Defense budget cuts.

• Author: Sayers, Doug
• Position: Readers' Forum - Letter to the editor

* Just finished reading your column "Industry Recalibrating Strategies for a Declining Defense Market" (May 2012, p. 8), on the Pentagon budget cuts. One element that is missing in most budget discussions and analyses is that current cuts are corning on top of many years of painful cuts, particularly for commands ashore. As a longtime staff member, I have seen mandated 15 percent or more cuts each year for at least a decade.

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Over the years at various commands I have seen manpower and budget cuts that have left departments unable to meet their mandated missions. It is only through smoke, mirrors, duct tape and wild creativity that the lights remain on.

To exacerbate the dire budget situation...