ThoughtCrimes
Old Navy Vet
- Jun 25, 2012
- 4,331
- 994
Yesterday during the Senate Armed Services Committee meeting, the subject of the forced budgetary constraints of sequestration, austere budgets and military impacts to the four branches were addressed. The combination of the two failures in attempts to cut the growing debt over the last five years has only reduced current military standing readiness and their future capabilities significantly and will deepen same more rapidly within the next five years of sequestration according to the four heads of the military branches.
"This time, all four service chiefs repeated past concerns that they will not be able to quickly defeat a foreign adversary if the funding issues stay in place.
“If we get into one of those conflicts, we’ll win, but it will take longer and cost more, in terms of money and casualties,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. “So there is risk.”
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said the lower-than-desired defense spending has forced his service to choose immediate readiness over future preparedness. He said end strength will drop below acceptable levels in years to come, training and equipment is already showing signs of shortfalls, and concern is high in the ranks.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said without a fix, “we cannot rebuild and recapitalize our readiness.” Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein said immediate budget patches create compounding problems.
“As aircraft age over time, they become more expensive to fly,” he said. “Then you shift dollars to sustainments from other accounts … it becomes dangerous.”
Committee chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the officers’ warnings should serve as a wake up call for Congress.
“We lied to the American people. The Budget Control Act and sequestration have done nothing to fix our national debt,” he said. “This is just math. And what’s worse, the people we have punished for our failure are none other than the men and women of our armed services, and many other important agencies.”
'We lied to the American people.' Congress laments failur | MilitaryTimes
It's time for the Executive and Legislative Branches to get off their collective arses and deal with these budget issues once and for all instead of these partisan games they have been playing for the last several DECADES. This is no longer a partisan issue, but rather a National Security issue impacting all Americans.
This is no time for partisan crap and mudslinging about Who Shot John when and where. It's time to write three letters to your Representative and both of your Senators to tell them to cut the shit and work together to solve the problems rather than create more petty division. This crisis has taken more than a little time to get to where it is now, and there are no blameless officials or administrations, past or present.
"This time, all four service chiefs repeated past concerns that they will not be able to quickly defeat a foreign adversary if the funding issues stay in place.
“If we get into one of those conflicts, we’ll win, but it will take longer and cost more, in terms of money and casualties,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. “So there is risk.”
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said the lower-than-desired defense spending has forced his service to choose immediate readiness over future preparedness. He said end strength will drop below acceptable levels in years to come, training and equipment is already showing signs of shortfalls, and concern is high in the ranks.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said without a fix, “we cannot rebuild and recapitalize our readiness.” Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein said immediate budget patches create compounding problems.
“As aircraft age over time, they become more expensive to fly,” he said. “Then you shift dollars to sustainments from other accounts … it becomes dangerous.”
Committee chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the officers’ warnings should serve as a wake up call for Congress.
“We lied to the American people. The Budget Control Act and sequestration have done nothing to fix our national debt,” he said. “This is just math. And what’s worse, the people we have punished for our failure are none other than the men and women of our armed services, and many other important agencies.”
'We lied to the American people.' Congress laments failur | MilitaryTimes
It's time for the Executive and Legislative Branches to get off their collective arses and deal with these budget issues once and for all instead of these partisan games they have been playing for the last several DECADES. This is no longer a partisan issue, but rather a National Security issue impacting all Americans.
This is no time for partisan crap and mudslinging about Who Shot John when and where. It's time to write three letters to your Representative and both of your Senators to tell them to cut the shit and work together to solve the problems rather than create more petty division. This crisis has taken more than a little time to get to where it is now, and there are no blameless officials or administrations, past or present.
