Mabus Message

One day after the law imposing sequestration kicked in, Navy Secretary ray Mabus laid out how the service will take immediate action in response to that law and the prospect of a yearlong continuing resolution.

Next month the Navy will shut down a carrier air wing and begin preparations to stand down at least three additional air wings, with two more slated to be reduced to minimum safe flying levels by the end of the year, he said in a March 3 message to the service.

The service will defer the deployment of the hospital ship Comfort to Central America and South America, will cancel or defer the deployments of up to six ships to various theaters around the world, will lay up four combat logistics force units in U.S. Pacific Command and will bring some ships home from deployment early, according to Mabus' message.

Mabus directs the Navy to begin negotiating contract modifications for any investment programs where the remaining unobligated balance will be insufficient after the sequestration reduction is applied. Major programs affected include Virginia-class submarine advance procurement, reactor power units and the Joint High Speed Vessel.

The Marine Corps will begin final planning to slow depot maintenance activities including reductions in non-permanent workforce. Also, the service will cease new enrollments in voluntary education tuition assistance, he wrote. On March 2, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos sent out a similar sequestration letter covering his service's planned sequestration actions.

The March introductory flight screening for future pilots and naval flight officers is canceled. The Navy will also cancel Blue Angels shows scheduled in April, which include MacDill Air Force Base, FL, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX, Vidalia, GA and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC.

Navy recruiting media support is canceled in March and the service will reduce the majority of advertising contracts under contractual conditions.

“Navy department leadership understands the uncertainty that these and other decisions create both amongst our people and in the defense industry upon which we rely,” Mabus wrote. “The lack of legislative solution to avoid sequestration is deeply regrettable.

“That said, we must endeavor to deal with the situation as we face it, not as we wish it could otherwise be,” he added.