DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1980 THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1979. UNITED STATES SOLDIERS' AND AIRMEN'S HOME WITNESSES LIEUTENANT GENERAL GEORGE H. MCKEE, GOVERNOR Mr. NATCHER. The committee will come to order. We take up at this time the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home. We have before the committee General McKee. Who do you have with you this morning? General MCKEE. I have Colonel Robert Hampton with me this morning and Mr. Ray Gritton. Mr. NATCHER. We are delighted to have you three gentlemen appear. I believe we have a statement, General McKee, which we will insert in the record in its entirety, and if you want to highlight this, we would be glad to hear from you. [The statement follows:] (1) A. BIOGRAPHIC DATA George H. McKee, Lt. General, U. S. Air Force, Retired Deputy Commander for Maintenance, Blytheville AFB, Ark. 1964 1965 1965 1968 Director, Maintenance & Engineering, Headquarters USAF Chief of Staff, Strategic Air Command 1968 1970 1970 1972 1972 1973 1973 1974 1974 1975 Distinguished Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters) Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster) Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters) Good Conduct Medal European/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with 4 Service Stare) Vietnam Service Medal (with Silver Star) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon Legion of Merit from Spain STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR, U, S. SOLDIERS' AND AIRMEN'S HOME PRESENTING THE FY 1980 BUDGET TO THE CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEES PURPOSE The purpose of this statement is to furnish information on the Home which may be of interest during the committee's consideration of the Home's fiscal year 1980 appropriation request. Included is pertinent information on the Home: its mission, administration, physical plant, financing, and members. The statement also provides a general description of the fiscal year 1980 appropriation request as compared with the fiscal year 1979 appropriation. MISSION Member The Home was established by Congress in 1851 for the relief and support of retired, invalid, or disabled soldiers of the Regular Army. ship is a benefit for former warrant officers and enlisted personnel of the Regular Army and Air Force with the following qualifications: (1) honest and faithful service for twenty years or more as warrant officers or enlisted personnel, or (2) service-connected disabilities rendering then unable to earn a livelihood, or (3) non-service connected disabilities rendering them unable to earn a livelihood, provided they have had service during a war. These criteria are listed in this order, not as priorities, but because about eighty-six percent of the membership is of the first group, and about fourteen percent is of the disabilities groups. ADMINISTRATION General supervision of the Home was placed by Congress in a Board of Commissioners now composed of the Governor of the Home, the Comptroller of the Air Force, the Chief of Engineers of the Army, the Surgeon General of the Army, the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, the Adjutant General of the Army, the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel of the Air Force, the Sergeant Major of the Army, and the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. Subject to approval by the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force, the Board has authority to establish regulations for the internal direction of the Home. The law provides for an annual report of inspection of the Home by the Army Inspector General and Auditor General to be submitted to Congress. PHYSICAL PLANT The Home is situated in northwest Washington, D. C. Facilities include four domiciliary and three hospital buildings, a service area, a heating plant, a laundry, and some minor structures. The domiciliary capacity of the Home is 2149 beds. Our hospital has a constructed capacity of 410 beds, with optimum usage of 348. Throughout the years, the loss of Home lands to other activities has reduced the acreage from about 500 to the present 300. The members of the Home are grateful for the support provided by committees of Congress for retention of the Home's land against proposals to further reduce it. FINANCING The Act of 1851 provided that the Home be supported from two principal sources: (1) a monthly contribution while on active duty of twenty-five cents from each enlisted member and warrant officer of the Regular Aray and Air Force, and, (2) fines and forfeitures imposed upon these personnel by sentence of courts-martial. The Act of 1883 established a Permanent Fund in the U. S. Treasury and provided for the payment of interest of 3% per annum on the fund balance. On December 15, 1973, the Act of 1883 was amended so as to increase the interest paid on our Permanent Fund Balance. This increased rate is determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States. Under this amendment, the Home is now receiving about 8% interest on its fund balance. In addition, Public Law 94-454, October 2, 1976, authorized the collection of a fee from the members of the Home and an increase from twenty-five to fifty cents in the amount of the monthly active duty deduction. The Permanent Fund balance on September 30, 1978 was $92.5 million. MEMBERSHIP Our male members range in age from 40 to 100, with an average age of 64. Our female members range in age from 47 to 84, with an average age of 70. There are 76 female members. Average total membership during fiscal year 1978 was 2,228, including 2,129 present. Fiscal year 1979 and FY 1980 average total memberships are expected to be 2,235, including 2,140 present. Because Home membership was fast approaching full capacity, the Board of Commissioners' approved priority system for admission to the Home was implemented in February, 1974. Our hospital is full, which accounts for our Waiting List of approximately 145 persons, all of whom require extended hospitalization. |