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Joseph Westphal
Army Under Secretary Joseph Westphal said Thursday that as the Army prepares to downsize, some areas of the budget will not be subjected to budget cuts.
According to J.D. Leipold’s story for the Army News Service, Westphal told a Government Executive breakfast event funding for special operations, cyber, space and ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) will be protected and could also be increased.
Barring future strategy and policy changes, Westphal told the audience of government and business leaders the Army would be reduced from a peak of 570,000 active-duty soldiers in 2010 to about 490,000.
According to GovExec’s account of the breakfast, Westphal also told the audience workforce cuts in the Army will occur even if sequestration does not kick in Jan. 2.
The branch is not planning contingencies for sequestration, he said, adding he believes those plans would create a self-fulfilling prophecy toward eliminating programs.