THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 16, 1995 TAG: 9511160245
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
From its top ranks to the recruiter on the street, the Navy has begun curtailing travel plans, ship movements and training missions considered nonessential as the nation moves into its third day of a federal shutdown.
Adm. Mike Boorda, chief of naval operations, canceled a luncheon speech in Hampton Roads Wednesday, along with a scheduled visit to the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., today.
He also is reviewing whether he should leave this weekend for the Mediterranean, where he planned to greet sailors and Marines assigned to the carrier America battle group.
Atlantic Fleet commander-in-chief Adm. William J. Flanagan, scheduled to leave this week for an 11-day visit to South American military installations, also curtailed those plans.
Recruiters have shut down their operations and the schedules of at least five Atlantic Fleet ships have been changed to keep them in port.
As the Navy throttles back its non-essential movements in keeping with Defense Department orders, it emphasizes that all essential missions continue to be carried out.
``Readiness has not been compromised,'' said Lt. Cmdr. Bob Ross, a spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet, headquartered in Norfolk.
``Forces deployed around the world are still fully engaged in protecting national interests.''
That includes the carrier America battle group, the carrier Enterprise battle group, all ships assigned to NATO's Standing Naval Force and Middle East Force, those on a Great Lakes cruise and others conducting counter-drug operations, plus those ships providing them logistics.
However, the schedules of five Atlantic Fleet ships - the tank landing ship La Moure County, fast combat support ships Seattle and Detroit, mine countermeasures ship Warrior and amphibious transport dock Nashville - have been changed.
All of those vessels were scheduled to get underway. Their schedules will be shifted and whatever they had planned will be made up later in their deployment cycles after the federal shutdown is over, said Ross.
While there has been no immediate affect on submarine operations, if the situation isn't resolved soon, at least three submarines - the James K. Polk, Atlanta and Tucson - may have to change their plans next week, said Ross.
``As far as aviation goes, there has been no immediate effect on operations or training flights,'' said Ross. ``But if this situation goes on, that could change.''
The Atlantic Fleet will be making new assessments daily, he said.
``We're not reaching way out in the future, impacting weeks away, because this could be resolved at any moment.''
The Navy has canceled many of its Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) training missions and recalled those who could be brought back, including one team sent to Mayport, Fla., this week.
It also is placing on furlough up to 100 percent of its civilian defense workers, said Ross.
The Atlantic Fleet staff had sent home 90 percent of its civilian work force; the Atlantic Submarine Force, 93 percent; and the Naval Air Force, 100 percent.
``All these furloughs are conducted on a daily basis and some are subject to recall,'' said Ross. ``For instance, a civilian computer technician was furloughed today, but if we have a systems crash, he would be recalled.'' by CNB