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Pentagon will eliminate Joint Forces Command, try to slash contractors Defense Secretary Robert Gates says tough economic times require that he shutter a major command that employs some 5,000 people in Norfolk, Va., and eliminate other jobs throughout the military. Gates told reporters at a press conference on Monday that getting rid of Joint Forces Command and other job cuts were necessary so that the military has enough money to repair itself after several years of war. He said that among his biggest priorities was trimming by 10 percent the number of contractors that support the military. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. Story continues below… WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department plans to shed one of its 10 major military commands as Defense Secretary Robert Gates tries to pare billions from the Pentagon budget, officials briefed on the plan said Monday. Gates wants to eliminate the Joint Forces Command, long a presumed target for belt-tightening, and will also announce Monday that he wants to cut the Pentagon’s use of outside contractors by 10 percent next year, The Associated Press has learned. The Virginia-based command trains troops from different services to fight together. Military and other officials described the planned cuts on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss Gates’ plans ahead of a Pentagon news conference Monday. Joint Forces Command, with nearly 4,900 employees and annual salaries of more than $200 million, is the largest single cut to be announced Monday. Gates is not expected to say how much money will be saved by shutting down the command, which holds more than 1 million square feet of real estate in Suffolk, Va., and Norfolk, Va. Savings will be offset by the cost of shifting some jobs and roles elsewhere. The Pentagon has already announced a target of cutting $100 billion over five years. And earlier this year Gates ordered a top-to-bottom paring of the military bureaucracy in search of at least $10 billion in annual savings needed to prevent an erosion of U.S. combat power. Gates took aim at what he called wasteful business practices and too many generals and admirals, and noted that “overhead” costs chew up as much as 40 percent of the Pentagon’s budget. Big cuts are essential considering the recession and the likelihood that Congress no longer will give the Pentagon the sizable budget increases it has enjoyed since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Gates and other defense leaders have said. “The gusher has been turned off and will stay off for a good period of time,” Gates said in May. The current defense budget, not counting the cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, is $535 billion; the administration is asking for $549 billion for 2011. Joint Forces Command, or JFCOM, is one of 10 full combatant commands. Most correspond to regions of the world, such as Pacific Command, but others are organized around a concept or mission rather than geography. JFCOM lists its mission as training troops from all services to work together for specific missions. It tries to make sure equipment used by different services works together, and looks for gaps in capabilities within military services that could be filled by a specially trained joint force. The command is headed by a four-star military officer, the highest grade currently in use. Marine Gen. James Mattis was its commander until named last month to replace Army Gen. David Petraeus as head of U.S. Central Command. His replacement will be Gen. Ray Odierno, now the war commander in Iraq. Odierno’s job will be to eliminate his own office, officials said. Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia junior senator and the state’s former governor, said he saw “no rational basis” for dismantling Joint Forces Command because its mission was to impose “greater cooperation and savings among the military services.” “One thing I learned in the business world is you sometimes have to spend money to save money,” Warner said. “It’s a no-brainer that JFCOM is one of the commands that could use more resources.” The plan Gates will outline is similar to one suggested last month by the Defense Business Board, a panel of company executives who advise the Pentagon. The board said Gates should cut the number of civilian employees by at least 15 percent. The panel also identified Joint Forces Command as contributing to much of the contractor bloat because it had more contractors than government employees on its payroll. ___ On the Net: Defense Department: http://www.defense.gov/ U.S. Joint Forces Command: http://www.jfcom.mil/index.htm Source: AP News Mochila insert follows… Powered by Mochila

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In order to locate the most affordable automobile coverage it all comes down to shopping around. By obtaining as many quotes as possible from various insurers consumers raise the chances of finding savings. Companies view each potential policyholder differently based on the factors on which they base the price of their premiums. By comparing multiple carriers one will quickly realize just how different each company will charge and in turn be able to compare policies from the ones that are offering the cheapest rates. Before setting out to find the lowest costing policy an individual should determine what their particular needs are. There are many types of coverage to choose from and knowing which is needed can be a very important step to comparison shopping. One should decide whether they should go with the minimum requirements mandated by the state or opt for more extensive protection (most professionals in the industry advise raising limits above the state’s requirements). Such as deciding whether they want to purchase protection for physical damage for their vehicle with comprehensive and collision coverage. Once the needed coverage has been determined it is time to find the best price. There are many ways to go about finding the prices of premiums from multiple insurers. A consumer can choose to call individual companies, visit offices or shop online. Regardless of one’s preference it is absolutely vital to obtain as many quotations as possible in order to find low cost auto insurance policies. This allows motorists to see which companies are offering fair pricing and they will be able to eliminate any insurer that they feel is too expensive. Find Low Cost Car Insurance Online Since the turn of the century more and more consumers are turning to the Internet for many of their business transactions. This is especially true when it comes to automobile policies. In recent years individuals have rapidly been flocking to the World Wide Web when it comes to their insuring needs. The main reason for this is that web-surfers can find practically everything they need to know about car insurance coverage as well as obtain rates from reliable insurers. There are many websites that are providing valuable information to their visitors as well as a way for them to obtain instant quotes from various insurers that they can compare from right on their computer screen in the comfort of their own home. Once logged on to a website one would need to simply complete a brief form with the basic info of the drivers and vehicles to be insured. Once submitted the visitor will have rates from reliable insurers delivered right to them. No more having to hunt down deals. These services are provided absolutely free of charge and with no obligation. This is one of the easiest and most efficient way to find low cost policies. The website of the General Services Administration also provides some helpful tips with nine ways to lower auto insurance costs to help ensure savings. Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/low-cost/

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Geithner defends tax policy; Argues extending cuts for rich would be ‘deeply irresponsible’ Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday it would be “deeply irresponsible” for the Obama administration to support a wholesale extension of Bush era tax cuts, including breaks for the wealthy. Geithner said in a nationally broadcast interview that President Barack Obama strongly believes those reductions should be retained for the “95 percent” of taxpayers with individual incomes under $200,000 a year and families below $250,000. And he disagreed with accusations the administration has been hostile to Wall Street and the business community. Asked about former Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan’s statement that he hadn’t seen such animosity between Washington and Wall Street in decades, Geithner said Obama had a deep obligation “to fix what was broken. There was nobody here or across the country that would argue that our system worked.” Story continues below… “The business community always wants their taxes lowered,” Geithner said, calling that understandable. On another matter, the secretary said he wouldn’t be surprised if the 9.5 percent national unemployment rate ticks up again Friday when the Labor Department releases figures for July. “It’s possible you’re going to have a couple months where it goes up,” he said, “as people start to come back into the labor force. … That can cause the measured unemployment rate to go up.” Geithner acknowledged the economy is “not coming back as quickly as we’d like.” He said he didn’t know if Congress would act on the issue of the tax cut extension before the midterm elections this November, but that “it is the responsibility” of lawmakers to ensure that the issue doesn’t fall victim to Capitol Hill gridlock. Asked on ABC’s “Good Morning America” how long he planned to stay in Obama’s Cabinet, Geithner replied: “I will stay as long as he asks me to stay.” This video is from ABC’s Good Morning America , broadcast Aug. 3, 2010. Watch this video on iPhone/iPad Powered by Mochila