Armed Forces News

Soldiers practice exiting CH-47 Chinook helicopters during Swift Response in Bulgaria, May 11, 2021. The exercise is designed to strengthen U.S. European Command's ability to send high readiness forces into a designated area while advancing airborne interoperability among NATO allies. (Army photo by Maj. Robert Fellingham)

The Army general who oversees the budget process believes the Army should expect a tough road to approval. Speaking at a June 24 webinar hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), Maj. Gen. Paul Chamberlain said Congress may not approve a final budget until December. Passage could be delayed beyond Oct. 1, when the 2022 fiscal year begins, and may not actually take effect until next spring.

The Biden administration is asking lawmakers to approve $173 billion for the Army in 2022, $3.6 billion less than 2021, AUSA reported. Chamberlain said he expects Congress to approve temporary spending measures as the necessity arises, until the final budget complete.

“The biggest challenge here is the unknown,” Chamberlain said during the webinar, adding that such delays have been commonplace as of late. Meanwhile, the service is continuing to work on budgets for 2023 and 2024 that would foster necessary modernization and transformation processes.