Furloughs affect USAFE-AFAFRICA employees

  • Published
  • By Capt. Reba Good
  • USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  More than 1,760 U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa employees are among the Department of Defense civilians required to take 11 furlough days beginning July 8.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the recent furlough decision during a town hall meeting May 14 in Alexandria, Va. He said employees will have to take off one day a week from July until the end of September.

Lt. Gen. Noel T. Jones, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, said the impact will be felt across the command.

"This decision affects our civilian Airmen at all levels, and we are going to do everything we can to help them through this difficult time," he said.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III said they had hoped to avoid furloughs entirely, but they noted unprecedented times have demanded tough decisions.

"We recognize the significant impact this action will have on our civilian Airmen, their families and our mission," Donley and Welsh said in a U.S. Air Force press release. "But the unprecedented budget choices we've faced during this extraordinary year have forced painful decisions to avoid further degradation in our missions."

Furloughing civilians in USAFE-AFAFRICA will save the DOD an estimated $5.38 million in fiscal 2013.

Hagel said the furloughs will affect every military department and almost every agency, with limited exceptions.

"We will except civilians deployed to combat zones and civilians necessary to protect life and property," he wrote in his memo, adding that others will be excepted if forcing them to stay off the job would not free up money for other needs.

Approximately 10 percent of USAFE-AFAFRICA's civilian workforce - employees in child and youth care, health and safety, and intelligence operations positions - will be exempt from the furlough.

USAFE-AFAFRICA employees identified to be furloughed will receive written notification between May 28 and June 5 2013.

"Each of our civilian Airmen is vital to accomplishing the USAFE-AFAFRICA mission," said Jones. "While many employees do not fall under these exception categories, their contributions are nonetheless invaluable, and we will ensure they have all the help we can offer to plan for the challenges ahead."

Furloughed employees should contact their local civilian personnel section and Airmen and family readiness center for information on local employee assistance programs, community resources and counseling services.

For more information on employee assistance programs, visit http://www.foh.dhhs.gov.