US Defence Budget cuts

Gates proposes more cuts to defense budget
May 9,
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates testifying before a Senate panel.
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View all » When the Bush Administration's Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld proposed creation of a leaner, meaner U.S. military, the Democrats opposed him at every turn. They -- and their news media supporters -- accused him and Bush of not sending enough troops into Iraq. Now that the Democrats control both Houses of Congress and the White House, they are proposing the largest cuts in defense spending since the Clinton Administration.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates used the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of the Victory in Europe to declare war on duplicative overhead, bloat and needless spending in the Defense Department, according to a report from American Forces Press Service's Jim Garamone.

In a speech at the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas on Saturday, Gates called for a reduction in overhead for the department, and said he wants the department to take a hard, realistic look at what defense capabilities America really needs in the 21st Century, according to Garamone's report obtained by the Terrorism Committee of the 14,000-member National Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Defense Department must take a hard look at every aspect of how it is organized, staffed and operated, Gates said in his speech.

"In each instance we must ask: First, is this respectful of the American taxpayer at a time of economic and fiscal duress?" he said. "And second, is this activity or arrangement the best use of limited dollars, given the pressing needs to take care of our people, win the wars we are in, and invest in the capabilities necessary to deal with the most likely and lethal future threats?"

The secretary called for a two to three percent reduction in overhead costs in the fiscal 2012 budget request. The money saved can be dedicated to force structure -- the formations that fight our nation's wars.

Gates noted that Dwight D. Eisenhower, who served as president from 1953 to 1961, led the Allied armies to victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 and confronted the Soviet Union in some of the coldest days of the Cold War. Given his prestige as a five-star general, Gates said, Eisenhower was able to make the tough choices needed for the U.S. military to be balanced and ready.

Since the terror attacks of 9-11, the Defense base budget -- not including money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- has nearly doubled, Gates said. The gusher of money has ended, and given America's difficult economic circumstances, military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny, he said.

The secretary is not advocating wholesale cuts. He said the nation is still at war and some for of growth must be maintained to fight the battles. Maintaining the brigades, regiments, wings and ships will require real growth in the defense budget ranging from two and three percent above inflation, according to Garamone.

"In this year's budget request, the Defense Department asked for, and I hope will receive, just under two percent – roughly that level of growth," Gates said. But without change, this isn't realistic for the long run.Any change will have to overcome opposition inside the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill.

Gates pointed to the alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the C-17 airlifter programs as examples. The department does not want or need these programs, and they were not included in President Obama's defense budget request. Yet Congress may put both programs back in the budget at a potential cost of billions.

"I have strongly recommended a presidential veto if either program is included in next year's defense budget legislation," Gates said.

Regular military health care is another budget breaker. Defense Department health care costs have risen from $19 billion in 2000 to about $50 billion today. During that time, the premiums for TRICARE, the military health insurance program, have not risen.

"Many working age military retirees – who are earning full-time salaries on top of their full military pensions -- are opting for TRICARE even though they could get health coverage through their employer, with the taxpayer picking up most of the tab as the result," the secretary said.

Both Gates and former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld tried to implement modest increases in premiums and co-pays to help bring costs under control. Congress and veterans groups opposed these increases and "the proposals routinely die an ignominious death on Capitol Hill," Gates said.

The secretary said he understands these political and fiscal realities, but says there has to be real reform in the way DoD does business.

Reforming budgeting practices and contracting is a first step, and the department has begun this process, he said. The department is hiring more contracting professionals, according to Garamone's report.

"Another category ripe for scrutiny should be overhead -- all the activity and bureaucracy that supports the military mission," Gates said. Overhead makes up roughly 40 percent of the defense budget.

"During the 1990s, the military saw deep cuts in overall force structure -- the Army by nearly 40 percent," Gates said. "But the reduction in flag officers -- generals and admirals -- was about half that. The department's management layers -- civilian and military -- and numbers of senior executives outside the services grew during that same period."

While private sector businesses have flattened and streamlined the middle and upper echelons, the Defense Department continues to maintain a top-heavy hierarchy that more reflects 20th Century headquarters superstructure than 21st Century realities.

"Two decades after the end of the Cold War led to steep cuts in U.S. forces in Europe, our military still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based on the continent, Gates said. "Yet we scold our allies over the bloat in NATO headquarters."

Gates said he has a few questions: How many of these jobs, headquarters or secretariats are actually doing a needed mission and how many are supervising other headquarters and secretariats? How many of the general and flag officer positions or those in the civilian senior executive service could be converted to a lower grade?

How many commands or organizations are conducting repetitive or overlapping functions -- whether in logistics, intelligence, policy, or anything else -- and could be combined or eliminated altogether?

Finally, these changes have to be done with a realistic look at the threats. "Before making claims of requirements not being met or alleged 'gaps' – in ships, tactical fighters, personnel or anything else – we need to evaluate the criteria upon which requirements are based and the wider real world context," he said.

"For example, should we really be up in arms over a temporary projected shortfall of about 100 Navy and Marine strike fighters relative to the number of carrier wings, when America's military possesses more than 3,200 tactical combat aircraft of all kinds?" he asked.

"Does the number of warships we have and are building really put America at risk when the U.S. battle fleet is larger than the next 13 navies combined, 11 of which belong to allies and partners? Is it a dire threat that by 2020 the United States will have only 20 times more advanced stealth fighters than China?"

"Simply taking a few percent off the top of everything on a one-time basis will not do," Gates said. "These savings must stem from root-and-branch changes that can be sustained and added to over time."


Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a columnist for The Examiner (examiner.com) and New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.

He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
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