MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION, FISCAL

YEAR 1966

TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1965

U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES,
AND SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION

OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,

Washington, D.C.

The Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Military Construction of the Committee on Appropriations met jointly, pursuant to recess, at 10 a.m., in room 212, Old Senate Office Building. Present: Senators Inouye (presiding), Cannon, Saltonstall, Smith, and Thurmond.

Of the staff of the Committee on Armed Services: Gordon A. Nease, professional staff member, and Charles B. Kirbow, chief clerk.

Of the staff of the Committee on Appropriations: Vorley M. Rexroad and Joseph Borda, professional staff members.

Senator INOUYE. Gentlemen, we will continue our hearings on the military construction authorization bill this morning by taking up title I of the bill which relates to the requirements of the Department of the Army. The bill as submitted to the Congress called for a total new authorization of $391,579,000 and an increase in prior years' authority of $9,476,000. Since the bill was submitted, it is understood that there have been several changes which will result in a reduction of some $3.4 million from the amount originally requested. Department of the Army witnesses will be expected to call to the committee's attention those changes as we progress through the line items, submitting such proof as you may wish in justification thereof.

General Shuler, we are most happy to have you with us. We welcome you to the committee.

I notice that you have a statement but I presume you would like to have General Lampert testify first?

General SHULER. Whatever pleases the chairman. I could either file my statement or highlight it and then we respectfully request we might take up the West Point items right after we finish with the statements.

Senator INOUYE. If you so wish, General. Without objection, so ordered.

577

STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. W. R. SHULER, DIRECTOR OF INSTALLATIONS, OFFICE, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR LOGISTICS General SHULER. I would like to say one thing about the statement, sir, and file it.

(The statement of General Shuler follows:)

STATEMENT BY MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM R. SHULER, DIRECTOR OF INSTALLATIONS, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR LOGISTICS, U.S. ARMY

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am Maj. Gen. William R. Shuler, Director of Installations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army.

It is a pleasure for me to present to you the Army's fiscal year 1966 "Military construction authorization request."

For this fiscal year, the Department of the Army is requesting $391,579,000 in new authorizations for military public works in title I of the bill, H.R. 5885. Amendments to Public Laws 86-500, 87-554, 88-174, and 88-390 are requested to cover certain deficiencies in currently authorized items.

Of the total new authorization requested in title I, section 101, authority for $262,205,000 is requested for construction within the United States, and $10,033,000 for construction outside the United States, including Okinawa and the U.S. Army Forces Southern Command. In addition, in section 102 of the bill, $109,341,000 is requested for construction facilities at stations having classified projects both inside and outside the United States. Section 103 of the proposed bill contains language authorizing construction in the amount of $10 million to meet unforeseen and urgent requirements.

The projects comprising this year's authorization request are limited to our most pressing construction needs which have been coordinated with other Army programs related to personnel, materiel, and research and development. In developing this construction program emphasis was given to those projects which support missions, deployment of tactical units, research and development, and which provide adequate troop housing and supporting facilities. Again we are emphasizing replacement of inadequate temporary facilities. Approximately one-quarter of the Army's physical plant at our permanent stations is comprised of World War II temporary structures. These facilities were hastily constructed more than 20 years ago for rapid mobilization for World War II using criteria, designs, and materials for a life expectancy of but 5 years.

Except for troop housing, recent budget levels have not provided an adequate rate or level for replacing these facilities, which have already served over four times their 5-year economical life expectancy. Sustaining the troop housing level attained last year will replace the old temporary barracks by about fiscal year 1973. The Army is endeavoring to establish comparable rates for other categories to allow replacement and modernization within about 10 years. If an adequate annual level of replacement is not established and maintained, we will arrive at a time when structural failures will require replacements on such a scale for a 1- or 2-year program that the cost will be prohibitive. Although last year's and this year's authorization requests provide increases in the rate, additional increase will be required in future year programs over the $234 million for replacement and modernization of facilities within this request.

In general introduction of this program I will discuss it in terms of the functional and mission groupings that are used within the Department of Defense for all aspects of programing.

For "Continental Air and Missile Defense Forces," we are requesting $8.8 million in new authorization. It is our goal to continue our program of improvements to the NIKE-HERCULES system to increase tactical effectiveness. For "General purposes forces," those combat units and their combat support elements stationed in the United States or deployed overseas, we are requesting $83.9 million. Major items are troop housing complexes for the Strategic Army Command (Strac) divisions at Forts Campbell, Hood, and Riley, tactical equipment shops and facilities at Forts Hood and Carson, a consolidated field maintenance shop at Fort Carson, post engineer facilities at Fort Bragg, NIKEHERCULES tactical facilities, oversea aviation support facilities, controlled humidity storage, and command post facilities. Some of the items are classified and will be discussed in executive session.

Our third category "Airlift and sealift forces" contains a request of $5.6 million. The two major items are for conversion of warehouses for relocation of facilities due to base closures.

For "Research and development" we request $47.2 million. About $24 million of this request is due to requirements for test and evaluation of the NIKE X missile system upon which a decision concerning future deployment of the system will be based. Other major projects in this program are an electric power laboratory at Fort Belvoir, a medical biological research laboratory (and utilities system expansion) at Fort Detrick, a quality assurance laboratory at Edgewood Arsenal and a laboratory support services building at Natick, Mass.

Our last grouping is for "General support," and the broad base for our training, supply, maintenance, medical services, headquarters, communications network, and Army Security Agency requirements. Since Army installations have highly diversified support missions, this grouping includes requirements at the greatest number of stations. For "General support" we request $236 million in new authorization. The largest item requested is $26 million for a classified Department of Defense project. The following are some of the major items:

Troop housing complexes for recruit training at: Forts Dix, Knox, Gordon, Jackson and Leonard Wood;

A troop housing complex for technical training at Fort Devens;

A student dormitory and academic building at Presidio of Monterey in support of the Department of Defense Language Institute;

Completion of the Fort Gordon Signal School;

Classroom building for the Medical Field Service School at Brooke Army Medical Center;

Bachelor officer quarters at: Forts Dix, Bragg, Benjamin Harrison, and Rucker:

Classroom building at Redstone Arsenal;

Aircraft maintenance facilities at Fort Rucker;

Replacement of five deteriorated, inadequate hospitals at: Forts Devens, Stewart, Benjamin Harrison, Irwin, the Military Academy, and construction of a hospital addition at Fort Belvoir;

Communications facilities;

Combat Development Command Headquarters Building at Fort Belvoir; Continental Army Command Headquarters Building at Fort Monroe. The detailed project justifications to support the facilities which we are requesting are contained in four books including two books for sections 101 and 102, one classified book for section 102, and one book for deficiency authorization, sections 104-107. Copies have been furnished to the committee counsel for each of the committee members.

The automatic repeal provisions have largely eliminated carryover authorization. As of October 1, 1965 there will remain only $4 million of authorization for specific line items not covered by the present fiscal year 1966 program (or prior year's funds). Because of this very close relationship between the authorization and funding program it is sometimes necessary to request exception to repeal. Under section 606 of the proposed bill we are requesting exception to repeal for 24 line items.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening statement on the "proposed military construction, Army" authorization which is contained in the bill before you. I will be pleased either to answer any questions the committee may have, or arrange for the answer to be provided.

This year we are again making a very strong effort to alleviate a very serious problem we have in the Department of the Army that has to do with the replacement of our World War II temporary facilities. As you recall, sir, these were built some 20 years ago for a 5-year life expectancy using whatever materials were available then. They were built in haste. We still have them around. We are still occupying them. Many of them are falling down or should be condemned.

The magnitude of our problem, sir, is about $3.4 billion to replace these and we are trying to get the level in this program for this replacement that will allow us to do this in about 8 to 10 years because they are not going to last, a lot of them, that long. We have succeeded, sir, in this year's request and our funding plan, we have succeeded in

reaching the level of $260 million for this purpose within this program and we feel that we have to get to about $300 million which we feel we can come to next year.

So this is really the main reason for the increased size of our request this year over last year, this effort to replace the old World War II type temporary facilities.

Senator INOUYE. Would you like to call on General Lampert at this time?

U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT, N.Y.

General SHULER. I would like to have him available, sir, to answer any questions the committee has and if it meets your approval, I will take up the West Point line items at this time.

Senator INOUYE. Fine, sir.

General SHULER. We have a request this year for $18,089,000 in new authorization which is for a new hospital, another increment on the rehabilitation of Camp Buckner, bachelor officer quarters, addition to the gymnasium, and utilities expansion and access roads.

In addition to that, we have a deficiency authorization request for $7,419,000 for last year's authorization granted to us by the Congress which involves the expansion of Washington Hall and the barracks that are adjacent thereto. I would be glad, sir, to defend these projects in order if you desire or to answer any questions.

Senator INOUYE. Will you take them item by item.

General SHULER. Yes, sir. On the hospital, sir, page 15 in your book, which is the first item, this would be for a hundred-bed hospital, a new hospital, to replace a very inadequate hospital that was build in increments. The present hospital is functionally inefficient. The nursing stations are inefficiently located. We have no intensive care unit. It is located immediately adjacent to a cadet barracks area with very high noise level. It has inadequate outpatient clinic facilities. It has an inadequate piped oxygen system.

As I say, it was constructed piecemeal and the human traffic through the hospital, the layout of this traffic is such that they even have to walk through the operating suites. This new hospital, sir, would be in a different location and would support not only the cadets but also the active duty military personnel assigned to the Military Academy, also Stewart Air Force Base and support certain satellite units, such as NIKE's; also dependents of the military on active duty and other authorized personnel as prescribed by law and regulation. In other words, this hospital supports a great deal more than just the Corps of Cadets.

The next item

Senator INOUYE. Before proceeding to the next item, General, this 100-bed hospital will replace a 130-bed facility, won't it?

General SHULER. Yes, sir.

Senator INOUYE. What will happen to the existing facility?

General SHULER. We intend, sir, to put the entire dental clinic in the existing facility and to move all of the cadet uniform manufacturing and fitting facilities out of Washington Hall and into this building so that the building will continue to be fully utilized.

Senator INOUYE. Then this project is not part of the expansion project, is it?

General SHULER. It is connected with the expansion in that facilities will be moved out of Washington Hall which will be expanded into this building. That is, the cadet clothing manufacture and fitting facilities.

Senator INOUYE. Would a hundred-bed facility be sufficient?

I notice you have 130 now.

General SHULER. Yes, sir. With the efficiency of the design of the new hospital, a hundred beds will be enough. We are really not able to use all the beds in the old hospital because of segregation problems concerning different diseases. The layout is just not efficient enough. Senator INOUYE. If I recall, a considerable amount of money was spent on renovating this hospital within the last 7 or 8 years.

General SHULER. This is true, sir, but as I say, the building will continue to be fully used, it will not be destroyed or not be properly used, and I feel this expended money was necessary to keep the hospital running up until such time as we could complete the construction of the new hospital.

Senator INOUYE. Of the 100 beds, about how many would be generally used by the Corps of Cadets?

General SHULER. Forty-three beds, sir.

Senator INOUYE. How many by the Air Force?

General SHULER. Six, sir.

Senator INOUYE. And the remainder by the men who are stationed there?

General SHULER. The remainder, sir, by dependents, military dependents, by Regular Army military stationed in the West Point complex, and by certain retirees off post as beds might be available, sir. Senator INOUYE. Please proceed, sir.

CAMP BUCKNER

General SHULER. The second item, sir, is another phase in the rehabilitation of Camp Buckner. This will provide 396 semipermanent camp barracks spaces, and camp headquarters. It will replace temporary CCC barracks dating from 1932. The project also includes rehabilitation of the assembly hall, messhall, guest house and boiler house which have deteriorated, plus certain surfacing and extension of roads.

This camp is used, sir, for the summer training of the new third class, that is the sophomore class, under the supervision of part of the first class, the senior class, and it is their field training during the summer and a very important part of the training at West Point, sir. Senator INOUYE. What would be the esitmated life of this semipermanent project?

General SHULER. The semipermanent type construction, sir, is concrete block. It is single story, wood frame, and I would say anywhere up to 25 years, or longer.

Senator INOUYE. Please proceed, sir.

General SHULER. The next item, sir, is bachelor officer quarters. This is for both male and female bachelors. It is for 36 spaces. This is