre of Ops will have a problem getting the necessities they need to conduct missions, namely munitions!

[bacpacker]

From what i have read about this, it is a 1,5% reduction in spending increases from 2013 over 2012 levels for FY 13. It is not really a cut just reduction in increase. I am not sure if the areas of spending can be selected or not.

[greg48]

Bacpacker; I understand it's actually a cut in growth not budget line cuts, yet DOD is acting like it's Armageddon. I don't worry so much for my self I can survive on nothing, pack of peanut butter outta my MRE and some H2O and I can go all day, it's the soldiers in combat needing munitions they may not be able to get I worry about!

[Willie51]

I feel it's blown way out of proportion by this administration and what I fear is that something will be created out of nothing just to prove a point politically. Hope I'm wrong.

[bacpacker]

I agree with you Greg. DOE is acting the same way. There would be no reason to hold back anything the troops need. But as messed as the politicos are thats probably where they look first.

I know myself and most everyone I work with are taking a close eye at any dime we spend these days. Doubly so for my personal funds.

[Willie51]

^^ I agree, I can't see cutting anything to our military and our troops.....that would be a sin. It doesn't make any sense when our government just released $250m to Egypt yesterday (part of the $1 billion that Mr. O promised last year).

[greg48]

just wanted to put out an FYI, i know there are Veterans here as well as parents with deployed family, I've a deployed daughter and it's more of a concern for her mission to me than my pay check.

[bacpacker]

Thanks for the input Greg. We always want to track issues concerning our deployied vets and those here at home.

[DarkLight]

Like you said, I'm afraid they will use it to prove a point. The last five years have been Politics by Panic, regardless of the topic of the day and both parties are at fault. Yes the current administration more so but both play into it to get their way. My fear is that it doesn't matter what the actual cut is supposed to be, money will be withheld to the point of pain (and dangerously so) in order to save face.

This is the first 'crisis' in recent memory that wasn't averted by an 11th hour deal to make the clowns in DC look like heroes and frankly, I'm a little surprised by it. Not that I think it should have been averted but I figured it would have been.

[greg48]

i fear the military being the whipping boy for certain parties will suffer the most.

[Stg1swret]

Fear mongering for political gain is all it is. They aren't cutting any real spending. There is a built in 10% increase in spending tanks to the late Sen. Kennedy, it is called baseline budgeting. We cannt sustain current spending levels. It would be nice if the senate would just pass a budget, something they haven't done in 4 years.

[izzyscout21]

Greg, I work for DOD as well. I don;t forsee any of our deployed troops really being affected. They're still going to get all the equipment, ammo, food, etc that they need.

The only things I forsee being cut for deployed troops are extra items that the supply guy gets to order. Supply NCO may not get to use his IMPAC card as much as he would have.

[greg48]

izzy, i/we load and ship munitions to FOBs etc, we have trouble keeping up with a 40hr work week, looks like we'll cut hrs, i know it's not likely they'll go with out. i do worry though, it's the NCO still in me, there are some young soldiers over there that were my responsibility at one time, like my own children, i still worry.

[izzyscout21]

Understood, i feel the same way. You should know as well as I do that budget cut or not, we as soldiers have always been asked to do impossible tasks often without everything we "may" need. Out fighting brethren will do the job and do it well regardless of the resources or lack thereof.... Its tradition...

remember "butter butter jam" or "b- b- b- budget cut" ? ;)