The end of the fiscal year is coming up. Units have to use up there budget for the year, or they will get less funds next year. Also they will be gearing up for the reserve units to come out and play for their '2 weeks of annual training'.
Yeah, I feel like this happens every year now around San Diego.
Good point of view, but its been going on since February. End of the Fiscal year for the Government is in September.
70s - MCAS El Toro, CA.. Our little shop of 15 or so techs. There was a place on base called "Cash Sales" which was a misnomer, they didn't take cash. Each unit had an authorization card to make 'purchases' to be charged against their budget. Cash Sales carried office supplies and basic hand tools (that I remember). Now and then at the end of the month our officer in charge would send a couple of us with the authorization card and tell us to 'buy' $200 worth of stuff to use up our monthly budget. And several of the pilots, that were also stuck with desk jobs, would fly their cross country training flights the last weekend of the month. Depending on how much was left in the fuel budget they would fly to Los Angeles, Las vegas, or sometime New Orleans on a Friday and come back on Monday., just for training, of course.
Micro purchases are not subject to the Fiscal Year End budget. A micro purchase is below $3500 and put on credit cards. Also El Toro has been closed since 1999, much has changed since. I loved the El Toro Air Show as a kid.
Same in my shop, new computers, test equipment, TDY’s. All to deplete the old budget to ensure the same or better refill.
(post is archived)