Posted on Mar 16, 2016
Army, Air Force leaders call for more troops, training, modernization
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It will take years — and billions of dollars — to restore readiness levels to what they were before half a decade of budget cuts, the leaders of the Army and Air Force told a congressional committee Wednesday.
Short-term, temporary funding increases will not provide a quick fix , they said.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, the service chiefs and secretaries said they do not know how much money it will take to reverse the effects of the drawdown, restore readiness levels and modernize equipment to combat emerging threats.
"As far as what this budget request is, it is minimal," said acting Army Secretary Patrick Murphy, addressing the Army's fiscal 2017 request for $125.1 billion. "We are taking high risk as an Army and as a nation ... at this level."
Murphy noted that the Army had 45 brigade combat teams five years ago. They have been reduced to 31 at a time when operations tempo is high for soldiers carrying out missions in the Middle East and deterring a resurgent Russia.
One way to mitigate the risk, if incrementally, would be to increase the size of units in the National Guard, double the training they receive, and modernize it, Murphy said.
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told the committee the Air Force has 79 fewer fighter squadrons than it had during Operation Desert Storm.
To sustain the forces, the drawdown must slow and equipment must be modernized, the Army and Air Force chiefs agreed. The Army’s targeted end-strength levels remain at 450,000 in the Regular Army, 335,000 in the Army Guard, and 195,000 in the Reserve. .
“Just because you give us money, does not mean we will be at 90 percent [readiness] the next day,” Murphy said.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, responding to Rep. Robert O’Rourke, D-Texas, took issue with the idea that more boots on the ground is the solution.
“My whole issue [with] readiness is, readiness for what?” Milley said. “You can take the [Army] to the bank right now as ready to fight ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra ... but that’s not what we’re talking about when we’re talking risk. We’re talking about great power war.”
Milley named China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as the larger threats. The U.S. would prevail, for example, in a conflict with Russia, Milley said. It would be "catastrophic for a whole lot people, but we would prevail."
The Air Force's $120.4 billion budget request calls for boosting the size of the force, from 311,600 airmen now to 321,000 or even 323,340 service members, by the end of fiscal 2017.
But beyond numbers, modernization is a key concern. In the 25 years since since Desert Storm, airpower has been used non-stop to support the joint services, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh.
The ability to deter adversaries comes at a price, said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, and aircraft fleets are deteriorating.
“Half of our combat air forces are not sufficiently ready for the kind of fight General Milley just described,” James said. “Money is helpful, but freeing up the time to do this training is equally important. History teaches me that [without it] you lose more lives and it’s a prolonged conflict.”MAJ Ken Landgren SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Obom Bowen CPT (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. SSG Warren Swan PO2 Ed C. SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt (Join to see) CPT L SSP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM Mikel Dawson CSM Charles Hayden SGT Benjamin Lindsey SPC Andrew Griffin d SN Greg Wright TSgt Hunter Logan
Short-term, temporary funding increases will not provide a quick fix , they said.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, the service chiefs and secretaries said they do not know how much money it will take to reverse the effects of the drawdown, restore readiness levels and modernize equipment to combat emerging threats.
"As far as what this budget request is, it is minimal," said acting Army Secretary Patrick Murphy, addressing the Army's fiscal 2017 request for $125.1 billion. "We are taking high risk as an Army and as a nation ... at this level."
Murphy noted that the Army had 45 brigade combat teams five years ago. They have been reduced to 31 at a time when operations tempo is high for soldiers carrying out missions in the Middle East and deterring a resurgent Russia.
One way to mitigate the risk, if incrementally, would be to increase the size of units in the National Guard, double the training they receive, and modernize it, Murphy said.
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told the committee the Air Force has 79 fewer fighter squadrons than it had during Operation Desert Storm.
To sustain the forces, the drawdown must slow and equipment must be modernized, the Army and Air Force chiefs agreed. The Army’s targeted end-strength levels remain at 450,000 in the Regular Army, 335,000 in the Army Guard, and 195,000 in the Reserve. .
“Just because you give us money, does not mean we will be at 90 percent [readiness] the next day,” Murphy said.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, responding to Rep. Robert O’Rourke, D-Texas, took issue with the idea that more boots on the ground is the solution.
“My whole issue [with] readiness is, readiness for what?” Milley said. “You can take the [Army] to the bank right now as ready to fight ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra ... but that’s not what we’re talking about when we’re talking risk. We’re talking about great power war.”
Milley named China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as the larger threats. The U.S. would prevail, for example, in a conflict with Russia, Milley said. It would be "catastrophic for a whole lot people, but we would prevail."
The Air Force's $120.4 billion budget request calls for boosting the size of the force, from 311,600 airmen now to 321,000 or even 323,340 service members, by the end of fiscal 2017.
But beyond numbers, modernization is a key concern. In the 25 years since since Desert Storm, airpower has been used non-stop to support the joint services, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh.
The ability to deter adversaries comes at a price, said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, and aircraft fleets are deteriorating.
“Half of our combat air forces are not sufficiently ready for the kind of fight General Milley just described,” James said. “Money is helpful, but freeing up the time to do this training is equally important. History teaches me that [without it] you lose more lives and it’s a prolonged conflict.”MAJ Ken Landgren SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Obom Bowen CPT (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. SSG Warren Swan PO2 Ed C. SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt (Join to see) CPT L SSP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM Mikel Dawson CSM Charles Hayden SGT Benjamin Lindsey SPC Andrew Griffin d SN Greg Wright TSgt Hunter Logan
Army, Air Force leaders call for more troops, training, modernization
Posted from armytimes.com
Training
Air Force
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 8
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It's amazing we have a military at all when you consider the pocket change we spend on the military compared to our major adversaries.oh, wait. This chart shows top 5 countries for military spending for 2016.
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SFC Marcus Belt
Spending notwithstanding, sir, are you asserting that we are more ready than we were before the spending cuts?
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
This chart needs to be taken in context. It is based on dollars. These other countries (except UK) conscript where everyone serves and don't pay their soldiers so their $'s are lower. They also don't pay retirement or medical after the service. Their spending based on modernization and feeding and supplying those in uniform.
If you looked at spending based on GDP -FY 2014 numbers (we are at 3.5%), China 2.1% and increasing, Saudi Arabia 10.8% and increasing, UK 2.0 and declining, Russia is 4.5 % and increasing. As you can see, others are increasing their spending per GDP. Per their GDP they are out spending us dollar for dollar in modernization and we are stagnant or decreasing at an alarming rate while our equipment is aging, technology is decades behind, and personnel numbers are shrinking. Not a way to run a defense. At least maintain.
If you looked at spending based on GDP -FY 2014 numbers (we are at 3.5%), China 2.1% and increasing, Saudi Arabia 10.8% and increasing, UK 2.0 and declining, Russia is 4.5 % and increasing. As you can see, others are increasing their spending per GDP. Per their GDP they are out spending us dollar for dollar in modernization and we are stagnant or decreasing at an alarming rate while our equipment is aging, technology is decades behind, and personnel numbers are shrinking. Not a way to run a defense. At least maintain.
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If we don't start rebuilding our military very soon the national decline will be irreversible.
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I don't know how they are going to do this...declining budgets, changing retirement systems, VA woes...young people aren't stupid. They see the writing on the walls and will start declining to enlist because of the erosion of benefits and use of old outdated equipment risking their safety.
I hope I am wrong but even if they opened up for more, I don't think our young people will respond as they have in the past.
I hope I am wrong but even if they opened up for more, I don't think our young people will respond as they have in the past.
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MSgt John McGowan
Young people are not the same as they were a few years ago. Now it's smartphones and stuff like x-boxs. They don't have the drive and desire to do as you and I did and the generation that we grew up in. It's a sad state of affairs and everyone thinks going to college is going to cure all our problems. I would consider the tech route for there will be a big demand for tech types.
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