SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE DONALD E. RICHBOURG, J. David WILLSON, JOHN G. PLASHAL, ROBERT V. Davis, Robert A. SERA- HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE DONALD E. RICHBOURG, J. David WILLSON, JOHN G. PLASshal, Robert V. Davis, Robert A. Sera- KF27 A6 1949 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS JAMIE L. WHITTEN, Mississippi, Chairman EDWARD P. BOLAND, Massachusetts NEAL SMITH, Iowa JOSEPH P. ADDABBO, New York BILL CHAPPELL, JR., Florida JOHN P. MURTHA, Pennsylvania BOB TRAXLER, Michigan JOSEPH D. EARLY, Massachusetts LINDY (MRS. HALE) BOGGS, Louisiana MARTIN OLAV SABO, Minnesota VIC FAZIO, California W. G. (BILL) HEFNER, North Carolina LES AUCOIN, Oregon DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii WES WATKINS, Oklahoma WILLIAM H. GRAY III, Pennsylvania BERNARD J. DWYER, New Jersey WILLIAM R. RATCHFORD, Connecticut BILL BONER, Tennessee STENY H. HOYER, Maryland BOB CARR, Michigan ROBERT J. MRAZEK, New York SILVIO O. CONTE, Massachusetts J. KENNETH ROBINSON, Virginia KEITH F. MAINLAND, Clerk and Staff Director (II) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1985 TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1984. ARMY LIGHT INFANTRY DIVISION WITNESSES LIEUTENANT GENERAL FRED K. MAHAFFEY, USA, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR OPERATIONS AND PLANS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY LIEUTENANT GENERAL CARL E. VUONO, USA, DEPUTY COMMANDING GENERAL, U.S. ARMY TRAINING AND DOCTRINE COMMAND MAJOR GENERAL HAROLD M. DAVIS, JR., USA, DIRECTOR OF ARMY BUDGET INTRODUCTION Mr. ADDABBO. The committee will come to order. On February 1, 1984, the Secretary of the Army announced plans to increase the strategic flexibility of United States ground forces by creating light infantry divisions in the U.S. Army. These light divisions will each have a strength of approximately 10,000 soldiers, compared to 14,000 to 17,000 in other Army divisions. About 5,000 of the new division will be combat infantrymen. The Army believes the smaller division will permit rapid deployment of Army forces to any location without sacrificing fighting strength. While continuing the programmed modernization of its heavy forces, the Army plans to accomplish these light force initiatives within existing resources. As a first step, during fiscal year 1984, the 7th Infantry Division, stationed at Fort Ord, California, is to be converted to a light division configuration. Resources available to the Army as a result of the conversion of the 7th Infantry Division and other adjustments throughout the Army will provide the basis for activation in fiscal year 1985 of initial elements of a new light infantry division. This new division will bring the total number of Army active divisions to 17. While no decision has been made on the home base of the new division, the announced candidate sites include Fort Drum in New York; Fort Campbell in Kentucky; Fort Ord in California; and Fort Lewis in Washington. Factors involved in making the home base decision include availability of training areas, availability of troop and housing facilities, and availability of airfields for strategic deployability. Today, the committee will hear testimony from the Army on their ambitious plans for light divisions. Specifically, we will discuss: how the Army will finance conversion of the 7th Infantry Di (1) |