
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 2, 1994                   TAG: 9412020064
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Medium

CLINTON ASKS $25 BILLION TO STRENGTHEN MILITARY

Hit by unexpected crises, defense-budget shortfalls and reports of Army unreadiness, President Clinton announced Thursday that he was asking Congress for an extra $25 billion to help the Pentagon's beleaguered bank account.

The money would be spread over the next six years, the President said, and more would be requested later to replenish funds exhausted this year on military operations in the Caribbean, the Balkans and the Middle East.

Though the president said the action showed his ``personal commitment to ... the highest training standards for the military,'' it came two weeks after the combat fitness of several large Army units was found wanting, and Republicans charged that the administration was in ``denial'' over the weakened state of the nation's defense.

Republican reaction to the announcement seemed muted Thursday. It was ``a welcome, albeit modest, first step,'' said Rep. Floyd Spence, R-S.C., the likely chairman of the House Armed Services Committee who last month assailed the administration over military unreadiness

``We have a readiness problem now, and we will have a readiness problem after the president's initiative is implemented,'' Spence said in a statement. ``Nonetheless, this initiative ... is a good start.''

Deputy Defense Secretary John Deutch was more effusive: ``Let me say from the perspective of the military and the civilians of the Department of Defense, this presidential initiative is very, very welcome indeed.''

He said the action would bolster military readiness, give more support to the average person in uniform and allow expected cuts in modernization programs to be less drastic. The White House hinted, however, that the initiative could involve cancellation of ``lower priority weapons systems.'' It gave no details.

The president said that, in addition to his call for the $25 billion, he was backing the full allowable pay raise for people in the service and more money for ``quality of life'' programs. Perry had announced on Nov. 10 that he wanted an extra $2.7 billion for such military housing and social programs over the next six years.

by CNB