Joint Chiefs Paint Somber Picture of Sequestration

Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff bitterly criticised the massive cuts the military will sustain in just a few weeks' time,should Congress fail to halt implementation of sequestration,or arbitrary huge budget cuts,on March 1.Appearing before the Senate Armed Forces Committee,the senior officers painted a bleak picture of a hollowed-out force and a grave threat to national security that Congressional inaction is already imposing on the armed forces and the nation.
Admiral Mark Ferguson,Vice Chief of Naval Operations,said the across the board budget cuts will immediately erode the readiness of the force.We will be compelled to lower our force levels.Our sailors and their families are exhibiting increased anxiety over this.We will make every effort to sustain sailor and family support programs.
On February 15,we will notify private shipyards to defer maintenance.Three carriers are already tied up and delayed.We effectively shut down four air wings on March 1.Our pilots will lose certification.Then it will take 6-9 months to retrain them,at greater cost.
General James Amos,Commandant of the US Marine Corps,feels sequestration will have a devastating impact on readiness.Short term and long term,the effect of disruption to global order will have significant economic consequences for the American people.The devastating impacts on the Marine Corps will include ships being stuck in port;aircraft grounded;units only partially trained;modernisation programs cancelled.
The long term results will put us at an unsustainable tipping point.
Its impact is already being felt.Sequestration does not hurt things;it hurts people.Inadequate training;degraded equipment;reduced survivability-even our wounded warriors will be increasingly placed at risk.
It's a dramatic resourcing cliff that will threaten the foundation of the all-volunteer force.These are all risks that demand our immediate attention.
Senator John McCain said the signal we are sending to the Iranians is don't worry;this aircraft carrier isn't coming.We are in the most unstable period since the end of the Cold War.
It's disgraceful to treat the men and women of our armed forces this way.We owe them a certain amount of certainty.This can have a long term effect on retention.
General Martin Dempsey,US Army,Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,noted that,on a scale of 1-10,it's a 10 danger to our country.It's the steepest,biggest reduction to the Defense Department in history.

New Amphibious Assault Ship Christened

The US Navy christened the new amphibious assault ship America(LHA 6),the first of its class,on Saturday at Ingalls Shipbuiding in Cascagoula,Mississippi.Ship's sponsor Mrs.Lynne Pace,wife of General Peter Pace,USMC retired,former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,described the America as being kind of like a mini-aircraft carrier.Mrs.Pace broke a bottle of champagne over the ship's bow,in accordance with naval tradition.
Admiral Mark E. Ferguson III,Vice Chief of Naval Operations,presided at the ceremony.
The America will serve as a platform for the US Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft,as well as its AV-8B Harrier jump jets;the new F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter;and helicopters.Homeported in San Diego,the ship will be a sea base for a Marine air-ground task force,or MAGTF.
Able to carry 1687 Marines and their equipment,plus 184 surge,its keel was laid in 2009.Following sea trials,the America is scheduled to be delivered and commissioned in 2013.
Huntington Ingalls Industries(HII)