The Pentagon formally announced the Fiscal 2010 defense budget proposal with a round of briefings that began early Thursday afternoon. The Administration is asking for $533.8 billion in budget authority for base defense programs and another $130 billion to support ongoing overseas contingency operations. According to a Pentagon release, the budget reflects a 2.1 percent inflation-adjusted increase over the 2009 enacted budget of $513.3 billion. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on April 6 already had announced major weapons systems cuts, including a proposal to end F-22 Raptor production at 187 aircraft, which would leave USAF with 186 Raptors. (DOD 2010 budget overview; DOD 2010 budget summary charts) (More budget coverage ahead.)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.