Christine Fox, acting deputy defense secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the Pentagon must adjust the pace of military pay increases if the department wants to sustain readiness programs, the American Forces Press Service reported Tuesday.
Jim Garamone writes Fox made the remarks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on defense spending plans under the Bipartisan Budget Act.
“If this department is going to maintain a future force that is properly sized, modern and ready, we clearly cannot maintain the last decade’s rate of military compensation growth,†Fox said, according to the report.
Fox added the Defense Department is reviewing salary and benefits packages for service members and plans to issue a set of compensation rate proposals, Garamone writes.
She noted that the budget deal exempts military retirees and survivors from cost-of-living adjustments to retirement pay, AFPS reports.
