The U.S. military must keep its commitment to training programs

The recent string of terror attacks – from San Bernardino to Brussels – has reshaped the American public’s priorities. According to one recent poll, the percentage of Americans who cite terrorism and national security as their top concern has doubled over the last year and now sits at 40 percent.

It’s never been more important for lawmakers to invest in the programs proven to help our military defeat its enemies. That obligation must include robust support for “Operations and Sustainment,” the gritty work of preparing our troops to fight and win wars.

{mosads}Budget cuts, however, are threatening valuable O&S programs. Since 2011, the Army’s budget has been slashed by 40 percent. Unlike other areas of defense spending, training programs usually don’t have powerful political backers. As a result, officials looking to cut costs often turn to O&S programs first.

That’s folly. These preparedness programs are crucial to American security. They represent our biggest edge over our adversaries. They need to be protected.

When jets practice taking off and landing on aircraft carriers, that’s O&S. When long-haul aircrafts practice aerial refueling, that’s O&S. When U.S. troops participate in major war games with our allies, practice marksmanship on the rifle range, and train for complex urban assault operations, that’s O&S. 

These programs prepare soldiers for the real stresses of war. Take it from General David Perkins, Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, who as a Colonel led the intense, high-speed assault on Baghdad in 2003.

Perkins described that fight as the “ultimate test” of Army training, adding that what he had learned before deploying left him and his men well-equipped. “I saw it in the eyes of my commanders the first time we got into a big fight,” he recounted. “You didn’t get this sense of false bravado, but very serious contemplation.” His conclusion: American soldiers are prepared to fight anywhere.

Despite the obvious merits of O&S programs, though, they’re often a prime target for budget cuts. Most other kinds of military spending have natural defenders. For instance, military bases, which often support thousands of local jobs, have a built-in constituency.

O&S programs don’t have that advantage. So officials can cut back on, say, flight training or live-fire drills with little fear of blowback. 

Such cuts don’t just put the American public at risk by degrading our military’s ability to defeat our enemies. They can also cost soldiers their lives. Indeed, at a recent House budget hearing, two high-level military personnel — General Robert Neller, Commandant of Marine Corps, and General Mark Milley, the Chief of Staff of the Army — specifically cited insufficient training as the primary cause of a helicopter crash that killed 12 Marines in Hawaii earlier this year.

The threats to our national security grow every day. The Islamic State is the most visible, but an aggressive Russia, a bellicose North Korea, an increasingly militarized China, and an Iran with nuclear ambitions all bode ill for global stability. The United States can effectively meet these threats by continuing to invest in the training programs that ensure that our soldiers are ready — in mind and body — for the battlefield.

Paul E. Vallely is a retired U.S. Army Major General and serves as the chairman of Stand Up America.