Let’s Bring SGT Bowe Home in 2013!
April 10, 2013April 10, 2013
Hagel: Budget Request Balances Many Needs
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2013 – President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2014 budget request for the Defense Department balances competing operational and strategic needs while ensuring the maximization of taxpayer dollars and addressing internal imbalances, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today.
In a joint news conference at the Pentagon with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary said the budget request takes several important steps on the way to fiscal sustainability.
“First, the budget continues to maximize our use of resources,” Hagel said. By changing the way the department operates and reducing support costs, the proposal saves an additional $34 billion over the next five years, he said.
“This savings is on top of the approximately $211 billion in ongoing overhead reductions and business efficiencies identified in the last two budget requests, which are still being implemented,” the secretary added.
Other proposed initiatives include restructuring the civilian workforce, overhauling military medical treatment facilities and taking advantage of private-sector health care to control costs, Hagel said.
“These efforts are having some success, with projected health care spending in this budget declining by some 4 percent compared to our budget two years ago,” he noted.
The department is requesting that a new round of base realignments and closures be authorized for 2015, Hagel said. While the BRAC process is imperfect and includes upfront costs, he said, in the long term it results in significant savings.
Other savings come through terminating or reducing poorly performing programs, the secretary said.
“Over the last four years, the department has canceled or curtailed more than 30 major acquisition programs,” he said, “rebalancing our portfolio towards platforms better suited to 21st century security challenges, and making new investments in areas like cyber and advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.”
About a third of the department’s budget request — $170.2 billion — goes to military compensation, Hagel said. The proposed budget would slow the growth of military pay, implementing a 1 percent increase in 2014, down from 1.7 percent in 2013.
The department also is requesting that the beneficiaries’ cost share of the TRICARE military health program increase, particularly for working-age military retirees, Hagel said. The proposed increase would bring premiums “closer to the levels envisioned when the program was first implemented,” he added.
Current fiscal realities demand that tough decisions be made, the secretary said.
“The longer we put this off, the harder it’s going to be,” he added, “particularly given the uncertainty that still exists about future levels of defense spending.”
The comprehensive deficit reduction plan contained in the president’s budget proposal would permit Congress to eliminate sequestration, Hagel said.
“That plan averts what would otherwise be another significant reduction in the defense budget, some $52 billion in fiscal year 2014 alone and $500 billion over a decade,” he noted. “Instead, it calls for $150 billion in additional defense savings over 10 years.”
These cuts are back-loaded, with most occurring after fiscal 2018, the secretary said, allowing the department time to manage them without “disproportionate harm to modernization and readiness.”
Budget constraints aren’t going away, Hagel said, and the current fiscal environment calls for clear-headed analysis anchored in the president’s defense strategic guidance. To that end, the secretary said, last month he directed DOD civilian and military leaders to review the department’s strategic assumptions.
The strategic choices and management review is intended to ensure that, in this time of austerity, the department is prepared to defend the nation and its strategic interests, he said.
“No matter the outcome of this budget debate, going forward, every decision must be carefully weighed against our national interests and it must be worthy of the service, sacrifice and loyalty of our men and women in uniform and their families,” Hagel said.
The results of that review are expected at the end of the month, he noted.
April 10, 2013
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DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation The Department of Defense today identified four major units to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan. The scheduled rotation involves one cavalry regiment with roughly 3,000 personnel; one armored brigade combat team (ABCT) with roughly 3,200 personnel; one infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) with roughly 2,200 personnel; and a division headquarters with roughly 450 personnel to rotate in summer 2013. The deploying units include: Brigade Combat Teams: 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky. Division Headquarters: 4th Infantry Division Headquarters, Fort Carson, Colo. DoD will continue to announce major deployments as they are approved. |
April 6, 2013
‘Too Soon’ For Post-2014 Troop Level Decision04/06/2013 10:28 AM CDT |
| By Claudette Roulo American Forces Press Service, BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, April 6, 2013 – Although it is too soon to tell what the post-2014 troop arrangement will be in Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff expects a decision by this summer, he said yesterday.Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey arrived in Afghanistan today to, in part, hear from commanders on the ground what they think the Afghans need to help them develop, he said. In an interview with reporters traveling with him to Afghanistan, Dempsey said evaluations are well underway on a range of options. Each set of options is formed around a theme, Dempsey said. “One is, at what level we will provide training and assistance … at the lowest tactical level, all the way up to the institutional level,” he said. Alternatively, training and assistance might be provided only at the institutional level. What other agencies need to operate on the ground forms a second core question, the chairman said. He offered the U.S. Agency for International Development as one key organization to consider in post-transition planning. The concerns of NATO partner nations must also be reconciled, Dempsey said. The NATO implementing directive for Afghanistan favors a hub-and-spoke approach to basing troops, he said. “Once you … lay that template out, it begins to illuminate what the options are for the post-2014 presence,” the chairman said, “not only on basing, but on numbers.” “I’m not in the camp that is trying to rush that decision,” he said, adding that he wants the Afghan security forces to have a chance to lead through two fighting seasons, as outlined in the NATO agreement signed last summer in Chicago. They will also be responsible for the security of the 2014 elections, Dempsey noted. “I want to see how they deal, frankly,” the chairman said. Milestone 2013 will mark the point when the Afghan security forces are in the lead nationwide, Dempsey said. “It’ll be coming up here soon,” he added. “We haven’t exactly fixed the date.” To ensure the drawdown progresses smoothly and according to schedule, “we’ve got to have a steady rate of retrograde,” Dempsey said. “My military judgment is that the decision about the enduring presence, though it will be necessary to help us and our NATO allies plan, actually pinning it down is not a matter of urgency,” he said. Rather than a definitive number of troops, he said, a range would be prudent. |
National Guard …
February 26, 2013National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated
April 9, 2013
The Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve announced this week a decrease in activated reservists while the Army National Guard and Navy Reserve announced an increase of activated National Guard members and reservists. The net collective result is 191 additional National Guard members and reservists activated in comparison to last week.
At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 39,102; Navy Reserve, 4,420; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 8,408; Marine Corps Reserve, 2,477; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 539. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 54,946, including both units and individual augmentees.
December 12, 2012
City Joins Operation Christmas to Aid Military Families
The city of Newport Beach, CA is collecting new and unwrapped children’s toys, gift cards, cash donations and new or used DVDs for military families in Orange County, CA.
Many military families will be separated this Christmas, but the city of Newport Beach wants to help make their holidays a little brighter. To help ease the holiday blues, Yellow Ribbon America and the city of Newport Beach are encouraging residents to donate items to Orange County military members and their families.
Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX was formed in Orange County in 2004 by Yellow Ribbon America to provide support to the nation’s deployed and at-home service men and women, according to Brad White, national chairman of Yellow Ribbon America.
The city of Newport Beach has participated in Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families for several years. This year the organization is asking the community to donate new and unwrapped children’s toys, new or used DVDs, gift cards and cash donations. Donations can be made at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall until noon on Dec. 21, 2012.
If you are interested in donating to Operation Christmas, you can find more information at newportbeach.ca.gov.
Related Topics: Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX
December 6, 2012
Santa Claus and YRA’s 1# Northern California Elf Rodney Stanhope, prepare for upcoming 2012 “Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX” annual Christmas Drive.
Sacramento CA. - In it’s 9th year Santa’s Elves, Volunteers and Troops prepare for upcoming 2012 “Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX” in Northern California.
This heartfelt and much needed event will take place from Wednesday December 12, 2012 at 12:00 Noon – Sunday December 23, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Yellow Ribbon America’s “Military Elf” Rodney Stanhope, will be living in a Tuff Shed for 12 days, 24 hours a day. The North Pole Shed Village will be located in the parking lot along Arden Way next to The Cheesecake Factory at Market Square at Arden Fair 1901 Arden Way Sacramento CA 95815 – Rodney is joined this year at the North Pole Shed Village by YRA’s Santa Claus Rick & his new Harley Davidson Christmas Sleigh!
This is one of many upcoming great community based events that will be taking place for the national 2012 Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families Christmas Drive! United we will continue to stand as a great country but if we are divided we will fall… ONE TEAM ONE FIGHT! Join us in helping America’s 1# Cause today! Our Nation’s military and their families.
Santa heads out convoy to launch America’s #1 community based Christmas military Unit and families support effort! “Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX”
In it’s 9th year Santa’s Elves, Volunteers and Troops prepare for upcoming 2012 “Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families IX” in Northern California.
Santa Claus Rick giving Christmas presents to our Nation’s military’s children from our fellow Americans.
Former California Democratic Party State Chairman, State Senator Art Torres (Ret) and Former California Republic Party State Chairman Duf Sundheim pose for a picture in a “Macy’s & Gimbels” moment. To help launch at the California State Capitol “Operation Christmas For Our Troops & Their Families” annual Statewide and National Christmas Drive.
