regulations, and practices pertaining to the career management pattern of officer personnel. The findings of this committee promise to form the basis of legislation for a uniform promotion system and grade structure for all the services. This legislation will provide the relief the Air Force needs for the foreseeable future, but will not solve the immediate problem. In fiscal year 1961 the Air Force selected for promotion to the grade of major approximately 6,000 captains who are now in their 13th and 14th year of active commissioned or promotion list service. Using all existing vacancies, we were only able to promote 2,500. The remaining 3,500 can be promoted during fiscal year 1962 only if the Air Force receives the officer grade limitation relief it is seeking. If, for example, the relief we are seeking is not granted but, rather, the current temporary authority for 3,000 additional majors were to be extended, the Air Force could only promote 2,500 of the 3,500 captains currently on the selected list, in fiscal year 1962. The 1,000 remainder who were selected in fiscal year 1961 could not be promoted until fiscal year 1963. If no relief is granted and the temporary authority expires on June 30, 1961, not only will we be unable to promote those officers already selected, but action will be required to reduce the strength in majors to that authorized by the current OGLA. Likewise, in fiscal year 1961, the Air Force selected for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel approximately 1,900 majors who are in their 19th year of active commissioned or promotion list service. Again, using all existing vacancies, we will be able to promote only 600 of these majors. Of the remaining 1,300, approximately 1,200 will be promoted in fiscal year 1962 while the other 100 will have to wait until fiscal year 1963. No additional selections will be made in fiscal year 1962 unless some new legislative relief is granted. After fiscal year 1962, the same general situation will exist for the grade of colonel. Accordingly, to prevent complete promotion stagnation, the Air Force has forwarded a separate legislative proposal to the Office of the Secretary of Defense requesting an amendment to the Air Force table contained in the OGLA. The proposal is identical with the grade distribution tables proposed by the Bolté Committee and follows the principles developed by the Congress in the enactment of the OGLA of 1954. The Air Force believes it is fundamental that an officer should have the same basic promotion opportunity regardless of the service he chooses. Equity of promotion opportunity is not possible under the current OGLA. Consideration was also given to the need for a proper distribution of officers among the various grades that would follow the requirements of the Air Force at the designated levels of responsibility. Under currently programed strengths, there is an urgent need for officers in the higher grades. A general revision of the OGLA is vital to the Air Force, both for its on-board officers and those whom it hopes to procure and retain. If some form of relief is not obtained by the Air Force in this session of Congress, active duty (temporary) promotions must be discontinued. This will mean that we will only be able to promote Regular officers at the mandatory permanent promotion service phase points of 14 years to major and 21 years to lieutenant colonel. No Reserve officer can be promoted on active duty above the grade of captain. In addition, as indicated before, some undesirable action will have to be taken to reduce the strength in majors to that authorized under the OGLA of 1954. The Air Force has been seeking grade limitation relief since 1959. It is now one of our most critical personnel problems. Funds are included in this budget request to support the continuation of the 3,000 temporary major authorizations. However, if legislation is enacted to authorize a general revision of the OGLA, additional funds will be required for its support. RATED OFFICER PROGRAM To conclude the officer portion of the program, I would like to discuss certain important aspects of the rated officer program. One of the most intricate problems facing the Air Force today con cerns the status of the rated officer inventory. To assure that this problem is seen in proper perspective, I will discuss basic concepts, past and future trends, current actions, and a legislative requirementall as they relate to the rated inventory. CONCEPTS The Air Force has a mixed force of manned and unmanned weapon systems. Because it has been, and will continue for some time to be largely dependent upon reliable manned systems, it must be composed of rated officers possessing current knowledge and experience in the employment and operation of such systems. On the other hand, as manned weapons gradually give way to dependable missile systems, it naturally follows that the requirement for rated officers will decline accordingly. The integration of manned and missile systems into a unified aerospace combat force, which can react positively and reliably to the various demands in support of national objectives, is a challenging task. The proper balance of experienced personnel needed to support such a force poses very real and complicated planning problems. PAST AND FUTURE TRENDS The Air Force is confronted with the problem of determining just how many rated officers are required during this transitional period. Analysis of advancing technology and changing force structure gives evidence that there is a surplus of rated skills. The officers possessing these skills, however, are not surplus to total officer requirements. Logical questions at this point could be, "Why does the Air Force have an excess of rated officers and how did it develop? Could not good management have foreseen the problem?" A brief review of what has occurred over the past several permit a more adequate understanding of this problem. years will 66865-61-pt. 1- 39 THOUSANDS CHART 2 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE Comparison of wing structure pilot inventory training rate In 1950, the Air Force had 48 wings and sufficient pilots on board to man the 48 wings. After the start of the Korean war in 1950, the Air Force program was subsequently increased to 137. This level was attained by fiscal year 1957. To meet the requirements of this force, the Air Force initiated an officer recall program, increased its pilot training rate, and was able for the first time to achieve this goal in 1957, when the rated officer inventory matched requirements. However, beginning in fiscal year 1958, the Air Force made gradual reductions in its wing strength and is programmed to be at 84 wings in fiscal year 1962. The inventory built to meet increased requirements now contains an excess based on the programed decline in wing strength. Training rates, as shown in table 3, were drastically cut as soon as changed requirements became known. They are now established at minimum levels consistent with providing an input of new flying officers based on future manned force objectives. TABLE 3.-Pilot and navigator new production and inventory 1 Training rate of 1,500, programed under production due to changeover to consolidated pilot training program. It is evident from table 3 that the pilot and navigator inventory at the end of fiscal year 1960 was about 6,000 below that of 1957, and by end of fiscal year 1962 is forecast to be almost 9,000 below the 1957 figure. Looking beyond fiscal year 1962, it is forecast that the rated inventory will decline at least 2,000 each year. However, recognizing that the Air Force is in a period of transition, requirements for rated officers are periodically reviewed. Accordingly, the Chief of Staff has directed that a board of general officers be convened to reexamine rated requirements in relation to the latest force structure guidance available. CURRENT ACTIONS Having presented the important aspects of the evolution of the rated officer problem, I would like next to state the actions taken during fiscal year 1961 to meet the congressionally imposed rated officer ceiling on the Department of Defense. The Air Force accomplished its share of the required reduction by the following actions: 1. Seven hundred and twenty-eight officers were removed from flying status for qualitative reasons by the Central Flight Status Selection Board. 2. Noncareer rated officers who would have normally separated from the service in the latter part of fiscal year 1961 or in fiscal year 1962 were released in the first half of fiscal year 1961. 3. During fiscal year 1961, 1,178 officers with more than 20 years of rated service and 520 officers assigned to remote areas will have been excused from flying, through expanded use of section 514, Public Law 86-601. In addition to the above actions to remain within the ceiling, and to make further reductions in operation and maintenance costs, more than 1,200 rated officers have been placed in "familiarization" status. In "familiarization" status, they are required to fly only the minimum hours necessary to comply with Executive Order 10152. In all, about 3,000 officers will have been relieved of proficiency flying requirements during fiscal year 1961. LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL President Eisenhower, in his fiscal year 1962 budget message, has recognized the need for legislation for rated officers who are removed from flying status by recommending that the Congress make provision for appropriate financial relief. The President was apparently aware of the fact that, even though the Air Force has made great efforts to bring the rated inventory in alinement with changing requirements, other than by arbitrary grounding action, it is still faced with some excess. This excess is composed of officers who, acting in good faith, and with normal expectations of a full rated career, have based their official and financial planning on such a career. Removal of large numbers of rated personnel from flying status without suitable compensation would be patently unfair, and would reduce morale and effectiveness to an unacceptable level. Furthermore, the superior operational capability of the Air Force has been achieved through the dedicated efforts of these rated officers and they are presently filling critical technical positions throughout the Air Force for which no replacements are avail able. These officers would in all probability leave the service at a much earlier date if flight pay is removed. As a corollary impact, it can be expected that greater difficulties will be experienced in attracting suitable young officers to accept a military career if reasonable solutions are not applied to this problem. This situation generates the requirement for some method of compensation for those personnel who may be removed from flying status at a point far short of normal career expectations, through no fault of their own, and for the convenience of the Government. The Air Force needs appropriate legislation as a flexible means of making the required adjustments in its rated inventory without imposing drastic losses on the individuals and subjecting the Air Force to morale, efficiency, procurement, and retention problems. If relief legislation is provided by the Congress, the Air Force will be in a position to take expeditious implementing action. We are moving forward with our plans for equitable and realistic solutions to this problem. In so doing, we urgently solicit congressional support in providing appropriate legislation. Next I will cover the salient portions of the airman program. AIRMAN AND CADET SEPARATIONS AND GAINS In our fiscal year 1961 presentation a great deal of emphasis was placed upon the desirability of stabilizing airman procurement between fiscal years. However, the airman strength deficit at end fiscal year 1960 has necessitated a departure from level procurement programing in fiscal year 1961 and fiscal year 1962. The undesirable impact on our training and recruiting facilities caused by fluctuations in procurement are recognized and every effort will be made to return to a reasonably level procurement program as soon as practicable. Table 4 which follows is a reflection of our airman and cadet separations. TABLE 4.-Airman and cadet separations 1 Includes airmen to officer and aviation cadet status, cadets to officer status. It is estimated that approximately 201,000 airmen will separate in fiscal year 1961 and 196,000 in fiscal year 1962. The substantial increase in separations in each of these fiscal years is due almost entirely to increased separations for the purpose of immediate reenlistment. Although reenlistment separations do not represent actual losses from the active duty force, they do have a significant impact |