INDEX Page Authorizing statute for establishing the Director of Defense Research and 6704 Department of Defense: Agencies under study: Defense Atomic Support Agency: Assistance to the services_ 6794 Discussion regarding... 6690, 6793, 6822 Monitoring AEC's atomic weapons development program....... 6795 6795 Responsibility with regard to atomic weapons effects.... 6795 Staff assistance to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and 6795 Comparative personnel requirements. Criteria for item management coding on electronic supplies 6872 6719 General Counsel's letter of June 12, 1962, expressing views 6837 Inventory drawdown for fiscal 1963- 6882 Inventory levels. 6752, 6873 Letter dated June 14, 1962, from General McNamara to 6887 Letter dated June 29, 1962, from General McNamara to 6888 Management method criteria for automotive and construc- 6720 (V) News release pertaining to Secretary Gilpatric's remarks at 6885 Number of personnel transferred to.. 6879 Opinion as to legality of going into retail distribution. 6975 Opponents of single supply agency.. 6714 Policy governing standardization program. 6851 Relationship paragraph in charter_ Role of Defense Supply Council.. 6734 6733 Secretary Gilpatric's California speech. 6753 Responsibilities, functions, and powers of a Secretary. The future___. Use of criteria and coding procedure.. National Security Agency Opinion on legality of establishing agency for weapons systems Major organizational components. Office of Assistant Secretary: 6754 6830 6690, 6809 Major responsibilities of Secretary Thomas D. Morris. 7027 7021 7005 Transportation and warehousing policy: Letter regarding actions of Lt. Col. John E. Murray... Office of the Secretary: 7065 7078 7075 Preliminary studies and tentative evaluations that may 7078 Biography of Dr. Alain C. Enthoven, Deputy Comptroller for 6958 DOD supergrade and Public Law 313 distribution. 6934 Effect of section 202(c) (6) of the National Security Act of 1947, 6898 Memo pertaining to establishing a combat development and test Personnel strength of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of 6935 Prime contracts.. 6952 Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff activities, civilian 6943 Section 201(b) 6911 Supergrade and Public Law 313 distribution 6934 Excerpts from debate on Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958 6680 International Security Affairs, major responsibilities of Secretary Paul 7031 Joint Strategic Survey Council. 6826 Letter dated July 9, 1962, from Hon. Thomas B. Curtis, a Representative 7040 6980 Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, explanation of 7043 [No. 71] HEARINGS BEFORE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEFENSE AGENCIES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEFENSE AGENCIES INVESTIGATION, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D.C., Monday, June 4, 1962. The special subcommittee met at 10 a.m., Hon. Porter Hardy (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. HARDY. Let the committee come to order. I have a statement that I want to give before we take up the testimony from the Secretary of Defense. We begin hearings today with respect to the agencies that have been created or are contemplated within the Office of the Secretary of Defense as distinguished from those agencies under the operational control of the military departments. The defense agencies that now exist are the Defense Communications Agency, the Defense Atomic Support Agency, the National Security Agency, the Defense Supply Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The purpose of this inquiry is to analyze the statutory basis for these defense agencies, the justification for their creation, the extent of their operations, the extent to which they have absorbed previous functions of the military departments, the effect such agencies have upon the combat effectiveness and efficiency of our armed services, and the plans, if any, for additional agencies or the expansion of functions of existing agencies. At the outset, I think it imperative that I repeat a portion of the report by the House Armed Services Committee accompanying the Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958. Among other things, that report stated It is the belief of the Committee on Armed Services that the intent of the National Security Act and the basic philosophy surrounding the creation of the Defense Establishment and the Office of the Secretary of Defense was to create an overall policy manager who would be known as the Secretary of Defense. It was never intended, and is not now intended, that the Office of the Secretary of Defense would become a fourth department within the Department of Defense, delving into operational details on a daily basis. The Secretary of Defense is supposed to make policy and to make any decision that is necessary with regard to the functioning of the three military departments. Once his decision has been made, or his policy has been enunciated, it is incumbent upon the three military Secretaries to carry out the orders, directives, or policies of the Secretary of Defense. (6679) That is the end of the quotation. The declaration of policy of the National Security Act states, among other things, that Each military department shall be separately organized under its own Secretary and shall function under the direction, authority, and control of the Secretary of Defense The policy section also provides for the unified direction of the military departments, but further provides that the act is not "to merge these departments or services." Finally, the policy statement provides that the National Security Act is to be construed as forbidding the creation of an Armed Forces General Staff. During the debate on the bill reported to the House in 1958, an amendment was offered by the then majority leader, Mr. McCormack, which was adopted and became a part of the law. That amendment became section 202 (c) (6) of the National Security Act. It provides as follows: (6) Whenever the Secretary of Defense determines it will be advantageous to the Government in terms of effectiveness, economy, or efficiency, he shall provide for the carrying out of any supply or service activity common to more than one military department by a single agency or such other organizational entities as he deems appropriate. For the purposes of this paragraph, any supply or service activity common to more than one military department shall not be considered a "major combatant function" within the meaning of paragraph (1) hereof. That is the end of the quote. In accepting this amendment, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Vinson, stated-and I quote him: The distinguished gentleman gave the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Kilday] and me and others the privilege of examining this amendment. We have examined it and know exactly what it means. Mr. Vinson continues: Its purpose is to bring about a more unified and economical procurement of items which are common to two or more military services. Last year some $1,200 million was procured under a single service manager, through whom the four services are buying medical supplies, clothing, and other things. There is no objection from our side to this amendment. That is the end of Mr. Vinson's statement at that point, but further on he explained the amendment as follows: This deals with a single method of procurement. I know what runs through the gentleman's mind. The amendment is valid, in my estimation. Mr. Gavin of the Committee on Armed Services interposed, during this discussion, and said: I would suggest we permit the gentleman to proceed and explain. Then Mr. McCormack replied, among other things-and I quote him: The gentleman from Georgia is doing it much better than I could. Later during the debate, Mr. Devereux, then a member of the Committee on Armed Services, asked: Under this proposed amendment, would it not be possible to establish in the Department of Defense an agency which would take over the functions now being carried on by the various services? I am talking about supply, logistics, procurement, and all of that. |