Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said Tuesday that the Pentagon will continue pressing to trim military pay, pensions, and housing allowances despite rejections by Congress.

The Pentagon will also try again to reform the Tricare health care system and kill the A-10 attack aircraft despite nearly universal opposition from veterans service organizations, Work said at a Council on Foreign Relations forum.

"This whole idea of compensation is absolutely critical. Compensation (reform) is a really big deal" in DoD's efforts to maintain readiness, fight wars in Afghanistan and the Mideast and rebalance forces to the Pacific while working under the budgetary restrictions of the Congressional sequester process, Work said.

Matters will come to a head in February when DoD presents its next budget and the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission presents its long-awaited reform recommendations, Work said.

Work said he expected that Congress will still be working under a continuing resolution on DoD's budget in February. "This is truly the last chance for us to make any moves in this space" on pay, pensions and other cost-cutting measures, said Work, a retired Marine colonel and former Navy undersecretary.