BEARING THE BURDENS OF WAR: Something Other People Do

Robert Gates

Speaking at Duke University last week, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates expressed his concerns about the cost of maintaining an all-volunteer force and too few Americans bearing the burdens of war. But is he sending Americans a mixed message that, coming as it does in the midst of the growing U.S. fiscal crisis and two prolonged and controversial wars, risks adopting solutions to one problem that only make the other problem worse? (More)

Filed under: Military, National Security, 401K plans, admirals, airmen, all-volunteer military, burdens of war, compulsory service, Congress, Department of Defense, DoD bureaucracy, Duke University, Ed Ross, ewross, freedom, generals, Joint Forces Command, maines, military compensation, military healthcare, Norfolk Virginia, retirement pay, Richard Nixon, Robert Gates, ROTC, sailors, soldiers, something other people do, United States Secretary of Defense, US defense budget

REDUCING THE DOD BUREAUCRACY: Less is More

Secretary Robert Gates wants to make sweeping budget cuts in overhead at the Department of Defense (DoD). For starters, he has proposed eliminating Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia, a 10 percent cut in contractors, the reduction of at least 50 generals and admirals, and the elimination of 150 Senior Executive Service (SES) civilians. I applaud Gates for his initiative. Not only will it save money for the needed modernization of weapons and equipment necessary to maintain our military capabilities, but it will make DoD more efficient and effective. (More)

Related Articles

• Officials: Belt-tightening will cut major command (sfgate.com)
• Scrapping the Defense Department CIO (informationweek.com)
• Secretary Of Defense Gates Announces Plan To Disestablish Joint Forces Command, Cut Civilian And Military Personnel (minx.cc)
• Gates Says Defense Bureaucracy Swollen, Declares Cuts (businessweek.com)
• Pentagon Cuts Come Under Fire (online.wsj.com)

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