There are basic ways of cutting down cost without reducing our force-numbers, readiness, efficiency and so forth.
Some of these approaches DC is already taking in a variety of venues. . . but some (like outsourcing debt) are done so with the idea that somehow it's cheaper :shrug: Sadly, they're taking this 'cut spending' and, instead of actually tightening up the belt, they're just apply that same spending to other avenues - their overall goal is to restructure NOT to reduce. True budget-reduction is done by actually formulating a new budget, tackling waste, sticking to new rules, and then NOT using that saved money for ANYTHING else - and, if the government played these cards right - it should pass that reduction down to us by lightening up on taxes.
However, if they were quite serious about actually REDUCING overall spending - without taking that 'savings' and applying it in a different venue of government - they have options:
Office-supplies: This is frequently harped on. Pencils, papers, copiers and computers. . . if they were more attune to using slightly cheaper sources and were more organized, thus, reducing the need for *more* paperwork, then that would significantly reduce the amount of money dumped into the hole.
Organization: Needless to say, the Military is such a large and multi-armed octopus of a creature that one, two or five copies of a form aren't enough, especially if individuals fail to file it properly to begin with.
"Use it or lose it loophole" - ammunition and otherwise: Every time my husband leads at the range they spend quite a lot of time emptying loads of shells mindlessly downrange to simply use it up. Why? Well - to avoid paperwork and to keep that budget-fluffed . . . it's a common practice, everyone does it. "Use it or lose it" - if their budgeted 10,000 rounds of ammunition for 2 days of range rage and only use 7,000 rounds - they should be encouraged to hand it over to a following unit or something of that nature, Instead, they spend up the rest in order to maintain that same level of budget for the next year. Basically - the budget system needs to be reworked seeing as how it has this very very wasteful loophole threaded in it.
Travel reduction/base-funded transportation: This is a black hole more massive than anything else, in my opinion. My husband would be pissed at me for this because he's frequently traveling by this means.
So - Around the clock military-related events are held: seminars, conferences, classes, training sessions - so on and so forth.
Often these events are held off-base and utilize non-military transportation (civilian airlines, auto-rentals from places like Hertz and a rental of rooms from the Hilton)
#1 There should be no event what so ever held at a non-military location unless it's pertinent. . . and these events should be organized together - rather than sporatic. Say - if a conference and training seminar need to be held near Ft Hood they should be held IN FT HOOD . . . not "nearby"
#2 There should no non-military transport. No civilian airlines, no rental at Hertz rent-a-center.
If such things were held ON base then food would be readily available and more affordable (no need for a $50.00 food allowance while gone). Sleeping arrangements shouldn't be including a $60.00/night room at the Hilton - average cost for on-base rooms is $30.00 or $40.00 (sometimes less). Transportation is possible to and from events either by driving a military-vehicle (which my husband does 1/2 the time) or by sticking a flight via military craft (not always possible) . . . thus, by securing military-existing transportation the excessive expense of flying and renting civilian is nipped.
I have some real numbers on this (a trip my husband recently took) to give a good idea of how much $$ it costs to do things in this unorganized and non-military way.
Flight to Corpus Christi: $350.00. (it would be cheaper if arrangements could be made further in advanced but often things are last-minute)
Auto rental for 5 days: $300.00
Hotel rental for 4 nights: $240.00
Food allowance/day: $250.00
Gas for auto rental: $80.00
Total for trip to non-military installation via civilian transportation: $1,220
Is this paid out of our pocket, though? Of course not! We don't have $1,220 laying around for such things. . . leading us to:
Outsourcing debt: Instead of covering the cost of transportation, food and so on upfront (which would be the case if military personnel traveled through military-only means and stayed/ate on base) the usual means is to give the frequent-traveler a credit card to charge all these items onto. Then, after processing paperwork . . . more paperwork . . . and more paperwork. . . the military eventually pays off the balance of the credit card which was slightly MORE than the original charges due to INTEREST. . .and this is smart?
Watching out for their bottom dollar: In business this is called waste management. Shopping around for the most affordable means - and having someone actually examine and approve transactions and doing research on a company-quietly-to monitor costs - all in order to avoid price-spiking things
Like this and this