How much can the National Guard save the US defense budget?

How much can the National Guard save the US defense budget?

If the Guard and Reserve grew from 800,000 to 1,000,000 personnel, with corresponding cuts to the active-duty forces, annual savings might reach $30 billion or so. Neither of these ideas is going to allow precipitous cuts to the defense budget.

How much will the defense budget be cuts due to covid-19?

Some were already calling for cuts of as much as $200 billion in the annual defense budget before the COVID-19 crisis. As scholars like former John McCain aide Chris Brose have warned, the American armed forces already routinely “lose” to China in combat simulations set in the western Pacific.

Is the US Armed Forces prepared to win the Big War?

For U.S. armed forces to prevail in a long-term great-power competition, preparing to win the big war must take precedence over the constant activities that keep hundreds of thousands of uniformed personnel navigating, driving, flying, training, and exercising around the world each day.

Should the Department of Defense do more with less?

According to this logic, the defense budget is bloated, the federal deficit continues to climb, and the Department of Defense could, and should, do more with less. Although preparing for the next pandemic is crucial, there is no justification for trading off security abroad for safety at home when both are necessary.

Who would complain if the US cut military spending by 10\%?

Military equipment manufacturers would complain as would community leaders in the places where those manufacturers operate, but that’s about all. The US would need to make a 10\% cut like that every couple of years for a decade or more before it would really make a noticable difference in our military preparedness.

Why is it so difficult to cut the Pentagon’s budget?

Trying to cut the Defense budget is highly problematic because even when a weapons system is clearly not needed, even publicly characterized as unwanted by the Pentagon itself, cutting that system means job losses in numerous states and legislative districts.

How much did the US spend on defense in 2013?

The budget peaked at $850 billion in 2008. In 2013, the US spent $670 billion on defense. Adjusted for inflation (using 2013 dollars) it looks like this, $850 billion converted to 2013 dollars would be $917 billion. $917 billion cut to $670 billion is a 26.93\% cut in military spending.