Working Vacation

Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- vacationing this week on Whidbey Island, WA -- made time to sign a memo codifying the efficiency targets he outlined on Aug. 9 that aim to reduce excess and duplication across the Defense Department.

On Aug. 16, he signed a three-page memo to Defense Department leaders codifying the 20 initiatives he outlined last week -- which include closing U.S. Joint Forces Command and thinning the ranks of high-level officers and civilians. Gates' memo also formally establishes a temporary task force headed by Robert Rangel, a special assistant to the defense secretary, to ensure "proper implementation of these critical initiatives."

Gates directs the task force to complete its work in 120 days -- in other words, by Dec. 14, which is less than two weeks before the Pentagon is scheduled to finalize its fiscal year 2012 budget proposal and its FY-12 to FY-15 investment plan.