President's plan likely to affect 2013 defense budget

News > President's plan likely to affect 2013 defense budget

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Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell talks to members of the press Jan. 26, 2011, at the Pentagon. (Department of Defense photo/R. D. Ward)
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President's plan likely to affect 2013 defense budget

Posted 4/14/2011

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by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

4/14/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- President Barack Obama's effort to seek additional savings within the Defense Department likely will affect the department's fiscal 2013 budget, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said April 13.

The president announced that he plans to work with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to find more savings within the Defense Department to help in reducing the federal deficit.

"Secretary Gates believes that the Department of Defense cannot be exempt from efforts to bring federal deficit spending under control," Mr. Morrell said. "However, it is important that any reduction in funding be shaped by strategy and policy choices, and not by a budget math exercise."

The department already has cut back spending by more than $400 billion over the past two years. The president said he believes the department is capable of matching that effort again to help in realizing $2 trillion in savings as part of an effort to reduce federal borrowing by $4 trillion over the next 12 years.

"The president acknowledged that the Department of Defense has been at the forefront in tearing back unneeded, duplicative and obsolete programs and administrative overhead," Mr. Morrell said. "(He) wants us to continue this effort with the goal of significant additional savings over the coming decade.

"By the same token, the secretary has been clear that further significant defense cuts cannot be accomplished without reducing forces structure and military capabilities," Mr. Morrell continued. "The comprehensive review of missions, capabilities and America's role in the world will identify alternatives for the president's consideration."

Accomplishing the president's goal, Mr. Morrell added, will "must be about managing risks associated with future threats and national security challenges and identifying missions that the country is willing to forego."

Comments

7/18/2012 2:22:50 PM ET
Ted from COS CO...while I agree with your problem with end of year money, I like how you pick apart the pilot bonus but no one else. MANY career fields get reenlistment bonuses....Air Traffic Control on the enlisted side and pilots on the officer side are just two examples. Unless you want to see pilots and air traffic controllers take millions in air force training to the airlines or FAA bonuses are NOT a bad thing to retain those people the Air Force has already spent millions to train.

AF Pilot, Tampa FL

4/19/2011 1:35:40 PM ET
All this budget cut talk comes after how many millions was spent on each service designing and fielding all of their own distinctive combat uniforms? And then redesigning them counteless times. We have too much reduncancy across the services with bonuses for pilots and individual training schools that do the same exact functions. The end of year fall-out money is the worst. New computers every year and multiple purchases of big screen LCD TVs that we don't need.

Ted, COS CO

4/18/2011 3:19:53 PM ET
I agree with J. The only countries with weapon systems nearly as technologically advanced as ours are our allies that we sell them to. Even the Chinese who are developing their first stealth aircraft are doing so by reverse engineering wreckage from an airframe we have already retired. Oh and their carrier buster can't hit the proverbial broad side of a barn. The DoD is guilty of wasting money just as much as any other federally funded organization. After serving in the Air Force I went to a large Aerospace and Defense company and believe me we spend a lot of time wondering why it is our Defense customers spend money the way they do.

Chris, Louisiana

4/18/2011 12:07:38 PM ET
This is a joke - cut this, cut that, but every time I go on base I see some COL or General with a nice shiny new car. It makes no sense that a General is given a car to drive and he is also given gas to put in this car but the Airman that makes next to nothing with a family has to buy his car and gas. I have an idea, how about we take all staff vehicles away and give back the money that would be used to buy those vehicles? And to further cut costs, let's use one uniform design - this would insure that no matter where you go, any military installation would have what you may need. It just makes sense, instead of asking for different uniforms you just ask for one making it easier and cheaper to produce. Bottom line is it just seems that every person of significant rank seems to think he should have the best equipment but the younger guy that puts himself in harms way has to settle for the hand-me-downs and he is told to make it work.

Hill, Hill AFB

4/15/2011 9:44:30 AM ET
It is just not that hard to cut this budget. Start with getting rid of the year-end fallout money. One base I was assigned to had over 15 million dollars of the use-or-lose money one year. It was great we all got brand new oak furniture, BBQ grills, etc etc etc. What an absolute waste. The next year the base had $12 million left over. It's also time to cut all of these overpaid govt contracts. Look at the $600 plus million for the ECSS project alone. Four-plus years and still only in the pilot phase. Govt waste at its best.

Retired, Florida

4/15/2011 9:00:06 AM ET
Here's an idea... Bring all forward-deployed otherwise known as permanent party troops in Southeast Asia and Europe specifically back to America. That would save millions in COLA, OHA, travel and PCS expenses. Not eliminate their positions but move them back here and build more robust super bases. That will pump our tax dollars back into our economy, put Americans back to work, and allow good old fashion capitalism to work. Rental properties, restaurants, shopping centers, and housing markets would rebound etc. Let's stop foreign aid!

TC, Pittsgrove NJ

4/15/2011 8:49:07 AM ET
Look for another round of force shaping and RIF boards soon.

Cynic, Across the Pond

4/15/2011 3:22:09 AM ET
The U.S. will have to do what Britain has done since the end of WW2: reduce its expenditure on defence by inter alia withdrawing from overseas bases over a period of decades. The starting point must be what the U.S. can afford to spend on defence, perhaps as a proportion of GDP, followed by a realistic review of what the military should be capable of accomplishing. Good luck. It's not much fun

Lance Richardson, UK

4/14/2011 10:41:42 PM ET
The reason we are over budget is because we have been fronting the War on Terror for 10 years now. Get us out of Afghanistan and Iraq and you will see the budget reduction you want. But keeping us in conflicts, getting us into more while cutting manning and funding is the recipe for disaster. While our brave troops press on, the reality is we are all pulled to the breaking point. If you cut manning and funding you need to cut the TASKINGS! Nuff said.

Suzie, Japan

4/14/2011 10:31:40 PM ET
Let's see. 100 billion cuts already for next ten years. In addition another 30 billion in savings through efficiencies. So the President Obama is asking for more How about closing excessive infrastructure but that will not come close to the savings he wants. I hear the hollowing of our military as it was back after Vietnam. How history repeats itself.

Mickie, Florida

4/14/2011 9:01:54 PM ET
That we as a nation must cut spending is a foregone conclusion. Cuts MUST come from every quarter. Starting at the top of the Executive Branch by pay cuts for everyone - everyone. To continue cutting at our manner of national security is folly and playing into the hands of those whose goal it is to overcome America. China has set its goal over 70 years ago. WWII confirmed their long-term intent. Now in more recent times we have a radical religion rearing its ugly head once again -- radical Muslims spread over this planet. Weaken our defense system as others are increasing theirs and America will be unable to imitate our resolve at the start of WWII. We live in a different world today. Defense needs to act like a carpenter: measure twice cut once. This is no time for blind obedience.

R Soucy USAF Ret., N. Calif

4/14/2011 8:26:53 PM ET
I think thats a little dramatic Jerry. While no one likes the cuts, it doesn't mean we're going to be without the best military in the world.

J, JP

4/14/2011 8:22:06 PM ET
Jerry I have a better plan. Let's continue funding big defense programs on credit and drive this nation into economic oblivion. Cuts are both necessary and inescapable and no amount of potential threat rationalization will change it. I love our nation and I am dedicated to our military but the cold reality is staring us all in the face. We will need to find better more efficient ways to do things. If we don't then the debacle that happened last week will look like Disneyland compared to an economic default-driven government shutdown.

Texas Pete, Texas

4/14/2011 12:44:01 PM ET
With further reductions of our military capabilities in the future we will need to develop new defense plans: First, we will need to revise our plan in case of conflict with China -- surrender quickly. No wars with any country with a military larger than Costa Rica. They don't have a military. A military that isn't capable of defending us from the largest threats we face is more of a disadvantage than an advantage. It places the country in the position of fighting wars we will lose, or avoiding wars by ceding our national interests.

Jerry , Oklahoma

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