Inside the Pentagon highlights

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Pentagon:

1. Rep. Adam Smith (WA), the Democrat poised to lead the House Armed Services Committee, says he is ready to take on Republicans pushing for an increase in defense spending and wants to reorient the conversation toward a more fiscally restrained national security strategy.

Full story: Smith wants to pivot defense spending debate toward cost savings

2. The Pentagon, despite the abrupt departure last month of Chief Management Officer Jay Gibson, saved nearly $4.4 billion in fiscal year 2018 through various business reforms and remains on track to save $6 billion in FY-19, according to acting CMO Lisa Hershman.

Full story: Pentagon's reform team claims $4.4B in FY-18 'efficiencies'

3. U.S. Central Command, in response to a Pentagon directive earlier this year, has proposed a plan to "recalibrate" the U.S. military presence in the Middle East in accordance with the Trump administration's National Defense Strategy, a plan that will reduce force posture in the region in order to direct resources to high-priority areas around the world.

Full story: CENTCOM proposes plan to 'recalibrate' force posture, shift personnel to other regions

4. The Pentagon's highest ranking officer said last week it's "inexplicable" commercial technology companies wouldn't want to work with the U.S. military.

Full story: Dunford implores Google: 'We're the good guys'