© 2024 WYSO
Our Community. Our Nation. Our World.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Pentagon Delays Furlough Notice To Analyze Impact

The U.S. Department of Defense is delaying unpaid-leave notices for its civilian workers, including thousands employed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

The Pentagon said late Thursday that it's putting off sending the furlough notifications until on or around April 5. That gives time for officials to analyze the effects that pending federal funding legislation could have on the Defense Department. Col. Cassie Barlow is commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright Patterson says it’s too soon to tell if the furloughs won’t happen, but it’s possible.

"That’s what we’re hopeful for. We’re hopeful though analyzing our options, that there may be a way there won’t be a furlough," says Barlow. "We’re just hopeful at this point, hope isn’t a really good strategy right now, but that’s our plan."

An estimated 13,000 employees at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton are expected to be among those furloughed for 22 days as a result of automatic defense budget cuts if they remain in place. Barlow says until they hear otherwise, the base will continue to prepare for the possibility of furloughs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.