Powell Further Dilutes His Plans to Revamp Military

Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has diluted his already-modest proposals for revamping the military for its post-Cold War role, despite orders from Congress that he come up with a blueprint for a sweeping overhaul.

In a first-draft plan that leaked out a month ago, Powell essentially rejected calls by lawmakers to consolidate some of the roles and missions of individual armed services to eliminate duplication and improve efficiency.

Instead, he recommended the creation of a new command to conduct joint training of U.S. forces for intervention in regional crises, such as U.N. operations, and a spate of housekeeping efficiencies, such as consolidation of the services’ various space programs.

A new draft that surfaced Wednesday shows that, while the plan for a joint training command still is intact, Powell has backtracked on consolidating the space programs and has watered down several other key proposals.

Sources familiar with the document, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, said that the changes reflect stronger-than-expected opposition to the initial proposals, both from the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and from top field commanders.

Col. William Smullen, Powell’s spokesman, declined to comment on the new draft. But he said that the earlier draft was “a working document” that “was likely to change by virtue of the input we were receiving from the service chiefs” and other top commanders.

Copies of the revised version were sent to service chiefs and field commanders on Jan. 22, with a request that they return them with comments this week. “Some things will be added and deleted, and some will change,” Smullen said.

It was not immediately clear whether Defense Secretary Les Aspin would accept Powell’s proposals and send them on to Congress, as mandated by last year’s defense authorization act, or whether he would insist that the joint chiefs present more sweeping recommendations.

Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, specifically requested that Powell draft a plan for major consolidations of the roles and missions of the services, warning that if he did not do so satisfactorily, Congress would take on the job.

President Clinton also has called for major changes in these areas as part of his effort to cut defense spending.