FY19

Defense AppropriationsAct

As of September 28th, 2018

Bill Status

Passed in 

Committee Passed in Chamber Final Passage Signed into Law

House June 13th, 2018 June 28th, 2018 September 26th, 

2018

September 28th, 

2018 Senate June 28th, 2018 August 23rd, 2018 September 18th, 

2018

Executive Summary

This guide provides a short summary of the Fiscal Year 2019 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 September 13th, 2018, the Senate and House released the conference report and joint explanatory 

statement for H.R. 6157, Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019. The bill appropriates 

$606.5 billion for base defense spending and $67.9 billion for OCO, for a total of $674.4 billion.

Highlights: 

• Funds an end-strength of 343,500 for the ARNG and 107,100 for the ANG

• Adds $11.7M for State Partnership Program

• Adds $30.1M for Youth ChalleNGe

• Adds $7M for wildfire training

• Adds $100M for NG Counterdrug Program and $25M for schools

• Adds $74M for C-130 engines, $55M for C-130 propellers, and $30M for C-130 modernization

• Appropriates $168M for 6 AH-64 Apaches for the ARNG and designates 6 others from the PB 

request to the ARNG for a total of 12

• Appropriates $56M for 8 UH-40M Black Hawks for the ARNG for a total of 15

• Appropriates $640M for 8 C-130Js for the ANG

• Appropriates $421M each for ARNG and ANG for NGREA

• Appropriates $120M for ARNG HMMWV Ambulances

• Adds legislative language making available $20M of Air Force and Air National Guard O&M 

funds for PFOS/PFOA remediation.

1
National Guard Accounts Overview

(All Dollars in Thousands)

Army National 

Guard

FY19

President’s 

Budget Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

FY19

SAC-D Mark

FY19 Conference Delta from 

Request

ARNG 

Personnel $8,744,345 $8,589,785 $8,650,645 $8,600,945 -$143,400

ARNG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$195,283 $195,283 $195,283 $195,283 -

ARNG O&M $7,399,295 $7,329,771 $7,261,295 $7,118,831 -$280,464

ARNG O&M 

OCO $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 -

NGREA - $421,000 $291,500 $421,000 +$421,000

Air National 

Guard

FY19 

President’s 

Budget Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

FY19 

SAC-D Mark

FY19 Conference Delta from 

Request

ANG 

Personnel $3,725,380 $3,707,240 $3,718,780 $3,699,080 -$26,300

ANG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$5,460 $5,460 $5,460 $5,460 -

ANG O&M $6,427,622 $6,438,162 $6,433,697 $6,420,697 -$6,925

ANG O&M 

OCO $15,870 $15,870 $15,870 $15,870 -

NGREA - $421,000 $291,500 $421,000 +$421,000

2
Army National Guard

Army National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ARNG Personnel Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19

SAC-D 

Mark

FY19 Conference Delta from 

Request

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $2,805,051 $2,786,051 $2,805,051 $2,786,0511 -$19,000

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $575,310 $565,310 $575,310 $565,3102 -$10,000

PAY GROUP P TRAINING 

(PIPELINE RECRUITS) $43,618 $43,618 $43,618 $43,618 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $554,644 $551,644 $554,644 $554,644 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $695,097 $707,337 $698,697 $707,9973,4,5 +$12,900

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $3,925,593 $3,925,593 $3,925,593 $3,925,593 -

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN 

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $55,530 $55,530 $55,530 $55,530 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $89,502 $89,502 $89,502 $89,502 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1

(BAC-01) $8,744,345 $8,724,585 $8,747,945 $8,728,245 -$16,100

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$136,000 -$99,500 -$134,0006,7,8,9 -$134,000

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

WILDFIRE TRAINING - - +$1,000 $5,500 +$5,500

TOTAL, ARNG PERSONNEL $8,744,345 $8,589,785 $8,650,645 $8,600,945 -$143,400

6. Blended retirement overestimation -$29,000

7. Historical unobligated balances -$68,000

8. Revised estimate -$30,000

9. Rate adjustments -$7,000

Army National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ARNG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19

SAC-D Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta from 

Request

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $47,114 $47,114 $47,114 $47,114 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $2,939 $2,939 $2,939 $2,939 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $135,655 $135,655 $135,655 $135,655 -

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $9,575 $9,575 $9,575 $9,575 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 

(BAC-01) $195,283 $195,283 $195,283 $195,283 -

TOTAL ARNG PERSONNEL $195,283 $195,283 $195,283 $195,283 -

Conference Items

1. Excess growth -$19,000

2. Excess to requirement -$10,000

3. Program increase – SPP +$3,600

4. Program increase – CPTs +$1,300

5. Program increase – training and operational 

support of the southwest border +$8,000

3
Army National Guard Operation & Maintenance

ARNG O&M Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

FY19

SAC-D Mark

FY19 Conference Delta 

from 

Request

MANEUVER UNITS $810,269 $776,495 $790,269 $776,4951,2,3 -$33,774

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $193,402 $185,402 $193,402 $185,4024 -$8,000

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $753,815 $755,815 $753,815 $755,8155 +$2,000

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $84,124 $84,124 $84,124 $84,124 -

LAND FORCES OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT $31,881 $31,881 $31,881 $31,881 -

AVIATION ASSETS $973,874 $973,874 $973,874 $973,874 -

FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT $784,086 $785,586 $765,286 $766,7866,7,8,9 -$17,300

LAND FORCES SYSTEMS READINESS $51,353 $51,353 $51,353 $51,353 -

LAND FORCES DEPOT 

MAINTENANCE $221,633 $221,633 $221,633 $221,633 -

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $1,129,942 $1,114,942 $1,108,942 $1,108,94210,11 -$21,000

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, 

RESTORATION, & MODERNIZATION $919,947 $999,947 $919,947 $919,947 -

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL 

HQ $1,010,524 $1,002,059 $1,010,524 $1,002,05912,13 -$8,465

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE 

(BAC-01) $6,964,850 $6,983,111 $6,905,050 $6,878,311 -$86,539

SERVICEWIDE TRANSPORTATION $10,017 $10,017 $10,017 $10,017 -

ADMINISTRATION $72,746 $75,68612 $76,546 $76,54614 +$3,800

SERVICEWIDE COMMUNICATIONS $83,105 $83,105 $83,105 $83,105 -

MANPOWER MANAGEMENT $10,678 $10,678 $10,678 $10,678 -

RECRUITING AND ADVERTISING $254,753 $254,753 $254,753 $254,753 -

OTHER CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT 

AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT $3,146 $3,146 $3,146 $3,146 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR 

(BAC-04) $434,445 $437,385 $438,245 $438,245 +$3,800

UNJUSTIFIED GROWTH - - -$88,000 -$88,000 -$88,000

WILDFIRE TRAINING - - +$6,000 $1,000 +$1,000

RESTORE READINESS - +$20,000 - - -

HISTORICAL UNOBLIGATION - -$110,725 - -$110,725 -$110,725

TOTAL, ARNG O&M $7,399,295 $7,329,771 $7,261,295 $7,118,831 -$280,464

Conference Items|

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

2. Training excess growth -$11,169

3. Transportation excess growth -$2,605

4. Program decrease not properly accounted -$8,000

5. Program increase- training and operational support

of the southwest border +$2,000

6. Program increase – CPTs +$500

7. Program increase – expanded training environment 

+$1,000

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

9. Program increase – advanced trauma training +$1,200

10. Program decrease not properly accounted -$25,000

11. Program increase – ARNG preventative mental health 

program +$4,000

12. FY18 decrease not properly accounted -$5,000

13. Excess growth -$3,465

14. Program increase – SPP +$3,800

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

ARNG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19

SAC-D Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta from 

Request

MANEUVER UNITS $42,519 $42,519 $42,519 $42,519 -

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $778 $778 $778 $778 -

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $12,093 $12,093 $12,093 $12,093 -

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $708 $708 $708 $708 -

AVIATION ASSETS $28,135 $28,135 $28,135 $28,135 -

FORCE READINESS 

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

$5,908 $5,908 $5,908 $5,908 -

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $18,877 $18,877 $18,877 $18,877 -

MANAGEMENT AND 

OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

$956 $956 $956 $956 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE 

(BAC-01) $109,974 $109,974 $109,974 $109,974 -

SERVICEWIDE 

COMMUNICATIONS $755 $755 $755 $755 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 

FOUR (BAC-04) $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 -

TOTAL, ARNG O&M (OCO) $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 $110,729 -

5
 Air National Guard

Air National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ANG Personnel Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta from 

Request

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $989,368 $989,368 $989,368 $989,368 -

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $85,771 $85,771 $85,771 $85,771 -

PAY GROUP P TRAINING 

(PIPELINE RECRUITS) $8,113 $8,113 $8,113 $8,113 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $334,293 $334,293 $334,293 $334,293 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $167,411 $168,671 $171,011 $171,0111 +$3,600

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $2,099,045 $2,098,045 $2,099,045 $2,099,045 -

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN 

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $25,177 $25,177 $25,177 $25,177 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $16,202 $16,202 $16,202 $16,202 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 

(BAC-01) $3,725,380 $3,725,640 $3,728,980 $3,728,980 +$3,600

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$20,200 -$12,000 -$32,2002,3,4 -$32,200

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

WILDFIRE TRAINING - - $450 $500 +$500

Total, National Guard Personnel, 

Air Force $3,725,380 $3,707,240 $3,718,780 $3,699,080 -$26,300

Conference Items

1. Program increase – SPP +$3,600

2. Blended retirement overestimation -$17,000

3. Historical unobligated balances -$13,200

4. Rate adjustments -$2,000

Air National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta from 

Request 

SPECIAL TRAINING $5,460 $5,460 $5,460 $5,460 -

6
Air National Guard Operation & Maintenance 

ANG O&M Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta 

from 

Request

AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS $2,619,940 2,579,940 $2,533,940 $2,539,9401 -$80,000

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $623,265 623,805 $631,540 $631,5402,3,4,5,6,7 +$8,275

DEPOT MAINTENANCE $748,287 $748,287 $748,287 $748,287 -

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, 

RESTORATION & MODERNIZATION $303,792 343,792 $309,292 $309,2928 +$5,500

CONTRACTOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT 

AND SYSTEM SUPPORT $1,061,759 $1,061,759 $1,061,759 $1,061,759 -

BASE OPERATING SUPPORT $988,333 $988,333 $1,023,633 $1,004,6339,10 +$16,300

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC01) $6,345,376 $6,345,916 $6,308,451 $6,295,451 -$49,925

ADMINISTRATION $45,711 $45,711 $45,711 $45,711 -

RECRUITING AND ADVERTISING $36,535 $36,535 $36,535 $36,535 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR 

(BAC-04) $82,246 $82,246 $82,246 $82,246 -

RESTORE READINESS - +$10,000 - -

DECREASE UNACCOUNTED FOR - - -$18,000 -$18,000 -$18,000

BUYBACK 3 PMAI JSTARS AIRCRAFT - - +61,000 $61,000 +$61,000

TOTAL, AIR NATIONAL GUARD O&M $6,427,622 $6,438,162 $6,433,697 $6,420,697 -$6,925

Conference Items

1. Projected underexecution -$80,000

2. Program increase – SPP +$675

3. Program decrease not properly accounted -$15,000

4. Program increase – disaster relief mobile kitchen trailers +$7,800

5. Program increase – ANG readiness ranges +$9,000

6. Program increase – advanced trauma training program +$1,800

7. Program increase – ANG preventative mental health program +$4,000

8. Program increase – KC-46A emergent requirements +$5,500

9. ANG-requested transfer for environment projects from Environmental Restoration, Air Force Account +$11,000

10. Program increase – cold weather aviation systems +$5,300

Air National Guard Operation & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

FY19 

Conference

Delta from 

Request

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $3,560 $3,560 $3,560 $3,560 -

BASE SUPPORT $12,310 $12,310 $12,310 $12,310 -

TOTAL, ANG O&M (OCO) $15,870 $15,870 $15,870 $15,870 -

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. 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. 8054. (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. 8062. Notwithstanding section 12310(b) of title 10, United States Code, a Reserve 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. 8064. 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. 8142. Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Defense under the heading ‘‘Operation and 

Maintenance, Air National Guard’’, not more than $20,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of the Air 

Force for payments to a local water authority located in the vicinity of an Air National Guard base, or to a 

state in which the local water authority is located, for the treatment of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and 

perfluorooctanoic acid in drinking water from the wells owned and operated by the local water authority 

undertaken to attain the United States Environmental Protection Agency Lifetime Health Advisory level for 

such acids: 

Provided, that the applicable Lifetime Health Advisory shall be the one in effect on October 1, 2017: 

Provided further, that the local water authority must have requested such a payment from the National Guard 

Bureau in fiscal year 2018: 

Provided further, that the elevated levels of such acids in the water was the result of activities conducted by 

or paid for by the Department of the Air Force: 

8
Provided further, that such funds may be expended without regard to existing contractual provisions in 

agreements between the Department of the Air Force or the National Guard Bureau, as the case may be, 

and the state in which the base is located relating to environmental response actions or indemnification: 

Provided further, that, in order to be eligible for payment under this section, such treatment must have taken

place after January 1, 2017, but prior to the date of enactment of this act, and the local water authority or 

state, as the case may be, must waive all claims for treatment expenses incurred before such date of 

enactment: 

Provided further, that any payment under this section may not exceed the actual cost of such treatment 

resulting from the activities conducted by or paid for by the Department of the Air Force: 

Provided further, that the Secretary may enter into such agreements with the local water authority or state as 

may be necessary to implement this section:

Provided further, that the Secretary may pay, utilizing the Defense State Memorandum of Agreement, costs 

that would otherwise be eligible for payment under that agreement were those costs paid using funds 

appropriated to the Environmental Restoration Account, Air Force, established under section 2703(a)(4) of 

title 10, United States Code.

9
Conference 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 2019 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 $15,000,000. In 

addition, the Secretary of Defense shall follow prior approval reprogramming procedures for transfers in 

excess of $15,000,000 out of the following readiness sub-activity groups:

Army:

Maneuver units

Modular support brigades

Land forces operations support

Aviation assets

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 purchase equipment maintenance

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

Contractor logistics support and system support

Flying hour program

Air Force Reserve:

Primary combat forces

Air National Guard:

Aircraft operations

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

when implementing transfers in excess of $15,000,000 into the following budget sub-activities:

Operation and Maintenance, Army:

Recruiting and advertising

10
Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard:

Other personnel support/recruiting and advertising

Environmental Restoration, Air Force

The agreement provides $365,808,000, an increase of $69,000,000 above the budget request, for 

Environmental Restoration, Air Force. An increase of $80,000,000 is provided to address costs associated 

with remediating contamination caused by perfluorinated chemicals. The adjustment also includes a transfer 

of $11,000,000 to Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard for execution.

National Guard and Reserve Equipment

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

amount $421,000,000 is designated for the Army National Guard; $421,000,000 for the Air National Guard; 

$180,000,000 for the Army Reserve; $65,000,000 for the Navy Reserve; $13,000,000 for the Marine Corps 

Reserve; and $200,000,000 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 conferees direct the Secretary of Defense 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; arctic sustainment packages; cold weather and 

mountaineering gear and equipment; commercial off-the-shelf training systems and simulation devices;

crashworthy, ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel systems for ground and air; digital radar warning receivers for 

F-16s; fifth generation certified wireless mobile mesh self-healing tamper-proof network systems; HMMWV 

rollover mitigation; joint threat emitters;modular small arms ranges and simulation; MQ-9 deployable launch 

and recovery element mission support kits; personal dosimeters; radiac sets; secure voice, text, and data 

communications for joint response and operations; sense and avoid systems; small unit support vehicles; 

and unstabilized gunnery trainers and upgrades.

SAC-D Report Language 

Advanced Battle Management System

The fiscal year 2019 President’s budget request supports the Air Force’s new approach to battle 

management, the Advanced Battle Management System [ABMS]. The Committee understands that the 

ABMS will be a decentralized network of platforms and sensors that will integrate battlefield surveillance 

information. The Committee is supportive of the Air Force’s new approach given the changing threat 

environment and need for resilient and survivable networks against near peer competitors. However, the 

Committee is concerned with the near-term risks in cancelling the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar 

System [JSTARS] recapitalization program and time required to operationalize these new capabilities.

As a result, the Committee fully funds the budget request for ABMS and recommends an additional 

$375,000,000 to address near-term risks, to include procurement funding for additional MQ–9 Reaper 

unmanned aerial vehicles and support of the battlefield airborne communications node mission; research, 

development, test and evaluation funding for radar and agile communications development; and operation 

and maintenance in the Air National Guard funding to continue to operate and sustain the legacy E–8 

JSTARS fleet. Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the 

congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after enactment of this act on a revised ABMS plan 

and execution strategy, updated costs and schedules of each activity within the ABMS plan, and a gap and 

threat assessment of both the ground moving target indicator and battle management command and control 

mission areas.

11
Reserve Component Budget Reporting

The Committee continues its requirement for the Department to provide a semi-annual detailed report to the 

congressional defense committees showing transfers between sub-activities within the military personnel 

appropriation. Reports shall be submitted not later than 30 days following the end of the second quarter and 

30 days following the end of the fiscal year.

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.

Report on Guard and Reserve Benefits and Compensation

The Committee recognizes that additional active duty service requirements are being asked of currently 

serving members of the National Guard and Reserve in order to enhance the readiness of the force. The 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not 

later than 90 days after the enactment of this act that includes proposals for compensation, allowances, and 

benefits for members of the reserve components who perform additional periods of active duty service for 

non-contingency operations that exceed the standard duty obligations required of service in a reserve 

component. These proposals should provide for compensation, allowances, and benefits commensurate with 

the additional duties assigned.

National Guard Cyber Protection Teams

The Army National Guard currently has 11 Cyber Protection Teams [CPT] with a plan to reach Full 

Operational Capability by fiscal year 2022. The Committee recognizes the National Guard’s unique authority 

to provide cyberspace operations support to State and local agencies for domestic operations, supports 

additional CPTs and encourages the Army to investigate the viability of a CPT in each State’s Guard.

Properly Budgeting for Full Requirements

During the review of the fiscal year 2018 President’s budget request, the Air Force revealed to the 

Committee that it starts each fiscal year with nearly $1,000,000,000 in programmatic shortfalls in its 

operation and maintenance account for must-pay mission bills. The increases in readiness funding provided 

by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 have allowed the Air Force to close that gap; however, the Committee

continues to discover examples of the Air Force not programming or budgeting for the full amount of known 

requirements.

This is not only evident in the larger programs such as Operational Support Airlift or Base Operations 

Support, but also very specific smaller programs such as the operational funding for the C–130H Weapons 

Instructor Course and the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center hosted by the 139th Airlift Wing with the 

Missouri Air National Guard. The Committee understands that the 139th Airlift Wing requirements have 

historically been sourced exclusively during the year of execution at the expense of other funded programs.

Failure to properly budget resources for known requirements places unnecessary burdens on smaller 

programs, increases the probability of reprogramming requests, and often leads to an application of a tax 

against mission accounts to cover under-programmed requirements. The Committee recognizes the efforts 

12
made to improve the operation and maintenance budget formulation process to match historical execution 

and directs the Secretary of the Air Force to continue to emphasize properly programming resources in order 

to fully fund known requirements for the active, guard and reserve components.

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.

Advanced Turbine Engine Army Maintenance [ATEAM]

The ATEAM is a military special repair activity located on Fort Riley, Kansas. The ATEAM provides rebuiltAGT 1500 engines and X1100 transmissions in support of the Army National Guard, Army Material 

Command, the United States Marine Corps, the Tank and Automotive Command [TACOM], as well as 

foreign military partners.

The Committee is encouraged that the U.S. Army, National Guard Bureau, TACOM and Kansas National 

Guard are establishing a Memorandum of Agreement to facilitate the contracting of parts and equipment 

when workload obligations exceed the capacity of the Kansas National Guard. However, authorities for Title

32 Federal technicians are not well defined as it relates to work on foreign military sales contracts 

specifically, such as Full Up Power Pack repairs. The unclear policies have hampered the ability of the

ATEAM to meet obligations and maintain workload.

Therefore, the Chief, National Guard Bureau, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, is directed to 

conduct a review and establish policies that clearly define ATEAM authorities to fulfill obligations. The review 

shall inform a report addressing the following: (1) the duties and responsibilities of the U.S. Army, National

Guard Bureau, TACOM and the Kansas National Guard for the ATEAM to meet obligations; (2) an ATEAM 

workforce transition plan and policies for work on foreign military sales contracts; and (3) a justification from 

the Chief, National Guard Bureau, in coordination with the Kansas National Guard, that certifies any change 

in the workforce of the ATEAM will not adversely affect the ATEAM’s ability to meet existing and future 

obligations of the U.S. Army and foreign military sales contracts. The report and a briefing on its findings to 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees shall be completed not later 60 days after the enactment

of this act.

AH–64 Apache Block IIIB New Build

The Committee recommendation includes $1,184,687,000 for the procurement of AH–64 Apache Block IIIB 

New Build aircraft, an increase of $720,000,000 above the budget request. The Secretary of the Army is 

encouraged to increase readiness by addressing the shortfall of aircraft in the Army National Guard Apache 

battalions.

UH–60 Black Hawk

The Committee recommendation includes $1,308,310,000 for the procurement of 64 UH–60M Black Hawk 

aircraft, an increase of $319,500,000 and 15 aircraft above the budget request. Of the 64 aircraft funded 

within the fiscal year 2019 President’s budget request, 15 are designated only for the Army National Guard.

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, Arctic Sustainment Package, Cold Weather and Mountaineering Gear and 

Equipment, Commercial Off-the-Shelf Simulation Devices, Detect and Avoid Systems for MQ–9 Aircraft, 

Digital Radar Warning Receivers for F–16s, MQ–9 Deployable Launch & Recovery Element Mission Support 

Kits, Radiac Sets, and Small Unit Support Vehicles.

13
Commercial Off-the-Shelf Simulation Devices

The Committee commends the Army National Guard for its innovative approach to acquiring commercial offthe-shelf simulation devices. Utilizing COTS training devices enables the Guard to provide high quality,

timely simulation training at an affordable cost. The Committee encourages the Guard to continue utilizing 

COTS simulation training devices and to consider a service and support business model for simulation 

training in order to maximize the benefits of modern, realistic training scenarios.

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 servicemember’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 healthcare for reserve

component servicemembers.

HAC-D Report Language 

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. The Committee also encourages the development 

of enhanced medical and critical care preparedness programs.

Suicide Prevention and Outreach

The Committee is concerned by the number of suicides among servicemembers. The Committee recognizes 

programs like the National Guard Bureau's national counseling and suicide prevention peer-to-peer outreach 

programs are vital to reducing the number of suicides among guardsmen. The Committee encourages the 

Chief of the National Guard Bureau to continue supporting such programs.

Restoring Readiness

The Committee recommends 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 sub-activity group not less than 30 days prior to the obligation of these funds.

PFOS/PFOA Exposure Assessment

The Committee continues to be concerned about potential perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination on military installations. The Committee recommends 

$7,000,000 for an exposure assessment, which shall be limited to current or former domestic military 

installations known to have PFOS/PFOA contamination in drinking water, ground water, and any other 

sources of water and relevant exposure pathways. The Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense (Energy, Installations, and Environment) to provide a report to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act on the Department's 

strategy to execute this funding.

14
AH-64 Apache

The Committee is aware that the Army is reviewing a decision to increase the size of the four Army National 

Guard AH-64 Apache battalions from 18 to 24 aircraft, and that as a result, the acquisition objective for 

Apache aircraft will increase. The Committee supports such an increase to maximize the operational

availability and lethality of the Army's Apache fleet. The Committee further notes that the Department of 

Defense Appropriations Act, 2018, fully funded the Army's pre-existing acquisition objective for new build 

Apache aircraft. The fiscal year 2019 request, which was submitted prior to the final appropriation for fiscal 

year 2018, included a request for 12 new build aircraft. The Committee recommends an increase of six 

aircraft above the budget request and designates 12 of the 18 total aircraft for the Army National Guard in 

order to accelerate the enhancement of the Guard's Apache battalions. The remaining six aircraft are 

available to the Army for fleet management and replacement of recent operational losses. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a report to the congressional defense committees on its plans 

with respect to increasing the size of Army National Guard Apache battalions not later than September 30, 

2018.

UH-60M Black Hawk

To accelerate the recapitalization of the Army National Guard's UH-60A fleet, the Committee recommends 

an increase of eight UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft above the budget request of 50, and designates not fewer 

than 15 of the 58 total aircraft for the Army National Guard.

National Guard and Reserve Equipment

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

$421,000,000 is for the Army National Guard; $421,000,000 is for the Air National Guard; $180,000,000 is 

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

and $200,000,000 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 is 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; 

crashworthy, ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel systems for ground and air; fifth generation certified wireless 

mobile mesh self-healing tamper-proof network systems; HMMWV rollover mitigation; joint threat emitters; 

modular small arms ranges/simulation; personal dosimeters; secure voice, text, and data communications for 

joint response and operations; sense and avoid systems; training systems and simulators; and unstabilized 

gunnery trainers and upgrades.

Improved Turbine Engine Program

The Committee understands the Army is advancing research and development of the Improved Turbine 

Engine Program and is 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 logistics footprint, and operational and support costs.

15
The Committee recommends fully funding the Improved Turbine Engine Program in fiscal year 2019 and 

encourages the Secretary of the Army to ensure that the program is funded appropriately in future years 

budget submissions.

Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Recapitalization. The fiscal year 2019 budget request 

proposes to terminate the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) recapitalization program 

and removes all funding for the program from the future years defense plan. The Committee strongly 

supports the continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program and notes that the Department of Defense 

Appropriations Act, 2018, provided $405,451,000 for JSTARS recapitalization and prohibited the Secretary of 

the Air Force from reprogramming or otherwise utilizing these funds for any purpose other than the JSTARS 

recapitalization program of record.

The Committee further notes that the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 

Fiscal Year 2019 would limit the use of certain funds until the Secretary of the Air Force certifies that a 

contract has been awarded for JSTARS recapitalization.

The Committee believes that should the Secretary of the Air Force decide to continue the JSTARS 

recapitalization program and award a contract, the funding previously appropriated is sufficient through fiscal 

year 2019 based on previous Air Force budget estimates.

However, since the Air Force removed funding for the program in the future years defense plan and is in the 

process of formulating its fiscal year 2020 budget request, the Committee recommends an additional 

$623,000,000 to support potential continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program and designates this

funding as a congressional special interest item. In addition, the Committee recommendation includes a 

provision that would prohibit the divestment of more than one legacy E-8C JSTARS aircraft unless the 

Secretary of the Air Force certifies to the congressional defense committees that funds have been obligated 

pursuant to a contract award for continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program.

The Committee further directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense 

committees not later than September 30, 2018, that provides options for continuing the JSTARS 

recapitalization program with an acquisition objective for fewer than 17 aircraft but which can still fulfill known 

combatant commander requirements. The report shall include estimated cost and schedule impacts, 

available options for accelerating the delivery of new JSTARS aircraft, and the timeline for achievement of 

initial operating capability.

16