Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley gives his opening statement during a hearing with the House Armed Services Committee, April 12, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Both Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III were on Capitol Hill to discuss the Air Force's fiscal 2014 budget. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Luis Jimenez, photo/Scott M. Ash)
Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley gives his opening statement during a hearing with the House Armed Services Committee, April 12, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Both Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III were on Capitol Hill to discuss the Air Force's fiscal 2014 budget. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
4/12/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force's top civilian leader today presented his service's fiscal 2014 $114.1 billion baseline budget request to Congress and shared some of the fiscal challenges the Air Force has faced.
"As with all budgets, our FY (2014) request represents a snapshot in time," Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley told the House Armed Services Committee. "(It's) our best analysis of Air Force needs based on available information."
Donley, who was accompanied at the House hearing by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, said the Air Force's priorities remain aligned with the Defense Department's strategic guidance.
"This includes supporting combatant commanders in the current fight in Afghanistan, maintaining a strong and stable presence in the Pacific and (South) Korea, supporting nuclear and regional deterrence, counterterror and other operations," Donley said.
"There is demand for air power, and your Airmen are busy around the world," he added.
The secretary noted that more than 57,000 Airmen are stationed overseas and more than 132,000 members are providing support to combatant commanders.
However, "as the fiscal constraints get tighter, we must tighten our alignment with the new strategy and strengthen our commitment to joint interdependent solutions to the nation's military challenges," Donley said.
"You've heard many times that the implications of sequestration reductions are dire," he said. "They are, (and) that's why the president has put forward a balanced deficit reduction proposal that would allow Congress to repeal sequestration in FY (2013) and beyond."
Donley summed up the state of the Air Force in three broad areas -- force structure, readiness and modernization.
Last year, in efforts to meet the requirements of the first half of the Budget Control Act, he said, the Air Force's FY 2013 budget proposed a number of force structure changes including aircraft transfers, retirements and changes in unit missions.
The 2014 budget proposal, Donley said, would cut Air Force end strength by about 1,800 active duty Airmen, reduce Air Force Reserve end strength by just fewer than 500, and reduce Air National Guard end strength by 300.
The fiscal 2014 budget proposal will focus on implementing the retirements, transfers and mission changes that were approved in the National Defense Authorization Act, he said.
With regard to readiness, Donley said he expects the demand for Air Force capabilities to remain constant with the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, and a continued presence in the Middle East and Africa.
"We must improve readiness to prevent a hollow force," he cautioned. "With respect to FY (2013), the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Air Force leaders have already recounted the readiness impacts we anticipated this year as a result of sequestration."
Anticipating challenges due to sequestration, Donley said the Air Force took steps to cut back normal operations, including a civilian hiring freeze, canceling non-mission critical official travel and conferences and reducing major command and combatant command budgets by approximately 10 percent.
"However, these steps alone are not sufficient to absorb the full impacts of sequestration without affecting readiness," he said.
Donley said sequestration reductions and readiness impacts are now being felt across the Air Force.
"This week, eight fighter and bomber units ceased flying operations, and four additional squadrons will completely stand down when they return from deployment in the next few weeks," he said.
"And one additional bomber squadron will stand down this summer when it returns from deployment," Donley added. "Flying hour reductions will halt training for the rest of the year in many units, and (it) will take up to six months to restore pilot proficiency."
Donley also noted the potential furlough of the Air Force's civilian work force, which he said would be "potentially devastating" to morale and would slow productivity.
Turning to Air Force modernization efforts, the secretary said the challenges faced by his service are pervasive, and will, if unaddressed, seriously undermine its ability to accomplish the missions the nation asks of it.
"The average age of our fighter aircraft is now 23 years," Donley said. "Rescue helicopters, 22 years; training aircraft, 25 years; bombers, 36 years; and tankers, nearly 50 years."
Donley said the Air Force's "most significant" priorities remain on track in fiscal 2014 -- the fifth generation F-35A Lightning II, the KC-46 tanker and the long-range strike bomber.
"The continued modernization of existing fleets, such as the B-2, the F-22, F-15, F-16 and C-17, to name some, to keep them operationally effective and to extend their service lives is also key," he said.
Donley told members of the House committee that it was "all the more critical" to get their support for a new base realignment and closure program.
"The Air Force executed BRAC 2005 on time and under budget, and those adjustments are today generating savings estimated at $1 billion per year," Donley said.
"We're looking at European basing requirements with our DOD partners, and we're ready to begin (the) next steps in the continental U.S.," he added. "We estimate more than 20 percent of our basing infrastructure is excess."
Comments
4/24/2013 2:11:41 PM ET @Sgt Conus A1C Hoshaw because these functions are inherently non-governmental in nature and Congress in their infinite wisdom decided that functions that are not inherently government in nature should be bid out for contracts to increase the economy of the nation. I admit that we seem to be receiving the short-end-of-the-stick for that decision.
SNCO Ret, Scott
4/24/2013 10:20:37 AM ET I Agree with Sgt Conus.
A1C Hoshaw, HamptonVA
4/23/2013 3:08:28 PM ET Aircraft Maintenance Overhaul costs Billions. We have out sourced many jobs at the component level that we where very able to complete. Example one oring costs 1.00 maybe 1.50 we may pay 5.00 dollars to install this at the depot level...Point 2 As a maintainer of many years I see that we need to equip the next generation with the tools to keep our airforce at the top of the game.. This idea has effects upon my industry my country and fellow Airman. Thanks
David Straughn, Calif.
4/22/2013 11:59:08 AM ET How about the Air Force cuts some of the officer positions There are almost 13000 Lt Col and Col with a little over 300 General officers 14 of them are 4 stars. The figures were made with the current 2013 monthly pay chart the Randolph personnel report listing all current positions and with 30 years in service except LtCol and Col which were figured with 20 years of service. Keep in mind Brig through Gen get a pay increase every year up to 40 years and when they retire recieve full pay. 14 Gen 3M 44 LtGen 8.2M 99 Maj Gen 16.5M 147 Brig Gen 22M and 13K LtCol and Col 3B. Currently there are a little more or less than 33K MSgts through Chief and 2600 of them are Chiefs if they all had 30 years in service the total pay per year would equal 2.6B.
Joe, VA
4/17/2013 4:45:21 PM ET Why do the bases keep hiring people to come in and clean the buildings and cut the grass. When I first came in those were the details given to the jr Airmen. I remember running the floor buffer and having to pull weeds from the rock beds in front of the building.I admit I hated doing it then but I think it was good looking back. Why are we wasting millions on hiring other people to do it.
Sgt, CONUS
4/15/2013 3:28:08 PM ET You want to talk about saving money legitimately doing more with less AddFiscal Efficiency to the OPR. The commanders own the money what better way to save than make their career progression depend on it. I say FiscalEfficiency instead of Fiscal savings because the last thing we want is somecommanders to get save happy and degrade their mission in order to makerank. By making it efficient you get your mission done your people have thetools to do their job and you don't have the mindset that you need to spendall your money by 30-Sep or you won't get as much next year. From here onout it should be a good thing to have funds available at end of year It'stime we become more efficient and I believe the best way of doing this is to target those responsible for the funds.
