Smaller pay raise expected for US troops
(02-07 15:06)
The Pentagon will propose a more modest pay raise for US troops next year than originally planned due to uncertainty surrounding the defense budget, officials said.
The move was part of a series of announcements Wednesday from the Defense Department underlining the threat posed by potential deep automatic budget cuts that will be triggered if Congress fails to break a deadlock by March 1, AFP reports.
The Pentagon will request a one percent pay raise for service members in fiscal year 2014, instead of a 1.7 percent raise as previously planned, officials said late Wednesday.
"The proposal provides a pay raise for US forces in an era of slowing defense spending,'' spokesman George Little said in a statement late Wednesday.
"Given the current budget environment, this pay raise is less than previously projected but allows the Department to maintain critical investments in readiness and modernization going forward,'' he said.
|
|
|
|
