SERVICE SCHOOL FACILITIES. Senator STENNIS. All right, proceed. Next is the Naval Academy. (The project sheet is as follows:) NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MD. Location.-Within city of Annapolis. PERMANENT STATION Mission. Thorough study and practical instruction to provide midshipmen with basic education and knowledge of the naval profession; to develop them morally, mentally, and physically, and by precept and example to indoctrinate them with the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty in order that the naval service may be provided with graduates who are capable junior officers in whom have been developed the capacity and foundation for future development in mind and character leading toward a readiness to assume the highest responsibilities of citizenship and Government. Line item.-Replacement of underground utility systems, $1,025,000. The underground utility systems (including salt, fresh, and hot water, steam and condensate return, and street lighting) have seriously deteriorated. These archaic systems have shrunk capabilitywise to their present limited state as a result of the continuously growing load with no increase in capacity. The lack of cathodic protection has caused excessive corrosion prompted by contamination of underground trenches and duct systems by salt water during high tides. The replacement of the salt water lines utilized for firefighting and sanitary flushing with a fresh water system will eliminate extensive maintenance problems and system failures. Frequent failures in the fresh water system are caused by the present type of pipe and aggressive characteristics of the water. Suitable corrosive resistant replacements will eliminate this problem. These and the other proposed rehabilitating features of this item will insure effective and reliable utility services. This item provides the vital utility services upon which the very operational existence of the Academy depends. Captain CHEW. The first project is at the Naval Academy for replacement and rehabilitation of the underground utility systems at an estimated cost of $1,025,000; and the second project Senator STENNIS. What does that mean, utility system? mean your electrical or is it sewage or what? You Captain CHEW. This will provide for the installation of cathodic protection, underground pipe, the replacement of salt water lines with fresh water; the modification of the water treatment plant, replacement of defective steam lines and installation of corrosive resistant replacements. (The project sheet is as follows:) NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING CENTER, CORRY FIELD, PENSACOLA, FLA. Location.-Nearest city: Pensacola, 5 miles southeast. PERMANENT STATION Mission. To provide training for selected officer and enlisted personnel in order to prepare them for early usefulness in their designated specialty and rating. Line item.-Conversion of hangars to classrooms, conversion of building to barracks, $1 million. CONVERSION OF HANGARS TO CLASSROOMS This item proposes to convert existing facilities at the inactivated Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Corry Field, Pensacola, Fla., to provide for school facilities capable of training 1,025 communication technicians. Present training is being performed at the U.S. Naval Communications Training Center, Imperial Beach, Calif. This activity, previously a naval radio station, was established as a naval communications training center and transferred to the management control of the Chief of Naval Personnel on July 1, 1957. These facilities deteriorated beyond repair and to replace them $14 million would have to be expended. In view of the existing problem of concentration of naval activities in the San Diego target area, it is also considered essential to relocate this activity. The adequate facilities available at Corry Field can be converted for this essential need at a very minimum of cost at the same time remove this activity from the San Diego area. CONVERSION OF BUILDING TO BARRACKS The planned relocation of the communications training center at former Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Corry Field, Pensacola, Fla., generates a berthing requirement of 1,150 barracks spaces. Existing barracks provide only 925 spaces. Building No. 522, originally built as a barracks, was converted to a training building. Reconversion of this building back to a 200-man barracks will meet the berthing requirements of this activity and will make excellent utilization of existing facilities. Captain CHEW. The second is the communications training center at Corry Field, Pensacola, Fla., which Admiral Wilson mentioned this morning as a relocation from Imperial Beach, at a cost of $1 million. Senator STENNIS. Well, I know I have been down to that field, and the jets—you did not have room to operate there, is that right? Captain CHEW. That is right, sir. Senator STENNIS. Well, I am familiar with that, and there is a way to utilizing that place. You are going to change those hangars into classrooms and convert the rest of them into barracks? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. Is it that simple? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. You have your other facilities that you can go on using? Captain CHEW. It is a workable, usable installation, and we are moving into it at a tremendous saving. Senator STENNIS. Very fine. All right. Next item. Captain CHEW. The third project is at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill. (The project sheet is as follows:) NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, GREAT LAKES, ILL. Location.-Nearest city: Waukegan, 3 miles north. PERMANENT STATION Mission. To provide basic indoctrination (recruit training) for enlisted personnel and primary, advanced and/or specialized training for officer and enlisted personnel of the Regular Navy and the Naval Reserve. Line item.-Recruit barracks, first increment, second camp, alterations to electric substation, $4,712,000. RECRUIT BARRACKS, FIRST INCREMENT, SECOND CAMP This continues orderly replacement of substandard, temporary barracks spaces and messing and training facilities for recruit training. The present facilities have capacity for only 10,220 recruits and 634 staff personnel against a requirement for 15,000 recruits and 770 staff personnel-a deficiency of 4,916. The entire program provides for the construction of three permanent 5,040-man recruit camps, replacing existing temporary wartime recruit and staff barracks, subsistence, classroom, and infirmary buildings which are in an advance state of deterioration, are substandard, and are not of the proper type for peacetime training purposes. In the fiscal year 1957 and 1958 construction program funds were provided for the first permanent camp. This item covers the construction of the permanent recruit barracks in the second planned camp. ALTERATIONS TO ELECTRIC SUBSTATION Existing substation switchgear was installed in 1941. Due to the method of installation of the switchgear and the hazardous arrangement of the buses behind the switchboard, maintenance of the gear cannot now be, nor has it ever been accomplished. To accomplish maintenance would require deenergizing the buses resulting in a complete outage on the mainside of the station. Therefore, the gear is now in very poor condition and unreliable. Further, both feeders and outgoing circuits are all run together in a trench under the gear without separating racks. Therefore, failure of one cable would probably cause failure in other circuits resulting in a complete outage. Load on the substation is continually increasing because of new construction, and the present arrangement of switchgear does not permit additional gear to be added to that existing to handle the load. Total replacement of switchgear, buses, and cable trench is required within the existing substation building. Captain CHEW. This provides the basic training recruit training for enlisted personnel, and it provides three new barracks at an estimated cost of $4,442,000. Each barrack will accommodate a 720-man battalion, which is the recruit company of 60 men at peace. These are new barracks. The present facilities have a capacity for only 10,220 recruits, and 634 staff personnel, a deficiency of 4,910, and the entire program provides for the construction of the three permanent recruit camps replacing the existing temporary buildings which are in an advanced state of deterioration, substandard and not of the proper type for peacetime training. This is one of our basic training centers at Great Lakes. Senator CASE. Mr. Chairman, if I may ask, how long has the Navy been training recruits at Great Lakes? Senator STENNIS. I was wondering about that exactly. Captain CHEW. Somewhere about 1906. Admiral WILSON. 1906. Captain CHEW. 1906, sir. Senator CASE. And you are now asking for $4.5 million to build some additional recruit barracks? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir. Senator CASE. How many men have you trained there in the past at one time? Captain GAGE. We have had peak loads of over 20,000, Senator Case, but those are only temporary, short-term loadings. However, our average is, as Captain Chew has said, and will probably be, around 12,000 to 15,000. Senator CASE. How many do you have there now? Captain GAGE. Approximately-I will get you an exact figure. Senator CASE. And 5,840 students, 694 civilians, 3,441 enlisted men, 304 officers; is that correct? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir. Senator CASE. For a total of 21,779. Captain GAGE. That is correct, sir, at the end of fiscal 1958. Senator CASE. With more than 50 years that Great Lakes has been in operation, and all the construction that has gone on there in the past, and all we have heard about an austere budget and a tight review for all of these projects, why is a new recruit barracks put in this bill? Captain GAGE. If I may answer it, sir, this is a replacement center of the existing World War II type structures which have been severely deteriorated because of the wartime construction which was employed, and this is the second, the beginning of the second replacement camp, the first of which was authorized by the Congress in fiscal 1957 and fiscal 1958. The first camp of 5,000 recruits is now completing construction. This is the first of at least three increments to complete the second camp. As Captain Chew mentioned, our long-range plans provide for three complete camps for a total capacity of approximately 15,000. Senator CASE. Who makes the decision to weigh a project like this against modernization of a carrier? Admiral WILSON. We do in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. sir. We look upon this as one of our most urgent replacement proj ects. The barracks that these will replace are in very sorry condition. This is the first point of contact youg men have when they come in the Navy with the Navy itself, and these old barracks are in a pretty disgraceful condition. Senator CASE. Mr. Chairman, and I say this respect fully, Admiral, I can conceive of the fact that barracks might be pretty dilapidated and rundown and a poor specimen of naval efficiency with which to indoctrinate and introduce a man into the Navy. At the same time, with all that we have been hearing in the hearings of the Preparedness Subcommittee and in this committee about the importance of ship modernization, the average layman' looking at this cold would wonder why do you replace some barracks when you have been able to train men there for 50 years, and you say this is a World War II facility that will be replaced; why do you ask for $42 million for that rather than using it on some ship modernization? Admiral WILSON. I think it is a matter of balance, Senator, trying to stretch your resources to cover your most glaring deficiencies, per haps that we cannot afford to completely ignore these conditions ashore no matter how badly we need the money afloat. Senator CASE. Mr. Chairman, if the committee was equipped to have a staff member or a member of the committee to look, it seems to me it would be desirable to get some more evidence on a project like this. For instance, if we had some photographs or pictures that would show the walls falling in, or the heating plant failing to function, or something of that sort, it would help; and I daresay that an average Member of Congress just confronting the issue do we do this or do we put a carrier in the best shape to operate, he would say, "Well, can't this be deferred if the other is so urgent?" I would not know what to answer on the basis of what I have seen and heard. Admiral WILSON. I would say, Senator, this has been repeatedly deferred until we now feel we are at the point of no return, and this will now stand up as one of our most urgent items. Senator CASE. I am sure that you feel that way or it would not be in here, but I would like to have something so that we could say to some Members of the Senate, who do not have the benefit of your statement or the warmth of your presentation, that we feel this is justified. Admiral WILSON. Yes, sir. Captain CHEW. Senator Case, we will provide you with pictures that I am sure will be helpful. Senator STENNIS. That would be a good suggestion. I do not know, gentlemen, but I may say this: Senator Case and I have not had a chance to talk about these things generally at this session except in a passing way, but during the recent recess I visited-this was an Air Force installation for training-and there had not been any money spent on the buildings there since World War II except for painting and, you know, ordinary repair jobs. I had been hearing here for years about the low morale, and so forth, how they had to keep things up. I will tell you, I just never have seen a better spirited group of youngsters, more spirited corps, and everything clean as a pin. This was not a special visit that I made. I just happened to be in this little city, and I went out there for an hour, so they did not know I was coming until an hour or two before my visit anyway, and things were clean inside and out, and just as fine a spirit of the junior officers and all, and these trainees. It was quite a revelation to me. After all, it is not the housing, it is not the fine building, it is not the super facilities that make the organization. I think there is a lot in the commanding officer and his staff and other men who are in responsible places of leadership. I wish that you-I thought about you, Senator Case, and you, Senator Jackson, and I am sure the Navy has plenty of installations that have this fine spirit. I was not making any comparison, but there was a case where the leadership and other matters made a fine unit. One point came to my mind about your recruit barracks. It is rather cold and severe up there all winter, is it not? Admiral WILSON. Yes, sir. |