Dempsey Responds to a Range of Subjects During Facebook Town Hall

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2014 – Budget, benefits and operations dominated Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey’s Facebook Town Hall today.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff answered tough questions – and fielded some softballs – from people around the world during his fourth virtual town hall.

Eroding Readiness

Many people are worried that the U.S. military will not have the resources to succeed. “Our country has become accustomed to a military that can do anything and is called on to do practically everything,” Dempsey said in his posts. “However, if Congress does not repeal sequestration, our forces will assume significant risk in certain missions and will continue to face modernization challenges that erode our readiness. Simply put, we will be less ready than at any time in my 40-year career.”

Congress must end sequestration, the chairman said, and must approve additional funding for evolving and new mission requirements. “Finally, we need Congressional support to divest legacy equipment, realign force structure and put military pay and compensation on a more sustainable path,” he said.

Military compensation remains a top concern, including for the chairman. Pay and benefits must remain competitive with the private sector in order for the military to attract and retain qualified men and women. “In the late 1990s our compensation fell to an unsatisfactory level; however, this is not the case today,” the chairman said.

The most recent review of military compensation shows average officer and enlisted compensation has risen from around the 50th percentile in the late 1990s to the 90th percentile. But the growth cannot be sustained. “While we obviously don’t want to return to the pay and compensation levels of the 1990s, if the joint force is to be sized, modernized and kept ready, we need to slow the rate of growth for pay and compensation,” the general said.

The chiefs will continue to monitor fluctuations in the cost of living so those in uniform remain fairly compensated, he said.

Combating ISIL

The chairman received many questions about combating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Many boiled down to: Why doesn’t the U.S. military go into Iraq and put an end to the violence?

Dempsey said he does not foresee the reintroduction of large “Western” ground combat forces in Iraq. “Western military forces will not be the decisive factor in defeating ISIL,” he said. “ISIL will be defeated when the Sunni populations of the region reject [the group’s] corrupted, extremist and brutal ideology.”

Arab nations in the region realize this, and have stepped forward to act, he said. These nations are active members of the coalition against ISIL. Further, the Iraqi government has taken ownership of this fight, and is showing signs it can be inclusive and serve all of its people.

“If we were to deploy large combat forces, we would essentially take ownership of what must be their campaign,” Dempsey said. “While we could achieve tactical results, it wouldn’t get at the root of the problem. We can and will help our partners, but lasting success will only come through their commitment to reject and defeat ISIL.”

The military can only set conditions for political solutions to be achieved, the chairman said. “In the case of ISIL, we can assist local partners to push them back and to expose their brutality,” he said. “We can provide time for governments to give assurance to all groups that their future is best guaranteed within inclusive government, not outside of it. We can provide moderate actors with an opportunity.”

Hagel’s Soldier’s Heart

Finally, many asked the chairman what the departure of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will mean. “I have been proud to serve under the leadership of Secretary Hagel,” Dempsey wrote. “He led the military at a particularly difficult period, and he brought a soldier’s heart to work every day.”

Those in the military swear to support and defend the Constitution knowing that civilian leadership will change but the obligation to the Constitution endures, Dempsey noted. “I expect the transition will be seamless,” he said. “As you know, American leadership in today’s environment is not a choice — it is a necessity. Most countries want and expect us to lead. I’m confident we will continue to meet that expectation, and our military relationships with allies and partners will remain as strong as ever.”