Proposed budget shows AF path Published Jan. 30, 2004 By Tech Sgt. David A. Jablonski Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- The fiscal 2005 Defense Department budget provides the foundation upon which the Air Force will continue the war on terrorism.Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget, discussed how the service’s budget priorities would allow airmen to be a better air and space force and support joint warfighting capabilities. General Lorenz recently discussed budget proposals to demonstrate to American taxpayers which critical-mission programs will receive emphasis and add to the safety and security of America.“The budget is the lifeblood that helps us take care of our people, funds our transformation, and allows us to continue to fight the global war on terrorism,” General Lorenz said.Defense Department officials announced Jan. 23 that President George W. Bush would request a $401.7 billion defense budget for fiscal 2005. The specific numbers making up the $401.7 billion will be announced Feb. 2. Specific figures are normally kept under wraps until the president delivers his request to Congress the first week of February.General Lorenz is responsible for planning and directing Air Force budget formulations. The fiscal 2004 budget was $91.4 billion (excluding contingency operations), and the 2005 budget will request a slight increase. The Air Force budget continues DOD's transformation to strengthen combined and joint warfighting capabilities and streamline business processes.“This budget will ensure we can continue rebalancing personnel and take care of the world's premier fighting force,” General Lorenz said.Overall, about a third of the fiscal 2005 budget is for military and civilian pay and entitlements, with pay raises fully funded. Money will also go toward increasing the basic allowance for housing, bringing out-of-pocket expenses for housing to zero.“An example of rebalancing includes taking a hard look at our military career fields and readjusting, ensuring military members can concentrate more on the warfighting mission,” General Lorenz said.The emphasis on people also includes more dollars requested for Air Force Institute of Technology programs.“We will continue to grow the ‘Vector Blue’ AFIT slots, ensuring our active-duty people have more opportunities for graduate degrees,” General Lorenz said. “We will also triple our technical intern student program that is designed to help recruit technical students for a military or civilian career in the DOD.”Just under a third of the budget request will go for readiness and daily operating expenses. This money addresses increased costs of flying and space operations, operating unmanned aerial vehicles, further protecting communications, and facility repair and modernization.About a third of the budget is allotted to continue to develop and buy transformational weapon systems. This area of the budget receives the largest increase over fiscal 2004. Substantial investments in the C-17 Globemaster III, the F/A-22 Raptor, the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, global positioning system, Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, and RQ-1 and MQ-1 Predator system programs are in the proposal.Finally, General Lorenz said there would be a sizable increase in funds dedicated to transformational communications.“Most of the communications technology that makes high-tech, precision-guided munitions possible is owned by the Air Force,” General Lorenz said. “That includes sustaining the global positioning system network of satellites used by both the joint warfighter and civilians around the world.”A breakdown of the Air Force share of the Defense Department’s fiscal 2005 authorization will be announced after the president delivers his request Feb. 2.