+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2013 Via AIR FORCE MAGAZINE: WELCOME TO THE HOLLOW FORCE(Scroll down for extensive listing of squadrons affected.)Another "Stand Down" we don't hear about on the news, but we MUST force it to the front; GROUNDED AIR BASES! Spread this story far and wide!The term “hollow force” now describes the Air Force, given that more than a dozen combat units are grounded, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said in an interview Tuesday. “I think we’re there, now,” Welsh said. “Anytime you’ve got airplanes sitting on a ramp” and not flying, the aircrews are "going to tell you, it’s a hollow force.”The question is, Welsh said, “are we going to remain there over time, or are we going to get out of this hole?” There clearly is “a requirement for the Department of Defense to be part of the solution for the budget deficit. We get that,” he said. But USAF must have a “string of predictable topline numbers, so we can figure out what the solution will be over time.”As for what happens if Congress doesn’t reverse the sequester, Welsh said USAF is “in a position right now where we’re having to assume the law will stay in place, which means worst case: the sequester for the next nine-and-a-half years. So, we can’t afford not to plan to that assumption.” What will that mean? “The Air Force will look different,” Welsh said. “I think all the services will look different.” If the gross effect is to “take 10 percent off everything,” then that would translate to about 33,000 Active Duty airmen separated and “about 700” aircraft taken out of service, Welsh pointed out. “This thing is a big deal,” he said, “which is why we’ve got to get about planning for the future.”—John A. Tirpakhttp://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/June%202013/June%2013%202013/Welcome-to-the-Hollow-Force.aspxUnits and aircraft affectedAir Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year due to mandatory budget cuts. The limitation of flying hours means squadrons will stand down or maintain readiness at the reduced “basic mission capable” level, while others will remain at full “combat mission ready.”The affected aircraft and units, by airframe:F-2294th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 927th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberF-15 C/D67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberF-15E366th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9F-16 C/D8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 955th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 94th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through SeptemberA-10C75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September52nd Fighter Wing — Closing442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9HH-60G18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberB-1B7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September28th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9B-2509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through SeptemberB-522nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 95th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September3rd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through SeptemberE-3B/C/G552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through SeptemberSE-4B55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberEC-130H55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberOC-135B55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberRC-135S55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberRC-135U55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through SeptemberRC-135V/W55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through SeptemberTC-135W55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through SeptemberWC-135C/W55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nesher 628 Posted June 15, 2013 that a shame that operational readiness is compromised due to budget cuts any military force should and must keep routine training so when the moment comes they'll be ready to do their job with high proficiency hope things will work out Cheers 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2013 Guess someone else will have to destroy the integrated air defense network in Syria and establish and maintain a no fly zone so AQ can win the Syrian civil war. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Jug 99 Posted June 15, 2013 Smells like.....Looks like...........Afraid to do the taste test..........! Fearless commander-in-chief sequestered in the White House planning a safari to Africa at a cost of $100 million. The US has three and a half more years of this f**ker no matter what! Hear that Abdullah Whatever? The time is ripe to ply your bloody trade. Red line means nothing!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2013 Please explain last post. Your statement makes little sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+whiteknight06604 934 Posted June 15, 2013 If we had taken action in the beginning rather than waiting for 100K people to be killed and have them turn/infiltrated by the extremists intervention in Syria May have had a chance. Now thanks to wishy washy leadership and a lack of an understanding we are now forced to do something not in our best interests or look like even bigger and ineffective fools.......I can't say that Romney or McCain would have done better but they sure as hell couldn't have done worse in this mess. I'm not for or against intervention in Syria but the time to do something was a while ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caesar 305 Posted June 15, 2013 Affects both Ops and Ops Support worlds, lot of cuts in the R&D sector too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2013 Why is everyone in such a hurry to go get into another war? I think we where doing the right thing until the whole "arming the AQ Jihadis that John McCain went and sucked off," scenario came to fruition. Let them eat each other alive. That just leaves less of a mess for Israel to clean up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2013 I agree with CB34, they have been killing each other for thousands of years. Let them continue. We do not need to be sending shit to them. We should of learned from the last 12 years. I know I have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted June 15, 2013 I don't see why they need to take the cuts from the combat units. Let the REMFs have their salaries and benefits cut. We don't need some vast army of GS-14s in suits bringing in 6 figures a year with cushy pensions and awesome benefits screwing over the enlisted people just getting by or impacting the very things that are the reasons for the military's existence. The DoD is not there to ensure that civilians can make good money with little to no fear of losing their job without gross incompetence. At the base I worked at there weren't that many in uniform, most were civilians who were considered "hard workers" if they actually put in 5 hrs of work in a day. Military waste isn't $500 hammers. It's having a department of 30 people to do a job that in the private sector would be handled by 10, 10 that would all make less and get worse benefits, but would for certain work harder because their jobs actually depended on working hard. Cut that by 25% and you'd see that 10% cut easily achieved WITHOUT grounding planes, cancelling training, or sacrificing any readiness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+streakeagle 871 Posted June 16, 2013 I don't see why they need to take the cuts from the combat units. Let the REMFs have their salaries and benefits cut. We don't need some vast army of GS-14s in suits bringing in 6 figures a year with cushy pensions and awesome benefits screwing over the enlisted people just getting by or impacting the very things that are the reasons for the military's existence. The DoD is not there to ensure that civilians can make good money with little to no fear of losing their job without gross incompetence. At the base I worked at there weren't that many in uniform, most were civilians who were considered "hard workers" if they actually put in 5 hrs of work in a day. Military waste isn't $500 hammers. It's having a department of 30 people to do a job that in the private sector would be handled by 10, 10 that would all make less and get worse benefits, but would for certain work harder because their jobs actually depended on working hard. Cut that by 25% and you'd see that 10% cut easily achieved WITHOUT grounding planes, cancelling training, or sacrificing any readiness. Cuts can be made more carefully and efficiently. But certain leaders are intentionally choosing to make the cuts as painful as possible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 16, 2013 All the jobs in a tank battalion it would take 10 civilians to do what one strap boot wearing, tobacco chewing, greasy coverall wearing PFC Tanker could do. The problem we have now with this "austerity light" that we are suffering from is the fact that the Teabagger controlled House of Representatives did not and does not know what the "debt ceiling" actually is. Not that many experts in macro economics in the House. But there are a shit load of hicks elected from gerrymandered districts that are too busy talking about rape, non-existent voter fraud, defunding ACORN ( which has not existed in four years ) and "repealing" the Affordable Healthcare Act 37 times. Anyway keep talking like that and Dave will get furloughed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 16, 2013 I am getting furloughed starting Jul 8th until 21 Sept. I will go one day without pay, per week until then. I will lose $2600.00. That is a house payment and a vehicle payment. The whole thing sucks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ndicki 22 Posted June 16, 2013 You should worry. The units you have stood down alone surpass the size of the Royal Air Force. Gen Peter Wall has warned our politicians that British Forces cannot continue to reduce their size without losing their ability to do the job. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10119637/Army-chief-we-wont-win-wars-if-we-are-cut-again.html We've always had the approach that a small, better trained and better equipped force will beat a larger, less well trained and equipped one - ask Napoleon - but we cannot rely on that if our forces drop below a minimum level. And this insistence on filling the gaps with Territorials simply will not work - I was one, so I should know. A territorial lorry driver who is a lorry driver in civvy street, fine, but it won't go for combat troops...The problem is that the moment the Nasties get the idea that the Forces of the Free World - ie, the Spams and the British Commonwealth - can no longer oppose them effectively, we may find that we have to. Of course, our gallant leaders don't read history... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus1177 164 Posted June 16, 2013 This looks bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Typhoid 231 Posted June 16, 2013 Defense industry, you know - us guys who build and field all those toys, has been devastated. My company alone has lost hundreds of jobs (including mine). We didn't get furloughed a few days a month - we got cut 100%. Gone. Done. Finished. Our area here has lost several thousand defense jobs. The experienced people to build all those toys, support them, build spare parts, etc - are moving on to other things. We will now depend on the tender mercies of our enemies for our national security. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted June 16, 2013 Defense industry, you know - us guys who build and field all those toys, has been devastated. My company alone has lost hundreds of jobs (including mine). We didn't get furloughed a few days a month - we got cut 100%. Gone. Done. Finished. Our area here has lost several thousand defense jobs. The experienced people to build all those toys, support them, build spare parts, etc - are moving on to other things. We will now depend on the tender mercies of our enemies for our national security. I'm on my 15 month of unemployment now (not paid, that ran out last month) from the defense industry, and all I did was IT. Not that they didn't still need the job done, they just insourced it and gave the jobs to civilians who were barely qualified to do the job while us contractors who did the job almost flawlessly got the boot. They couldn't pay both, and they always cut the contractors first. Of course, we weren't just defense. The loss of the shuttle program has done its part (which we supported as well). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viggen 644 Posted June 16, 2013 I'm waiting to see when this is going to start impacting Army Aviation. As far as I know, we're the only aviation asset our country has that wasn't raped by these cuts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted June 23, 2013 Might get worse - for single mission aircraft: http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/June%202013/June%2018%202013/A-10,-B-1-Vertical-Cuts-On-the-Table.aspx The Air Force may have to eliminate an entire fleet of a particular kind of aircraft—possibly all A-10s or B-1Bs—................ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
