Budget reductions continue at Kirtland Air Force Base

  • Published
  • By Marie Vanover
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  Civilian employees from across the base attended furlough town hall briefings March 19 and 20.

Subject-matter experts from civilian personnel, finance, and other base organizations answered questions and gave an overview of how the potential furlough would be implemented.

Additionally, representatives from the Employee Assistance Program, Workforce Solutions, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Kirtland Federal Credit Union and Sandia Area Federal Credit Union set up information booths to answer employee questions.

Col. John Kubinec, 377th Air Base Wing commander, opened the sessions.

"The potential furlough will have a dramatic impact on our mission and you, our people, and we want to ensure you have the information we have and the resources available to help get through this."

General questions and answers will be added to the existing furlough information on the Kirtland AFB website: http://www.kirtland.af.mil.

Additionally, the civilian personnel flight has established a general email address for employees to send questions: kirtland.furlough@kirtland.af.mil.

The potential administrative furlough of appropriated fund civilian employees one day a week for 22 weeks is just one effect of sequestration. The West Side Fitness Center will close March 25 and Lodging will close approximately 150 rooms -- about half of current capacity.

Other facilities and activities will also be affected. Outdoor Recreation hours will be reduced effective March 25, and will be open Tuesday through Friday. The indoor swimming pool will close on Saturdays beginning April 6. Intramural sports will be eliminated after the volleyball season ends, and will transition from its current program format to a volunteer extramural program. Nanci Wildman, 377th Force Support Squadron director, said, "We hope to get volunteers to serve as referees, umpires and other roles, so we can continue to support intramural sports."

The base library will close March 30 until further notice, while operations are restructured.

To reduce energy costs, exterior lighting across the base will be minimized. Most streetlights and parking lot lights have been turned off as of March 18. Lights for security and high nighttime use areas, such as the dormitories, will remain on.

Contracts within the communication division and civil engineering, including solid waste, custodial services and recycling, are being reviewed for cost-saving measures.