If the supplemental funding is not passed by April 15, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing and suspending home-station training for Reserve and National Guard units, and slowing the training of units slated to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, Gates told reporters at the Pentagon. The Army also would have to consider cutting funding for the upgrade and renovation of barracks and other facilities, and stopping the repair of equipment necessary to support troop deployment training, he said.
“This kind of disruption to key programs will have a genuinely adverse affect on the readiness of the Army and quality of life for soldiers and their families,” Gates said.
The fiscal 2007 emergency supplemental request includes $93.4 billion to help fund U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the campaign against terrorism around the globe.
If the supplemental funding is delayed past May 15, the Army will face even more tough choices, Gates said. Leaders will have to consider reducing repair work at Army depots and delaying or curtailing the deployment of brigade combat teams to their training rotations, which will cause additional units in theater to have their tours extended because other units are not ready to take their place, he said.