Report: Pace warns Congress of signifcant decline in military readiness, 'may take several years' to reverse

WASHINGTON - Strained by the demands of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a significant risk that the U.S. military won’t be able to quickly and fully respond to yet another crisis, according to a new report to Congress.

The assessment, done by the nation’s top military officer, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, represents a worsening from a year ago, when that risk was rated as moderate.

The report is classified, but on Monday senior defense officials, speaking on condition on anonymity, confirmed the decline in overall military readiness. And a report that accompanied Pace’s review concluded that while the Pentagon is working to improve its warfighting abilities, it ”may take several years to reduce risk to acceptable levels.”

Read the rest at the Boston Herald

Related Link:
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Pace: 'No similarities' between Iraq, Vietnam

Related Link:
Chairman of Joint Chiefs: Not enough armored vehicles for surge troops

Related Link:
Pentagon plans deployment of 14,000 in Guard up to 4 years early

Related Link:
Army Chief of Staff Schoonmaker: 'Surge' eroding readiness; Thousands more troops needed for support

Related Link:
Bush Extends Stay for 3,200 Troops in Afghanistan

Related Link:
Unit for Iraq to be redeployed to Afghanistan

Related Link:
Perspective: Military families must reset clock

Related Link:
Pentagon abandons Guard, Reserve protections; institutes re-mobilizations up to 24 consecutive months

Related Link:
Bush: 20,000 more to Iraq; 'expect more casualites'

Related Link:
Analysis: Sending more troops could further strain Army

Related Link:
Pentagon Sources: Surge requires 2nd tours of duty for Reserves, Guard

Related Link:
3,300 ordered back to Mideast; 550 only home 2 weeks

Related Link:
Gates: U.S. 'enduring presence' in Mid-East, 'will be here for a long time'

Related Link:
Selective Service to test 'draft machinery'

Related Link:
General Cody: Military needs more troops or increased use of Guard, Reserves

Related Link:
General Schoomaker: Army near breaking point, need thousands more troops plus bigger call up of reserves

Related Link:
Army, Marine Corps to ask for more troops, press hard for 'full access' to Guard, Reserves

Related Link:
Pentagon: 57,000 troops to deploy early next year

Related Link:
New Iraq deployments could stretch Reserve Force

Related Link:
Army seeks to increase rotation through reassignment of specialists to 'high-demand roles'

Related Link:
Secretary of AF: Airmen to remain in Iraq past 2010

Related Link:
Army: Troops to stay in Iraq until 2010