Historical Perspective on 'Hollow Forces'

摘要

Senior Department of Defense (DOD) leaders have invoked the specter of a 'hollow force' to describe what could happen to the U.S. Armed Forces if significant cuts to the defense budget are enacted. While some Members and staff might be familiar with the 'hollow force' and its causes, newer Members and staff might not have a similar understanding of the conditions that led to the 'hollow force' and what actions were taken to improve the condition of the U.S. Armed Forces. After a several years of rapid growth in defense budgets, measures to reduce federal budget deficits have led to projections of a substantial decline in military spending over the next decade. As a result of limits on discretionary spending in the Budget Control Act of 2011, DOD is considering how to absorb a reduction of $450 billion to $500 billion in planned programs through FY2021. Senior defense officials have said that such reductions can be managed, but they also warn that that trade-offs among defense programs will require a reassessment of priorities, and that deeper cuts would weaken critical capabilities. A common theme is that, unless reductions are managed prudently, budget cuts of the magnitude required, let alone larger cuts, would risk creating a 'hollow force.' The term 'hollow force' refers to military forces that appear mission-ready but, upon examination, suffer from shortages of personnel and equipment, and from deficiencies in training. As Congress will play a major role in shaping the Armed Forces both in terms of size, capabilities, and how it is equipped and trained, a nuanced understanding of how the military once became 'hollow' could provide a useful context for current and anticipated legislative action.