Army wants more money above the $26 billion for 2007-2008 equipment repair and replacement

Army officials wanted the 2008 budget request to include $13.5 billion for repair and replacement, but the White House pared that to $9 billion, while boosting the 2007 supplemental by $4 billion to $17 billion. This amount does not include the regular appropriations for 2007.

The Army will need an additional, unspecified amount of money in 2008 to repair and replace war-worn gear, beyond the $9 billion in the White House’s 2008 defense spending request, the service’s top uniformed and civilian leaders told the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Wednesday.

“The Army requested $13.5 billion in reset, an amount that will increase due to the reinforcement of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and higher-than-anticipated operational tempo,” according to the written testimony of acting Army Secretary Pete Geren and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker.

Read the rest at Army Times

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