Current and former military may have to change their lifestyles if the Pentagon’s budget request for 2015 becomes law. It would trim military pay and benefits and scale back the defense commissary system. Norb Ryan is president of the Military Officers Association of America.

Presidential budget requests can be like roasted chickens left on the counter to cool. By the time they make it to the table, they’ve been thoroughly picked over. We’re picking over the proposals unveiled by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to trim the cost of the armed services.

Jim Talent is a former Republican Congressman and Senator from Missouri. He’s now a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

When he announced a series of measures to control military costs, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said technological superiority will be essential to U.S. defenses. The Navy is ready to deploy a new, super powerful laser this summer. It’s capable of shooting down drones or sinking small boats. It’s big and power-hungry, but the device can be operated by one sailor. Coming after that, the world’s most powerful catapult.

Capt. Mike Ziv is the program manager for directed energy and electric weapon systems for the Naval Sea Systems Command. He says the laser’s biggest advantage is, it will bring down the cost of engaging threats.

The Defense Department will struggle to cut its civilian workforce without closing facilities. Most DoD employees work outside of the Pentagon. They are at bases, depots and other places that may be no longer needed. Federal News Radio’s executive editor, Jason Miller, has details on DoD’s challenges to meet its budget and draw down its active forces.

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