VOL* III No. 10
U.S. NAVAL STATION Monday, 10 March 195B
i
INCENTIVE" SYSTEM SEEN
STRENGTHENING SERVICES
;Official Expects ’No Miracles*
Washington (AFPS) - The new military
!pay and incentive bill will produce no
imiracles, Assistant Secretary of Defense
!William H. Francis Jr. has told Congress
|but will provide steady and dramatic im
iprovement in the services.
. Testifying is support of the pay leg
islation at the opening hearing of the
I House Armed Services Sub-Committe, head
led by Rep. Paul J. Kilday (D-Tex), the
I manpower chief said, ”our country to sur
;vive needs now, more than ever before in
iits history, ■ a military force of truly —'
!professional stature.
I We do not presently have such a force”
IMr« Francis declared.
Figures quoted later revealed that of
!2e3 million men in the ranks, only-765,
|000 are experienced; and fully trained.
"Unless we can offer our most able
imen a chance to move forward in accor
idance with demonstrated ability, we are
I in "grave danger” of eventually bogging
;down the services ” with men who do not
Ihave confidence in their ability, do not
jhave ambition or drive and are not the
I kind of men the modern Armed forces bo
:urgently require,”he explained.
“We expect no miracles” through the :
proposed changes in the military pay I
structure, Mr* Francis told the legisla- ;
tors, “but we do expect a stead, and ul- ;
timately, a dramatic improvement in our j
order of readiness*” i
The Defense Department considers the \
proficiency system to be the most flex- j
ible of all the various compensation ;
proposals that have been suggested and :
believes the plan offers the greatest ;
benefits at the least cost, he added,
Mr, Francis said profieiency pay is j
precisely that - pay for proficiency and j
not technician pay, skill, specialists j
pay or any of the other things it has i
been called,
"You might say it is a compromise,but j
I incline to use the word ‘flexible, * j
flexible in that it can be applied in ;
one way by one service to solve one type;
of problem, another way by another ser- I
vice to solve its separate problem,“ Mr• j
Francis said, I
For that reason,he continued the .pro--*;,
ficiency system permits use in two ways; ;
either through qualification in a skill |
of critical importance, or demonstration-;
(con‘t page 2 - Column 1 )
13ND-5953 Navy-DPPO 13ND Brem., Wri.