BATTLE CREEK.,– As the clock struck midnight Tuesday, the city of Battle Creek felt the hit of the government shut down. There are thousands of federal employees there between the federal center and the military bases.
One of the places in the city feeling the reality of the government shut down first hand, the Air National Guard Base. Around 10:30 Tuesday morning, they had to send home 55% of their employers, military technicians that were being furloughed.
Colonel Ron Wilson says one of their missions is also in limbo, the RPA or Remote Pilot Aircraft that was slated to begin Tuesday. “We have people in training. We have people in brand new positions so yea it’s a huge impact,” he said.
The hardest part Colonel Wilson says, who himself is now on furlough is waiting, not knowing how long this will last. “This one we don’t know it could be a day, it could be a week, it could be a month it c could be more. It’s hard to plan for that, the unknown.”
