U.S. military chiefs say spending cuts erode preparedness for war

[unhappycamper]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-defense-cuts-20131107,0,502541.story

U.S. military chiefs say spending cuts erode preparedness for war
David Alexander Reuters
4:14 p.m. CST, November 7, 2013

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. military officers said on Thursday that across-the-board cuts in defense spending have seriously eroded American forces' preparedness for war, and another round of reductions in the coming months will wreak even more havoc.

To quickly achieve the abrupt cuts that went into force in March, U.S. military chiefs slashed big-unit training for soldiers, curbed flying time for pilots and canceled regularly scheduled maintenance for ships. A similar round of reductions in January would lead to more of the same.

"This is the lowest readiness level I've seen within our army since I've been serving for the last 37 years," General Ray Odierno, the Army chief of staff, told a Senate hearing. "I believe our challenge is much greater today than it has been since I've been in the Army."

Odierno has said only two of the Army's brigade combat teams in the United States have received the full training they would need to go to war. Even those in Afghanistan have undergone training just to advise and assist local forces, rather than training for combined forces combat they might face elsewhere, he said.

[pangaia]

1. Hey General Ray,

make due with what you got. I do.

Asshole...

[truebluegreen]

2. +100

[newfie11]

3. Oh watch out

There will be somewhere we have to go to war with. Can have military budget cut ya know.

[bemildred]

4. Good. In fact excellent. nt

[msongs]

5. ok then, cut senior officer retirement/benefits and give that to their never ending war expenses nt