General SHULER. It is purely a matter of the siting and utility costs, sir. You get different utility costs for different locations, and that explains the difference. Mr. BATES. That is the point I want to get. Now, you are not using averages in this book? Mr. BATES. Every one of these line items has been investigated and you have a separate price for them; is that it? General SHULER. That is right. Mr. BATES. And that is true all the way through? General SHULET. That is right. That is the way it should be The CHAIRMAN. That makes the case. done. That is the very way to do business. General SHULER. I want to add, sir Mr. BATES. We haven't always done that. The CHAIRMAN. I understand that. That is the reason I complimented him at the outset, because I examined it and I was impressed with that very point you raised. General SHULER. Yes. I want to add, also, that we are using standard plans as much as we can, which is another way to save money in the long run. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, Aberdeen is approved-unless there are further questions? Now, the next ons is Detroit Arsenal. Mr. KELLEHER (reading). Detroit Arsenal, Michigan: Administrative facilities, troop housing, and utilities, $8,529,000. Page 9. General SHULER. Detroit Arsenal, Mich: Ordnance installation located 32 miles North of Detroit; initially occupied in 1945; designated "permanent." Mission: Support missions for the command having the national mission for (1) Development, (2) industrial engineering, (3) inspection maintenance engineering, (4) manufacturing, (5) contract administration for development, engineering, laboratory and experimental test devices, gage design, development and inspection, maintenance evaluation, studies, contract administration and (6) acts as custodian of ordnance, tank-automotive, drawings, specifications and reproduction for land locomotion research laboratory. Also provides specialized and administrative support for transportation inspection, signal services, housekeeping and administrative; references, Detroit Arsenal Administrative Order 220, February 9, 1956, subject: Mission of Detroit Arsenal and Office, Chief of Ordnance 20-55, June 1, 1955, subject: Mission of ordnance Tank-Automotive Commander. Total cost (based on price when acquired), $25,504,886. Present strength: Military, 126; civilian employees, 2,089. Line items requested for fiscal year 1959 authorization: ($5,666,000, total); Command headquarters building and facilities, OTAC. Detailed justification follows: Command headquarters building (OTAC) ($5,666,000): Project required to provide a suitable administrative and engineering building at Detroit Arsenal for the Ordnance Tank-Automotive Command, which is the Army's national center for research and development, engineering, procurement and maintenance of all types of automotive materiel. This organization, comprising some 2,000 military and civilian personnel, now occupies 280,000 square feet of a submarginal, converted industrial building in a badly congested area in Detroit. Rehabilitation and modernization is neither economically feasible nor physically practicable, and would not solve major problems of overcrowding, unsuitability, lack of parking space, unwieldy operation and excessive cost of maintenance and operation. As soon as other quarters are available, this building will be disposed of. Every alternative has been studied. No suitable building is available for lease, and relocation of OTAC to any facility other than a permanent building in a permanent military installation would be improvident due to the costly installation of electronic data processing system and related equipment which are integral with OTAC operations. This system is the key to worldwide control of automotive materiel of the Army. Detroit Arsenal, whose mission and operations are an integral element of the OTAC mission, is the best possible site for the Command Headquarters. Its location, in the heart of the national automotive fraternity, supports continuous military/commercial relationships that are vital to the military vehicle program. Colocation will permit consolidation of administrative, service, and support activities with an estimated resultant savings of 175 personnel spaces and $900,000 annually, and an initial, one-time return of $917,000 by sale of the present Command Headquarters building in the city of Detroit. On the basis of these direct dollar savings alone, this investment will be amortized in less than 6 years. This project conforms to long-range plans to consolidate all Ordnance activities in the Detroit metropolitan area to promote administrative and operational effectiveness and economy, and to eliminate excessive costs of operating separate facilities. If this project is not provided, OTAC will be forced into an alternative of major repairs or interim removal to some other location, either of which is extravagantly wasteful. The CHAIRMAN. Any failed to be funded last year? Mr. KELLEHER. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Any questions? Without objection, it is approved. Mr. BATES. Mr. Chairman, we have arsenals all around this country, a lot of which aren't even being used. I would like to have the justification for building a new arsenal when we have so many that are not utilized, including Pennsylvania. I think if we could get the case established, it would be helpful. General SHULER. This is not a new arsenal, Mr. Bates. This is a building at an existing arsenal, in order to get out of an inadequate building in the city of Detroit. It is not a new arsenal in any sense of the word, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now, I want to clear up for the record: There is not any new installations, except Nike sites. General SHULER. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. In this bill. General SHULER. That is right, sir. The CHAIRMAN. In using the expression "New installations," there are none in this bill at all. General SHULER. That is right, sir. Mr. BATES. I don't follow what he is saying. You are in an old building in Detroit? General SHULER. Yes, sir. Mr. BATES. Now, you are going to get out of the old building and out of the center of Detroit? General SHULER. Yes, sir. Mr. BATES. And you are going to build a new building? General SHULER. Yes, sir. Mr. BATES. Now, we have a lot of the present plant that will continue; is that right? General SHULER. Detroit Arsenal will continue just as it is; yes, sir. Mr. BATES. This is merely a command headquarters? General SHULER. That is right. Mr. BATES. Which will be separated from the present arsenal? Mr. BATES. On the arsenal. General SHULER. On the arsenal, on Government land. Mr. BATES. And your present headquarters is not on the same site with the present arsenal? General SHULER. This particular building is not presently on the arsenal. Mr. BATES. You are going to move it on the site? General SHULER. By building a new building and selling the existing building, sir, that is down in the Detroit area, sir. Mr. BYRNE. Will the gentleman yield? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Byrne. Mr. BECKER. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. BYRNE. This couldn't be a move to eliminate other arsenals, like Frankford Arsenal? The CHAIRMAN. No. A little later on we will try to move one. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Go ahead. Have you a question. Mr. BECKER. Yes. Mr. Bates was pursuing the question of the leasing of the present administrative site in the city of Detroit. What is that, a leased site or an old site, or is there any recovery from that site? General SHULER. Yes, sir. There is an estimated recovery made by the district engineer on the sale of that building, of $917,000, which would be a recovery. In addition, the consolidation of these facilities into this new building is estimated to save 175 personnel spaces and $900,000 annually. So, this has a capacity to amortize itself over a relatively short period of time. General SHULER. That is right, sir. Mr. BECKER. So in about 6 years you are getting your money back! General SHULER. That is right, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the item is approved. Now, the next one is Redstone Arsenal, on page 10. Mr. KELLEHER [reading]: Redstone Arsenal, Ala.: Administrative facilities, troop housing, and utilities, $8,529,000. The CHAIRMAN. Now, read from the book, Mr. Kelleher. That would help along. Read from the book what they propose to do there. Missions Mr. KELLEHER. Right. [Reading:] Missions engineering building, $4,345,000. Four enlisted men's barracks without mess, each of them 326 men, $2,567,000. Two company mess buildings, $643,000. Two company administration and supply buildings, $347,000. A heating plant, $145,000. Bachelor officers' quarters, $482,000. General SHULER. Redstone Arsenal, Ala.: Ordnance installation located 10 miles southwest of Huntsville; initially occupied in 1942; designated "permanent." Mission: Research and development on guided missiles and rockets. National research and development, industrial, and field service mission. Agencies for guided missiles and rockets. Ordnance troop training for maintenance of guided missiles and rockets. Total cost (based on price when acquired), $75,686,691. Cost of improvements (permanent and other), $73,636,072. Present strength: Military, 3,904; civilian employees, 9,919. Line items requested for fiscal year 1959 authorization ($8,529,000 total): Missions engineering building Four enlisted men's barracks without mess Two four-company mess buildings Two four-company administration and supply buildings Bachelor officers' quarters Three hundred and sixteen family quarters (Capehart) Detailed justification follows: Missions engineering building ($4,345,000): This project is required to provide modern, suitable facilities for administrative and engineering personnel engaged in direction and prosecution of the Army's guided-missile and rocket programs. These functions, which must grow and develop as new progress is attained, are now crowded into scattered, improvised facilities over an area up to 10 miles in diameter. Dominant urgency of their technical mission has enabled these functions to displace and disrupt supporting and service activities which could and should operate more efficiently in the smaller facilities. The result is a complexity of improvisations, overcrowded conditions, unwieldiness of direction, supervision, and support, all of which are costly and which deter optimum progress and achievement. Redstone Arsenal is the Army's center for the planning, direction, and execution of guided-missile and rocket weapons programs, including research and development, industrial engineering, prototype and pilot production, procurement, maintenance, and technical training. Existing facilities will continue to be utilized as administrative space due to the critical shortage of this type of space and the expanding mission of the arsenal. Construction of this line item will not eliminate severe shortage of administrative space, but will reduce crowding. Space now averages 57 square feet per person. If this facility is not provided, the severe overcrowding and separation of integral functions will continue, and there will be no additional space available to accommodate the increase in personnel required to accomplish the mission of the installation. Four enlisted men's barracks without mess (326-man) ($2,567,000): Facility is required to house the permanent enlisted personnel assigned to the Ordnance Guided Missile School. Currently, all enlisted personnel, including faculty and staff members, are housed in twelve 61-man barracks and 2 converted ammunition buildings. Programed expansion of the OGMS to train operating units of enlisted personnel, including the teaching of operating instructions on an accelerated number of new and complex guided missiles, necessitates the expansion of enlisted men's housing quarters. Elimination of this facility would produce a serious shortage of enlisted men's housing needed for proposed OGMS expansion, and add to an already critical overall housing shortage existing at this installation. Two four-company mess buildings ($643,000): This item is required to support barracks in this program. Existing facilities will be removed upon completion of this project. Two administration and supply buildings (four-company) ($347,000): This item is required to support the barracks in this program. Existing facilities to be demolished. Heating plant ($145,000): This item is required to supply heat for barracks, mess, and administration and supply buildings in this program. Bachelor officers' quarters (60-man) ($482,000): This facility will be used to house a portion of the students at Ordnance Guided Missile School, permanent party at Redstone, and transients. Currently, the installation is utilizing 2 converted ammunition buildings, and modified emergency-type bachelor officers' quarters, suitable for student officers only, and a guesthouse, consisting of 2 suites and 5 rooms, for use by high-ranking visitors, and senior field-grade officers on temporary duty for a maximum of 3 days. Current requirements far exceed available spaces, and bachelor officers are living off post due to nonavailability of quarters. With the exception of the existing 36 permanent bachelor officers' quarters spaces, all current spaces are inadequate and will be returned to other uses as permanent spaces are made available. Three hundred sixteen family quarters (Capehart) ($0): This project is essential to provide an increment of the permanent on-post family-housing facilities for officer and enlisted personnel assigned to this station. In addition to existing permanent facilities, there are also 300 substandard units located on the post which are currently occupied but which are scheduled for disposal by July 1960. Community support is inadequate to satisfy housing requirements for military and civilian personnel at this installation. Number of units: Requested by Army: 316. Estimated cost: $5,214,000. Authorization: Public Law 1020, 84th Congress. |