Hagel to hear from Joint Chiefs on spending cuts

By Barbara Starr

The Joint Chiefs of Staff plan to brief newly minted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on the impact that spending cuts - slated to go into effect Friday night - might have on military readiness.

Defense programs would bear half of the $85 billion in government-wide spending cuts that are to go into effect absent congressional action.

Hagel's first session with leaders of the service branches since his swearing-in is to occur Friday afternoon in "the tank," a secure Pentagon meeting room.

The Joint Chiefs will brief Hagel on what the planned cuts involve and how they might affect readiness, a senior Pentagon official said.