ROBERT HALE: “We strongly hope the Congress will pass this plan or another plan supported by President and repeal sequestration.”

If our assumptions about Iraq or Afghanistan turn out to be overly optimistic, or if global conditions change for the worse, we would be able to adjust the size and schedule of this change or even reverse it altogether.

I worry about our civilian workforce. I do not know--three pay freezes, furlough potential--I am not sure why anybody would want to work for us right now.

If we find ourselves taking $52 billion out of that request, as would be required if there is no changes in the Budget Control Act, then the suddenness of that decline will cause serious problems.

We have got at least 25 percent of unneeded infrastructure in the Department of Defense. If we can't get Congress to allow us to close it, we are simply going to waste taxpayers' dollars.