[Cowboy Bob]

Most dictators know that their first priority is to keep their armed forces happy - to avoid a coup. What the hell is Obama thinking???

[puppypusher]

The United States is dangerously putting our military eggs in too few baskets.Instead of consolidating these bases with this joint see crap they need separation.

One well coordinated attack could really put us behind the eight ball.

[NELSON111]

I'm a 25 year (26 in a few months) active duty member. I really do not have a problem with cutting the DoD Budget. I think many on here are knee-jerking at cutting the budget for the military...but I am not.

What I DO have a problem with is the way I believe they will cut it. There is a LOT of waste in the DoD...and if done correctly...given the threats out there...we should be able to absorb this...no problem.

The people who are really going to take it on the chin are the DoD contractors. We have truly become a military industrial complex. We spend billions a year on MILCON (military construction) that is "nice to have" stuff...but certainly not a necessity. That money is basically a wealth tranfer from the tax payer...to the DoD...to the contractor and then back to the taxpayer (worker). The DoD also spends a lot of $ on TDY's that are not necessary...and on training that isn't mission related. There are so many programs and additional duties that require this or that class (and a TDY for someone to teach the class...or a TDY for someone to GO to the class).

Cut these things and most military types wouldn't flinch. They would probably be glad. However, in true bureaucratic fashion I fear they will cut in the wrong areas and keep spending money on stuff that just takes up time and really doesn't offer any mission dividends.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

USAF just announced a civilian hiring freeze, which probably a good idea, if targeted.

They also announced that military (officers and airmen) who promote in March will pin on new rank, but WILL NOT BE PAID IN THE NEW GRADE for an undefined period of time.

[CodeToad]

It wasn’t but a few years ago that snipers were having trouble finding money for bullets while a multi-billion dollar satellite program continued to be billions over budget. Same thing today: Total budget craziness.

[onedoug]

And the so-called conservatives - the majority - in the House are going along with all this?

[backwoods-engineer]

I want to reduce the military's budget even more, along with every other budget (as though there are any). We need at least a 50% cut, baseline, across the board in the Federal government.

I'd even set the military's budget at $0 if they are going to be used to round up gun owners.

The Constitution is no longer operative, people; why would we pay for Obama's private Army? The states better get used to operating on their own.