Much more needs to be done and almost everyone who closely observes military matters knows it. The next time the President boasts about the balanced budget, remember that the decline in military spending since the end of the Cold War has had a lot to do with making it possible. Also beware of the smoke and mirrors in defense budget discussions. The Administration will boast of spending increases that either don t exist or are designated for the far out years, well beyond their term in office. The real measure of their seriousness will be to examine what they are proposing in the immediate year ahead and how much of that is real and not a gimmicky shifting of the numbers.
Serious problems continue to plague all branches of the military.
These include shortages of resources, training, equipment, and spare parts, coupled with increased deployments and a sharply increased emphasis on social experimentation in military. These trends have hurt morale and undermined recruitment and retention. Here again, presidential leadership is vital in setting a tone, articulating a mission and setting an example. Our military personnel are always prepared to sacrifice in the pursuit of worthwhile national goals. But they cannot be prepared to be sacrificed in the pursuit of arbitrary and debilitating political agendas.