Inside the Pentagon highlights

Here are a few must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Pentagon:

1. A business consulting firm is about halfway through an assessment of the Defense Department's laboratories, a DOD official told Inside Defense Tuesday.

Full story: Consulting firm assessing Pentagon's laboratories as part of BBP initiative

2. The Pentagon is requesting $6.7 billion for cyber operations in fiscal year 2017 -- nearly $900 million more than the amount Congress enacted last year, according to the department's budget overview released Tuesday.

Full story: Pentagon seeks $900M boost for cyber operations in FY-17

3. Following years of constrained budgets and heavy operational demands, the services have a long road back to full-spectrum readiness, according to the director of force structure, resources and assessment for the Joint Staff.

Full story: DOD official: Full readiness not expected until 'early portion of the next decade'