OPERATIONAL SUPPORT The recommended program includes approximately $2,024.6 million for the budget activity entitled, "Operational support." This activity provides funds for the day-to-day operation and maintenance costs of the Air Force strategic air defense, tactical, and transport/troop carrier missions. Some of the other significant activities supported in the activity are the Air Force communications service; the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed and coordinated exercise program; rotations, air operations, and maneuvers; and special airlift missions. Funds are also included to support the operation and maintenance of the complex air defense communications detection and control systems such as the ballistic missile early warning system, the semiautomatic ground environment system with the new backup interceptor control, and the space detection and tracking system. MEDICAL SUPPORT The recommended program includes approximately $206.1 million for the budget activity entitled, "Medical Support." This activity provides for the medical care for 861,200 Air Force active duty military personnel and their 1,468,000 dependents, 227,000 Air Force retired military personnel, and 545,000 dependents of Air Force retired and deceased military personnel. This support includes care in Air Force, Veterans' Administration, Public Health Service, Canal Zone Government, and civilian medical facilities. Additionally there is reciprocal care with the other services. In addition to hospitalization, the support provides for outpatient care, dental care, military public health and occupational medicine, bioenvironmental engineering, veterinary medicine, medical supplies for aeromedical evacuation (including casualty staging flights for all Services), physiological training (including altitude chamber operations and pressure suit fittings) and the operation of epidemiological flights. The activity also includes the operation and maintenance of Air Force medical facilities in the United States and overseas; medical care and hospitalization of Air Force active duty and retired personnel and their authorized dependents in civilian facilities and by civilian physicians; the training of military personnel in medical specialities; printing services for medical purposes; and administrative expenses of the medical service at departmental level. SERVICEWIDE SUPPORT The recommended program includes approximately $515.1 million for the budget activity entitled "Servicewide support." This activity provides for the direct administrative operational and maintenance expenses of Headquarters, U.S. Air Force; field extension office of Headquarters, USAF; and major command headquarters. Also included are the costs of Air Force-wide leased long-line commercial communications systems; the operation and maintenance expenses of the USAF Security Service, the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, the Foreign Technology Center, and the Technical Applications Center. CONTINGENCIES The recommended program includes approximately $2.9 million for the budget activity entitled "Contingencies." This activity provides funds for emergency and miscellaneous current expenses required for official courtesy and protocol representation, maintaining and furthering inter-American and foreign relations, community relations, congressional travel in connection with inspection of Air Force activities, and other purposes of a classified nature. Expenditures in the program are authorized and approved by the Secretary of the Air Force. UNALLOCATED REDUCTION The recommended reduction of $70.1 million has not been allocated to the various budget activities. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, DEFENSE AGENCIES The committee recommends an appropriation of $1,069,400,000, a reduction of $5,200,000 in the House allowance, a reduction of $25,600,000 in the revised budget estimate, and an increase of $600,000 over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 1969. House reductions concurred in by the committee are as follows: National military command system service support contracts.. 1, 600, 000 DIA-Operating costs-- 2, 100, 000 400,000 National Security Agency.. Defense educational and informational activities... The committee recommended an additional reduction in funds for the National Security Agency of... New total reductions___ 800, 000 600, 000 5, 200, 000 25, 600, 000 This appropriation consolidates under one account the overall management and direction of the Department of Defense; the common supply and service functions of the military departments consolidated under the Defense Supply Agency; defense communications activities for the control of worldwide strategic and administrative long-haul, point-to-point communications services of the Department of Defense and consolidated under the Defense Communications Agency; the joint atomic weapons technical operations of the Department of Defense; intelligence resources and functions of the Department of Defense; information and education programs for members of the Armed Forces; and classified activities. PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES Each of the organizations funded under this appropriation is discussed below. The sums referred to are intended to reflect the magnitude of the various activities and programs of these organizations and are not to be considered as specific recommendations. The recommended program includes approximately $38.7 million for Secretary of Defense activities. This activity provides funds for the civilian salaries, related benefits, and other necessary expenses for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, the seven Assistant Secretaries of Defense, the General Counsel of the Department of Defense and such special assistants as the Secretary requires to advise him (atomic energy, legislative affairs). Necessary expenses include the transportation and per diem expenses for both military and civilian personnel assigned, office supplies and equipment, communications expenses, printing and reproduction, and contractual services. The committee is concerned over the large number of military and civilian personnel assigned to Secretary of Defense Activities, many of whom serve in high grades. The committee received testimony that there are 751 military personnel assigned to these activities, of which 316 serve in the grade of colonel/captain or higher. The committee concurs with the House in that a portion of the reduction in civilian personnel will be applied to Secretary of Defense Activities and expects similar action with respect to military personnel. A report on action taken will be submitted to the Congress at the end of fiscal year 1970. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF The recommended program includes approximately $6.1 million for the Joint Chiefs of Staff activities. This activity provides funds for the civilian salaries and other necessary expenses for the organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to include the transportation and per diem expenses for both civilian and military personnel assigned, office supplies and equipment, communications expenses, printing and reproduction, and contractual services. ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE The recommended program includes approximately $6.5 million for the United States Armed Forces Institute. This activity provides for correspondence and group study civilian-type educational courses, testing programs, counseling and guidance services, and certain oversea USAFI offices in Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean area for members of the Armed Forces during fiscal year 1970. OFFICE OF INFORMATION The recommended program includes approximately $5.2 million for Armed Forces information and education activities. This activity provides worldwide information programs to military personnel to enhance a better understanding of national goals and the nature and purposes of the potential enemy. All communications media are, employed to provide continuous coverage of international, national, and local U.S. news as well as general program material. DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY The recommended program includes approximately $43 million for the activities of the Defense Communications Agency. This activity provides funds for the operation and maintenance costs of the Headquarters, Defense Communications Agency and its field activity complex which establishes, improves, and operates long-haul point-topoint telecommunications facilities to meet the requirements of the Department of Defense and other governmental agencies. Included are civilian personnel salaries and benefits, travel and transportation reimbursements to host activities, leased communications services and equipment, printing and reproduction, installation and maintenance of communications and cryptographic equipment, rental and operating costs of automatic data processing equipment, other contractual services, and operating supplies and equipment. DEFENSE CONTRACT AUDIT AGENCY The recommended program includes approximately $46.4 million for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. This activity provides the audit service to be utilized by contract and procurement administration personnel of the Department of Defense in connection with negotiation, administration, and settlement of contract payments or prices. The Agency provides contract audit services to other Government agencies on a reimbursable basis. The funds provide for the operation and maintenance of the Headquarters, Defense Contract Audit Agency; salaries of civilian personnel; travel and transportation to include permanent change of station costs; reimbursements to host activities for common service support; communications and postage costs; printing; and operating supplies and equipment. DEFENSE SUPPLY AGENCY The recommended program includes approximately $604 million for the Defense Supply Agency. This activity provides for the support of procurement and supply management, supply depot operations, logistics services, contract administration services, and general administration necessary to the operation of the agency. Organizations which perform the functions of the agency include six supply centers, eight distribution depots, two service centers, and 11 contract administration services regional offices. CLASSIFIED ACTIVITIES The recommended program includes approximately $326 million for Classified Activities. REDUCTION IN CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES The recommended reduction of $6.5 million in the funds requested for civilian employees has not been allocated to the various organizations funded under this appropriation. Includes $1,500,000 transfer from the appropriation "Research, development, test and evaluation, Army." The committee recommends an appropriation of $297,800,000, a reduction of $2,200,000 in the House allowance, a reduction of $8,200,000 in the revised budget estimate, and an increase of $21,636,000 over the appropriation for fiscal year 1969. The committee concurs in the $6 million reduction made by the House in logistics support operations because the requested amount for depot maintenance of vehicles will not be required and recommends a further unallocated reduction of $2,200,000 in anticipation of failure to attain authorized average strengths. This appropriation provides for training, organizing, and administering the Army National Guard, including maintenance, operation, and repairs to structures and facilities; the hire of passenger motor vehicles; personal services in the National Guard Bureau; the pay of civilians; travel; inspection; supplying and equipping the National Guard of the several States; and expenses of repair, modification, maintenance, and issue of supplies and equipment; and related expenses as authorized by law. It is not the intent of the committee to authorize the employment of technicians in excess of the statutory limitation of 42,500, and the committee recommends the deletion of the following language that was proposed to accomplish this purpose, "and services of personnel necessary to provide reimbursable services for the military departments." |