sequestration

NORAD launches Santa tracker. We still have questions.

By Oriana Pawlyk on December 1, 2014 AF kids, Air Force, Air Force Space Command, budget cuts

Each year, North American Aerospace Defense Command launches a website that allows little children to track Santa. Other media outlets may think, “Wow, what a cute story,” but we at FlightLines/Air Force Times want to go deeper and ask the hard-hitting questions you’ve come to expect from the best Air Force news blog on the web. Here is what we want to know about Santa’s upcoming sortie: 1) Has Santa cut training due to sequestration? The Defense Department’s fiscal 2015 plan – over the sequester cap, calling for $115B more over the next four years – still sits in the…

Welsh talks cuts in new video

By Stephen Losey on November 13, 2013 Air Force

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh today released the first in a new video series, called “Airman to Airman,” in which he hopes to talk about some of the changes on the way, and the reasons behind them. For the premiere, Welsh discussed the impending force cuts that could be coming due to the sequester, which we’ve also covered here. Sound off below on these potential cuts. Are you looking forward to taking advantage of voluntary force reduction measures? Are you afraid you’ll get caught up by possible involuntary measures? How might they hurt your ability to get…

Air Force lifts grounding of combat squadrons, Thunderbirds

By Brian Everstine on July 15, 2013 Air Combat Command, Air Force, budget cuts

After about three months on the ground, one-third of the Air Force’s combat fleet has received more funding and will start flying again. Air Combat Command announced today that it has restored $208 million as part of a $1.8 billion reprogramming allocation authorized by Congress. This additional funding will re-instate training and test operations for squadrons in Air Combat Command, along with those assigned to U.S. Air Forces Europe and Pacific Air Forces, including the Air Warfare Center’s Weapons School, aggressors and the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, according to ACC. The funding will only affect operations until the end of…

Thunderbirds commander answers (almost) anything

By Brian Everstine on April 25, 2013 Air Force

Lt. Col. Greg Moseley, the commander and lead pilot of the Thunderbirds, hit reddit yesterday for the site’s popular “Ask Me Anything” section. Moseley answered questions on his experience, favorite jet to fly (F-22), favorite historical plane (P-40) and other topics. On the grounding, Mosely said “Our challenge is to keep executing our mission while not travelling. We’ve got a local community relations effort going, sending Thunderbirds Airmen to local schools and outreach opportunities. I always like to remind people: Flying is a big part of what we do, but it’s not everything.” Unfortunately, he didn’t say whether the team…

Commentary: Lawmakers fiddle, budget burns

By Chuck Vinch on February 15, 2013 Washington

Congress is taking a vacation next week — on the eve of what’s been called the biggest potential fiscal disaster to hit the nation in decades, when massive, across-the-board budget cuts begin wreaking havoc on the Pentagon and all other federal agencies. Talk about whistling past the graveyard. The sequestration ax adds big drama to this particular hiatus. But it’s hardly unusual for House and Senate lawmakers; the congressional work schedule has withered on the vine for years. At this writing, there have been 32 regular “workdays” so far this year — Monday through Friday, federal holidays excluded. The House…

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