HOUSE REPORT STATEMENT

"The amount of $25,013,000 is approved for installations of the Tactical Air Command. The reductions made by the committee include those reflected in the authorization legislation and the denial of the request for funds for the construction of administrative headquarters facilities for the Strike Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The committee does not feel that adequate consideration has been given to the utilization of existing facilities at this location and at other military installations available to the Deparment of Defense. More realistic studies should be made by the Department as to the economic feasibility of the utilization of such facilities, as well as the total space required for the headquarters of this command, prior to any further requests for funds" (p. 28).

Senator STENNIS. All right. Next item, page 29.

Colonel FENLON. Page 29, Mr. Chairman, is an item at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. This is the item to provide a headquarters for Stricom. Initially the authorization request was for $4 million. We received a 10-percent cut, $3.6 million, in the authorization. The House deleted the item in the House Appropriations Committee. Of course this is a very important command to the Defense Department as well as the Air Force and the Army. They are currently housed in three dormitories down at MacDill plus leased facilities in Tampa to take care of this major headquarters. We have a requirement, of course, for the dormitories here at MacDill plus the specially designed facilities required for this type of headquarters and for their command and control functions. We would like to request consideration for the reinstatement of this item in this year's appropriation.

Senator STENNIS. How much is in the bill now for this item?

Colonel FENLON. For the Strike Command Headquarters, sir, or MacDill total?

Senator STENNIS. For the Strike Command Headquarters.

Colonel FENLON. The authorization was $3.6 million for this headquarters.

Senator STENNIS. Yes, but the amount of $25,013,000 is approved for installations of the Tactical Air Command.

Colonel FENLON. That would be the entire Tactical Air Command, Mr. Chairman, all of their bases.

Senator SALTONSTALL. There is nothing in the bill for this purpose then?

Colonel FENLON. No, sir; the House Appropriations Committee failed to appropriate this.

Senator STENNIS. Here is $9,679,000 in the bill.

Colonel FENLON. That is correct.

Senator STENNIS. For MacDill.

Colonel FENLON. Yes, sir.

General CURTIN. That includes the $3.6 million which was authorized of the $4 million requested?

Senator STENNIS. $3.6 million?

General CURTIN. Yes.

Senator STENNIS. We included this in the authorization bill the

other day with a 10-percent reduction.

General CURTIN. That is correct, sir.

Senator STENNIS. Now the House struck it all out together.

Colonel FENLON. That is correct, Mr. Chairman.

HOUSE COMMITTEE REPORT

Senator STENNIS. And they say more realistic studies should be made by the Department as to the economic feasibility of the utilization of such facilities as well as to the space required for the headquarters. What do you say in response to that?

General CURTIN. Mr. Chairman, this particular subject has been the basis of an extensive study by the Department of Defense first as to its location. This group was headed by Mr. Sheridan, the Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Senator STENNIS. Excuse me, we know all that. We have been through that. What they say here is total space required for the headquarters of this command.

Colonel FENLON. That is correct. I was going to bring that up. That was a part of this overall study, not only the overall space but the means of accomplishing whether it was more economical and more feasible to accomplish it converting or building a new building. Three separate proposals were discussed and this was the one that was finally approved as being the most prudent and most economical in the long run, building a new headquarters building for this command. Senator STENNIS. We do not give you everything you need. First we must give you everything you have to have. No. 2, we want to give you everything you need but there are a lot of places you can put odd money these days toward rolling stock and hardware, fighting material rather than these fine buildings.

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SCATTERED LOCATIONS

General CURTIN. I think the problem here, Mr. Chairman, is the nature of the operations that General Adams as commander of Strike Command has to carry out. You realize the tempo of these operations has picked up considerably over the past years. Certainly we cannot foresee any slackening of this. The conditions under which he has to operate down there now are extremely marginal at best.

Senator STENNIS. What do you mean "marginal"?

General CURTIN. As pointed out, in addition to three permanent barracks he has personnel located in eight other buildings. Seven of those are wood frame, widely dispersed so that small elements of the staff are at dispersed locations. Here he is trying to operate and make split-second decisions to keep people moving. It is really an extremely marginal operational from the standpoint of being able to function. I discussed this subject with him as late as yesterday and certainly he feels very strongly that something should be done to help him out in his situation down there in command control.

Senator STENNIS. Do you want to give up something else in the bill and give this priority? You are in such a distressing situation now, maybe you can arrange some way. The House has already decided this matter against you, and I say they usually have rather good reasons for what to do when they have gone into a matter, which apparently they have done in this one.

General CURTIN. As you know, sir, this year the reductions in our program so far have been quite sizable. To substitute items that we may not build would be extremely difficult.

Senator STENNIS. Do you have anything else to say on this matter? General CURTIN. Not on this item.

The action by the House on our request adversely affects, to the point of the inability to construct the facilities, the fiscal year 1966 portion of the Air Force Academy expansion program.

The fiscal year 1965 program authorized the construction of the fieldhouse but with a reduction in the amount of $690,000. The fiscal year 1966 appropriation request included the fieldhouse at the reduced figure ($6,210,000). The additional House reduction of $582,000 will have to be borne by the fieldhouse and one other major item in the fiscal year 1966 program. This brings the total of $1.3 million reduction to construct an approximately $16 million program.

The contract drawings on the facilities in this program are approximately 70 percent complete. If this reduction in funds of $582,000 is not reinstated extensive and expensive redesign and a reduction in facilities will be required. A delay in the construction will follow. This delay will adversely affect the academic building addition completion, which is the other major item in this year's program.

HOUSE REPORT STATEMENT

"The amount of $14,500,000 is approved for the Air Force Academy. The program approved by the committee includes additional academic classroom and laboratory space to complete the total educational space requirement for the recently authorized expansion program as well as physical education and athletic facilities necessary to meet the requirements of the Academy" (p. 28). Senator STENNIS. Next item.

Colonel FENLON. The next item is on page 30 and is at the U.S. Air Force Academy. To trace this for just a second, the action of the House on our request adversely affects the fiscal year 1966 portion of the Air Force Academy expansion program. In 1965 when they authorized the fieldhouse they reduced the authorization by some $690,000 and of course now they are giving us an additional reduction of $582,000. Of course this would have to be absorbed by two items, the fieldhouse which was authorized last year, and the academic building which is the other large item in this year's program. Of course both of these projects are 70 percent designed. This would cause us to have to redesign at considerable expense, we would lose time and also the ability to provide these facilities with timeliness for the expansion of the Academy. We would like to have the $582,000 reinstated.

HOUSE REDUCTIONS

General CURTIN. This is a most important one, Mr. Chairman. On the surface it would appear that $582,000 out of $15 million is not a large amount and could be absorbed. I would like to emphasize the

point that Colonel Fenlon made that last year we absorbed almost $700,000 in the fieldhouse which is a part of the $15 million and we have had extreme difficulty designing to that figure. The remaining request is for the academic building. The design is well along and our estimates are right almost to the dollar figure we presently have in the budget.

Senator SALTONSTALL. What you say, General, is that you have got a $1.3 million reduction out of the $16 million program. That is approximately 8 percent.

General CURTIN. That is correct, sir.

Senator SALTONSTALL. You say you cannot quite take that.

General CURTIN. The point I want to make is that our original stimates were right on the money although we did not realize this o start with. The only way we feel we could consciously absorb this mount here is to go back and completely redesign the facility. Senator BIBLE. May I ask one question, sir?

Senator STENNIS. Yes.

Senator BIBLE. As I understand this if this is not restored you would have to go back and redesign it.

General CURTIN. Redesign the academic building, yes.

Senator BIBLE. And to date you have completed 70 percent.

General CURTIN. Yes, and the estimates based on that design support the estimate that is in the program.

Senator BIBLE. If it is not allowed, then you will have to go back and redesign around the lower figure?

General CURTIN. That is correct, sir.

Senator STENNIS. The Air Force spends a lot of money out there, t seems to me you ought to make a special effort to try to save some. There was a lot wasted out there in the beginning, though you were not in charge of it then.

General CURTIN. Actually, I think so far our estimates and control stimates for this expansion program are within the figures that we ave to Congress on this program 3 years ago. With luck we hope o keep them that way, sir.

Senator STENNIS. All right.

Next item, gentlemen.

REMARKS AND REASONS FOR RESTORATION

Osan Airbase is a major PACAF installation in Korea and the home of the 14th Air Division. The commander of the air division is the air component of he United Nations Command and also chief of the Air Force Military Assistance dvisory Group, Korea. The present headquarters building is a substandard acility of 71 wood-frame and corrugated-metal buildings joined together as emporary shelters. These existing buildings are dangerous due to the frayed lectrical wiring on wooden framework that is further complicated with roof eaks, are structurally unsound, and heating is by oil stoves which constitutes a

49-369-65-67

serious fire hazard condition. These buildings are continually in a damp condi tion that is detrimental to the health and morale of 850 people working in thi complex. Also these 850 people must share 2 small latrines. The proposed build ing will also provide space for a post office which now operates in a wing of th existing complex. This will insure proper safety and security control of all U.S mail in the area.

HOUSE REPORT STATEMENT

"The request of $518,000 for the construction of a permanent division head quarters building at Osan Airbase, Korea, is denied" (p. 28).

Colonel FENLON. The next item is on page 31, Mr. Chairman. Tha is Osan Airbase, Korea, $518,000, division headquarters. This instal lation in Korea is the headquarters of the 314th Air Division. They are currently in some 71 wood-frame and corrugated-metal building joined together.

Senator STENNIS. How many; 71?

Colonel FENLON. Seventy-one small, almost quonset hut-type build ings. They are in poor condition, of course, because of the climati conditions. Some of them are structurally unsound. They are indi vidually heated with oil stoves and this type of thing, and this is the type of facility these people have.

Senator SALTONSTALL. Two latrines for 850 people?

Colonel FENLON. Yes, sir.

We desire, of course, to put this headquarters into a more func tional facility. This is not high-priced construction in this area; i is minimal construction that we are requesting.

Senator STENNIS. Do you have the figures showing how much per

manent construction the Air Force has in Korea?

Colonel FENLON. I do not have the total in Korea, but I could pro vide that, Mr. Chairman.

Senator STENNIS. It is a rather small amount; is it not? General CURTIN. That is correct, sir. It was only about 4 years ag that we started a program to take the very temporary facilities tha we had and give them some degree of permanency.

Senator STENNIS. That is what I remember. I was over there 5 o 6 years ago and I was impressed with the fact that we had not spen much money there for permanent construction. I know since the you have been moving into it, but on a modest scale.

General CURTIN. That is absolutely correct, sir.

Senator BIBLE. No particular reason was given, Mr. Chairman, fo this amount.

General CURTIN. That is correct, sir. We do not have the basis fo the reduction.

Senator STENNIS. Well, I would say restore it.