Achieving National Security in Times of Austerity

The United States will reduce defense spending by at least $480 billion over the next ten years. Under these new fiscal constraints, the US military must draw down troops and rescale operations. In addition, the government released its defense priorities for the 21st century, outlining a strategic shift from the Middle East to the Pacific. In light of these changes and restrictions, our team will evaluate how the US should prioritize its needs and force structure to meet current obligations and future security challenges.

To gather preliminary background information, the Capstone team reviewed defense spending literature, official government reports, and historical congressional budgets. To gain a better understanding of the logistics of a US military drawdown, the team studied the 1990s as a historical example. Similar to the United States’ current security climate, the 90s marked a period when the US had just come out of the Gulf

War in the Middle East and was preparing for future threats. The team evaluated how the Department of Defense prioritized spending; which programs were cut; and what effect, if any, this had on subsequent U.S. military operations. The team used the information to make recommendations on how the US can best meet its 21st century security objectives despite spending cuts.