President requests additional FY2017 funding for DoD operations against ISIL

President Obama sent Congress a FY2017 budget amendment request last week that would provide $5.8 billion in additional Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).  This funding will support U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East

The FY 2017 OCO amendment of $5.8 billion brings the FY 2017 total Department of Defense (DoD) OCO request to $64.6 billion.

Congressional defense oversight committees have been pressing the administration to submit a request for additional funding to support increased operations since the president announced this summer that 8.400 military personnel would stay in Afghanistan and because of the increased pace of operations against ISIL.

Almost 50 percent ($2.8 billion) of the total $5.8 billion budget amendment request would be for operations and force protection including:  special pays and subsistence for deployed personnel, operating tempo, communications, and deployment and redeployment costs.  Base and installations support costs and support for forces located in other parts of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) region account for 22 percent ($1.3 billion) of total costs.  Funding for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces Aviation Modernization program is 14 percent of the total ($0.8 billion). 

Other costs include: classified programs ($0.4 billion); Iraq Train and Equip Fund to support Kurdish Peshmerga forces ($0.3 billion); equipment and reset ($0.2 billion); and Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Fund ($0.1 billion).

Looking at the total request by operation, $3.4 billion would be for Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL (OFS) in Afghanistan.  These additional funds would support the higher troop level (8,400) approved by the president ($2.5 billion) and provide for Afghan aviation modernization ($.8 billion).

An additional $2.4 billion would be for Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (OIR) in Iraq to support about 5,500 U.S personnel (2,000 more budgeted) deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations, support Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and address emergent force protection issues.  The additional forces approved by the president are providing training and advice to coalition partner security forces in efforts to defeat ISIL.  

The budget amendment would also provide $20 million for the incremental operational costs for Operation ODYSSEY LIGHTENING (OOL) in Libya.

Details of the DoD request are available on the DoD Comptroller’s website.

The president also requested an additional $5.8 billion for the State Department and the Agency for International Development (AID).  These funds would be used to “implement the diplomatic engagement, governance, and stabilization components” of the administration’s strategy against ISIL, and humanitarian aid for areas in Iraq liberated from ISIL control. 

Support included in this funding are: removal of unexploded ordnance; immediate stabilization needs in areas liberated from ISIL control; police training in the Northern Nigeria region and other areas affected by Boko Harem/ISIL; longer term stabilization needs for areas liberated from ISIL control; technical assistance to the transitional government in Libya and support for the political process in Yemen; humanitarian assistance; and increased embassy security.