A brief look into the 2009 Department of Defense budget

Overall the budget for FY09 is $515.4 billion. This reflects about a 5 percent increase over FY08. The department Controller Tina Jonas spoke of many “healthy increases,” especially in systems investment and procurement and quality of life programs for soldiers. No weapons programs have been canceled. Though some procurement was delayed because the technology had not progressed to be worth the investment at this time.

The DoD’s FY09 priorities are to:Increase ground force capabilities, improve force readiness, develop future combat capabilities, and improve quality of life for military members.

There was explanation of an interesting situation in regards to war funding. The Defense Department says that the Congress has only provided 46 percent of Bush’s request for the war on terror. The Pentagon has requested $70 billion in supplemental war funding to fund the war from the beginning of the fiscal through inauguration. The controller also pointed out that Congress has yet to provide for $102 billion from Bush’s original global war on terror funding request. They said that the would complete a request for the war budget after assessments are made by combatant commanders in the spring.