http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070404/a_iraqsupp04.art.htm<snip>
National Guard and Reserve equipment
What Bush said: "The Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair, and quality-of-life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces … to support the troops on the front lines."
What others say: The Government Accountability Office reported in January that many of the Guard's equipment and supply problems were caused by the Pentagon's failure to plan well. Army delays, the report said, hurt the Guard's ability to buy equipment and supply local units.
What's in the supplemental request: The White House wants $158 million for Guard and Reserve operations and maintenance.
Guard and Reserve training
What Bush said: "The Army also would be forced to consider curtailing some training for Guard and Reserve units here at home. This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq."
What others say: The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reported that the Army could finance the war and its other responsibilities through much of July without the supplemental budget funds. The Army could do so by transferring money from non-war-related operations such as limiting facility maintenance or restricting travel and meetings.
What's in the supplemental request: The White House wants almost $59 million for pre- and post-deployment training for Army Guard and Reserve soldiers.
Army equipment depots
What Bush said: "The Army would be forced to consider slowing or even freezing funding for its depots, where the equipment our troops depend on is repaired."
What others say: Last year, Congress did not approve the Pentagon's supplemental budget until mid-June. That created some problems for the Army, which stopped non-essential travel, limited conferences and hiring and stopped some contracts, according to the CRS. Last month, Bush said he was redirecting spending to a variety of defense programs.
What's in the supplemental request: The supplemental budget seeks $13.9 billion in overall "reconstitution" funding, which would repair or replace damaged equipment.
New brigade combat teams
What Bush said: "If Congress does not act, the Army may also have to delay the formation of new brigade combat teams, preventing us from getting those troops into the pool of forces that are available to deploy."
What others say: Steven Kosiak, a defense analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said the Army can transfer money from long-term weapons buying programs to fund its more immediate needs. Even with the increase in troops, the Army should be able to pay its bills for a few months. "It's hard to see how we fall off a cliff at the end of April," Kosiak said.
What's in the supplemental request: The supplemental request includes $3.6 billion to create new Army brigade combat teams.
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