By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 4, 2008 - A 3.4 percent military pay raise, a 2.9 percent civilian raise, money to continue to grow the Army and Marines and a funding increase to maintain readiness are major aspects of the fiscal 2009 defense budget request President Bush sent to Congress today. The defense budget request is for $515.4 billion – a $35.9 billion increase over the 2008 level. The total federal budget request for fiscal 2009 is $3.1 trillion.
Defense officials said five priorities drive the budget request: winning the war on terror, increasing ground combat capabilities, improving readiness, developing future combat capabilities and improving servicemembers' quality of life.
"The budget request provides the resources needed to prevail in current conflicts, while preparing the department for a range of challenges the nation may face in the years ahead," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a Pentagon news conference this afternoon.
He pointed out that the defense request amounts to about 3.4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. "To give you some basis for comparison, ... during the Korean War the percentage of GDP going to defense was about 14 percent, and during Vietnam it was about 9 percent," Gates said.
The budget funds the operations, training, recruiting and equipping of 2.2 million personnel in the Defense Department.
The service portions of the budget are $140.7 billion for the Army, $149.2 billion for the Navy and Marine Corps and $143.8 billion for the Air Force.
The request is broken into four major funding areas: military pay and health care; family housing and facilities; operations, readiness and support; and strategic modernization.
Military pay and health care would receive $149.4 billion, with pay and benefits receiving $107.8 billion and health care $41.6 billion.
Family housing and facilities account for $23.9 billion, with $3.2 billion going to privatizing 12,324 more homes for servicemembers. Base realignment and closure costs are set at $9.5 billion, fully funding 25 base closures and 24 major realignments. The 2009 request also asks Congress to approve $11.2 billion for training centers and base infrastructure needed as the Army and Marine Corps continue to grow.
The budget continues funds for increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. Last year, the overall end-strength increase was set at 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines through fiscal 2012.
The budget request asks for $15.5 billion for the Army increase and $5 billion for the Marines in fiscal 2009. If approved, the increase will boost the Army to 532,400 during fiscal 2009 and the number of brigade combat teams from 40 to 42. The Army's goal is a force of 547,400 with 48 brigade combat teams in fiscal 2012.
In fiscal 2009, the Marine Corps will boost its end-strength by 5,000 to 194,000. The Marine goal is 202,000 in fiscal 2011.
The increase will help both services handle the operations tempo required to fight the global war on terrorism, and could potentially mean more time at home for servicemembers. Currently, soldiers deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan for 15-month tours and are at home stations for a year; the Marines are deployed for seven months and home for seven months. Once the growth is finished, soldiers will spend a year deployed and two years at home station, and the Marines will deploy for seven months and be home for 14 months.
Air Force end-strength will be set at 316,600, and Navy end-strength will be 325,300.
Force readiness will experience a 10.4 percent jump in funding over 2008 if the budget is approved. The budget request is $158.3 billion, an increase of $14.9 billion. Operational readiness – tank miles, ship steaming days and flying hours – will remain constant, officials said.
The request also includes $33.1 billion for logistical, intelligence and servicewide support activities. Equipment maintenance is set at $11.8 billion, while base operations and facilities maintenance are pegged at $32.6 billion for more than 5,300 sites worldwide. Training is set for $7.4 billion, and recruiting is at $3.3 billion for fiscal 2009.
Strategic modernization is set at $183.8 billion in fiscal 2009, up $10.5 billion from fiscal 2008. The category includes procurement and research and development. Joint air capabilities account for about half of the procurement, and includes 16 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 20 F-22A Raptors, 36 V-22 Ospreys, 23 F/A-18 Hornets, 16 CH-47 Chinook helicopters and $1.4 billion for the Air Force's KC-X tanker aircraft program.
On the Navy side, the budget includes money for building the CVN-21 aircraft carrier, a Virginia-class submarine, two littoral combat ships and a DDG-1000 destroyer.
Army buys include 119 Stryker vehicles, 5,249 Humvees, 29 M-1A1 tank upgrades, 1,061 heavy tactical vehicles and 3,187 medium tactical vehicles.
Spec-based capabilities include more launch vehicles, two space-based infrared systems and advanced, extremely high-frequency satellite and ballistic missile defense.
Officials said the department will work with Congress to ensure four specific initiatives mentioned in the president's State of the Union address become realities. The first is to put legislation in place so servicemembers can transfer unused education benefits to spouses or children. The second is to expand and strengthen career opportunities for military spouses. Third is to develop a public-private partnership to increase child-care centers in communities surrounding military bases. The last is to implement the Dole-Shalala Report recommendations for treatment of wounded warriors and their families.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Book and Author of the Year Announced
Editor's Note: The Author of the Year is a former Marine.
February 4, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Police-Writers.com announced the 2008 Book of the Year and 2008 Author of the Year.
What Every Chief Executive Should Know: Using Data to Measure Police Performance, (Looseleaf Law Publications, 2007) by Captain Jon M. Shane (ret.), was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Book of the Year. In December 1985, Jon Shane Joined the Newark Police Department (New Jersey) and was assigned to the South Police District. During his 20 year law enforcement career, he worked a variety of assignments and worked his way through the ranks of detective, sergeant and lieutenant, eventually reaching the rank of Captain.
Jon Shane’s book stood out among the entrants because it significantly advances management decision making in the field of law enforcement. The book provides models and mathematical approaches to management questions like: “How many officers do we need? Are we efficiently using the ones we have? Is there a relationship between the number of officers we have and our crime rate? What is the status of our patrol car fleet? Are citizens satisfied with our work? What is the cost of our special programs and what are the actual benefits?”
One Police-Writers.com judge noted that Jon Shane’s book “took a daunting subject and broke it down into pieces that anyone could understand and put to use. Not only did he give simple and easy to understand explanations, he also provides examples of types of data and how to work with that data to make intelligent decisions. Plus, he provides a CD with ready-to-use Excel spreadsheets for an executive to use right away.” A second judge noted, “Shane’s book goes beyond the use of math to solve management questions in policing. The hidden value in the work may be that it demonstrates new ways of thinking about crime. Potentially, it could help put the word “analysis” back into “crime analysis.”
James H. Lilley was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Author of the Year. The author of the year selection was based in part on writing ability and in part on career and community service.
James H. Lilley began his lifetime as a United States Marine in 1961. Shortly after his discharge, he joined the Howard County Police Department (Maryland), graduating first in his class. During his career his received numerous honors such as Medal of Valor, four Bronze Stars, four Unit Citations and the Governor’s Citation. James H. Lilley has published six novels, articles in Police Chief Magazine and authored an International Association of Chiefs of Police training key. Moreover, he began studying Martial Arts in the early 1960s and is a 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate; the first American to achieve this recognition and honor from Sensei Takeshi Miyagi.
James Lilley submitted as an example of his work The Eyes of the Hunter (PublishAmerica 1997). One of the Police-Writers.com judges said of James’ writing, “He is a mature writer with strong plot, character and story development.” Another judge said, “easy to read, and it was very good escapism. The writer has some absolutely beautiful passages wherein he describes a sound or a vista. The sex scenes are pretty hot, too.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 839 police officers (representing 382 police departments) and their 1772 law enforcement books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Contact Information:
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
February 4, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Police-Writers.com announced the 2008 Book of the Year and 2008 Author of the Year.
What Every Chief Executive Should Know: Using Data to Measure Police Performance, (Looseleaf Law Publications, 2007) by Captain Jon M. Shane (ret.), was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Book of the Year. In December 1985, Jon Shane Joined the Newark Police Department (New Jersey) and was assigned to the South Police District. During his 20 year law enforcement career, he worked a variety of assignments and worked his way through the ranks of detective, sergeant and lieutenant, eventually reaching the rank of Captain.
Jon Shane’s book stood out among the entrants because it significantly advances management decision making in the field of law enforcement. The book provides models and mathematical approaches to management questions like: “How many officers do we need? Are we efficiently using the ones we have? Is there a relationship between the number of officers we have and our crime rate? What is the status of our patrol car fleet? Are citizens satisfied with our work? What is the cost of our special programs and what are the actual benefits?”
One Police-Writers.com judge noted that Jon Shane’s book “took a daunting subject and broke it down into pieces that anyone could understand and put to use. Not only did he give simple and easy to understand explanations, he also provides examples of types of data and how to work with that data to make intelligent decisions. Plus, he provides a CD with ready-to-use Excel spreadsheets for an executive to use right away.” A second judge noted, “Shane’s book goes beyond the use of math to solve management questions in policing. The hidden value in the work may be that it demonstrates new ways of thinking about crime. Potentially, it could help put the word “analysis” back into “crime analysis.”
James H. Lilley was selected as the 2008 Police-Writers.com Author of the Year. The author of the year selection was based in part on writing ability and in part on career and community service.
James H. Lilley began his lifetime as a United States Marine in 1961. Shortly after his discharge, he joined the Howard County Police Department (Maryland), graduating first in his class. During his career his received numerous honors such as Medal of Valor, four Bronze Stars, four Unit Citations and the Governor’s Citation. James H. Lilley has published six novels, articles in Police Chief Magazine and authored an International Association of Chiefs of Police training key. Moreover, he began studying Martial Arts in the early 1960s and is a 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate; the first American to achieve this recognition and honor from Sensei Takeshi Miyagi.
James Lilley submitted as an example of his work The Eyes of the Hunter (PublishAmerica 1997). One of the Police-Writers.com judges said of James’ writing, “He is a mature writer with strong plot, character and story development.” Another judge said, “easy to read, and it was very good escapism. The writer has some absolutely beautiful passages wherein he describes a sound or a vista. The sex scenes are pretty hot, too.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 839 police officers (representing 382 police departments) and their 1772 law enforcement books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Contact Information:
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Gates Calls on Congress to Pass Fiscal 2008 Emergency Request
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 4, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Congress today during a news conference announcing the fiscal 2009 defense budget request to finish work on the 2008 emergency budget supplemental bill. President Bush requested $189.4 billion for the war on terror for fiscal 2008. In December, Congress approved $86.8 billion of that request and deferred work on the remaining $102.5 billion.
"As I've said before, delay degrades our ability to operate and sustain our force at home and in theater and makes it difficult to manage this department in a way that is fiscally sound," Gates said. "I urge approval of this budget request as quickly as possible."
Defense Department Comptroller Tina W. Jonas said the Army will run out of money to pay troops in June and will be unable to fund operations in July.
"Congress provided very little of the additional pay we requested, so the Army's military pay account will run out of funds in June," she said at the news conference. She said the June deadline already includes all budget-stretching procedures the department can perform.
Army operations are in a little better shape, but funding for them will last only through July, said Navy Vice Adm. P. Stephen Stanley, the Joint Staff's resources director.
Jonas also is concerned about the equipment and force protection pieces of the 2008 emergency supplemental request. DoD asked for $43.6 billion to reset the force. "The Congress provided less than a third of the funding that we need," she said. "This includes $2.2 billion for about 300,000 sets of body armor."
The emergency request also includes $1 billion for coalition support funding. This money goes to coalition countries to sustain their support for the global war on terrorism. "We will run out of those funds in March, so this is very important to us," Jonas said.
The request also funds equipment to outfit two new Army brigade combat teams.
"That doesn't mean that the people we are deploying into the theater over the next several months won't be fully equipped and ready," Stanley said. "They will be. What it means is there will be holes in the gear that is left behind and (that) we use to certify and train those next-to-deploy forces." The department will take risk in its U.S.-based forces, but will keep deploying forces at the right readiness level, he added.
Also awaiting congressional approval is $2.9 billion to train and equip Iraqi and Afghan security forces.
The administration also has asked Congress for a $70 billion emergency request for fiscal 2009, which starts Oct. 1, 2008. Gates said this "bridge fund" will cover operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through the calendar year. Defense officials said the request is a placeholder for a more detailed request they will submit in the spring.
Officials need more information from U.S. Central Command before they can be more specific about the funding, Jonas explained.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 4, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Congress today during a news conference announcing the fiscal 2009 defense budget request to finish work on the 2008 emergency budget supplemental bill. President Bush requested $189.4 billion for the war on terror for fiscal 2008. In December, Congress approved $86.8 billion of that request and deferred work on the remaining $102.5 billion.
"As I've said before, delay degrades our ability to operate and sustain our force at home and in theater and makes it difficult to manage this department in a way that is fiscally sound," Gates said. "I urge approval of this budget request as quickly as possible."
Defense Department Comptroller Tina W. Jonas said the Army will run out of money to pay troops in June and will be unable to fund operations in July.
"Congress provided very little of the additional pay we requested, so the Army's military pay account will run out of funds in June," she said at the news conference. She said the June deadline already includes all budget-stretching procedures the department can perform.
Army operations are in a little better shape, but funding for them will last only through July, said Navy Vice Adm. P. Stephen Stanley, the Joint Staff's resources director.
Jonas also is concerned about the equipment and force protection pieces of the 2008 emergency supplemental request. DoD asked for $43.6 billion to reset the force. "The Congress provided less than a third of the funding that we need," she said. "This includes $2.2 billion for about 300,000 sets of body armor."
The emergency request also includes $1 billion for coalition support funding. This money goes to coalition countries to sustain their support for the global war on terrorism. "We will run out of those funds in March, so this is very important to us," Jonas said.
The request also funds equipment to outfit two new Army brigade combat teams.
"That doesn't mean that the people we are deploying into the theater over the next several months won't be fully equipped and ready," Stanley said. "They will be. What it means is there will be holes in the gear that is left behind and (that) we use to certify and train those next-to-deploy forces." The department will take risk in its U.S.-based forces, but will keep deploying forces at the right readiness level, he added.
Also awaiting congressional approval is $2.9 billion to train and equip Iraqi and Afghan security forces.
The administration also has asked Congress for a $70 billion emergency request for fiscal 2009, which starts Oct. 1, 2008. Gates said this "bridge fund" will cover operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through the calendar year. Defense officials said the request is a placeholder for a more detailed request they will submit in the spring.
Officials need more information from U.S. Central Command before they can be more specific about the funding, Jonas explained.
America Supports You: Boxes of Support Boost 'Adopted' Units
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 4, 2008 - Support by the boxful from a New York home-front group is keeping servicemembers' spirits high as they serve overseas. "Being so far away from home, we want our daughter, son-in-law, and the 450 soldiers in their unit and other units to know that we love them, and think about them every day," said Sylvester Henry, president of Adopt A Unit US. "Our objective is to provide the (servicemembers) with an abundance of support and comfort in order to encourage strength and optimism (while) bringing them as close to home as possible."
Helping servicemembers feel close to home can be tricky, but Henry and his wife, Cassandra, work to make each of the care packages they send special. The boxes are filled with each unit's requests with items that mostly are donated by the community.
A recent effort saw 100 boxes head overseas to boost servicemembers' morale.
"We were informed that they were so thankful and grateful to the community for sending so many things that they missed from home and hadn't seen in such a long time," Henry said.
In addition to care packages, Adopt A Unit US conducts a letter-writing campaign. Called the "Happy Day" campaign, the group asks that people write a "warm and uplifting" letter to a servicemember, so he or she can have something positive in their day, Henry said.
Adopt A Unit US is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
The group hopes to expand by having a community in every city across the country adopt a unit, Henry said, adding he hopes the affiliation with America Supports You will help.
"We believe the networking and support of each other will benefit us all by allowing us to expand out beyond our immediate circle of influence," he said. "Our organization feels that aligning ourselves with a respected group such as America Supports You will definitely increase our exposure throughout this nation, helping to (gain) a great deal of support for our troops."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 4, 2008 - Support by the boxful from a New York home-front group is keeping servicemembers' spirits high as they serve overseas. "Being so far away from home, we want our daughter, son-in-law, and the 450 soldiers in their unit and other units to know that we love them, and think about them every day," said Sylvester Henry, president of Adopt A Unit US. "Our objective is to provide the (servicemembers) with an abundance of support and comfort in order to encourage strength and optimism (while) bringing them as close to home as possible."
Helping servicemembers feel close to home can be tricky, but Henry and his wife, Cassandra, work to make each of the care packages they send special. The boxes are filled with each unit's requests with items that mostly are donated by the community.
A recent effort saw 100 boxes head overseas to boost servicemembers' morale.
"We were informed that they were so thankful and grateful to the community for sending so many things that they missed from home and hadn't seen in such a long time," Henry said.
In addition to care packages, Adopt A Unit US conducts a letter-writing campaign. Called the "Happy Day" campaign, the group asks that people write a "warm and uplifting" letter to a servicemember, so he or she can have something positive in their day, Henry said.
Adopt A Unit US is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
The group hopes to expand by having a community in every city across the country adopt a unit, Henry said, adding he hopes the affiliation with America Supports You will help.
"We believe the networking and support of each other will benefit us all by allowing us to expand out beyond our immediate circle of influence," he said. "Our organization feels that aligning ourselves with a respected group such as America Supports You will definitely increase our exposure throughout this nation, helping to (gain) a great deal of support for our troops."
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