Internal Growth Cost Is Danger to Military
Uncontrollable internal cost growth threatens to return America’s military to the “hollow force” of the late ’70s and early ’80s:
Jan. 4, 2016 4:12 p.m. ET
2 COMMENTS
John Lehman is absolutely correct in his New Year’s Eve warning about what bureaucratic bloat and the current procurement system will do, not only to disarming the Navy, but to the other services as well (“Disarming the Navy Through Bureaucratic Bloat,” op-ed, Dec. 31). And his kudos for the reforms pushed by Sen. John McCain and Rep. Mac Thornberry of the respective Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House are on target.
However, an even greater danger threatens to return America’s military into some version of the “hollow force” of the late 1970s and early 1980s: uncontrollable internal cost growth.
Yes, budget sequestration, overregulation and bureaucracy are damaging. But unless or until the uncontrollable internal cost growth within the Department of Defense is reversed for everything from personnel costs, retirement, health care, technology, weapons, logistics and the like, beginning in a year or so readiness, morale and fighting strength will be unmistakably in trouble.
That cost growth is in the neighborhood of 5%-7% a year, which at 7% doubles every 10 years. An example: When Mr. Lehman was flying in the A-6 Intruder, the cost of his helmet was negligible. Today, the helmets for F-35 pilots cost close to half a million dollars each and every pilot will be issued two.
The National Defense Authorization Act the president just signed is a good first step—but only a step. Unless far-reaching reforms and changes are made soon to control this cost growth monstrosity, some variant of a hollow force is inevitable. The only question is when.
Harlan Ullman
Washington
Mr. Ullman was in charge of Navy Extended Planning during part of John Lehman’s tour as secretary of the Navy.
http://www.wsj.com/article_email/internal-growth-cost-is-danger-to-military-1451941975-lMyQjAxMTI2NTA3NTEwMTUwWj
