February 23, 2017
Grow the US military but do it right, not just fast
Topping the 2017 agendas for President Trump, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and Armed Services Committee leadership are plans to grow the military.
They are each glossing over any differences among them on America’s role in the world in pursuit of their mutual objective of rebuilding the force, as spotlighted in the memorandum Trump signed out at the Pentagon last Friday. After six years under arbitrary and counterproductive budget caps, few in the defense community are eager to scrutinize this consensus.
Their desire to grow the force quickly, however, should not overcome their duty to taxpayers and the troops themselves. They must grow the force with careful intention and a clear goal in mind.
Read the full article at The Hill.
More from CNAS
-
Video
National Security Human Capital
Hegseth Accused of ‘Lying to the American Public’ About War in IranPentagon chief Pete Hegseth and top general Dan Caine faced lawmakers for the first time since the Iran war began, as the Trump administration seeks a record $1.5 trillion def...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Video
National Security Human Capital
What the New Draft Registration Rule Means for YouA new rule will automatically register men between 18 and 25 for the Selective Service starting in December. How will that work? PBS News’ Tim McPhillips spoke with Katherine ...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Podcast
National Security Human Capital
Dot Gov ’26: The Departments of Defense and Veteran AffairsLast week, Trump called for a record $1.5 trillion defense budget. And at Veterans Affairs, his administration implemented a staffing reorganization. And just last month, it w...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Commentary
National Security Human Capital
Key Elements of the 2026 National Defense Authorization ActThis article was originally published on War on the Rocks. Although contemplating the personnel requirements of a large-scale conflict — and with it, the potential for casualt...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
