[ClearCase_guy]

Some good ideas here. But the DoD needs to also re-invent the acquisition process — that will be a tough thing to do, but there are plenty of people who have good ideas. The current system is broken in a thousand ways; totally re-thinking how weapon systems are procured could result in huge savings.

[Vince Ferrer]

I agree there are a lot of cuts defense can do. I wish every agancy was as thouroughly itemized for cuts as the defense budget is.

[Qwackertoo]

I agree . . . having worked at both General Dynamics and Boeing . . . lots of waste . . . have a valid charge number and let the spending begin, as long as you have a billable number everyone looks the other way.

[annajones]

I disagree with the Health care part of it. From a common sense point of view our military service people have always been greatly underpaid so they do not have much in the way of out of pocket income. Their healthcare and other benefits are no where near what government employees (actually on all levels) are receiving. Many government employees receive incredible medical and other benefits, have greater salaries so why are we asking them to contribute more for out of pocket? They are paid more and their benefits are far better than the private sectors. While our military service employees even now are paid greatly under what is paid at the private sector level.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”In all, Coburn envisions a possible $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade. Others see cuts in the $600 billion range. In any event, it's big money. Whatever the figure, the bottom line is that Republicans decrying the sequestration cuts should remember the Pentagon budget still needs to be reduced — just in the right way.”

Forget it.
Yes what he suggests makes sense but it requires negotiating with O and Dems. Who knows what they would demand for it.
This bill was the R House (2011/2012) major achievement, in a way they demanded it and got it.

[SueRae]

Sure, further reductions can be found. But let’s remember, when Gates was still SecDEF, he cut billions from the Defense budget..but not a SINGLE other Cabinet level department followed suit. Time to spread it around.

[lentulusgracchus]

(Article) Back in 2007, the Pentagon's base budget was just $431 billion, with $132 billion added for the war in Iraq and $34 billion for Afghanistan -- a total of $597 billion. Given that it was a peak year for war spending in Iraq, in part because of a costly troop surge, is there any reason the U.S. should be spending more on the Pentagon's base budget today, adjusted for inflation, than it did in 2007?

---

The author talks about YOY constant-dollar comparisons, but I don't see any evidence that he adjusted the 2007 numbers for six intervening years' inflation -- which should be on the close order of 25-30%.

[skinkinthegrass]

!

[annajones]

military salaries

http://www.airforce.com/benefits/enlisted-pay/?m=2012easearch&pl=google&med=cpc

they do make less than the private sector even after 20
years of service,

govt employees on the PERS system in CA have high salaries and get 5-10 percent raises even in this economy. a low level fireman in the small city i live in gets 100K in salary and that was back in 1996. This is not to say all the employees do well but a significant number do. Why don’t we make them pay more out of pocket for those making over 100k?

[annajones]

military salaries

http://www.airforce.com/benefits/enlisted-pay/?m=2012easearch&pl=google&med=cpc

they do make less than the private sector even after 20
years of service,

govt employees on the PERS system in CA have high salaries and get 5-10 percent raises even in this economy. a low level fireman in the small city i live in gets 100K in salary and that was back in 1996. This is not to say all the employees do well but a significant number do. Why don’t we make them pay more out of pocket for those making over 100k?