Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is to hold a press conference regarding ways in which the Pentagon can cope with the government’s sequestration efforts within a decade, Defense One reported Wednesday.
Stephanie Gaskell writes a defense official said Hagel intends to discuss three actions his department could take, two of which focus on meeting the 2012 Strategic Guidance Review and dealing with a $500 billion cutback.
The article says the DoD chief opened the Strategic Choices and Management Review soon after he assumed office and following the March 1 enactment of the Budget Control Act of 2011.
“One of the things that (Hagel) knew coming into this job was that he would have to oversee a once-in-a-generation defense cut,†the DOD official was quoted to have said in the report.
The write-up notes Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey oversaw the SCMR, which involved months-long meetings to identify priority areas for the action plans.
Participants included in the discussions included budget experts, lawmakers, legislative leaders, military commanders and senior officials, the report added.
According to Defense One, the DoD official said Hagel is due on Thursday to discuss the SCMR in Congress, which is expected to tackle the matter in September.
