National Defense Magazine reports that “the business reforms proposed by every defense secretary during the Obama administration will continue to be debated but there is little to no chance that significant actions will happen until after the nation elects a new president, defense industry experts said.”  

“’Defense reforms’ is a catchphrase for broad initiatives to inject more efficiency and modern management practices into the Defense Department and the military services. Reform proposals in recent years generally have ranged from changes in personnel and healthcare policies, an overhaul of the Pentagon’s weapons procurement process, and recommendations to close excess military bases and downsize defense bureaucracies.”  

“Every Obama defense secretary — Robert Gates, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel and now Ashton Carter — has advocated reforms in some if not all of these areas but each has consistently run into a legislative buzz saw.”