The number of days designated for civilian employee furloughs at the major military installations in Northern Nevada has been reduced from 11 to six.
The furlough days were mandated by sequestration, part of a mandated deficit-reducing law to cut $85 million from both military and nondefense spending for both the active component and the Reserves and National Guard.
More than 650,00 civilian employees have been affected.
For the 400-plus federal employees at Naval Air Station Fallon, however, the reduction of furlough days is good news.
“Most everyone will finish their furlough days by the end of the week,” said Navy spokesman Zip Upham.
He said only the civilian employees were affected by the furloughs, not active sailors and aviators.
The Hawthorne Army Depot also will feel a reduced threat. A base spokesman said 29 civilian federal employees were asked to take furlough days.
The Nevada Military Department’s more than 530 dual- and non-dual-status National Guardsmen were affected by furloughs. Dual employees not only conduct technician jobs but are required to keep membership as a soldier or airman in the National Guard. A non-dual employee is a civilian working for the Department of Defense.
The reduced number of furlough days came as a result of savings in other defense areas.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said last week that Pentagon officials found enough savings in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year to reduce furlough days.
“Hoping to be able to reduce furloughs, we submitted a large reprogramming proposal to Congress in May, asking them to let us move funds from acquisition accounts into day-to-day operating accounts,” Hagel said.
“Congress approved most of this request in late July, and we are working with them to meet remaining needs,” Hagel said. “We are also experiencing less-than-expected costs in some areas, such as transportation of equipment out of Afghanistan. Where necessary, we have taken aggressive action to transfer funds among services and agencies. And the furloughs have saved us money.”