enlisted personnel are authorized to mess separately, leave rations and the allowance payable when rations in kind in a government mess are not available. Subsistence in kind includes food consumed in messes and hospitals plus operational rations. The daily ration rate for messing is $1.26 ashore in the continental U.S., $1.42 ashore overseas and $1.32 afloat, while the daily rate for operational rations is $2.30. These estimated rates for fiscal 1970 are unchanged from 1969.

PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL

The recommended program includes approximately $105.3 million for the budget activity entitled, "Permanent Change of Station Travel." This activity provides funds for accession travel upon initial entry into the service, training travel, operational travel between duty stations, rotational travel to and from overseas, separation travel and the cost of moving Marine dependents and household effects when authorized.

OTHER MILITARY PERSONNEL COSTS

The recommended program includes approximately $17 million for the budget activity entitled, "Other Military Personnel Costs." This activity provides for the payment of expenses incident to the apprehension of military deserters, absentees and escaped military prisoners, interest paid on Uniformed Services Savings deposits, death gratuities and the extra hazard costs of servicemen's group life insurance.

The committee recommends an appropriation of $5,823 million. This is a reduction of $12,300,000 from the House allowance and a reduction of $129,800,000 from the revised budget estimate. It is a reduction of $270,600.000 from the appropriation for fiscal year 1969. Reductions made by the House and recommended by the committee are as follows:

The recommended reduction of $12,300,000 in the House allowance is for the following:

Reduction based on the historical overstatement of the requirements

of this appropriation_

$10, 020, 000

Disallowance of the House increase for increases in the cost of subsistence..

2, 280, 000

Total___

13, 000, 000

With respect to the House increase of $2,280,000 for increases in the cost of subsistence, the committee does not believe that it is necessary to fund such a small increase in an appropriation of this size. Historically the total requirements for the activities and programs funded under this appropriation have been overstated, and the committee recommends an additional reduction of $10,020,000 on the basis of this overstatement.

This appropriation provides for the pay and allowances of officers, enlisted personnel, and cadets; the subsistence of enlisted personnel; permanent change of station travel; and other military personnel costs of the active Air Force and cadets of the U.S. Air Force Academy. A comparison of the year end strengths for fiscal year 1968, 1969, and the plans for fiscal year 1970 is set forth in the following table:

The budget program and activities included in the appropriation are discussed below. The sums referred to are intended to reflect the magnitude of the various activities and programs and are not to be considered as specific recommendations.

The recommended program includes approximately $1,703.4 million for the budget activity entitled, "Pay and Allowances of Officers.' This activity provides for the basic pay, incentive and special pay for officers, basic allowance for subsistence and quarters, oversea station. allowance, uniform and family separation allowances, separation payments; and the employer's contribution to the social security tax.

PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL

The recommended program includes approximately $3,353.1 million for the budget activity entitled, "Pay and Allowances of Enlisted Personnel." This activity provides for the basic pay, incentive pay, special and proficiency pay of enlisted personnel; the reenlistment bonus; basic allowance for quarters; oversea station allowances; clothing allowance; family separation allowance; separation payments; and the employer's contribution to the social security tax.

PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF CADETS

The recommended program includes approximately $10 million for the budget activity entitled, "Pay and Allowances of Cadets." This activity provides for the statutory rate of cadet pay, payments for the commuted value of rations, and the employer's contribution to the social security tax. The estimated average strength of the cadet wing for fiscal 1970 is 3,724, an increase of 310 over 1969. The ultimate authorized strength goal for the Air Force Academy is 4,417 and the required facilities, housing and equipment are available to adequately provide for the projected strength. Approximately 89 percent of the 1969 class volunteered for flight training and for 1970, the estimate is 98 percent.

SUBSISTENCE OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL

The recommended program includes approximately $321.3 million for the budget activity entitled, "Subsistence of Enlisted Personnel.” This activity provides for the payment of subsistence allowances to active duty enlisted personnel to include allowances when individuals are authorized to mess separately, when in a leave status, when rations in kind are not available, when the individual is assigned to duty under emergency conditions where Government messing facilities are not available, and augmentation of subsistence allowance for meals taken separately. Subsistence in kind costs average $1.32 per day in the continental United States and $1.42 overseas. Statutory rates are $1.32 per day to mess separately, $2.57 per day when rations in kind are not available, and $3.42 under emergency conditions. Experience indicates that approximately 60 percent of enlisted personnel draw basic allowances for subsistence in lieu of subsisting in Air Force. dining halls.

PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL

The recommended program includes approximately $416.6 million for the budget activity entitled, "Permanent Change of Station Travel." This activity provides funds for accession travel; technical, career, and flight training travel; operational travel between duty stations; rotational travel to and from overseas; separation travel; travel of organized units; and expenses incident to associated dependent moves.

OTHER MILITARY PERSONNEL COSTS

The recommended program includes approximately $34.8 million for the budget activity entitled, "Other Military Personnel Costs." This activity provides for costs incident to the apprehension of Air Force deserters, absentees, and escaped military prisoners; interest on uniformed services savings deposits; gratuities to beneficiaries of deceased military personnel, and the Air Force's contribution to the cost of servicemen's group life insurance.

UNALLOCATED REDUCTION

The sum of $16.2 million of the recommended reduction has not been allocated to the various budget activities.

The committee recommends an appropriation of $306,700,000. This is a reduction of $1,300,000 from the House allowance and a reduction of $4,300,000 from the revised budget estimate. It is an increase of $19,500,000 over the appropriation for fiscal year 1969.

Reductions recommended by the committee are based on the authorization reduction in personnel strength, what are believed to be overstated drill strength projections, and a shortfall in the attainment of authorized strength. These reductions are concurred in by the Department of Defense.

This appropriation provides for the pay and allowances, individual clothing and uniform gratuities, training, travel, and other costs which are authorized for the personnel of the Army Reserve and the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

A 3-year comparison of average strengths of the paid-drill forces of the Army Reserve follows:

The budget programs and activities included in this appropriation are discussed below. The sums referred to are intended to reflect the magnitude of the various activities and programs and are not to be considered as specific recommendations.

The recommended program includes approximately $273.6 million for the budget activity entitled, "Reserve Component Personnel." This activity provides funds to include pay and allowances, individual clothing and uniform gratuities, subsistence for enlisted personnel, and travel costs for the training of pay group A (48 paid drills and 15 days of active duty training), pay group D (no participation in weekly drills but 15 days of active duty training) and pay group F (participants in the Reserve Enlistment program who perform a minimum of 4 months active duty training). Included also are funds for school and special training, administration and support.

RESERVE OFFICER CANDIDATES

The recommended program includes approximately $33.1 million for the budget activity entitled "Reserve Officer Candidates." This activity provides funds for direct military personnel costs to include subsistence allowance, clothing, pay and allowances for summer camp training, and subsistence and travel for members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The senior ROTC program for fiscal year 1970 will enroll an estimated 150,400 students, to include 4,759 scholarship students, which is approximately the same overall enrollment as for fiscal year 1969. During fiscal year 1970, 16 senior ROTC units are scheduled to begin enrollment for a total of 284 units; the authorized strength of 286 participating institutions is expected to be reached in fiscal 1971. The senior program will produce about 17,500 second lieutenants during fiscal year 1970, compared with 14,176 for 1968 and approximately 16,800 for 1969. The junior ROTC program receives funds for the issuance and replacement of uniforms. The fiscal 1970 junior program calls for an estimated 123,000 cadets enrolled in approximately 640 units. At the beginning of the 1968-69 school year, 102,003 cadets were enrolled at 518 institutions.

The committee recommends an appropriation of $127,900,000. This is a reduction of $3,500,000 from the amount allowed by the House and a reduction of $12,500,000 from the revised budget estimate. It is a reduction of $1,250,000 from the appropriation for fiscal year 1969.

Reductions recommended by the committee are based on what are believed to be overstated drill strength projections and are concurred in by the Department of Defense.

This appropriation provides for the pay and allowances, uniforms, clothing, subsistence in kind, travel to and from training, and miscellaneous benefits which are authorized for the officers and enlisted personnel of the Naval Reserve, for the Naval Reserve officer candidates (NROTC), and for certain active duty officers administering the Naval Reserve program.

A 3-year comparison of average strengths of the paid-drill forces of the Navy Reserve follows: