Furloughs began Monday for 23,000 Department of Defense employees at Joint Base San Antonio as part of the government’s sequestration measure to tighten the federal budget.
About 700,000 total Department of Defense employees will be taking one day a week off for the next 11 weeks -- the government reduced the furloughs from the original 22 days.
Joint Base San Antonio’s Brent Boller said the military could not avoid the cutbacks entirely, despite other efforts to reduce military expenses:
"And as you know, the air shows have been canceled, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are standing down for the season, as have the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels," Boller said.
Also eliminated were the fireworks celebrations that are traditional at military bases. Boller said the military also had to cut operational expenses like military travel, shortening exercises and training and they are also cutting back on support and maintenance at the bases.
The furloughs will result in a 20 percent savings for the government and a 20 percent pay cut for employees. The furloughs run through the end of September.
