Reserve-Component Funding at Historic Highs

American Forces Press Service ^ | Fred W. Baker III

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2007 – Funding for reserve forces will hit a historic high if Congress approves the component’s full fiscal 2008 $18.1 billion request, a Defense Department official testified this week.

The 2008 reserve-component baseline budget increase is 6 percent greater than the overall growth of the department’s budget since fiscal 2001, Jack Dave Patterson, principal deputy undersecretary of defense, comptroller, told the independent Commission on the National Guard and Reserves at a public hearing here May 16. Funding requests for the reserve component are 73 percent greater than fiscal 2001 totals, as opposed to 67 percent for overall Defense Department funding.

The fiscal 2008 global war on terror request includes $6.5 billion in funding for reserve equipment, training, and recruiting and retention. The biggest chunk -- $4.9 billion -- is earmarked for equipment, Patterson said in his written statement to the commission.

“So, we are working very hard to ensure that all of America’s soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are fully trained and equipped to successfully carry out their missions,” Patterson said.

He told commission members that Guard and reserve funding and equipping needs follow the same process as the needs of other department organizations. “I would emphasize that those needs are presented, debated, validated and prioritized in the very same way as the needs of other organizations,” Patterson said.

He said all reserve components are integrated into the planning, programming and budgeting process of their respective services.

“The services rigorously prioritize their funding requirements from the highest to the lowest priority, with the two highest priorities being those forces who are either deploying or about to deploy,” Patterson said.

After service reviews, the budgets are reviewed, analyzed and balanced across the Defense Department. By the time the budget reaches Congress, it “represents the department’s best judgment of what is needed to accomplish the mission.”

Patterson’s testimony came the same day as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ call for department policy changes revising how funding and resourcing for the reserves, including civil support requirements, are determined.

Initially, the commission was to report on the proposed “National Guard Empowerment Act,” which aimed to increase the authority of National Guard leaders. Instead, the commission broadened its report -- Strengthening America's Defenses in the New Security Environment -- to include U.S. Northern Command, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, and state governors.

It is now hearing testimony on the impacts of resourcing policy, programming, and budgeting on the readiness of reserve components, and the impacts of frequent and lengthy deployments on employers and families.

Biographies:
Robert M. Gates
Jack Dave Patterson

Related Sites:
Commission on the National Guard and Reserves
Jack Dave Patterson written testimony

Related Articles:
Defense Officials to Implement Guard, Reserve Changes

[SandRat]

Take That Mullah Murtha!!!!

[USNBandit]

Maybe for 2008, but I’m in a stateside training unit that had most of its drill money pulled with 4 months to go. We expect to be completely out of money by the end of June.

[SandRat]

Interesting.

[USNBandit]

We are usually allowed 72 flight period drills, which I made the mistake of saving for the summer (when the unit is busy). When they pulled the drills I still had 38 that I hadn't executed.

The down side for me is the loss of a healthy chunk of cash. The down side for our unit is that we will have a tough time meeting our requirements for supporting fleet training requirements.

I am hoping if the supplemental gets passed that we will get some more money released to us, but I'm not holding my breath.

[El Gato]

Maybe for 2008, but I’m in a stateside training unit that had most of its drill money pulled with 4 months to go.

They pulled the Drill Money? I guess that means some folks will have to drill for free if they need the points for a Good Year. I did it as Cat B non unit reservist, we could only be paid for 24 periods (6 weekends) while our detachment met 8 times per year, but you did not have to attend all 8, I usually managed 7, occasionally 8, if our tight vacation scheduling did not interfere, which it often did, even the CO usually missed the one drill weekend.

[El Gato]

I guess I misunderstood. They cut the flight hours for drills?

Jolly.

Or did they cut *both* the flight hours and the pay money for drills?

[USNBandit]

We lost the funding for flight drills. Regular drills and Annual Training funding hasn’t been cut yet. So you can make a sat year for retirement, but we’ve already been told that making annual flight minimums is going to be waived.