FY18Omnibus

Defense AppropriationsAct

As of 30 March 2018

Bill Status

Passed in 

Committee Passed in Chamber Final Passage Signed into Law

House June 29, 2017 July 27, 2017 March 22, 2018 March 23, 2018

Senate - - March 22, 2018
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-

OMNIBUS REPORT LANGUAGE.....................................................................................................................................-9-

SAC-D COMMITTEE REPORT LANGUAGE...............................................................................................-11-

HAC-D COMMITTEE REPORT LANGUAGE...............................................................................................-13-
Executive Summary

This guide provides a short summary of 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 March 21st, 2018, Congress released the text of the FY18 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The 

defense appropriation funds a base budget of $589.5 billion and $65.2 billion in OCO. The higher 

funding levels reflect the increase in the Budget Control Act caps provided by the February 2018 

Bipartisan Budget Agreement. In total, the FY18 Omnibus Appropriations Act provides $61 billion 

more for defense than was enacted in fiscal 2017.

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 $8M for State Partnership Program (ARNG Personnel; ARNG O&M; 

ANG Personnel; ANG O&M)

• Provides an additional $30M for National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, $10M for innovative 

readiness training, and $12.9M for STARBASE (Civil Military Programs)

• Provides $19M for training and operational support on the southwest border (ARNG 

Personnel; ARNG O&M)

• Adds $108M for 8 UH-60s for the ARNG (Army Procurement)

• Provides an additional $100M for ARNG HMMWV modernization and $120M for ambulance 

modernization (Army Procurement)

• Adds $480M for 6 C-130J for the ANG (Air Force Procurement)

• Provides $59.4M for Battlefield airman combat equipment for the ANG (Air Force 

Procurement)

• Provides an additional $4M for ground based sense and avoid for the ANG (Air Force 

Procurement)

• Provides additional $74M for C-130 engine enhancement; $55M for propulsion; $15M for C130H modernization (Air Force Procurement)

• Appropriates $236.4M for National Guard Counter-Drug Program and $25M for Counterdrug Schools (Drug Interdiction and Counter-drug activities, Defense)

• Appropriates $429M each for ARNG and ANG in NGREA

1
National Guard Accounts Overview

(All Dollars in Thousands)

Army National 

Guard

FY18

President’s 

Budget Request

FY18

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY18

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY18 Omnibus

ARNG 

Personnel $8,379,376 $8,252,426 -$126,950 $8,240,036 -$139,340 $8,264,626

ARNG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$184,589 $184,589 - $184,589 - $184,589

ARNG O&M $7,307,170 $7,275,820 -$31,350 $7,500,220 +$193,050 $7,284,170

ARNG O&M 

OCO $108,111 $108,111 - $108,111 - $108,111

NGREA - $330,000 +$330,000 $450,000 +$450,000 $429,000

Air National 

Guard

FY18 

President’s 

Budget Request

FY18

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY18 

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY18 Omnibus

ANG 

Personnel $3,413,187 3,406,137 -$7,050 $3,406,867 -$6,320 $3,408,817

ANG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$5,004 $5,004 - $5,004 - $5,004

ANG O&M $6,939,968 6,735,930 -$204,038 $7,090,368 +$150,400 $6,900,798

ANG O&M 

OCO $15,400 $15,400 - $15,400 - $15,400

NGREA - $330,000 $330,000 $450,000 +$450,000 $429,000

2
Army National Guard

Army National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ARNG Personnel Appropriation

FY18 

President's 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & 

DRILLS 24/48) $2,623,904 $2,623,904 $2,623,904 $2,623,904 -

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $589,009 $589,009 $589,009 $589,009 -

PAY GROUP P TRAINING (PIPELINE 

RECRUITS) $46,426 $46,426 $46,426 $46,426 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $570,713 $560,713 $570,713 $560,7131 -$10,000

SPECIAL TRAINING $697,050 $707,100 $694,050 $707,8002,3,4,5,6 +$10,750

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $3,739,553 $3,739,553 $3,739,553 $3,739,553 -

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN MATCHING 

CONTRIBUTIONS $32,437 $32,437 $32,437 $32,437 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $80,284 $80,284 $80,284 $80,284 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC01) $8,379,376 $8,379,426 $8,376,376 $8,380,126 +$750

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$127,000 -$156,440 $135,0007 -135,000

TRAUMA TRAINING - - +$1,800 $1,200 +1,200

INCREASED MILITARY PAY RAISE - - +$14,100 $14,100 +14,100

AUTHORIZED END STRENGTH 

INCREASE - - +$4,200 $4,200 +4,200

TOTAL, ARNG PERSONNEL $8,379,376 $8,252,426 $8,240,036 $8,264,626 -$114,750

Omnibus Items

1. Excess growth -$10,000

2. Exercise overestimation -$10,000

3. Excess growth -$5,000

4. Program increase – State Partnership Program +$3,750

5. Cyber protection teams +$12,000

6. Program increase – training and operational support on the southwest border +$10,000

7. Historical unobligated balances -$135,000

Army National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ARNG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

SAC-D Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request 

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & 

DRILLS 24/48) $39,327 $39,327 $39,327 $39,327 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $2,881 $2,881 $2,881 $2,881 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $132,994 $132,994 $132,994 $132,994 -

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $9,387 $9,387 $9,387 $9,387 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC01) $184,589 $184,589 $184,589 $184,589 -

TOTAL ARNG PERSONNEL $184,589 $184,589 $184,589 $184,589 -

3
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance

ARNG O&M Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D Mark

FY18 

SAC-D Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

MANEUVER UNITS $777,883 $778,883 $807,883 $765,6831,2,3 -$12,200

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $190,639 $190,639 $182,639 $182,6394 -$8,000

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $807,557 $807,557 $817,557 $811,3175,6,7 +$3,760

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $85,476 $90,476 $97,476 $93,6368,9 +$8,160

LAND FORCES OPERATIONS SUPPORT $36,672 $36,672 $36,672 $36,672 -

AVIATION ASSETS $956,381 $944,881 $981,381 $963,66110 +$7,280

FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT $777,756 $748,256 $778,956 $779,45611,12 +$1,700

LAND FORCES SYSTEMS READINESS $51,506 $46,506 $51,506 $51,506 -

LAND FORCES DEPOT MAINTENANCE $244,942 $244,942 $244,942 $244,942 -

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $1,144,726 $1,134,226 $1,133,726 $1,129,72613 -$15,000

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, 

RESTORATION, & MODERNIZATION $781,895 $821,895 $1,012,045 $852,04514,15,16 +$70,150

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL HQ $999,052 $989,052 $994,052 $994,05217 -$5,000

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC-01) $6,854,485 $6,833,985 $7,138,835 $6,905,335 +$50,850

SERVICEWIDE TRANSPORTATION $7,703 $7,703 $7,703 $7,703 -

ADMINISTRATION $79,236 $80,386 $79,236 $80,38618 +$1,150

SERVICEWIDE COMMUNICATIONS $85,160 $85,160 $85,160 $85,160 -

MANPOWER MANAGEMENT $8,654 $8,654 $8,654 $8,654 -

OTHER PERSONNEL SUPPORT $268,839 $268,839 $268,839 $268,839 -

OTHER CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT AND 

REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT $3,093 $3,093 $3,093 $3,093 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR (BAC04) $452,685 $453,835 $452,685 $453,835 +$1,150

RESTORE READINESS - $20,000 - $20,000 +$20,000

OVERSTIMATION OF CIVILIAN FTE 

TARGETS AND STREAMLINING 

MANAGEMENT HEADQUARTERS

- -$9,000 - - -

ADJUST FOR PROGRAM REDUCTIONS 

UNACCOUNTED FOR IN REQUEST - -$23,000 - - -

REMOVE FY17 INCREASE - - -$57,000 -$57,000 -$57,000

OVERESTIMATION OF CIVILIAN FTE 

TARGETS - - -$38,000 -$38,000 -$38,000

AUTHORIZED END STRENGTH - - +$3,700 - -

TOTAL, ARNG O&M $7,307,170 $7,275,820 $7,500,220 $7,284, 170 -$23,000

Omnibus Items

1. Remove one-time FY17 increase -$20,000

2. Program increase – improve training and maintenance 

readiness +$6,800

3. Program increase – expanded training environment 

+$1,000

4. Remove one-time FY17 increase -$8,000

5. Remove one-time FY17 increase -$5,000

6. Program increase – improve training and maintenance 

readiness +$4,760

7. Program increase – training and operational support of 

the southwest border +$4,000

8. Program increase – improve maintenance readiness 

+$3,160

9. Program increase – training and operational support of 

the southwest border +$5,000

10. Program increase – improve maintenance readiness 

+$7,280

11. Program increase – trauma training +$1,200

12. Program increase – cyber protection teams +$500

13. Unjustified growth -$15,000

14. Pine Bluff Reserve Center FSRM – transfer from 

OMAR line 123 +$150

15. Program increase – armory lead abatement +$30,000

16. Program increase +$40,000

17. Program decrease not properly accounted -$5,000

18. Program increase – State Partnership Program +$1,150

4
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ARNG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D Mark

FY18 

SAC-D Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

MANEUVER UNITS $41,731 $41,731 $41,731 $41,731 -

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $762 $762 $762 $762 -

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $11,855 $11,855 $11,855 $11,855 -

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $204 $204 $204 $204 -

AVIATION ASSETS $27,583 $27,583 $27,583 $27,583 -

FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT

$5,792 $5,792 $5,792 $5,792 -

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $18,507 $18,507 $18,507 $18,507 -

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL 

HEADQUARTERS

$937 $937 $937 $937 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE 

(BAC-01) $107,371 $107,371 $107,371 $107,371 -

ADMINISTRATION $740 $740 $740 $740 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR 

(BAC-04) $740 $740 $740 $740 -

TOTAL, ARNG O&M (OCO) $108,111 $108,111 $108,111 $108,111 -

5
 Air National Guard

Air National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ANG Personnel Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

SAC-D Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 DAYS & 

DRILLS 24/48) $980,536 $980,536 $980,536 $980,536 -

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $88,496 $88,496 $88,496 $88,496 -

PAY GROUP P TRAINING (PIPELINE 

RECRUITS) $8,684 $8,684 $8,684 $8,684 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $343,710 $343,710 $343,710 $343,710 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $175,589 $177,539 $175,589 $177,5391 -$50

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $1,782,793 $1,782,793 $1,782,793 $1,782, 793 -

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN MATCHING 

CONTRIBUTIONS $13,814 $13,814 $13,814 $13,814 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $19,565 $19,565 $19,565 $19,565 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 (BAC01) $3,413,187 $3,415,137 $3,413,187 $3,415,137 -$50

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$9,000 -$13,520 -$13,520 -$13,520

TRAUMA TRAINING $1,800 +$1,800

INCREASED MILITARY PAY RAISE $5,400 +$5,400

TOTAL, NATIONAL GUARD 

PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE $3,413,187 $3,406,137 $3,406,867 $3,408,817 -$4,370

Omnibus Items

1. Program increase – State Partnership Program +$1,950

Air National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D 

Mark

FY18

SAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

SPECIAL TRAINING $5,004 $5,004 $5,004 $5,004 -

6
Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance 

ANG O&M Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta from 

Request

AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS $3,175,055 $3,046,367 $3,098,555 $3,095,0551 -$80,000

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $746,082 $735,232 $803,282 $746,4322,3,4,5 +$350

DEPOT MAINTENANCE $867,063 $859,063 $867,063 $867,063 -

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, RESTORATION 

& MODERNIZATION $325,090 $345,090 $449,090 $345,0906 +$20,000

CONTRACTOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT AND 

SYSTEM SUPPORT $1,100,829 $1,100,829 $1,139,529 $1,104,3097,8 +$3,480

BASE OPERATING SUPPORT $583,664 $574,664 $583,664 $583,664 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC-01) $6,797,783 $6,661,245 $6,941,183 $6,741,613 -$56,170

ADMINISTRATION $44,855 $44,855 $44,855 $44,855 -

RECRUITING AND ADVERTISING $97,230 $97,230 $97,230 $97,230 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR (BAC-04) $142,185 $142,185 $142,185 $142, 185 -

LOWER THAN BUDGETED AVERAGE 

SALARY - -$2,500 - - -

RESTORE READINESS - $10,000 - $10,000 +$10,000

ADJUST FOR PROGRAM REDUCTIONS 

UNACCOUNTED FOR IN REQUEST - -$75,000 - - -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD WILDFIRE TRAINING - - +$7,000 $7,000 +$7,000

TOTAL, AIR NATIONAL GUARD O&M $6,939,968 $6,735,930 $7,090,368 $6,900,798 -$39,170

Omnibus Items

1. Project underexecution -$80,000

2. Unjustified growth -$10,000

3. Program increase – trauma training +$1,800

4. Program increase – information technology service management for the ANG +$7,400

5. Program increase – State Partnership Program +$1,150

6. Program increase +$20,000

7. Program decrease not properly accounted -$20,000

8. Program increase – increase weapons systems sustainment for the ANG +$23,480

Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY18 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY18

HAC-D Mark

FY18 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY18 

Omnibus

Delta From 

Request

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $3,468 $3,468 $3,468 $3,468 -

BASE SUPPORT $11,932 $11,932 $11,932 $11,932 -

TOTAL, ANG O&M (OCO) $15,400 $15,400 $15,400 $15,400 -

7
Legislative Provisions

SEC. 8004. No more than 25 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. 8042. 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. 8044. 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. 8055. (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. 8064. 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. 8066. 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.

8
Omnibus Report Language 

Reprogramming Guidance for Operation and Maintenance Accounts

The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) for each of the 

fiscal year 2018 appropriation accounts not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. The Secretary 

of Defense is prohibited from executing any reprogramming or transfer of funds for any purpose other than 

originally appropriated until the aforementioned report is submitted to the House and Senate Defense 

Appropriations Subcommittees.

The Secretary of Defense is directed to use the normal prior approval reprogramming procedures to transfer 

funds in the Services' operation and maintenance accounts between 0-1 budget activities, or between subactivity groups in the case of Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide, in, excess of $20,000,000.

The agreement establishes new reprogramming rules for transferring funding out of readiness sub-activity 

groups, which are defined as follows:

Army:

Maneuver units

Modular support brigades

Aviation assets

Land forces operations support

Force readiness operations support

Land forces depot maintenance

Base operations support

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

Specialized skill training

Navy:

Mission and other flight operations

Fleet air training

Aircraft depot maintenance

Mission and other ship operations

Ship depot maintenance

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

Marine Corps:

Operational forces

Field logistics

Depot maintenance

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

Air Force:

Primary combat forces

Combat enhancement forces

Depot maintenance

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

Contractor logistics support and system support

Flying hour program

Air Force Reserve:

Depot maintenance

Air National Guard:

Depot maintenance

During fiscal year 2018, the Service Secretaries are directed to submit written notification to the 

congressional defense committees not later than 30 days prior to implementing transfers in excess of 

$20,000,000 out of any readiness sub-activity if the funds will be transferred into another readiness sub9
activity. However, if funding is transferred out of any readiness sub-activity into a non-readiness sub-activity, 

the Secretary of Defense is directed to use normal prior approval reprogramming procedures.

The Service Secretaries are further directed to include an enclosure with each written notification that 

includes increases and decreases by sub-activity group, a detailed justification' explaining why the sources of 

funding are available and why the increases are necessary, and an explanation of the impact on resources 

included in the fiscal year 2019 budget request for each increase and decrease. All transfers may be 

implemented 30 days after congressional notification unless an objection is received from one of the

congressional defense committees.

Additionally, the Secretary of Defense is directed to use normal prior approval reprogramming procedures 

when implementing transfers in excess of $20,000,000 into the following budget sub-activities:

Operation and Maintenance, Army: Other personnel support/recruiting and advertising

Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard: Other personnel support/recruiting and advertising

This language replaces the language included under the heading "Reprogramming

Guidance for Operation and Maintenance Accounts" in House Report 115-219.

Restoring Readiness

The agreement provides additional readiness funds for the Services within the operation and maintenance 

accounts. This funding shall be used only to improve military readiness, including increased training, depot 

maintenance, and base operations support. None of the funding provided may be used for recruiting, 

marketing, or advertising programs. The readiness funding provided is a congressional special interest item. 

The Secretary of Defense and the Service Secretaries are directed to submit a detailed spend plan by subactivity group to the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees not less than 30 days prior 

to the obligation of these funds. These transfers may be implemented 30 days after congressional 

notification unless an objection is received from either the House or Senate Defense Appropriations

Subcommittees.

Operation and Maintenance Flexibility

The agreement includes two adjustments for fiscal year 2018 to provide more flexibility of funding within the 

operation and maintenance accounts of this bill. The changes apply to fiscal year 2018 only and address the 

concerns expressed by senior leadership of the Department of Defense to be able to expend readiness 

funding within the confines of existing controls, while still ensuring accountability of the disbursement of 

taxpayer funds. These adjustments are necessary due to the delay of the final passage of this year's 

appropriation bill, combined with the large funding increase made possible by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 

2018, which provides a stable top-line level of funding for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

The first adjustment for flexibility is to Section 8004, which restricts obligations in the last two months of the 

fiscal year to 20 percent. This restriction is also known as the "80/20 rule." The agreement allows for the 

alleviation of the limitation by increasing the amount from 20 percent to 25 percent. This will allow the 

Services and the Department more flexibility to obligate annual funds within fiscal year 2018.

The second adjustment is to reprogramming guidelines for readiness funding. The readiness accounts 

identified in this agreement under "Reprogramming Guidance for Operation and Maintenance Accounts" will 

not require prior approval, only notification, for realignments between identified readiness budget lines. It is 

understood that realignments are required for unforeseen operational requirements or changes due to

program cost increases or schedule delays. Commensurate with the lifting of the realignment restrictions, for 

fiscal year 2018, the funding amount for the below threshold limitation has been increased from $15,000,000 

to $20,000,000.

Investing in Squadron Innovation

Fostering a culture of innovation at the squadron command level to outpace the efforts of competitors in a 

more complex and dangerous international security environment is a top priority of the Chief of Staff of the 

Air Force. The vision is to designate specific resources to spur original, creative thinking by airmen to solve 

unit, wing, and day-to-day issues and readiness challenges. In support of these efforts, the Secretary of the 

Air Force may spend up to $64,100,000 of fiscal year 2018 operation and maintenance funding to encourage 

this type of innovation across the active, guard, and reserve components. In order to assess this investment, 

1
the Secretary of the Air Force is directed to provide a briefing to the House and Senate Defense 

Appropriations

National Guard and Reserve Equipment

The agreement provides $1,300,000,000 for National Guard and Reserve Equipment. Of that amount 

$429,000,000 is designated for the Army National Guard; $429,000,000 for the Air National Guard; 

$169,000,000 for the Army Reserve; $65,000,000 for the Navy Reserve; $13,000,000 for the Marine Corps 

Reserve; and $195,000,000 for the Air Force Reserve. This funding will allow the reserve components to 

procure high priority equipment that may be used for combat and domestic response missions. Current 

reserve component equipping levels are among the highest in recent history and the funding provided by the 

agreement will help ensure component interoperability and sustained reserve component modernization.

The Secretary of Defense is directed to ensure that the account be executed by the Chiefs of the National 

Guard and reserve components with priority consideration given to the following items: acoustic hailing 

devices, active electronically scanned array radars, advanced cargo handling systems for CH-47s, advanced 

targeting pods, combat uniforms and cold weather protective clothing, crashworthy ballistically tolerant 

auxiliary internal and external fuel systems, digital radar warning receivers for F-16s, electromagnetic inflight

propeller balance systems, joint threat emitters, large aircraft infrared countermeasures, modular container 

systems for palletized cargo, modular and self-contained ranges, MQ-9 deployable launch and recovery 

element mission support kits, portable high frequency radios and antennas, radar warning receivers for C17s, radiac sets, satellite broadband for aircraft, commercial-off-the-shelf training systems/simulatorsincluding for small arms simulation, sun shades, unmanned systems for rapid emergency search and rescue 

support, un-stabilized gunnery crew and small arms trainers, and wireless mobile mesh self-healing network 

systems.

SAC-D Committee 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 

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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.

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 President’s 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 

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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 President’s 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

President’s budget request and again directs the Department to include an individual budget line for this 

program in future budget submissions.

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.

HAC-D Committee Report Language 

Reserve Components Full-Time Support

The Committee recognizes the important role performed by full-time support personnel in the National Guard 

and reserve components. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief of 

the National Guard Bureau, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 180 

days after the enactment of this Act that describes how the number of full-time support personnel in the 

National Guard impacts the readiness of each reserve component.

Quarterly Cyber Operations Briefing

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide quarterly briefings to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees on all named offensive and significant defensive military operations in 

cyberspace carried out by the Department of Defense not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal 

quarter.

Cyber Air Force Specialty Code

While the Army and the Marine Corps have established cyber-unique military occupational specialties, the 

Air Force has not created a cyber-unique Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) for officers.

The Committee is aware that the Air Force has experienced challenges in its efforts to recruit and retain 

military personnel for its Cyber Mission Force and believes the establishment of a cyber AFSC could assist 

those efforts. The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to conduct a review of the establishment 

of a cyber-unique AFSC, including if such a specialty code could help recruit and retain cyber military

personnel. The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a report to the congressional 

defense committees on the results of this review and its findings not later than 90 days after the enactment of 

this Act.

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Trauma Training Program

The Committee recognizes the valuable support that universities, hospitals, and other military partners 

provide by offering civilian-based emergency response trauma and critical care training, including public 

health, bio-environmental, and biomedical instruction to sustain capabilities of the National Guard Enhanced 

Response Forces Packages, National Guard Homeland Response Forces, and Army Reserve Consequence 

Management Response Forces. The Committee encourages the Director of the National Guard Bureau and 

the Chiefs of the reserve components to continue pursuing advanced trauma and public health training with 

these civilian partners in order to maintain unit readiness.

Granular Activated Carbon

The Committee is concerned by actual and potential incidents of contaminated drinking water on and around 

military bases. The Committee understands that in more than one instance, the Services’ use of firefighting 

foam during training exercises caused perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) to enter the ground and drinking 

water supply. The Committee recognizes that using granular activated carbon is an effective way of 

removing PFCs from ground water and drinking water and encourages the Secretary of the Air Force to 

explore the use of granular activated carbon for the removal of PFCs that impact environmental and human 

health standards at all Air Force bases.

A–10 Wing Replacement

The Committee recommends $103,000,000 above the budget request to restart the A–10 wing replacement 

program, which was included on the Air Force unfunded priorities list. The Committee notes that the included 

funds are expected to yield three production wing sets. Since 110 A–10 aircraft require new or overhauled 

wings and the estimated cost of the program could be as high as $10,000,000 per wing set, completing A–10 

wing replacements represents a significant investment over multiple fiscal years. The Committee expects the 

Secretary of the Air Force to follow through on the inclusion of A–10 wing replacements in the Air Force 

unfunded priorities list by programming the necessary resources to continue the program in future budget 

requests beginning with fiscal year 2019.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft

In order to more effectively meet the demand for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) pilots, the Committee 

directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later 

than 90 days after the enactment of this Act that describes the feasibility of university-based training for Air 

Force ROTC cadets as RPA pilots and sensor operators.

F–15C and Air Force Fighter Mix

The Committee is concerned by indications from the Air Force that it may seek to divest the F–15C fleet 

before an advanced air superiority capability is fielded. The Committee is further concerned by the removal 

of funds for F–15C Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System and wing service life extension 

from the future years defense plan. The Committee understands that the Air Force is currently studying the 

future optimal mix of fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft and that the Department of Defense is 

engaged in forming a new National Defense Strategy, both of which should inform Air Force proposals for 

the F–15C fleet. The Committee notes that in recent years the Air Force has proposed, with little success, to 

trade away current tactical air capacity to create budgetary headroom for other priorities. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of the Air Force to keep the Committee fully informed of all Air Force studies regarding 

the F–15C fleet (including modification programs) and the composition of the fighter aircraft force, and will 

carefully review any future proposals regarding the F–15C fleet to ensure that all mission areas can be 

suitably met.

Improved Turbine Engine Program

The Committee commends the Army for advancing the research of the Improved Turbine Engine Program 

and for exploring ways to accelerate the development and fielding of this program. The Improved Turbine 

Engine Program is intended to develop a more fuel efficient and powerful engine for the current UH–60 Black 

Hawk and AH–64 Apache helicopter fleets. This new engine will increase operational capabilities in high and 

hot environments, increase range, and improve fuel efficiency while reducing the Army’s logistical footprint, 

and operational and support costs. Given the positive progress of this program, the Committee recommends 

fully funding the Improved Turbine Engine Program in fiscal year 2018 and encourages the Secretary of the 

Army to ensure that the program is robustly funded in future years budget submissions.

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Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System

The Committee recommendation fully funds the budget request of $417,021,000 for the Joint Surveillance 

Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) recapitalization program. In order to ensure that the Air Force 

remains on schedule to contract for development of the new JSTARS platform in fiscal year 2018, the 

recommendation includes a legislative provision that prohibits the use of funds to continue pre-milestone B 

activities beyond March 31, 2018, except for source selection and other activities necessary to enter the 

engineering and manufacturing development phase.

The Committee expects that the Air Force will not take steps to prematurely retire existing mission capable 

E–8 JSTARS aircraft prior to the current estimated initial operational capability (not later than fiscal year 

2024) for the new JSTARS platform. The Air Force has indicated that no determination has yet been made 

regarding the phase-out of the E–8 fleet. The Committee recognizes that the retirement of E–8 aircraft is 

partially dependent on the progress of the recapitalization program, but is concerned that the Air Force has 

not programmed funds to modify the E–8 fleet in order to meet air traffic control mandates and has been 

unable to provide an estimate for such modifications. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the 

Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees on the estimated cost and schedule for 

integrating, procuring, and installing necessary avionics upgrades for the E–8 fleet in order to meet air traffic 

control mandates. The report shall be submitted not later than January 31, 2018.

Air-To-Ground Tactical Weapon Systems

The Committee recognizes the future need for an air-to-ground, fighter aircraft-capable tactical weapon 

system to replace existing systems and enhance capabilities against peer competitors. The

Committee encourages the Secretary of the Air Force to study and test multi-mode weapon systems that can 

be mounted on fighter aircraft and effectively meet identified requirements to engage a range of tactical 

ground targets, including armor, ships, ground vehicles, and air defense systems. The Committee directs the 

Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees on current and future 

air-to-ground tactical weapon systems efforts not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.

Counterterrorism Efforts to Build Partnership Capacity in the United States Southern Command Area 

of Responsibility

The Committee recognizes that the United States Southern Command historically has been engaged in 

successful counter-drug partnership programs while its counterterrorism building partnership capacity efforts 

have been limited by a lack of funding and authorities. The Committee notes that Department of Defense 

officials agree that it is time to expand counterterrorism efforts to build the capacity of nations within the 

United States Southern Command area of responsibility. These efforts would focus on tactical level training, 

sensitive site exploitation, biometric assessment, basic mission planning, close quarters battle, and urban 

movement. Once tactical units of partner nations show an acceptable level of proficiency in these tasks, 

training focus would shift to more advanced tactical tasks and higher level mission planning efforts including 

operations and intelligence fusion. To master these tasks, partner nations will likely require equipment, 

limited small scale construction, and extensive training. The Committee encourages the Secretary of 

Defense to expand its counterterrorism efforts to the nations within the United States Southern Command 

area of responsibility. Building partnership capacity within each partner nation will allow effective host 

government management of their own counterterrorism strategy.

National Guard and Reserve Equipment

The Committee recommends $1,000,000,000 for National Guard and Reserve Equipment. Of that amount, 

$330,000,000 is for the Army National Guard; $330,000,000 is for the Air National Guard; $130,000,000 is 

for the Army Reserve; $50,000,000 is for the Navy Reserve; $10,000,000 is for the Marine Corps Reserve; 

and $150,000,000 is for the Air Force Reserve to meet urgent equipment needs that may arise in the coming 

fiscal year. This funding will allow the National Guard and reserve components to procure high priority 

equipment that may be used by these units for both their combat missions and their missions in support of 

state governors. The funding within this account is not to be used to procure equipment that has been 

designated as high density critical equipment, major weapon systems, aircraft, and other equipment central 

to a unit’s ability to perform its doctrinal mission. The funding within this account is not to be used to procure 

equipment that should be purchased by the senior Service, to expand or accelerate current Service 

procurement plans, to purchase expendable items, or to purchase facilities or equipment for any requirement 

that can be satisfied elsewhere. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the National 

Guard and Reserve Equipment account shall be executed by the Chiefs of the National Guard and reserve 

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components with priority consideration given to the following items: acoustic hailing devices, active 

electronically scanned array radars, advanced targeting pods, crashworthy ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel 

systems, electromagnetic in-flight propeller balance systems, joint threat emitters, large aircraft infrared 

countermeasures, modular and self-contained ranges, satellite broadband for aircraft, training 

systems/simulators, unmanned systems for rapid emergency search and rescue support, unstabilized 

gunnery crew and small arms trainers, and wireless mobile mesh self-healing network systems.

16