pay raise, and $64.6 million for program growth above the current FY 1982 appropriation. The Air National Guard's FY 1983 Operation and Maintenance budget request includes $26.2 million for inflation, $23.4 million for the October 1981 civilian pay raise, and $65.8 million for program growth.

AVERAGE AGE OF THE AIRCRAFT

QUESTION: What is the average age of the aircraft in your 1983 inventory? How much of the fiscal year 1983 budget is devoted to aircraft procurement?

ANSWER: The average age of the aircraft in our 1983 inventory is 17 years. The newest is 3 years old and the oldest is 26 years of age.

Requirements for aircraft procurement, modifications and replenishment spares are not identified under a specific Air Force Reserve appropriation. The Air Force Reserve participates in the active Air Force POM process, and aircraft and related requirements are funded from the Air Force Aircraft Procurement appropriation (57X3010).

Page 7, "Air Guard and Reserve"

QUESTION: Why does the Air Force Reserve plan no conversions of civilian technicians to full-time military, while the Air and Army Guard intend to convert positions in FY 1983?

ANSWER: As emphasized during the FY 79 & 80 Technician Militarization Test, we feel that Military Technicians are the most effective resource for performing our full-time support needs. We have had great success with the Military Technician program since its inception in 1958 and feel that the high degree of combat capability which we currently have is directly attributable to the dedicated, highly-skilled, and motivated Technician force we now have. We see no need, at this time, to make any changes to this highly successful cost effective program. However, the Air National Guard perceives their technician conversion program differently. They believe that the congressional authority to determine and program an appropriate mix of full-time military technicians provides flexibility to more properly meet the many and varied manpower requirements of Air National Guard missions.

50% INCREASE IN ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT OF AIR GUARD PERSONNEL

QUESTION: Why is there a 50 percent increase in the administration and support of Air Guard personnel? The fiscal year 1982 figure is $89.8 million, while the fiscal year 1983 figure increases to $135.1 million.

ANSWER: The increase of administration and support for FY 1983 is necessary to accommodate the programed strength growth of the Air National Guard full-time active duty program, the conversion of air technicians to full-time active duty and additional enlistment and reenlistment payments required during FY 1983.

QUESTION:

PRICE AND PROGRAM GROWTH

The budget request for Navy Reserve Personnel is $641.3 million, 85 percent over last year. The request for Navy

Reserve O&M is $653 million, 14 percent over last year. Of these increases, how much is inflation and how much is real growth?

ANSWER: Of the $266.4 million increase in the RPN appropriation $247.9 million was the result of two Congressional actions: the directed transfer of TAR personnel funding from the MPN appropriation ($238.4 million) and funding to support the authorized full year increase to 94,000 Selected Reserve end strength ($9.5 million). Only $18.5 million (4.9%) of the increase can be attributed to cost escalation and program growth. $4.0 million is inflation and $14.5 million is program growth which is divided between increased Special Training costs necessitated by the strength increase, increased fleet support and exercises, and increased weekend away training travel costs.

In O&MNR an increase of $17.1 million or 3% is attributable to price growth and an increase of $64.8 million or 11% is attributable to program growth primarily in the areas of ship maintenance and, to a lesser extent, aircraft maintenance.

INDIVIDUAL MOBILIZATION AUGMENTEES

QUESTION: The Navy Reserve budget request envisions an average strength increase in individual mobilization augmentees from 320 to 550. These are personnel who train only two weeks annually. What is the total cost of this increase and why is it necessary?

ANSWER: The FY 83 RPN budget requests an additional $253 thousand to support an increased end strength of 30 officers and 170 enlisted Category D Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMA). This increase is necessitated by recognition of medical requirements supporting NATO contingencies and in support of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF). The IMA will provide the requisite backfill when the active CONUS medical force is deployed to NATO, RDF or for other contingencies.

QUESTION:

AMPHIBIOUS CARGO SHIPS

Four Amphibious Cargo Ships (LKA) assigned to the Naval Reserve Fleet will be returned to the active forces during this year. What is the cost of this transfer and what ships of this type, if any, will remain in the Reserve fleet?

ANSWER: The Navy will request authority to transfer $36.8 million in FY 1983 from O&MNR to O&MN to reflect the reassignment of these four ships. Although no Amphibious Cargo Ships (LKA) will remain in the Naval Reserve Force, there are two other amphibious ships (Landing Ship Tanks) assigned to the Naval Reserve Force.

SCHOOL/SPECIAL/MOBILIZATION TRAINING INCREASES

QUESTION: The fiscal year 1983 budget request for school/ special/mobilization training is $25.7 million, an increase of $11 million over last year. To what is this increase attributed? ANSWER: The FY 1983 budget request contains an increase of approximately $11 million for school/special and mobilization training. Of this amount $.156 million is for inflation and the remaining $10.859 million is for program growth. Program growth is broken down as follows:

Annual Training for members of Volunteer Training Units $2.873 million.

Increased emphasis is being given to providing active duty for training to members of Volunteer Training Units. A total of

1,400 personnel will train in 1983 vice 335 in 1981 and none in 1982. The budget request for fiscal year 1983 provides paid ACDUTRA for approximately 27 percent of these members who drill in a non-pay status.

Total members in VOLTRA units

Officer

4,447

1,250

Enlisted

834

150

684

Number budgeted for Annual Training Number not budgeted for Annual Training 3,197 Annual training for members of the Merchant Marine - $0.591 million.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1936 requires all merchant marine officers on subsidy ships to be members of the Naval Reserve. Of the approximate 3,300 officers in this program only 285 were provided paid ACDUTRA in fiscal year 1981. The fiscal year 1983 request provides ACDUTRA tours for 786 individuals, or approximately 24 percent of the individuals in the program.

School Training - $2.380 million.

This amount is for increased program to provide training to meet specific mobilization billet requirements and to train personnel in new type equipment.

Special Tours - $5.015 million

The fiscal year 1983 budget request provides for approximately a 43,900 manday increase in Special ACDUTRA over fiscal year 1982. Of this increase, 11,200 mandays, or 26 percent of the increase, are for involuntary additional ACDUTRA for mandatory drilling personnel. This will provide funding of 500 tours of 45 days each and equates to approximately 50 percent of the estimated number of obligors who will fail to drill in accordance with their agreement. 22,123 mandays, or 50 percent of the increase, is related to increased support to the fleet and mobilization training. 10,567 mandays, or 24 percent of the increase is for increased requirements related to management of the Naval Reserve and increased ACDUTRA with mobilization sites. Increased deployment of Reserve units to mobilization sites requires intensive advance planning such as pre-cruise conferences and production workload conferences. Involvement of regular Navy activities into the readiness and training of their Reserve assets requires periodic conferences to ensure any problems are resolved prior to commencement of training. Increased participation of Reservists in the management of Reserve programs will ensure that problems related to drilling reservists are voiced by someone who has first hand knowledge of the situation.

INCREASES FOR CONFERENCES AND VISITS

QUESTION: Why does the budget request for "Conferences and Visits" triple from the 1982 figure of $.895 million to $2.5 million for fiscal year 1983?

ANSWER: The fiscal year 1983 budget request provided for an increase in Conferences and Visits mandays of 4,323 over that in fiscal year 1982. The increase in mandays from fiscal year 81 to 83 reflects a 51% increase due to increased training at mobilization sites and in management of Naval Reserve programs. Accomplishment of this training requires more coordination between the INCONUS staff units and the OUTCONUS mobilization activities in scheduling pre-cruise conferences to review training plans of Battle Groups Staff personnel. Also, an increase in coordination is required to schedule the workshops and projects to set up fiscal year 1983 training production, script treatment and site survey of training projects.

INFLATION IN MARINE CORPS RESERVE BUDGET

QUESTION: The total Marine Corps Reserve Personnel budget request is $165.9 million, 20 percent over last year. The O&M request is $48.4 million, 20 percent over last year. Of these amounts, how much is program growth and how much is inflation?

ANSWER: The Marine Corps Reserve Personnel budget request of $165.9 million reflects a 19.5 percent increase over the fiscal year 1982 appropriated amount of $138.7 million. The 19.5 percent or $27.2 million is comprised of the following: $12.9 million for the fiscal year 1982 pay raise supplemental now being paid, $2.7 million fact of life program supplemental, $.1 million discretionary entitlement, $7.7 million or 4.9 percent for real strength growth (build to wartime t/o) and finally $3.8 million or 2.3 percent for inflation of travel, subsistence and clothing.

The Marine Corps Reserve Operation and Maintenance budget request of $48.4 million represents a 20.1 percent increase over the fiscal year 1982 appropriation of $40.3 million. The $5.2 million or 12.9 percent program growth includes $4.4 million in mission forces, $.1 million in depot maintenance, and $.7 million other support, while inflation accounted for a $2.9 million or 7.2 percent increase.

QUESTION: Despite strength increase in the Marine Corps Reserve, skill shortages remain a major detriment to force readiness. $3.1 million is requested for bonuses and educational assistance, 56 percent more than that for last year. Of this amount, how much is targeted to overcoming reserve skill shortages? ANSWER: The $1.122 million increase in the fiscal year 1983 budget for bonus and educational assistance provides $264 thousand for increased new bonus payments. The remaining $858 thousand is to fund anniversary payments due previous fiscal year bonus enlistees. Accordingly, there is only a 24% "program increase" in fiscal year 1983, vice a 56% "program increase." The entire "program increase" in fiscal year 1983 is targeted to Reserve skill shortages.

Incentives

QUESTION: Since $2 million is being spent on bonuses and educational assistance for this year, and shortages continue, are these incentives ineffective?

ANSWER: Since the inception in mid fiscal year 1979 the bonus and educational assistance program, authorized by the Congress, has enabled the Marine Corps Reserve to recruit over 1,250 non prior service personnel and retain over 1,500 prior service personnel in skills that are short within the Marine Corps Reserve. Although, unquantifiable, without the bonus and educational assistance program the number of personnel recruited/retained to the levels indicated above would have been significantly less and therefore, skill shortages would in the aggregate be greater than they are at the present.

$1,2 Million Bonus Funding

QUESTION: General Crist, you state that neither enlistment nor reenlistment bonuses are successful in recruiting/retaining requisite reserve personnel. Since $1.2 million is requested for fiscal year 1983 bonus funding, would we be better off using this money for increased training and readiness-related items? At what point do we recognize dollars alone will not guarantee manpower needs?

ANSWER The premise of this question is based upon a misreading of the statement submitted to the committee. The Marine Corps Reserve is presently 2,900 Selected Reservists short of the wartime requirement. Total manpower, however, only represents part of the equation. It is equally essential that the proper mix of skills and ranks be attained. Neither can be accomplished without a full range of incentives to recruit and retain the necessary Reserve manpower.

Pay Group P

QUESTION: Why the 74 pecent increase in Pay Group P funding for fiscal year 1983? (FY 82, $.245 million; FY 83, $.427 million). These personnel are high school students who enlist in the reserves before graduation and await basic trainng for reserve duty.

ANSWER: The 74 percent increase in Pay Group P funding is due to a 72 percent increase in average strength and a 2 percent inflation adjustment for subsistence and clothing costs. The 72 percent increase in average strength is based on actual attainment in FY 1982 which is carried as a bow wave into FY 1983. The Pay Group P strength revision is displayed below.

Presidential Budget Revised

Presidential Budget

Using actuals thru March and calculating average strength for the last half of FY 82 indicates an increase of 157 Pay Group "p" personnel. This 62% projected increase will carry into FY 1983.

This program is a recruiting incentive offered to attract high quality accessions and meet programmed non-prior serve (NPS) accession goals. Attainment of the NPS goal is now 107% of plan. This trend, probably caused by various economical factors in the private sector is expected to continue into FY 1983.

IRR Bonus

QUESTION: General Crist, you state that the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) bonus is necessary to overcome personnel shortages in this manpower pool. Yet, Congress did not authorize this bonus