Bush to unveil $1 billion 'bonus' for military

In this story: No specific breakdown Lieberman: 'significant flip-flop' RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Kelly Wallace, CNN White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration on Monday is expected to back its plan to boost morale in the military by promising to budget an extra $1 billion for a pay hike.

RESOURCES Current military pay Annual averages Private $20,672 Sergeant $29,428 1st Lieutenant $48,903 Source: Defense Dept.   ALSO Defense secretary defends Bush's order to review military needs     MESSAGE BOARD The U.S. military

President George W. Bush travels to Fort Stewart, Georgia today, his first trip outside Washington to meet with the military. He will tour the barracks, have lunch with troops and announce key elements of his first Pentagon budget.

CNN has learned that Bush will announce that his budget will include a $1 billion proposal to give the military a pay raise, on top of the 4.6 percent across-the-board annual pay increase required by law. That 4.6 percent increase costs roughly $2 billion, according to a U.S. official.

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the Bush administration had not yet decided if the $1 billion for additional pay raises would be an across the board increase or "targeted in some way."

Bush aides said that former President Bill Clinton proposed $296 billion for the military for the fiscal year which begins in October, and that the president is expected to propose $310 billion for the same time frame.

The roughly $15 billion above the Clinton proposal would pay for salary increases, improvements in housing, bonuses to keep men and women in the armed forces, research and development, and inflation, according to a senior Bush administration official.

No specific breakdown

Bush officials would not reveal the specific breakdown of the president's proposed Pentagon budget.

Meantime, the president's top military adviser defended Bush's decision to order a complete review of the Pentagon, before seeking emergency funds for the armed forces.

"What it means is that the president decided to engage our brains rather than open the taxpayers' wallets immediately, and what he wants to do is to conduct a quick, prompt review," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on "FOX News Sunday."

"It's not going to take years, and it's not going to take days. It'll take some months. And then we will go back to the president with our recommendations as to what we believe are the priorities and what needs to be done," said Rumsfeld.

During the presidential campaign, Bush repeatedly charged the Clinton administration with ignoring defense needs, and told the military, "Help is on the way."

But last week, Bush said he would not go to Congress seeking additional money for the Pentagon until a "top to bottom" review was completed.

Lieberman: 'significant flip-flop'

The Joint Chiefs are asking for between $5 and $7 billion in extra money now to pay for military exercises, flying hours and spare parts.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Connecticut, the former vice presidential candidate, said Bush appeared to be back-tracking on his campaign promises.

"It could well be the first significant flip-flop of the Bush administration," he told CBS's "Face the Nation."

But Bush aides said the president promised to make a full military review the first order of business if he made it to the Oval Office, and that he is just sticking with what he said he would do.

On Tuesday, Bush travels to Norfolk, Virginia to talk about "transforming" the military, and modernizing its weapons and missions.

Wednesday, he will be in Charleston, West Virginia, focusing on the role of reservists. Thursday, he heads to the State Department to highlight his commitment to pursue what he calls a "clear, consistent and decisive foreign policy."

The president rounds out the week with the first international trip of his presidency, a one-day visit to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox.

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U.S. Department of Defense
Joint Chiefs of Staff
House Armed Services Committee
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld

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