Is your unit hurting from budget cuts?

2014-03-08T03:21:04-05:00

Ive been reading all kinds of articles and heard many stories starting from sequestration to current budget cuts. Ive heard Marines having to pay for printer paper and ink, toilet paper, and trash bags for their units during sequestration and now major unpreparedness due to lack of funds for maintenance of equipment or training opportunities, not even being able to go to the range. What's happening to your unit? Any stories that show the effects of the budget cuts?

Pentagon: Half of stateside Marine units at unacceptable readiness levels

Only half of non-deployed Marine units were at an acceptable level of readiness last September due to the long-term budget cuts known as sequestration, the Pentagon announced this week.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Oct 31 at 2013 7:20 PM

2013-10-31T19:20:21-04:00

We're already cutting back on training, and reducing admin support. We've also been told that an aggressive reduction in force plan is being developed and by the end of FY14 we will be selecting and directing people to go to the house.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2013 7:55 PM

2013-10-31T19:55:49-04:00

At the begging of this year the Navy finished up an aggressive "Force
Shaping" (really force reduction) and over shot the final end strength
number by 7000 Sailors. I know from Navy Personnel Command briefings that the
Army is seriously looking into this event also and I see Robert's comment here about the Coast Guard starting their journey down this road. I just hope that everyone else learns from our misstep and follows a tighter plan to "reshape" the other branches. The biggest hit I have personally seen is with training. We are having a hell of a time getting the ammunition required to keep our armed watch standers qualified according to our current Force Protection Instructions. But I still find myself in the middle of a meeting every quarter with the topic of funding that has mysteriously just become available that we must spend right away. It would be nice to get a grip on this.

Response by SFC James Baber made Mar 8 at 2014 9:03 PM

2014-03-08T21:03:40-05:00

I am surprised that you haven't received more responses to this discussion as I know many friends and colleagues that have had to come out of pocket for supplies and many have told me of training materials and projects being cut and cancelled as well.

Hope you get more input from current AD SMs with some truth and reality in what they are facing.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2014 9:10 PM

2014-03-08T21:10:48-05:00

I think most of these tales are just that; tall tales. This is the second drawdown/budget cuts I have gone through in my career and have yet to see this stuff actually happening. Perhaps it is a case of my career field always being well funded or perhaps it is just not really happening; but I think it is nothing more than an urban legend. Like Bigfoot and the Chupa-cabra.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2014 9:42 AM

2014-03-09T09:42:44-04:00

I just had a deployment cancelled because Big Army deemed it cheaper to send an active unit in our stead. That really ticked me off. So I believe its happening. I can't speak for active component, but budget cuts put me on the back end of a 5 year rotation. Not cool.