Note From AFA President -- Sequestration, 4 Jul, Quote

As we get closer to the end of the year, we approach our #1 enemy – namely ourselves.  Without Congressional and Presidential action, automatic budget cuts – called sequestration – of $1.2 Trillion will kick in.  The amount of the reduction in the defense budget will be about $50B per year … a 10% cut from the current base budget.  This will occur on 1 Jan 13, regardless of who is elected … unless the law is changed.  This cut will be on top of the $50B per year reduction that has already occurred … and the cut will be spread over only 9 months … vice a full year … because the fiscal year will be already ¼ over. 

I cannot find one example where we cut defense 20% while, at the same time, fighting a war.  Further, I know people are hurting … but we now spend about $700B per year on welfare in this country – on all programs.  I frequently remind people the Preamble to the Constitution says “ … provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare … “ … and, in reality, the verbs (at least here in Washington) seem to be swapped.

Our key military leaders have gone on record about the impact of sequestration on our force.  (See:   http://www.afa.org/PresidentsCorner/WashingtonPerspective/2012/Sequestration_in_testimony.pdf)  Also our Daily Report has published other key leaders’ views.  (See:  http://www.afa.org/PresidentsCorner/WashingtonPerspective/2012/Sequestration_in_coverage.pdf)  They are universally in agreement.  Simply put … we can’t let this happen.  I’d ask you contact your members of Congress to make your voices heard.

Secondly, I had hoped to send you one person’s testimonial every 4^th of July … but was delayed in getting clearance to send it to you.  It is a piece by Neil Cosentino which appeared in Daedalus Flyer, the official magazine of the Daedalians [Note if you are/were a flyer, you might consider joining this group.]  The piece struck a chord with me … on several levels.  First, in war, we lose aircraft.  We can’t just buy a few and hope they will be enough to do the job.  We lost 15 B-52s in Linebacker II in Viet Nam.  That would, today, be like losing most of our fleet of B-2s.  Second, war is fought by humans.  If we can provide them with the tools to accomplish their mission and survive, we are all the better for it.  Our sons and daughter deserve the very best equipment we can provide so they can defend us … and themselves.  Third … a quote from the piece says it all:

“The war proved once again that air power is the deciding factor in modern conflicts.”

You can find the piece at:  http://www.afa.org/EdOp/2012/The_White_Light.pdf

Finally, I want to remind all of you of a quote from General (Ret) Richard E. Hawley:

“In the six months from 23 August 1967 to 5 February 1968, Vietnamese MiG-21 pilots racked up a 16 to 1 kill advantage.  In all, we lost 2,448 fixed wing aircraft to a third world military whose Air Force deployed fewer than 200 aircraft.  How easily we forget.”

For your consideration.

Mike

Michael M. Dunn
President/CEO
Air Force Association

"The only thing more expensive than a first-rate Air Force is … a second-rate Air Force."  --  Senate staff member

Note From AFA President -- Significant Op-ed

Yesterday, in the Washington Times (and the Early Bird), there appeared the most significant op-ed of my time as President of the Air Force Association.

It was written by two former Secretaries of the Air Force -- F. Whitten Peters and Michael W. Wynne.

In the piece, they describe the state of the Air Force. A quote to interest you:

“The Air Force has arrived at a make-or-break moment. The past 10 years have seen the service's share of the defense budget decline to record lows - hovering around 20 percent of the total - while 90 percent of the fiscal 2013 defense budget cuts were levied on the Air Force. In fact, the 2013 budget marks the fewest number of Air Force aircraft purchased in a given year since 1916, when the aviation section of the Army Signal Corps was buying Curtiss JN4 Jenny biplanes. The country actually managed to buy more aircraft in the midst of the Great Depression than it will next year. The Air Force faces a 100-year replacement rate for its fleet.

Resetting the U.S. Air Force will require investment - and it must be both substantial and stable over the coming years. While this is a tall order in our current budget climate, Air Force air power affords our leaders a broad range of critical policy options. Failing to recognize this - and make needed investments now - would be a choice the nation can't afford over the long run.”

You can find the piece on our website at: http://www.afa.org/EdOp/2012/wanted-New_planes.asp

For your consideration.

Mike

Michael M. Dunn

President/CEO

Air Force Association

"The only thing more expensive than a first-rate Air Force is … a second-rate Air Force." -- Senate staff member