SAC-D Defense Appropriations Act As of 22 November 2017 Bill Status House Passed in Committee Passed in Chamber Final Passage Signed into Law June 29, 2017 July 27, 2017 Senate
Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...-1- ACCOUNTS OVERVIEW...-2- ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL...-3- ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL (OCO)...-3- ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE...-4- ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (OCO)...-5- AIR NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL...-6- AIR NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL (OCO)...-6- AIR NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE...-7- AIR NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (OCO)...-7- LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS...-8- REPORT LANGUAGE...-9-
Executive Summary This guide provides a short summary of the initial subcommittee markup for the Fiscal Year 2018 Defense Appropriations Act. To obtain a complete understanding of any particular provision, users are encouraged to review the actual legislative language. Bill text and report language can be found on the LL website: www.nationalguard.mil/ll. Status: On November 21 st, 2017, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense released its version of the Defense Appropriations bill. It includes $581.3 billion in base budget funding, $64.9 billion for OCO, and $4.5 billion in additional funds for missile defense. Highlights: Funds an end strength of 343,500 for the ARNG and 106,600 for the ANG, both at requested levels Funds a pay raise of 2.4% Provides an additional s $12M for ARNG Cyber Protection Teams Adds $108M for the procurement of 8 additional UH-60 Black Hawk M models for the ARNG Adds $120M for the National Drug Counterdrug Program and $25M Counterdrug Schools Provides an additional $6M for Advanced Trauma Training for the National Guard and Reserve Adds $120M for National Guard and Reserve HMMWV Modernization Adds $15M for C-130H modernization Adds $30M in ARNG O&M for armory lead abatement Adds $13M for National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Provides an additional $124M for Facilities Sustainment Restoration and Maintenance (FSRM) in ANG O&M and $200M in ARNG O&M Adds $79.4M for Battlefield airman combat equipment Adds $7M for Air National Guard wildfire response training Adds $450M each for the ARNG and ANG in the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account SAC-D does not provide additional funds for State Partnership Program 1
National Guard Accounts Overview (All Dollars in Thousands) Army National Guard ARNG Personnel ARNG Personnel OCO HAC-D SAC-D $8,379,376 $8,252,426 -$126,950 $8,240,036 -$139,340 $184,589 $184,589 - $184,589 - ARNG O&M $7,307,170 $7,275,820 -$31,350 $7,500,220 +$193,050 ARNG O&M - $108,111 $108,111 - $108,111 OCO NGREA - $330,000 +$330,000 $450,000 +$450,000 Air National Guard HAC-D SAC-D ANG Personnel $3,413,187 3,406,137 -$7,050 $3,406,867 -$6,320 ANG Personnel $5,004 $5,004 - $5,004 - OCO ANG O&M $6,939,968 6,735,930 -$204,038 $7,090,368 +$150,400 ANG O&M OCO $15,400 $15,400 - $15,400 - NGREA - $330,000 $330,000 $450,000 +$450,000 2
Army National Guard Army National Guard Personnel (All Dollars in Thousands) ARNG Personnel Appropriation President's HAC-D SAC-D PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $2,623,904 $2,623,904 - $2,623,904 - PAY GROUP F TRAINING (RECRUITS) $589,009 $589,009 - $589,009 - PAY GROUP P TRAINING (PIPELINE RECRUITS) $46,426 $46,426 - $46,426 - SCHOOL TRAINING 1 $570,713 $560,713 -$10,000 $570,713 - SPECIAL TRAINING 2,3,4,5,7,8 $697,050 $707,100 +$10,050 $694,050 -$3,000 ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $3,739,553 $3,739,553 - $3,739,553 - THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $32,437 $32,437 - $32,437 - EDUCATION BENEFITS $80,284 $80,284 - $80,284 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC- 01) $8,379,376 $8,379,426 +$50 $8,376,376 -$3,000 UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT 6,9 - -$127,000 -$127,000 -$156,440 -$156,440 TOTAL, ARNG PERSONNEL 10,11,12 $8,379,376 $8,252,426 -$126,950 $8,240,036 -$139,340 HAC-D Items 1. Excess growth -$10,000 2. Excess growth -$5,000 3. Program increase State Partnership Program +$3,750 4. Cyber Protection Teams +$1,300 5. Operational support on southwest border +$10,000 6. Historical unobligated balances -$127,000 SAC-D Items 7. Improving funds management: exercise overestimation -$15,000 8. Program increase Cyber protection teams +$12,000 9. Improving funds management: Historical unobligated balances -$156,440 10. Program increase trauma training +$1,800 11. Military pay raise +$14,100 12. Authorized end strength increase +$4,200 Army National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations) ARNG Personnel (OCO) Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $39,327 $39,327 - $39,327 - SCHOOL TRAINING $2,881 $2,881 - $2,881 - SPECIAL TRAINING $132,994 $132,994 - $132,994 - ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $9,387 $9,387 - $9,387 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC- 01) $184,589 $184,589 - $184,589 - TOTAL ARNG PERSONNEL $184,589 $184,589 - $184,589-3
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance ARNG O&M Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D MANEUVER UNITS 1, 13, 14 $777,883 $778,883 +$1,000 $807,883 +$30,000 MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES 15 $190,639 $190,639 - $182,639 -$8,000 ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE 2,3, 16, 17 $807,557 $807,557 - $817,557 +$10,000 THEATER LEVEL ASSETS 4, 18 $85,476 $90,476 +$5,000 $97,476 +$12,000 LAND FORCES OPERATIONS SUPPORT $36,672 $36,672 - $36,672 - AVIATION ASSETS 5, 19 $956,381 $944,881 -$11,500 $981,381 +$25,000 FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS SUPPORT 6,7, 20 $777,756 $748,256 -$29,500 $778,956 +$1,200 LAND FORCES SYSTEMS READINESS 8 $51,506 $46,506 -$5,000 $51,506 - LAND FORCES DEPOT MAINTENANCE $244,942 $244,942 - $244,942 - BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT 9, 21 $1,144,726 $1,134,226 -$10,500 $1,133,726 -$11,000 FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, RESTORATION, & MODERNIZATION 23, 24 10, 22, $781,895 $821,895 +$40,000 $1,012,045 +$230,150 MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL HQ 11, 25 $999,052 $989,052 -$10,000 $994,052 -$5,000 TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC-01) $6,854,485 $6,833,985-20,500 $7,138,835 +$284,350 SERVICEWIDE TRANSPORTATION $7,703 $7,703 - $7,703 - ADMINISTRATION 12 $79,236 $80,386 +$1,150 $79,236 - SERVICEWIDE COMMUNICATIONS $85,160 $85,160 - $85,160 - MANPOWER MANAGEMENT $8,654 $8,654 - $8,654 - OTHER PERSONNEL SUPPORT $268,839 $268,839 - $268,839 - OTHER CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR (BAC- 04) $3,093 $3,093 $452,685 $453,835 $1,150 $452,685 - $3,093 - RESTORE READINESS - $20,000 +$20,000 - - OVERSTIMATION OF CIVILIAN FTE TARGETS AND STREAMLINING MANAGEMENT HEADQUARTERS ADJUST FOR PROGRAM REDUCTIONS UNACCOUNTED FOR IN REQUEST - -$9,000 -$9,000 - - - -$23,000 -$23,000 - - REMOVE FY17 INCREASE - - - -$57,000 -$57,000 OVERESTIMATION OF CIVILIAN FTE TARGETS - - - -$38,000 -$38,000 AUTHORIZED END STRENGTH - - - +$3,700 +$3,700 TOTAL, ARNG O&M $7,307,170 $7,275,820 -$31,350 $7,500,220 +$193,050 HAC-D Items 1. Program increase expanded training environment +$1,000 2. Program decrease not properly accounted -$4,000 3. Program increase operational support on southwest border +$4,000 4. Program increase operational support on southwest border +$5,000 5. Program decrease not properly accounted -$11,500 6. Program decrease not properly accounted -$30,000 7. Program increase cyber protection teams +$500 8. Program decrease not properly accounted -$5,000 9. Program decrease not properly accounted -$10,500 10. Program increase +$40,000 11. Program decrease not properly accounted -$10,000 12. Program increase State Partnership Program +$1,100 4 SAC-D Items 13. Remove one-time FY2017 increase -$20,000 14. Program increase: Improve training and maintenance readiness: +$50,000 15. Remove one-time FY2017 increase -$8,000 16. Remove one-time FY2017 increase -$5,000 17. Program increase: Improve training and maintenance readiness +$15,000 18. Program increase: Improve maintenance readiness +$12,000 19. Program increase: Improve maintenance readiness +$25,000 20. Program increase: Trauma training +$1,200 21. Unjustified program growth: -$11,000 22. Transfer: FSRM funding from O&M Army Reserve to O&M ARNG for Pine Bluff Reserve Center +$150 23. Program increase +$200,000 24. Program increase: Armory lead abatement +$30,000 25. Program increase unaccounted for -$5,000
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations) ARNG O&M (OCO) Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D MANEUVER UNITS $41,731 $41,731 - $41,731 - MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $762 $762 - $762 - ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $11,855 $11,855 - $11,855 - THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $204 $204 - $204 - AVIATION ASSETS $27,583 $27,583 - $27,583 - FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS $5,792 $5,792 $5,792 - SUPPORT - BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $18,507 $18,507 - $18,507 - MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL $937 $937 - $937 - HEADQUARTERS TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC-01) $107,371 $107,371 - $107,371 - ADMINISTRATION $740 $740 - $740 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR - - $740 $740 $740 (BAC-04) TOTAL, ARNG O&M (OCO) $108,111 $108,111 - $108,111-5
Air National Guard Air National Guard Personnel ANG Personnel Appropriation (All Dollars in Thousands) HAC-D SAC-D PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $980,536 $980,536 - $980,536 - PAY GROUP F TRAINING (RECRUITS) $88,496 $88,496 - $88,496 - PAY GROUP P TRAINING (PIPELINE $8,684 $8,684 - $8,684 - RECRUITS) SCHOOL TRAINING $343,710 $343,710 - $343,710 - SPECIAL TRAINING 1 $175,589 $177,539 +$1,950 $175,589 - ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $1,782,793 $1,782,793 - $1,782,793 - THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $13,814 $13,814 - $13,814 - EDUCATION BENEFITS $19,565 $19,565 - $19,565 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC- 01) $3,413,187 $3,415,137 +$1,950 $3,413,187 - UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT 2,3,4,5 - -$9,000 -$9,000 -$13,520 -$13,520 Total, National Guard Personnel, Air Force $3,413,187 $3,406,137 -$7,050 -$3,406,867 -$6,320 HAC-D Items 1. Program increase State Partnership Program +$1,950 2. Historical unobligated balances -$9,000 SAC-D Items 3. Improving funds management: Historical unobligated advances - $13,520 4. Program increase: Trauma Training +$1,800 5. Program increase: Military pay raise +$5,400 Air National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations) ANG Personnel (OCO) Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D SPECIAL TRAINING $5,004 $5,004 - $5,004-6
Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance ANG O&M Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS 1,2, 8 $3,175,055 $3,046,367 -$128,688 $3,098,555 -$76,500 MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS 3,4,9,10,11 $746,082 $735,232 -$10,850 $803,282 +$57,200 DEPOT MAINTENANCE 5 $867,063 $859,063 -$8,000 $867,063 - FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, RESTORATION & MODERNIZATION 6,12 $325,090 $345,090 +$20,000 $449,090 +$124,000 CONTRACTOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT AND SYSTEM SUPPORT 13,14 $1,100,829 $1,100,829 - $1,139,529 +$38,000 BASE OPERATING SUPPORT 7 $583,664 $574,664 -$9,000 $583,664 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC-01) $6,797,783 $6,661,245 -$136,538 $6,941,183 +$143,400 ADMINISTRATION $44,855 $44,855 - $44,855 - RECRUITING AND ADVERTISING $97,230 $97,230 - $97,230 - TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR (BAC-04) $142,185 $142,185 - $142,185 LOWER THAN BUDGETED AVERAGE SALARY - -$2,500 -$2,500 - - RESTORE READINESS - $10,000 +$10,000 - - ADJUST FOR PROGRAM REDUCTIONS UNACCOUNTED FOR IN REQUEST - -$75,000 -$75,000 - - AIR NATIONAL GUARD WILDFIRE TRAINING - - - +$7,000 +$7,000 TOTAL, AIR NATIONAL GUARD O&M $6,939,968 $6,735,930 -$204,038 $7,090,368 +$150,400 HAC-D Items 1. Program decrease not properly accounted -$89,000 2. Unjustified program growth -$39,688 3. Program decrease not properly accounted -$12,000 4. Program increase State Partnership Program +$1,150 5. Program decrease not properly accounted -$8,000 6. Program Increase +$20,000 7. Program decrease not properly accounted -$9,000 SAC-D Items 8. Projected underexecution -$76,500 9. Unjustified program growth -$10,000 10. Program increase: Trauma training +$1,200 11. Program increase: Information technology service management +$66,000 12. Program increase +$124,000 13. Program decrease unaccounted for -$20,000 14. Increase weapons systems sustainment +$58,700 Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations) ANG O&M (OCO) Appropriation HAC-D SAC-D MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $3,468 $3,468 - $3,468 - BASE SUPPORT $11,932 $11,932 - $11,932 - TOTAL, ANG O&M (OCO) $15,400 $15,400 - $15,400 - Delta from 7
Legislative Provisions SEC. 8004. No more than 20 percent of the appropriations in this Act which are limited for obligation during the current fiscal year shall be obligated during the last 2 months of the fiscal year: Provided, that this section shall not apply to obligations for support of active duty training of reserve components or summer camp training of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. SEC. 8041. None of the funds available in this Act may be used to reduce the authorized positions for military technicians (dual status) of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve and Air Force Reserve for the purpose of applying any administratively imposed civilian personnel ceiling, freeze, or reduction on military technicians (dual status), unless such reductions are a direct result of a reduction in military force structure. SEC. 8043. Funds appropriated in this Act for operation and maintenance of the Military Departments, Combatant Commands and Defense Agencies shall be available for reimbursement of pay, allowances and other expenses which would otherwise be incurred against appropriations for the National Guard and Reserve when members of the National Guard and Reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence support to Combatant Commands, Defense Agencies and Joint Intelligence Activities, including the activities and programs included within the National Intelligence Program and the Military Intelligence Program: Provided, That nothing in this section authorizes deviation from established Reserve and National Guard personnel and training procedures. SEC. 8053. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau may permit the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project by any person or entity on a space-available, reimbursable basis. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall establish the amount of reimbursement for such use on a case-by-case basis. (b) Amounts collected under subsection (a) shall be credited to funds available for the National Guard Distance Learning Project and be available to defray the costs associated with the use of equipment of the project under that subsection. Such funds shall be available for such purposes without fiscal year limitation. SEC. 8061. Notwithstanding section 12310(b) of title 10, United States Code, a Reservist who is a member of the National Guard serving on full-time National Guard duty under section 502(f) of title 32, United States Code, may perform duties in support of the ground-based elements of the National Ballistic Missile Defense System. SEC. 8063. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or his designee, may waive payment of all or part of the consideration that otherwise would be required under section 2667 of title 10, United States Code, in the case of a lease of personal property for a period not in excess of 1 year to any organization specified in section 508(d) of title 32, United States Code, or any other youth, social, or fraternal nonprofit organization as may be approved by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or his designee, on a case-by-case basis. SEC. 8071. The budget of the President for fiscal year 2019 submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, shall include separate budget justification documents for costs of United States Armed Forces participation in contingency operations for the Military Personnel accounts, the Operation and Maintenance accounts, the Procurement accounts, and the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation accounts: Provided, That these documents shall include a description of the funding requested for each contingency operation, for each military service, to include all Active and Reserve components, and for each appropriations account: Provided further, That these documents shall include estimated costs for each element of expense or object class, a reconciliation of increases and decreases for each contingency operation, and programmatic data including, but not limited to, troop strength for each Active and Reserve component, and estimates of the major weapons systems deployed in support of each contingency: Provided further, That these documents shall include budget exhibits OP 5 and OP 32 (as defined in the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation) for all contingency operations for the budget year and the two preceding fiscal years. SEC. 8091. In addition to amounts appropriated in title II or otherwise made available elsewhere in this Act, $900,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Defense and made available for transfer to the operation and maintenance accounts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (including National 8
Guard and Reserve) for purposes of improving military readiness: Provided, That the transfer authority provided under this provision is in addition to any other transfer authority provided elsewhere in this Act. Report Language Advanced Trauma Training Program for National Guard and Reserve. The Committee recognizes the valuable support universities, hospitals, and other military partners provide by offering civilian-based emergency response trauma training and critical care training including public health, bio-environmental, and biomedical instruction to sustain medics and medical providers capabilities of the National Guard Enhanced Response Forces Packages [CERFP], National Guard Homeland Response Forces [NGHRF], the Army Reserve Consequence Management Response Forces [CCMRF] and other National Guard and Reserves medical conversion/readiness requirements. The Committee encourages the National Guard and Reserves to continue pursuing state-of-the-art trauma training with these civilian partners, thus maintaining unit medical readiness postures at optimum levels as military healthcare providers in CERFPs, NGHRFs, and CCMRFs maintain their individual skills to respond effectively to emergency incidents on the homeland. Furthermore, in order to minimize the civilian-military operational gaps in the event of a catastrophic incident, the Committee also encourages the development of enhanced medical and critical care preparedness medical training programs focusing on public health curriculums and the epidemiology of public health diseases, mass casualty triage, advanced disaster life support, advanced hazardous material life support, emergency dental, and psychological health by increasing civilian-based advanced trauma expertise gained through day-to-day experiences and medical research programs. Air Force Associate Units The Committee recognizes the importance of Total Force Integration within the Air Force and certain Air National Guard units who have a critical role in construction and engineering. This integration ensures crosscomponent interoperability to fill current and future mission requirements. The Committee encourages the Air Force to continue placing an increased focus on actively managing associate units between the Air National Guard and the active duty component and to establish robust memorandum of agreements to ensure units are not left without equipment when the active component deploys. Search and Rescue in the Arctic The Committee notes that increased utilization of the Arctic by commercial air and vessel traffic requires a reexamination of search and rescue requirements in the region. The Alaska Air National Guard 176th Wing is the closest dedicated rescue force with the greatest capability but maintains only a single Arctic Sustainment Package for alerts and a partial package for training. Given the lack of a defined requirement for search and rescue in the Arctic, the Alaska Air National Guard must be prepared to respond without specific funding for equipment, sustainment of operations or logistics. The Secretary of Defense is encouraged to further refine requirements for Arctic Search and Rescue during fiscal year 2018 and to report to the congressional defense committees on current requirements for Arctic search and rescue not later than 120 days after the enactment of this act. State Partnership Program The State Partnership Program [SPP] has been successfully building relationships for over 20 years by linking a State s National Guard with the armed forces or equivalent of a partner country in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. It includes 73 unique security partnerships involving 79 nations around the globe. The Committee recognizes the importance of SPP and encourages continued robust support of this important partnership program. Air National Guard Cyber Training The Committee recognizes the success of the Air National Guard in training and developing service members to fulfill cyber mission requirements through the recently launched Cyber Skills Validation Course. The course was created to ease the backlog in the initial skills training pipeline by capitalizing on the cyber experience in the Air National Guard. The Committee encourages expansion of this training program, to include additional course instructors and a virtual training range, to enable participation by civilian and joint service personnel. 9
HMMWV Modernization The Committee notes the critical role that important safety technologies like Antilock Brake Systems [ABS] play on the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle [HMMWV] fleet. The Committee supports the incorporation of ABS into the HMMWV new production process and the HMMWV modernization process for Active, Reserve, and National Guard components. To ensure proper quality control during the ABS installation process for new and enduring Active, Reserve, and National Guard HMMWVs, the Committee directs that installation of ABS on all HMMWVs shall be performed during the HMMWV new production process or the HMMWV modernization process, when the HMMWV produced is new, or returned to a zerohour, zero-mile, like-new condition. HMMWV Ambulances The Committee notes that the average age of ground ambulance fleets within the active and reserve components of the Army is 28 years. At current levels of investment, these fleets will remain less than 25 percent modernized across the Future Years Defense Program, impairing the total Army s ability to execute its Federal and State missions. The Committee recommends $173,000,000 for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle ambulances, an increase of $120,000,000 over the fiscal year 2018 budget request, of which $53,000,000 is intended for Regular Army and $120,000,000 is intended for the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. Commercial-off-the-Shelf Simulation Devices Simulators allow geographically dispersed Army National Guard and Army Reserve units to conduct training when time and distance prevent traditional military exercises. The Committee commends the Army for acquiring commercially available simulation devices to enable the Reserve Components to provide training at an affordable cost and encourages the Army to establish means of quantifying the impact of simulationbased training on individual and collective training readiness. Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars The Committee recognizes that Active Electronically Scanned Array [AESA] radars significantly improve reliability, maintainability, and supportability as well as operational effectiveness and combat lethality of existing F 16 aircraft. Many of these aircraft are used by the Air National Guard in its Aerospace Control Alert [ACA] mission to defend against and defeat threats to the homeland. The Committee believes that AESA radars bolster the Air National Guard s ability to carry out its ACA mission and supports their continued procurement to address the U.S. Northern Command Joint Emergent Operational Need. Behavioral and Mental Health Care for National Guard and Reserve The Committee recognizes that the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve components need greater access to care if they are to maintain a high state of medical readiness to support regularly occurring deployments. It also recognizes that the suicide rate in the reserve components is consistently higher than the suicide rate for both the active duty military and the civilian population. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Department to better ensure that periodic health assessments are followed by medical treatment to address any behavioral or mental health conditions that could impact a service member s ability to deploy, even if such care falls outside of the pre-deployment window. This practice would allow for a more medically ready, deployable force and would expand access to behavioral and mental health care for reserve component service members. National Guard Counter-Drug Program The Committee is concerned that the Department has reduced overall funding for the National Guard Counter-Drug program from the fiscal year 2017 enacted level. Therefore, the Committee recommends $236,353,000 for the National Guard Counter-Drug program, an increase of $120,000,000 above the fiscal year 2018 budget request, to provide additional support for National Guard state plans. National Guard Counter-Drug Schools The Committee continues to support the National Guard Counter-Drug schools and notes that the report accompanying the Senate version of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (Senate Report 114 263) directed the Department of Defense to fund these activities in an individual budget line. The Committee is dismayed that this direction was not followed by the Department in the fiscal year 2018 budget request and again directs the Department to include an individual budget line for this program in future budget submissions. 10
High-Priority Items The Committee directs that the National Guard and Reserve Equipment account shall be executed by the Chiefs of the National Guard and reserve components with priority consideration given to the following items: Acoustic Hailing Devices, Advanced Cargo Handling Systems for CH 47, Combat Uniforms and Cold Weather Protective Clothing, Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Simulation Devices, Crashworthy External Fuel Tanks, Digital Radar Warning Receivers for F 16s, Modular Container Systems for Palletized Cargo, Modular Small Arms and Self-Contained Ranges, MQ-9 Deployable Launch & Recovery Element Mission Support Kits, Portable High Frequency Radios and Antennas, Radar Warning Receivers for C 17s, Radiac Sets, Satellite Broadband Upgrades for RC 26, Small Arms Simulation Training Systems, and Sun Shades. 11