As budgets tighten, the Air Force intends to cut “nice-to-have” programs such as base bowling alleys and golf courses, said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh during a visit with airmen in Grand Forks, N.D. “We have already decided what our core support programs are in the Air Force and those will be funded: child and youth programs, health care for families, airmen and family readiness centers and so on,” said Welsh. “We are not going to cut those things.” However, the Air Force simply can’t afford other facilities that once made base life a bit more enjoyable. Instead, airmen and their families will have to rely on local communities for such entertainment. Overseas locations and some remote bases could be exceptions, noted Welsh. “We will have to cut people. We will have to cut force structure until we can rebalance and create a ready force that is at the readiness levels we think we will need to be successful,” he said.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
