Defense Department Faces Drastic Cutbacks

The Obama administration announced plans to cut $150 billion from the Defense Department during the next five years. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates championed the proposals as a tough but necessary means of trimming excesses and placing the armed services in better positions to fight current and future wars. Gates cautioned against repeating "the mistakes of the past by making drastic and ill-conceived cuts," as he offered details of the initiative on Jan. 6. But Gates also called it "imperative … to eliminate wasteful, excessive, and unneeded spending." Each service stands to lose significant projects, facilities, and personnel." Almost immediately after Gates came forward with the announced cuts, military advocacy groups followed with responses pro and con. "Gates’ announcement represents a balanced approach that recognizes the need for both fiscal austerity and investments in new capabilities," said Andrew Krepinevich, the president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. But the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) questioned the necessity, depth, and fairness of a proposal that would call for "modest" out-of-pocket increases in fees military families would pay for medical services through TRICARE, the armed forces’ managed health-care plan. "MOAA will reserve judgment on what constitutes ‘modest’ increases until we see the numbers. But back in 2007 and 2008, he proposed increasing fees by $1,000 to $2,000 per year, which we think falls well outside the accepted meaning of that term," the organization said on its Web site. Specific details will emerge when the Obama administration submits its 2012 Defense Department budget proposal to Congress in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the next four items below summarize the cuts each service could face.