Fort Stewart and Hunter await furloughs | savannahnow.com

Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, like other bases across the country, will begin furloughing civilian employees in July, Brigadier Gen. John Hort, the 3rd Infantry Division’s deputy commanding general-rear, said Monday.

About 2,888 civilian workers will be furloughed nationally once a week beginning July 8 through Sept. 30 as a result of across-the-board federal spending cuts known as sequestration, said Hort. Active duty soldiers’ pay, drill pay and veteran’s disability benefits are not affected.

Speaking to the Rotary Club of Savannah, Hort said official details about the implementation of the furloughs will be forthcoming, but base schools, child care, health care and emergency services will be impacted.

“I think overall it should not be too significant to the population in general outside the installations,” said Hort.

The Army already has plans to draw down active troops from 570,000 to 490,000 by fiscal year 2017 as a result of its defense strategy and the Budget Control Act of 2011, which resolved a debt-ceiling crisis at the time.

via Fort Stewart and Hunter await furloughs | savannahnow.com.