Beale commander says budget cuts 'catastrophic' for Air Force

Next month, about 70 percent of the Air Force will stop flying, Col. Phil Stewart, 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander, said Thursday.

"Most folks don't understand that on 1 April, the vast majority of the Air Force stands down and will stay stood down until sequestration is lifted," Stewart said.

The picture isn't nearly as bleak at Beale Air Force Base, following mandated federal budget cuts that went into effect March 1.

"At Beale, all of our planes are directly involved in not just the war in Afghanistan but around the world, so we will not take that severe of a flying cut locally," Stewart said. "The T-38 may or may not stop flying."

The T-38 Talon is used as a trainer for U-2 pilots.

Stewart said the lion's share of flying hours in the Air Force are being given to the war in Afghanistan, noting that planes not in Afghanistan are going to take cuts.

"(Sequestration) is affecting the whole Air Force, and the effects are going to be catastrophic," said Stewart, who took over as base commander in May.

As Beale celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, the US military's first aviation unit, the effects are being felt at the centennial event.

A Jenny, a biplane like the ones first used by the squadron 100 years ago, and a B-25 bomber were scheduled to be on display during the celebration, but didn't make the trip to Beale.

A U-2 and T-38 flyover was canceled.

Guest speaker Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, didn't make the trip.

Other speakers who were going to be paid by taxpayer money also canceled.

Stewart pointed out that no taxpayer money was spent on the private two-day event that concludes tonight.

Among the other expected sequestration cuts at Beale are 176 work hours by the end of the federal fiscal year in September, affecting 640 civilian employees at the base who will be furloughed.

As well, the base has canceled five projects to upgrade energy efficiency, to save $1.2 million.