STATEMENT BY

BRIGADIER GENERAL JASON K. KAMIYA
COMMANDING GENERAL
JOINT READINESS TRAINING CENTER AND FORT POLK, LOUISIANIA

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY READINESS

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES

ON MILITARY TRAINING CAPABILITIES/SHORTFALLS

IMPACT ON MILITARY READINESS

MARCH 8, 2002 

Good morning,  Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.  I'd also like to thank you for the support you provide to the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.  My name is Brigadier General Jason K. Kamiya, and I am the Commanding General of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana.

          The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk continues to be a viable and important strategic asset to our Nation's defense.  Fort Polk's mission is two fold.  First, we provide the world's finest Joint Training for light contingency forces from all Services - and unique to the Combat Training Centers, we also serve as a power projection platform and mobilization station to prepare and deploy United States Army Active and Reserve Component soldiers anywhere in the world on a moment's notice.  Since the attacks on September 11^th 2001, Fort Polk has prepared, trained, mobilized and deployed approximately 1000 Reservists, National Guard and Active Component soldiers from 18 different units in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. 

Fort Polk is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center, which provides highly realistic advanced level joint and combined arms training across the full spectrum of conflict that includes: Peacetime Military Engagements, Small Scale Contingencies, and Major Theater War.  Our clients include United States Army Infantry brigade level task forces, Air Force, Marine/Navy, Special Operations Forces, and United States Allied forces - many of which are now serving in joint operations in Afghanistan and other areas of the world.  Cornerstone to the Joint Readiness Training Center is a realistic battlefield, a highly capable and viable Opposing Force, skilled Observer Controllers, and a complete supporting infrastructure.

Our realistic battlefield includes a third-world contingency environment, an asymmetric threat (Opposing Force), replication of all assets and supplies, reliance on air lines of communication; media on the battlefield, simulated casualties, multiple third world villages, and a state-of-the-art Military Operations on Urban Terrain complex called Shughart-Gordon.  The complex is named after SFC Randall D. Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary I. Gordon - both Medal of Honor recipients awarded for their heroism during the Battle for Mogadishu on October 3^rd 1993.  Shughart-Gordon has commercial and residential architecture, which includes attics, basements, sewers and power lines.  Live fire capable, buildings are appropriately furnished to include realistic battlefield effects.  There is a full-range of day/night video coverage and high-resolution data for after-action-reviews.  The complex is outfitted with a multi-media after-action-review theater.  

To further battlefield realism during training at Shughart-Gordon, we include a host nation government, refugees, civilians on the battlefield, livestock, government agencies and non-governmental organizations.  Typically there are 75 to 165 soldier and civilian contract employees working as role-players during training.  

The Joint Readiness Training Center's infrastructure includes a rail complex, airports, assault airfields, full complement of range complexes, an Intermediate Staging Base located in Alexandria Louisiana, and use of port facilities at Beaumont, Texas, and Red River, Louisiana.  Besides normal training rotations, the Joint Readiness Training Center conducts specialty missions such as Mission Rehearsal and Stabilization Force Exercises to prepare our forces for Peacetime Military Engagements in Bosnia and Kosovo.  

The primary means of obtaining lessons learned from training rotations and providing feedback to the United States Army is through the Joint Readiness Training Center, Operations Group.   Operations Group is staffed with 600 observer controllers who observe, coach, teach and mentor leaders and soldiers from rotational and tenant units that train at the Joint Readiness Training Center.  Observer controllers conduct after-action-reviews at all levels, prepare written feedback, provide doctrinal review, write articles for professional publications and provide interface to United States Army institutional training organizations.  Those institutions include the Centers for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, the United States Army Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and all other Branch Schools.  

The Joint Readiness Training Center also provides a world class opposing force, which replicates terrorism, insurgency, special operations, supporting arms, and motorized, mechanized, and armor forces.  The opposing force is fully equipped with a full complement of armored personnel carriers, tanks, aviation assets (both fixed/rotary wing), and air defense capabilities.  

Since the end of the Cold War adversaries have become more lethal, and less predictable.  Opposing forces use asymmetrical threats, and no longer replicate Soviet forces and doctrine, which the Joint Readiness Training Center Opposing Force once replicated.  Since the world and threat have changed, we have had to adapt to the new environment.  To move forward, the Training and Doctrine Command is finalizing a dynamic threat doctrine called the Contemporary Operational Environment.  When implemented, it will incorporate Information Operations, employ Weapons of Mass Destruction and permanent full-time linguists to portray the world's emerging threat.  In order to adequately portray the emerging threat, we will begin fielding new equipment such as opposing force surrogate vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite communications systems.  We will ensure that the Joint Readiness Training Center Opposing Force is manned, trained, and equipped to replicate the threat that is relevant to the current world situation. 

The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk has a total supported military population of over 94,000.  This figure includes 8,594 military, 12,536 military family members, 5,384 Department of the Army civilians, Army Air Force Exchange Service, contract and other employees, 36,940 retired military retirees, and 27,064 United States Army Reserve Units /Reserve Officer Training Corps personnel.  The total figure includes 3,623 rotational soldiers who train here on a monthly basis 10 times per year.  The annual economic impact to West/Central Louisiana in fiscal year 2001 was $890 million dollars, and it is projected to be $900 million in fiscal year 2002.  In Vernon Parish, about 50% of labor force earnings are derived from federal military employment.

Our installation is fortunate in that encroachment is not an impediment to training.  The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk is located in the west central area of Louisiana encompassing 198,759 acres, - 100,634 acres of which are United States Army owned and 98,125 are U.S. Forest Service owned.  We enjoy a close and positive relationship with local and surrounding communities built upon an economic and hometown partnership encompassed by cooperation, communication and understanding. The primary land use in this part of Louisiana is agriculture for the growth of pine wood products.  Our installation is adjacent to and near large tracts of the Kisatchie National Forest.  98,125 acres of the national forest are routinely used for military training under a Special Use Permit issued by the United States Forest Service, with which we enjoy a close working relationship.  Most of the remaining lands adjacent to the post are owned either by large industrial timber companies, or private landowners that manage their lands to produce timber.  These agricultural lands represent a geographic "buffer" between the post and large population centers. 

The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk recognize the responsibility for environmental stewardship.   We have implemented several initiatives within our environmental compliance program.  The presence of endangered species, wetlands, archeological sites, and protected plant communities within our training areas have not become impediments to training at Fort Polk.  

Some of the last long leaf pine forests remaining in the southeastern United States grow at Fort Polk and on the adjacent national forest.  The long leaf pine forest is home to our only endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker.  The red-cockaded woodpecker is the only North American woodpecker capable of excavating nesting cavities in living trees.  The long leaf pines inhabited by each family of these birds are usually located close together and are termed a "cluster" of roost trees.  We have 225 clusters hosting a family of birds, and 189 clusters that are currently uninhabited.  Our 2001 annual census indicated that our woodpecker population consisted of 512 adults and 209 young birds.  Analysis of the demographic data over the last 9 years indicates that the bird population is viable with a stable to slightly increasing rate of growth.      

Our approach has been to look at management of forest resources and endangered species in an expansive way.  We consider them as integral components of this installation and make a conscious effort to integrate their management into all that we do to sustain our training ranges and maneuver areas.   By implementing sound environmental methods such as removing underbrush, controlled burning, thinning of trees to prevent smothering, and relocation of bird colonies, we've actually increased maneuverability and inter-visibility within the forest - thereby expanding the training area.   In addition, our Integrated Training Area Management program has restored damaged lands and returned them to our range inventory while increasing wildlife habitat.  For example, we constructed 20 hardened stream crossing sites to both improve east - west maneuver access, and conditions at pre-existing, unprotected crossings to avoid impairment to aquatic life.

Although we have not received fiscal year 2003 budget guidance at this time, and are awaiting an annual operating budget for fiscal year 2002, funding provided for Operational Readiness and Operational Tempo for the past several years has been inadequate to execute desired/required training and training support.  Funding shortfalls impact most directly on repair parts and fuel for sustaining unit aircraft and ground vehicles, for targetry repair parts and maintenance, and for training aids and devices.  Operational Tempo funding issues and their impact on overall readiness continues to be reported in Unit Status Reports.  Of immediate concern, is the required and ongoing expenditure of fiscal year 2002 funds for Contingency Operations (i.e. Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom). To date we've spent over $3.5 million in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.  We will continue to support these missions in the best fiscally responsible way, and understand that the Department of the Army is evaluating means to reimburse us for these expenditures. 

Training ammunition and availability of doctrine adequately support our rotational unit training requirements.  However, we continue to experience shortages that affect complete training integration.  Currently there exists a shortage of tactical engagement systems for the Kiowa Warrior aircraft used by our client units.  There are only 8 sets in the entire Army.  We also lack a lightweight tactical engagement system for dismounted personnel.  This requires us to provide a manual feedback mechanism for unit locations and indirect fire artillery engagements.  Army and Air Force units continually build on joint training proficiency at the Joint Readiness Training Center.  However due to real-world contingencies there has recently been a lack of available Joint Airborne/Air Transportability Training aircraft, which impacts on joint training conducted at the Joint Readiness Training Center. 

Over the past several years, funding levels have not kept pace with our infrastructure needs.  Funding levels below our annual requirements continue to create challenges.   It should be noted that even though funding trends have been declining over the past several years we'd like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for the recent 18 % funding increase in the FY 02 Budget for Base Operations Support, and Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization.  This is a good start in the right direction. Fort Polk's Installation Status Report ratings for fiscal year 2001 indicated we have some facilities, roads, grounds in need of critical repair.  For example, of our 252 permanent buildings, 33 have roofs requiring major repair or replacement.  We continue to resort to addressing failures as they occur versus employing sound long-term preventative maintenance programs.

Years of under-funding for annual sustainment has resulted in high-risk conditions for comfort, health, and facility life expectancy.  Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment that no longer perform as designed make mandates to reduce energy consumption difficult to achieve under such conditions.  

Declining funds have eroded our ability to provide municipal services, such as custodial support and grounds maintenance.  First echelon preventive maintenance tasks associated with custodial services are provided using self-help in all but a few buildings.  Career military and civilian employees perform the basic tasks of custodial work.  This is not an efficient use of professional staff and tends to adversely impact employee morale.  For example, over 30 buildings are eligible for custodial support; however, only 2 are supported by contract. 

Fort Polk has 3,658 family housing units on the installation.  Over 70% of these units were constructed between 1970 and 1980 and have reached their economic life expectancy.  As a result of the magnitude of these requirements, Fort Polk is part of a Department of the Army initiative to privatize family housing.  The Residential Community Initiative appears to be the right program to help eliminate these funding shortfalls.  We are currently working through the process of selecting a partner to complete the community development management plan.  Once the plan is approved, the new owner of on-post family housing will execute the plan by providing funding and construction or remodeling to support Fort Polk's housing requirements.  We expect to turn over our family housing to the developer in December 2003 and begin the revitalization of the family housing community in the 2^nd Quarter of Fiscal Year 2004, which will be the first step in improving family housing for our soldiers. 

Single soldier housing also remains a continued challenge.  Constructed in the mid-1970's, we have 34 barracks buildings that have reached and exceeded their economic life expectancy.  The United States Army's Barracks Upgrade Program has made major contributions to the single soldier's quality of life.  We'd also like to thank the committee for funding this excellent program.  To date, 14 of our 34 buildings have been upgraded through the program.  Barracks Upgrade Program enhancements include room renovation, new furniture, an individual closet, individual thermostat controls, and a kitchenette with microwave and refrigerator.  Sustainment funding in the out years is required if we are to maintain these improvements and not get into an endless cycle of requiring upgrades.

Quality of life programs to support Community and Family Readiness are under resourced.  For example, funds must be diverted from other quality of life programs to adequately support the Soldier Family Readiness Program and Mobilization/Deployment Support personnel programs.  On- going deployments and installation force protection measures have significantly increased the demand for extended family child-care.  This has resulted in expenditure of over 50% of the family child-care subsidy budget in the last 5 months of fiscal year 2002.  Additionally, we anticipate Community Recreation funds for operational supplies and a variety of Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs will be depleted by the end of the 3^rd Quarter of Fiscal Year 02. 

Fort Polk was selected for a post-wide Commercial Activities study in September, 1997.  In May 1998, a contract was awarded to Management Associates Incorporated to provide a Performance Work Statement.  In January 2000, the Army Audit Agency completed an assistance review of the Performance Work Statement and forwarded it to the Army Atlanta Contracting Center in July 2000.  In August of 2000 the Army Atlanta Contracting Center set up a web site for Forces Command, staff and public review.  A Source Selection Evaluation Board convened in August 2001 and is currently ongoing.  If contract operation of training support proves more cost effective, the conversion of training support from an in-house workforce to a contractor should be transparent to the units who train, live and work at Fort Polk.   We expect a decision in August of 2002, with implementation in March of 2003.

The use of contracts to support training has gradually increased over the years.  Currently, there are 1518 funded contracts totaling $31,993,458 annually.  These contracts include water, gas and sewage for the Intermediate Staging Base at England Air Park, Alexandria Louisiana, solid waste management, portable chemical latrine rentals, Fort Polk Transportation Motorpool services, maintenance of material handling equipment, aircraft refueling services, vehicle oil analysis, heavy equipment transport, maintenance of an air traffic control switching system, and virtual training.

The Operations Group and Joint Readiness Training Center accomplish a significant level of mission essential work through the services of 3 of those primary funded contracts.

The Mission Support Contract is Army Training and Doctrine Command contract and the largest of the supporting contracts.  The incumbent contractor employs between 250 to 300 employees, full and part-time, and can expand its force by up to 600 for Mission Rehearsal Exercises.  The Mission Support Contractor is tasked with providing the following services to the Joint Readiness Training Center: scenario development, Operations Center and After Action Review Support, automated data processing, graphics, library and conference facility support, the Leader Training Program, rotational Audio-Visual Support, Tactical Engagement System Support, battlefield effects, role-play and Civilians on the Battlefield, support to Special Operations Forces, and Live Fire and Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain.

          The Live Training contract provides primarily technical support for the operation of the Joint Readiness Training Center's Instrumentation System, the Observer Controller Communications System and Direct Support-level repair of Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System equipment. 

The Army Threat Support Activity contract includes the complete operation and maintenance of 5 former threat aircraft.  This contract also provides a resident, Subject Matter Expert for threat doctrine and support, mission planning and coordination, and development of After Action Reviews.

These contracts support a minimum of 10 conventional and peacekeeping rotations per year, and up to 10 Special Operations Forces rotations per year.  Contractor support for training Special Operations Forces units is provided at up to 25 different locations outside Fort Polk. These contracts are essential to the operation of the Joint Readiness Training Center.  Missions performed by the contractors cannot be performed using existing military and government civilian personnel.  The use of contractors also contributes to unit readiness by using civilian labor to do jobs that would otherwise be the responsibility of military personnel. 

There have been impacts to training requirements since September 11^th 2001, necessitated by an increased installation force protection requirements and the reception and training of mobilized and deploying forces.

Immediately following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk implemented Force Protection Threat Condition Delta.  The increased security posture reduced the number of installation access points from 48 to 11, with the overwatch of 15 high risk targets 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Fort Polk military police and tenant units organized a 40-soldier Armed Reaction Force.  In addition, the number of soldiers required for force protection increased from 65 to 492 personnel.  These requirements caused cancellation of numerous training events.  On November 22^nd 2001, we reduced our security posture to Force Protection Condition Bravo, which is currently in effect.  This security posture still requires 30 Military Police and 148 soldiers to man 8 access control points and continued military police patrols of high value targets and mission essential vulnerable areas.  

Since September 11^th 2001, Fort Polk has deployed 8 units comprised of 560 Active Component soldiers from all 3 of our Major Subordinate Commands.  These deployments have affected the installation training plan.  Planned training events for these units and their higher headquarters were either delayed or canceled due to the requirement of preparing personnel and equipment for deployment in support of operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, or supporting force protections requirements for the installation.

Fort Polk has prepared, trained and deployed 485 soldiers from 910 mobilized Reserve Component units in support of Fort Polk force protection, Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.  Post-mobilization and pre-deployment Reserve Component training requirements disrupted the training plans of 2 of our 3 Major Subordinate Commands.  Those training requirements included Soldier Readiness Processing, Weapons Qualification, Theater Specific Individual Readiness Training, and Deployment Operations.

Several initiatives that have greatly benefited the soldiers of Fort Polk and the United States Army are the use of Mobile Training Teams, Distance Learning, and Advanced Distributive Learning.

During fiscal year 2001, Fort Polk had 18 Mobile Training Teams from the different institutional training bases conduct training on the installation.  These teams trained 399 soldiers in 10 different courses.  For fiscal year 2002, Fort Polk projects to receive 14 Mobile Training Teams with the potential to train 388 students.  In return, Fort Polk supports the Army by providing Mobile Training Teams from our Air Assault School, which routinely conducts training in support of the National Guard and Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras.  Next year we are programmed to conduct 3 Mobile Training Teams capable of training 400 soldiers.  

In addition, we export trends and lessons learned from the Joint Readiness Training Center, Operations Group in the form of Observer Controller Outreach Visits to rotational unit combat divisions and the institutional training bases, such as the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning Georgia, the United States Army Armor School at Fort Knox Kentucky, the Artillery School at Fort Sill Oklahoma, and the Center for Army Lessons Learned, Fort Leavenworth Kansas.

During fiscal year 2001, the Fort Polk Digital Training Facility conducted 92 Distance Learning Courses, which trained 425 soldiers in 23 different Military Occupational Specialties.  For fiscal year 2002, Fort Polk projects to conduct 132 Distance Learning Courses with the potential to train 561 students.  Fort Polk has taken full advantage of this program, which also includes Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer and First Sergeant Distance Learning courses. 

Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk continues to leverage evolving simulation capability.  We conduct pre-training rotational staff and leader training using the Battalion/Brigade Staff simulator that is linked to the actual maneuver training conducted in the field.  In addition, simulations enable us to focus on individual and crew training proficiency while maximizing available resources.

          Once again, I'd like to thank the committee for all off the support you give the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, especially to our soldiers, family members and civilian employees who work and live here.  On a daily basis we train soldiers, develop leaders, and prepare for combat.  I am extremely proud of our team.  The importance of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk's strategic mission to train our nation's light contingency forces and mobilize/deploy Active and Reserve component soldiers is evidenced by the recent successes in Afghanistan and other areas of the world.  Those units working/fighting in Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom trained at, and deployed from the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.  Simply put, we coach, teach, mentor and train soldiers/leaders to standard along the full spectrum of conflict that gets the job done.  We look forward to a solid future with your continued support; I stand ready to respond to your questions.   

Brigadier General Jason Kamiya assumed command of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk on December 19, 2001.  Prior to this assignment, he served as the Assistant Division Commander for Support of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  

Brigadier General Kamiya was commissioned in the Infantry in 1976 as a ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. Following completion of Infantry officer basic training, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Manchu), 2nd Infantry Division and served as platoon leader and company executive officer along the Korean demilitarized zone. Upon returning to the United States, he served as platoon leader, company executive officer, adjutant, and company commander in the 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry, 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Ord, California.  Following Infantry advanced officer training (during which time he also completed the Armor Officer Advanced Course by correspondence) and graduate school, Brigadier General Kamiya completed a year of language training and subsequently served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, US Army Japan/IX Corps. In October 1985, he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where he served as Assistant Division Inspector General, S3 for the 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, and as Deputy Chief of Operations, G3.

Brigadier General Kamiya was graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1988 and was subsequently assigned to the Army Staff as a Strategic Plans and Policy Staff Officer and later as Executive Officer to the Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans. In August 1990, he assumed duties as Deputy G3, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and served in that capacity for two years that included combat operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Brigadier General Kamiya commanded the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from June 1992 to June 1994. Following graduation from the US Army War College in 1995, he served with US Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Panama until June 1997 as Special Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief, and on special assignment to the Executive Office of the President of the United States as Executive Assistant to the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy.  

Following his tour in Panama, Brigadier General Kamiya commanded the Warrior Brigade, Fort Polk, Louisiana, until June 1999 when he returned to Kentucky to serve as Chief of Staff, 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell. In August 2000, he was appointed Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Headquarters, Department of the Army until returning to Fort Campbell in March 2001 to serve as Assistant Division Commander for Support.  

Brigadier General Kamiya holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Gonzaga University (Magna Cum Laude) and a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (third award), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (fourth award), Expert Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Air Assault, Pathfinder, and Airborne badges. 

Brigadier General Kamiya is married to the former Carmen Unciano of Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii.  They have two daughters, Kelly and Jamie.