HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS April 15, 1993 5:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Rep. Eldon Mulder, Co-Chairman Rep. Richard Foster, Co-Chairman Rep. Pete Kott Rep. Ed Willis MEMBERs ABSENT Rep. Mike Navarre OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT Sen. Loren Leman Sen. Randy Phillips Sen. Bert Sharp Rep. John Davies Rep. Con Bunde Rep. Tom Brice Rep. Jeannette James COMMITTEE CALENDAR Presentation by Major General David Bramlett WITNESS REGISTER MAJOR GENERAL DAVID BRAMLETT U.S. Army Headquarters 6th Infantry Division Ft. Wainwright, AK 99703 (907) 353-6660 Position Statement: Gave presentation on military concerns in Alaska ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-7, SIDE A Number 000 CHAIRMAN ELDON MULDER called the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to order at 5:19 p.m. on April 15, 1993. Members present were Rep. Foster, Rep. Kott, and Rep. Willis. Rep. Navarre was the only member absent. CHAIRMAN MULDER introduced MAJOR TOM RHEINLANDER, CAPTAIN RON RHYNNE and MAJOR GENERAL DAVID BRAMLETT. Number 023 MAJOR GENERAL DAVID BRAMLETT stated in his introduction that he wanted to give an update on the Army in Alaska, inform the committee on the reorganization of the 6th Infantry Division Light, and put the reorganization into context. He noted that he would explain the impacts of reorganization in three areas: economic (financial) impacts; school impacts; and off-post housing. He stated that they are still making detailed plans for the military in Alaska based on the decision made last week. He stated that he would give the committee a copy of his report (plan) as soon as it is done. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that he could state the Army's position on Alaska and Alaska's importance to National Security. He said that our National Military Strategy is changing dramatically. He stated that National Security is a shared responsibility; it is not just for the Army or the U.S. Department of Defense, it belongs to all. He stated that since the end of the Cold War the United States has developed a new National Military Strategy. He gave the four components and changes of the new National Military Strategy: Straight Deterrence (not a counter strike); Forward Presence (not Forward Deployment); Crisis Response (not Reinforcement); and Reconstitution (not full mobilization). MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that the Army's challenges were to maintain an edge by reshaping the forces, resourcing the forces, and integrating the forces. Major General Bramlett stated that in the last 40 years, the United States government has prepared to send or sent military troops 237 times. He stated that they have to reshape the forces from 761 thousand troops to 520 thousand troops by 1995. He stated that with that drop they are confident that they can maintain an edge if they can resource the forces. Major General Bramlett stated that three years ago the Army's budget was $90 billion and next year it will be $60.7 billion. He stated that they were concerned because with these cuts they will still have to maintain an edge. He stated that one of the last challenges the Army faces is the integrating the forces -- that the bases they have retained are the bases that can serve as "springboards" if troops are deployed. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT said that Alaska is in a strategic location -- a key location for a response anywhere in the world. He said that Alaska has the best training areas (variety of terrain) in the world. He said the Army has access to training areas that there is no replication to in the other 49 states. He stated that there is a good relationship between the Army and the Air Force here in Alaska and that they perform well together in joint operations. He said that the Army Chief of Staff said at a meeting of rising commanders that the Army will keep troops in Alaska. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that the reason why the Division became reorganized as a Brigade was because they (U.S. Army) could only maintain so many soldiers. He said that the division right now has an authorized strength of 6400 soldiers, but when they go to a Brigade it will be about 3550 soldiers. Major General Bramlett stated that there will be about 2800 spaces lost in the next 18 months. He said that there were four components to the Army in Alaska: the 6th Infantry Division Light (6400 soldiers); 1500 soldiers stationed at Ft. Wainwright and Ft. Richardson which are not a part of the 6th Infantry Division Light; garrison soldiers (900 soldiers that help operate the bases at Ft. Greely, Ft. Wainwright, Ft. Richardson); and stove pipe units (1000 soldiers; i.e., soldiers that are affiliated with military hospital). He stated that the stove pipe units will actually increase in the numbers with the reorganization. Major General Bramlett stated that they had over 9800 soldiers and that they were going to lose 2800 spaces of the division troops. He stated right now they have about 9800 soldiers and about 13,000 family members in Alaska. Major General Bramlett stated that there were about 3,500 civilian workers and out of those there has been no announced cuts. He said that the military contributes to the economy about $390 million and generates another $170 million. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that the plan for the next 18 months will be to reposition forces so that they have a Brigade task force headquartered at Ft. Wainwright. He said that the reason for this is because it is close to the training area and Eielson Air Force Base. He said that this is where they could get the most training for their soldiers. He stated that a good quantity of the 3500 soldiers will live up there and the Airborne Task Force will be at Ft. Richardson. Major General Bramlett stated that all those other units that are normally used to support the Division will be collected into a Brigade and this is going to be a new headquarters called the Arctic Support Brigade. This Brigade will have its headquarters at Ft. Richardson. Major General Bramlett stated that Ft. Richardson will lose more spaces than Ft. Wainwright. He said that as the Division goes away, Ft. Richardson will lose more of the 2800 spaces than Ft. Wainwright. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that in the next 18 months there would be impact cuts in salary of about $81 million, based on a figure that assumes every soldier has a $29,000 salary. He stated that he plans on making these cuts through attrition. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that they approximate between 1200 to 1300 school kids will be out of the system. He stated that if you took out one hundred school children from every grade (from two posts) that this would be transparent especially in Ft. Wainwright. He stated that this would be no impact due to the growth of school children in the Fairbanks area where there is a yearly 2 percent increase. He stated that it would be more noticeable in the Anchorage/Ft. Richardson area, but not significant. He stated that they were going to keep one of these elementary schools to use for overflow from the Tanana Middle School (for the next four or five years) until they build a new school. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that 60 percent of the Army is married (Alaska varies between 59 percent to 62 percent). He said that based on these statistics, about 1840 families will leave -- the majority of which will come out of Ft. Richardson. He stated that there will be less demand for off-base housing at both Ft. Richardson and Ft. Wainwright. He said that at Ft. Wainwright the demand right now is about 980 units and it will probably go down by 300 to 400 units. He said that the drop in demand for off-base housing for the soldiers at Ft. Richardson may be minimal (over the next 18 months). Major General Bramlett stated that he was aware of U.S. Senator Ted Stevens' hard work with the Army leadership in making the case that Alaska should be a receptacle for other units that come back. Major General Bramlett stated that that was a delicate issue for himself. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated that this was a great opportunity to leave combat troops in Alaska where we can have all of the support structure still in place and to have the access to the training areas in Alaska. He said that this was good for the United States. He stated that the Army is here to stay in Alaska as long as the Nation will allow them. Number 418 SEN. PHILLIPS asked that Major General Bramlett remember that there is no special committee on the Senate side for receiving information on military issues. He stated that they have three schools on Ft. Richardson and that there are federal funds for schools. He asked if Major General Bramlett was aware of a federal funds list and if he had any other information as to whether it would still be continued or discontinued. Number 440 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT replied that as a matter of principle the United States Department of Education wants to get out from under the schools. He stated that the last he heard was that the $4.5 million for Ursa Major was in good shape. Number 455 SEN. LEMAN stated that Lt. General Ralston was committed to funding the schools. He stated that we all need to pull together on this issue. He stated that the problem is that the Anchorage School District does not understand the issue, therefore they will not take over the schools. Number 463 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT replied that the school district is right in not taking over the schools. He stated that someone has got to bring them up to code. Number 470 SEN. SHARP stated that he has appreciated Major General Bramlett and his predecessor on how they included the military in being involved in their community. He asked how the Arctic Life School was coming and when was the completion date. Number 482 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT said that it will be open this fall. He stated that they were on target. He stated that they were going to use Chena as a Tanana Satellite School. He stated that he has worked with Ms. Carpenter (the principal), and that they have an adjunct faculty, and they are going to convert that into a Jr. High School. He said the middle school will be called the Tanana Satellite School. Major General Bramlett conveyed that they will take over the overflow. He stated that the good news is that during the next four years while they build that school, they will be able to use the old school for up to 300 students. He stated that the U.S. Department of Education has to hold on to it. He said, "What we want to do is not let it fall into disuse then we get into coping problems." He said you would have to report $500,000 to get it back up. He said that the school would be in continuous use but it would be called Tanana Satellite School. Number 513 REP. DAVIES stated they have appreciated the work that Major General Bramlett has done with their school superintendent, Rick Ross (Fairbanks). Number 519 REP. WILLIS asked how will our Army National Guard units dovetail under the new system with the regular Army? Number 530 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT replied that it would work extremely well. He stated that Tom Carroll had developed a plan for the Army Guard and that plan has continued to be implemented by General Hugh Cox. Major General Bramlett said that General Cox has taken the 5th and 6th Battalion and has combined them to get their strength up; one of which is stationed in Juneau and the other in Anchorage. He said that they have been combined with the Headquarters to reside at Ft. Richardson. He stated that the Army Chief of Staff, General Sullivan, approved of Tom Carroll's plan to put that Battalion at Ft. Richardson. He stated that there will be a company in Fairbanks, Ft. Richardson, and in Juneau. The Battalion will be the fourth in the Light Infantry Brigade. He said that this is a great boon for the Army Guard in Alaska and a boon for the Army because they will be able to train with them. He stated that it was difficult in the past to train with them because they were spread out all over Alaska and they were undermanned. He stated that they are now a full battalion. MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT said they are also doing a lot with the reorganization of the Battalions in the Northern part of the state. They are still Scouts, which he said was important to distinguish for monetary reasons for federal funding. There is a federal funding stream that comes straight to the Eskimo Scouts, and if you change their name you jeopardize its funding. He stated that what they have done is to reorganize so that they're in a Light Infantry configuration. Major General Bramlett said that they still have their fundamental mission, but it is not as demanding because they do not think the Russians will come over the top. He said that it is now easier to work with them because their tactics and doctrines are the same. He said that you will see a much closer relationship because of what Tom Carroll has started. Number 587 REP. FOSTER stated that the last joint Army and Army National Guard winter exercises was held along the entire West Coast of Alaska in the Arctic (around Nome), which was 20 years ago. He stated that the people in those villages loved the presence of the military. He asked if there would be any more of these types of winter exercises that would happen again in that area. Number 602 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT replied that that series in the past was called Brim Frost but eventually became Arctic Warrior. He said that it was discontinued this year. He stated that that scenario (Brim Frost-Arctic Warrior) was to defend Alaska and that it is not realistic. He noted that Lt. General Ralston, Major General Bramlett, and General Chords were working on the idea of calling it (for example, Brim Frost) anywhere they want and it will be a deployment base for soldiers to come up to Alaska as if they were deployed somewhere else (for example, Korea). He stated that they have got to make the case in order to get the money. Number 641 REP. JAMES stated that she enjoys the presence of the military and Major General Bramlett in Fairbanks. Number 650 CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if there were any issues that affect the military in Alaska that the legislature could address. Number 658 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT stated it was schools. He stated that the soldiers are grateful for the treatment they receive from the community in both the Anchorage and Fairbanks area. Number 682 CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that they have been working with U.S. Senator Ted Stevens on the schools. He stated that they get their funding through federal D.O.D/D.O.E and that there is a $40 million need throughout the state. He said that if the state is lucky, it trickles down in $4 and $5 million increments. He said they have approached U.S. Senator Ted Stevens on what they could do to ensure the future of those funds. He stated that what the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs has done is to prepare a resolution which will be introduced calling for a task force this interim. If the resolution is passed, Chairman Mulder asked Major General Bramlett to name someone (military personnel) to the task force (members from U.S. Senator Ted Steven's staff and the school district). He stated that the goal of this task force would be to come up with a plan to make this transition. Chairman Mulder stated that not only is this important for our children, but also the security of our bases. Number 713 REP. KOTT asked Major General Bramlett if the 2800 number of cuts were people cuts or space cuts. Number 717 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT said that it was 2800 space cuts that will go away, but that the numbers on the ground (people) actually won't be that small because they haven't had as many as were authorized already. Number 737 REP. KOTT asked if the command here in Alaska has taken a position on creating the extensions for soldiers. He stated that they used to have the consecutive overseas tour options. He asked if that was still available. Number 740 MAJOR GENERAL BRAMLETT replied that it was still available until they announce the reorganization. He said that if a soldier has to stay in Alaska, their chain of command could say that they (the soldier) has done a good job and was not going to hurt them professionally, and he normally would extend them. He stated that now, because of this draw down, he wanted to make this as painless as possible. He said that if a position is open and a soldier wants to stay and fill it, he will not bring in another person to fill the position. He said he would let them as long as it is not hurtful to their career. He stated that he is being very careful in allowing this unless it is warranted. He said that it is tougher now than in the past. Number 758 CHAIRMAN MULDER stated for the record that the committee had been joined by Sen. Leman, Rep. Kott, Sen. Sharp, Rep. James, Rep. Foster, Rep. Bunde, Rep. Brice, Rep. Davies, Rep. Willis, Sen. Phillips, and Jeff Morrison with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. ADJOURNMENT CHAIRMAN MULDER adjourned the meeting at 6:09 p.m.