I wonder if you are are able to give us that number today. I want to respond specifically to the question you raised. I will go back and assure that the insert that is provided is directly responsive to your question. Mr. MINSHALL. One further question. Why do they need such a high percentage of rated officers at missile sites where no flying techniques are required? General FRIEDMAN. We will respond to that also. Mr. MINSHALL. Thank you. (The information to be supplied follows:) PERCENTAGE OF RATED OFFICERS AT MISSILE SITES AND SAGE INSTALLATIONS In the command, operations, and maintenance career fields for guided missiles and in the weapons director career field for SAGE and similar centers, the rated officer percentage of the total assigned strength is 54.8 percent. There are two main reasons for this ratio of rated to nonrated officers in these positions at this time. The initial manning of missile units and control centers had to be accomplished from existing resources. Almost without exception, the rated officer inventory was found to be the principal resource for officers with the necessary command and operational experience to fill these positions. A second factor that placed rated officers in these positions is the Air Force policy of periodically assigning rated officers to positions other than those involving operations, command, and supervision of manned systems. This concept assures the effective management of the Air Force by technically competent officers and the proper management development of future commanders and staff officers. General AGEE. I would like to make a statement. During General Ligon's testimony on the military personnel appropriation Mr. Whitten requested that information be put in the record with respect to the number of planes and related costs, provided on the one hand for the 6,000 excess being discussed at that time and on the other hand, for the 27,000 which the GAO says are in excess. He particularly wanted to know how many planes are maintained at Andrews and Bolling Air Force Bases for proficiency flying purposes. He also requested facts and figures the Air Force might have regarding the total investment the Government has in planes for this purpose. The information requested is set forth in the following paragraphs with one exception-data related to the 27,000 figure would be erroneous as shown in our detailed comments and is excluded. AIRCRAFT SUPPORT COSTS FOR 6,000 RATED OFFICERS Pending ultimate review of the records of the specific individual officers who actually would be removed from flying status, it is estimated that of the cited 6,000 rated officers 4,500 would be pilots. This differentiation is necessary, because aircraft and flying hours are programed only for the number of pilots to be supported. Navigators and observers receive proficiency training as a byproduct of pilot proficiency and other mission support flying. Support provided in the fiscal year 1962 budget estimates for a number of 4,500 pilots involves 371 aircraft and 275,000 flying hours. Related expenses for aircraft maintenance and operation would amount to $14,719,000 in the operation and maintenance appropriation and $3,663,000 in the major procurement appropriations. It should be noted, however, that realization of savings commensurate with these amounts would depend upon the time-phasing under which the pilots are removed from flying status. Aircraft assigned for proficiency flying purposes total 113 at Andrews Air Force Base and 29 at Bolling Air Force Base. With respect to the Government's investment in planes for the purposes under discussion the Air Force considers that there has been no aircraft procurement for pure proficiency flying. Normally the aircraft would be a fallout from firstline aircraft. For example, the T-33 aircraft were provided initially as jet trainers for students in flying training in the Air Training Command. The C-47 aircraft were procured prior to and during World War II to meet airlift requirements. The T-29 aircraft originally were obtained for navigator training in the Air Training Command. Also I want to be certain I am in communication with you with regard to the question that was directed to me this morning. It relates to page 15 of my testimony in which I described these new reporting procedures and the eight categories. I then read for you the eight categories. I want to be sure that it is understood that the categorization I described is a mission assignment category. It is not an airplane assignment category. I cannot give to you our experience within the new mission assignment category since they went into effect only on January 1 of this year. I can give you for 1960 and 1961 and 1962 the aircraft and also the flying hours allocated in the mission support area against aircraft assignment codes, of which there are six. I believe that is what you want. Mr. MINSHALL. That is right. Mr. ANDREWS. Thank you, gentlemen. AFTERNOON SESSION MEDICAL SUPPORT PROGRAM Mr. ANDREWs. We shall now hear from General Jenkins. We shall now take up the subject of medical support program. Do you have a prepared statement? General JENKINS. I do. Mr. ANDREWS. We shall be glad to hear your statement without interruption. General JENKINS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the purpose of my appearance is to present the program and dollar requirements for worldwide Air Force medical support in fiscal year 1962. ROLE OF THE MEDICAL SUPPORT PROGRAM The medical service of the Air Force has a dual role to perform in support of the Air Force mission. The first of these is a peacetime function to maintain optimum health of service personnel and other authorized beneficiaries. This is an active program that is with us daily. Maximum effectiveness in carrying out the program is essential to maintain the operational readiness of the force. In addi tion to the peacetime role, it is necessary to plan for the eventualities of war and to have available a workable plan of operation that will be responsive to the needs of emergency situations. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS The chart shows a 3-year comparison of the major program elements upon which the estimate is based. The active Air Force duty military man-years are slightly lower in fiscal year 1962 than fiscal year 1960 while the number of dependents of active duty personnel continues to increase. Since the average military strength does decrease, the increase in the average daily patient loads in Air Force facilities in fiscal year 1962 over fiscal year 1960 is practically all related to dependents of active duty personnel of the uniformed services. However as the number of dependents continue to increase and with our other uniformed service facilities at maximum utilization, there will be an increase in the number of dependents hospitalized in civilian facilities. The fiscal year 1962 estimate is based on optimum utilization of Air Force facilities. The increase in the dependent population also accounts for progressive increases in outpatient care to be provided. The Air Force operated 133 hospitals in fiscal years 1960 and 1961. By the end of fiscal year 1962 there will be 130 in operation as three hospitals are programed to be closed late in fiscal year 1962. To support the medical program $170,332,000 is required in fiscal year 1962. This compares to $164,869,000 in fiscal year 1961. For purpose of simplicity, I should like to present these dollar requirements by budget project. P-472-MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT This project provides for one-time costs for noninstalled equipment and supplies for new or replacement medical facilities and for the procurement of war reserve medical materiel. It is estimated that funds in the amount of $3.8 million will be required to finance these requirements in fiscal year 1962, an increase of $2.8 million over the fiscal year 1961 program. The increase is occasioned by the requirement in fiscal year 1962 to procure war reserve medical materiel, formerly procured by the medical-dental stock fund. In fiscal year 1961 and previous years the medical-dental division of the Air Force stock fund financed the procurement of inventories. of war reserve medical materiel required to support the Air Force war plans. This retail level stock fund will be dissolved on June 30, 1961, and this wartime mission support must now be funded from the operation and maintenance appropriation. The major portion of the funds requested for fiscal year 1962 will be used to procure a war reserve of medical materiel necessary to care for casualties that would be sustained from a nuclear atack. This program has been jointly developed by the three services under the monitorship of the Department of Defense. Procurement has been phased over a four year period in accordance with Department of Defense instructions. Included in this estimate is $2,580,000 to procure the fourth and final increment. The balance of the war reserve requirement of $955,000, included in this estimate, will be used to procure other inventory deficiencies. This requirement is based on current war plans. The total medical materiel required to support these plans is computed on a line item basis and the assets reported by major commands are applied against these total requirements to obtain the net requirement. There are numerous line items to be procured; however, $255,000 of the total will be used to procure a recently developed plastic blood collecting and dispensing bag. Funds in the amount of $239,000 are also requested to provide for the initial noninstalled medical equipment for those new or replacement medical facilities which will be completed in fiscal year 1962 under the military construction program. P-473-MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING Funds in the amount of $3,052,000 in fiscal year 1962 are requested for this budget project to support the costs of training the personnel required to operate the various aspects of the medical program. The comparable fiscal year 1961 obligation is $2,843,000. Training courses are conducted in Air Force and other Federal medical schools, Air Force hospitals and in civilian universities and teaching hospitals. A continued training process is required to maintain an adequate number of medical technicians to support the professional staff. In addition to training of airmen, it is essential that a portion of the professional staff undergo formal training to maintain a satisfactory level of competence and to upgrade younger medical officers in specialized aspects of military medicine related to changing weapon systems. While the total number of student entries decreases from 11,760 in fiscal year 1961 to 11,077 in fiscal year 1962, there is an increase in the number of these students who will be attending in a temporary duty status. Travel and per diem to support these TDY students is provided in this budget project. The major portion of the additional dollar requirements in fiscal year 1962 are related to this category of expense. During fiscal year 1961, TDY student inputs will be 5,898 compared to 6,350 in the budget year. The length of the course is the determining factor on whether the student will attend the course in a temporary duty or permanent change of station status. P-474-MEDICAL PRINTING AND BINDING For fiscal year 1962, $347,000 is required for the printing of specialized medical forms, manuals, and pamphlets as compared to a fiscal year 1961 program of $537,000. One-time cost for printing a series of manuals dealing with laboratory techniques and procedures causes the fiscal year 1961 requirement to be higher than usual. P-475-CARE IN NON-AIR FORCE FACILITIES Provision for medical care in either facilities of other Federal services or civilian facilities must be made when an Air Force facility is not within the area or the care is beyond the capabilities of the Air Force medical facility. In fiscal year 1962, the $53,760,000 requested to support these requirements reflects an increase of $3,641,000 over the fiscal year 1961 program. Of the amount requested in fiscal year 1962 for care in non-Air Force facilities, about 78 percent is to provide for care of Air Force dependents. The request for fiscal year 1962 recognizes the continuing increase in the dependent population to be served and in the per diem hospitalization rates. The estimate assumes the fullest utilization of military medical facilities. A certificate of nonavailability of services in a military facility must be obtained by those dependents residing with their sponsor before the services will assume financial responsibility for the care. This system was inaugurated on October 1, 1958. The procedure has reduced the dependent average daily patient load in civilian facilities from 2,127 in fiscal year 1958 to an estimated 1,614 in fiscal year 1962. Conversely, the average daily number of dependent inpatients in Air Force facilities increased from 2,618 to 3,510 during the same period. P-477-MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION In fiscal year 1962, funds in the amount of $2,473,000 are requested to provide for the expenses of the Office of the Surgeon General, field extensions, and the officers of the surgeons at the major commands. Field extensions while under the control of the Surgeon General's Office, in several instances, actually perform operational duties. For example, small detachments at the larger Army and Navy hospitals perform certain liaison duties, such as writing orders on patients or other military activities. While these detachments are actually performing the same type of work as is done at an Air Force hospital, for convenience of administration and control, they have been assigned as a field extension of the Surgeon General. The units to be supported and the expenses remain essentially unchanged from fiscal year 1961. P-478-OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES For fiscal year 1962, $103,926,000 is requested for the operation and maintenance of medical treatment facilities as compared to $104,526,000 for the fiscal year 1961 program. These funds provide for the daily operating expenses of all Air Force medical treatment facilities, such as hospitals, dispensaries, and dental clinics. The project provides for such items as pay of civilian employees used in these facilities, travel of patients and professional staff, utilities for heating and cooking and to operate various types of equipment, food for patient and staff, medical supplies and equipment, maintenance of facilities, procurement of cleaning materials, and laundry services, |