For anyone interested, the CBO published an excellent primer on military force structure here: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/51535 https://www.cbo.gov/publica

For anyone interested, the CBO published an excellent primer on military force structure here: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/51535 https://www.cbo.gov/publication/51535 I think it informs ideas about what branches, soldiers, civilians, and contractors do. Once you track where the money goes there are practical ideas to reduce defense spending, as well as dispassionate pros/cons of what’s been tried in the past.