Bush Pledges Pay Raise for Military

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 12 -- President Bush is reassuring U.S. troops heintends to bolster what he sees as sagging military morale,carrying a promise of pay raises directly to the field.

The new commander in chief was touring Fort Stewart nearSavannah, Ga., today, where he was to announce he will seek$1.4 billion to improve pay and living standards, plus $1 billionfor incentives to retain highly skilled service members.

Accompanying him to the base was a delegation of topadministration officials and lawmakers, including Defense SecretaryDonald H. Rumsfeld, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice,five senators and six House members.

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Bush was reviewing the Army base’s barracks and troops — hisfirst such meeting with members of the military since he tookoffice Jan. 20.

He made clear during his election campaign that he believedmorale in the armed services was on the decline, and he promised toaddress the factors he said caused it: equipment shortages, poorhousing and pay and unfocused, “overextended” missions.

Bush, devoting his fourth week in office to national security,began with a pledge to improve conditions for those who serve.

“They deserve the best training, the latest and best equipment,and long-overdue improvements in their pay, housing and standard ofliving,” Bush said in his weekly radio address Saturday.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer put the requested pay raiseat $1.4 billion, and said Bush also will propose $1 billion inincentives aimed at keeping highly skilled people in uniform. Therequests are for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

Bush dispatched Rumsfeld to the Sunday television news shows tospread the message in advance of today’s trip. Rumsfeld isconducting a “force structure review” of the Pentagon, and theadministration will rely on that examination as it sets defensespending priorities.

“I think the focus has to be on quality of life for thepeople,” Rumsfeld said on “Fox News Sunday.” “Without the menand women that we’re able to attract and retain to man the forces,then we really don’t have a national defense, so that has to be thefirst focus.”