Pentagon to Propose Smaller Pay Raise for US Troops

The Pentagon will propose a more modest pay raise for US troops next year than originally planned due to uncertainty surrounding the defense budget, officials said.

The move was part of a series of announcements Wednesday from the Defense Department underlining the threat posed by potential deep automatic budget cuts that will be triggered if Congress fails to break a deadlock by March 1.

The Pentagon will request a one percent pay raise for service members in fiscal year 2014, instead of a 1.7 percent raise as previously planned, officials said late Wednesday.