Meanwhile:
Branstad to Obama: Don't cut National Guard
"Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) hopes to deliver a message to President Obama on Monday on behalf of all governors: don’t cut the size of the National Guard.
“The message from all the governors of both parties is don’t cut the National Guard,” Branstad said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
The Republican said he understands the Obama administration plans to scale back the size of the United States Army after building it up post-9/11.
“Now, the Army is recommending major reductions in the National Guard instead of the regular Army, and we think that’s a big mistake,” he said. “That’s the message I’m going to bring to the president if I get an opportunity to ask a question.”
Branstad’s request comes as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel prepares to unveil the Pentagon’s 2015 budget.
The New York Times reported on Monday the proposal will call for a reduction in the size of the Army to pre-World War II levels.
Obama held a dinner for governors on Sunday night at the White House, and will deliver remarks to the National Governor’s Association on Monday. He will also meet with governors of Western states to discuss the droughts and wildfires plaguing their states."
Hells Bells what build up? There was none!!!! ZERO NONE WHATSOEVER! There was no post 911 increase. We actually declined in some services.
The End Troop Strengths set by congress which is the number of allowed active duty and reserves has remained the same give or take about 10K.
7 . National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[H.R.1588.ENR]
SEC. 401. END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES.
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2004, as follows:
(1) The Army, 482,400.
(2) The Navy, 373,800. currently Active Duty: 381,135
(3) The Marine Corps, 175,000.
(4) The Air Force, 359,300
Subtitle B--Reserve Forces
SEC. 411. END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2004, as follows:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 350,000.
(2) The Army Reserve, 205,000.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 85,900.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 39,600.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 107,030.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 75,800.
(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 10,000.
SEC. 412. END STRENGTHS FOR RESERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF THE RESERVES.
Within the end strengths prescribed in section 411(a), the reserve components of the Armed Forces are authorized, as of September 30, 2004, the following number of Reserves to be serving on full-time active duty or full-time duty, in the case of members of the National Guard, for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 25,599.
(2) The Army Reserve, 14,374.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 14,384.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,261.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 12,191.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 1,660.
SEC. 1012. ENHANCEMENT OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO USE FOR EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES OF VESSELS STRICKEN FROM NAVAL VESSEL REGISTER. (a) ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION- Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of section 7306a of title 10, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by inserting `AND ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF' in the subsection heading after `STRIPPING'; and (2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: `and such environmental remediation of the vessel as is required for the use of the vessel for experimental purposes'. (b) SALE OF MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT STRIPPED FROM VESSEL- Subsection (b) of such section is further amended-- (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2): `(2) Material and equipment stripped from a vessel under paragraph (1) may be sold by the contractor or by a sales agent approved by the Secretary.'; and (3) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking `scrapping services' and all that follows through the end of such subsection and inserting `services needed for such stripping and for environmental remediation required for the use of the vessel for experimental purposes. Amounts received in excess of amounts needed for reimbursement of those costs shall be deposited into the account from which the stripping and environmental remediation expenses were incurred and shall be available for stripping and environmental remediation of other vessels to be used for experimental purposes.'. (c) CLARIFICATION OF COVERED EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES- Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: `(c) USE FOR EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES DEFINED- In this section, the term `use for experimental purposes', with respect to a vessel, includes use of the vessel in a Navy sink exercise or for target purposes.'. SEC. 1013. TRANSFER OF VESSELS STRICKEN FROM THE NAVAL VESSEL REGISTER FOR USE AS ARTIFICIAL REEFS. (a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE TRANSFER- Chapter 633 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 7306a the following new section: `Sec. 7306b. Vessels stricken from Naval Vessel Register: transfer by gift or otherwise for use as artificial reefs `(a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE TRANSFER- The Secretary of the Navy may transfer, by gift or otherwise, any vessel stricken from the Naval Vessel Register to any State, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof, for use as provided in subsection (b). `(b) VESSEL TO BE USED AS ARTIFICIAL REEF- An agreement for the transfer of a vessel under subsection (a) shall require that-- `(1) the recipient use, site, construct, monitor, and manage the vessel only as an artificial reef in accordance with the requirements of the National Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984 (33 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.), except that the recipient may use the artificial reef to enhance diving opportunities if that use does not have an adverse effect on fishery resources (as that term is defined in section 2(14) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802(14)); and `(2) the recipient obtain, and bear all responsibility for complying with, applicable Federal, State, interstate, and local permits for using, siting, constructing, monitoring, and managing the vessel as an artificial reef. `(c) PREPARATION OF VESSEL FOR USE AS ARTIFICIAL REEF- The Secretary shall ensure that the preparation of a vessel transferred under subsection (a) for use as an artificial reef is conducted in accordance with-- `(1) the environmental best management practices developed pursuant to section 3504(b) of the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314; 16 U.S.C. 1220 note); and `(2) any applicable environmental laws. `(d) COST SHARING- The Secretary may share with the recipient of a vessel transferred under subsection (a) any costs associated with transferring the vessel under that subsection, including costs of the preparation of the vessel under subsection (c). `(e) NO LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF VESSELS TRANSFERABLE TO PARTICULAR RECIPIENT- A State, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof, may be the recipient of more than one vessel transferred under subsection (a). `(f) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS- The Secretary may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with a transfer authorized by subsection (a) as the Secretary considers appropriate. `(g) CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in this section shall be construed to establish a preference for the use as artificial reefs of vessels stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in lieu of other authorized uses of such vessels, including the domestic scrapping of such vessels, or other disposals of such vessels, under this chapter or other applicable authority.'. (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7306a the following new item: `7306b. Vessels stricken from Naval Vessel Register: transfer by gift or otherwise for use as artificial reefs.'. SEC. 401. END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES.
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2002, as follows:
(1) The Army, 480,000.
(2) The Navy, 376,000.
(3) The Marine Corps, 172,600.
(4) The Air Force, 358,800.
SEC. 411. END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2002, as follows:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 350,000.
(2) The Army Reserve, 205,000.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 87,000.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 39,558.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 108,400.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 74,700.
(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 8,000.
End strengths for active forces (sec. 401) The House bill contained a provision (sec. 401) that would authorize end strengths for the active forces, as indicated in the table below: Service Fiscal year 1998-- Request Recommendation
Army 495,000 495,000
Navy 390,802 395,000
Marine Corps 174,000 174,000
Air Force 371,577 381,000
Total 1,431,379 1,445,000
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 401) that would authorize active duty end strengths for fiscal year 1998, as shown below: Fiscal year-- 1997 authorization 1998 request 1998 recommendation
Army: 495,000 495,000 485,000
Navy: 407,318 390,802 390,802
Marine Corps: 174,000 174,000 174,000
Air Force: 381,000 371,577 371,577
The House recedes with an amendment that would authorize active duty end strengths for fiscal year 1998 as shown below: Fiscal year-- 1997 authorization 1998 request 1998 authorization
Army 495,000 495,000 495,000
Navy 407,318 390,802 390,802
Marine Corps 174,000 174,000 174,000
Air Force 381,100 371,577 371,577
Total 1,457,418 1,431,379 1,431,379
1998 authorization for end strength active duty
Army 495,000
Navy 390,802
Marines 174,000
Air Force 371,577
1998 authorization for end strength reserves
ARNG 366,516
USAR 208,000
USNR 94,294
USMCR 42,000
ANG 107,377
USAFR 73,431
USCGR 8000
Now let's look at 2008 actualluy May 2009 numbers which were set in 2007-2008. Army 548,000