Hitting your numbers →
The Navy and the Air Force hit their recruiting numbers exactly in FY14 through Feb. Both services did the same in FY13.
Incentives for Air Force Missile Officers →
Nine Air Force officers lost their commands because they failed to understand incentives and unintended consequences.
Bipartisan Budget Plan Erodes Military Pension →
The recently announced Bipartisan Budget Plan will cut military pensions by reducing annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) by 1 percentage point. Presently, military pensions are adjusted for inflation so that servicemembers maintain purchasing power throughout their retirement. The new proposal will allow inflation to slowly reduce the value of a military retirement.
For example, an E-7 who retires at 20 years of service receives $2,148.40 in retired pay. Under the Bipartisan Budget Plan, by the time this member reaches the age of 62, the effective retirement pay will be $1,761.65 -- $386.75 less per month. Over the course of 20 years, the retired servicemember will lose close to $50,000 in retired pay.
Furthermore, these cuts will affect all servicemembers -- those who are retired and those who are currently serving. This is a significant change to the military retirement system. As the Department of Defense reconfigures to save money, it is important to clearly recognize where the savings are coming from.
Trend Analysis from Todd Harrison of CSBA
Last week, Todd Harrison presented a detailed trend analysis of defense spending. Using this trend analysis, he shows that the BCA caps may be a ceiling on defense spending rather than a floor.
You can watch the full presentation here.
Army has two brigades ready to fight →
The Army's FY2014 Base Budget Request is $129.7 billion. Yet, Army Chief of Staff, General Ray Odierno, says that only two brigades are ready to fight.
Where does the money go?