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US Defense Department

Defense Department Must End Business as Usual, Gates Says
US Military Related

Defense spending and program priorities cannot be divorced from the very real threats of today and the growing ones of tomorrow, the defense secretary told hundreds of members of the Economics Club of Chicago here today.

Source: American Forces Press Service News Feed

Department Defense US

In this case, Mr. Gates is absolutely right. The Defense Department cannot continue to do business as usual. That has been obvious since the 1970s, if not before. Bloated budgets, wasteful programs, porkbarrel spending. All carefully crafted by an entrenched Defense Department bureaucracy. It sure isn't the common military folk who have created this problem. It is the administrations through the years that have allowed the bureaucracy to rule things.

I can't wait to see how Mr. Gates actually changes things.

US Defense Department History & Civil Business Politics

Chairman Discusses Department's Financial Woes
US Military News

The Defense Department's financial problems will affect deployed troops, though not directly, by having an impact on operating budgets for bases where their families live, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
Source: American Forces Press Service News Feed

Department Defense US

US Defense Department to furlough 650,000 civilian workers:

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Tuesday announced plans to impose 11 days of unpaid leave for most of the Pentagon's 800,000 civilian employees beginning in July. Ref. Source 5

Department Defense US

I am at a lost to as to why there are over 800,000 civilian employees working for the pentagon? I would think that if a nation wanted security in its defense they would employ more military personnel and less civilians. But I guess that is just my opinion.

US Defense Department

Thinking we only need a military to defend our nation is not coming to terms with how modern warfare is conducted. Enemies attack us through spies, computer hacking, subversion, entering as students and then blowing things up, etc. All those things don't need GIs with a gun, they need experts in the field of detection which most times comes from civilians doing their job.

US Defense Department

Yes I can understand that but a lot of that can be civilians working for a local government or agency where they live and can better see something that is odd. I still do not see why so many civilians working for the DoD. Seems like there can be a lot of money saved in our defense budget if you were not spending so much on salaries. Just a thought.

US Defense Department Politics Business Civil & History

Well I can say two things on that. The first is this is government, yes its the US Defense Dept., but its still politics so someone has to get a job. Next for every field team they need two secretaries, a storage guy a janitor, etc. Its not as simple as just having a few guys doing the work, there is lots of paper work to be done too. Last thing you need a central way of coordinating information. If you leave it up to local state agencies then there will be no standards.