GAO: $70B budget not enough to grow the force

[unhappycamper]

GAO: $70B budget not enough to grow the force
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Feb 3, 2008 8:58:42 EST

The Army’s $70 billion funding plan for adding 74,000 soldiers to the active and reserve components is not comprehensive and may be sharply understated, according to the Government Accountability Office.

GAO auditors, in a report released Jan. 23, said budget projections for the service’s “Grow the Force” initiative do not include health care and dependent education costs, which likely will exceed $2.5 billion.

Analysts also concluded that Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey’s goal to accelerate Army growth to meet final target end strength in 2010 instead of 2013 will generate additional personnel costs not included in the $70 billion funding estimate announced last year.

“The Army will have to budget for the hiring of military and civilian ( employees ) sooner than programmed, and may have to increase recruiting and retention incentives to meet end-strength goals,” GAO officials said in the report prepared for the military oversight committees of Congress.

The force expansion was launched in January 2007 with the intent of permanently adding 65,000 soldiers to the active component, 8,201 to the National Guard and 1,010 to the Army Reserve by September 2013.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/army_grow_080204w/



uhc comment: $696,000,000,000 for 'defense' spending in 2008/2009. The Army wants another (let me repeat that - another) $70,000,000,000 to grow the force. Unfortunately, the $70,000,000,000 does not include stuff like health care, civilians, housing, etc. etc. Enough, already.