Priorities

Priorities? We have them in order:

The Pentagon is shelling out millions of dollars — to coach football.

Three college football coaches are currently the highest-paid employees on the Defense Department’s payroll: Army football coach Rich Ellerson, Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun.

Calhoun raked in $882,000 last year, with Ellerson falling close behind, making $600,000. But Niumatalolo takes the cake as the highest-paid Pentagon employee, earning $1,605,370 in 2012. His salary is almost double Calhoun’s salary — the second highest-paid employee.

The Department of Defense isn’t exactly seeing bang for its buck, though. The three teams’ combined record was 16-22 last season. The Navy Midshipmen was the only team out of the three to finish with a winning season.

And it isn’t just the federal government making room in its budget for college coaches. In 40 out of 50 states, the highest-paid public employee is a college coach. In Minnesota, a basketball coach and football coach actually tie as the highest-paid employee on the state’s payroll.