According to a new Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments report, federal funding for defense, military operations, and homeland security, and related activities has risen by a total of $843 billion since September 2001 in contrast to what these areas would have received simply due to rising inflation. Of that $843 billion, some $675 billion went to defense accounts. About half the total came through emergency supplementals. CSBA estimates that operations in Iraq have received about $310 billion and in Afghanistan $85 billion.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.