The White House has requested $58.6 billion for the war in Afghanistan and other overseas contingency operations for fiscal 2015, about $20 billion less than originally estimated and $25 billion less than what was allotted for the current year.
The smaller amount reflects the Obama administration’s plan to withdrawal forces from Afghanistan by the end of the year. The amount will pay for remaining operations in Afghanistan as well as force protection, supporting Afghan forces, counterterrorism, and the return of equipment form the theater, the White House said.
The money will also be spent to repair or replace damaged equipment and replenish munitions, and to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the White House said.
The administration’s DoD request was part of a $65.8 billion request that also includes State Department operations and other international programs. One billion dollars was requested to beef up security in Europe and with NATO allies, including through joint exercises and enhancing the prepositioning of U.S. equipment in Europe, the White House said.
The White House is seeking $5 billion for President Barack Obama’s new Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund announced recently during a speech at West Point. That would fund in part the deployment of forces to other countries to help train foreign military for counterterrorism, the White House said.
“Secretary Hagel fully supports the president’s overseas contingency operations (OCO) request for Fiscal Year 2015, which includes $58.6 billion for the Department of Defense and provides the department with the resources it needs to protect the broad range of U.S. national security interests,” Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement.
“This is nearly $21 billion less than last year’s OCO request, representing a 26 percent reduction in OCO funding as our nation concludes 13 years of war and our mission in Afghanistan transitions to a training, advisory, and assistance role post-2014,” Kirby said.