President wants more money, people for Air Force Reserve
02/15/02 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The president's proposed defense budget for next year seeks $3.46 billion in funding and an end-strength of 75,600 reservists for Air Force Reserve Command.
The fiscal 2003 request, which covers the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, asks for 900 more reservists and $249.6 million more than the budget approved by Congress for fiscal 2002.
Senior Department of Defense officials announced the overall defense budget request of $379 billion Feb. 1.
The Air Force is to get $87.2 billion. AFRC receives funding from three separate appropriations: operations and maintenance, Reserve personnel, and military construction. Although allocated separately as a DOD procurement account, the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriation also supports command needs. Most of AFRC's portion of the fiscal 2003 president's budget request -- $2.19 billion -- is earmarked for O & M funds to train, organize and administer the command.
The Reserve received $2.01 billion in O & M funds in fiscal 2002. Another $1.24 billion goes to the Reserve personnel appropriation. The RPA includes a proposed 4.1 percent across-the-board military pay raise, some targeted pay raises for certain grades, and the addition of 61 full-time active Guard and Reserve people.
The requested Reserve personnel appropriation represents a $182.4 million increase compared to the fiscal 2002 budget. Requested funding for military construction in fiscal 2003 is $31.9 million, which includes four major projects at Portland International Airport, Ore., to initiate the 939th Rescue Wing's conversion to KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. MILCON funding also covers unspecified minor construction, as well as planning and design.
This year the Reserve is getting $74 million for military construction, $21 million more than the president requested. Under his 2002 budget, the president recommended $53 million, which included renovations at AFRC headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., as well as a construction project at Keesler AFB, Miss.; another at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind.; and two at Maxwell AFB, Ala. Congress added $21 million to the request to cover projects at March ARB, Calif.; Luke AFB, Ariz.; Homestead ARB, Fla.; and Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP Air Reserve Station, Minn.
The fiscal 2003 president's budget proposal must pass both houses of Congress and be signed by the president before becoming law. (Courtesy of AFRC News Service)
