FederalDaily - October 20, 2006

Personnel Pay, Benefits Remain Long-term DoD Concern

The growing costs of pay and benefits for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) military and civilian personnel remain a central factor driving up future Pentagon spending levels, says a new government report. The Congressional Budget Office looked at projected DoD spending through 2024, based on the current needs of a military fighting twin conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other factors impacting the projected spending include: DoD plans to increase the purchase of new or costlier military equipment, and the increasing costs of operation and maintenance for both aging equipment and newer, more complex equipment. For military construction and family housing, planners envision total spending will decrease from $17 billion in FY 2007 to $13 billion in FY 2011. The decrease in that budget reflects a gradual reduction in funding to implement the 2005 round of base realignments and closures, as well as a decline in the family housing budget resulting from privatization of DoD housing facilities. To see more, go to: www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/76xx/doc7671/10-18-LongTermDefense.pdf

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Anthrax Shots Again Mandatory for Some

The Department of Defense (DoD) has reinstated the mandatory anthrax vaccination program, requiring the shots for troops, select civilian personnel and contractors who are serving in the Middle East, parts of southwestern Asia—including Afghanistan—and the Korean Peninsula. Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, on Oct. 16 said the vaccinations will begin in 30 to 60 days. Winkenwerder said several hundred thousand troops will be vaccinated when the program resumes. The program was suspended—and the shots became voluntary—after concerns were raised over the safety of the vaccination. The FDA declared the shots safe in 2005 and DoD decided to make them mandatory again when it became clear only half the troops were getting vaccinated under the voluntary program. “This (lower) rate of vaccination not only put the servicemembers at risk, but also jeopardized unit effectiveness and degraded our medical readiness,” Winkenwerder said. To see more, go to:
www.defenselink.mil/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=3756

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Congressman Urges Adequate Veterans’ Health Funding

A key Democratic lawmaker urged Congress to provide adequate funding for programs which address the healthcare needs of military veterans. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., called on colleagues Oct. 18 to provide more funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system and related benefits programs. Miller said that over the last six years, the VA has been under-funded by at least $9 billion, and the FY 2007 budget proposed by President Bush would reduce veterans’ funding by $10 billion over the next five years. This comes at a time when veterans’ healthcare needs are expected to skyrocket, according to the VA’s own projections. “Providing for our military veterans and their families is a continuing cost of war and should be an important component of our national defense policy,” Miller said. “It is time to change course and fully fund the VA (and) cease trying to shift the costs of health care onto the backs of veterans.” To see more, go to: www.house.gov/georgemiller/statement101806.html

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