Sequestration’s Effect on Accessions

Budget sequestration will have “an immediate and long-lasting impact” on Air Force recruiting, Lt. Gen. Darrell Jones, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, told lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel panel on March 13, Jones highlighted concerns about the impact of civilian furloughs on the military entrance processing centers that support the accessions process. He also noted that reduced advertising budgets could affect recruiting efforts and meeting accessions goals. The “inevitable reduction in recruiting investment” from the sequester would impede the Air Force’s ability to recruit “the right people, at the right time, in the right jobs,” said Jones. The other services will face difficulties as well. For example, Army Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, who oversees manpower issues for the land service, noted at the same hearing that the Army estimates that the sequester would result in it having a shortfall of 900 recruiters in the field, among the effects. (Jones’ prepared testimony) (For more coverage of Jones’ testimony, see Jones Discusses Tuition Assistance Suspension.)