Defense Secretary Mark Esper this week previewed his themes for the fiscal year 2021 budget request in a memorandum to the Pentagon's top leadership, writing that the new budget "supports irreversible implementation of the National Defense Strategy."
The guidance -- which directs Esper's top brass on themes they should include in their testimony to lawmakers -- focuses on modernization, strengthening partnerships with allies, reforms and supporting personnel.
Esper's Jan. 27 memo was sent to the service secretaries, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under secretaries of defense and the combatant commanders.