How do you think the military budget can be reduced logically?

Question

BCA6010 · Accepted Answer

Oh that's easy. The military budget is extremely wasteful, in part because by design, anything that doesn't get used or spent doesn't roll over, so there's a perpetual fear that they won't get what they need when they need it if they don't use every penny on something, anything, to justify the dollar amount. Even on a much smaller scale for example at a rifle range, if we signed for say 60,000 rounds of ammo, we would be ordered to expend all of it rather than save it for the next cycle or let another unit have it. Dining facilities likewise are a huge black hole of funding and resources.

Congress also likes to ram dumb contractor stuff into the military budget for their own gains and image, too, usually to bring jobs to their district. A few years ago the Army had money that it's leaders wanted spent on buying more drones and counter-drone equipment, but congress instead diverted the money towards buying more tanks that nobody asked for. When I was at Fort Bliss, a majority of our tracked vehicles were waiting as long as 9 months for replacement parts because our funding was going towards crap we didn't need or ask for. That brigade probably had enough Night Vision mounts, sledge hammers, and other random nicknacks to outfit the entire division and then some, but getting things as simple as bolts for armor panels was like pulling teeth so we ended up cannibalizing a bunch of our vehicles just so we'd have a few fully functional, and we could barely get anyone to schools other than WLC and ~maybe~ air assault if we got lucky timing.

It would not be difficult to cut spending in a lot of areas while not even hurting force readiness. The real problem is that there's basically nobody in the body that controls the flow of money (house and Senate) who are interested in that outcome; they are either anti-military goons who want to cripple US capabilities for various reasons, or they're corrupt assholes who just blindly throw in more money either to benefit their districts or get kickbacks from contractors. Or even to just get votes from people who value a strong military without taking into account what exactly that money actually goes towards. Veterans in Congress are not an exception to this rule of thumb.

Shizunk · Accepted Answer

I am not familiar with the details, but in government projects, there is always a ton of bureaucracy to defeat and remove. And it gets worse over time if nobody does the regular spring cleaning.
If you mean the US, the main point is really the scope. Bases everywhere, lots of equipment and technology constantly in active use and needing maintenance. Tons of people in active service. Why there is still military presence in countries like Germany I have no idea. I doubt all of that stuff is to keep the army sharp and keep the chinese in their place. A lot of those bases should be possible to abandon completely, without losing all presence in key areas. Withdraw and give more responsibility to allies. There is no reason why it should be always the US alone to provide a counterbalance to china. Not just get other countries to spend more, I mean have them provide military presence in strategic points. Sadly, we can't stope having armies and we can't just give up on holding territory. But most countries do have limited armies stationed mostly at home. Just because they are the size of a continent doesn't mean the US has to stick its nose everywhere to keep the peace.

ludorock · Accepted Answer

Yes. Most of the money from the budget goes to contracts that are not negotiated. A company says "this much for this weapon" and the government pretty much just pays it. Every so often it fields multiple offers for something, but for companies it already contracts it really doesn't. Also we pay tons of money for things we don't need any more - and the way the budgeting works is that if a shop doesn't spend all the money they were budgeted that year, then their overall budget gets reduced in future years, so it is common practice to buy extraneous things at the end of the fiscal year to make sure you fill the budget so you don't get it cut. Sometimes those things are helpful, but sometimes they're just fanciful things that no one double checks.

The military is terrible at money management.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

For starters, I'd listen to Trump and start charging countries for our protection. Why the hell are we doing this for free?

And that idiot is wrong about space force. Space force isn't about defending against Klingons, it's about protecting ourselves against Russia and China. And for those who think that some type of space war is far fetched, just remember; a bat in china shit in someone's soup, and now the whole world is fucked.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

It will over the next 10 years.

there is a dynamic shift to uncrewed navy ships and also UAV’s

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/09/14/us-navy-boeing-conduct-first-ever-refueling-between-unmanned-tanker-f-35c/

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a37502910/navy-drone-ship-launched-a-missile-at-sea/

The US will be moving along similar lines to the Uk with its fighter type UAV’s.

For the RAF it will be Mosquitto and Tempest.

UAV ships, subs and Aerial Platforms allow for an overall reduction in manpower and reduction in costs for each type. You don’t need plumbing, food facilities, oxygen, etc it’s a huge cut from a platform and also lifetime support costs.

Massageman · Answer

The military budget actually needs to be increased logically. Its percentage of the federal budget has been shrinking each year due to the budget being hijacked for any number of (supposed) "entitlement" programs. And there is no stopping in sight. $3.5T to over $4T of new money that "won't cost a cent". Riiight. And I suppose we aren't paying "one dime more" for our medical care either? How's THAT working for ya'?

The federal government really has very few Constitutionally-required demands put upon itself. The overarching job of the Fed is to protect the sovereignty and safety of the country and its legal residents. Devising a monetary system and acting as inter-state "referee" would be included, but almost everything else has been added/weaseled/strong-armed/snuck/compromised/etc into the federal budget.

Move that money away from bridges to nowhere, and food "stamps" for filets, and simply protect our safety and sovereignty as our Founding Fathers intended.

crazy8000 · Answer

That's a complex matter.

The public only sees small pieces of the whole.

Unless we get a total overview on everything even black projects and such it is hard.

A lot goes into development in many countries that we aren't aware of.

A general thing to lower it is to eliminate countries and become a planet. and the state model USA have doesn't really work and are a money/resource waster.
That creates a total different focus.
No wasting on each other. better advances as a society and technological with less wasting. more healthy population. especially if companies lose their control power and government overview. not talking about communism.

The society we have today and had for a couple of hundred years isn't better than swarming locust.

Kaneki05 · Answer

That's pretty easy just don't spend as much on military, don't start wars, less advertising for people to go work there, less propaganda and patriotism seeped into the military ideals, don't buy more nukes or make them Nukes are damn powerful you really don't ever need "5,550 USA" or "6,255 RUS".

And for sure don't whatever you do ask for funds to help aid covid then that money actually just all goes to protective bullet vests for the army i kid you not this is something USA did a couple months ago.

BeMuse · Answer

It’s not the time for that. You have a hostile totalitarian China threatening it’s neighbors and world trade routes in every way possible. If you want to live under the foot of a fascist boot you back down and allow them to dominate you through force and terrorism. If you want to disagree with anything in general on the internet like you are right now in the future, then now’s the time to stand up strong and bring nations together in alliance to contain a hostile actor, which if left to continue on their current path of hostility will trigger a hot world war.

exitseven · Answer

Getting the country out of endless conflicts in the middle east and other places America has no business in. Create secure borders and better Homeland Security. Restore America's energy independence and reduce dependence on China. Soon we will not need to spend so much money on the military.

Anonymous · Answer

It can't, you are entirely dependent on threats and acts of violence to keep your currency afloat.

Descalation would require a concerted effort to remove the existing power structures and restore democracy and the constitution to the United States and I dont think that you have enough brain cells between you to figure it out before one of the end games plays out, for example starting world war 3 and then burning the world in a nuclear firestorm when you lose it or the military being replaced by robot soliders and it no longer being possible to rebell against the tyranny of the state.

tartaarsaus · Answer

The footprint of the US could be reallocated globally, such as if European nations spend more. Beyond that, one could naturally shrink the military itself or reduce its global footprint. The problem is that its large global footprint has created a situation where it has a vested interest to maintain that global footprint

KingofCups · Answer

Logically? Wtf is logical about enough nukes to blow up the planet 20x times over. Wtf is logical about the amount of Aircrafts, Warships, Missles, Tanks, Rifles, etc. Honestly if any one of these douchebag presidents would just transfer 20% of military budget to education we could make education free for everyone and end all of this unemployment.

Wester1967 · Answer

It can’t. The whole point of the military is fear. It sells fear. People who are afraid give up all their money. Same as if a thug on the street pointed a gun at you and said pay up. It’s a shakedown racket. Most conservatives are addicted to their fear. You don’t do it logically. You cut it out like dropping a meat cleaver. That’s as much logic as you need

purplepoppy · Answer

By eliminating the enemies need for an army through negotiations and diplomacy.

Ms_Vanderquack · Answer

Well, it would go a long way to stop wasting billions of dollars on complete bullshit. Like the completely unnecessary “space force.”

cmarrott · Answer

90% of the budget is wasted with overly expensive contracts and policies that literally through millions of dollars in the trash.

Reduce the budget each year instead of increasing it. Actually hold companies who produce goods for the military accountable for crappy products.

Remove all overseas bases.

Invest all extra money in space as that is really how combat will be in the future.

Daniela1982 · Answer

Well they are trying to shrink the military by giving dishonorable discharges to those who refuse the vaccine. I wonder how many in Congress actually got the vaccine or just a placebo?

007kingifrit · Answer

reduced? my dear boy ww3 is coming. if you reduce the budget now the U. S will lose the war and then fascism will take over the country... you may also cause ww3 by signaling to china that the U. S won't fight back if you reduce the budget

the mlitary budget is only 16% of discretionary spending which itself is 26% of the budget total... it isn't the problem in america's budget

Avicenna · Answer

Reducing the overseas missions is the only way to do it. That would lead to a reduction in some hardware as well as maintenance and training costs. Reducing some retirement pay may also be necessary (that's part of the budget as well).

allaboutyou2 · Answer

Every government budget can be reduced, I have not seen a budget yet that isn't filled with wasteful spending, even the budgets they had to help with covid was more than half filled with wasteful spending.
The government does nothing efficiently, they don't have the will to be efficient.

Dargil · Answer

The current administration has weakened our military forces substantially. It has purged flag officers and cut service members ideologically to become lemmings. Further, CRT is corrupting morale. The answer is no,

HighValue · Answer

Stop helping other countries unless it is a country that has significantly helped us in wars. So mostly only help the UK and France.
Stop delivering aid to other countries. When we have disasters, who helps our citizens?

jennifer_bloom · Answer

I think by increasing alliances and economic negotiations with different countries.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

What do you mean? Just spent less money on military stuff.

Recurrence · Answer

I would want the army to be turned inward to work on infrastructure, roads, fiber optic cable, and an intercontinental public transportation system

Anonymous · Answer

Scrap all the (extremely expensive to acquire and run) aircraft carriers. Carriers are as useful as battleships these days, they're obsolete.

rcljr · Answer

The military budget is fine, we need to eliminate $ billions in money we send to foreign countries, billions in food stamp, Medicaid, welfare, pet projects of politicians.

Stoner710 · Answer

Not with the raise of China in the South China Sea and we would be required to go to war with China if they attack Taiwan

captain_voidwalker · Answer

Stop stationing troops overseas and Station them along our southern border

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

Stop fighting wars over resources or gaining land, only go to war in self defense, watch the spending go down by a mile.

jshm2 · Answer

By using foreign mercenaries, gangs and terror groups, like the USA used to do in the 60's?

Anonymous · Answer

It can't. You have china growing stronger. And when they take Africa it will be bad for the USA.  Also the Chinese keep going further and further towards areas not there's.

dreamstar72 · Answer

Just say NO to most foreign causes. We seem to have forgotten our nation is in need.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Launch the existing nukes on your favourite enemies. There will be no budget required, thereafter.

cth96190 · Answer

Withdraw from foreign wars and close most foreign bases. Problem solved.

genericname85 · Answer

Easy. You give the military less money. That's how.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

In the U. S. it can't. America is heavily invested imperialism which means you have no choice but to heavily invest in a military budget.

Exterminatore · Answer

By eliminating transgender people and homosexuals from the military.

Anonymous · Answer

I like this idea. The civil war will go much easier if we can reduce the standing army and the ex-soldiers will disproportionately fight for the right wing

okeydoke · Answer

Blowing up the world. If there’s no planet, they’ll be no enemies to build up arms against.

EnglishEuropean · Answer

If politicians stop taking bribes from the military-industrial complex.

Retiever · Answer

I believe logically once technically we are caught up with the rest of the super powers yes.

dragoblack · Answer

Contracting the military to allies. If we are going to have bases in every country might as well

OddBeMe · Answer

Toughy because it’s currently a socialist program to keep a lot of Americans employed.

Anonymous · Answer

Stop acting like we can afford it and/or protect the planet--we can't.

Danny_dan92 · Answer

By reducing the pay of senators

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Put the REAL President back in where he belongs!!

NewgodX · Answer

Fighting less wars

red324 · Answer

Send Canada to fight our wars.

noohair · Answer

Nothing done by congress is logical anymore.

KrakenAttackin · Answer

We could exit from NATO.

Pterodon · Answer

It can’t and why would you want to?

Hermes-Paris · Answer

stop buying stuff?

jimmy2 · Answer

I dont think that will happen

Jouth · Answer

spend less

How do you think the military budget can be reduced logically?

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Should the US cut military spending?

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Should the US cut military spending?

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