Senator STENNIS. Any further questions? A short horse is quickly curried, Admiral, but I hope you have a bigger program next year. It concerns me to squeeze you fellows down so small, and as I say, let all that talent go to waste. You might just as well abolish the Reserve program if you are not going to support it. What about that? You don't want to abolish it, I know. Admiral RENKEN. No, sir. Ours is a small Senator STENNIS. I know. It was a compliment, what I said. Senator STENNIS. It seems to me, though, it has mighty meager money support. Thank you very much, gentlemen; nice to have you come in. The next new item to be taken up is the Air National Guard; will you gentlemen come around? We are going to hear Senator Kefauver with reference to any matter that he may have to bring before the committee. Will you gentlemen on this Air National Guard wait a minute? Senator, we are very glad to have you here. We miss you here as a regular member of the Armed Services Committee. You left us to go over to the Appropriations Committee. I don't know that that is a promotion, but if it is what you want to do, why it is nice to have a choice anyway. We are glad to have you here, and anything you are interested in in this bill we will be very glad indeed to hear you on. STATEMENT OF HON. ESTES KEFAUVER, U.S. SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE Senator KEFAUVER. Thank you very much, Senator Stennis. I want to say that I certainly enjoyed my service on this committee and I miss the committee. It is one of the great committees of the Senate. Senator Stennis is on the Appropriations Committee and he seemed to be so happy with it I thought I would go over and join him. But I would like to be here, too. I appreciate the opportunity of testifying here today in support of an authorization for an armory at Union City, Tenn. It is my understanding that the approval or the factual basis for approval of the armory at Union City was not ready in time for the earlier authorization. Senator STENNIS. Yes. Senator KEFAUVER. But that it is now. That is my understanding from Congressman Everett of that district and others. Union City is in the northwestern part of Tennessee. It is a prosperous growing city of 12,000 to 15,000 in a section that is surrounded by many other defense-minded towns and cities. The county court of Obion County and the city government of Union City and all the members of it are very much interested in this. They have agreed to put up their share. They have a good unit there. I am sure it would be successful, and I just hope that it can be included in this bill. Senator STENNIS. I certainly hope we can too. Senator KEFAUVER. I would like to have permission to file some more details of my statement as to the participation which will be substantial. Senator STENNIS. I wish you would file that, because it is something we look to, not only the money value, but it reflects local support and interest in a project that brings the civilian-military group together. Senator KEFAUVER. I have heard from many of our citizens there and have talked with many of them and they are unanimous in their great desire to have the arsenal built and it will be widely supported by the governments and by the people in that community. Could I ask the Bureau now if that was the situation, if it has not been General WILSON. Senator, I am not completely familiar with that. Senator STENNIS. General Seeman already had testified about the armories. General SEEMAN. Yes, General McGowan as you may recall, testified that it met all the requirements but at present it just had not been high enough in priority to get within our limited annual scope. Senator STENNIS. Yes. It meets the military requirements all right. Senator KEFAUVER. I thank you very much for this opportunity. Senator STENNIS. We thank you for coming in. Do you gentlemen have any questions? May I make one observation here? You know I would look with as much favor as I could on any matter concerning Tennessee. One of the better cities north of Mississippi is Memphis, Tenn. Senator KEFAUVER. I was down there last week and I have certainly heard a great deal about Mississippi being a part of Tennessee, but we claim it for the Volunteer State. Senator STENNIS. I know. Another page in history I want to get corrected too, the greatest cavalryman that this country ever produced I think was Nathan Bedford Forrest. The record shows he went into the Confederate cavalry from Memphis, Tenn., but he is actually a Mississippian and I want to get that straightened out. Senator KEFAUVER. Yes, he was a great one. He rode a horse right into the lobby of the Cicero Hotel. Senator STENNIS. He had 27 horses shot from under him during that war, 3 in 1 day. Senator KEFAUVER. He was the one who said the one who gets there quickest, "soonest with the mostest." Senator ENGLE. The others weren't shooting very good, were they? Senator STENNIS. The courier was told at one time, he had a message for him. The sergeant told him "You go where the guns are shooting the loudest and the most and you will find General Forrest," and that is where he found him. Thank you, Senator. We appreciate your coming in. (A statement submitted by Senator Kefauver follows:) EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. ESTES KEFAUVER Mr. Chairman, when I appeared earlier before this subcommittee, permission was granted for me to file a statement in extension of my remarks made at that time. This is that statement and I am grateful for the opportunity to make it. The National Guard company at Union City, made up of 133 public-spirited volunteers, is an integral part of the community and the unit has earned the highest measure of respect and good will. The city and the county are anxious to maintain the unit at the maximum possible degree of readiness and proficiency and, for this, new armory facilities are necessary. There has been an unusual amount of interest generated and sustained in support of the movement for the new armory, with the chamber of commerce and other civic organizations completely behind the project. To put this support in concrete terms, the county court has agreed to contribute 64 percent of the armory's cost, and Union City has agreed to contribute another 64 percent. In addition, the city and the county will bear the full expense of providing a suitable armory site as well as the expense of providing utilities to it. The State of Tennessee will furnish 121⁄2 percent of the cost of the armory plus the architectural fee. In view of this complete and unstinting community support, it is my hope that this subcommittee will find it possible to authorize the construction of this new armory which is needed to maintain the community's outstanding National Guard unit at its high state of effectiveness and proficiency. Senator STENNIS. We have General Wilson here of the Air National Guard. He always has a fine program. He knows his lesson mighty well. He stretches on out as far as Honolulu, I know. I understand that General Vidal could not be here. You have a statement you want to put in the record for him. Colonel PERRY. Yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. Do you wish to insert this statement in the record at this time? Colonel PERRY. Yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. General Vidal is Deputy for Air Force Reserve Affairs. The Air Force Reserve military construction authorization program. Is there anything more special you want to say about it. Colonel PERRY. No, I believe that is substantially it. I do have a highlighted statement here. I might just read two paragraphs from that. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF BRIG. GEN. FELIX L. VIDAL, DEPUTY FOR AIR FORCE RESERVE AFFAIRS, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR RESERVE FORCES, DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is a pleasure to again appear before you as Deputy for Air Force Reserve Affairs to discuss the Air Force Reserve military construction authorization program for fiscal year 1961 and further to discuss what has been accomplished as a result of your past support. POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES The policies and objectives established for the Air Force have been tailored to make the Reserve capable of augmenting the Active Establishment during a national emergency. With a rapidly moving and constantly changing Active Force, the attainment of a dynamic Ready Reserve for augmentation is a difficult task. Periodic reviews provide a means of evaluating the Reserve program to insure a force structure designed to meet current war plans. Constant surveillance is maintained to insure that our program reflects the latest military concepts. FORCE STRUCTURE (UNITS) The Reserve unit structure is organized to serve in the event of mobilization, and consists of flying and support forces, nonflying. The flying structure provides for 15 troop carrier wings, 45 troop carrier squadrons and 5 air rescue squadrons. The support forces, nonflying, consist of 52 diverse type units to support certain specific mobilization requirements of the Active Force for communications, air evacuation, air resupply, and medical units. INSTALLATIONS FOR UNIT PROGRAM The flying units, numbering 50 squadrons, are utilizing 37 installations for training purposes. Thirty-five installations accommodate the 45 troop carrier squadrons and 4 of the 5 air rescue squadrons, and 1 air rescue squadron has been located so as to utilize the facilities and services at an Air Force installation. In addition, we also utilize the Air National Guard installation at Boise, Idaho, for active duty training. The 52 support units, nonflying, have been dispersed throughout the country and located with other Air Force Reserve and Regular Air Force units to achieve economy in operation by fully utilizing existing facilities and services to meet training requirements. In accordance with the policy of the Department of Defense to locate Reserve activities at Regular Air Force, Army, and Navy installations, or other Government-owned facilities, within the limits of Reserve manning potential capability, our 37 flying installations are presently situated at 19 regular Air Force bases and 3 Navy installations, plus joint utilization with the Air National Guard at 9 of 15 civil airports. In furtherance of the above policy, installation changes will take place this calendar year at the following metropolitan areas: (a) San Antonio, Tex., area : From Brooks Air Force Base to Kelly Air Force about June 1; (b) Miami, Fla., area: From Miami International Airport to Homestead Air Force Base about July 1; and (c) Long Beach, Calif., area: From Long Beach Municipal Airport to March Air Force Base, Riverside, Calif., about October 1. FACILITY REQUIREMENTS (UNITS) The Air Force gives priority to the construction of facilities to support the tactical capability of the troop carrier squadrons at 35 locations. Facilities to be provided are limited to minimum operational type items such as hangars, aprons, warehouses, fire stations, auto shops, wash racks, operational and training space, and, when fully substantiated, dormitories for week-end reservists. Standards developed by the Air Force for each of the above facilities have been approved by Office, Secretary of Defense. All of the 35 troop carrier locations are now in operation. Minimum operational type facility requirements at 20 locations have been met through a combination of new construction and/or joint use of Air Force facilities. At six locations, the units are utilizing substandard World War II type facilities. The remaining nine locations have not yet been provided all facilities desired. FORCE STRUCTURE (INDIVIDUALS) In addition to the unit program, we also have a requirement to train an additional augmentation force of reservists in the individual training program. Individual training is provided by (1) job proficiency training, (2) special tours of duty, (3) school training, (4) correspondence courses, and (5) Air Reserve Center training. There are 82 Air Reserve Centers in being and all are located in the larger metropolitan areas of the country. Each center has several Reserve units assigned. These units are staffed by Reserve personnel who provide classroom training and supervise other types of training at hundreds of locations throughout the United States. The program as presented today does not request authorization to construct facilities for the individual training program. The 82 centers are utilizing permanent type buildings and Government-owned and/or operated facilities. Where this is not feasible, commercially leased facilities have been acquired. Construction of future Air Reserve Centers will be programed only when it is determined that such construction meets the best interest of the Government. STATUS OF CURRENT YEARS FUNDING About $4 million was appropriated this fiscal year for the construction of 15 operational line items at 8 flying locations. Of this amount, $1,500,000 had been placed under contract and the balance will be contracted for prior to the end of this fiscal year. AUTHORIZATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 1961 The program being presented today requests an authorization of $4,497,000 to apply against deficiencies and provides for the construction of 11 line items at 7 flying locations. Of the total amount requested, approximately $3 million is required for maintenance facilities at two locations. The maintenance facilities consist of one hangar each at Dobbins Air Force Base, Marietta, Ga., and Dallas Naval Air Station, Dallas, Tex. FUTURE CONSTRUCTION Future construction requirements for our Reserve flying locations is estimated to be $20 million after fiscal year 1961. This amount will provide deficiency items required to complete the minimum operational facilities at all of our flying locations. STATUS OF PRIOR YEARS' PROGRAMS From 1951 through June 30, 1960, $81,400,000 will have been authorized for Air Force Reserve construction, and $80,800,000 appropriated. We estimate that $79,900,000 will be obligated by the end of this fiscal year. CONCLUSION In conclusion, gentlemen, I wish to express my personal satisfaction with the progress being made in the Reserve construction program. The Department of the Air Force believes that with the assistance that Congress and the Department of Defense is giving us, our Air Force Reserve will be able to carry out their assigned D-day mission in the same outstanding manner as they always have in the past during times of national need. Gentlemen, this concludes my presentation. I am ready to provide you with any further information you may desire. TESTIMONY OF COL. L. D. PERRY, DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE Colonel PERRY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the program requests authorization of $4,497,000 to apply against deficiencies and provide for the construction of 11 line items at 7 flying locations. The authorization being requested today reflects the deletion of 5 projects totaling $93,000 from our authorization bill presented to the House. The five projects will be funded under provisions for minor construction from savings generated from the current year's construction program. Of the total amount requested approximately $3 million is required for maintenance facilities at two locations. The maintenance facilities consist of one hangar each at Dobbins Air Force Base, Marietta, Ga., and Dallas Naval Air Station, Dallas, Тех. Senator STENNIS. All right, I really didn't know that you were here to testify on that project. We will pursue your statement very carefully. I am glad it has gone in the record. General Wilson, I want you to give us a full presentation now of your problems here and your matters and give us some idea of the scope of your operations and just what you are going into. You are being assigned some new duties, are you not? TESTIMONY OF MAJ. GEN. WINSTON P. WILSON, ASSISTANT CHIEF, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU General WILSON. It looks that way, Mr. Chairman. Senator STENNIS. All right, if your statement covers it do you want to cover it in your formal statement, or you can put that in the record. |