HQ Budget Cuts

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will slash funding for his office, the Joint Staff and military headquarters by 20 percent in the fiscal year 2015 to 2019 budget process, the Defense Department announced Tuesday night in a statement. "Today Secretary Hagel announced a 20 percent reduction in funding for the office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff and the Military Service Headquarters," according to the statement. Noting the reductions are targeted for the FY-15 to FY-19 period, DOD stated "early estimates" indicate that the total savings could be in the range of $1.5 billion to $2 billion.

"Personnel reductions associated with these savings will be determined during the development of detailed execution plans," the statement adds. "Secretary Hagel's announcement is based on the work of the Strategic Choices and Management Review, which scrutinized the Department's spending priorities and determined that these headquarters reductions should be pursued now, regardless of future fiscal circumstances. These cuts will be implemented even if Congress lifts sequester-level budget caps."