Thank you for contacting me regarding the impending budget cuts to our Nations military. I appreciate having the opportunity to learn about your views on issues that affect Northwest Florida and our Nation. In February 2014, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel outlined the impending military cuts included in the Presidents budget proposal. I am thankful for Secretary Hagels service in the United States Army and to our Nation, but I am very disappointed in the Obama Administrations efforts to once again go after the Department of Defense. The cuts to reduce the active duty Army from todays 522,000 soldiers to between 440,000 and 450,000 would make for the smallest number since 1940 when the Nation was gearing up to enter World War II. The Army National Guard would drop from 355,000 soldiers to 335,000 by 2017, the Army Reserve would drop by 10,000, to 195,000, and the Marine Corps would shrink from 190,000 to 182,000. The Navy would keep its 11 aircraft carriers but temporarily remove from active service 11 of its 22 cruisers while they are modernized. The Navy would reduce from 52 to 32 its purchase of littoral combat ships, which are smaller vessels designed to operate closer to shore. The Air Force would retire its fleet of A-10 Warthog tank-killer planes for an estimated savings of $3.5 billion over five years. It also would retire the venerable U-2 spy plane, which debuted early in the Cold War as a stalwart of U.S. intelligence. These decisions are an attempt to create a more expeditionary and responsive force; however they will ultimately hurt our military readiness and the men and women who serve to defend our Nation. Secretary Hagel constructed the Administrations case on what he called a foundation of realism. He quoted one of his predecessors, then-Secretary of War Henry Stimson, as saying Americans must act in the world as it is, and not in the world as we wish it were. I believe we fundamentally disagree on what the world as it is really looks like. The world situation has changed very little for the better, and in many cases has actually become more volatile, as we have seen with Syria, Ukraine, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela. The United States cannot afford to have our end strength numbers drawn down to the numbers that are pre-World War II and still have a legitimate and credible National defense. Secretary Hagel and President Obama must remember that the enemy does get a vote. While I agree that there are inefficiencies in the defense budget and that government waste should be eliminated, our military readiness must be a high national priority. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I firmly believe that we must not attempt to balance our budget on the backs of the men and women who defend our country, and as a fiscal conservative, I am always looking for ways to reduce our spending, but to do so prudently. Rest assured, I will continue to work with my colleagues to move us together as Americans to reduce our deficit in deliberate, thoughtful ways, and advance solutions that do not imperil our national security or break the solemn promise our Nation has made to provide for the brave warriors of our Nations military. Again, thank you for contacting me. If you would like to receive more information on issues of importance, please visit my website and signup for my constituent newsletter at jeffmiller.house.gov. Sincerely, Jeff Miller Member of Congress
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:11:43 +0000
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