WEBVTT 00:00.291 --> 00:02.190 (gavel bangs) 00:02.190 --> 00:03.610 - The subcommittee will come to order. 00:03.610 --> 00:05.760 This morning, the subcommittee will continue our 00:05.760 --> 00:08.917 series of open defense posture and budget hearings 00:08.917 --> 00:10.710 with our military services. 00:10.710 --> 00:12.760 Today we will hear from the army leadership 00:12.760 --> 00:16.313 on their fiscal year 2019 budget request. 00:17.148 --> 00:21.150 Since 2001, the army has risen to the challenge of fighting 00:21.150 --> 00:24.923 counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. 00:24.988 --> 00:25.853 Pardon me. 00:27.550 --> 00:30.320 Even as such conflicts continue, the army must also 00:30.320 --> 00:32.623 prepare for a very different kind of fight, 00:32.760 --> 00:35.113 under the new national defense strategy. 00:35.790 --> 00:38.630 The subcommittee is prepared to help the army modernize 00:38.630 --> 00:40.840 and restore readiness for the full spectrum 00:40.840 --> 00:41.903 of conflict. 00:42.330 --> 00:44.840 Before I introduce our witnesses, I'd like to recognize 00:44.840 --> 00:47.233 our ranking member, Mr. Visclosky. 00:48.110 --> 00:50.473 I'm sorry, for any remarks you'd like to make. 00:50.624 --> 00:53.480 - Gentlemen, I appreciate your service and your 00:53.480 --> 00:56.150 testimony, look forward to it, Joe, want to thank you 00:56.150 --> 00:57.783 very much for holding a hearing. 00:59.236 --> 01:01.380 - Thank you, allow me to introduce our witnesses. 01:01.380 --> 01:04.233 The honorable Dr. Mark T. Esper. 01:05.440 --> 01:06.913 Secretary of the army. 01:07.530 --> 01:10.270 General Mark Milley, chief of staff at the army. 01:10.270 --> 01:13.490 Secretary Esper is making his first formal appearance 01:13.490 --> 01:15.270 before the subcommittee. 01:15.270 --> 01:17.023 Secretary Esper, welcome. 01:17.690 --> 01:20.470 Secretary Esper is appearing alongside the chief of staff, 01:20.470 --> 01:23.010 General Milley, General, thank you for being here today 01:23.010 --> 01:24.130 and all the work that you do. 01:24.130 --> 01:26.143 We look forward to hearing your views. 01:26.600 --> 01:28.723 Please proceed with your opening remarks. 01:32.140 --> 01:34.870 - Chairwoman Granger, ranking member Visclosky, 01:34.870 --> 01:36.546 distinguished members of the committee, 01:36.546 --> 01:38.600 good morning and thank you for the opportunity 01:38.600 --> 01:40.163 to appear before you today. 01:40.250 --> 01:42.210 Let me say upfront that the army's readiness 01:42.210 --> 01:44.170 across its formations is improving 01:44.200 --> 01:46.430 and if called upon today, I am confident 01:46.430 --> 01:48.223 we would prevail in any conflict. 01:48.640 --> 01:50.440 This is due in part to the increased funding 01:50.440 --> 01:52.053 Congress has provided recently. 01:52.280 --> 01:54.280 For this, I would like to say thank you. 01:54.670 --> 01:56.831 However, if we are to continue increasing our readiness 01:56.831 --> 01:59.830 to desired levels and modernize the force, 01:59.830 --> 02:02.950 we require predictable, adequate, sustained 02:02.960 --> 02:04.053 and timely funding. 02:04.980 --> 02:06.890 The army's mission is to defend the nation, 02:06.890 --> 02:09.793 the army's mission to defend the nation has not changed, 02:09.870 --> 02:11.963 but the strategic environment has. 02:12.180 --> 02:14.970 We have returned to an era of great power competition 02:14.970 --> 02:17.993 that makes the world ever more complex and dangerous. 02:18.410 --> 02:20.470 While the army must be ready to deploy, fight 02:20.470 --> 02:23.543 and win any time, anywhere, against any adversary, 02:23.710 --> 02:26.560 the national defense strategy has identified China 02:26.560 --> 02:29.900 and Russia as the principle competitors against which 02:29.900 --> 02:33.493 we must build sufficient capacity and capabilities. 02:33.810 --> 02:36.480 Both countries are playing a more aggressive role 02:37.386 --> 02:39.414 on the world stage and either possess or are building 02:39.414 --> 02:42.080 advanced capabilities that are specifically designed 02:42.080 --> 02:44.530 to reverse the tactical over match we have enjoyed 02:44.530 --> 02:45.463 for decades. 02:45.980 --> 02:48.480 The army has a comprehensive plan, however, to ensure 02:48.480 --> 02:49.813 its longterm dominance. 02:50.040 --> 02:52.490 Fiscal uncertainty, though, has done a great deal 02:52.490 --> 02:55.543 to erode our readiness and hamper our modernization efforts. 02:55.760 --> 02:58.370 Late appropriations challenge the army to execute funding 02:58.370 --> 03:01.120 well, which is why we are seeking increased flexibility 03:01.120 --> 03:04.233 to spend these precious dollars when funding is delayed. 03:05.330 --> 03:07.230 To address the challenges mentioned above, 03:07.230 --> 03:09.830 I've identified three focus priorities for the army, 03:10.080 --> 03:12.823 readiness, modernization, and reform. 03:13.390 --> 03:15.920 Readiness is the top priority because only a ready 03:15.920 --> 03:18.740 total army, regular army, guard and reserve 03:18.910 --> 03:21.988 can deter conflict, defeat enemies and enable the joint 03:21.988 --> 03:23.743 force to win decisively. 03:24.270 --> 03:26.810 And while the quality, training and esprit of our soldiers 03:26.810 --> 03:28.960 are what make the US Army the most ready and lethal 03:28.960 --> 03:32.150 ground combat force in history, this superiority 03:32.150 --> 03:34.360 is enabled by the best weapons and equipment we can 03:34.360 --> 03:38.753 provide them, as such, the second priority is modernization. 03:38.760 --> 03:41.690 For future readiness, to ensure overmatch on future 03:41.690 --> 03:44.560 battlefields, the army's now increasing its investments 03:44.560 --> 03:46.033 in modernizing the force. 03:46.360 --> 03:48.211 We are also laying the groundwork for more increases 03:48.211 --> 03:51.810 in the coming years, the army's modernization strategy 03:51.810 --> 03:54.870 is focused on one goal, make soldiers and units 03:54.870 --> 03:57.480 far more lethal and effective than any adversary 03:57.480 --> 03:58.343 can imagine. 03:59.130 --> 04:01.930 The establishment of the army future command this summer 04:02.000 --> 04:04.180 is the best example of our commitment to the future 04:04.180 --> 04:05.763 lethality of the force. 04:06.383 --> 04:09.150 Army futures command will address the key shortcomings 04:09.150 --> 04:11.680 of the current acquisitions system, providing unity 04:11.680 --> 04:14.973 of command, effort and purpose to the modernization process. 04:15.174 --> 04:17.929 The army has also identified its top six modernization 04:17.929 --> 04:19.943 priorities for the coming years. 04:20.047 --> 04:23.130 Each of these priorities is detailed in our written 04:23.130 --> 04:25.510 statement and is the purview of a newly established 04:25.510 --> 04:26.883 cross functional team. 04:27.480 --> 04:30.420 The purpose of these CFTs is to determine the requirements 04:30.420 --> 04:33.070 and needed capabilities to ensure all stakeholders 04:33.070 --> 04:36.340 are at the table from day one and to focus army resources 04:36.340 --> 04:40.023 on accelerated experimentation, prototyping and fielding. 04:40.815 --> 04:43.920 My third priority is reform, freeing up time, money 04:43.920 --> 04:47.090 and manpower to enhance readiness, accelerate modernization 04:47.090 --> 04:49.250 and ensure the efficient use of the resources 04:49.250 --> 04:51.213 provided to us by the American people. 04:51.850 --> 04:54.090 Our reform efforts, particularly with the acquisitions 04:54.090 --> 04:57.100 system, are long overdue, while futures command 04:57.100 --> 04:59.450 is probably the boldest reform we are pursuing, 04:59.630 --> 05:01.430 other army reform initiatives owe much to 05:01.430 --> 05:04.040 the acquisition authorities delegated to the services 05:04.040 --> 05:05.563 in prior legislation. 05:06.400 --> 05:08.220 With these authorities we are reinvigorating 05:08.220 --> 05:10.220 the army requirements oversight council, 05:10.640 --> 05:12.990 moving major defense acquisition programs back 05:12.990 --> 05:15.640 to the service and using other transactional authorities 05:15.640 --> 05:18.393 to accelerate fielding in limited situations. 05:19.150 --> 05:21.250 Although a ready and modernized army is critical 05:21.250 --> 05:23.160 to defend the nation, we must not overlook 05:23.160 --> 05:24.410 what makes us remarkable. 05:24.420 --> 05:26.830 For this, I have outlined three enduring priorities, 05:26.830 --> 05:29.390 first, taking care of our soldiers, civilians 05:29.390 --> 05:32.044 and their families, second, a service wide recommitment 05:32.044 --> 05:35.470 to the army's values, especially treating everyone 05:35.470 --> 05:38.250 with dignity and respect, and finally strengthening 05:38.250 --> 05:40.823 our allies and partners by building stronger ties. 05:41.530 --> 05:43.340 I look forward to discussing these with you 05:43.340 --> 05:45.970 as time permits, with that, let me thank you again 05:45.970 --> 05:48.000 for this committee's continued support of the army 05:48.000 --> 05:49.914 and specifically the funding increases requested 05:49.914 --> 05:53.163 in FY18 and the FY19 budgets. 05:53.260 --> 05:55.210 I look forward to your questions and appreciate 05:55.210 --> 05:57.040 the opportunity to discuss these important matters 05:57.040 --> 05:58.593 with you today, thank you. 06:03.021 --> 06:05.130 - Chairwoman Granger, I want to thank both you 06:05.130 --> 06:07.640 and ranking member Visclosky and all the distinguished 06:07.640 --> 06:09.570 members of the committee for the opportunity 06:09.796 --> 06:11.150 to testify today and although he's not here right 06:11.150 --> 06:13.740 this minute, I do want to acknowledge and recognize 06:13.909 --> 06:18.220 former chairman Frelinghuysen for his great support 06:18.220 --> 06:20.750 to the United States army over the last couple years 06:20.750 --> 06:23.120 since I've been the chief and for many, many years 06:23.120 --> 06:24.870 of dedicated service to our nation. 06:25.120 --> 06:28.419 As you all know, for the past 17 years, the US Army 06:28.419 --> 06:31.708 has continuously provided trained and ready forces 06:31.708 --> 06:35.020 to both Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere 06:35.200 --> 06:38.030 as we simultaneously meet the needs of the combatant 06:38.030 --> 06:39.893 commands around the globe and today, 06:40.160 --> 06:42.633 as it was throughout the year and last year, 06:42.770 --> 06:46.289 we have approximately about 180,000 soldiers serving in 06:46.289 --> 06:49.123 140 countries around the world. 06:49.167 --> 06:53.530 And that represents, broadly speaking, about 50 to 60% 06:53.530 --> 06:57.293 of combatant command demand comes to the army for support. 06:57.790 --> 07:01.670 Congress's support has allowed the army to become 07:01.670 --> 07:04.720 significantly more combat ready today than we were 07:04.720 --> 07:06.510 two and a half years ago when I became the chief of staff 07:06.510 --> 07:09.690 of the army, we've increased the number of combat 07:09.690 --> 07:12.080 training center rotations, we've improved equipment 07:12.080 --> 07:15.200 readiness rates, spare parts, we've replenished 07:15.200 --> 07:18.040 our army prepositioned stocks, and we've increased 07:18.040 --> 07:20.730 our personnel end strength and started to fill some 07:20.730 --> 07:22.630 of the holes in our operating units 07:22.910 --> 07:25.570 and significantly we've improved both our munitions 07:25.599 --> 07:29.993 shortfalls along with some of our critical infrastructure. 07:30.330 --> 07:33.386 We must be ready, though, not only now, 07:33.386 --> 07:37.270 but in the future, and we have to maintain a decisive 07:37.270 --> 07:40.963 overmatch to achieve victory as the secretary said, 07:41.130 --> 07:44.383 against any adversary any time anywhere. 07:44.640 --> 07:47.636 The tyranny of the present has consumed us 07:47.636 --> 07:49.663 for the past 16 years. 07:49.930 --> 07:52.030 While our competitive advantage against peer threats 07:52.030 --> 07:56.763 has eroded and advances by our adversaries are very real. 07:57.100 --> 07:59.210 This is not a classified hearing, but I'll be happy 07:59.210 --> 08:02.973 to illuminate those advances in a classified hearing. 08:03.110 --> 08:05.650 Specifically with respect to Russia and China 08:05.940 --> 08:08.490 as they continue to assert regional influence 08:08.490 --> 08:11.623 in their development of advanced weapons and technology. 08:11.990 --> 08:14.890 Likewise, Iran is attempting to expand its regional 08:14.890 --> 08:18.500 influence and as we all saw last week, in a recent 08:18.500 --> 08:20.833 positive turn of events regarding North Korea, 08:20.980 --> 08:23.920 it's very welcome and I remain cautiously optimistic 08:23.920 --> 08:26.980 as Secretary of Defense Mattis said, but we the army, 08:26.980 --> 08:29.734 we must remain ready, we must remain ready to present 08:29.734 --> 08:33.926 options to the president for his consideration if required 08:33.926 --> 08:35.683 and we will do that. 08:36.320 --> 08:38.310 The current battlefield's already lethal 08:38.310 --> 08:41.430 and the future battlefield is likely to prove more lethal 08:41.430 --> 08:44.223 than anything we have ever recently experienced. 08:44.480 --> 08:47.033 So the time is now for the army to modernize, 08:47.209 --> 08:50.410 to both stay ready today and to build the future force 08:50.410 --> 08:51.243 of our nation. 08:51.470 --> 08:53.733 That's going to require a modern army. 08:54.010 --> 08:56.130 The army needs predictable, adequate, sustained 08:56.130 --> 08:59.070 and timely funding and you know that, and you all agree 08:59.070 --> 09:02.232 with that, the army's FY19 budget request reflects 09:02.232 --> 09:06.130 our priorities, to grow and maintain a highly capable force 09:06.130 --> 09:08.983 today, to modernize and build the future force, 09:09.230 --> 09:11.290 to take proper care of our soldiers, family members 09:11.290 --> 09:14.567 and civilians and all the while being good stewards 09:14.567 --> 09:17.060 for the generous money, the taxpayer money 09:17.060 --> 09:18.483 that Congress has given us. 09:18.870 --> 09:21.230 We recognize the American taxpayer entrusts us 09:21.230 --> 09:23.807 with a significant amount of money to meet these demands 09:23.807 --> 09:26.593 and we will be diligent stewards of our resources 09:26.593 --> 09:29.475 and we will enforce accountability to make effective use 09:29.475 --> 09:34.080 of every single dollar, your support for the FY19 budget 09:34.080 --> 09:35.999 will ensure the soldiers of the United States army 09:35.999 --> 09:38.580 remain ready to fight tonight as we prepare 09:38.580 --> 09:41.183 for any unforeseen conflicts of tomorrow. 09:41.310 --> 09:43.460 Thank you again for the opportunity to testify 09:43.460 --> 09:45.273 and I look forward to your questions. 09:47.680 --> 09:51.140 - Our questions, in the interest of time and fairness 09:51.190 --> 09:53.723 to our witnesses and all the members, we limit 09:53.723 --> 09:57.000 the question including the response to five minutes 09:57.000 --> 09:59.750 per round, trying to have, I think we should be able to, 09:59.750 --> 10:02.330 this morning, have two rounds, but if you watch, 10:02.330 --> 10:06.810 there are green, yellow and red lights, 10:06.810 --> 10:08.283 and red means you're over. 10:08.790 --> 10:10.713 So I'm a former teacher. 10:10.760 --> 10:12.670 I watch them, I hope all of you will 10:12.670 --> 10:13.933 because we really want to hear from you. 10:13.933 --> 10:15.863 This is a very important hearing. 10:16.281 --> 10:18.923 We're going to have questions. 10:19.670 --> 10:22.153 I'm going to call on Mr. Visclosky first. 10:23.160 --> 10:25.913 - Ma'am, sure, I'll defer at this point. 10:26.650 --> 10:27.483 - Mr. Calvert. 10:28.720 --> 10:32.420 - Thank you, chairman, secretary Esper, General Milley, 10:32.420 --> 10:34.290 thank you for being here today and thank you 10:34.290 --> 10:35.890 for your service to our country. 10:36.340 --> 10:39.860 Over 16 years of combat and continuous operations 10:39.860 --> 10:42.460 that compromised the military's readiness to conduct 10:42.820 --> 10:44.993 high end war fighting missions. 10:45.510 --> 10:48.100 The new national defense strategy focuses on 10:48.100 --> 10:50.191 nation state conflict with a peer adversary 10:50.191 --> 10:52.723 which is the army's domain. 10:53.190 --> 10:56.147 All of us here have heard about the readiness shortfalls 10:56.147 --> 10:57.603 in the United States Army. 10:57.960 --> 11:02.673 Only five of 58 brigades are combat ready to fight. 11:03.780 --> 11:06.470 The army's operational tempo has not slowed down 11:06.490 --> 11:09.370 and additional units, equipment, military personnel 11:09.370 --> 11:12.550 have been deployed to eastern Europe to deter and defend 11:12.780 --> 11:14.253 against Russian aggression. 11:15.180 --> 11:18.465 Fiscal year 2019 requests seeks to restore training 11:18.465 --> 11:21.250 and maintenance shortfalls by requesting 11:21.250 --> 11:24.903 additional funds to prioritize readiness across the army. 11:25.670 --> 11:29.420 Can you please detail the army's primary readiness efforts 11:29.420 --> 11:32.120 that will execute as a result of the FY19 11:32.120 --> 11:35.939 president's budget specifically, how many combat teams 11:35.939 --> 11:40.040 are currently rated ready for combat and how many 11:40.040 --> 11:43.660 do you expect will be rated ready for combat 11:43.680 --> 11:46.453 after executing the FY 2019 budget? 11:46.650 --> 11:49.271 Do you expect to increase training rotations 11:49.271 --> 11:53.350 at the national training center at Fort Irwin, California, 11:53.350 --> 11:56.830 the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Poke, Louisiana 11:57.240 --> 11:59.670 and how do you intend to integrate simulation 11:59.670 --> 12:02.540 and next generation augmented reality into your 12:02.540 --> 12:04.827 traditional deployment readiness exercise 12:04.827 --> 12:06.343 in the coming years? 12:09.580 --> 12:12.433 - Thanks, Congressman, for the question. 12:13.390 --> 12:18.190 What I can do is provide a very detailed classified 12:18.190 --> 12:20.513 briefing on the complete readiness. 12:21.000 --> 12:22.723 In this session, let me say this. 12:23.800 --> 12:26.913 When I became chief two and a half years ago, 12:26.960 --> 12:29.423 there were two brigades combat ready. 12:30.060 --> 12:33.030 Today we are significantly more combat ready 12:33.030 --> 12:35.540 and I need to provide you an update on the actual 12:35.540 --> 12:37.830 numbers 'cause the numbers that you mentioned 12:37.830 --> 12:41.947 have been improved since those numbers were given to you. 12:42.586 --> 12:47.070 And I can assure you that the United States Army 12:47.070 --> 12:49.640 has sufficient readiness to take on whatever adversary 12:49.640 --> 12:53.323 that the United States meets today or tomorrow. 12:53.409 --> 12:55.170 And I'm very confident of that. 12:55.170 --> 12:57.180 I wasn't confident of that two and a half years ago. 12:57.180 --> 12:58.880 I am very confident of that today. 12:59.010 --> 13:01.260 That is not to say we're where we need to be. 13:01.330 --> 13:04.790 The objectives we set out, the unclassified objectives 13:04.790 --> 13:09.290 for readiness is we want to obtain 66%, 2/3, roughly 13:09.600 --> 13:13.660 of all of our brigade combat teams in the regular army, 13:13.660 --> 13:17.297 in the active arm at the highest level of readiness. 13:17.297 --> 13:20.010 And for the reserve component and the National Guard, 13:20.010 --> 13:22.950 we want to obtain a readiness level of 33%. 13:22.950 --> 13:27.760 That is what this budget, FY19 is built around, 13:27.760 --> 13:32.300 is those two metrics of success and we are not at 13:32.300 --> 13:35.400 those numbers today, but we are on a glide path to 13:35.400 --> 13:38.343 achieve them, couple of challenges. 13:38.810 --> 13:40.163 First challenge is time. 13:40.640 --> 13:43.160 Units aren't built just over time and their readiness 13:43.160 --> 13:45.160 is not built overnight as you well know, 13:45.460 --> 13:47.090 so it takes time and it takes repetition. 13:47.090 --> 13:49.370 It takes a lot of reps on a sled to get units 13:49.370 --> 13:52.980 to a level in order to fight the high end fight 13:52.980 --> 13:56.463 against near peer threats or regional threats. 13:56.670 --> 13:58.970 The second thing is you mentioned, the demand. 13:59.020 --> 14:00.860 Now there is a global demand that's significant 14:00.860 --> 14:02.680 and a lot of that demand is met by 14:02.680 --> 14:03.830 the United States Army. 14:04.120 --> 14:06.450 Right now, for example, we've got several brigades 14:06.450 --> 14:10.097 involved in train advise assist missions inside 14:10.097 --> 14:11.183 the Middle East. 14:11.530 --> 14:14.650 And we need to recoup those brigades and get them trained 14:14.650 --> 14:16.690 for what their organizational design is to do. 14:16.690 --> 14:18.673 So demand plays a big role in that. 14:18.800 --> 14:23.120 I expect that demand will hopefully stay steady or come 14:23.120 --> 14:26.150 down slightly and we'll recoup some of that. 14:26.150 --> 14:28.790 And the last and most important thing in terms of 14:28.790 --> 14:31.087 readiness and you've been more than generous in your 14:31.087 --> 14:34.381 giving it to us is a budget 14:34.381 --> 14:38.150 and that's really significant, so time, demand and money 14:38.510 --> 14:39.910 are what's key to readiness. 14:40.000 --> 14:42.570 You ask for when we think we would achieve the readiness 14:42.570 --> 14:46.358 levels, what we're saying in our analysis, 14:46.358 --> 14:49.020 if the international environment stays the way it is 14:49.020 --> 14:52.827 right this minute, we think on the glide path we're on, 14:52.827 --> 14:55.254 we'll achieve the readiness objectives complete 14:55.254 --> 14:58.833 by somewhere around the 2021, 2022 timeframe. 14:59.850 --> 15:02.530 - And if I can, I'll answer too the specific questions 15:02.530 --> 15:05.090 you raised, Mr. Calvert, the FY19 budget allows us 15:05.090 --> 15:07.990 to maximize throughput through the three training centers. 15:08.330 --> 15:13.330 At NTC, JRMC in Europe and the JRTC, and we'll be doing 15:13.620 --> 15:16.980 that with a combination of active and guard, so 16 15:16.980 --> 15:19.513 active units will go through and then four guard. 15:19.682 --> 15:21.220 So it's exceptional training. 15:21.220 --> 15:23.210 I've been to two of those training sites in the three 15:23.210 --> 15:25.890 plus months I've been on the job, and they're doing 15:25.890 --> 15:28.040 a high-end training against likely threats, 15:28.753 --> 15:29.980 we would anticipate consistent with the national defense 15:29.980 --> 15:33.070 strategy, on your question with regard to synthetic 15:33.070 --> 15:35.710 training, virtual training, it is an initiative 15:35.710 --> 15:38.140 that is captured on one of our soldier lethality 15:38.260 --> 15:39.633 cross functional teams. 15:39.770 --> 15:41.627 It's an important endeavor because what it promises 15:41.627 --> 15:45.325 to give soldiers, many many repetitions at home station 15:45.325 --> 15:47.560 before they actually go into deployment 15:47.560 --> 15:49.770 so that they're not engaging the enemy for the first time, 15:49.770 --> 15:53.120 if you will, on a real deployment, but actually 15:53.120 --> 15:55.240 can rehearse over and over again at home station. 15:55.240 --> 15:57.340 So it's a very important initiative to us. 15:57.460 --> 15:59.580 And we're putting money into that cross functional team 15:59.580 --> 16:01.383 as provided in the FY19 funding. 16:02.390 --> 16:04.840 - [Calvert] Okay, thank you, thank you, General. 16:04.840 --> 16:05.687 - Thank you, Mr. Rupisberger. 16:06.362 --> 16:09.862 (man speaks indistinctly) 16:13.540 --> 16:14.542 - Thank you, sir. 16:14.542 --> 16:18.042 (man speaks indistinctly) 16:26.048 --> 16:28.060 - That was good for land forces. 16:28.060 --> 16:30.800 The army relies upon the army research laboratory 16:30.890 --> 16:33.710 to provide the credible length between science 16:33.710 --> 16:36.151 and war fighter, and today the army research laboratory 16:36.151 --> 16:39.860 helps the army to understand the implications 16:39.860 --> 16:43.120 of technology on doctrine and future capabilities 16:43.120 --> 16:46.840 and translates these applicable science and technologies 16:46.840 --> 16:48.983 in ways to ensure army dominance. 16:49.430 --> 16:51.508 That being said, I've been following the army's intent 16:51.508 --> 16:54.860 to stand up futures command with great interest 16:54.910 --> 16:57.660 and I'm very interested in how its creation will impact 16:58.030 --> 17:01.035 the army research laboratory and I guess, Secretary, 17:01.035 --> 17:05.542 either one, how do you envision the army research laboratory 17:05.542 --> 17:08.683 contributing to this new modernization initiative? 17:09.572 --> 17:10.405 - Yes sir, well, thank you for that question. 17:10.405 --> 17:12.580 First of all, our science and technology base is 17:12.580 --> 17:14.994 absolutely critical to the modernization of the force. 17:14.994 --> 17:18.470 And so in the last several months what we have done 17:18.470 --> 17:22.940 is aligned 80% of our S&T funding actually toward 17:22.940 --> 17:25.000 the six priorities that have been outlined, 17:25.000 --> 17:26.840 so that's everything from long range precision fires 17:26.840 --> 17:29.330 through next generation combat vehicles all the way 17:29.330 --> 17:30.803 through soldier lethality. 17:31.438 --> 17:34.100 We are looking to move over a billion dollars 17:34.998 --> 17:36.983 as well over the fit up to do the same. 17:37.550 --> 17:39.940 And so clearly the... 17:41.240 --> 17:44.530 The S&T, the army research labs that are part and parcel 17:44.530 --> 17:46.370 of that, are critical to the future. 17:46.370 --> 17:49.200 Now the other piece of that, with regard to army 17:49.200 --> 17:53.970 futures command that will continue the transformation 17:53.970 --> 17:55.685 if you will of the acquisition process, 17:55.685 --> 17:59.293 what we envision is that we would achieve, 17:59.500 --> 18:01.870 what we call unity of effort and unity of command 18:01.870 --> 18:05.010 by having a single senior officer, a general officer 18:05.010 --> 18:08.580 in charge of the entire acquisition, big A acquisition 18:08.580 --> 18:11.736 process, all the way from concept through requirements 18:11.736 --> 18:14.690 through the acquisition and testing process. 18:14.690 --> 18:18.050 What that would mean for labs is that we'd most likely 18:18.050 --> 18:20.523 just rewire the boxes differently so that they are 18:20.523 --> 18:23.530 reporting into the army futures command. 18:23.530 --> 18:25.860 We don't anticipate any... 18:26.400 --> 18:29.342 Changes in locations or changes of jobs at this point 18:29.342 --> 18:33.030 but really how do we rewire the boxes because currently 18:33.030 --> 18:35.240 they are all over the army, so that we achieve 18:35.240 --> 18:38.005 that unity of command, unity of effort that promises 18:38.005 --> 18:41.410 us to be able to deliver to soldiers the tools, weapons 18:41.410 --> 18:43.103 and equipment they need when they need 'em 18:43.103 --> 18:45.263 and at the best price for the taxpayer? 18:46.930 --> 18:49.203 - Madam Chairman, school teacher, I yield back. 18:53.177 --> 18:55.030 - Madam Chairwoman, thank you very much, gentlemen, 18:55.030 --> 18:56.480 a privilege to have you here. 18:56.480 --> 18:59.170 First, let me applaud the army on the plan to acquire 18:59.170 --> 19:01.293 the ground mobility vehicles. 19:02.661 --> 19:05.218 I'm actually really happy to hear that you're levering 19:05.218 --> 19:08.330 the experience of the SOCOM vehicles to get this critical 19:08.330 --> 19:11.340 equipment out to the force as soon as possible. 19:11.340 --> 19:13.513 Madam Chairwoman, in Florida I was lucky enough to drive 19:13.513 --> 19:17.390 one of these vehicles which are incredible versatile 19:17.390 --> 19:19.770 and actually, I kind of want one after I drove it, 19:19.770 --> 19:23.010 I tell you, but so again, I want to commend the army 19:23.010 --> 19:25.773 for setting an example for a smart and fast acquisition 19:25.773 --> 19:29.120 decision, saving taxpayers money, and so again, 19:29.120 --> 19:30.213 I saw that firsthand. 19:31.153 --> 19:34.060 Let me talk to you a little bit about the... 19:34.240 --> 19:37.183 Next generation vertical lift. 19:37.290 --> 19:40.981 So I've read some conflicting reports. 19:40.981 --> 19:43.873 On the status of this program. 19:44.683 --> 19:45.810 The defense news suggests that the future vertical lift 19:45.810 --> 19:49.800 program appears to have, they said, slow rolled. 19:49.800 --> 19:53.770 Now I also know that Undersecretary McCarthy recently said 19:54.030 --> 19:56.570 that the program is on track and so... 19:57.240 --> 20:01.193 I do understand that it is included into your 19 budget, 20:01.238 --> 20:04.814 which is great, but I'm hoping to get some clarification 20:04.814 --> 20:07.740 on the army's intentions and support for the program, 20:07.740 --> 20:10.473 since again, I've read conflicting reports. 20:12.346 --> 20:13.610 - Thanks, Congressman. 20:13.610 --> 20:15.870 I didn't read the particular article that you're 20:15.870 --> 20:20.033 referring to, first of all, it's a joint program, 20:20.033 --> 20:23.353 it's a DOD program, because it's army, marine, equity, 20:23.510 --> 20:26.440 army has a heavy equity in it, so the decisions 20:26.440 --> 20:28.483 are actually not the secretary of the army or the army's, 20:29.088 --> 20:30.388 it's actually a DOD thing. 20:31.599 --> 20:33.908 Secondly is the request for proposals 20:33.908 --> 20:38.060 and all of that's gonna be decided some time in the early 20:38.060 --> 20:42.563 fall, so it's on track to meet those timelines. 20:43.100 --> 20:45.900 Third thing is what do we want out of future vertical lift? 20:45.900 --> 20:48.530 What do we want, tactically, what do we want out of 20:48.530 --> 20:49.363 this thing? 20:49.363 --> 20:52.890 The helicopters we have today, the Apache, the UH60, 20:52.890 --> 20:55.540 the 47, the 47's been around a long, long time, since 20:56.372 --> 20:58.190 Vietnam, they're great helicopters, they're good helicopters 20:58.190 --> 21:01.410 They're capable, the guts have been all redone 21:01.410 --> 21:03.122 and we're gonna continue to invest in those in the 21:03.122 --> 21:06.484 foreseeable future, but the future operating environment 21:06.484 --> 21:09.580 is going to be significantly different, we think, 21:09.580 --> 21:11.392 especially if it's against a near peer competitor 21:11.392 --> 21:13.140 than the current operating environment, 21:13.140 --> 21:15.576 so we need an aircraft that can first survive. 21:15.576 --> 21:18.619 We also need an aircraft that's dual purpose that can both 21:18.619 --> 21:23.220 be manned and possibly autonomous and unmanned, 21:23.220 --> 21:25.263 a robotic helicopter. 21:25.640 --> 21:28.219 We need an aircraft that can fly faster and further 21:28.219 --> 21:30.980 than any existing rotor wing aircraft today 21:31.150 --> 21:34.000 and we need an aircraft that is agile, both while 21:34.000 --> 21:37.280 in flight to avoid enemy air defense and at what we call 21:37.280 --> 21:40.587 at the X or at the landing zone in order to evade 21:40.587 --> 21:44.490 and survive any of the intense ground fire that will be 21:44.490 --> 21:48.283 coming on a hot LZ, those are pretty stiff requirements. 21:48.450 --> 21:52.530 So the discussion with industry is ongoing right now. 21:52.530 --> 21:55.600 And there's a variety of possibilities out there 21:55.600 --> 21:57.211 from a technological standpoint. 21:57.211 --> 21:59.700 We'll know more throughout the summer 21:59.794 --> 22:03.003 and as we get into the fall to make some hard decisions, 22:03.360 --> 22:04.560 but there is no intent 22:04.560 --> 22:09.560 and the secretary and I are not gonna stand for delays. 22:09.740 --> 22:11.810 This is an urgent need, we need to get it. 22:11.810 --> 22:14.340 It's the third, we have six priorities in the army, 22:14.340 --> 22:16.945 six modernization priorities, this is the number three. 22:16.945 --> 22:19.801 If you think about what an army does, an army fights 22:19.801 --> 22:23.108 and wins in ground combat and the first thing you gotta 22:23.108 --> 22:25.310 be able to do is shoot long range precision fires 22:25.310 --> 22:26.730 and then you gotta be able to move. 22:26.730 --> 22:28.460 And we move by the ground and we move by the air, 22:28.460 --> 22:30.580 so this is a very important priority for the army. 22:30.580 --> 22:33.290 We're committed to it, and we're gonna try to keep this 22:33.290 --> 22:35.410 thing on track. - Thank you, General. 22:35.410 --> 22:38.920 - And I would just add that building upon what 22:38.920 --> 22:41.414 the chief just said, what we're doing right now 22:41.414 --> 22:44.921 reflects the different approach to acquisition 22:44.921 --> 22:48.475 that we're taking, in this case we have two demonstrators, 22:48.475 --> 22:51.869 one has flown, I think one will be flying later. 22:51.869 --> 22:56.869 Both are largely funded by industry as prototypes 22:56.980 --> 22:59.790 with some federal dollars and so it just reflects 22:59.790 --> 23:03.390 a whole new approach where we prototype, we test, 23:03.390 --> 23:06.310 we fail, we learn, we prototype and we repeat 23:06.360 --> 23:08.710 until we narrow the requirements and we get on 23:08.710 --> 23:11.120 a much quicker trajectory to get to the end state 23:11.120 --> 23:11.953 that we want. 23:11.953 --> 23:15.110 - I appreciate the very clear answer, thank you, 23:15.110 --> 23:16.190 Madam Chairwoman. 23:16.190 --> 23:17.847 - Thank you, Mr. Goyer. 23:18.295 --> 23:19.653 - Thank you, Madam Chair. 23:21.058 --> 23:23.337 Mr. Secretary and again, General, thank you for your 23:23.337 --> 23:26.843 service and your time, just one question. 23:27.140 --> 23:28.980 The Department of Defense is... 23:30.810 --> 23:34.420 Currently going through this financial statement audit, 23:34.420 --> 23:37.570 as you know, verified count, location, condition 23:39.040 --> 23:41.383 of military equipment, real property, inventory, 23:41.504 --> 23:45.090 test and security, volatilities, and our business systems, 23:45.090 --> 23:47.563 validating the accuracy of personnel records. 23:47.716 --> 23:51.853 It's gonna take a while to get this hopefully clean audit. 23:52.890 --> 23:55.960 The financial statement audit will help drive, we hope, 23:55.960 --> 23:58.980 improvements and standardized business and process 23:59.060 --> 24:01.843 and basically know what we have because as you know, 24:02.030 --> 24:04.189 half of the discretionary funding goes into 24:04.189 --> 24:09.189 Department of Defense, Mr. Secretary and, I guess, 24:11.110 --> 24:14.223 for both of you, but especially you, Mr. Secretary, 24:14.400 --> 24:16.540 tell us your experiences and the views of this 24:16.540 --> 24:19.870 Department of Defense audit, and tell us, even though 24:19.870 --> 24:24.270 this is an initial review, if any actions have been 24:24.270 --> 24:26.380 taken by the Department has helped the Department 24:26.380 --> 24:27.213 of the army. 24:27.230 --> 24:30.046 - Yes sir, completion of the audit is a top priority 24:30.046 --> 24:33.820 for me, having been through audits in the private sector, 24:33.820 --> 24:35.603 I recognize the value of them. 24:35.940 --> 24:38.510 In terms of what they teach you, what you can learn 24:38.510 --> 24:41.044 from them, how they can help you think better in terms of 24:41.044 --> 24:44.720 how you employ your resources and manage your resources 24:44.720 --> 24:47.310 to accomplish your mission, in this case, it's readiness 24:47.310 --> 24:51.211 and future readiness and so the army is off to a good start. 24:51.211 --> 24:54.073 We are looking at what needs we need to make so, 24:54.399 --> 24:57.370 over the previous few years, we have made a number 24:57.370 --> 25:00.153 of changes to improve our audit ability, 25:00.380 --> 25:03.690 whether it's better documentation control, 25:03.690 --> 25:07.080 improving our IT systems, capturing data better, 25:07.080 --> 25:09.580 so we are proceeding along, I get updated on this 25:09.580 --> 25:13.365 monthly, and at every meeting, I ask what do you need 25:13.365 --> 25:15.055 from me, what support do you need from me 25:15.055 --> 25:18.120 to make sure that we complete our audit on time? 25:18.120 --> 25:20.410 And again, as you rightly said, I don't anticipate 25:20.410 --> 25:22.790 we'll get a clean opinion this year. 25:22.790 --> 25:25.920 I think it's a process, but I'm confident we will 25:25.920 --> 25:26.963 continue to learn. 25:27.170 --> 25:29.410 At the end of the day, we need to be able to account 25:29.410 --> 25:31.760 for everything that we have and what we do, 25:31.760 --> 25:33.360 and I'm fully committed to that. 25:33.660 --> 25:36.030 - And you said it right, you've been in the private sector 25:36.030 --> 25:38.900 so this is key and we got to do the same thing 25:38.900 --> 25:39.733 for government. 25:39.733 --> 25:42.247 - Yes sir, and part of it is making sure the attitude, 25:42.247 --> 25:46.040 it's a learning event, not a grading event, per se, 25:46.040 --> 25:48.520 because there's a lot that can be learned from an audit 25:48.520 --> 25:52.750 that helps leaders really manage all of your resources 25:52.750 --> 25:56.140 better, whether it's people, equipment, dollars, 25:56.140 --> 25:58.860 obviously, it's important that we complete this. 25:58.860 --> 26:00.990 - Well, following the question, you ask your folks 26:00.990 --> 26:04.380 every time you meet with them, anything we can do 26:04.380 --> 26:05.902 to help you? (laughs) 26:05.902 --> 26:09.400 - The Congress has been more than generous with the FY 18 26:09.400 --> 26:13.140 and FY19 marks so I think we really appreciate the funding 26:13.140 --> 26:16.570 at this point, as we go, we will be sure to keep 26:16.570 --> 26:18.310 the Congress apprised if anything comes up 26:18.310 --> 26:21.853 with regard to the audit piece, so thank you, sir. 26:22.840 --> 26:24.060 - Back to balancing my time. 26:24.060 --> 26:24.893 - Judge Carter. 26:25.810 --> 26:28.193 - Thank you, Madam Chairman, Secretary Esper. 26:28.331 --> 26:31.293 General Milley, thank you for being here. 26:32.160 --> 26:34.990 I think you make a great team and taking care 26:34.990 --> 26:37.393 of our army, and I appreciate you very much. 26:38.020 --> 26:40.980 I'd like to, we're talking about a new national defense 26:40.980 --> 26:45.980 strategy, it raises a new whole section of thinking on 26:46.046 --> 26:51.046 warfare with the army and we're looking at dealing 26:51.670 --> 26:56.137 with near peer aggression and our potential aggression 26:56.137 --> 26:58.747 and how we would face it while continuing 26:58.747 --> 27:02.170 an insurgency war which we've been fighting now 27:02.170 --> 27:04.933 for 16 or 18 years. 27:05.420 --> 27:09.732 It takes a whole new outlook, and it takes evaluation 27:09.732 --> 27:14.633 of our near peer enemies in what we're gonna do. 27:14.723 --> 27:18.401 So my question is, give us an overview if you could 27:18.401 --> 27:22.440 about the changes in the army relative 27:22.440 --> 27:25.750 to the near peer enemies 27:25.750 --> 27:29.470 and then as we continue how will we continue 27:29.470 --> 27:33.782 to deal with insurgency and that issue too 27:33.782 --> 27:36.279 and one of the things I'm very interested in is because, 27:36.279 --> 27:41.279 at Fort Hood, we have a lot of Abrams tanks 27:41.400 --> 27:45.189 and a lot of Bradleys, and they've done a great job for us 27:45.189 --> 27:49.930 and great for our army, but they are old, they are old 27:49.930 --> 27:53.280 vehicles, and it's my understanding from some of my reading 27:53.280 --> 27:57.940 that our potential enemies have looked at how we fight 27:57.940 --> 27:59.734 and have made improvements. 27:59.734 --> 28:03.370 I'd like for you to also talk about equipment 28:03.470 --> 28:07.861 improvements as you look down the road for this dual task 28:07.861 --> 28:11.147 we're gonna have, it's kind of a big question, 28:11.147 --> 28:14.370 but if you could outline it quickly, give us some kind of 28:14.370 --> 28:17.370 idea where you are, I think it's important 28:17.370 --> 28:18.820 that everybody understand it. 28:19.340 --> 28:21.640 - I'll take first stab at it, and I'm sure the chief 28:21.640 --> 28:23.280 will have a lot to contribute as well. 28:23.280 --> 28:25.023 As you rightly outline, Mr. Carter, 28:25.023 --> 28:28.750 with what the NDS presents, we have to now deal not only 28:28.750 --> 28:32.350 with the high end, very complex threats, strategic 28:32.350 --> 28:36.168 competitors of Russia and China, we still have to be 28:36.168 --> 28:38.890 prepared to deal with the Irans and North Koreas, 28:38.890 --> 28:42.130 and at the same time deal with irregular warfare, 28:42.130 --> 28:45.690 so unlike maybe what have happened in the post Vietnam era 28:45.690 --> 28:48.400 when I entered the service, we don't have the luxury 28:48.400 --> 28:51.420 of just focusing on one threat, so instead we have to now 28:51.420 --> 28:52.983 maintain that core competency. 28:53.240 --> 28:55.127 At the same time, as we open up our aperture to deal with 28:55.127 --> 28:58.058 the high end threats, there are a number of things 28:58.058 --> 29:00.310 that we are doing to make sure we are ready. 29:00.310 --> 29:03.640 So we talked earlier about fully maximizing the throughput 29:03.640 --> 29:06.650 of units to the combat training centers, that's number one. 29:06.650 --> 29:11.650 Second, relevant to today's discussion about the budget, 29:12.003 --> 29:15.620 we are converting an armor brigade combat team. 29:15.620 --> 29:19.910 We have by the end of 19 building another combat armor 29:20.753 --> 29:21.900 brigade combat team, again, to deal with the high end 29:21.900 --> 29:25.089 threat, we are upgrading our... 29:25.089 --> 29:29.960 Strikers, Bradleys and vehicles, Bradleys and Abrams, 29:29.960 --> 29:32.256 making them more lethal, making them more survivable. 29:32.256 --> 29:35.163 We're investing in our aviation fleet. 29:35.540 --> 29:38.260 So all these things we are doing to deal with the high end 29:38.260 --> 29:40.360 and then of course we mentioned several times 29:40.360 --> 29:42.933 our six priority areas for modernization. 29:43.230 --> 29:45.430 It begins with long range precision fires, making sure 29:45.430 --> 29:48.303 we have the ability to reach out and touch the enemy 29:48.303 --> 29:51.890 at greater distance so that we can help the Air Force, 29:51.890 --> 29:54.780 for example, with the suppression of air defenses, 29:54.780 --> 29:57.053 all the way down through as you mentioned, 29:57.100 --> 29:58.900 building the next generation combat vehicles. 29:58.900 --> 30:00.560 Because we're reaching the point in time, certainly 30:00.560 --> 30:03.753 with the Bradleys, where we are out of power, if you will. 30:03.910 --> 30:07.003 They're getting too heavy to do some certain things 30:07.003 --> 30:09.260 so that's why next generation combat vehicles are 30:09.260 --> 30:11.053 another one of our priorities. 30:13.390 --> 30:16.100 - Thanks, Congressman, I would just add that, you know, 30:16.100 --> 30:18.993 you rightly point out the national defense strategy, 30:19.394 --> 30:23.470 solid document, by the way, you know, I don't know how many 30:23.470 --> 30:25.756 know the background of it, but that is very much 30:25.756 --> 30:29.550 Secretary Mattis's document, his voice is in it, 30:29.550 --> 30:33.563 he penned it, he pretty much singly authored that document. 30:33.694 --> 30:36.620 We the joint chiefs of staff have had a lot of input 30:36.620 --> 30:38.860 to it, many of the staffers have had, we think 30:38.860 --> 30:40.869 it's a solid document and accurately outlines 30:40.869 --> 30:43.160 the way ahead for not only Department of defense 30:43.160 --> 30:45.573 but extrapolate to the army. 30:46.170 --> 30:50.131 Specifically, the reintroduction, I suppose, of great 30:50.131 --> 30:55.120 power competition at both levels below outright war 30:55.120 --> 30:58.323 and then potentially in conflict, so we've got to 30:58.323 --> 31:02.280 shift gears as a Department of Defense 31:02.280 --> 31:05.030 and a Department of the Army, and we intend to do that. 31:05.480 --> 31:09.410 At the same time we have to sustain the levels of effort 31:09.410 --> 31:12.060 fighting counterinsurgency and a counter terrorist fight 31:12.060 --> 31:14.100 against a very aggressive, nihilistic enemy 31:14.100 --> 31:16.450 that wants to destroy Americans and our interest. 31:16.450 --> 31:18.430 So we have to be able to do both simultaneously 31:18.430 --> 31:21.267 and we think that this budget helps us to do that 31:21.267 --> 31:24.610 and in order to do that, we have to improve our readiness, 31:24.610 --> 31:27.380 improve for today's fight and we have to modernize 31:27.537 --> 31:30.970 for tomorrow's and we think that this strategy is balanced. 31:30.970 --> 31:34.611 It's in the 19 proposals and we think we can get there 31:34.611 --> 31:37.780 in pretty good shape, barring unforeseen events 31:37.790 --> 31:39.353 in the international environment. 31:40.840 --> 31:42.253 - Thank you, yield back. 31:48.230 --> 31:49.940 - Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you gentlemen, 31:49.940 --> 31:53.563 for being here today and your service to our nation. 31:53.950 --> 31:58.120 I'd like to get your thought on a few things. 31:58.120 --> 32:00.597 We've been talking a lot about the new national security 32:00.597 --> 32:05.597 strategy and that also includes the guard and the reserve 32:06.035 --> 32:11.035 and I would like to dig in a little more about 32:11.170 --> 32:14.820 the army's aviation modernization program and how that... 32:15.410 --> 32:16.673 All fits together. 32:16.940 --> 32:19.770 So we know with the increased global requirements 32:19.770 --> 32:22.920 and high operating tempo that it's put a strain on 32:22.920 --> 32:26.420 readiness and modernization efforts, especially with 32:26.420 --> 32:29.690 respect to aviation and some of the questions have related 32:29.690 --> 32:33.149 to that, and part of that has been past funding 32:33.149 --> 32:36.208 by this Congress and timely budgets which we're beginning 32:36.208 --> 32:40.782 to address, so I'd like to know as you describe, 32:40.782 --> 32:43.170 what's in the FY19 budget 32:43.170 --> 32:45.683 for the army aviation modernization. 32:45.950 --> 32:50.031 How the army plans to go forward in the decade, 32:50.031 --> 32:53.040 especially now that we're going to have the funding 32:53.164 --> 32:56.603 hopefully, at least for the next two years, 32:56.720 --> 32:57.923 better in place. 32:58.330 --> 33:01.160 There's been concern from reserve components 33:01.160 --> 33:03.542 that the army's direction here may leave them 33:03.542 --> 33:06.270 without the funding needed to complete 33:06.270 --> 33:11.000 the modernization efforts for the UH60 Black Hawks 33:11.020 --> 33:15.570 and I also, from the Army Times, November 9th, 2017, 33:19.420 --> 33:21.550 was concerned when I read that the army's goal 33:21.550 --> 33:25.940 for training flights per hour per crew is 14.5 hours 33:25.940 --> 33:28.800 to reach collective readiness at the battalion level 33:29.070 --> 33:32.800 but the service's active component is only getting 10.8 33:32.800 --> 33:36.947 hours, while the National Guard is getting 6.4 33:37.030 --> 33:41.293 and the reserve is getting 7.8, so could you gentlemen 33:41.293 --> 33:44.410 tell me with the increased funding and how we're moving 33:44.410 --> 33:48.560 forward, how the active component will, you know, 33:48.560 --> 33:52.380 as it continues to rely and rely heavily on the reserves 33:52.380 --> 33:55.480 and guards as an operational force, how are you going to... 33:56.480 --> 33:59.270 Ensure that they also see the full benefits 33:59.270 --> 34:01.023 of this modernization program? 34:04.150 --> 34:06.571 - Thanks, ma'am, for the question, on aviation. 34:06.571 --> 34:11.210 The last couple of years Congress has been very generous 34:11.210 --> 34:12.960 to us and we've put a lot of money into aviation. 34:12.960 --> 34:17.673 So in the, both in 17 and 18. 34:18.480 --> 34:23.480 And for 19, for this request, we're asking for money to 34:24.596 --> 34:28.610 remanufacture I think it's another 48 Apaches 34:28.610 --> 34:32.550 to buy 12 additional new Apaches, we're asking 34:32.550 --> 34:35.287 for additional moneys to procure additional UH60s 34:35.287 --> 34:38.050 and to modernize the UH60 fleet as well as 34:38.140 --> 34:39.283 the CH47 fleet. 34:40.600 --> 34:42.770 Aviation is the biggest and most expensive, 34:42.770 --> 34:45.680 outside of MILPR, outside of the payroll, 34:45.680 --> 34:48.014 it's the most expensive part of the army budget 34:48.014 --> 34:50.260 and we think that we're putting an adequate amount 34:50.260 --> 34:53.027 of money into aviation for both the active and the reserve 34:53.027 --> 34:56.000 and guard in order to make sure that they're properly 34:56.000 --> 34:59.470 equipped with the best, this is barring future 34:59.470 --> 35:01.570 vertical lift, this is the current system. 35:01.820 --> 35:03.680 The second piece you mentioned about the training, 35:03.680 --> 35:07.340 the flight hour program, we think, historically, 35:07.340 --> 35:11.720 that 15, 14, 15 hours is about what is necessary 35:11.720 --> 35:14.097 to maintain the highest level of combat readiness 35:14.097 --> 35:16.183 for rotary wing aviator. 35:16.328 --> 35:19.930 That would apply, those numbers would apply to active 35:19.930 --> 35:21.845 component because that's where you want to get them 35:21.845 --> 35:25.330 to what we call C1, so we want them at the highest level 35:25.330 --> 35:27.999 of readiness, the National Guard and reserve are not 35:27.999 --> 35:32.999 resourced nor are they planned to be at C1 prior to 35:33.360 --> 35:34.703 mobilization day. 35:35.190 --> 35:39.920 They are by design planned to be at a lesser level 35:39.920 --> 35:42.889 of readiness prior to mobilization day and then upon 35:42.889 --> 35:46.160 mobilization, there's a period of time for each unit 35:46.160 --> 35:49.427 and we have it by unit, we have a period of time for them 35:49.427 --> 35:53.573 then to reach C1 prior to them deploying into combat. 35:54.013 --> 35:54.846 - Madam Chair, because my time's running, 35:54.846 --> 35:57.260 I would like to see that breakdown because I'm very 35:57.260 --> 35:59.840 concerned about with the op tempo, sometimes 35:59.840 --> 36:02.640 the shortness in deployment and especially 36:02.640 --> 36:04.620 with the equipment that they're operating with 36:04.620 --> 36:06.507 so if you could provide that to our staff, 36:06.507 --> 36:08.897 I'd appreciate that, thank you very much, gentlemen, 36:08.897 --> 36:09.747 thank you, madam. 36:14.190 --> 36:15.023 - Korea. 36:18.490 --> 36:22.580 We have some 24,000 troops on the peninsula, 36:22.580 --> 36:25.313 including 15,000 active army. 36:30.320 --> 36:35.320 In view of the unusual activities of the last few months, 36:35.401 --> 36:40.401 IE North Korea, what changes have you made, if any, 36:40.454 --> 36:43.653 in preparation for what may come? 36:45.090 --> 36:45.923 Mr. Secretary? 36:48.080 --> 36:51.830 - I'll take a first stab at this, but the chief in his 36:53.200 --> 36:55.830 joint chief role is probably gonna be more fluent on this. 36:55.830 --> 36:59.050 I can tell you that with regard to Korea, we hope 36:59.050 --> 37:00.770 for the best but prepare for the worst 37:00.770 --> 37:05.200 and so one of my first trips on the job was to Korea 37:05.200 --> 37:07.720 where I spent about two days on the peninsula meeting 37:07.720 --> 37:10.080 with our commanders all the way from Seoul down to the 37:10.080 --> 37:12.083 Southern end of the peninsula to get a good feel for 37:12.083 --> 37:14.670 our readiness and I can tell you that everybody's 37:14.670 --> 37:17.870 working hard to ensure that we are ready, 37:17.870 --> 37:20.700 that we are doing what's necessary to strengthen the hands 37:20.700 --> 37:23.450 of our state Department, our diplomats, if you will 37:23.450 --> 37:26.690 and to make sure that we have all options available 37:26.690 --> 37:28.483 for our decision makers. 37:30.940 --> 37:31.773 - General? 37:31.810 --> 37:32.670 - Congressman... 37:34.970 --> 37:37.580 I don't want to do a cop out, but I would like to actually 37:37.580 --> 37:42.030 come by and brief you in a classified session 37:42.030 --> 37:43.780 on the details of what we're doing. 37:44.943 --> 37:49.440 The headlines, I suppose, or the brief version, 37:49.440 --> 37:53.043 an unclassified, we continue to do and we will continue 37:53.043 --> 37:55.570 to do a significant amount of training for contingency 37:55.570 --> 37:58.650 operations on the Korean peninsula, both on the peninsula 37:58.650 --> 38:00.580 itself with the units that are stationed there, 38:00.580 --> 38:02.488 but also the units in the region, we've got, roughly 38:02.488 --> 38:06.908 speaking, 70,000 army soldiers in the PACOM AOR 38:06.908 --> 38:09.850 and another 30,000 depending on exercise schedules 38:09.850 --> 38:12.720 so training is key and then in the continental 38:12.720 --> 38:16.613 United States, about, I guess was a year, 18 months ago, 38:16.701 --> 38:20.530 we gave out guidance to our units... 38:21.015 --> 38:22.500 That we would... 38:23.440 --> 38:26.644 We would designated selected units to increase 38:26.644 --> 38:30.900 their readiness training, specifically oriented 38:30.900 --> 38:33.253 towards high end combined arms warfare. 38:33.360 --> 38:36.187 Not specific necessarily to Korea, although it would be 38:36.187 --> 38:38.840 applicable to Korea, and we've been running those units 38:38.840 --> 38:41.410 pretty hard, getting them to a much higher level of 38:41.410 --> 38:43.960 readiness that I can explain in some detail to you. 38:44.500 --> 38:47.146 In terms of equipment, we've ensured that all of 38:47.146 --> 38:48.996 the prepositioned stocks are full up. 38:49.180 --> 38:51.803 We have worked hard at replenishing munitions. 38:51.920 --> 38:53.160 I can give you the details of those in 38:53.160 --> 38:54.610 a classified session as well. 38:55.190 --> 38:57.610 And then we've made sure that we've increased 38:57.610 --> 38:59.389 the personnel fill for the units that are both there 38:59.389 --> 39:02.823 and the units that are expected to first respond, 39:03.136 --> 39:04.870 but we the army have done 39:04.870 --> 39:06.370 a tremendous amount in coordination 39:06.370 --> 39:09.780 with the US army Pacific, with Deb Mojares in PACOM 39:09.780 --> 39:11.777 and General Brooks who's a commander on the peninsula, 39:11.777 --> 39:14.080 and we've done a tremendous amount over the last 12 39:14.080 --> 39:17.670 to 18 months or so in preparation for any possible 39:17.670 --> 39:20.300 contingency, so that the president has the widest latitude 39:20.300 --> 39:22.003 for options if needed. 39:23.460 --> 39:25.959 - How would you rate the current state of our military 39:25.959 --> 39:28.743 relationship with South Korea? 39:29.290 --> 39:32.970 - It's very good, with the ROK army, our mil to mil 39:32.970 --> 39:35.620 relationship with the Republic of Korea is excellent. 39:35.770 --> 39:38.863 And I go over there probably every four, five moths. 39:39.380 --> 39:41.980 We've had a longterm, 70 year relationship with 39:41.980 --> 39:45.130 the ROK army, and we are very very solid. 39:45.130 --> 39:47.880 We are shoulder to shoulder with the Republic of Korea. 39:48.750 --> 39:51.113 - And I've had the chance to meet, when I was there, 39:52.115 --> 39:54.420 with the Minister of Defense and with the ROK generals 39:54.420 --> 39:58.120 and my assessment was the same and it was the assessment 39:58.120 --> 40:02.003 also given to me by our commander there, General Brooks. 40:03.910 --> 40:08.330 - In closing, and quickly, I noticed that... 40:10.261 --> 40:13.820 You're requesting a huge increase 40:13.820 --> 40:18.820 in 155 millimeter artillery shells. 40:20.360 --> 40:25.360 That's 018, with 16,500, 40:28.106 --> 40:29.456 the request now is 148,000. 40:31.350 --> 40:35.195 I'm an old 155 artillery guy on the Kentucky guard 40:35.195 --> 40:39.350 so I've got an affinity for 155 shells, but... 40:39.990 --> 40:41.233 What's going on here? 40:43.000 --> 40:47.010 - Well, as I survey, as Chief of Staff, as I survey 40:47.010 --> 40:49.910 the world situation and there are lead times 40:49.910 --> 40:52.810 to procurements, I want to make sure that the United States 40:52.810 --> 40:55.630 army has sufficient ammunition stocks, not just 155, 40:55.630 --> 40:58.370 but the other types of preferred munitions, precision guided 40:58.370 --> 41:01.170 munitions, et cetera, but 155 in particular because 41:01.380 --> 41:03.683 the United States army is, 41:04.190 --> 41:07.220 has been and still is a fires based army 41:07.314 --> 41:11.603 in order to create opportunities for maneuver and movement. 41:12.000 --> 41:15.298 So artillery is fundamental to our ability to do that 41:15.298 --> 41:18.620 and in the vent of a contingency, artillery munition 41:18.620 --> 41:21.570 consumption rates would be really high, so I want to make 41:21.570 --> 41:25.610 sure that the ammunition stockpiles are significant enough 41:25.610 --> 41:28.860 to withstand any contingency, hence the significant amount 41:29.890 --> 41:30.723 of 155. 41:30.723 --> 41:34.893 - Yeah, it's 10 times what you did in 18, I yield back. 41:36.094 --> 41:37.091 - [General] That's correct, Congressman. 41:37.091 --> 41:38.230 - Thank you, before we call on Mr. Wilmack, 41:38.230 --> 41:40.570 we'll be calling your office 41:40.580 --> 41:42.763 to set up a classified briefing. 41:42.840 --> 41:44.475 Everyone on the subcommittee will be invited 41:44.475 --> 41:47.410 because I know we all have questions that you're very 41:47.410 --> 41:51.873 respectfully need to be in a classified briefing, so. 41:52.410 --> 41:53.243 Mr. Wilmack. 41:53.243 --> 41:55.817 - Thank you, Madam Chair and my thanks to the Secretary 41:55.817 --> 41:58.250 and to the Chief who are doing remarkable work 41:58.250 --> 42:01.103 and of course, I'm kind of partial to the army, so. 42:02.990 --> 42:05.210 I like what they're doing and congratulations, 42:05.210 --> 42:07.336 by the way, on bringing the commander in chief's trophy 42:07.336 --> 42:10.955 back to the army side, I know my navy friends 42:10.955 --> 42:13.598 are probably, and even my Air Force friends probably 42:13.598 --> 42:17.340 a little bit chagrined about that, but it was about time. 42:17.340 --> 42:21.193 So, and I know it was particularly important to... 42:21.580 --> 42:22.563 The secretary. 42:23.020 --> 42:25.145 I want to talk about manning for just a minute. 42:25.145 --> 42:27.990 Even though we've got a lot of technology, a lot of 42:27.990 --> 42:32.290 really cool stuff that we use, that the war fighters 42:32.290 --> 42:34.672 are able to take advantage of, and more on the way, 42:34.672 --> 42:37.940 we're still a people business, and... 42:38.480 --> 42:43.480 My concerns have always been about the amount of money 42:45.270 --> 42:50.270 that we spend, let's just say invest in our people 42:51.540 --> 42:56.540 from entry level to some of these mid grades and then 42:57.400 --> 43:00.272 how we lose them in the retention battle. 43:00.272 --> 43:04.750 And my concern is even enhanced a little more 43:04.750 --> 43:08.722 now that we've got a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill passed 43:08.722 --> 43:13.722 and there's clearly a movement in the economy 43:14.430 --> 43:18.500 to bring more jobs back home and that's gonna put pressure 43:18.500 --> 43:21.750 on wages, wages are gonna go higher, I believe, strongly 43:21.750 --> 43:25.500 and that's gonna be an incentive for people who might be 43:25.500 --> 43:28.820 predisposed to joining our military to take a job 43:28.820 --> 43:32.723 in the civilian sector, so Mr. Secretary, if you would, 43:32.831 --> 43:37.330 just kind of let me know what your thoughts are on these 43:37.330 --> 43:41.303 issues and if my concerns are founded. 43:42.050 --> 43:44.650 - Yes, sir, it's a very good question. 43:44.650 --> 43:46.470 And I like your choice of words, invest, 43:46.470 --> 43:49.949 it's how we need to think about how we access 43:49.949 --> 43:52.560 soldiers and officers into our force. 43:52.560 --> 43:55.210 I think on the first part, with regard to our enlisted 43:55.210 --> 43:58.100 ranks, as you know, this bill will help us grow 43:58.100 --> 44:00.650 end strength, which is critical to meet the demands 44:01.930 --> 44:02.790 out there, but one of the challenges we have 44:03.226 --> 44:05.790 which are wildly reported, is that we have anywhere between 44:05.790 --> 44:10.462 only 25 to 30% of America's youth could be eligible to serve 44:10.462 --> 44:14.560 and less than 5% probably are eligible and have 44:14.560 --> 44:17.083 an inclination, proclivity to serve, and so. 44:17.520 --> 44:19.840 That makes things more challengeable, which makes it 44:19.840 --> 44:22.040 all the more important that once we get them 44:22.351 --> 44:25.042 into the service, that we do our darn best to retain them. 44:25.042 --> 44:28.320 And so there are a number of things we need to do, 44:28.320 --> 44:30.820 of course, invest in our professional development. 44:30.920 --> 44:32.770 We need to be sure to take care of their families 44:32.770 --> 44:34.256 which is why one of the priorities we've highlighted 44:34.256 --> 44:35.906 is taking care of their families. 44:36.190 --> 44:38.030 But another part of this and I think you and I 44:38.030 --> 44:40.453 may have spoken about it previously is, 44:40.620 --> 44:44.190 I've stood up what I call a talent management task force. 44:44.190 --> 44:46.190 To really look at how do we manage people differently 44:46.190 --> 44:48.512 in the 21st century, so rather than the typical 44:48.512 --> 44:51.100 up and out type of system we have now, 44:51.100 --> 44:53.680 how do we manage people based on their knowledge, 44:53.680 --> 44:56.178 skills and behaviors, marry it up with their preferences 44:56.178 --> 44:59.100 and make sure we look at them more as individuals 44:59.100 --> 45:00.810 as we manage them through their career 45:00.810 --> 45:02.830 so that we can retain them longer, particularly in 45:02.830 --> 45:05.630 that critical period between the six and eight year mark 45:05.630 --> 45:08.880 where at least for mid curve officers, they may think 45:08.880 --> 45:10.510 about getting out because they're looking for 45:10.510 --> 45:12.786 other opportunities, or like you said, the job market 45:12.786 --> 45:15.777 is better, so we have to be more flexible on that side 45:15.777 --> 45:18.153 as well in terms of allowing lateral movement 45:18.153 --> 45:21.310 in and out of the service, maybe to the guard and reserve 45:21.620 --> 45:23.567 and thinking about different career path options. 45:23.567 --> 45:26.790 This is most specifically outlined when we talk about 45:26.790 --> 45:29.540 the cyber force, so a number of things we could do, 45:29.540 --> 45:30.520 but you've hit the nail on the head. 45:30.520 --> 45:32.701 We have to think about people as investments. 45:32.701 --> 45:35.645 - General Milley, on that same subject, 45:35.645 --> 45:39.900 we have been engaged in a type of conflict that has been 45:39.900 --> 45:43.015 driven primarily by the small unit leader, which has been 45:43.015 --> 45:46.563 really good for the development of our small unit leaders. 45:46.740 --> 45:49.120 Now a lot of these leaders are matriculating up 45:49.120 --> 45:51.690 through their field grade and on into general officer 45:51.690 --> 45:56.630 positions and I would just kind of throw the same question 45:56.630 --> 45:59.687 out to you, do you ever get concerned about losing 45:59.687 --> 46:02.081 some of this great talent that has been so vital 46:02.081 --> 46:06.072 in the war fight so far that we could lose them to 46:06.072 --> 46:08.253 private sector opportunities? 46:09.310 --> 46:11.660 - I'm always concerned about that, Congressman. 46:11.668 --> 46:15.403 We want to retain the best and the brightest of talent. 46:15.852 --> 46:18.130 And you're correct, that there's a tremendous amount 46:18.130 --> 46:21.570 of institutional experience now at the small unit level 46:21.570 --> 46:25.170 and in combat fighting, so the short answer's yes, 46:25.170 --> 46:27.587 always concerned about it, we monitor it very closely. 46:27.587 --> 46:31.533 So what we've seen so far is we do not in the... 47:21.210 --> 47:23.890 - I really just want to get your feedback a little bit 47:24.150 --> 47:28.163 on the security force assistance brigades, 47:28.880 --> 47:31.630 one of which the first brigade is housed in Benning, 47:31.630 --> 47:35.900 in Georgia and no doubt that advising and assisting 47:35.900 --> 47:38.223 our allies is a key part of the mission. 47:38.460 --> 47:39.660 Can you just share with us a little bit about 47:39.660 --> 47:40.867 what you've learned and what you expect 47:40.867 --> 47:43.300 and what you hope to see in the future in using 47:43.300 --> 47:44.793 these various brigades? 47:45.490 --> 47:46.323 - Chief? 47:46.450 --> 47:47.320 - Thank you, Chief. 47:47.320 --> 47:48.920 - Thanks, Congressman, for that. 47:49.480 --> 47:51.020 It's our assessment... 47:57.100 --> 48:00.260 That we're gonna be in the train advise assist 48:01.149 --> 48:02.945 of indigenous partner nations' militaries 48:02.945 --> 48:04.540 for some time to come. 48:04.540 --> 48:06.960 We've been doing it pretty regularly as a nation 48:06.960 --> 48:09.023 for well over a century. 48:09.740 --> 48:12.210 If you think back at the big ones, the ROK army, 48:12.210 --> 48:16.178 the South Korean army, the army of South Vietnam. 48:16.178 --> 48:19.830 And many many other armies around the world have been 48:19.830 --> 48:23.840 advised by the American army over the years, 48:23.840 --> 48:26.530 so it's always been a fundamental mission 48:26.530 --> 48:30.550 of the United States army, many times it's defaulted 48:30.550 --> 48:32.729 to the United States army Special Forces because they have 48:32.729 --> 48:35.900 excellent expertise in foreign internal development 48:35.900 --> 48:39.540 and advisory, but in today's world, we think 48:39.540 --> 48:41.963 that the mission profile of train advise assist 48:41.963 --> 48:44.763 exceeds the capacity of Special Forces. 48:44.970 --> 48:47.513 They're running at a very, very high op tempo, 48:47.728 --> 48:52.728 so Special Forces is primarily now not exclusively, 48:52.760 --> 48:55.323 but primarily involved in training and advising 48:55.323 --> 48:57.663 host nation Special Forces. 48:58.148 --> 49:02.040 And we need to fill the gap to advise the host nation 49:02.040 --> 49:05.096 conventional forces, and what we determined, 49:05.096 --> 49:07.930 what we've been doing for 16 years is ripping apart 49:07.930 --> 49:12.245 our regular army or National Guard brigade combat teams 49:12.245 --> 49:15.160 that are designed for combined arms maneuvers, 49:15.160 --> 49:18.440 we've been ripping them apart to feed an advisory mission, 49:18.440 --> 49:20.928 so for example, today we've got five brigades 49:20.928 --> 49:23.710 in the Middle East doing that, we've got five preparing 49:23.710 --> 49:26.660 and you've got five just coming home, so about 15 49:26.660 --> 49:29.940 out of you know, 30 brigades in the active 49:29.940 --> 49:32.410 or 50 brigades in total are wrapped up in that 49:32.410 --> 49:35.490 mission profile, we need those brigades to train on 49:35.490 --> 49:38.230 their designed missions, so what we decided to do 49:38.230 --> 49:40.611 is we wanted to produce a better product of adviser 49:40.611 --> 49:43.680 rather than just sort of an ad hoc approach to it 49:43.680 --> 49:46.662 by ripping units apart, create a professional advisory 49:46.662 --> 49:49.010 unit, and we're calling it an SFAB 49:49.130 --> 49:52.200 and there are, it's all about the people. 49:52.200 --> 49:54.140 They're individuals how are highly vetted, 49:54.140 --> 49:56.020 they're meeting the same entry requirements 49:56.020 --> 49:58.963 that you have to meet to get into the Ranger regiment, 49:59.120 --> 50:00.660 they're getting full background checks 50:00.660 --> 50:03.290 and significantly, they've already served 50:03.290 --> 50:04.918 in the duty position they're serving as an advisor, 50:04.918 --> 50:07.080 so they're on their second company command, 50:07.080 --> 50:08.610 their second battalion command, their second brigade 50:08.610 --> 50:11.160 command, second time as a first Sergeant and so on. 50:11.170 --> 50:12.800 They're not coming, we're not ripping 'em out 50:12.800 --> 50:14.840 of the units, this is after they've competed 50:14.840 --> 50:16.480 their assignment in a regular unit. 50:16.480 --> 50:17.754 So you're getting a high quality product 50:17.754 --> 50:21.859 and I think we'll see over time, for the indigenous 50:21.859 --> 50:24.640 conventional forces, a better advisory capability 50:24.645 --> 50:27.350 and we'll recoup the readiness value of bringing 50:27.350 --> 50:30.918 the current brigades back home to get them trained 50:30.918 --> 50:33.223 for their organizational design mission. 50:33.702 --> 50:36.770 And a third big strategic benefit of these security 50:36.770 --> 50:41.010 force assistance brigades is that they are built upon... 50:44.980 --> 50:47.324 The inherent chain of command of an infantry brigade 50:47.324 --> 50:50.240 without all of the soldiers, so they're E6s and above. 50:50.240 --> 50:52.770 They're all NCOs and officers, and they are designed 50:52.770 --> 50:54.960 to look like the chain of command of a brigade. 50:54.960 --> 50:57.740 So in a national emergency, if the United States 50:57.740 --> 51:00.570 needed to rapidly expand, we're creating five of these 51:00.570 --> 51:01.900 in the regular army, one in the guard. 51:01.900 --> 51:04.000 If we needed to rapidly expand by, say, six brigades, 51:04.000 --> 51:05.860 five or six brigades, we would take soldiers 51:05.860 --> 51:08.150 to basic training and AIT, shove 'em underneath there 51:08.150 --> 51:11.520 and you'll have a brigade in relatively short order, 51:11.520 --> 51:13.540 about 1/3 of the time it would take to create 51:13.540 --> 51:15.710 a normal brigade, so you get these three big strategic 51:15.710 --> 51:17.110 benefits from these outfits. 51:17.200 --> 51:19.430 The first one as you noted stood up at Benning. 51:19.430 --> 51:22.803 It deployed a few, last week or 10 days ago or so. 51:23.379 --> 51:25.470 They're in the midst right now of getting into 51:25.470 --> 51:29.080 their battle space and the second one is gonna stand up 51:29.080 --> 51:31.470 at Bragg, we haven't determined yet the stationing 51:31.470 --> 51:34.223 for the third, fourth and fifth and so on, 51:34.237 --> 51:37.963 but we think it's a good idea, it's a good program. 51:39.111 --> 51:40.900 We think that they're getting good training and proper 51:40.900 --> 51:43.690 equipment and we think that their concept of employment 51:43.690 --> 51:46.760 is sound and we think it'll reap a significant amount 51:46.770 --> 51:48.120 of benefit in the years to come. 51:48.120 --> 51:49.870 - Right, thank you, thank you for that explanation 51:49.870 --> 51:52.817 and Madam Chair, I yield back, thank you. 51:53.739 --> 51:55.233 - Thank you. 51:55.656 --> 51:59.308 Madam Chair, and to both of you, thank you for your 51:59.308 --> 52:02.440 service to our country, we appreciate it very much. 52:02.440 --> 52:04.600 Thank you for your candor here with us this morning. 52:04.600 --> 52:07.652 As you know, I represent southeast Alabama and the people 52:07.652 --> 52:11.320 of southeast Alabama are very proud of the home 52:11.320 --> 52:13.363 of army aviation at Fort Rutger. 52:13.825 --> 52:18.825 So a couple questions and then I'll let you respond. 52:22.115 --> 52:24.838 And I appreciate, Mr. Secretary, the visit by phone 52:24.838 --> 52:27.090 the other day and i kind of laid this out for you, 52:27.090 --> 52:31.790 so we can talk further about it, but I'm real concerned 52:31.790 --> 52:36.790 about why the president's FY19 budget request for aircraft 52:38.010 --> 52:41.110 is 3.8 billion versus the actual spend 52:41.110 --> 52:44.853 in FY17 of 4.9 billion. 52:45.700 --> 52:49.990 We continue to also be concerned about retention of... 52:49.990 --> 52:51.463 Army aviators. 52:52.607 --> 52:57.460 And also want to make sure that the budget is a reflection 52:57.460 --> 53:00.550 of what needs to be done at Rutger to keep up with 53:01.667 --> 53:03.510 a student load that will then... 53:06.590 --> 53:08.903 Help with whatever missions we have. 53:09.290 --> 53:12.670 Clearly, we don't deploy without army aviation, 53:12.670 --> 53:14.850 so we want to make sure that student load is a reflection 53:14.850 --> 53:19.850 of the needs of the army, and then my second question is... 53:21.596 --> 53:25.393 I'm concerned about the funding for the striker vehicle 53:25.470 --> 53:28.413 in the army's FY19 request. 53:28.480 --> 53:30.727 It's my understanding that the army also has 53:30.727 --> 53:33.551 operational requirements for additional brigades 53:33.551 --> 53:38.045 of improved strikers and so a lack of funding for that 53:38.045 --> 53:41.200 would certainly put the industrial base in jeopardy. 53:41.200 --> 53:43.380 And so those are my questions and I'll be quiet 53:43.380 --> 53:45.380 and let y'all respond, but again, thank you so much 53:45.380 --> 53:47.800 for your service to our country and for being here today. 53:47.800 --> 53:50.090 - Thank you, Ms. Roby, I'll take the first one, 53:50.090 --> 53:53.870 aviation budget, I know the chief can speak 53:53.870 --> 53:56.590 to the retention piece and then we'll move to the striker. 53:56.590 --> 53:59.250 I did track down the numbers, so you're right. 53:59.250 --> 54:04.250 The FY19 request for aviation is 3.8 billion. 54:05.710 --> 54:10.510 The FY17 enacted was 4.9 billion, but what we requested 54:10.510 --> 54:15.140 in FY17 was 3.6 billion, so that delta reflected 54:16.408 --> 54:18.693 the additional generosity of the Congress to put money in. 54:19.274 --> 54:21.790 So that's why it looks like, so it's not a planned 54:21.890 --> 54:24.050 increase by the service, what we had planned 54:24.711 --> 54:26.240 was a steady increase, if you will, to continue 54:26.240 --> 54:27.933 to invest in aviation assets. 54:28.800 --> 54:30.920 That's number one, number two is we find at this point 54:30.920 --> 54:33.550 that we've, because of the investments we made 54:33.550 --> 54:37.360 in previous years, the bump up in 17, that army aviation 54:37.360 --> 54:40.070 across the board is in pretty good shape, certainly 54:40.070 --> 54:44.860 relative to our armor, our strikers, et cetera, et cetera, 54:44.860 --> 54:46.597 so we find ourselves in good footing. 54:46.597 --> 54:49.033 We are getting very close to meeting our aviation 54:49.033 --> 54:52.830 objections in terms of the fielding goals 54:52.830 --> 54:55.860 and then the other thing, I think this is due, again, 54:55.860 --> 54:58.774 to the folks at the Pentagon doing the acquisition, 54:58.774 --> 55:01.970 is they made some good decisions, so for example, 55:01.970 --> 55:06.040 on UH60, the procurement is a multiyear procurement 55:06.150 --> 55:10.270 of aircraft, which saved us, as a result, over a half 55:10.270 --> 55:13.440 billion dollars and so that, then we didn't have 55:13.440 --> 55:16.400 to invest that upfront, so a number of things are impacting 55:16.400 --> 55:19.878 both why you see the trending line as you read it, 55:19.878 --> 55:22.790 but also the solid state of aviation funding 55:22.790 --> 55:24.670 and then, of course as we've talked today, 55:24.670 --> 55:27.020 one of the things we're trying to do in the 19 budget 55:27.020 --> 55:29.270 is really consistent with the national defense strategy, 55:29.270 --> 55:32.809 make sure we're investing in conversion of the armor 55:32.809 --> 55:37.683 brigade combat teams, we're looking to create another one, 55:38.526 --> 55:40.190 we're trying to fill our preposition stocks of the 55:40.190 --> 55:43.743 brigade combat team, we're doing upgrades to our Bradleys, 55:43.820 --> 55:46.186 Abrams and other vehicles because they're just not in as 55:46.186 --> 55:49.363 good of shape, if you will, as the aviation fleet. 55:51.620 --> 55:56.620 - Congressman, for the pilots, what I've seen is not so much 55:56.940 --> 55:58.940 a retention issue as a production issue. 55:59.866 --> 56:03.920 We are short pilots, but we're at 94% 56:04.924 --> 56:08.920 on warrant officer pilot for loading way aircraft, 56:08.920 --> 56:11.630 so we're actually not in that bad of shape. 56:11.630 --> 56:16.630 However, that 94% means we're short several hundred pilots 56:17.170 --> 56:20.200 so where we're not where we would like to be, which is 100% 56:20.200 --> 56:23.220 but it's not so much retention as a production issue 56:23.240 --> 56:26.370 and you rightly point out the student base down at 56:26.390 --> 56:29.222 Fort Rutger, we're filling all the scheduled seats 56:29.222 --> 56:33.200 and we're monitoring all of that, very very closely, 56:33.200 --> 56:36.895 and we're very sensitive because of the amount of training 56:36.895 --> 56:41.550 that goes in to train a pilot, and we know that there's 56:41.550 --> 56:43.530 a heavy investment in that, and we want to continue 56:43.530 --> 56:46.623 to make sure that we don't drop off on it. 56:46.870 --> 56:49.160 I know some of the other services with fixed wing pilots 56:49.160 --> 56:51.550 are a challenge on retention, but ours is not so much 56:51.550 --> 56:53.853 retention as it is a production issue. 56:53.990 --> 56:58.460 On the striker piece, it's our intent to continue the 56:58.460 --> 57:00.713 striker upgrades, however, 57:02.110 --> 57:04.640 what you see reflected in the budget, what we did last year 57:04.640 --> 57:07.396 was put money in there for the striker lethality upgrade 57:07.396 --> 57:10.979 and now what we want to do is we want to get the feedback 57:10.979 --> 57:13.660 from the pilot program that we're running now over 57:13.660 --> 57:15.980 in Europe, we want to get all the feedback from 57:15.980 --> 57:18.350 the testing and the prototyping and so on, so forth 57:18.350 --> 57:21.430 and then adjust based off of that. 57:21.430 --> 57:23.930 We'd expect that feedback sometime over the summer 57:24.070 --> 57:27.612 and then we'll adjust and determine which way we want 57:27.612 --> 57:30.443 to go on the remaining striker brigades. 57:40.210 --> 57:41.460 - Thank you, Madam Chair. 57:44.727 --> 57:46.540 Secretary, first of all, I want to thank you for your 57:46.540 --> 57:50.560 comments on the audit and audit ability that Mr. Creyer 57:50.560 --> 57:54.850 brought up and the fact that you are very serious about it 57:54.860 --> 57:57.293 and as I've said many times in this room, 57:57.490 --> 58:00.990 it's not the audit itself, it's the ability it gives you 58:00.990 --> 58:04.420 to make informed decisions, but very much appreciate 58:04.420 --> 58:06.560 your addressing that. - Thank you, sir. 58:06.560 --> 58:10.490 - I have, if I could just set these out, for the two 58:10.670 --> 58:13.620 of you, three questions and again, I would not want 58:13.620 --> 58:15.650 to take time, Chairman Frelinghuysen is here, 58:15.650 --> 58:20.480 Mr. Aderhold, is the first is we're all very proud 58:20.480 --> 58:23.340 of our National Guard organizations. 58:23.340 --> 58:26.939 Indiana has partnerships with two different countries. 58:26.939 --> 58:31.343 Relative to the European deterrence initiative, 58:31.670 --> 58:36.670 how do the guards in the state partnership program... 58:38.340 --> 58:42.793 Cooperate, play into what the army is doing in Europe? 58:43.440 --> 58:47.790 Second when we look at Asia, I think too often we think of 58:47.790 --> 58:52.760 maritime, navy, Air Force, but the army has a clear role. 58:52.760 --> 58:56.676 Setting aside the Korean peninsula, any particular 58:56.676 --> 58:59.618 activities you would draw our attention to 58:59.618 --> 59:01.303 that you're involved in? 59:03.320 --> 59:05.010 And the last, and again, if you would just touch on these, 59:05.010 --> 59:08.867 is with the new defense strategy that I am pleased 59:08.867 --> 59:13.867 the Department has initiated, we talk about Russia and China 59:14.261 --> 59:18.210 We talk about Iran and we talk about North Korea 59:19.435 --> 59:21.035 and other very important issues. 59:22.000 --> 59:25.450 Has it put stress on the army in particular as far 59:25.450 --> 59:27.593 as these activities in Afghanistan? 59:27.817 --> 59:30.900 Any problems that has created as far as a sense 59:30.900 --> 59:32.760 of priority, thank you. 59:32.760 --> 59:35.010 - Thank you, sir, if you don't mind, I'll take 59:35.010 --> 59:37.910 the first one and maybe the chief can take the second two. 59:38.926 --> 59:42.200 So as you know, my 21 years of service, 10 of 'em 59:42.200 --> 59:44.577 were on active duty and the remaining 11 were in 59:44.577 --> 59:47.050 the guard and reserve, so I have a great affinity 59:47.050 --> 59:49.200 for the guard as a former guardsman myself. 59:49.430 --> 59:52.280 And I will tell you, when I went to Europe, I think it was 59:52.280 --> 59:57.010 in January, I was able to visit Belgium, Germany, Poland 59:57.010 --> 01:00:00.725 and Ukraine and in Poland, I was very impressed because 01:00:00.725 --> 01:00:04.593 there was a guard unit there from Illinois, of all places, 01:00:06.316 --> 01:00:07.910 training, conducting training there 01:00:07.910 --> 01:00:12.490 and they were well welcomed and doing an incredible job. 01:00:12.490 --> 01:00:14.140 I found the same thing, by the way, when I went 01:00:14.140 --> 01:00:16.460 to Ukraine, it was actually the New York National Guard 01:00:16.460 --> 01:00:20.630 that was training the Ukrainians on better tactics 01:00:20.630 --> 01:00:22.823 techniques and procedures, if you will, 01:00:22.860 --> 01:00:25.860 consistent with what we do with NATO, so the guard 01:00:25.860 --> 01:00:27.130 is performing a critical role. 01:00:27.130 --> 01:00:30.120 From the time I left active duty in 1996, they have moved 01:00:30.120 --> 01:00:33.710 certainly from a strategy reserve to an operational reserve 01:00:33.710 --> 01:00:36.980 to an operational force and everywhere I go 01:00:36.980 --> 01:00:40.490 and I'm always reminded of my visit to Afghanistan 01:00:40.490 --> 01:00:44.253 just before Christmas, where I sat around with a combat, 01:00:45.225 --> 01:00:47.081 a leadership team of a brigade combat team 01:00:47.081 --> 01:00:50.020 and you wouldn't know it unless you looked at their patches 01:00:50.020 --> 01:00:52.020 but they were from all three components, 01:00:52.060 --> 01:00:54.630 but seamlessly integrated, each performing their roles, 01:00:54.630 --> 01:00:58.010 side by side, but there were active, regular army 01:00:58.010 --> 01:01:00.510 guard and reserve, and so they are doing a tremendous job 01:01:00.510 --> 01:01:03.090 and I guess further to your point is what I found 01:01:03.090 --> 01:01:06.340 is where states have these particular partnership programs 01:01:06.340 --> 01:01:09.180 with other countries, that's been particularly helpful 01:01:09.180 --> 01:01:11.940 because there is a longstanding relationship in many cases 01:01:11.940 --> 01:01:13.586 where they've been working together for many years 01:01:13.586 --> 01:01:16.680 and so it's just, there's a great ease when they have 01:01:16.680 --> 01:01:19.390 to deploy and they already have a relationship built up. 01:01:19.390 --> 01:01:22.820 And I know, I had that conversation with the Poles 01:01:22.820 --> 01:01:26.218 in particular where there was just an easy transition 01:01:26.218 --> 01:01:30.710 as our guardsmen were working in Poland on our deterrence 01:01:30.710 --> 01:01:31.610 initiatives there. 01:01:34.110 --> 01:01:36.910 - Yeah, I would echo all of that, Congressman, the state 01:01:36.910 --> 01:01:39.280 partnership program as you know has been a longterm program, 01:01:39.280 --> 01:01:42.820 started in the early 90s, and the states have affiliations 01:01:42.820 --> 01:01:44.200 with various countries around the world. 01:01:44.200 --> 01:01:47.000 A very, very successful program, particularly in Europe, 01:01:49.622 --> 01:01:51.772 as a subset of the broader EUCON command of 01:01:52.108 --> 01:01:53.600 General Scapperati's engagement strategy 01:01:53.600 --> 01:01:55.350 in order to build partner capacity. 01:01:56.563 --> 01:01:58.220 For the EDI, the European deterrence initiative, 01:01:58.220 --> 01:02:01.170 the army plays a significant role in that of the six plus 01:02:01.170 --> 01:02:03.350 billion dollars that it's been increased from 01:02:03.350 --> 01:02:06.313 last year's budget, the army is, 01:02:06.760 --> 01:02:08.210 I think the army's allocated 01:02:08.560 --> 01:02:10.350 four, four and a half billion of that. 01:02:10.350 --> 01:02:11.393 That's significant. 01:02:11.980 --> 01:02:14.643 The purpose of the whole thing is to deter further 01:02:14.643 --> 01:02:18.383 Russian territorial aggression in Europe. 01:02:18.560 --> 01:02:21.150 We saw Georgia, we saw Crimea, we saw what they're doing 01:02:21.150 --> 01:02:24.743 in eastern Damas, so a strategic decision was made 01:02:24.743 --> 01:02:28.093 to deter any further territorial aggression. 01:02:28.230 --> 01:02:30.227 In order to do that, it requires a joint force, 01:02:30.227 --> 01:02:32.604 so there's elements of the navy and the Air Force 01:02:32.604 --> 01:02:35.940 and Marines as part of the EDI as well, but the army 01:02:35.940 --> 01:02:39.650 has a big chunk of that because the best form of deterrence 01:02:39.650 --> 01:02:42.870 frankly is the deterrence that you can see on the ground 01:02:42.950 --> 01:02:44.800 and if you know you can't achieve your objectives 01:02:44.800 --> 01:02:47.300 on the ground, then you are likely not to try to attempt 01:02:47.300 --> 01:02:49.220 to get those objectives. - If you could address Asia? 01:02:49.220 --> 01:02:50.053 - I'm sorry? 01:02:52.150 --> 01:02:55.810 As I understood, the question was, is the China issue 01:02:55.810 --> 01:02:58.637 impacting or increasing stress on-- 01:02:58.933 --> 01:03:00.380 - I wouldn't even say China, it's just we think of navy, 01:03:00.380 --> 01:03:03.863 we think of Air Force because of the projection. 01:03:03.918 --> 01:03:07.220 Sitting inside the Korean peninsula, but just to highlight 01:03:07.220 --> 01:03:10.470 some of the other activities and important duties or... 01:03:10.995 --> 01:03:14.173 - Well, in the Pacific, again, we're a global power, 01:03:14.278 --> 01:03:16.920 and the United States army is a global army, 01:03:16.920 --> 01:03:21.870 so we are not committed to one theater versus the other 01:03:21.870 --> 01:03:24.790 and we have to retain capabilities as a nation as long as 01:03:25.100 --> 01:03:28.180 our strategies remain as they are to be able to engage 01:03:28.180 --> 01:03:31.203 worldwide, so in the Pacific, we've got roughly speaking, 01:03:31.290 --> 01:03:33.751 as I mentioned earlier, about 70,000 or so 01:03:33.751 --> 01:03:36.740 US army soldiers, forward stationed in Korea, 01:03:36.740 --> 01:03:38.920 forward stationed in Hawaii, that we have soldiers 01:03:38.920 --> 01:03:41.720 up in Alaska and then we have a large, significant amount 01:03:41.720 --> 01:03:43.780 that come out of the operational force in FORCECOMM 01:03:43.780 --> 01:03:46.590 in the event that we need to surge forces into the Pacific 01:03:46.590 --> 01:03:48.860 so there's a very significant army capability 01:03:48.860 --> 01:03:51.379 in the Pacific, now the purpose of that is stability, 01:03:51.379 --> 01:03:53.810 building partner capacity, ensuring our allies 01:03:53.810 --> 01:03:56.293 and deterring any particular opponent. 01:03:56.490 --> 01:03:58.968 The Pacific is heavily weighted towards naval capabilities 01:03:58.968 --> 01:04:01.683 and air capabilities as it rightly should. 01:04:01.860 --> 01:04:04.090 However, the army plays a very, very significant role 01:04:04.090 --> 01:04:06.233 as you know in the Pacific. 01:04:06.260 --> 01:04:08.207 - Well, my sense is the assurance to our allies 01:04:08.207 --> 01:04:12.410 is a very key role there so no one gets nervous. 01:04:12.435 --> 01:04:13.700 - It's absolutely-- - If I could just 01:04:13.700 --> 01:04:18.700 turn you to Afghanistan and with the new defense strategy, 01:04:18.940 --> 01:04:22.090 if you would, any stress or pressure as far as what 01:04:22.090 --> 01:04:25.893 you're doing in Afghanistan, budgetarily or personnel wise? 01:04:26.297 --> 01:04:30.530 - Well, in Afghanistan, as you know the numbers that we have 01:04:30.530 --> 01:04:34.330 in Afghanistan, we're putting in the first security forces 01:04:34.330 --> 01:04:36.940 brigade the other day, our strategy in Afghanistan 01:04:36.940 --> 01:04:40.788 is to continue to train advise, assist, enable, 01:04:40.788 --> 01:04:43.450 the indigenous military force of the Afghan... 01:04:44.411 --> 01:04:48.423 Government, so the Afghan National Security Forces. 01:04:50.436 --> 01:04:52.780 That is important, it is not in and of itself 01:04:52.780 --> 01:04:55.053 the only solution, but it's important. 01:04:55.136 --> 01:04:58.194 The other parts of this are economic development, 01:04:58.194 --> 01:05:01.440 rule of law, good governance, those are outside 01:05:01.440 --> 01:05:04.203 the purview, per se, of US military forces. 01:05:04.410 --> 01:05:09.410 Our job is to assist the NSF in order to protect 01:05:09.560 --> 01:05:11.650 and stabilize the internals of the government. 01:05:11.650 --> 01:05:13.530 It's been a challenge for a considerable length of time 01:05:13.530 --> 01:05:15.651 as you know, President Trump has recommitted 01:05:15.651 --> 01:05:20.463 in the strategy to sustaining the US level of effort. 01:05:20.790 --> 01:05:22.756 Key to the overall strategy, of course, is what's going 01:05:22.756 --> 01:05:24.840 on on the other side of the border with Pakistan. 01:05:24.840 --> 01:05:27.554 It's a very complex situation, but we the military 01:05:27.554 --> 01:05:30.984 and we specifically the army play a very, very heavy role 01:05:30.984 --> 01:05:34.240 in train, advise, assisting our Afghan partners. 01:05:34.240 --> 01:05:38.410 We think we're able to do that now and we think we're gonna 01:05:38.410 --> 01:05:40.660 be improving on that here in the coming year. 01:05:40.996 --> 01:05:43.180 - Thank you very much. - Thank you, Mr. Aderhold. 01:05:43.180 --> 01:05:45.100 I apologize, I didn't see you come in. 01:05:45.100 --> 01:05:46.163 - No problem, thanks. 01:05:48.640 --> 01:05:50.090 Thank y'all both, as my colleagues have said, 01:05:50.090 --> 01:05:52.130 for being here, we appreciate your service 01:05:52.130 --> 01:05:55.123 and when you think back on the days of muskets, 01:05:55.819 --> 01:05:56.652 it would have been a surprise, 01:05:56.652 --> 01:05:57.485 I guess, to a lot of the service members 01:05:57.485 --> 01:06:00.284 back years ago to imagine a rifle that is accurate 01:06:00.284 --> 01:06:05.213 up to 875 yards, as we have today, 01:06:05.365 --> 01:06:08.813 but in this time of increasing long range threats 01:06:08.813 --> 01:06:12.352 from our adversaries, I don't think any of our services 01:06:12.352 --> 01:06:15.590 should be excluded from a mission simply because of 01:06:15.590 --> 01:06:18.470 its range, but the concern that many of us have is about 01:06:18.470 --> 01:06:22.453 the frequency of hypersonic testing from Russia and China. 01:06:22.880 --> 01:06:25.490 Also concerned about the speed with which North Korea 01:06:25.490 --> 01:06:28.253 might prepare a missile for launch. 01:06:29.583 --> 01:06:32.830 Our own future systems may include weapons in the Air Force 01:06:32.830 --> 01:06:35.900 and missile launched from submarines, but some of that work 01:06:35.900 --> 01:06:38.193 might take 20 years to actually field. 01:06:39.476 --> 01:06:41.270 In the past two years, our combatant commanders 01:06:41.270 --> 01:06:44.350 have confirmed the positive potential of long range 01:06:44.350 --> 01:06:46.723 hypersonics weapons of our own. 01:06:47.500 --> 01:06:50.203 General, let me pose this question to you. 01:06:50.245 --> 01:06:52.360 It's an operational question. 01:06:52.360 --> 01:06:55.353 If the army were provided sufficient resources, 01:06:55.413 --> 01:06:58.829 and were asked to prepare a long range hypersonic weapon 01:06:58.829 --> 01:07:03.470 launched from US territory, could you build upon our 01:07:03.470 --> 01:07:07.450 two successful hypersonic flight tests done through 01:07:07.450 --> 01:07:11.860 cooperations between SMDC and the navy and prepare 01:07:11.860 --> 01:07:15.810 an early operational land base capability by 2022, 01:07:15.810 --> 01:07:20.010 which is directed in the FY18 NDAA? 01:07:22.090 --> 01:07:25.470 - Thanks for that question, it's an important area 01:07:25.470 --> 01:07:28.740 of S&T and R&D that we're pursuing very quickly. 01:07:28.740 --> 01:07:31.780 As you rightly point out, two significant adversaries, 01:07:31.780 --> 01:07:33.630 China and Russia, are moving out on in the development 01:07:33.630 --> 01:07:34.730 of hypersonic weapons. 01:07:35.470 --> 01:07:36.470 We acknowledge that. 01:07:36.970 --> 01:07:40.610 We, the army, have as our number one priority 01:07:40.610 --> 01:07:44.863 for modernization, long range precision fires. 01:07:45.240 --> 01:07:49.333 A subset of that is the hypersonic piece to it. 01:07:49.520 --> 01:07:50.623 It is in S&T and R&D. 01:07:51.410 --> 01:07:55.420 I don't want to say 2022, because I haven't seen 01:07:55.420 --> 01:07:57.393 the results of the S&T and R&D yet. 01:07:57.750 --> 01:08:00.900 But I do believe that it's technologically possible 01:08:01.210 --> 01:08:04.177 and I believe we will be able to test and then acquire 01:08:04.177 --> 01:08:08.442 and procure long range precision weapons 01:08:08.442 --> 01:08:13.230 that go significantly longer in range 01:08:13.230 --> 01:08:17.713 than any existing artillery system in the earth today. 01:08:18.700 --> 01:08:22.050 We're pursuing that and I believe it's possible. 01:08:22.050 --> 01:08:26.053 I don't want to confine myself to a date of 2022, though. 01:08:26.500 --> 01:08:29.593 I haven't seen the research yet, hard data. 01:08:30.260 --> 01:08:32.090 - And I would add I was at SMD a few weeks ago. 01:08:32.090 --> 01:08:33.490 Very impressed by what they're doing. 01:08:33.490 --> 01:08:36.734 They're very confident in the promise of hypersonics. 01:08:36.734 --> 01:08:40.808 And as I came back, as you may have heard, 01:08:40.808 --> 01:08:44.087 I meet frequently with my fellow service secretaries 01:08:44.087 --> 01:08:46.970 and this is one of the technology areas that we discuss. 01:08:46.970 --> 01:08:51.003 About how we can collaborate to make sure that we all have, 01:08:51.050 --> 01:08:53.830 we can share that same information to get to the solution 01:08:53.830 --> 01:08:57.843 quicker because there is so much promise in hypersonics. 01:08:58.340 --> 01:09:01.330 - Mr. Secretary, there have been various opinions 01:09:01.330 --> 01:09:04.317 expressed in recent years about what is treaty compliant 01:09:04.317 --> 01:09:08.160 and what is not as well as whether our adversaries have 01:09:08.160 --> 01:09:10.993 already broken the treaty such as the IMF. 01:09:11.530 --> 01:09:14.530 If I understand correctly, part of the equation is whether 01:09:14.530 --> 01:09:18.453 a weapon goes into exo atmospheric. 01:09:19.790 --> 01:09:23.446 Can you provide to the committee in the next few weeks 01:09:23.446 --> 01:09:27.900 a statement at the secret TS level on what, if any, 01:09:27.900 --> 01:09:31.068 changes to US law or treaties are necessary to fill 01:09:31.068 --> 01:09:33.850 the long range hypersonic weapon launched 01:09:33.850 --> 01:09:34.903 from US territory? 01:09:34.960 --> 01:09:37.543 - Yes sir, I'll do that. - Thank you, I yield back. 01:09:39.920 --> 01:09:41.080 - Chairman Frelinghuysen. 01:09:41.080 --> 01:09:42.830 - Great, sorry to be a little late. 01:09:43.720 --> 01:09:46.390 Congratulations, Mr. Secretary on your... 01:09:47.400 --> 01:09:50.450 Process to the Senate and General Milley, I was so late 01:09:50.450 --> 01:09:52.680 I missed a few nice compliments you said about me. 01:09:52.680 --> 01:09:53.513 Thanks so much. 01:09:54.929 --> 01:09:55.979 Thank you both for... 01:09:56.981 --> 01:09:57.990 You know, the remarkable things you do to look after 01:09:57.990 --> 01:10:01.820 our men and women, all of our military for... 01:10:02.300 --> 01:10:05.875 As you may know, I for a number of years, almost my entire 01:10:05.875 --> 01:10:08.950 time on the committee, I was sort of the army guy 01:10:08.950 --> 01:10:11.280 on the committee, everybody had their own people, 01:10:11.280 --> 01:10:14.920 Marines and the Air Force and I remember, you know, 01:10:14.920 --> 01:10:18.480 Jack Martha and everybody, but I was sort of the army guy. 01:10:18.480 --> 01:10:21.450 I don't apologize, we were always on the short end 01:10:21.450 --> 01:10:25.623 of the stick in terms of money and things of that nature. 01:10:25.853 --> 01:10:28.930 So I've had a chance to sort of take a look at... 01:10:29.289 --> 01:10:32.970 Some of the systems we've invested in and I think 01:10:33.701 --> 01:10:35.787 the figure is, like, $32 billion we've invested 01:10:35.787 --> 01:10:39.166 in a variety of things, Comanche, Crusader, 01:10:39.166 --> 01:10:42.610 future combat systems, I can remember General Odiare 01:10:42.610 --> 01:10:44.660 saying, well, it's only seven more years. 01:10:56.125 --> 01:10:59.693 And I would say, yes, I'm right behind you. 01:11:00.510 --> 01:11:01.807 I know you've got-- 01:11:11.570 --> 01:11:13.920 a different sort of... 01:11:13.920 --> 01:11:16.500 Mode of operation you're moving towards, 01:11:16.500 --> 01:11:20.670 what we call the futures command, which I think conceptually 01:11:20.670 --> 01:11:24.860 is supposed to sort of get us out of the bureaucratic 01:11:25.173 --> 01:11:29.040 restraints, you're gonna be, and I've said this 01:11:29.040 --> 01:11:32.270 to the other secretaries, Secretary Spencer and Heather 01:11:32.270 --> 01:11:35.093 Wilson was in the other day, I don't like the expression 01:11:35.093 --> 01:11:37.253 that you're gonna be flush with money. 01:11:38.060 --> 01:11:39.670 But you're gonna have a lot of money. 01:11:39.670 --> 01:11:41.508 I know you've indicated before I got here, 01:11:41.508 --> 01:11:45.010 you're appreciative of the flexibility we're giving you 01:11:45.010 --> 01:11:48.404 to spend it, but these would perhaps 01:11:48.404 --> 01:11:50.863 be some of the best times you might have. 01:11:51.060 --> 01:11:54.430 How can you assure the committee that 01:11:55.160 --> 01:11:58.473 these dollars are gonna be spent wisely? 01:11:59.890 --> 01:12:01.457 - Yes, sir, thank you, it's a great question 01:12:01.457 --> 01:12:04.610 and we certainly, as you said, appreciate what we're 01:12:04.610 --> 01:12:07.070 seeing in the 18 to 19 appropriations 01:12:07.070 --> 01:12:09.600 and recognize that this is a moment in time 01:12:09.600 --> 01:12:12.653 that we have to capture and make very good use of. 01:12:13.252 --> 01:12:15.760 Not only because it may only be the moment, but we need 01:12:15.760 --> 01:12:19.180 to build, we need to build confidence with Congress 01:12:19.468 --> 01:12:20.410 and with the American people. 01:12:20.410 --> 01:12:22.840 At the same time, this is a chance to also not only 01:12:22.840 --> 01:12:25.460 change our processes within the army but change 01:12:25.460 --> 01:12:27.470 the culture as well as we look at acquisition. 01:12:27.470 --> 01:12:31.170 So to that end, that's why the army futures command 01:12:31.170 --> 01:12:34.490 is a critical component, but we are impatient 01:12:34.490 --> 01:12:36.590 and speed is critical, which is why we have these 01:12:36.590 --> 01:12:40.090 cross functional teams stood up now across the... 01:12:40.670 --> 01:12:43.120 Across these six areas, beginning with long range 01:12:43.170 --> 01:12:46.423 precision fires, to include next generation combat vehicle, 01:12:46.500 --> 01:12:51.330 actively working, trying to either, testing prototypes 01:12:51.330 --> 01:12:53.990 we have right now, such as future vertical lift 01:12:54.536 --> 01:12:57.678 or developing prototypes so we can quickly get 01:12:57.678 --> 01:13:00.128 the requirements down, part of what we want to do 01:13:00.803 --> 01:13:01.800 is get the requirements down from five years 01:13:01.800 --> 01:13:04.930 to 12 months and we want to get back to an era 01:13:04.930 --> 01:13:07.274 where it didn't take us 10 to 15 years to build a platform 01:13:07.274 --> 01:13:11.660 but it takes us five to eight years and so this is the time, 01:13:11.660 --> 01:13:14.536 as you see from our budget, we contribute or we invest 01:13:14.536 --> 01:13:18.700 over 18% of our funding in procurement to get that way, 01:13:18.700 --> 01:13:20.323 to begin the prototyping. 01:13:20.520 --> 01:13:22.930 At the same time recognizing the challenges, 01:13:22.930 --> 01:13:25.368 the current challenges of readiness, we are upgrading 01:13:25.368 --> 01:13:28.703 our armor combat brigades, making them more lethal. 01:13:28.830 --> 01:13:31.008 Same with the striker vehicles. 01:13:31.008 --> 01:13:34.871 We are converting an ABC team and we're building 01:13:34.871 --> 01:13:37.994 another one, so a lot of investments across the board 01:13:37.994 --> 01:13:40.940 to deal with the near term challenges, but to begin now 01:13:40.940 --> 01:13:42.970 making those down payments on the future force, 01:13:42.970 --> 01:13:46.813 a more modern force and in a much quicker timeline. 01:13:49.091 --> 01:13:54.091 - I don't think there's a great enough appreciation for the 01:13:54.209 --> 01:13:58.870 work of our Special Forces and often, we invoke 01:13:58.870 --> 01:14:01.940 the Special Forces and they do remarkable things around 01:14:01.940 --> 01:14:04.930 the world, we often invoke them if they're not 01:14:04.930 --> 01:14:09.280 hindered or restrained by some of what the big army is 01:14:09.495 --> 01:14:13.740 restrained by, I hear today even 01:14:14.070 --> 01:14:17.433 that they have, are more encumbered than they used to be. 01:14:18.860 --> 01:14:22.503 Would you sort of talk about that dynamic? 01:14:23.010 --> 01:14:26.140 Is there anything that they're doing in the way 01:14:26.140 --> 01:14:30.100 of procurement that relates to how you're designing 01:14:30.100 --> 01:14:32.083 the futures command? 01:14:32.754 --> 01:14:34.463 Obviously you are impatient. 01:14:36.439 --> 01:14:37.530 Because you got to break the culture. 01:14:37.530 --> 01:14:41.210 But is there anything you're building into the dynamic 01:14:41.210 --> 01:14:44.000 that relates to their ability to... 01:14:45.591 --> 01:14:47.141 Get things off the shelf and... 01:14:48.040 --> 01:14:52.030 Cannibalize systems to get more effective weapons and... 01:14:54.220 --> 01:14:55.713 Increase lethality? 01:14:55.900 --> 01:14:57.730 - I'll just make a quick comment, then I'll defer 01:14:57.730 --> 01:15:00.550 to the chief because having served in the Special Forces, 01:15:00.550 --> 01:15:02.380 he may have special insights, but I will tell you that 01:15:02.380 --> 01:15:05.574 in many ways, we're trying to borrow if not mimic 01:15:05.574 --> 01:15:09.456 some of the procurement practices that we've seen in 01:15:09.456 --> 01:15:12.317 SOCOMM, for example, along the same lines, 01:15:12.317 --> 01:15:15.013 what we've established in the past and then last year 01:15:15.013 --> 01:15:17.975 with the rapid equipping force or rapid capabilities office 01:15:17.975 --> 01:15:21.570 are two other ways that we've tried to leapfrog 01:15:21.570 --> 01:15:25.980 a very bureaucratic process to get tools, equipment, 01:15:25.980 --> 01:15:27.860 weapons systems to the troops much, much quicker 01:15:27.860 --> 01:15:29.110 than we have in the past. 01:15:29.300 --> 01:15:32.210 That's why I'm encouraged by these CFTs. 01:15:32.210 --> 01:15:34.740 We've already prototyped and want to begin... 01:15:34.900 --> 01:15:39.210 Buying these next generation night vision devices, 01:15:39.210 --> 01:15:41.902 for example, and we're moving through on a designated 01:15:41.902 --> 01:15:45.390 marksman rifle, things that we can do much more quickly, 01:15:45.390 --> 01:15:47.570 mimicking what we've seen in the past from the 01:15:47.570 --> 01:15:49.020 Special Operations community. 01:15:49.490 --> 01:15:51.623 - Chief? - Congressman, thanks. 01:15:51.778 --> 01:15:53.740 You know, two years ago when we first conceived 01:15:53.740 --> 01:15:56.880 of this futures command idea, one of the things 01:15:56.950 --> 01:15:58.970 we set out to do was to inform ourselves 01:15:58.970 --> 01:16:01.933 of what's out there today, so there were two models 01:16:01.933 --> 01:16:03.730 that we looked at intensively. 01:16:03.730 --> 01:16:06.530 One was the SOCOMM model and the other was the navy's model 01:16:06.530 --> 01:16:09.520 under Admiral Rickover, to be candid, going back in the day, 01:16:09.520 --> 01:16:12.511 so we looked at those and we drew the best practices 01:16:12.511 --> 01:16:15.830 and the SOCOMM model, one of the things that makes them 01:16:15.830 --> 01:16:17.510 so successful, and by the way, they operate under 01:16:17.510 --> 01:16:19.610 the exact same laws, the exact same rules, 01:16:19.630 --> 01:16:23.050 so there's nothing special that's done for SOCOMM 01:16:23.050 --> 01:16:25.350 in terms of law, rules or authorities, 01:16:25.350 --> 01:16:27.373 but they do things slightly differently. 01:16:27.490 --> 01:16:30.635 Number one, they have a smaller scale, so they're authorized 01:16:30.635 --> 01:16:34.840 under their title to develop equipment that is unique 01:16:36.084 --> 01:16:37.150 to special operations and the rest of their equipment 01:16:37.150 --> 01:16:39.963 comes from either the navy, the Air Force or the army. 01:16:40.085 --> 01:16:45.085 But in that bin of special equipment, they link 01:16:45.110 --> 01:16:48.850 the operator, the user directly with the combat developer, 01:16:48.850 --> 01:16:50.823 directly with the program manager. 01:16:50.830 --> 01:16:53.680 And they link them all to a commander, a commander SOCOMM 01:16:53.710 --> 01:16:56.250 and his designated representative, the acquisition 01:16:56.250 --> 01:16:59.190 executive, and that speeds the process up 01:16:59.190 --> 01:17:02.710 so we mimicked that in today's, what we have now is 01:17:02.790 --> 01:17:06.650 six crossfunctional teams, that's exactly what we did 01:17:06.940 --> 01:17:08.720 and they're achieving great success, 01:17:08.720 --> 01:17:10.921 and the crossfunctional teams are a bridging strategy 01:17:10.921 --> 01:17:14.400 until we can get futures command fully stood up 01:17:14.500 --> 01:17:16.480 and then they'll be embedded within futures command. 01:17:16.480 --> 01:17:19.468 So we are taking the best practices, lessons learned 01:17:19.468 --> 01:17:22.770 that have been out there in terms of efficiency 01:17:22.770 --> 01:17:24.910 and effectiveness, the key to the whole thing at the end 01:17:24.910 --> 01:17:27.490 of the day, though, to ensure that the taxpayer's money 01:17:27.490 --> 01:17:30.453 is spent properly, in my view, is accountability. 01:17:31.120 --> 01:17:33.431 And we must hold ourselves accountable throughout 01:17:33.431 --> 01:17:38.431 the entire system and anyone out there who violates law, 01:17:38.740 --> 01:17:42.630 statute, intent, policy, regulations and so on, 01:17:42.630 --> 01:17:45.810 in manning, training or equipping the United States forces 01:17:45.810 --> 01:17:47.060 must be held accountable. 01:17:47.460 --> 01:17:49.660 We can't just turn a blind eye to it and that's another 01:17:49.660 --> 01:17:52.500 beautiful thing about futures command is there will be 01:17:52.500 --> 01:17:54.330 accountability because you'll have unity of command 01:17:54.330 --> 01:17:57.510 and unity of effort under one command that'll do 01:17:57.620 --> 01:17:59.650 all things modernization for the army and that'll be 01:17:59.650 --> 01:18:03.163 important, because it's such a diffuse effort right now. 01:18:03.180 --> 01:18:05.700 When something goes wrong, you say how did it go wrong, 01:18:05.700 --> 01:18:07.910 who did this, and you start getting fingers going all 01:18:07.910 --> 01:18:09.771 over the place, and who's on first, what's on second. 01:18:09.771 --> 01:18:14.260 Those days are over, but the establishment of futures 01:18:14.260 --> 01:18:16.350 command, there'll be unity of command, unity of effort, 01:18:16.350 --> 01:18:18.370 and most importantly, there'll be accountability. 01:18:18.370 --> 01:18:19.560 - Glad to hear it, thank you. 01:18:19.560 --> 01:18:20.410 Madam Chairwoman. 01:18:20.460 --> 01:18:21.560 - Thank you very much. 01:18:22.140 --> 01:18:25.250 We have enough time left for another round 01:18:25.580 --> 01:18:28.630 and I'd like to do that, just be aware that you need 01:18:28.630 --> 01:18:33.190 to keep your questions succinct, and we'll start with... 01:18:35.050 --> 01:18:38.087 Okay, so it'd be Mr. DS Belart. 01:18:40.830 --> 01:18:43.700 - Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, you know, sometimes 01:18:43.700 --> 01:18:45.580 the western hemisphere is kind of overlooked until 01:18:45.580 --> 01:18:46.413 things blow up. 01:18:47.660 --> 01:18:50.340 The constant bright spot has always been South comm 01:18:50.421 --> 01:18:54.225 and it often gets overlooked by obviously more high profile 01:18:54.225 --> 01:18:57.270 commands just because of conflicts, et cetera, 01:18:57.270 --> 01:19:00.480 but clearly its hands are always full 01:19:00.530 --> 01:19:04.273 and whether it's counter drug or transnational threats, 01:19:04.273 --> 01:19:08.100 they're always obviously incredibly busy, 01:19:08.100 --> 01:19:10.270 so can you talk a little bit about how you intend 01:19:10.270 --> 01:19:13.883 to support South comm's operations in the FY19 budget? 01:19:16.690 --> 01:19:19.840 - Well, operationally, South comm demand as you rightly 01:19:19.840 --> 01:19:22.600 point out is significantly lower than other AORs 01:19:22.600 --> 01:19:25.143 or areas of operation at this time. 01:19:25.430 --> 01:19:27.180 And that changes from time to time. 01:19:29.261 --> 01:19:30.380 Earthquake in Haiti, for example, placed a tremendous 01:19:30.380 --> 01:19:33.563 demand on the United States military writ large. 01:19:34.517 --> 01:19:36.060 The army, navy, Air Force, Marines, everyone contributed 01:19:36.060 --> 01:19:37.253 to that relief effort. 01:19:38.090 --> 01:19:40.023 So it's an episodic thing. 01:19:40.505 --> 01:19:43.960 As a regional engagement plan, we're supporting 01:19:43.960 --> 01:19:45.630 Admiral Tid's regional engagement plan. 01:19:45.630 --> 01:19:48.260 We've got joint task force Bravo, that's currently located 01:19:48.260 --> 01:19:50.700 in Honduras, Special Forces, specifically seventh 01:19:50.700 --> 01:19:53.410 Special Forces group does a lot of work in central 01:19:53.410 --> 01:19:54.393 and South America. 01:19:55.432 --> 01:19:58.593 And in building partner capacity and assuring our allies. 01:19:58.840 --> 01:20:02.322 And then you've got, as you know, 01:20:02.322 --> 01:20:05.850 a lot of counter narcotic kind of drug traffic operations, 01:20:05.850 --> 01:20:08.720 within the maritimes service, a lot of that's done by 01:20:08.720 --> 01:20:11.290 the Coast guard, so there's a significant engagement 01:20:11.290 --> 01:20:12.503 in the South comm AOR. 01:20:12.680 --> 01:20:15.713 Mexico is also important, but that comes under north comm, 01:20:15.762 --> 01:20:19.880 but we routinely engage and work very closely with 01:20:19.880 --> 01:20:22.770 the Mexican army on things like border control 01:20:22.770 --> 01:20:24.720 and border operation, counter drug and counter narcotics 01:20:24.720 --> 01:20:28.023 and so on, so there is a significant amount of engagement, 01:20:28.220 --> 01:20:30.420 not only by the US military but by the army. 01:20:30.850 --> 01:20:32.410 Throughout the Caribbean, throughout central 01:20:32.410 --> 01:20:34.600 and South America and also in Mexico 01:20:34.690 --> 01:20:37.220 and we'll continue to do that as budgeted, 01:20:37.220 --> 01:20:39.260 but it is significantly less than what you would expect 01:20:39.260 --> 01:20:40.333 from other cocomms. 01:20:41.812 --> 01:20:43.960 - I just want to make sure that, and I know that you're 01:20:43.960 --> 01:20:45.223 aware of it, but I just want to make sure that 01:20:45.223 --> 01:20:46.940 there's enough emphasis there. 01:20:46.940 --> 01:20:49.010 I don't have to tell you that 10s of thousands of 01:20:49.010 --> 01:20:52.210 Americans die every year because of narcotics 01:20:52.210 --> 01:20:56.880 and so it is a threat, and I see I have a little bit more 01:20:56.880 --> 01:21:00.050 time, let me just, so the army submitted a modernization 01:21:00.050 --> 01:21:04.050 plan at Congress for its network communications and... 01:21:05.278 --> 01:21:09.200 But there's very little details about specific systems 01:21:09.260 --> 01:21:12.350 and the plan for the 19 request, so can you explain 01:21:12.350 --> 01:21:14.800 a little bit about your timeline for the plan? 01:21:14.800 --> 01:21:18.250 Does the army intend to use streamlined acquisition 01:21:18.250 --> 01:21:20.820 procedures for this or is it considering using solutions 01:21:20.820 --> 01:21:23.673 already in the army's inventory? 01:21:23.740 --> 01:21:25.993 Just again, some further explanation. 01:21:26.630 --> 01:21:29.060 - And Congressman, you said with regard to communications? 01:21:29.060 --> 01:21:29.893 - Yes. 01:21:30.995 --> 01:21:31.828 - So... 01:21:34.675 --> 01:21:36.020 Where we're going with regard to communications 01:21:36.020 --> 01:21:38.320 falls under the network crossfunctional teams. 01:21:38.444 --> 01:21:40.420 It's one of the six that we've described 01:21:40.420 --> 01:21:42.290 and what they are doing is... 01:21:42.850 --> 01:21:45.710 Building upon some of the current programs that exist, 01:21:45.710 --> 01:21:50.680 so one example is we're moving forward on a variety 01:21:51.868 --> 01:21:53.990 of tactical handheld radios, a man pack, other radios 01:21:53.990 --> 01:21:56.590 to make sure we're at the cutting edge, at the front edge 01:21:56.590 --> 01:22:00.040 of the battlefield, that our troops have the type 01:22:00.040 --> 01:22:02.510 of communications they need for that type of fight. 01:22:02.510 --> 01:22:06.130 At the same time as you know, the strategy we've put forward 01:22:06.130 --> 01:22:09.610 is the halt fix pivot on WinT increment two 01:22:09.610 --> 01:22:11.963 and what that will enable us to do is to make sure 01:22:11.963 --> 01:22:15.580 that we can adapt increment two for the infantry brigade 01:22:15.580 --> 01:22:16.660 combat teams to make sure 01:22:16.660 --> 01:22:18.040 they have sufficient communications 01:22:18.040 --> 01:22:19.793 for the fight we see ahead. 01:22:19.960 --> 01:22:22.310 At the same time with the crossfunctional team, 01:22:22.660 --> 01:22:24.900 for the network is doing, is... 01:22:24.900 --> 01:22:28.031 Looking at what's available on the commercial market, 01:22:28.031 --> 01:22:31.450 preferably software based, because what we need to do 01:22:31.450 --> 01:22:33.810 is we look ahead in terms of the network, the tactical 01:22:33.810 --> 01:22:35.810 network, is make sure that we can keep up with the pace 01:22:35.810 --> 01:22:38.560 of commercial technology, this is something we have been 01:22:38.560 --> 01:22:41.801 unable to do and unless we get on that type of wavelength 01:22:41.801 --> 01:22:45.590 we'll be forever chasing it, so what the crossfunctional 01:22:45.590 --> 01:22:47.290 team is looking at, what is happening out there in 01:22:47.290 --> 01:22:49.680 the commercial marketplace, how can we then take it, 01:22:49.680 --> 01:22:52.183 adapt it to our tactical network and make sure 01:22:52.183 --> 01:22:54.210 that we're in a position where we can continually 01:22:54.210 --> 01:22:58.150 upgrade, and the network is critical to long range 01:22:58.150 --> 01:23:00.500 precision fires to everything else we do across 01:23:00.737 --> 01:23:03.463 our modernization priorities. 01:23:05.625 --> 01:23:07.233 - May I make a comment on that Congressman, if I could? 01:23:07.806 --> 01:23:10.560 We spent the better part of almost a year and a half now 01:23:10.560 --> 01:23:14.070 doing an intensive internal look at the quote unquote 01:23:14.070 --> 01:23:17.770 network of which WinT is just one component and... 01:23:18.550 --> 01:23:21.655 It was my conclusion, our conclusion, the army's conclusion 01:23:21.655 --> 01:23:25.220 that the network as designed... 01:23:26.440 --> 01:23:30.190 Works fine, for a counterinsurgency, counter terrorist 01:23:30.190 --> 01:23:33.530 type fight where you're fighting primarily from static... 01:23:35.100 --> 01:23:38.163 Fobs and cops out there in the battle space. 01:23:39.090 --> 01:23:42.573 And it more or less works okay at echelons below, 01:23:44.125 --> 01:23:45.325 say, battalion, company. 01:23:46.700 --> 01:23:47.533 However. 01:23:48.400 --> 01:23:51.020 As the NDS points out, we're in an era of great power 01:23:51.020 --> 01:23:55.360 competition, and if you need a system that can operate 01:23:55.360 --> 01:23:58.400 against a near peer competitor, a Russia or a China 01:23:58.560 --> 01:24:01.290 or someone using their equipment, who has significant 01:24:01.290 --> 01:24:03.800 electronic warfare capabilities, who has significant 01:24:03.800 --> 01:24:06.402 cyber capabilities, who have incredible powers of 01:24:06.402 --> 01:24:10.160 observation through a variety of means, who have 01:24:10.160 --> 01:24:13.540 incredible fire support capabilities that can deliver fires, 01:24:13.540 --> 01:24:17.540 it's our estimation that the system that we were buying 01:24:17.632 --> 01:24:21.100 would not survive contact with that type of enemy 01:24:21.100 --> 01:24:25.570 on a mobile, highly lethal battlefield against 01:24:26.100 --> 01:24:30.190 those enemies, so we said, okay, what in the system... 01:24:30.820 --> 01:24:31.913 Doesn't work? 01:24:32.800 --> 01:24:34.500 And whatever it is, we found that didn't work, 01:24:34.500 --> 01:24:38.910 we halted it, what in the system doesn't work 01:24:39.848 --> 01:24:42.170 but can work, we decided we would identify those subsystems 01:24:42.170 --> 01:24:46.030 and fix them, and then we decided we needed to move on 01:24:46.030 --> 01:24:47.713 to a new procurement strategy. 01:24:47.940 --> 01:24:50.629 In the world of information technology, the commercial world 01:24:50.629 --> 01:24:54.450 is operating at lightspeed compared to the way the US 01:24:54.450 --> 01:24:57.713 government can do acquisition and procurement. 01:24:57.800 --> 01:25:01.050 They are light years ahead of us, so the networks design 01:25:01.050 --> 01:25:03.660 and requirements are written years and years and years ago. 01:25:03.660 --> 01:25:05.906 The commercial world has advanced way beyond anything 01:25:05.906 --> 01:25:08.063 we wrote years and years and years ago. 01:25:08.220 --> 01:25:09.730 So that's the pivot part of it. 01:25:09.730 --> 01:25:14.070 We need to change our fundamental procurement strategy 01:25:14.070 --> 01:25:16.503 of all things information, so that's what's behind 01:25:16.503 --> 01:25:19.233 all of this, and I know it's controversial out there. 01:25:19.340 --> 01:25:21.970 I know a lot of people are... 01:25:22.634 --> 01:25:25.893 Up in arms about it, so to speak, I got that. 01:25:25.900 --> 01:25:30.290 But we cannot fund a system that we know ahead of time 01:25:30.290 --> 01:25:32.750 is unlikely to work against the type of threat 01:25:32.750 --> 01:25:35.780 that we've been charged to plan against in the national 01:25:35.780 --> 01:25:36.683 defense strategy. 01:25:37.190 --> 01:25:38.669 - Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 01:25:38.669 --> 01:25:39.502 - Thank you, Mr. Ruppersberger. 01:25:39.502 --> 01:25:41.940 - Yeah, earlier, we discussed the need for a modernized 01:25:41.940 --> 01:25:45.710 army to deter future adversaries and thoroughly 01:25:45.710 --> 01:25:48.110 overmatch them, should a fight become necessary. 01:25:48.241 --> 01:25:50.700 That's certainly the right call, especially considering 01:25:50.700 --> 01:25:53.200 the advance of technology and the army's need 01:25:53.200 --> 01:25:57.470 to have a longterm strategy to maintain a decisive edge 01:25:57.470 --> 01:25:59.723 in great power competition. 01:26:00.130 --> 01:26:02.813 Now I'm very worried about the here and now, 01:26:02.932 --> 01:26:05.670 the current and short term investments the army is making 01:26:05.670 --> 01:26:08.633 to maintain dominance in today's threat environment. 01:26:08.960 --> 01:26:12.223 Today Russia is increasingly belligerent and aggressive. 01:26:12.380 --> 01:26:14.500 It has demonstrated more of a willingness to use 01:26:14.500 --> 01:26:16.823 its ground forces to further Putin's goals. 01:26:17.010 --> 01:26:18.843 We also have issues involving China. 01:26:19.049 --> 01:26:24.049 My question in the FY19 budget, I'm happy to see funding 01:26:24.730 --> 01:26:27.063 for measures such as European defense initiative 01:26:27.063 --> 01:26:32.063 have increased from 4.7 billion to 2018, 6.5 billion 01:26:34.853 --> 01:26:39.380 this year, in addition to this effort, what other near 01:26:39.380 --> 01:26:42.014 and short term investments do you see in your budget plan 01:26:42.014 --> 01:26:45.193 that can deter Putin from testing our resolve? 01:26:47.590 --> 01:26:49.840 - Mr. Ruppersberger, there's a number of things we're doing 01:26:49.840 --> 01:26:54.340 so let's, I'll talk about armor brigade combat teams. 01:26:54.340 --> 01:26:57.810 As I said, we are converting a 15th armor brigade combat 01:26:57.810 --> 01:27:00.743 team and plan on building a 16th. 01:27:01.361 --> 01:27:03.383 At the same time we are looking to build up our 01:27:03.383 --> 01:27:06.750 prepositioned stocks in Europe, so that in the case 01:27:06.750 --> 01:27:09.560 of a contingency, we can quickly fly in and... 01:27:10.420 --> 01:27:13.233 Fall in on those types of stocks in brigade combat team. 01:27:13.470 --> 01:27:16.110 At the same time we are making sure that in Europe, 01:27:16.110 --> 01:27:19.800 those stocks have a mobile short range air defenses 01:27:19.980 --> 01:27:24.093 that have enhanced multiple rocket launcher capabilities. 01:27:24.910 --> 01:27:27.760 We spoke earlier about the strikers because the strikers 01:27:27.760 --> 01:27:28.740 are playing a critical role. 01:27:28.740 --> 01:27:31.158 When I was in Poland I actually visited the striker unit 01:27:31.158 --> 01:27:35.010 and talked with our commanders and that's why, at their 01:27:35.010 --> 01:27:37.980 request, we're upgunning them with 30 millimeter cannons 01:27:37.980 --> 01:27:40.971 and we're looking at increased survivability with the hulls. 01:27:40.971 --> 01:27:43.710 At the same time we are, as you know, doing these 01:27:43.710 --> 01:27:46.560 heel to toe rotations with an armored brigade combat team 01:27:46.560 --> 01:27:48.438 going back and forth every nine months. 01:27:48.438 --> 01:27:52.010 That's given us two things, that's allowed the army to 01:27:52.010 --> 01:27:55.940 practice deploying again and that's a critical skill 01:27:55.940 --> 01:27:57.731 in a theater like that where you can actually move your 01:27:57.731 --> 01:28:00.768 unit from continental United States to Europe 01:28:00.768 --> 01:28:03.700 and all the critical tasks it takes to get into your 01:28:03.700 --> 01:28:05.830 optimal battle positions, so we're rotating 01:28:05.830 --> 01:28:08.030 and we're rotating very highly trained units 01:28:08.030 --> 01:28:10.100 that are coming right out of the national training center 01:28:10.100 --> 01:28:12.860 and are prepared, so that gives you a great deterrence 01:28:12.860 --> 01:28:16.441 capability as well, and so that's just kind of a sampling 01:28:16.441 --> 01:28:18.643 of things that we're doing to make sure that we maintain 01:28:18.643 --> 01:28:20.223 that deterrence initiative. 01:28:20.430 --> 01:28:23.980 We're also working very closely with the Poles to make sure 01:28:24.193 --> 01:28:25.940 that they improve their training areas, 01:28:25.940 --> 01:28:26.890 both in the northeast 01:28:26.890 --> 01:28:27.950 and in the northwest of the country 01:28:27.950 --> 01:28:30.000 that'll allow us to maintain our readiness. 01:28:30.000 --> 01:28:32.116 We see them participating in exercises with US forces 01:28:32.116 --> 01:28:34.959 in Germany, in fact when I was there in Germany 01:28:34.959 --> 01:28:38.440 I visited the joint maneuver readiness center at 01:28:38.590 --> 01:28:40.810 Hoenfeld Germany, and it was a Polish brigade 01:28:40.810 --> 01:28:43.250 going through training there with US units, 01:28:43.250 --> 01:28:45.760 Italian units, UK units, et cetera, 01:28:45.760 --> 01:28:50.630 reporting up to it, exercising in a multinational endeavor 01:28:51.100 --> 01:28:54.370 against a likely threat they might see from the east 01:28:54.370 --> 01:28:56.600 so all these things, whether it's the training, 01:28:56.600 --> 01:28:58.480 whether it's the equipment upgrades, et cetera, 01:28:58.480 --> 01:29:00.490 all adding, I think, building to the deterrence that 01:29:00.490 --> 01:29:03.940 we need in order to keep any... 01:29:04.448 --> 01:29:05.731 - I know there's some unrest with some of our key allies 01:29:05.731 --> 01:29:09.223 in that European area around the Russia area. 01:29:09.312 --> 01:29:12.460 Are we doing anything to make them feel better 01:29:12.460 --> 01:29:14.880 and working with them and helping them? 01:29:15.830 --> 01:29:18.090 - We are training extensively with all of our NATO allies 01:29:18.090 --> 01:29:19.620 in Europe, but like I said, when I was there, 01:29:19.620 --> 01:29:23.722 I saw everybody from the Germans, Poles, Estonians. 01:29:23.722 --> 01:29:27.340 We had these enhanced force packages running all the way 01:29:27.340 --> 01:29:30.464 from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, down to the US presence 01:29:30.464 --> 01:29:33.970 in Poland and a lot of assurance happening there 01:29:33.970 --> 01:29:37.310 and as I mentioned earlier as well, I was in Ukraine 01:29:37.310 --> 01:29:39.510 where we have a presence there, training the Ukrainians, 01:29:39.510 --> 01:29:42.140 so I think we're doing a lot on that front. 01:29:42.140 --> 01:29:43.460 I don't know, the chief may have 01:29:43.460 --> 01:29:45.010 something to add on this issue. 01:29:46.050 --> 01:29:47.500 - Thanks, Congressman, the... 01:29:48.830 --> 01:29:53.247 In terms of assurance, I think the United States does a lot 01:29:53.247 --> 01:29:57.580 for NATO and our allies and... 01:29:57.650 --> 01:29:58.900 From a military perspective. 01:29:58.900 --> 01:30:01.353 And from the army's perspective, we are. 01:30:01.430 --> 01:30:03.900 We're doing a tremendous amount of training. 01:30:03.900 --> 01:30:05.990 We've got units cycling through a wide variety 01:30:05.990 --> 01:30:08.390 of exercises that General Scaperatti has planned 01:30:08.400 --> 01:30:09.603 and now General Cavoli. 01:30:10.100 --> 01:30:11.143 So that's important. 01:30:11.583 --> 01:30:16.080 We're increasing our APS2 stocks in this budget 01:30:16.111 --> 01:30:18.640 from what is currently about a brigade set 01:30:18.640 --> 01:30:21.693 to a division set, that's important. 01:30:21.890 --> 01:30:24.040 We're continuing, as the Secretary said, the rotation 01:30:24.040 --> 01:30:25.780 of the armored brigade combat team, the combat 01:30:25.780 --> 01:30:29.280 aviation brigade and other enablers in addition 01:30:29.280 --> 01:30:31.130 to the forces that are already there. 01:30:31.670 --> 01:30:34.160 I would mention manning that's both in this budget 01:30:34.160 --> 01:30:36.610 and the previous budget, Congress has been very generous 01:30:36.610 --> 01:30:39.130 and the Secretary of Defense and the president 01:30:39.430 --> 01:30:42.583 have allowed us to modestly increase our end strength. 01:30:42.680 --> 01:30:44.948 That's important because the readiness of the force 01:30:44.948 --> 01:30:48.820 rests upon good people and having enough people 01:30:48.820 --> 01:30:52.163 in the right ranks and skillsets so increasing our readiness 01:30:52.163 --> 01:30:55.410 by the end strength and the regular army increase here 01:30:55.580 --> 01:30:58.120 of another 4000 this year, it increased last year, 01:30:58.120 --> 01:31:00.260 et cetera, that'll be important in improving the readiness. 01:31:00.260 --> 01:31:03.060 So in the here and now our readiness glide path 01:31:03.060 --> 01:31:05.363 bottomed out two and a half years ago. 01:31:06.220 --> 01:31:09.120 That's when it hit bottom and because of the great effort 01:31:09.120 --> 01:31:12.469 of Congress, OSD and many many others we are on 01:31:12.469 --> 01:31:17.380 an upward trajectory, it's unambiguous, an upward trajectory 01:31:17.380 --> 01:31:20.540 of readiness, it needs continued sustained funding 01:31:20.710 --> 01:31:22.810 and that'll take care of the here and now. 01:31:22.862 --> 01:31:26.075 And simultaneously with that, we want to pivot 01:31:26.075 --> 01:31:28.938 and ensure tomorrow's readiness, modernization, 01:31:28.938 --> 01:31:30.840 that's what those six priorities are, 01:31:30.840 --> 01:31:33.603 that's what futures command, CFTs are all about. 01:31:33.800 --> 01:31:37.170 Again, maintaining and sustaining and continue to improve 01:31:37.170 --> 01:31:40.740 the foxhole of today's readiness while at the same time 01:31:40.740 --> 01:31:42.240 building tomorrow's readiness. 01:31:43.411 --> 01:31:44.653 - Thank you. - Judge Carter. 01:31:45.284 --> 01:31:48.810 - Thank you, Madam Chairman, I hate to go back to a sore 01:31:48.810 --> 01:31:53.810 subject, but on Wednesday, we've invested six million 01:31:54.099 --> 01:31:57.108 dollars in that, billion dollars in that 01:31:57.108 --> 01:32:00.343 and it's what I would classify as a failed early project. 01:32:01.140 --> 01:32:04.879 It didn't do well at all, it flunked in multiple categories 01:32:04.879 --> 01:32:07.383 throughout what the chief talked about. 01:32:08.240 --> 01:32:12.140 Now as you go forward in this area, I hope that you're 01:32:12.140 --> 01:32:14.090 impressing upon those that are going forward that 01:32:14.090 --> 01:32:16.970 we don't need any more six billion dollar early fails 01:32:16.970 --> 01:32:20.688 of communications and let's let the army lead 01:32:20.688 --> 01:32:23.917 the whole federal government because in reality, 01:32:23.917 --> 01:32:27.130 the environment of the federal government is slow 01:32:27.130 --> 01:32:29.570 and tedious when it comes to technology, 01:32:29.570 --> 01:32:31.793 and I agree with the chief. 01:32:32.150 --> 01:32:35.810 We've got to get up to lightspeed because I used to try 01:32:35.810 --> 01:32:38.533 cases where we'd have intellectual property cases, 01:32:38.533 --> 01:32:42.443 and we'd settle because by the time it got to court, 01:32:42.650 --> 01:32:46.403 it was over, it had changed, that was six months of time. 01:32:47.250 --> 01:32:50.483 Shifting over to another thing that's out there, 01:32:50.950 --> 01:32:55.333 we're looking to build a range based, ground based, 01:32:55.900 --> 01:32:58.253 a defense system for projectile threats. 01:32:58.700 --> 01:33:00.817 The Israelis, we've given them and assisted them 01:33:00.817 --> 01:33:04.723 with 1.5 billion and helped them building Iron Dome. 01:33:05.920 --> 01:33:08.620 There are those in the Pentagon that have talked about 01:33:10.607 --> 01:33:12.040 we should look at off the shelf, 01:33:12.040 --> 01:33:13.303 of things that are out there. 01:33:13.762 --> 01:33:16.843 Iron Dome is battle tested, seems to work. 01:33:17.408 --> 01:33:21.159 Is there any reason why we are not looking at iron dome 01:33:21.159 --> 01:33:26.159 rather than spending $51 million on a slow research 01:33:26.850 --> 01:33:30.286 and development process that maybe will put us online 01:33:30.286 --> 01:33:35.286 by 2022, yet this system, when the Israelis are using it 01:33:35.507 --> 01:33:39.440 today, I'm sure they'd be glad, so that's one question. 01:33:41.200 --> 01:33:42.993 - We are looking at Iron Dome. 01:33:44.130 --> 01:33:46.180 I think what you're talking about, I think, Congressman, 01:33:46.180 --> 01:33:50.380 what you're talking about is, IFPIC, which is inside 01:33:50.380 --> 01:33:55.020 the budget, and you're looking at a ballistic missile 01:33:55.020 --> 01:33:58.273 defense capability, but not just ballistic missiles, 01:33:58.360 --> 01:34:01.713 short range missiles, in addition to aircraft. 01:34:02.040 --> 01:34:06.930 Iron Dome however is designed against a different threat 01:34:06.940 --> 01:34:10.840 than IFPIC, so we're working with and we're examining 01:34:10.840 --> 01:34:13.710 multiple alternatives, it has to be mobile, 01:34:13.710 --> 01:34:15.410 Iron Dome is not mobile right now. 01:34:15.440 --> 01:34:19.230 Tactically mobile, but we haven't ruled out or ruled in 01:34:19.440 --> 01:34:22.170 anything in the area that you're specifically talking about 01:34:22.170 --> 01:34:25.663 right now and all options are still on the table for that. 01:34:25.690 --> 01:34:28.840 And we are exploring all those options, so Iron Dome's 01:34:28.840 --> 01:34:32.150 not in or out, we're looking at it, we're looking at IFPIC, 01:34:32.150 --> 01:34:33.783 we're looking at the requirements and we want to make sure 01:34:33.783 --> 01:34:37.586 that with industry that we get what we need as fast as we 01:34:37.586 --> 01:34:40.514 can get it because that particular area, you know, 01:34:40.514 --> 01:34:44.940 shoot, move, communicate, protect, so it's a very, 01:34:44.940 --> 01:34:49.033 it's in our priorities there as the fourth priority. 01:34:49.702 --> 01:34:53.190 That has to do with fixed wing enemy aircraft, 01:34:53.190 --> 01:34:56.123 rotary wing enemy aircraft, ballistic missile defense, 01:34:56.260 --> 01:35:01.040 short range missile attack and our army needs to fill 01:35:01.040 --> 01:35:03.810 that gap and do so quickly, so we're looking at 01:35:03.810 --> 01:35:06.580 all the options. - Thank you, Chief. 01:35:06.699 --> 01:35:07.699 - Secretary? 01:35:09.090 --> 01:35:11.310 - Just like to note for the record that General Milley 01:35:11.310 --> 01:35:15.330 went to a very fine New Jersey institution in graduate 01:35:15.330 --> 01:35:19.570 studies and we note, of course, Secretary Esper 01:35:19.570 --> 01:35:22.160 is a graduate of West Point, this is sort of an odd 01:35:22.160 --> 01:35:26.150 question, but you're both graduates of the 1980s 01:35:26.169 --> 01:35:30.170 and I was to ask this of Heather Wilson and... 01:35:31.860 --> 01:35:32.990 Her colleague... 01:35:33.760 --> 01:35:35.170 The Air Force... 01:35:36.940 --> 01:35:37.773 Chief. 01:35:39.272 --> 01:35:42.943 How do you get input from the younger generation? 01:35:45.010 --> 01:35:48.563 You being obviously in positions of major responsibility? 01:35:48.980 --> 01:35:53.443 Obviously no soldier wants to go into combat 01:35:54.200 --> 01:35:57.230 with the army chief one on one. 01:35:57.230 --> 01:36:02.230 How do you actually take input and ideas from soldiers? 01:36:04.760 --> 01:36:08.380 How do you make sure that the chain of command knows 01:36:08.799 --> 01:36:13.300 sort of the reality of social networking and... 01:36:13.680 --> 01:36:18.570 The things that sort of tie their incredible missions to 01:36:18.570 --> 01:36:21.363 the real world we're in? 01:36:21.890 --> 01:36:22.723 - Yes, sir. 01:36:23.480 --> 01:36:27.200 I have two sources, first of which are my three kids 01:36:27.200 --> 01:36:29.463 who range between 18 and 25. 01:36:29.700 --> 01:36:31.560 And knowing them and their friends, I get a good feel 01:36:31.560 --> 01:36:33.630 for what's happening in that age group and that's roughly 01:36:33.630 --> 01:36:35.990 the age group from which we recruit and it gives you 01:36:35.990 --> 01:36:38.630 good insight into what they do in social media, 01:36:38.630 --> 01:36:41.360 what they, you know... 01:36:41.810 --> 01:36:44.160 How they interact socially, the skills they take 01:36:44.160 --> 01:36:46.610 to any role, but more importantly though is every time 01:36:46.610 --> 01:36:48.790 I've traveled and I've been in the job now 01:36:49.592 --> 01:36:50.900 three and a half months, I've traveled more than half 01:36:50.900 --> 01:36:53.970 that time, mostly overseas, I spend... 01:36:55.100 --> 01:36:57.650 Almost every lunch and sometimes a breakfast sitting down 01:36:57.650 --> 01:37:01.683 with a group of soldiers, E2s, E3s, E4s. 01:37:01.719 --> 01:37:05.219 (man speaks indistinctly) 01:37:08.360 --> 01:37:11.570 Oh, no, sir, I keep 'em far away and so we just have 01:37:11.570 --> 01:37:13.605 a very candid discussion about what's on their mind 01:37:13.605 --> 01:37:15.863 and I typically come back with notes. 01:37:15.863 --> 01:37:18.840 As soon as I get back that I divvy out to the staff 01:37:18.840 --> 01:37:21.440 and it's any range of issues, whether pay issues 01:37:21.440 --> 01:37:24.260 or if you're in the guard, it's how soon or how late 01:37:24.260 --> 01:37:26.430 you were notified on an issue. 01:37:26.430 --> 01:37:30.323 It could be what's the next army PT test look like, 01:37:30.480 --> 01:37:33.620 so I get a full range of questions out there with regard. 01:37:33.620 --> 01:37:37.000 I've also been privileged to have my... 01:37:37.000 --> 01:37:39.020 Wife join me on these trips and she meets with their 01:37:39.020 --> 01:37:42.473 wives, spouses, husbands, on these trips as well. 01:37:42.640 --> 01:37:45.603 So I have I guess a third source of input there as well, 01:37:45.620 --> 01:37:49.063 with regard to what's happening with regard to the schools, 01:37:49.130 --> 01:37:52.120 the daycare facilities, the clinics, et cetera, et cetera, 01:37:52.120 --> 01:37:54.915 so I try and draw from multiple sources as I head out 01:37:54.915 --> 01:37:55.923 on the road. 01:37:56.190 --> 01:37:58.630 - It's interesting, and this is not to drive the point 01:37:58.630 --> 01:38:01.470 home, the number of people that have a Fitbit 01:38:01.470 --> 01:38:03.860 and then we get a report in the New York Times 01:38:03.948 --> 01:38:06.633 that maybe at some forward operating base, 01:38:06.750 --> 01:38:09.400 somebody's lifting weights or they're doing something 01:38:09.615 --> 01:38:14.360 and we identify where the hell they are to the very 01:38:14.360 --> 01:38:18.900 aggressive and, you know, enemies that are in that... 01:38:20.080 --> 01:38:24.410 Comm, but it's a concern and you're assuring us 01:38:24.410 --> 01:38:26.403 that there is an opportunity for input. 01:38:29.460 --> 01:38:31.713 - Very similar in many ways. 01:38:32.020 --> 01:38:33.760 You know, we call it battlefield circulation, 01:38:33.760 --> 01:38:36.720 going around and engaging with soldiers and families 01:38:36.720 --> 01:38:38.760 and civilians, do that all the time, constantly 01:38:38.760 --> 01:38:41.323 on the road doing it, been doing it for 40 years. 01:38:41.770 --> 01:38:43.883 So you get a lot of feedback that way. 01:38:44.850 --> 01:38:47.800 In addition to that, though, formally, 01:38:47.800 --> 01:38:50.190 we do a lot of surveys, we do a lot of... 01:38:50.273 --> 01:38:55.273 Scientifically based analyses of various people's opinions. 01:38:56.130 --> 01:39:00.853 Thirdly, we run a thing called a captain's solarium. 01:39:01.130 --> 01:39:03.475 Where I go out, we select a representative group 01:39:03.475 --> 01:39:07.250 of captains, it's run by Fort Leavenworth annually, 01:39:07.250 --> 01:39:08.780 and they go out and they do a whole seminar, 01:39:08.780 --> 01:39:11.220 it lasts a couple weeks, and then I go out and meet 01:39:11.220 --> 01:39:13.290 with them and they give me back briefs on a wide variety 01:39:13.290 --> 01:39:15.783 of topics that we think are of interest to them. 01:39:16.840 --> 01:39:19.440 The Sergeant major is important in this regard, too. 01:39:19.540 --> 01:39:21.890 We have, I personally think, and I've known a lot 01:39:21.890 --> 01:39:23.990 of Sergeant majors and I love 'em and respect 'em all 01:39:23.990 --> 01:39:26.480 but I personally think Dan Daley's one of the finest 01:39:26.480 --> 01:39:28.630 noncommissioned officers the army's ever produced 01:39:28.630 --> 01:39:31.050 and I think he's the best Sergeant major the army's 01:39:31.050 --> 01:39:34.000 ever had, this is a man who has massive amounts of energy. 01:39:34.000 --> 01:39:36.990 He has a natural connective tissue, sort of, 01:39:36.990 --> 01:39:38.861 with the younger generation, and the troops out there 01:39:38.861 --> 01:39:41.220 and he gets out there, so talk to him frequently, 01:39:41.220 --> 01:39:45.633 get a lot of unvarnished sort of opinions. 01:39:46.600 --> 01:39:48.970 The other thing too that's key for both the secretary and I 01:39:48.970 --> 01:39:52.080 and anybody operating at these levels is to remain 01:39:52.080 --> 01:39:56.320 openminded, accept bad news, don't go ballistic 01:39:56.320 --> 01:39:58.770 if it happens to be bad news at a moment in time, 01:39:58.930 --> 01:40:01.393 but remain openminded and fresh to new ideas. 01:40:01.530 --> 01:40:03.880 This is a different generation, it's a remarkably 01:40:03.880 --> 01:40:05.930 talented generation of young people that are out there 01:40:05.930 --> 01:40:08.573 in our military, they communicate in different ways, 01:40:08.573 --> 01:40:11.140 staying active on Facebook and Twitter. 01:40:11.140 --> 01:40:14.043 We get all kinds of ideas and feedback from those lanes 01:40:14.043 --> 01:40:18.623 as well, but I think being open to fresh new ideas. 01:40:18.779 --> 01:40:22.890 We know in the world of science the most brilliant 01:40:22.890 --> 01:40:25.603 mathematicians, they were most brilliant in their 20s. 01:40:26.560 --> 01:40:29.480 Einstein and many many others, the passing of Stephen 01:40:29.480 --> 01:40:32.210 Hawking, they did some of their most brilliant work 01:40:32.210 --> 01:40:35.580 in physics and mathematics early in their life 01:40:35.920 --> 01:40:40.030 and that is true I think of the military or any other area 01:40:40.030 --> 01:40:41.983 that requires innovation. 01:40:42.130 --> 01:40:44.860 The innovation is with the youth and that's important 01:40:44.860 --> 01:40:48.223 that we at the top who work with Congress on the resources 01:40:48.223 --> 01:40:51.990 and the budget, we remain openminded to fresh new ideas 01:40:51.990 --> 01:40:53.773 to solve age old problems. 01:40:54.500 --> 01:40:56.700 - Thank you both, thank you, Madam Chairman. 01:40:58.260 --> 01:41:02.370 - Thank you very much, you have already addressed 01:41:02.370 --> 01:41:04.910 the issue with Chairman Frelinghuysen, so I don't need 01:41:04.910 --> 01:41:08.440 a response, I just feel compelled to emphasize again 01:41:08.440 --> 01:41:10.453 and I appreciate your positive response. 01:41:10.817 --> 01:41:15.170 That the additional moneys the Department is gonna receive 01:41:15.170 --> 01:41:20.170 in 18 are significant, it is Congress's fault 01:41:21.120 --> 01:41:23.770 that we've shaved five months off of your year 01:41:24.051 --> 01:41:27.510 but the fact is the increase the Department's gonna have 01:41:27.510 --> 01:41:32.130 is greater than the total spending of five different 01:41:32.130 --> 01:41:37.013 subcommittees on this committee, so I appreciate the care. 01:41:37.370 --> 01:41:39.314 Second thing that the chairman brought up about 01:41:39.314 --> 01:41:42.760 younger people and one of my faults on this subcommittee 01:41:42.760 --> 01:41:45.940 is I do not travel enough, I do not visit enough bases, 01:41:45.940 --> 01:41:49.679 do not talk to enough enlisted people and appreciate 01:41:49.679 --> 01:41:52.677 the effort you've gone to, still remember 01:41:52.677 --> 01:41:55.900 and it was very moving, we cleared out all the adults, 01:41:55.900 --> 01:41:58.260 talked to the children at the school at Fort Campbell 01:41:58.260 --> 01:42:01.580 and it was moving, after about 15 minutes, 01:42:01.580 --> 01:42:04.130 they realized you actually wanted to listen to 'em. 01:42:04.177 --> 01:42:07.750 And so I appreciate that. I would suggest 01:42:07.780 --> 01:42:11.100 and don't need a response, trust you also 01:42:11.100 --> 01:42:13.480 with the women enlisted, clearing all the men outta 01:42:13.480 --> 01:42:16.950 the room and have a conversation with them as well. 01:42:16.950 --> 01:42:20.300 So again, appreciate your service and thank you very much, 01:42:20.300 --> 01:42:21.133 Madam Chair. 01:42:21.133 --> 01:42:23.840 - Thank you, I have just one last thing, along with that 01:42:23.840 --> 01:42:26.750 significant amount of money goes a significant amount 01:42:26.750 --> 01:42:30.223 of confidence in the abilities of the US army. 01:42:30.620 --> 01:42:32.523 We never forget that also. 01:42:33.536 --> 01:42:37.140 I had a wonderful conversation yesterday in my office 01:42:37.140 --> 01:42:39.460 and I want to tell you one of the things that will always 01:42:39.460 --> 01:42:41.650 stay with me and I wish I'd said this at the beginning 01:42:41.650 --> 01:42:46.650 it goes for the whole subcommittee, you were very clear 01:42:46.710 --> 01:42:50.740 about what 16 years of war did to our army 01:42:50.740 --> 01:42:53.970 and that's something that we need to always keep in mind 01:42:53.970 --> 01:42:58.970 so you're catching up in a different way than... 01:43:00.270 --> 01:43:02.763 Others that we work with. 01:43:02.920 --> 01:43:06.410 Also, the SFAB program is a fascinating program. 01:43:06.410 --> 01:43:09.361 Be sure and keep us up to speed on that because I see 01:43:09.361 --> 01:43:12.760 that it has great possibilities, thank you both 01:43:12.760 --> 01:43:15.633 for all your service and we are adjourned. 01:43:16.104 --> 01:43:18.433 I think I will say something about that, hold on. 01:43:20.618 --> 01:43:23.110 (laughs) Okay, that concludes today's hearing. 01:43:23.110 --> 01:43:24.817 The subcommittee is adjourned. 01:43:25.291 --> 01:43:26.312 (gavel bangs) 01:43:26.312 --> 01:43:28.395 - [Man] Thank you, ma'am.