DEPARTMENT OF
THE AIR FORCE
PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED
SERVICES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND
FACILITIES
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SUBJECT: INSTALLATIONS AND QUALITY OF LIFE
STATEMENT
OF: CMSAF
FREDERICK J. FINCH
CHIEF
MASTER SERGEANT OF THE AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
9
MAY 2001
INTRODUCTION
GOOD MORNING MISTER CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I CONSIDER IT AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATING TO THE WELL-BEING OF MORE THAN 400,000 ENLISTED MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. THIS INCLUDES THOSE ON ACTIVE DUTY, IN THE AIR FORCE RESERVE AND IN THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD.
OVERVIEW
OUR AIR FORCE IS COMPRISED OF TRUE PROFESSIONALS, WILLING TO GIVE THEIR LIVES IF NECESSARY, TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION. I BELIEVE THIS LEVEL OF DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT DESERVES A STANDARD OF LIVING EQUAL TO THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICA AND AT LEAST COMPARABLE WITH THEIR CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS. WE, THE AIR FORCE, ARE COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE WELFARE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IS CRITICAL TO THE OVERALL READINESS OF THE FORCE. CONSEQUENTLY, WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR CORE QUALITY OF LIFE PRIORITIES: ADEQUATE MANPOWER, IMPROVED WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS, FAIR AND COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, BALANCED TEMPO, QUALITY HEALTH CARE, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENHANCED COMMUNITY AND FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND ENRICHED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AS SUCH, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE INITIATIVES TAKEN LAST YEAR BY MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR AIRMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE FISCAL YEAR 2001 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT HAS DONE MUCH TO INCREASE COMPENSATION BENEFITS, ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPAND TRICARE COVERAGE.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE TO RETAIN THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST AMERICA HAS TO OFFER. AND, IT MUST BE DONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS APPROXIMATELY 193,000 AIRMEN - 69 PERCENT OF THE ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED FORCE WILL MAKE A REENLISTMENT DECISION BETWEEN NOW AND FY04.
THE EASIEST WAY FOR ME TO OUTLINE THE AREAS WE SHOULD TARGET IS TO CATEGORIZE THEM BY WHERE OUR AIRMEN WORK AND WHERE THEY LIVE.
OUR PEOPLE SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEIR WAKING HOURS IN THE WORKPLACE, AND A QUALITY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THEM. THE AIR FORCE HAS ROUTINELY HAD TO TRADE OFF INFRASTRUCTURE AND MODERNIZATION TO SHORE UP NEAR-TERM READINESS. I AM TOLD THE CURRENT LEVEL OF MILCON FUNDING PLACES US ON AN UNACCEPTABLY LONG FACILITY RECAPITALIZATION RATE. THE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS OF RECAPITALIZING THE AIR FORCE AT REDUCED FUNDING LEVELS DIRECTLY INCREASES OPTEMPO FOR OUR AIR FORCE MEN AND WOMEN AS THEY TRY TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN AGING SYSTEMS AND FACILITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS LEVEL OF INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING HAS LED TO A STEADY DETERIORATION OF OUR FACILITIES WHICH HAS CONSEQUENTLY, DEGRADED OUR READINESS OVER TIME. THE MAJOR COMMANDS HAVE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED NEARLY $200 MILLION OF CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ROOF, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING, PLUMBING, AND FLOOR REPAIRS FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY WORKPLACES OF OUR AIRMEN. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO MORTGAGE THE AIR FORCE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT, LONG-TERM, NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MORALE, RETENTION, AND READINESS. ADDITIONALLY, MANY OF OUR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS CONTINUE TO REMIND ME WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE OR RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THE AGING AIR FORCE FACILITIES. TO SOLVE THIS DILEMA MAY REQUIRE ANOTHER ROUND OR TWO OF BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURES. ULTIMATELY WE MUST FIND A WAY TO MATCH THE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE PEOPLE AND MONEY AVAILABLE TO ADEQUATELY SUSTAIN IT.
WHERE OUR PEOPLE LIVE ALSO PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE. WHEN OUR AIRMEN RESIDING ON THE INSTALLATION HEAD HOME AT THE END OF THEIR DUTY DAY, THEY DESERVE TO RETURN TO ADEQUATE QUARTERS WHETHER IT BE IN A DORMITORY ROOM OR IN FAMILY HOUSING.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT, MOTIVATE AND RETAIN A TOP-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL FORCE. THEREFORE, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE PRESIDENT STATE THAT MILITARY HOUSING WILL BE A PRIORITY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE AIR FORCE OWNS APPROXIMATELY 104,000 HOMES AND LEASES 7,100 ADDITIONAL UNITS. WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO MEET OUR CURRENT AF FAMILY HOUSING MASTER PLAN. THIS PLAN GUIDES INVESTMENT AND IDENTIFIES THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO MEET THE OSD GOAL TO REVITALIZE INADEQUATE UNITS BY 2010. OUR MASTER PLAN PROVIDES THE ROADMAP; HOWEVER, IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE TO MEET THE GOAL.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR AIR FORCE IS PURSUING A BALANCED APPROACH TO MEET OUR HOUSING REQUIREMENTS BY USING TRADITIONAL MILCON AND THE PRIVATIZATION AUTHORITY ENACTED BY CONGRESS. OUR MILITARY FAMILY HOUSING PRIVATIZATION EFFORTS WILL HELP TO REDUCE OUR HOUSING BACKLOG AT A REDUCED COST. THE AIR FORCE IS PURSUING PRIVATIZATION PILOT PROJECTS AT NINE LOCATIONS. FIVE OTHER PRIVATIZATION PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR EXECUTION IN 2001 AND EIGHT MORE IN 2002.
WE ALSO HAVE AN AF DORMITORY MASTER PLAN THAT PROVIDES A ROADMAP TO MEET THE AIR FORCE GOAL OF PROVIDING SINGLE PERSONNEL (E-1 TO E-4) A PRIVATE ROOM ON-BASE AND BUYING OUT OUR WORST CONDITION DORMS BY 2009. AGAIN, WE ARE ON "TARGET" TO MEET THIS GOAL, BUT IT WILL TAKE CONTINUED FUNDING SUPPORT BY THE AIR FORCE AND CONGRESS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE COMMITTEE'S EFFORTS HAS ALLOWED US TO IMPROVE BOTH MISSION/SUPPORT FACILITIES AND HOUSING FOR OUR TOTAL FORCE. MAKE NO MISTAKE THE AIR FORCE IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR MEMBERS AND FAMILIES HAVE A HIGH-QUALITY WORKING AND LIVING ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER, OUR CURRENT REAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE (RPM) FUNDING LEVELS ONLY ALLOW US TO PROVIDE DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS LIMITED FUNDING WILL RESULT IN A BACKLOG EXCEEDING $5 BILLION IN FY02. TO BUY THIS BACKLOG DOWN BY 2010 WILL REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL $1.2 BILLION PER YEAR ABOVE THE CURRENT ANNUAL $1.7 BILLION AIR FORCE RPM BUDGET.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM CONGRESS TO IMPROVE AIR FORCE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH THE QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) ENHANCEMENT FUNDING INCREASES. SINCE FY97, THE AIR FORCE HAS RECEIVED $500 MILLION QOL ENHANCEMENT FUNDING FROM CONGRESS, AND WE HAVE INVESTED THAT MONEY WISELY--OVER $350 MILLION IN DORMITORY PROJECTS AND THE REMAINING FOR OTHER COMMUNITY FACILITIES SUCH AS VISITING QUARTERS, CHAPELS, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND OTHER MWR FACILITIES. WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THIS FUNDING, BUT UNDER CURRENT PLANS, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $300 MILLION OF UNFUNDED PROJECTS FOR OUR LIVING AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
ANOTHER AREA OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR AIRMEN IS PERSONAL FITNESS, IT IS AN AREA THAT HAS RECEIVED INCREASED INTEREST RECENTLY. IN THE 1999 AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF "QUALITY OF LIFE SURVEY", AIR FORCE MEMBERS RANKED FITNESS CENTERS AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAMS IN ESTABLISHING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. JUNIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS ESPECIALLY RATED FITNESS CENTERS AS IMPORTANT TO THEM IN POSITIVELY INFLUENCING THEIR CAREER INTENT.
THE FITNESS CENTER MASTER PLAN PROVIDES LONG-RANGE PLANNING, WHICH PRIORITIZES THE TOTAL REQUIREMENT FOR REPLACING OR MODERNIZING AIR FORCE FITNESS CENTERS. THE AIR FORCE HAS ALLOCATED $183 MILLION FOR FITNESS CENTER RENOVATION PROJECTS DURING FY00-FY05. ALTHOUGH USEFUL, THAT AMOUNT FALLS $402 MILLION SHORT OF THE FUNDS NEEDED TO RENOVATE OR REPLACE FITNESS CENTERS IDENTIFIED AND PRIORITIZED FOR THAT TIMEFRAME ACROSS THE TOTAL FORCE.
CONCLUSION
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT OF AIR FORCE QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES THROUGH FUNDING FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND FAMILY HOUSING PROGRAMS. OUR MEN AND WOMEN ARE THE BEDROCK OF OUR AIR FORCE TEAM AND ARE DEFINITELY OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE. HOW WE TAKE CARE OF THEM TODAY IS LINKED TO OUR READINESS TOMORROW.
ON BEHALF OF THE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE IN AMERICA'S AIR FORCE, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
2120 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
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