JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with Service members at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Feb. 25, to discuss the U.S.'s future role in Afghanistan, impact of current budget proposals and future effects of sequestration on the Department of Defense.
En route to a two-day NATO defense ministers meeting, Hagel stopped at JBLE to discuss the recently-announced DOD recommendations for President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2015 budget request.
After thanking more than 350 Soldiers, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen in attendance at both installations' town halls for their sacrifices, Hagel began by discussing the current and future posture in Afghanistan, and the climate surrounding the upcoming Afghan elections.
"[We want to] assure [the people of Afghanistan] that the United States will continue to support in any way we can," said Hagel. "I understand ... that President Obama noted that we, the United States, and our NATO partners still believe we could continue to assist the people of Afghanistan in a post-2014 role -- to train, assist and advise -- if that's what they want. But [Obama] made it very clear that if we don't have that bilateral security agreement, we won't be able to do it."
Paramount to support in Afghanistan and the overall DOD mission is the proposed budget request, said Hagel.
"Many of you have served in those two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, and [this] is the first budget we will present Congress in 13 years that isn't a budget based on war-footing ... where we are not planning on being part of a war as we wind down our combat mission."
Proposed changes include slowing the rate of pay increases, housing allowance adjustments, and TRICARE fee increases for active-duty families and retirees, he said.
Hagel assured Service members the proposed cuts were carefully considered with senior-leader inputs from all services. Extreme efforts were made to ensure the budget was balanced to meet mission demands of all services, he said.
"Balance of the total force cannot affect just one service. As Secretary of Defense, I couldn't recommend the president to make a decision to send [Service members] into war, if there was any doubt our men and women [were] ready," he said. "We'd fail you, and we'd fail the country. I can't do that. Our mission is the security of this country, and this budget addresses that."
JBLE Service members responded to Hagel's remarks and open discussion on the focus to maintain a quality, mission-ready total force.
"It was a great honor to be able to hear his perspective on the cuts," said U.S. Army Sgt. Jennifer Monge, Special Troops Battalion, 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) land manager, and native of Winnemucca, Nevada. "Being able to garner insights from our top leadership is extremely helpful in understanding these impacts."
During the discussion, Hagel opened the floor to questions from JBLE Service members. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jonathan Roberts, 633rd Air Base Wing Command Post emergency actions controller, took the opportunity to ask about benefits that may directly impact him, such as paying 5 percent out-of-pocket for housing allowances.
"As a new Airman, all the talk about the upcoming changes has been something I've been worrying about," said Roberts. "I felt honored to be a part of Secretary Hagel's visit. He gave a lot of information about what's going to happen in the future and how it's going to affect me as a Service member."
Although the proposed changes will affect specific military benefits, Hagel said there are no plans to alter retirement benefits or close commissaries.
"I'm curious to see what the new budget has in store, considering the last 13 years have been proposed around war," said Airman 1st Class Justin Shuttleworth, 1st Operations Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice. "Knowing [his] perspective helps put the next five years in perspective. I do still have some questions about money, but I'm glad to hear that he won't be recommending cutting military retirement [in the near future.]"
For U.S. Army Spc. Hadiyah Cain, 359th Inland Cargo Transfer Company, 10th Transportation Battalion, 7th TB(X) cargo specialist, maintaining integrity of compensation and benefits is a top concern for many Service members.
"I just returned from Afghanistan, and having those benefits, like education, really increases morale when you are deployed," she said. "[I understand] they have to do what they have to do [to meet budget restraints,] but it was beneficial to hear [Hagel's] perspective."
Cuts to personnel programs were a concern to many. U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class David E. Stover, 2013 Army Drill Sergeant of the Year, stationed at U.S. Army Initial Military Training at Fort Eustis, also said the new fiscal constraints would have impact on training, but wouldn't degrade the dedication drill sergeants have for shaping young Soldiers.
"The human dimension doesn't change regardless of the budgetary constraints," Stover said. "At the end of the day, we're still going to make it happen, regardless of how much money is or is not being put into the system."
In response to Service members' concerns of the impact on personnel benefits and how the DOD will maintain the quality of an all-volunteer force amidst fiscal constraints, Hagel stressed the continued dedication to readiness, capabilities, training, and that "taking care of people" will always remain a top priority.
"Everything in the budget affects you, so it's important for me to get a clear understanding of what's right or wrong, and address you face-to -face as your Secretary of Defense," he said. "We have to start with people. The people are the soul, the heart, that make an institution work. Without quality people, continued commitment to that quality and the reliance of that commitment, you don't have much. The budget for our military has never been lower, but I can assure you, it will never be cut to the point that it will endanger our national security."
Editor's note: Articles by Cheryl Pellerin of American Forces Press Service contributed to this report. To view the articles, visit www.defense.gov.