U.S. Marines during an exercise in Claveria, the Philippines, March 31.

Photo: Aaron Favila/Associated Press

President Biden’s proposed budget is hamstringing our defense readiness at a time of extreme international unrest (“America’s Declining Military,” Review & Outlook, March 30). Despite analysis that the Air Force is the least prepared it has ever been, this administration plans to shut down the Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in Savannah, Ga.

A $24 million airplane hangar is near completion at the Savannah Air Dominance Center to support Air Force pilot training. Just last week, $1.2 million in new technology was installed that isn’t available anywhere else in the country.

That money came from single moms, firefighters, teachers and military service members. But we are throwing it out the window for administrative convenience. This is exactly the type of wasteful spending that frustrates taxpayers.

Our military was caught off guard by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. China is on the brink of invading Taiwan, and the time may come when U.S. troops are needed to secure peace abroad. We all hope it won’t happen, but we must be ready if it does. Right now, we aren’t.

The Savannah CRTC is the most efficient, heavily utilized CRTC center in the country. It has trained every single F-22 pilot over the past two years.

As a senator, Mr. Biden famously said, “Show me your budget and I’ll tell you what you value.” President Biden, show us that you support our military’s defense readiness by keeping the Savannah CRTC open.

Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R., Ga.)

Washington

“A decades-long decline in American military power is an under-appreciated reason the world’s authoritarians are on the march.” This statement from your editorial reminds me of the dark days in World War II when the huge British military presence in Singapore was overwhelmed by the Japanese. Much of the blame for the debacle lies with 10 years of British leftists chipping away at the military budgets around the empire—Singapore, India, South Africa, Australia, etc. British armed forces were hollowed out and found themselves woefully unable to defend themselves abroad when the time came. The empire depended on the military to enforce its hold on these countries and, when it failed to do so, the empire collapsed.

Hudson B. Drake

Del Mar, Calif.