Former Secretary of the Navy and deputy defense secretary Gordon England wrote an OpEd for the Washington Post that perfectly describes why budget cuts at the DoD will only erode military readiness and impede our ability to respond to future threats.

Consider for a moment the state of the American military four months prior to 9/11 according to Mr. England.

The Navy did not have enough funding to steam ships or to fly airplanes for the rest of the fiscal year [the fiscal year runs from 1 Oct to 30 Sept -M]. Submarines were being deployed with many of their cruise-missile tubes empty. Warships could not deploy until test and repair equipment was transferred from ships returning to port. The Navy’s deferred maintenance account was billions of dollars in the red. Sailor and Marine Corps housing and bases were, literally, a mess. Military salaries were low, housing allowances below rental costs and medical facilities needed upgrades.

The Army and Air Force were in similar straits. Ammunition stocks were dismally low and precision weapons a luxury. The peace dividends of the 1990s had left the military ill-equipped and ill-prepared for conflict — hardly a situation to be repeated in today’s uncertain and troublesome world. And hardly a way to treat our valiant warriors and their families.

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Mr. England was exactly correct in stating peace in the 1990s lead to the gutting of the American military. DoD’s budget in 1990 was just under 504 billion dollars. It fell to a low of $356 billion in 1998 before climbing back to $379 billion in 2000 before the 9/11 attacks and invasion of Afghanistan. It would take another three years and the invasion of Iraq for DoD spending to equal what it did prior to the Gulf War. The table to the left gives a visual of DoD budget changes from 1990 to 2003. Note: figures in this paragraph were adjusted for inflation to 2011 dollars.

Former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld once said, “As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.” The context of his statement is a bit different from this writing, but it rings true nonetheless. Wars have broke out since before the time of the first nation-states and will undoubtedly occur in the future as well. The United States will at some point go to war after the Global War on Terror concludes and we’ll have to fight that war with the army we have, “not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”

The key to winning future conflicts lies in the DoD being able to maintain more of it’s manpower and some, but not all, equipment projects. Budget cuts that have been announced and cuts coming in the future will serve as death by a thousand paper cuts. We will be unable to respond to threats without enormous spending increases and incurring new debt like we were forced to do after the attacks of September 11. History has a way of repeating itself and we do not want to be caught improperly equipped and trained like after September 11.

Sources: DoD Budget, Inflation calculator

Update: Current Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta characterized current plans to cut defense spending as “crazy”.

Munich (dpa) – Mandated budget cuts that would deeply slash US military spending are “crazy” and need to be excised from current budget planning by lawmakers, warned US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Saturday.

“We are not planning on it happening. If it did, I would have to throw the plan I just made out the window and I think that would be dangerous for America and for the world,” said Panetta.

I received the following in an email from DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service) this morning. Those deployed should keep a very close watch on their LES to ensure their pay is accurate.

A new law may affect the pay you receive when you are on duty in an imminent danger pay (IDP) area. About 27 locations world-wide have been designated by the Secretary of Defense as IDP areas.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (NDAA 2012), signed on December 31, 2011, requires we begin prorating IDP so that members are paid for only the actual days they perform duty in an IDP area. Before December 31, members received the full $225 a month even if they performed duty only one day in an IDP area. Now service members will receive $7.50 for each day they are on duty in an IDP area up to the maximum monthly rate of $225. Members who are exposed to a hostile fire or hostile mine explosion event are eligible to receive non-prorated Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) in the full monthly amount of $225. Members cannot receive both IDP and HFP in the same month.

The law required proration to begin on December 31, 2011; however, because it took time to publish implementing guidance and ready pay systems, we were not ready to begin prorating the pay on that date. DoD began to pay the prorated payments beginning February 1, 2012. If you are eligible to receive IDP, you may see the prorated amount of the pay in your February 15th pay depending on the actual number of days you spend in an IDP area.

Some members may have been overpaid between the date the NDAA was signed on December 31, 2011, and February 1, 2012, when the pay systems began proration.

The military services are working to waive or remit debts for members who may have been overpaid during this period. The intent is that you will not be liable for any overpayment during this period. Also, you do not need to request or take any action for this to take place. Your service will take care of this for you.

If you have questions about this pay, please contact your finance office.

For more information, please visit http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/specialpay/hfp_idp.html

Update 7 February 2012: There seems to be a lot of anger and confusion on the part of some deployed troops and family members. The prorated pay only applies when a service member isn’t in the zone for an entire month. If someone arrives in a zone on the 31st of the month, they only get one day. If they are there for the entire month then they get the full amount. I hope this clears up any confusion, let me know in the comments if you’re still unsure.

I got an email from Air Force Times newspaper about the following cuts that the Air Force is going to implement as part of these cuts.

As part of the Defense Department’s efforts to trim close to $500 billion in spending over the next decade, defense officials said Friday that the service intends to cut five A-10 tactical squadrons and two other squadrons as well.

The Thunderbolt squadrons to be stood down encompass one active-duty, one Reserve and three National Guard units. The remaining two squadrons disappearing are a Guard F-16 tactical unit and an F-15 training squadron.

The move was part of a series of proposed budget cuts announced Jan. 26 at the Pentagon. Also on the chopping block are the C-27 and the Global Hawk Block 30; and as the ground force shrinks, the service plans to retire the oldest of its aging transport aircraft.

I can tell you as a career Infantryman I saw first hand the power of the Air Force and specifically the A-10 Thunderbolt. After crossing the breach from Saudi Arabia into Iraq in 1991 well before the ground war started I listened on the radio to the pilots talking as they came in on gun run after gun run “softening” up our objective before we cleared it.

I witnessed the power of the A-10 on many other occasions during my career both stateside and overseas. Most recently I watched A-10s deliver death and destruction upon Taliban who were trying to kill me in Ghazni Province Afghanistan in 2006.

This breaking news from the Air Force will not sit well with the Army, with the grunts who do the dirty fighting of war. It may be slow, not sexy looking and ability to fight air-to-air really well, but the A-10 is the premier combat multiplier with the grunts on the ground. If the Air Force takes away A-10s, it will cost lives on the ground, that I can guarantee.

Numerous veterans and their survivors across the nation will be pleased to see a little bit extra in their future payments due to a 3.6% cost of living adjustment that was effective 1 January. Federal law dictates that VA compensation and pensions will increase when Social Security payments receive a cost of living adjustment. This is the first increase in payments for both programs since 2008.

“Veterans, their families and their survivors are entitled to benefits that keep pace with the cost of living,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

Many veterans depend on these benefits to help make ends meet every month. I applaud this increase for those that have given so much for their country, especially when benefits of both the active duty force and veterans are targeted for slashing due to the federal budget problems the country is facing.

I first wrote about Oscar Mike one week ago asking you dig deep to give support and to tell all your friends. This morning I am happy to say that Oscar Mike is fully funded. Mission complete! Noah says this couldn’t have ever happened if not for people getting the word out and donating. He says he didn’t sleep last night as the final hours ticked down, and this morning is a huge blessing to him and the rest of the Oscar Mike crew.

BUT, the mission doesn’t stop here. You can continue to support Oscar Mike and OMFoundation to keep disabled vets “On the Move” in adaptive and competitive sports by purchasing gear or straight donations to OMFoundation.

Congratulations, Oscar Mike!

1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment was split across three distinctly different areas of operation. Charlie Company was in Marjah, reinforcing Marine and Afghan forces operating in the city’s remaining troubled regions. Alpha Company was in Sangin District, where they supported the 3rd and later, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. During Operation Eastern Storm, Headquarters, Bravo and Weapons companies secured route 611, which runs through Kajaki Sofla, an area that had long been a safe haven for insurgent sub-commanders and for arms and drug trafficking.

The Army released suicide data today for the month of December and calendar year (CY) 2011. During December, among active-duty soldiers, there were 11 potential suicides: two have been confirmed as suicide, and nine remain under investigation. For November, the Army reported seven potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, five have been confirmed as a suicide, and two remain under investigation. For CY 2011 there were 164 potential active-duty suicides of which 140 have been confirmed as suicides, and 24 remain under investigation.

During December, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were five potential suicides (four Army National Guard and one Army Reserve): three have been confirmed as suicide and two remain under investigation. For November, among that same group, there were eight potential suicides. Since the release of that report, three cases have been added for a total of 11 cases (11 Army National Guard and no Army Reserve). Of those, nine were confirmed as suicides and two remain under investigation. For CY 2011, there were 114 potential not on active duty suicides (80 National Guard and 34 Army Reserve): 102 have been confirmed as suicide, and 12 remain under investigation.

A report released today, “Army 2020 Generating the Health and Discipline of the Force,” referred to as the “Army Gold Book,” represents the next phase in Army health and disciplinary promotion efforts. The report assesses progress made, as well as identifies and addresses remaining gaps in policy, programs and procedures relating to soldier health and discipline since the release of the “Army Red Book” in July 2010. It also underscores the importance of ongoing leader education, tireless commitment and open communication at all levels in assuring that the right choices continue to be made for our soldiers, the Army and our nation.

“As we look ahead to the strategic reset, transitioning from a predominantly wartime Army to a ready and responsive one, leaders at every level must be actively engaged. They must understand the issues addressed in this report, apply the many lessons learned and, unlike the mostly reactive efforts of the post-Vietnam Army, continue to take a proactive approach to generating health and discipline in the force.

“This report should serve as a comprehensive guide, a roadmap of sorts reflecting not only how far we have come in recent years, but more importantly, provide direction as we look ahead to the strategic reset and the many challenges we will inevitably face as we come back home,” according to the “Gold Book.”

Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63 (Health Promotion) at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 (Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention) at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf.

The Army’s comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil.

Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).

Information about Military OneSource is located at http://www.militaryonesource.com or by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647for those residing in the continental United States. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource website for dialing instructions for their specific location.

Information about the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/.

The Defense Center for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at Resources@DCoEOutreach.org and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil.

The website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org/, and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found at http://www.sprc.org/index.asp.

While this post contains official military information, it is not meant to be representative of the Army, the Department of Defense, The United States Government, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 3rd Infantry Division, III Corps, the 101st Airborne Division, the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, the 511th MI Company, the School of the Americas, ISAF, RC(S), RC(E), RC(N), RC(W), CENTCOM, TRADOC, FORSCOM, Recruiting Command, The United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, The United States Coast Guard, The Boy Scouts of America, the Department of Education, or any other unit, department, office, Section, squad, platoon, company battalion, brigade, division, Corps, any branch of service, rank, MOS, or any other segment of official military or government, real or imagined.

The Pentagon’s recent military strategy document will shape budget reductions across the Defense Department (DoD) beginning in 2013, but these cuts will not be distributed proportionately.  Top DoD officials hope the much anticipated strategy, officially titled: Sustaining Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense, will change the budgeting culture within the services. To understand these cuts further, please check out: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/01/dn-coming-dod-cuts-will-hit-some-services-harder-010512/

Many of you have read the headline this weekend (and the article is posted below). “NC Jihadists found Guilty!” They were targeting Marine spouses and families.

This is not the first time families were targeted. This won’t be the last. We can never assume that we are not at risk just because we are in the United States or in another Country in garrison. This doesn’t mean we should be paranoid, but we should always be mindful and careful — in our neighborhoods (and yes even on military installations as some are easy to access), our emails, Facebook, twitter, blogs, and even what you say in the grocery line. Stay alert and don’t take your safety for granted because your husband is a member of the US Armed Forces!

I have written several articles here on You Served about the importance of OpSec and possible dangers. Here are a few of them that may be of help. Please share them and never be afraid to say something to a spouse who is not adhering to Operational Security (OpSec) or Personal Security (PerSec):

You have every right and a responsibility to your family and your spouse to keep them safe. Anyone being reckless is not only being reckless with her own family, but with yours as well.

OpSec, Facebook, Twitter, etc… why it matters
Smart Phones and OpSec Concerns
Homefront OpSec
The Op in OpSec doesn’t stand for Optional!

Guilty: North Carolina Jihadists Who Targeted Marine Corps Wives And Children

Three members of a home-grown terror ring who conspired to attack the Quantico U.S. Marine Corps base and foreign targets were sentenced Friday to between 15 and 45 years in federal prison.

Hysen Sherifi, 27, will serve 45 years in prison; Ziyad Yaghi, 23, got nearly 32 years; and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 24, was sentenced to 15 years. They faced the possibility of life in prison. Each said they would appeal their convictions and claimed innocence. Dozens of members of Raleigh’s Muslim community made the five-hour round-trip to coastal New Bern to witness the hearing for the men who supporters believe were unjustly convicted.

Defense attorneys argued for lesser sentences since the men were convicted of discussing terrorism rather than committing terrorist acts.

“I believe I am innocent. There was no conspiracy,” said Serifi, who called his guilty verdict unfair and prosecutors tyrants.

But U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan said the men went beyond talk to planning violence.

Yaghi was a “self-starter” in pursuing holy war against those deemed un-Islamic and brought several potential jihadi recruits to ringleader Daniel Patrick Boyd, whose rural Johnston County home was a warehouse of weapons, Flanagan said. Yaghi traveled to Jordan and Israel to look for avenues to join other militants and to scout targets for an attack. READ MORE

The Marine Corps has taken delivery of the first production model F-35B. It arrived to Eglin Air Force Base on 11 January and will be attached to Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Air Group 31, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. VMFAT-501 is the only F-35B training squadron in the Marine Corps and will be where the first classes of pilots will learn the new craft. There are plans for additional F-35B training squadrons to be stationed at MCAS Beaufort, SC.

Also check out additional F-35B coverage and video of the F-35B arriving at Eglin is after the break.

African-American military veterans in Buffalo, N.Y., “could use a place of their own, a place where they feel honored, a place where they are not forgotten” says an Army veteran hoping to establish a minority focused post in the city’s East Side.  Only two African-American focused veterans posts exist in Buffalo, both on the East Side.  Both are American Legion posts-Bennett Wells Post 1780 and Jesse Clipper Post 430.  The city’s only black VFW post, Private Fleming Post 8747 turned in its charter in the late 1980’s.  The post will be named in honor to two African-American veterans from Buffalo, Evelyn W. Jones and Nathaniel Clifford Jones Jr., who are not related.  To learn more about who is behind this effort, please go to: http://www.military.com/news/article/vet-seeks-minority-focused-vfw-post.html

Yes this is in my neck of the woods and I am absolutely against this. America wonders why we still have racism in 2012, well this is one reason why. “A place of their own….where they feel honored”, yeah that is called the local VFW or American Legion. Americans have fought and died next to each other from all races since the the dawn of our country, to include the Civil War. Why does there need to a “special” black VFW? That is about as racist as it gets. If you want America to look past the color of someone’s skin, then quit trying to group them all together and making a certain race stand out.

These people should be proud of their military service and feel honored to be part of that community. If they would rather put their skin color on a higher pedestal maybe they should lobby President Obama to reinstitute all-black military units again and we can just got back to the 40′s and 50′s again.

What is really sad is that Sandi Williams who is pushing for this would not even qualify to be a member of the VFW had it not been for the VFW loosening its eligibility rules to allow in service-members who served in South Korea. I served in the DMZ my entire tour there and I never got a combat patch or CIB so I am not sure how that qualifies as a foreign war, and I was under direct threat unlike most of the people stationed in South Korea. I had to go to Iraq and Afghanistan to actually serve in war and am damn proud I did.