In anticipation of a BRAC round coming in the next several years, officials in eastern North Carolina believe time is running out to coordinate community support on behalf of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Fleet Readiness Center East. One of their primary worries is progress on the Joint Strike Fighter F-35B …
As one of the top recipients of DOD expenditures and the home of 225,000 active duty military personnel, reservists, National Guard troops and civilian employees, Texas has a lot at stake as the Pentagon translates its new strategic guidance into the dollars and cents of a long-term spending plan. The state’s two giant Army posts, Forts Bliss and Hood, can be expected to remain vital installations as they offer ample space for training and a track record for rapid deployment of forces …
An agreement on defense spending, along with military doctrine, will be reached in 2012 only after the two parties engage in a spirited debate. Soon after the Pentagon rolled out its new strategy meant to guide the process for trimming 8 percent of the department’s budget over the next 10 years, Republicans and Democrats clashed over the prudence in scaling down the military’s force structure …
Two of the Army’s four Europe-based brigade combat teams will be withdrawn and replaced with rotating units, Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday. The change follows last week’s unveiling of a new defense strategy which emphasizes smaller, more agile ground forces, and increased reliance on air and sea assets. The guidance also indicated that the military’s footprint in Europe would “evolve” …
Fort Bragg, home of Army Special Operations Command and two new commands due to BRAC, likely will experience fewer budget cuts than other installations as the Defense Department identifies $487 billion in spending cuts over the coming decade. One national security analyst, however, believes Bragg could suffer the loss of a substantial mission if DOD is forced to absorb additional cuts of up to $500 billion …
The military’s shift to a smaller, but more flexible, force can be expected to affect Ft. Hood, the nation’s largest Army post, most likely by trimming its authorized end strength. And by reshaping the military away from a force designed to support sustained, large-scale wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon’s vision for the “Joint Force of 2020″ calls into question the future role of heavy armor units …
The new priorities for the military outlined last week by the Pentagon could herald a positive future for Dyess and Goodfellow Air Force bases, according to officials in central Texas. The guidance calls for a stronger focus on the Asia-Pacific, a strategy that Dyess’ B-1B bomber aircraft have the capability to support …
In the face of slashing hundreds of billions of dollars in spending over the coming decade, President Obama and Secretary Panetta pledged their commitment to programs that support troops, their families and veterans. “I have no higher responsibility than fighting to protect you and your families, just as you have fought and bled to protect our country …
Officials in Maryland, Florida and North Carolina are optimistic local installations may be spared the brunt of looming budget cuts, after the Pentagon last week outlined its vision for a smaller force and an increased emphasis on special operations, drone aircraft and cyberwarfare. “The bottom line is there is nothing in the new strategic look that, at least, as of now, significantly impacts Maryland in a negative way …