Now that the sequester is in place, the reality of trimming $46 billion from the Pentagon budget over the next seven months is starting to come into focus. Yet, for all the warning of a weakened Armed Forces and issues with readiness during the debate, a growing number of analysts is suggesting that the impact the sequester has on the Department of Defense may not be as significant as originally thought, The Boston Globe reports.
Necessary trimming
Perhaps the biggest argument in favor of cuts to defense spending is the fact that the military is winding down operations in Afghanistan. The spending cuts would bring the Pentagon back to its 2007-level budget, and at the time the United States was still involved in two wars. Additionally, experts pointed to the fact that the DOD budget will still be more than the nine next biggest defense budgets combined. At a time when the military is placing an emphasis on being more streamlined, any reduction in spending could be a good thing, experts say.
"It is not a question of readiness. It is a question of readiness to do what?" John Pike, director of a Virginia-based research group, told the Globe. "The defense budget is twice what it was before Sept. 11 and we have half as many enemies. A lot of this is theater. Let them sequester and they will see that nothing happens."
Changes lay ahead
While the sequester will likely not have an impact on military readiness, that's not to say there won't be some slight changes to how the DOD operates. For instance, the USS Harry Truman, an aircraft carrier, was expected to be deployed to the Persian Gulf, but that has been delayed for the time being. Additionally, there could be cuts to the number of funerals each day at Arlington National Cemetery along with the elimination of flyovers during special events.
Families could be impacted the most
It's unclear exactly what will need to be cut from services that benefit the loved ones of servicemembers, but schools on military bases are likely to feel the pinch. According to The Associated Press, the biggest reason for the issues is tied to cuts from a program known as Impact Aid, which benefits school on federally owned land. The cuts could lead to increased class sizes and the elimination of extracurricular programs.