 The sequestration deadline of March 1st is passed and the automatic spending cuts are now in effect. During a recent visit to Masawa Air Base, Command Master Chief Mark Roods took time to talk with service members regarding their concerns about the measures. On March 1st, sequestration went into effect. Each branch of the military will have to make tough decisions on what programs will be affected. Service members must remember that the mission must go on. When it comes to sequestration and the fiscal challenges that are out there, it's really important that we continue to focus on our job. We need to trust our top leadership to address the problem and identify how they're going to get after it. As soon as we start getting into that mix and speculating on what it means and how we're going to either change the way we do business, before it's even clearly defined, that could be potentially dangerous. While being a part of the military workforce, you are entitled to your concern. Having faith in your leadership is vital to making it through these times. Stay in tune with what's going on with these emerging changes, but really that shouldn't focus your day-to-day job. When you get up and go to work, you've got a mission, you need to be focused on that mission, and that's very important. Our leadership will address how we will manage the changes, if any, that will occur. Individual forces will be handling the management aspect of the sequestration. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are going through and evaluating the priorities of their assets and what they need to allocate money where. And so certainly those that contributed to the war-fighting effort or those critical mission sets are going to be your top tier priorities. Master Chief roots toward six units visiting with sailors and airmen around the base. Seaman apprentice Gene Baker, Misawa Air Base, Japan. During the Defense Media Activity, I'm Petty Officer Amara Timberlake.