Funding is the key concern for all the services, but any across the board federal budget sequestration would be “catastrophic” for the Army, the Army Secretary said yesterday on the first day of the Association of the United States Army annual conference in Washington.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh said the service is in a “positive position to accommodate $450 billion in defense cuts,” but as the supercommittee works to identify cuts, “the challenge is in any additional cuts coming out, particularly sequestration.”
The supercommittee is looking to find some $1.2 trillion in cuts, but if nothing is produced for up or down House and Senate votes in the December timeframe, sequestration would kick in, likely in 2013.
Army Chief of Staff Gen Raymond Odierno said no matter the size of the force the focus would continue to be having a balanced, trained and ready force of high quality. “We can’t ever back away from that priority.”
The strategic question then becomes “what can the Army do with a force of that size,” whatever size is determined.
The land force has to be ready for all contingencies as well as planned missions in the future, in part because the service is terrible at predicting the future, Odierno said.
Making the best use of taxpayer dollars is also part of the Army’s efforts to find efficiencies, reduce risk and give soldiers the best possible equipment. As part of the acquisition revamp, McHugh said, “I’d give us a B+ for a work in progress.”
Odierno agreed, saying “based on what I’ve seen so far, we’ve made some significant changes in our acquisition programs and I’m very confident in the direction we’re headed.”