Budget Cuts at Robins Air Force Base Mean Fewer Air Craft, Longer Waits

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For the first time since sequestration took effect, leaders from Robins Air Force Base addressed the community in full detail on how the base will be impacted in the upcoming months.

More than 300 people attended the 21st Century Partnership’s community update armed with questions and concerns. Base leaders and commanders from all sectors talked openly about the vast government cuts.

For the Air Logistics Center, the budget cuts means 28 less air crafts will be produced and millions of hours in workload will be lost.

“We had 177 planned and 66 have already bee produced,” said General Cedric George,

For civilian workers, the budget cuts means 22 furlough days and pay cuts. In some sectors, civilian workers could be asked to work from home. The American Federation of Government Employees union is still in negotiations with Air Force Leaders on exactly when those days will be taken.

Across the board, cuts will also mean longer wait times for base access, a reduction in on-base medical care and delays in contract jobs.

But despite the new details, there was still a lot of uncertainty.

Colonel Mitchel Butikofer, 78th Air Base Wing Commander said the base has prepared for the worse but are still waiting on word from the Department of Defense.