The services are expected this week to deliver their preliminary draft of the fiscal 2020 defense budget to the Defense Secretary. They will have to navigate the challenge of complying with President Donald Trump's request of slashing $33 billion from the defense budget request.

Potential savings could come from troop levels, new or substantially higher health care fees, or caps to military pay.

MOAA is already on record urging Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to protect military pay and health care in the FY20 budget.

Mattis and the White House are expected to receive the budget proposals some time after Thanksgiving.

The services will likely provide the Defense Secretary with a budget at multiple spending levels. This will highlight the potential tradeoffs that will be needed if the administration follows through with its newly proposed $700 billion top line, or if Congress fails to reach a new budget deal for 2020.

Congress is currently operating under a two-year budget deal, set to expire at the end of December 2019. If Congress fails to reach a new spending arrangement, previously agreed to budget caps will return, DoD will be forced to take a $71 billion budget cut.