“Budget” and “Cuts”

When these two words are paired to together, they are the world’s most hated duo or phrase. Many hate the idea of having to pull the belt in and having to count dimes and nickels. However, when one’s spending habits are ill-managed, then keeping a check on finances is a necessary practice to run life in an effective and efficient manner.

The Department of Defense recently proposed to cut the army down to sizes to sizes that compare to the amount of soldiers in World War II. Currently, there are 570,000 soldiers in the United States Army. With this proposal, it says that 130,000 troops will be cut to make the size of the army a diminished 440,000 force.

Reasons that provoked these cuts? The root of all evil: money.

In the Department of Defense’s, er, “defense,” war today is far different than the way it was fought 70 years ago. In World War II, waves of troops were sent in to try and break the enemy’s defenses. That war was fought on the premise where the more soldiers you had was beneficial, because you had what seemed to be a countless supply of meat shields.

However, today’s wars are fought across oceans and inside an office. Some official is using an Xbox controller to control a predator drone that is launching a missile into a cave. War isn’t fought on the ground anymore. It makes sense to cut what isn’t necessary to win wars, and I commend them in proposing this idea.

This being said, it is practically impossible.

In an already declining economy and job market, where are these 120,000 soldiers going to work? How will they put food on their families table? Where will their health and other various benefits go? Is it right to punish the ones whom serve our country and put their lives on the line so we can live the lives that we do?

President Obama’s big claim to fame is lowering the unemployment rate, which granted, he has done. What will 120,000 unemployed Americans going to do to this rate? The answer is easy; it will sky rocket.

Active Army officer Captain Robert Gold reflected on the proposal.

“Many of my enlisted guys came to the Army simply because there weren’t any jobs out there. What are we going to do? Make them go through rigorous training for months and then tell them to go home? It’s ridiculous,” he said.

Also, with the Department of Defense not paying these salaries or benefits anymore, where will the extra money go to? Will it go to important things like infrastructure and paying of the national debt? Or will it just further line the silk pockets of the members of Congress?

These are all great preliminary questions that must be answered with complete fullness. Details of this proposal have not been laid out yet and irrational conclusions should not be made based on emotion. When all the details come out, then opinions will be formed.