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DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2014 –

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said 2014 was an extraordinarily busy year full of new threats and missions in which service members performed “superbly,” but he warned that sequester-related budget cuts have brought the military to the point where “we can’t do more with less.”

In a year-end message to the joint force, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told the more than two million active and reserve members of the armed forces that he “couldn’t be prouder” of their service. 

“In the past 12 months, we’ve maintained our enduring commitments around the world, bolstered long-term partnerships, and responded to new threats,” including those, Dempsey said, from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, al-Qaida and other violent extremist groups.   In addition, Dempsey said the military has reassured allies in the face of threats by Russia and deployed personnel to West Africa to help stop the spread of the world’s worst outbreak of Ebola. 

Having just completed a USO holiday tour of Europe and Afghanistan, Dempsey praised the service and sacrifices made by U.S. troops, saying what has been achieved in Afghanistan has given the Afghan people “real hope for a better future” — just days before the NATO mission there changes from one of combat to advising and assisting Afghan forces.

“Our stop at Bagram Air Base reaffirmed my confidence in our campaign plan in Afghanistan. While work remains, my regular visits reinforce just how much we have accomplished in 13 years of U.S. and coalition investment,” Dempsey said. “As we move forward with Operation Resolute Support, our remaining force of about 10,000 troops will be important to completing key tasks with our Afghan partners.”

But Dempsey also warned national security could be at risk if the current sequestration law, which is set to impose further cuts in defense spending in 2016, is not repealed.   “Sequestration, if fully implemented, will diminish our advantages over our adversaries,” he said, and he urged Congress to allow the Pentagon greater flexibility in spending.  “The Joint Chiefs and I remain concerned that we still lack support for the reforms necessary to ensure you are combat ready and to preserve military options for our nation.”