CONTENTS Letters from: Hon. Ted Stevens, U.S. Senator from Alaska. Hon. John L. McClellan, U.S. Senator from Arkansas_. Page 234 Neil Bergt, president, Alaska International Industries (AII). George M. Kamats, president, Alaska International Air, Inc. Jim Dodson, president, Alaska Air Carriers Association.... Maj. Gen. Otis C. Moore, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and (III) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1976 MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1975 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m. in room 1223, Everett McKinley Dirksen Office Building, Hon. John L. McClellan (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators McClellan, Young, Hruska, Case, and Stevens. ALASKAN AIR TRANSPORT OPENING REMARKS OF CHAIRMAN Chairman MCCLELLAN. The subcommittee will come to order. This meeting of the subcommittee is convened at the suggestion of Senator Stevens, a member of the Defense Subcommittee, who has requested that this session be called relative to the transport of supplies in Alaska by military airlift. COMMUNICATIONS Correspondence pertaining to Senator Stevens' request will be inserted in the record at this point. [The correspondence follows:] (1) LETTER FROM SENATOR STEVENS October 6, 1975 Honorable John L. McClellan Chaiman Committee on Appropriations Dear John: The Department of Defense has informed me that it plans to use military aircraft to transport supplies in Alaska because of the failure of barge transportation due to severe weather conditions. By its decision the DOD will be using military aircraft to carry supplies to remote Alaska locations for civilian contracts for civilian contractors. Military personnel will be used to load and unload the supplies for transfer to and from the military aircraft. I have registered strong objections to Secretary Schlesinge on the basis that the military should not compete with private Alaska air cargo carriers for business that is wholly intrastate and subject to the unique climatic and geographical conditions in Alaska. I have a serious concern for the safety of non-Alaskan military operations of this type because of the lack of experience in Alaska flying by military pilots. The DOD plans to offload the barge cargo in Anchorage, transport it by truck to Elmendorf Air Force Base, and then fly the supplies to the remote sites. Experienced private air carriers in Alaska can conclude the entire airlift operation within 30 days at a cost less than military transportation, without jeopardizing the safety of military pilots and aircraft. I have informed Secretary Schlesinger that I expect DOD to be able to justify its cost analysis because I believe it is inaccurate and will only lead to a national military transportation system to the exclusion of all civilian transportation. I respectfully request that a special session of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee be called to consider what I believe is an improper policy establishment by DOD for the use of military air transportation in direct competition with civilian air transportation for civilian contracts. It is a bad precedent that will recur unless some definite guidelines are established. Thank you for your consideration. With best regards, Cordially, TER STEVING Thited States Senator LETTER FROM SENATOR MCCLELLAN October 8, 1975 The Honorable Ted Stevens Dear Ted: I have your letter of October 6 and will be pleased to schedule a hearing on the Department of Defense proposal to use military aircraft to transport supplies in Alaska because of the failure of barge transportation due to severe weather conditions. Since we tentatively plan to begin marking up the Defense Appropriations bill in Subcommittee upon our return from the recess, I would suggest that we schedule the hearing for Monday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1223. With kindest personal regards, I am Sincerely, John L. McClellan |