Posted: February 1, 2017 1:40 PM
Mattis Announces Three-Phase Plan to Strengthen Armed Forces
By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor
ARLINGTON, Va. — Improving readiness, addressing pressing shortfalls and building a more capable force are the near- and long-term objectives of the new defense secretary.
In a Jan. 31 memorandum to senior defense leaders and commanders released Feb. 1, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis outlined a three-phase approach to improving the defense posture of the United States, beginning with an amendment to the 2017 budget.
“To address immediate and serious readiness challenges, we will prepare a [fiscal year] 2017 budget amendment request,” Mattis said in the memorandum. “The amendment will address urgent warfighting readiness shortfalls across the joint force, and new requirements driven by acceleration of the campaign against ISIS [the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]. The amendment may increase force structure in critical areas where doing so would have an immediate readiness impact.”
The amendment would be an increase over the topline of the 2017 budget request, and would be delivered to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) no later than March. 1.
http://seapowermagazine.org/stories/20170201-mattis.html
