By Jen DiMascio
The Army needs resources to recover from war losses, make up for historic budget shortfalls and invest in its future, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Association of the United States Army yesterday.
“How those resources are used and where those investments are made today will shape the army for decades to come. We do not get the dollars or the opportunity to reset very often, so it’s vital we get it right. This will call on accountable and visionary leadership across the service and up and down the chain of command,” Gates said during a luncheon address at the association’s annual convention. Those resources are needed in part because the service has received smaller shares of the budget over time.
“America’s ground forces have borne the brunt of underfunding in the past, and the bulk of the cost both human and materiel of the wars of the present. By one count, investment in Army equipment and other essentials was underfunded by more than $50 billion before we invaded Iraq,” he said.
The Army has been pressing for an increase to its overall budget since last year, when the service held back its budget plan for the year to lobby for at least a $25 billion budget boost (Defense Daily, Oct. 9, 2006).
This year, the service is working closely with Gates, especially on readiness issues that might require an internal budget shift or additional dollars, Army Secretary Pete Geren told reporters Oct. 8. He did not provide details on how much money would be involved.
In his speech yesterday, Gates said that relief is coming to the Army, which while not broken is “out-of-balance” because of the war in Iraq.
“While U.S. forces will play a role in Iraq for some time to come, a reduction in the size of our commitment there is inevitable. Most of the serious discussion today is over how and when,” Gates said.
He reiterated a point made earlier in the week, that he will support a faster expansion of the Army by about 65,000 soldiers.
Army officials this week have expressed concern about the lack of full-spectrum training for soldiers because of demands from the war.
According to Gates, one of the top challenges facing the Army in the years ahead will be regaining its edge at fighting conventional wars while not losing the expertise it has gained in fighting low-intensity battles.