Budget request would shift money among military family programs

The White House’s 2014 budget request for military family support programs — $8.5 billion — is the same as its request for 2013, but the devil is in the details.

Money has shifted within the different programs. For example, child care and youth programs will see a $100 million decrease, as will morale, welfare and recreation programs. For 2014, the request for child care and youth programs is $1.2 billion; for MWR it is $1.3 billion

But the “warfighter and family services” category shows a $100 million increase, to $1.7 billion. Department of Defense schools would get a boost of $200 million, for a total request of $2.8 billion.

The request for funds to operate commissaries remains the same, at $1.4 billion.

Information was not immediately available about the rationale for the decreases and increases in budget requests.

However, military construction budget documents show an increase of about $251 million in requests for school construction projects for 2014. A total of $798 million is requested for Department of Defense Education Activity school projects:

• Fort Benning, Ga.: replacement of White Elementary School and an addition to Faith Middle School.

• Fort Stewart, Ga.: replacement of Diamond Elementary School.

• Fort Campbell, Ky.: replacement of Fort Campbell High School and Marshall Elementary School.

• Fort Knox, Ky.: consolidation/replacement of Van Voorhis-Mudge Elementary School.

• Hanscom AFB, Mass.: replace Hanscom Primary School

• Fort Bragg, N.C.: consolidation/replacement of Pope Holbrook Elementary School.

• Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C.: replace Bolden Elementary/Middle School

• Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.: replace Quantico Middle/High School.

• RAF Lakenheath, England: replace Lakenheath High School.

• Kaiserslautern Air Base, Germany: replace Kaiserslautern Elementary School

• Ramstein Air Base, Germany: replace Ramstein High School.

• Weisbaden, Germany: replace Hainerberg Elementary School and Weisbaden Middle Swchool.

• Kadena Air Base, Japan: addition to and renovation of Kadena Middle School

• Camp Walker, South Korea: replace Daegu Middle/High School.