Hon. F. EDWARD HÉBERT,
House of Representatives.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY,
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY,
Washington, D.C., July 21, 1962.

DEAR MR. HÉBERT: This will respond to your letter of July 6, 1962. I understand from my conversation today with Mr. Slatinshek you were primarily interested in our views with respect to the comments made by General Cantwell in his testimony before your committee on June 7, 1962, which appear at page 2066 of the transcript. At that point in the testimony, General Cantwell listed a series of five objections to the proposed realinement. They are repeated here with our comments.

"1. The realinement of eight combat divisions will reduce the mobilization base and training units. Combat divisions provide the best training vehicle for skills required in combat, which have no counterpart in civilian occupations." Comment. The realinement of eight divisions does, of course, reduce the mobilization base, but it does so because the mobilization base at the present time is larger than our need by at least that amount. The Army disagrees that Reserve divisions provide the best vehicle for training. Basic training may best be acquired in the training centers and unit training is best acquired when personnel are assigned to the units in which they will serve.

"2. The reduction in overall strength and the elimination of units will reduce the ability to provide aid to civil authorities in the event of natural disasters or thermonuclear attack."

Comment. The change in the size of the Guard and Reserve has little effect on their ability to respond to national disasters or thermonuclear attack. We are currently studying the manner in which the Reserves and Guard can best perform these roles. This point is merely an argument against any reduction in strengths of units and is not based on any analysis of the need.

"3. The plan will cause severe turbulence among units due to deactivation and conversion of units, and transfer of personnel; this will result in a loss of combat readiness in the Reserve components at this very critical time."

Comment. With a few exceptions, the only units affected by the reorganization are those which are no longer needed in the structure. They do not add to combat readiness at the present time. Changes affecting them do not affect combat readiness. The sooner needed units are added the better able the Reserve and Guard will be to perform their assigned mission.

"4. With a reorganization of all Reserve component divisions to the ROAD organization pending, a partial reorganization at this time, to be followed within 1 or 2 years by another major reorganization, will create extreme and prolonged turbulence; and"

Comment. A possible ROAD reorganization would affect only the internal structure of the division, whereas the present reorganization proposal does not affect the structure of the divisions which are retained. Hence the same units will not be reorganized twice even if the Army does go to the ROAD basis in the next year or so.

Every

5. Except for the high-priority forces, the plan appears to be oriented more toward fiscal economy rather than military or State requirements." Comment. This is merely an opinion and an oft-repeated charge. competent military authority concedes that the proposed realinement substantially increases the military effectiveness of the Guard and Reserve.

Sincerely yours,

STEPHEN AILES, Under Secretary of the Army.

Mr. HÉBERT. The committee is recessed subject to the call of the Chair.

(Whereupon, at 12:03 p.m., the hearing was recessed, subject to the call of the Chair.)

APPENDIXES

Page

Appendix A. Marine Corps Reserve reorganization plan.......
Appendix B. Data on military occupation specialties of the Active Army
and Reserve components_

6386

6394

Appendix C. Eligibility criteria for screening from the Ready Reserve before Public Law 87-117__

6411

Appendix D. Letter from Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower,
dated March 9, 1962, providing answers to questions submitted by Sub-
committee Chairman Hébert on February 16, 1962..
Appendix E. Report of personnel composition of Reserve component units
ordered to active duty under Public Law 87-117..

6426

6498

(6385)

85066 0-62-No. 66- -63

[Explanation of symbols: (*) 4th Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; (#) Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve;
(†) Fleet Marine Force (Reserve), U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; (1) Navy personnel]

MARINE CORPS RESERVE REORGANIZATION PLAN-Continued

[Explanation of symbols: (*) 4th Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; (#) Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve;

(†) Fleet Marine Force (Reserve), U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; (1) Navy personnel]