Special Message to the Congress Transmitting Reports on Incentive Awards to Military Personnel

To the Congress of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit the reports of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation on cash awards made during Fiscal Year 1966 to members of the Armed Forces for suggestions, inventions, and scientific achievements.

This Government continually strives to increase the efficiency and economy of its operations. The Cash Awards Incentive Program is a vital part of that effort. By rewarding ideas and accomplishments which help to lower costs and improve effectiveness, we improve the operations of Government and encourage the search for new solutions and better methods of operation.

Incentive awards have been available to civilian employees of the Government for many years. In 1965, the Congress extended these benefits to our men and women in uniform.

The reports I am transmitting today clearly confirm the value of the contributions which members of our Armed Forces are making toward the goals of economy and efficiency:

--More than 141,000 suggestions were submitted during fiscal year 1966.

--Some 25,700 of these suggestions were adopted and cash awards totalling about $378,000 were made.

--The saving to the Government and the American taxpayer resulting from these ideas, in the first year of the program, was more than $33 million.

--Many intangible benefits not directly measurable in dollars, such as improved safety in operations, have resulted from the suggestions.

Many individual ideas produced sizable benefits. An Air Force sergeant, for example, eliminated the need for a large procurement of new gyroscopes by suggesting an inexpensive modification of gyroscopes already on hand. This saved $275,400. In the Coast Guard an enlisted man proposed a modification of helicopter test equipment, making it unnecessary to purchase new test equipment which would have cost an estimated $72,000.

Equally important, however, is the fact that the $33 million saving to American taxpayers resulted from the efforts of many thousands of individual servicemen and women. In this fact lies the real importance of this program. For, if we are to have true economy and efficiency, it must be the business, not just of a few, but of all the men and women serving in government.

These reports provide further evidence of the great service being rendered to the American people by the members of our Armed Forces. They man our defenses with unsurpassed skill and courage. They also, as these reports document, bring new economy and efficiency to the operations of their government.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

The White House

May 4, 1967