ARLINGTON, Va.---The president of the Association of the United States Army said, "We don't need two years of study'' to review the Defense Department's readiness needs.
Speaking to 200 defense and industry leaders, Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, ret., and AUSA president, warned that "There is no time out for readiness.'' He said that, "I am increasingly concerned over tradeoffs that appear to be taking place'' in framing the defense budget.
Last week, President Bush told congressional Republicans meeting in Williamsburg, Va., not to expect large increases in defense spending until the administration completed its own review of needs and strategy. The administration plans to use its predecessor's figures of $310 billion to $320 billion for defense in the Fiscal Year 2002 budget.
"There is no such thing as skipping a generation of readiness. Readiness is not modernization. It is more prosaic -- nuts and bolts needed to keep aircraft flying and ships sailing,'' Sullivan said.
As for modernization, Sullivan said that both regional warfighting commanders and Joint Chiefs of Staff testified to needing between $40 billion and $60 billion to catch up. He said AUSA was committed to closing the gap between military and civilian pay by 2006.
Additionally, he said AUSA was working to:
**Resource Army Transformation by at least $10 billion.
**Increase the Defense top line.
**Fund the maintenance of facilities and repair parts budgets to ensure readiness does not take a holiday.
**Fully fund the Defense Health Program from outside of service budgets. That will cost an estimated $400 million.
**Fund quality of life initiatives and programs to bring military barracks and family housing up to civilian community standards.
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AUSA Warns Against "Skipping a Generation of Readiness"
