ColONel Richard D. McComb
July 30, 2013 – Colonel Richard McComb spoke to the Rotary Club on the topic of Sequestration and its impact on personnel under his command. Colonel Richard D. McComb is the Commander, 628th Air Base Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. As host to 53 DOD and Federal agencies, the Wing provides unsurpassed installation support to a total force of over 79,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, dependents and retirees across both the Air Base and Weapons Station. In addition, the Wing provides mission-ready expeditionary Airmen to Combatant Commanders in support of Joint and Combined operations worldwide. As the Commander, Col McComb is responsible for $5.3 billion in base property and capital assets and controls an annual budget exceeding $172 million.
Colonel McComb began his discussion giving an overview of Joint Base Charleston (JBCHS) and its importance to national defense. JBCHS is not only strategically important to the Department of Defense and the nation but is also unique in that it is comprised of airlift, sealift, and prepositioning (army strategic logistics) capabilities as well as being the home for naval nuclear propulsion training and the Naval Weapons Station (which provide IT and cyber warfare support to soldiers around the world). JBCHS is unlike any other installation in the DOD.
The Sequester has been blamed for many challenges and failures and although a reprieve was granted in January of 2013, sequestration was implemented in March of this year. Sequestration is a product of the Budget Control Act of 2011 initiated for deficit reduction of $917 Billion from FY 12-FY21 and $1.2 Trillion in Budget reductions. As a result JBCHS is in week 4 of furloughs that affect 800,000 Air Force employees. Air force employees are furloughed 16 hr/week resulting in a 20% pay cut for civilian employees in 2013 with potential for continued furloughs and layoffs possible in 2014. JBCHS has 1320 employees subject to furlough including 22 exempt child care workers and 101 line of duty police officers on limited schedule (55hr) equating to 112,827 furlough hours. In addition JBCHS has absorbed $2 M in operation and maintenance sequestration reductions. The impact to the local base includes the reduction of Local Training flights by 20%, Reduction in aerial port training for reserves and guard units, decreased grounds and facility maintenance and custodial services and elimination of afterhours equipment repair. Reductions such as these can not only compromise preparedness but contributes to a slowdown in many areas. Equipment and vehicles must wait for parts (59 vehicles are currently parked), decreased morale and recreation services (hobby shop is closed, pool hours and season are reduced, library hours reduced) and reduction in customer service due to reduced staff. Although all of the reductions are contributing to a general slowdown, “the wheels aren’t coming off” according to the Colonel.
Not to focus only on the negative impacts of sequestration, Colonel McCombs indicated that there are positive things happening. Infrastructure improvements and additions are still underway. Projects include the new 9000 ft runway (44million project) which has a ribbon cutting on August 7. Other projects pending include, Air base privatized housing -335 units, new fuel tank farm($26M), Weapons station visitor center($740k), and a Spawar lab($1.6M). Additional projects projected include the NEX student store, NPTU P99/P190 expansion, Air Base visitors quarters and air base passenger terminal expansion.
Out of all of this JBCHS is working harder and smarter to minimize the impact on personnel. In response to a question, Colonel McCombs indicated that there is concern from a readiness perspective. They need to continue to train and foster development otherwise personnel will either leave or will not be as ready as needed. In his opinion, it would take about 3-5 years of these cuts before you would see ill effects resulting from them.
Part of his job has been to look at options to run leaner operations and with Sequestration it has been good to continue thinking in those terms. The challenge, however, is to maintain this thinking without allowing readiness to lapse or personnel to go untrained. Colonel concluded by reiterating that JBCHS has had a lot of success but it is in large part due to the support of the greater community.
Submitted by Don Baus, Keyway Committee