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FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [July 16, 2014]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Ongoing operations in Afghanistan, along with the operational role of the Reserve Components, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on the initial House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections that pertain to personnel policy. These include end strengths, pay raises, health care, and sexual assault, as well as less prominent issues that nonetheless generate significant public interest. This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices, or any discussion of separately introduced legislation, topics which are addressed in other CRS products."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Burrelli, David F., 1958-; Kapp, Lawrence; Jansen, Don J. . . .
2014-07-16
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Reserve Component Personnel Issues: Questions and Answers [June 13, 2014]
"The strength of the nation's Armed Forces, including the reserve components, has historically been an area of keen interest to Congress. The increasing use of the reserves since the end of the Cold War has led to greater congressional interest in various issues that bear on the vitality of the reserve components, such as funding, equipment, and personnel policy. This report is designed to provide an overview of key reserve component personnel issues. The term 'Reserve Component' refers collectively to the seven individual reserve components of the Armed Forces: the Army National Guard of the United States, the Army Reserve, the Navy Reserve, the Marine Corps Reserve, the Air National Guard of the United States, the Air Force Reserve, and the Coast Guard Reserve. The purpose of these seven reserve components, as codified in law at 10 U.S.C. 10102, is to 'provide trained units and qualified persons available for active duty in the armed forces, in time of war or national emergency, and at such other times as the national security may require, to fill the needs of the armed forces whenever more units and persons are needed than are in the regular components.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2014-06-13
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FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [February 24, 2014]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Ongoing operations in Afghanistan, along with the operational role of the Reserve Components, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on the initial House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 and on the bill that was enacted and became law (P.L. 113-66). This report provides a brief synopsis of sections that pertain to personnel policy. These include end strengths, pay raises, health care, and sexual assault, as well as less prominent issues that nonetheless generate significant public interest. This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices, or any discussion of separately introduced legislation, topics which are addressed in other CRS products. Some issues were addressed in the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act and discussed in CRS Report R42651, 'FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues', coordinated by Catherine A. Theohary. Those issues that were considered previously are designated with a '*' in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jansen, Don J.; Burrelli, David F., 1958-; Kapp, Lawrence . . .
2014-02-24
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Reducing Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Military Retirees and the Bipartisan Budget Act: In Brief [February 19, 2014]
"In addition to raising budget caps in FY2014 and FY2015, the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) reduced the cost of living adjustments (COLAs) provided to working-age military retirees under the age of 62 from the full Consumer Price Index (CPI) to the CPI less 1%. Military retirees would then receive a 'bump-up' at age 62 that would raise their benefit level to an amount that included full rather than partial CPI adjustments for each year below the age of 62. This new benefit level would then be increased for full CPI adjustments in later years. According to CBO, this change would have saved the Department of Defense $6.235 billion over the decade. Based on data published by the Department of Defense (DOD) Actuary about the characteristics of FY2012 military retirees and CBO projections of the CPI, CRS estimates that for the average nondisabled future retiree, lifetime retirement income under the BBA's lower COLA would be about: (1) $1.67 million rather than $1.73 million in lifetime retired pay, a $69,000 or 4.0% reduction for enlisted personnel; and (2) $3.74 million rather than $3.83 million in lifetime retired pay, an $87,000 or 2.3% reduction for officers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Belasco, Amy; Kapp, Lawrence
2014-02-19
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National Guard State Partnership Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress [August 15, 2011]
"The State Partnership Program (SPP) is a Department of Defense (DOD) security cooperation program run by the National Guard. It also serves as a mechanism for training National Guard personnel. Since the program began in 1992, it has expanded to the point where nearly every state National Guard participates, as do the National Guard of Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The SPP relates to several areas of potential interest to Congress, including improving the capabilities of partner nations to protect their citizens; strengthening relationships with partners to facilitate cooperation, access, and interoperability; improving cultural awareness and skills among U.S. military personnel; and fostering the integration of reserve and active component forces into a 'total force.' In addition, the rapid expansion of the SPP has led to congressional scrutiny of the conformity of some SPP activities with the law, the effectiveness of the program, and the relationship of SPP activities to the priorities of U.S. geographic combatant commanders and U.S. ambassadors abroad. Congressional interest in SPP is also tied to broader concerns that some DOD security cooperation activities may encroach on, complicate, or conflict with State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) responsibilities and prerogatives."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Serafino, Nina M.
2011-08-15
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FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues [January 16, 2013]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Recent military operations in Iraq and ongoing operations in Afghanistan, along with the operational role of the Reserve Components, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections that pertain to personnel policy. These include end strengths, pay raises, health care, sexual assault, issues related to the repeal of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, as well as less prominent issues that nonetheless generate significant public interest. This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices, or any discussion of separately introduced legislation. Some issues were addressed in the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act and discussed in CRS Report R41874, 'FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues,' coordinated by David F. Burrelli. Those issues that were considered previously are designated with a '*' in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Theohary, Catherine A.; Kapp, Lawrence; Burrelli, David F., 1958- . . .
2013-01-16
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Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle: Questions and Answers About U.S. Military Personnel, Compensation, and Force Structure [Updated September 16, 2004]
"This report provides short answers to commonly asked questions about military personnel, compensation, and force structure issues related to Operation Noble Eagle (ONE), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). [...] The section on personnel addresses issues such as casualties, reserve mobilization, 'sole surviving son or daughter' status, conscientious objection, and 'stop-loss.' The section on compensation addresses issues related to the pay and benefits - including death benefits - provided to members of the U.S. military participating in OEF/ONE and their families. The section on force structure addresses issues related to how ONE/OEF/OIF might affect the number of personnel needed by the military, and responds to common questions about whether a return to conscription is likely under current circumstances."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2002-03-19
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Military Pay: Key Questions and Answers [Updated May 6, 2019]
From the Introduction: "The military compensation system is complex and includes an array of cash compensation elements, noncash compensation (benefits), deferred compensation (retirement pay, Thrift Savings Plan, retiree health care, and other retirement benefits), and tax advantages. This report focuses primarily on the cash compensation provided to members of the active component Armed Forces. Other CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports cover military retirement and health care. This report uses a question and answer format to highlight key aspects of the military compensation system and to address topics of recurring congressional interest, including the following: [1] Compensation elements and rates. [2] Statutory formulas for increasing compensation elements. [3] Historical increases in basic pay. [4] Comparability with civilian pay. [5] Additional compensation for those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Torreon, Barbara Salazar; Kapp, Lawrence
2019-05-06
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FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [December 11, 2014]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Ongoing operations in Afghanistan, along with the regular use of the reserve component personnel for operational missions, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on H.R. 4435, the initial House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015; S. 2410, the version of the NDAA reported by the Senate Committee on Armed Services (S.Rept. 113-176) but not considered by the full Senate; and H.R. 3979, the proposed final version. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections in each bill that pertain to selected personnel policy. These include end strengths, compensation, health care, and sexual assault, as well as less prominent issues that nonetheless generate significant public interest. This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices, or any discussion of separately introduced legislation, topics which are addressed in other CRS products. Some issues were addressed in the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act and discussed in CRS Report R43184, 'FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues' coordinated by Don J. Jansen. Those issues that were considered previously are designated with a '*' in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Jansen, Don J.; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2014-12-11
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Military Pay: Key Questions and Answers [January 20, 2015]
"The military compensation system is complex and includes an array of cash compensation elements, non-cash compensation (benefits), deferred compensation (retirement pay and benefits), and tax advantages. This report focuses primarily on the cash compensation provided to members of the active component armed forces. Other CRS reports cover military retirement and health care. Military compensation is a critical tool for sustaining recruiting, retention and the overall quality of the force. Over the years of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly during times of major combat operations, robust compensation has been an important mechanism by which Congress helped the services, and particularly the Army, meet their recruiting and retention goals. Today, the average cost to compensate an active duty servicemember--to include cash, benefits, and contributions to retirement programs--is estimated at about $90,000- $100,000 per year, although some estimates are higher (methodologies vary). As a result, some analysts believe that the military compensation is now too high and is impeding efforts to modernize equipment and sustain readiness, particularly given the budgetary limits imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25). Others argue that robust compensation is essential to maintaining a high-quality force that is vigorous, well-trained, experienced, and able to function effectively in austere and volatile environments. The availability of additional funding to prosecute wars in Iraq and Afghanistan mitigated the pressure to trade-off personnel and equipment costs for many years, but the current budgetary environment appears to have brought these trade-offs to the fore again."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2015-01-20
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FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [December 17, 2015]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with the regular use of the reserve component personnel for operational missions, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on H.R. 1735 as passed by the House and by the Senate and the final bill, S. 1356, as enacted (P.L. 114-92). This report provides a brief synopsis of sections in each bill that pertain to selected personnel policy. These include major military retirement reforms, end strengths, compensation, health care, and sexual assault, as well as less prominent issues that nonetheless generate significant public interest. This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, or tax implications of policy choices, topics which are addressed in other CRS products."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jansen, Don J.; Kamarck, Kristy N.; Kapp, Lawrence . . .
2015-12-17
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Military Officer Personnel Management: Key Concepts and Statutory Provisions [May 10, 2016]
"Congress and the executive branch are currently considering changes to the officer personnel management system. Some of these proposed changes would require changes to the laws, including provision enacted by the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) and the Goldwater-Nichols Act (GNA). [...] In the exercise of its constitutional authority over the armed forces, Congress has enacted an array of laws governing military officer personnel management and periodically changes these laws as it deems appropriate. This report provides an overview of selected concepts and statutory provisions that shape and define officer appointments, assignments, grade structure, promotions, and separations. It also provides a set of questions that policymakers may wish to consider when discussing proposed changes to current law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2016-05-10
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General and Flag Officers in the U.S. Armed Forces: Background and Considerations for Congress [February 18, 2016]
"As of December 2015, there were 896 active duty GFOs [general and flag officers] subject to statutory caps, which is 66 less than the maximum number authorized by law. There were also another 19 exempt from the statutory caps. The current number is about average for the post-Cold War era, though substantially lower than the number of GFOs in the 1960s-1980s, when the Armed Forces were much larger in size than they are today. However, while always very small in comparison to the total force, the general and flag officer corps has increased as a percentage of the total force over the past five decades. GFOs made up about one-twentieth of one percent (0.048%) of the total force in 1965, while they made up about one-fifteenth of one percent (0.069%) of the total force in 2015, indicating that the share of the total force made up of GFOs increased by 43%. Some argue that this increased proportion of GFOs is wasteful and contributes to more bureaucratic decisionmaking processes. Others counter that the increased proportion is linked to the military's greater emphasis on joint and coalition operations, core organizational requirements, and the increasing use of advanced technologies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2016-02-18
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Recruiting and Retention: An Overview of FY2011 and FY2012 Results for Active and Reserve Component Enlisted Personnel [May 10, 2013]
"Congress has historically been quite interested in recruiting and retention of personnel in the nation's Armed Forces, since maintaining a fully manned and capable workforce is a key component of military readiness. This report provides a brief overview of the recruiting and retention results for Active and Reserve Component enlisted personnel during FY2011 and FY2012. Both years were considered very strong for recruiting and retention in the Active and Reserve Components."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2013-05-10
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FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues [July 17, 2009]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. Ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the emerging operational role of the Reserve Components, further heighten interest in a wide range of military personnel policies and issues. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2010. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections that pertain to personnel policy. It includes background information and a discussion of the issue, along with a table that contains a comparison of the bill (H.R. 2647) passed by the House on June 25, 2009, and the bill (S. 1390) introduced and reported to the full Senate on July 2, 2009. The column for S. 1390 will be updated following Senate action on the bill. A third column will be completed after action on a final version by both chambers. Where appropriate, other CRS products are identified to provide more detailed background information and analysis of the issue. For each issue, a CRS analyst is identified and contact information is provided. […] This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices or any discussion of separately introduced legislation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jansen, Don J.; Kapp, Lawrence; Burrelli, David F., 1958- . . .
2009-07-17
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FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [November 22, 2017]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. This report provides a brief synopsis of selected sections in the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] for FY2018 (H.R. 2810), as passed by the House on July 14, 2017, and the Senate on September 18, 2017. The FY2018 NDAA Conference report was passed by the House on November 14, 2017, and the Senate on November 16, 2017. Issues include military end-strengths, pay and benefits, and other personnel policy issues. This report focuses exclusively on the NDAA legislative process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, or tax implications of policy choices, topics that are addressed in other CRS [Congressional Research Service] products. Issues that have been discussed in the previous year's defense personnel reports are designated with an asterisk in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2017-11-22
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U.S. Ground Forces Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Considerations for Congress [November 20, 2018]
"The nexus of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) and artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change the nature of warfare. RAS offers the possibility of a wide range of platforms--not just weapon systems--that can perform 'dull, dangerous, and dirty' tasks--potentially reducing the risks to soldiers and Marines and possibly resulting in a generation of less expensive ground systems. Other nations, notably peer competitors Russia and China, are aggressively pursuing RAS and AI for a variety of military uses, raising considerations about the U.S. military's response--to include lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS)--that could be used against U.S. forces. The adoption of RAS and AI by U.S. ground forces carries with it a number of possible implications, including potentially improved performance and reduced risk to soldiers and Marines; potential new force designs; better institutional support to combat forces; potential new operational concepts; and possible new models for recruiting and retaining soldiers and Marines. The Army and Marines have developed and are executing RAS and AI strategies that articulate near-, mid-, and long-term priorities. Both services have a number of RAS and AI efforts underway and are cooperating in a number of areas."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew; Kapp, Lawrence; Elsea, Jennifer K. . . .
2018-11-20
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Toward the Creation of a U.S. 'Space Force' [August 16, 2018]
"For over two decades, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and others have found that fragmentation and overlap in national security space acquisition management and oversight have contributed to program delays and cancellations, cost increases, and inefficient operations. Congress has attempted numerous organizational and acquisition reforms to address these problems. In the view of many observers, these efforts have generally been unsuccessful. In addition to these perceived managerial deficits, Congress has more recently expressed concern over the slow pace with which the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Air Force have addressed the growing threat to U.S. national security in space from adversaries, particularly Russia and China, and to a lesser extent North Korea and Iran. Some in the military and elsewhere now increasingly refer to space as a 'warfighting domain'; once seen as peaceful and uncontested, space is now viewed as crowded and adversarial."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer K.; Kapp, Lawrence; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2018-08-16
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Military Pay: Key Questions and Answers [May 8, 2018]
"From the earliest days of the republic, the federal government has compensated members of the Armed Forces for their services. While the original pay structure was fairly simple, over time a more complex system of compensation has evolved. The current military compensation system includes cash payments such as basic pay, special and incentive pays, and various allowances. Servicemembers also receive noncash benefits such as health care and access to commissaries and recreational facilities, and may eventually qualify for deferred compensation in the form of retired pay and other retirement benefits. This report provides an overview of military compensation generally, but focuses on cash compensation for current servicemembers. Since the advent of the all-volunteer force in 1973, Congress has used military compensation to improve recruiting, retention, and the overall quality of the force. Congressional interest in sustaining the all-volunteer force during a time of sustained combat operations led to substantial increases in compensation in the decade following the September 11 attacks. More recently, concerns over government spending have generated congressional and executive branch interest in slowing the rate of growth in military compensation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2018-05-08
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Expedited Citizenship Through Military Service [May 11, 2018]
"Current law allows certain noncitizens who serve in the U.S. military to acquire expedited U.S. citizenship. Recent media reports have described situations in which noncitizen U.S. veterans who served in and were honorably discharged from the U.S. military, failed to petition for their citizenship for a variety of reasons, subsequently committed crimes that made them removable, and were then deported to their countries of origin. Although advocacy groups claim that there may be thousands of deported U.S. veterans outside of the United States, no reliable estimates have been produced for this population. In the 115th Congress, several legislative proposals have been introduced to address this issue."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William A.; Kapp, Lawrence
2018-05-11
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Reserve Component Personnel Issues: Questions and Answers [October 4, 2018]
"The Constitution provides Congress with broad powers over the Armed Forces, including the power to 'to raise and support Armies,' 'to provide and maintain a Navy,' 'to make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces' and 'to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States....' In the exercise of this constitutional authority, Congress has historically shown great interest in various issues that bear on the vitality of the reserve components, such as funding, equipment, and personnel policy. This report is designed to provide an overview of key reserve component personnel issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2018-10-04
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History of Use of U.S. Military Bases to House Immigrants and Refugees [July 26, 2018]
"On June 20, 2018, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that states 'It is also the policy of this Administration to maintain family unity, including by detaining alien families together where appropriate and consistent with law and available resources' and that directs the Secretary of Defense to 'take all legally available measures to provide to the Secretary [of Homeland Security], upon request, any existing facilities available for the housing and care of alien families, and shall construct such facilities if necessary and consistent with law.' On June 24, Secretary of Defense James Mattis confirmed that Goodfellow Air Force Base and Fort Bliss, both in Texas, would be used to 'provide whatever support the Department of Homeland Security needs to house the people that they have under their custody.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2018-07-26
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General and Flag Officers in the U.S. Armed Forces: Background and Considerations for Congress [Updated February 1, 2019]
"In the exercise of its constitutional authority over the Armed Forces, Congress has enacted an array of laws which govern important aspects of military officer personnel management, including appointments, assignments, grade structure, promotions, and separations. Some of these laws are directed specifically at the most senior military officers, known as general and flag officers (GFOs). Congress periodically reviews these laws and considers changes as it deems appropriate. Areas of congressional interest have included the number of GFOs authorized, the proportion of GFOs to the total force, compensation levels of GFOs, and duties and grades of certain GFOs. [...] This report provides an overview of active duty GFOs in the United States Armed Forces-- including authorizations, duties, and compensation--historical trends in the proportion of GFOs relative to the total force, criticisms and justifications of GFO to total force proportions, and statutory controls. National Guard and Reserve GFOs are not addressed in this report, unless they are serving on active duty in a manner that counts against the active duty caps on GFOs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2019-02-01
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FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [July 29, 2016]
From the Summary: "Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on H.R. 4909 as passed by the House on May 26, 2016, and S. 2943 as passed by the Senate on July 21, 2016. Updates to this report will follow the final enacted bill. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections in each bill that pertain to selected personnel policies. These include issues such as military end-strengths, pay and benefits, military healthcare (TRICARE), military retirement, and other major policy issues. This report focuses exclusively on the annual national defense authorization act (NDAA) legislative process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, or tax implications of policy choices, topics that are addressed in other CRS products. Issues that have been discussed in the previous year's defense personnel reports are designated with an asterisk in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Jansen, Don J.; Kapp, Lawrence . . .
2016-07-29
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How Big Should the Army Be? Considerations for Congress [September 2, 2016]
"The House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2017 authorized differing levels for active duty personnel in each of the services, but these authorizations diverge most significantly with respect to the Army. The Senate version of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act approved Army end strength of 460,000 soldiers, while the House version approved an Army end strength of 480,000. The Senate figure represents a decrease of 15,000 soldiers in comparison to the Army's FY2016 end strength of 475,000, while the House figure represents an increase of 5,000. […] In addition to the decision for FY2017, the debate about the size of the Army may well continue into the next Congress, as the Department of Defense plans further reductions in the size of the Army, proposing FY2018 end strength of 450,000. There will be also be a new President in January, and his or her policy priorities may revise the contours of this debate. This report provides an overview of active duty Army personnel strength changes in recent years, outlines the different end strength authorizations in the House and Senate versions of the FY2017 NDAA, highlights the perspectives which have contributed to these diverging approaches in the respective NDAAs, and outlines some factors which Congress may consider as it determines the appropriate size for the Army."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Feickert, Andrew; McInnis, Kathleen J. . . .
2016-09-02
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Reserve Component Personnel Issues: Questions and Answers [January 18, 2017]
"During the Cold War era, the reserve components were a manpower pool that was rarely tapped. From 1945 to 1989, reservists were involuntarily activated by the federal government four times, an average of less than once per decade. Since the end of the Cold War, the nation has relied more heavily on the reserve components. Reservists have been involuntarily activated for contingency operations by the federal government six times since 1990, an average of once every four years, including large-scale mobilizations for the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) and in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks (2001-present). Additionally, starting in FY2014, reservists began to be involuntarily activated under a new authority for 'pre-planned' missions in support of Combatant Commanders. This report provides insight to reserve component personnel issues through a series of questions and answers which address: (1) How reserve component personnel are organized (questions 2 and 4); (2) How many people are in each of the different categories of the reserve component (question 3); (3) How reserve component personnel have been and may be used (questions 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11); (4) How reserve component personnel are compensated (questions 8 and 10); (5) The types of legal protections that exist for reserve component personnel (question 12); and (6) Recent changes in reserve component pay and benefits made by Congress (question 13). "
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2017-01-18
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FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [January 23, 2017]
"Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has selected a number of the military personnel issues considered in deliberations on H.R. [House Resolution] 4909 as passed by the House on May 26, 2016, S. 2943 as passed by the Senate on July 21, 2016, and the final enacted bill (P.L. 114-328) [Public Law 114-328] which was signed by the President on December 23, 2016. This report provides a brief synopsis of sections in each bill that pertain to selected personnel policies. These include issues such as military end-strengths, pay and benefits, military healthcare (TRICARE), military retirement, and other major policy issues. This report focuses exclusively on the annual national defense authorization act (NDAA) legislative process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, or tax implications of policy choices, topics that are addressed in other CRS products. Issues that have been discussed in the previous year's defense personnel reports are designated with an asterisk in the relevant section titles of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Jansen, Don J.; Kapp, Lawrence . . .
2017-01-23
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Military Pay: Key Questions and Answers [April 3, 2017]
From the Summary: "From the earliest days of the republic, the federal government has compensated members of the Armed Forces for their services. While the original pay structure was fairly simple, over time a more complex system of compensation has evolved. The current military compensation system includes cash payments such as basic pay, special and incentive pays, and various allowances. Servicemembers also receive noncash benefits such as health care and access to commissaries and recreational facilities, and may eventually qualify for deferred compensation in the form of retired pay and other retirement benefits. This report provides an overview of military compensation generally, but focuses on cash compensation for current servicemembers. Since the advent of the all-volunteer force in 1973, Congress has used military compensation to improve recruiting, retention, and the overall quality of the force. Congressional interest in sustaining the all-volunteer force during a time of sustained combat operations led to substantial increases in compensation in the decade following the September 11 attacks. More recently, concerns over government spending have generated congressional and executive branch interest in slowing the rate of growth in military compensation. Recent initiatives in this regard have included presidentially directed increases in basic pay below the rate of increase for the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for 2014-2016 and statutory authority for DOD to reduce BAH payments by 1% of the national average monthly housing cost per year from 2015 to 2019 (for a maximum reduction of 5% under the national monthly average housing cost)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2017-04-03
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Defense Primer: Military Pay Raise [October 10, 2017]
"The phrase 'military pay raise,' frequently used in discussions of military compensation, is almost always a reference to the annual increase in basic pay for members of the uniformed services. By law, basic pay is automatically increased at the start of each calendar year by an amount linked to the change in the Employment Cost Index (ECI), although the President or Congress may override this statutory adjustment. [...] The FY2018 President's Budget requested a 2.1% increase in basic pay, lower than the statutory formula of 2.4%. This was in keeping with the Department of Defense plan to limit increases in basic pay through FY2020. On August 31, 2017, President Trump sent a letter to congressional leaders invoking his authority under 37 U.S.C. 1009(e) to set the pay raise at 2.1%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2017-10-10
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FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [August 22, 2017]
"Each year, the House and Senate armed services committees take up national defense authorization bills. The House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R. 2810) on July 14, 2017. The Senate Armed Services Committee reported its version of the NDAA (S. 1519) on July 10, 2017. These bills contain numerous provisions that affect military personnel, retirees, and their family members. Provisions in one version are sometimes not included in the other, are treated differently, or are identical in both versions. Following passage of each chamber's bill, a conference committee typically convenes to resolve the differences between the respective chambers' versions of the bill. This report is intended to highlight selected personnel-related issues that may generate high levels of congressional and constituent interest. CRS will update this report to reflect enacted legislation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Kapp, Lawrence; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2017-08-22
