Major General SHULER. Anything that is in this book is not classi fied. Senator STENNIS. That is a good deal of money. Major General SHULER. I can describe further what we intend to do with it: I would be glad to. Senator STENNIS. All right. SECURITY MEASURES Major General SHULER. The construction of a vehicle inspection pit will allow thorough inspection for hidden explosive devices. In other words, we can get under the vehicle and search it thoroughly and see that it doesn't have hidden explosive devices. The construction of security fence around portals with floodlighting will provide a secure area for surveillance by security forces to prevent unauthorized access by unauthorized personnel. Installation of new bulletproof sentry boxes manned 24 hours a day in addition to existing sentry boxes will provide a protected security force at all times. The installation of crashproof security gates, one on each portal, will positively deter and prevent a forced intrusion. Concrete block barriers at the rear of each powerplant will prevent uncontrolled access to building chambers from powerplants as now exists. The barrier in front of the domestic water reservoir in lieu of the 8-foot chain link fence will prevent access by unauthorized personnel and eliminate the possibility of anyone throwing explosives or contaminating devices over the existing fence. This is the type of thing we are trying to accomplish. This is one of the most important faciilties we have. We feel these are very necessary. Senator STENNIS. All right. Proceed to your next item. BOQ Major General SHULER. The next item is on page 47. This will provide 60 bachelor officers' quarter spaces at a cost of $455,000, a unit cost of $7,000 a man. This item has prior authorization, Public Law 87-554. There are only two adequate BOQ spaces and consequently officer personnel permanently assigned and on temporary duty must live in deteriorated World War II buildings or commute for a considerable distance to this semi-isolated installation. Continuous uninterrupted operation is required for accomplishment of mission here, sir, and this almost dictates our personnel live on the post, since it is an around-the-clock operation. Senator SYMINGTON. May I ask a question here? Senator SYMINGTON. Why do we have to build all of these new buildings when we have abandoned so many camps in the past? REQUEST FOR PERMANENT BUILDINGS Major General SHULER. Senator, all of these new permanent buildings are at our permanent installations. Any camp we have abandoned in the past, as far as I have knowledge, sir, was not a permanent installation and was excess to our needs. We are only asking to build permanent buildings at our permanent, our hard core permanent installations and these are to replace mostly World War II temporary facilities built for a 5-year life in a mobilization period which are Low over 20 years old. There are almost $3 billion worth of that type of thing which eventually will have to be replaced. We are trying to bite this off at a reasonable amount each year so it won't fall down around our ears all at the same time. Senator PROXMIRE. The House did approve this particular item? Major General SHULER. Yes, sir; I will call attention, sir, any time it didn't. Senator PROXMIRE. It did not approve the others? Major General SHULER. That is right, the ones I specifically called attention to. Senator STENNIS. Senator Symington, I asked you gentlemen to tell us if the House failed to approve the items so it will give these gentlemen a chance to ask specifically. Is the House report out yet? I have not had a chance to look at it. I understand it is out. (Discussion off the record.) FORT STORY, Va. Major General SHULER. The next is Fort Story, Va., on page 48 and we are asking two line items, the first of which is on page 49. This particular item is for three motor repair shops and facilities at a cost of $449,000. We will provide 14,816 square feet of shop space and 13,000 square yards of hardstand for servicing 302 vehicles assigned to four of our STRAC units. One permanent and two temporary buildings are used for vehicle maintenance. The permanent buildings are greatly overloaded and are being used for maintenance of vehicles of four companies. Delivery of 110 amphibious cargo lighters during 1963 will further aggravate the situation. Two temporary buildings will be demolished when this building is completed. The next item is on page 50, which is the last item for Fort Story. Senator STENNIS. Now, on these repair shops, I do not know where Fort Story is. Where is it located? Major General SHULER. Near Virginia Beach, sir. Senator STENNIS. That would be a good place for Mr. Rexroad may be Saturday to go down and look over. These repair shops, it has always been my idea that maybe you cannot use something you already have. This is worth half a million dollars. Major General SHULER. Yes. Senator STENNIS. We do not want to put a crimp in here or anything like that but if we can save half a million, that is half a million. dollars. Major General SHULER. I can assure you, sir, we have surveyed the rest of the buildings and these are not all ordinary vehicles but are the transportation cargo lighters, the amphibious-type LARCS which are very important to our logistic mission and I feel that the square foot cost on these items are certainly within reason. Senator STENNIS. Anything that requires more personal knowledge of these matters, we will get for the committee to have a better feel. It is not a matter of doubting your word and we ask a lot of questions about these items and Mr. Rexroad can otherwise get off of his overworked situation here, especially while this bill is up, and he can run down next Saturday and someone can go with him. SHOP FACILITIES Major General SHULER. The next item on page 50 is for "Shop and facilities at $441,000" for our amphibious barge resupply cargo BARC. There is no existing shop to accommodate these vehicles at this size. To give you an idea, they weigh 100 tons empty and they have an emergency capacity for 100-ton loads. They travel on land and in the water. Of course, these are tremendous vehicles, and because of their physical size there is nothing on this post that we can do the maintenance in. Senator STENNIS. This is a repeat, almost, of the other one. Major General SHULER. This is a much larger vehicle and there is just nothing there that could possibly accommodate it. One BARC could not fit into this committee room. Senator STENNIS. How have you been getting along without it? Major General SHULER. We do not have any structure to fit them. We just got them in there. This is a new thing. We have not been maintaining them properly. Senator STENNIS. This is part of your amphibious warfare? Major General SHULER. Yes, sir; this is part of the Transportation Corps mission and would be part of amphibious operations. Senator STENNIS. Do the Marines have assemblying shops at all? Major General SHULER. I don't think they have this particular thing at all, because this is more of a cargo, a supply, a logistic backup type. I do not think they have this particular one. Senator STENNIS. Well, the term "motor repair shop" does not really describe the situation, hardly; is that right? Major General SHULER. That is correct. The first item is for lighters, and the other for the BARC which is the cargo resupply BARC. Senator STENNIS. If he can, Mr. Rexroad will go down and he will find out. All right, shall we proceed to 52? THIRD ARMY-FORT BENNING Major General SHULER. We come now to the 3d Army, and the first station is Fort Benning on page 52. We are asking for six line items, total of $3,581,000. The first item at Fort Benning is for $500,000 for a hangar with shop, 21,151 square feet and access apron. 8,937 square yards for rotary wing aircraft. Maintenance activities for 3 helicopter companies, 1 fixed-wing company, a brigade aviation company, and 34 miscellaneous aircraft at Lawson Army Airfield are squeezed into existing facilities. The proposed construction will provide 21,151 square feet of hangars and shops out of a requirement of over 88,000 square feet, sir. The existing hangars will remain in use after this construction is complete. This will get us out of a very crowded and intolerable situation here and let us maintain our aircraft. Senator STENNIS. This is a part of your Army air program? Major General SHULER. Yes, sir; this is in support of the tactical units: yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. Next item. DENTAL CLINIC Major General SHULER. On page 55 the second item will provide a dental clinic of 28 chairs. Over 177,000 patient-visits occur in the dental clinics each month at this station, Fort Benning. The proposed 28-chair dental clinic will provide the remaining dental facilities we need at the station. In other words, this closes us out on our requirements for adequate dental facilities and we will demolish the four temporary buildings which are in very bad shape. This is in accordance with the formula you referred to. Senator STENNIS. Yes. Now, we have covered, Senator Symington, all of these clinics in the repetitive items in the beginning. Do you have any questions? Next item. ENLISTED MEN'S SERVICE CLUB Major General SHULER. On page 56, the third item that Fort Benning requested is an enlisted men's service club containing 27,800 square feet at $655,000. Over 4,000 troops in the Kelley Hill area have only limited diverted barracks space for service club use. This space is so small that only lounge-type activities can be offered to these troops. The alternative is a travel of 5 miles to the nearest service club on the post. Construction of this service club and the library, which I will describe a little later in this program, will provide the major welfare and morale facilities in the Kelley Hill area. Senator STENNIS. It seems to me like you have 36,000 men and 28.000 enlisted men and with $145 million invested, it seems like you already have facilities like this. What does this do? Major General SHULER. Well, these type items, sir, at the levels of review at the Pentagon and Bureau of the Budget, never get through unless they are really worthwhile items because if we put the name "service club" on an item, it becomes a target for those who wish to reduce the budget. This has come this far because it is a very, very worthwhile item. These people are in a remote area, and there is no other place to occupy their time when they are not training. Senator STENNIS. I think it is a very good point that we have these facilities all right, but I suggest we could make use of something else. All right, unless there are further questions, proceed. BRANCH LIBRARY Major General SHULER. Page 57, the next item is for a branch library of 4,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $118,000. This again is in the Kelley Hill area 5 miles from the main post and permanent construction in this area was initiated in 1954. The establishment of an interim library and diverted administrative space was considered necessary due to the number of troops in this area and the distance from this housing area to other library facilities. It has been placed in administrative space which has been moved to diverted barracks space. This library in this particular area has certainly worked out as far as we are concerned. Just to give you an idea, in 1961 there were 45,280 officers and enlisted men who made use of this library. They had a very high rate of nonfiction books checked out and non fiction literature. We think this is a fine way to occupy their small amount of leisure time with the proper books there for them. Senator STENNIS. I judge you have made out your case. Next item. ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Major General SHULER. On page 58, this is an item for electrical distribution system conversion at $1,396,000. Approximately 10,000 men are housed in the remote Sand Hill and Harmony Church housing areas where there has been no upgrading of the electrical distribution system since its construction to standards of World War II. Consequently, much of the equipment cannot be installed because of the limited electrical capacity of the system. Deficiencies are especially serious in the barracks and messhalls. This will give us a proper size line so we can use our normal equipment. We can't use it now. Senator STENNIS. We will recess until 2:30. (Whereupon, at 12:05 p.m., Monday, November 18, the hearing recessed to reconvene at 2:30 p.m., of the same day.) (AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:30 P.M., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1963) (The subcommittee reconvened at 2:30 p.m., Senator John Stennis presiding.) Senator STENNIS. Let us proceed. Major General SHULER. We are on page 60, Mr. Chairman, and we are starting on the last line item for Fort Benning. ITEM DENIED BY HOUSE-FORT BENNING This is an item that the House Appropriations Committee denied us in appropriations. This is for an extension of the steam distribution system in the main post area which is estimated to cost $512,000. This will allow a more efficient utilization of the available capacity in the steamplant constructed in 1954. The new lines will connect this plant to the Quartermaster laundry, three barracks buildings, and eliminate heating plants that support these buildings. Upon accomplishment of this project the steam load of the old plant will be supplied by the new steamplant eliminating the operational cost of the old plant. The boilers in the two barracks buildings will be capped and left in place for emergency use. The three antiquated boilers located in the laundry building will be removed to provide urgently needed repair shop for laundry equip ment. Senator STENNIS. What was the reason the House gave on that, General? Major General SHULER. Mr. Chairman, I am not privy to any reasons involved in this. In fact, I have not yet even received the report. I understand it is just now published, but I had not received it until I came over here. Senator STENNIS. Well, you agreed to make comment on anything these gentlemen say here in their report because that is our request. Major General SHULER. I believe their turndown, Sir, as I now read the report, was the "excessive amortization period." Senator STENNIS. All right. |