Navy responds to sequester with cuts

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - The Department of the Navy has released a new list of cuts and changes due to sequestration.

Navy officials say because no budget deal was reached, the 'Budget Control Act' required setting in motion government-wide cuts known as sequestration. Some of the cuts will affect sailors in Hampton Roads.

The release says the Navy plans to shut down Carrier Air Wing Two in April. The air wing is based California, but one of the squadrons VFA-34  is based at Oceana.

The Navy also intends to cancel four appearances by the Blue Angels. The Navy will cancel or defer the deployment of up to six ships throughout the month April.

The Navy will also defer USNS Comfort's humanitarian deployment to Central and South America. The USNS Comfort just came into Naval Station Norfolk on Friday.

The Navy press release states these actions are being taken to "preserve support for those forces stationed overseas and currently forward-deployed. "We made these choices careful while trying to preserve the ability to reverse or quickly restore negative effects if and when funding is restored."