About 650,000 Defense Department civilians began
doing their part this week to save the department nearly $2 billion — by
not coming to work. They’re not exactly enthusiastic about pitching in.
But they found things to do. Some strategized ways to cut their own
budgets, while others took the opportunity to formally protest their
furloughs. According to the Merit System Protection Board, which
adjudicates disputed personnel actions by the federal government, nearly
900 federal employees, including DOD workers, had filed appeals as of
early Thursday.
Others worked out some of the frustration through exercise.
“On a normal day, I’d be working on combating terrorism in South Asia,”
said Christine Smith, a civilian employee in the Office of the
Secretary of Defense who was furloughed Monday. “Today, I’m going for a
run.”
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