Deficit Reduction Panel Report

The report with the recommendations can be found here (PDF). Noteworthy defense represents $100 billion in cuts over the next 5 years, with a big sniper rifle aimed at the Marine Corps. Looks like a third rail political list of cuts to me. Listed below are the defense cut recommendations.

• Apply the overhead savings Secretary Gates has promised to deficit reduction
• Freeze federal salaries, bonuses, and other compensation for the civilian workforce at the Department of Defense for three years
• Freeze non-combat military pay at 2011 levels for 3 years
• Double Secretary Gates’ cuts to defense contracting
• Reduce procurement by 15 percent
• End procurement of the V-22 Osprey
• Cancel the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle
• Substitute F-16 and F/A-18Es for half of the Air Force and Navy’s planned buys of F-35 fighter aircraft
• Cancel the Marine Corps version of the F-35
• Cancel the Navy’s Future Maritime Prepositioning Force
• Cancel the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), the Ground Combat Vehicle, and the Joint Tactical Radio
• Reduce planned levels for "Other Procurement.
• Reduce military personnel stationed at overseas bases in Europe and Asia by one-third
• Modernize Tricare, DOD health
• Replace military personnel performing commercial activities with civilians
• Reduce spending on Research, Development, Test & Evaluation by 10 percent
• Reduce spending on base support
• Reduce spending on facilities maintenance
• Consolidate the Department of Defense’s retail activities
• Integrate children of military personnel into local schools in the United States

Some other items listed included reducing voluntary contributions to the United Nations, cut funding for the corporation for public broadcasting (PBS), establish Veterans Administration (VA) health co-pays, reduce overhead cost of diplomatic operations, slow the growth of foreign aid, and eliminate all earmarks.

Also see the CoChair proposal Powerpoint (PDF). As you can see, cutting spending is going to be very hard, as the discretionary just isn't what it used to be.