{"id":16702,"date":"2020-02-10T05:01:07","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T05:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/02\/10\/how-the-pentagon-found-65-billion-in-savings-in-2019\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:07:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:07:30","slug":"how-the-pentagon-found-65-billion-in-savings-in-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/budget\/2020\/02\/10\/how-the-pentagon-found-65-billion-in-savings-in-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Pentagon found $6.5 billion in savings in 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Internal reforms to processes and the sale of \u201cobsolete\u201d military equipment helped the Pentagon find $6.5 billion in validated savings in fiscal year 2019, the department\u2019s chief management officer has revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That money is being put directly into war-fighting priorities, including maintenance for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter<\/a> and training needs, according to Lisa Hershman<\/a>, who officially was sworn in as the department\u2019s number three official at the start of January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The savings are different from the $5.7 billion figure found through a comprehensive review of the department\u2019s defense-wide agencies, which was announced last week<\/a>. Those findings were through a specific review process, looking at the fiscal 2020 budget and figuring out where funds could be redirected for the FY21 budget request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This amount, in contrast, is part of an annual efficiencies target, a required part of the CMO\u2019s job, and reflects money found in FY19, which wrapped up at the end of September. The office previously found a combined $4.7 billion in FY17 and FY18. The White House Office of Management and Budget set a target of $6 billion in savings for CMO in FY19 \u2014 meaning Hershman\u2019s team exceeded their target by half a billion dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\t