National security think tank the Stimson Center presented a 27-point budget plan for the Department of Defense this week, Military Times reports. The guideline will help the DoD stay within its financial limits set by the 2011 Budget Control Act, cutting roughly $50 billion from the annual defense budget through a new defense strategy called "Strategic Agility."
The report recommends saving $22.4 billion in management reforms by eliminating excess civilian and military personnel at federal defense agencies, limiting centralized training, cutting funding for inessential commissaries and exchanges, and further reforms to veterans benefits.
Changes in force structure, including cuts to active-duty troops, will result in a savings of $24.1 billion, according to the report. An additional $5.7 billion can also be shaved off from modernization costs, such as slowing the purchases of ballistic submarines and F-35s and halting CONUS missile defenses. However, the report states that the long-range strike bomber program can remain untouched.
According to the report, this new budget plan builds on several legacies of the U.S. military, including its superiority in air and naval power and the strength of its special operations and ground forces.
"We hope that consensus can show there is a way to move forward," the report states.
Several uniformed chiefs from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force testified before the House Armed Services Committee last week, identifying the key military programs that might falter due to a government shutdown, NJ.com reports.
The military faces either a $52 billion spending reduction beginning Oct. 1 – the start of the 2014 fiscal year – or a "continuing budget resolution" bill that will freeze the spending budget at the 2013 amount. The news source reports that both scenarios would have detrimental effects on the U.S. uniformed forces.
According to the news outlet, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno warned the House committee that more than 100 of the branch's acquisitions programs, including the ground combat vehicle program and the Army's Aerial Scout program, will be impacted.
Odierno called the results of the impending budget cuts "extensive modernization program shortfalls," a sentiment echoed by Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos.
"If we are to succeed on future battlefields we must modernize and we must care for our infrastructure and training facilities," Amos said. "Soon there will be little left within these accounts to offset our readiness requirements."
Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, added that not only will the Navy lose more than 10 aircraft carriers, but it will also only complete the renovations of facilities that are "safety-essential," the news source reports.
All uniformed chiefs predicted a decrease in membership of their active-duty forces.
As the U.S. government inches closer to a potential shutdown, military personnel might be locked in to work without pay, according to U.S. Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, R-Fla., chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee.
Although the Department of Defense remains functional during government shutdowns, Young told Military Times that servicemembers should expect to work without pay until appropriations funding becomes available. While pay will be accrued during that time, Young warns that the morale of the servicemembers will inevitably suffer.
"The impact of a shutdown on the department and the military and civilian families – many of whom live paycheck to paycheck – is simply catastrophic," Young said.
Military personnel are also exempt from government furloughs. However, the laying off of civilian defense workers combined with lack of funding to the defense department will potentially result in delayed military operations, ranging from medical treatment and payments to medical providers to travel and permanent moves, the news source reports.
Congress currently has until Oct. 1 to iron out its spending budget and avoid a government shutdown. The House passed a bill last week that would fund the government through Dec. 15. However, the hotly contested bill also eradicates the Affordable Care Act, entirely stripping its funding. The bill will be taken up by the Senate this week.
The on-going sequester continues to pose a major threat to servicemembers and military families as Congress currently battles over an increasing debt ceiling and hefty spending cuts, which include a $52 billion defense reduction for the 2014 fiscal year. One of the most pressing issues facing the military community is the potential furlough of civilian defense department workers and the adverse effects it may have on servicemembers, according to Government Executive.
In 2013 the Department of Defense furloughed more than 650,000 employees, according to the news source. While Congress is currently fighting to fund the government through the end of the year, the divisive debate might result in more government furloughs in 2014.
Servicemembers are exempt from government furloughs, but many of their programs and facilities reportedly suffer from the laying off of civilian workers. The news outlet reports that a recent survey conducted by First Command Financial Services Inc. found that 72 percent of middle-class military families with an annual household income of $50,000 were affected by recent furloughs, ranging from reduced hours at the commissary to limited access to medical treatment.
"It's worth noting that a significant subset of active-duty households include a federal employee," CEO Scott Spiker told Government Executive. "These families were hit twice by the furloughs – through a reduction in various services to the military communities as well as smaller paychecks for federal workers."
According to the survey, which also collected data from civilian households, only 32 percent of non-military middle-class families felt negative effects from the recent government furloughs.
The use of drones has been one of the most controversial facets of President Barack Obama's foreign policy, but the unmanned aircrafts are playing a vital role in the fight against forest fires. Predator drones are being used in California in an effort to spot new flames popping up around Yosemite National Park, The Associated Press reported.
Firefighters and National Guardsmen have been working around-the-clock to contain the Rim Fire, and officials say they are confident they are close to containing the flames. Still, it grew by several hundred acres between Thursday and Friday. By having the drones at their disposal, crews can pinpoint what areas to target and stave off the fire before it advances.
"The drone is providing data directly back to the incident commander, allowing him to make quick decisions about which resources to deploy and where," California fire spokesman Daniel Berlant told the AP.
In just under a week, the fire has grown considerably. Last weekend it encompassed about 144,000 acres, but by mid-week it had swelled to 192,500, according to NBC News.
With revelations that the Syrian government may have used chemical weapons on rebels in the country's ongoing civil war, there has been a heated debate in the U.S. as to what the appropriate response from the international community should be. President Barack Obama has long said that chemical weapons would be the so-called "red line," to signal the country's involvement, but now that the line has been crossed, the picture has become less clear.
Variety of options on the table
Obama has not made a decision yet, but analysts say it's very unlikely that there would be American troops sent into Syria to intervene, Military Times reported. There are currently about 200 soldiers stationed in Jordan and 400 soldiers in Turkey to make sure the violence does not spread over the borders. Instead, the most likely option seems to be a remote air strike on the Syrian government as a punishment for using chemical weapons rather than as an effort to change the tide of the bloody conflict. Many experts anticipate the firing of Tomahawk missiles at strategic Syrian targets. However, that's only one part of the response because the U.S. may also partner with Jordan in a humanitarian effort.
"In many ways, the Jordanians have been inundated with refugees coming from Syria," Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard told reporters. "The Jordanians have set up a number of refugee camps, and some of those camps are overflowing. That can cause some instability, so we're there to help and coordinate as much as we possibly can."
International community debates
As the discussion wears on in the U.S., other countries are also mulling a potential response to Syria's actions, and the debate has been particularly heated in the U.K. The British Joint Intelligence Organisation has concluded that it is highly likely the Syrian government is behind last week's chemical attack, and the use of force against Syria would be justifiable on humanitarian grounds, CNN reported.
France is also among the countries to publicly denounce the attacks. Earlier this week, the French military announced that it was ready to send troops into Syria should the country's president Francois Hollande order them to do so, according to The Associated Press. However, he has not made any announcements yet.
Army Staff Sgt. Ty Carter was officially presented with the Medal of Honor on Monday for his heroics during the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan, and while his actions earned him praise from the military community, he hopes he can help shine the spotlight on post-traumatic stress disorder. In the nearly four years since the battle, which killed eight American troops, he has been a vocal spokesman for removing the stigma associated with seeking treatment, something that's likely to continue now that he has received the Army's highest honor, Stars and Stripes reports.
Feelings of guilt
Carter was recognized largely because he braved heavy enemy fire over and over again to help provide much needed supplies and ammunition to his fellow soldiers. He also risked his life to attempt to save the life of Spc. Stephan Mace, who was seriously wounded. Although he took Mace out of harms way, he eventually died on the operating table, and his death was something Carter had trouble coping with. In the years since then, he has had to overcome PTSD, and during the ceremony honoring Carter, President Barack Obama made sure to praise his efforts to bring the condition to the forefront.
"Look at this soldier," Obama told the crowd. "Look at this warrior. He's as tough as they come, and if he can find the courage and the strength to not only seek help but also to speak out about it, to take care of himself and to stay strong, then so can you."
Speaking out at the right time
By helping spur the conversation about PTSD, Carter has made a push at the right time. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 30 percent of vets from Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD symptoms, and as operations wind down in Afghanistan – with withdrawal still slated for 2014 – many of these veterans will be entering the civilian population.
The Department of Defense has made an effort to broaden the scope of its PTSD programs, most notably in the recently opened National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. There, servicemembers can take part in an intensive four-week program meant to treat both PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
The Oct. 3, 2009 Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating was one of the fiercest of the War in Afghanistan. Around 300 Taliban fighters assaulted American troops, which resulted in the deaths of eight servicemembers and left 22 wounded. The heroics of those stationed at COP Keating have resulted in two servicemembers being decorated with the Medal of Honor. One of the two men, Spc. Ty Carter, recently began receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Soldiers Live.
Carter was among the group of soldiers who suffered the most significant casualties during the battle. He was trapped in a Humvee with several other soldiers, three of whom were killed. It was there that Carter earned his Medal of Honor, braving enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers. Upon returning stateside, Carter couldn't sleep and began having nightmares, and that's when now-retired 1st Sgt. Jonathan Hill urged him to seek help.
"I stood in front of my platoon and I said, 'If you're not getting the help that you need, that you know you need, you're wrong," Hill told the news source. "I want everyone to take a moment of their time and go at least talk to one behavioral health specialist or the chaplain or somebody to make sure that you're ready to continue the fight.'"
Hill's actions fall in line with a growing effort to reduce the stigma often attached to PTSD. In fact, there are an estimated 100 programs operated by the Department of Defense with that in mind.
Army Sgts. John Russell and Brian Williams are used to tending to the wounded. The two soldiers spent time serving in Afghanistan and had to help their fellow servicemembers survive gunshots and injuries sustained from roadside bombs. Though it's been years since they were in the battlefield, they recently put their training to work in Washington, D.C., by leaping into action to treat a man injured when he was hit by a Metrobus, The Washington Post reported.
Russell and Williams were jogging when they heard the thud of the collision and wasted to time in helping out. Using t-shirts from bystanders, they stemmed the blood coming from the victim's broken leg and also tended to his head wound. They also worked to keep the man talking and conscious until the paramedics were able to arrive on scene. It wasn't difficult for the men to snap back into combat mode.
"At that point, it became only about getting the guy treated," Russell told the newspaper. "It was a stroke of luck."
The incident is still under review, but local first responders and D.C. Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe praised the actions of the two men, according to The Associated Press.
Mental health and traumatic brain injuries are two of the biggest issues facing the military health care community, and experts from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs recently came together to discuss the progress made on both fronts. The discussion, held at the Military Health System Research Symposium earlier this months, focused squarely on the National Research Action Plan, which was launched last year to improve access to mental health services for servicemembers and their families.
At the heart of the plan is a push to form a working relationship between the DOD and VA with the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education to consolidate information. Part of this process includes the upcoming report from the Centers for Disease Control that should further the understanding of TBI. Thanks to the initiative, medical professionals will likely be able to provide uniform treatment.
"The National Research Action Plan demonstrates a dedication across multiple agencies to close critical research and care gaps, both in the military and civilian sector," said Health Affairs Director of Medical Research Dr. Terry Rauch.
Developing new and innovative ways to address TBI has become especially important in recent years. An estimated 250,000 servicemembers sustained this injury between 2000 and 2012.