OCEANSIDE, CA - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday night that the Marine Corps would be "deeply affected" by the coming cuts in the defense budget. Speaking to a battalion of Marines at Camp Pendleton, Panetta spoke plainly about the need for what he called a "leaner, more efficient Marine Corps."

While politicians in Washington scramble to find ways to cover a massive federal deficit, many have resorted to attacks on the defense budget. In preparation for what seems inevitable, many division and battalion commanders have already pushed down preliminary guidelines.

"This ain't my first rodeo," says Brigadier General Ronald Amos, "I was around during the [President] Carter era, when money was extremely tight. That guy was a serious tightwad."