Critics say some military spending items don't belong in emergency bill

President Bush's $81.9 billion fiscal 2005 supplemental war request would reduce emissions and improve fuel economy in heavy trucks used in the field, allow commanders to attend "virtual meetings" and build a hangar at Alaska's Fort Wainwright to replace one destroyed by an August 2004 fire -- all costs supporting the Army's transformation initiative that critics say have no place in an emergency spending bill.

There is also $36 million to build 60 miles of two-lane asphalt road between the Kuwait-Iraq border and existing supply routes in Iraq, to help accommodate a Kuwaiti government request to keep military traffic away from urban areas.

And $31.6 million would be provided to construct a gas turbine generation plant at Afghanistan's Bagram Airfield, because using existing generators contributes to poor air quality in the area, according to an 82-page document detailing the Pentagon's $74.9 billion portion of the supplemental request. The materials were transmitted to lawmakers and staff after the earlier Office of Management and Budget submission of the full aid request.

The inclusion of $5.3 billion to begin the transition to smaller, more flexible brigades, mostly for the Army, has already raised hackles of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who say the projects should have been included in the Pentagon's regular FY06 budget request.

But the justification documents argue that providing the funds, which would convert one division and begin converting three others into smaller "modular" units for deployment to Iraq, would "allow for tailoring combat brigades to meet the specific needs of the mission," enable the conversion of 10,000-15,000 administration positions to the private sector and allow soldiers involved in lower-demand duties such as artillery move into jobs such as military police.

Additionally, since the plan would extend tours of duty from 18-24 months to 36 months, the document states, "implementing these changes will make life better for the military families" since Army deployment cycles will be more predictable.

About $4.1 billion is included for procurement related to Army modularity, including $46.6 million to buy 135 transport trucks to re-supply combat vehicles and weapons systems.

An additional $90.3 million would go to a program that "reduces emissions, improves fuel economy, increases reliability, and improves safety and performance" of the heavy trucks, including "a new electronically controlled engine and transmission, bolt-together wheels, increased corrosion prevention, and 4-point seatbelts."

The request contains $3 million for the "Command Post of the Future" program, first developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The computerized visual program allows commanders who are not even in the same country to meet and draw on "virtual maps."

Another $31 million is included for the Fort Wainwright facility, an annual subject of regular military Ccnstruction appropriations. Because of the old hangar's destruction, there is not enough warm storage space for aviation assets related to the modularity initiative.

The defense justification materials come as lawmakers have been increasingly critical of the $4 billion foreign aid portion of the supplemental request.

As part of the request, $25 million would be distributed for completion of the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. Food and transport costs for advisers involved in implementing the Sudan peace agreement would be covered to the tune of $10 million, while $1 million would go toward a new ministry of defense for the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

The Ukrainian government would receive $4.5 million to fight HIV/AIDS, and the new Palestinian leadership would get $60 million for economic initiatives such as marketing Palestinian agribusiness and financing home construction in Gaza, among other items.