Transcripts For CSPAN2 Army Air Force Confirmation Hearing 20240714

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]. Was as bush singled and of all effort is the secretary mccarthy we share what youve learned with these efforts for developing cuttingedge capability is critical for a country in the thread however marginalized military platforms for soldiers would be pointless if they do not have the training necessary to prevail on the battlefield. As such Readiness Command are the party. I hope youll share with the members this morning what you will do to ensure the army and marines focus if you are confirmed by the senate. Family handinhand with the army success as the men and women who serve in uniform as well as the civilians working in the department. Recently the army has had challenges in meeting recruitment goals and the thermic rescission remain focused rather than quantity. We trust that you will closely monitor the situation. Ambassador barrett he will face critical issues. Youll be leaving the air force during the transition as the air force guidance establishing space wars. Doing this correctly will have great influence on our ability challenge competitiveness. The air force has been heavily involved overseas and 9 11 and spend laboring under the database strains of deployments and i operating tempo. Given the concerns about supporting the readiness of our deployment will be critical. The first party seems to me the secretary therefore should be focusing on improving readiness and addition to improving readiness the secretary must focus on modernization. Over number of years many Senior Leaders have expressed concern about the size and modernization of the air force however as complicated as to increase the number of aircraft we are buying , buying more aircraft is not enough. The air force must also buy the right types of aircraft. Currently the air force is under the threshold of modernizing several capabilities the intercontinental ballistic force and the program which will place Ground Surveillance planes. Finally the Service Secretaries not under the direct chain of command for the Acquisition Program but the Service Secretary plays a Critical Role in the budget and the decision to drive Acquisition Programs there for this committee will look to you for your contributions and balancing a air force resources against the air force needs and ensuring you have the Acquisition Workforce the Department Needs to get the job done. Again let me thank you for holding this hearing. Stu thank you senator reed. Secretary mccarthy and introduction of you is not really necessary pig youve worked for two years as the undersecretary in the same position and you certainly know it well however we do have senator mcsally who has requested to introduce mrs. Barrett. Thank you chairman hoff inhofe and Ranking Member reed. Its a grape right to introduce fellow arizonians and my personal friend ambassador Barbara Barrett. Many of you know barbara for outstanding accomplishments and leadership spanning from the Business World academia to international diplomacy. A few of these include the deputy federal aviation administrator serving as the u. S. Ambassador to finland her time at the u. S. Mission at the United Nations previous position maker phenomenal choice to lead a military Service Branch but her unique experiences are what make her the best choice to lead our air force at this important time in history. First and foremost shes a pilot herself so she thinks in three dimensions. She always looks up and shares a passion for flying for the airmen she would leave. Ambassador barrett has vast managing experience. This tantrum president of the Thunderbird School of management she was responsible for creating this Global Outlook will be vital as we adapt to the resurgence of Great Power Competition in the threats posed to the world. Barbaras many key member of Aerospace Committee for years giving her firsthand understanding of how to navigate commercial partnerships to give them the best practices they need when they needed where they needed. Shes worked at several organizations the air force looks to like serving as a ceo in the Aerospace Aerospace corporation in Nonprofit Corporation based in california that operates federally funded Research Development pishaw so serves on one of most influential think tanks. When asked by the secretary of defense to serve on the defense business board she tackled the tough task of improving Business Practices of the dod. Its macrolevel analysis experience will enable her succeed any threat anywhere anytime. Bass are barrett has been involved in many institutions focus on advocacy and education. Serving on the boards of the national air and space museum sally ride science and Foundation Premieres and dearest to my heart is ambassador bair played an Important Role are the biggest parent tot paradigm shifts expanding air combat roles for women. The only female pilot serving on Defense Advisory Committee on women in the services she was instrumental in recommending that women are allowed to compete for and be in combat with the leadership of this committee opposed the recommendations at the time. But paving the way for thousands of women like me who serve our country with distinction in combat. In part because of these changes our military is more effective than lethal than ever before. Shes the best man for the job even though shes a woman. This led to other m. And being able to lead. None of these women would be possible if not for the advocacy in the grid of women like ambassador Barbara Barrett posing new solutions. Im grateful to barbara for the work to step up for our country. Im honored to introduce the proud tradition. Todays we sit in his body that makes these important decisions i continue to be inspired by barbaras example. Always looking for improvement think strategically and acknowledge sometimes doing things the way they have always been in the past may not be good enough anymore. Its a personal understanding of what airmen need for intimate knowledge of the Aerospace Industry that supports them for competence and her passion for the air and space domain and a consistent search for new better more Innovative Solutions that make ambassador barrett the best candidate to lead our air force today and tomorrow. Finally ive been blessed to get to know Barbara Severin and i believe she is the perfect fit for this job. I advocated to President Trump for that nomination and im grateful that he is nominated her. From our years of friendship by can tell you shes a woman of character, vision, smarts and a true leader who cares deeply about our country our military and our air force. With all she is accomplishing did not have to answer this call she was not seeking this call get she was willing to give these years of her life to share her immense experience and lead our air force and the in the future. Barbara truly embodies the air force care values Integrity First service before self self and Excellent Knowledge and will inspire airmen. I hope each member of this committee will join me. Thank you mr. Chairman can member reed for the opportunity to make the introduction with that is my pleasure to introduce my friend ambassador barrett. Thats great. Thank you senator mcsally. A beautiful introduction. We will now have Opening Statements from our nominees and keep in mind the entire statement will be made part of the record. I invite you to introduce any of your friends or family who have come to support you this morning secretary mccarthy. Mr. Chairman Ranking Member reed members of the committee it is an honor to come before you today as the president nominee for secretary of the army. Ive testified previously in front of this committee and i hold it in the highest regard but i want to thank secretary for his confidence in the president for nominating me to yesterday as we do every year they posit were members of the 9 11 attacks to honor the souls lost on that day and the subsequent 18 years of war. Just as the pentagon building bears the physical scars of the attack we will never forget. 18 years ago today i was beginning my preparation to deploy for the afghanistan invasion. The day fundamentally change my life. Troops deployed in combat operations will remain my primary focus. Id like to begin by recognizing my wife jennifer who joins me here today. She along with her daughter alexandra and the rest of my Family Service the bedrock for who i am as a person did they provide me with strength and motivation to be the best husband, father and man that i can be. My parents david and kathleen i want to publicly thank them for their love support and guidance my interred entirely for my sister shana my brotherinlaw jace thank you for being confidants and friends who are always there for me. Family want to thank the committee for the confidence and bipartisan support they have shown the army and the department of defense with the committees top by markey will provide the foundation for budget deal that provides fiscal certainty in the fy20208 and fy2021. We will work to maximize the utility of every dollar with privatization and safeguard her most treasured National Resource the men and women serving in the Army Civilians and their families. I am an avid supporter of the National Defense strategy and will continue the participation necessary for it to be realized. India serves as our blueprint minimizing any potential turbulence as a result of the transition of leaders to the strategy allows for laser like focus against Great Power Competition while institutionalizing the hard Lessons Learned in counterinsurgency and the violent extremist organization. If confirmed as secretary the of the army will continue to champion the Army Strategy condition with an emphasis on readiness modernization and reform. It is only through the care for people that these priorities will be achieved. Im encouraged by their retention numbers as a measure performance. And if i 19 the army met over 100 of our retention goals and we are in track to achieve a revised goal without dilution and quality. Confirmed i intend to ensure our soldiers and families have the resources to thrive. This includes quality and safe housing Reliable Health care and access to childcare, taking care of the force leads to a better quality of life. Retention of worldclass soldiers and ultimately improve readiness. Im equally committed to the prevention of Sexual Assault and harassment in our formation which tears at the very fabric of our institution. Leadership at every level must build a team of teams, protecting our brothers and sisters to our left and right reinforcing theres no place for suicide and Sexual Assault and harassment in our army. If confirmed the Army Leadership will continue to build upon the reform agenda of we have established over the last 24 months. Significant work remains to solidify the Modernization Enterprise and finish what we collectively started. Congressional support in measure will help the army and i look forward to working with this committee and congress to fulfilling their responsibility to providing the best man equipped and trained force our nation needs to meet these objectives. Im grateful for your consideration of my nomination and i look forward to your questions. Thank you mr. Speaker terry and ms. Barrett. Chairman and topRanking Member he distinguished members of this Important Committee thank you for the opportunity to appear before you with acting secretary of the army ran mccarthy paper shade or nominations and i hope to build a relationship with the tifia should i be confirmed but i would like to thank the president for his nomination as secretary of defense for the possible privilege to again serve our great nation. I would like to recognize my family who are here with me today my husband craig, the love of my life and the kind of guy you would want your son to grow up to be. Also my sister joan petit and sisterinlaw lori had traveled from western pennsylvania. Senator mcsally thank you for your kind introduction. As the first woman to fly an aircraft engage in combat and also the first woman to lead us squad in combat you know firsthand what is required of our airmen. Im grateful for your confidence and your friendship. This committee profoundly understands the threat Great Power Competitions present to our National Interest as properly prioritized in the National Defense strategy. China and russia continually challenge free and open international order, imposed their authoritarian model beyond their borders and attempt to undermine longstanding alliances. A recent independent bipartisan Strategy Commission appointed by congress concluded the air force will be at the forefront of any future conflicts. We cannot afford to lose our competitive edge. If confirmed would work with congress and the administration to build upon our manpower resources to meet our National Defense needs. The air force must not only retained its technical edge over potential adversaries that we must expand it. If confirmed continued investments in modernization and advanced capabilities to better equip our airmen to prevail in the highend fight. While attending to readiness modernization and reform i will also work closely with our allies to deepen global partnerships. If confirmed standing up less space for siddiqi imperative. I believe we need a space force. In fact in my opinion a domain specific service organized to train and equip space forces is overdue. Most americans use space before their first cup of coffee in the morning. Space controls or electricity, our water, our Financial Transactions and the course navigation, information and communication. While space is ubiquitous it is also invisible and often underappreciated. American National Power depends upon space in our potential adversaries know it. We must be prepared to defend critical space access come increased resilience for Space Enterprise and be prepared to fight and win should deterrence fail. Finally as a focus on organizing training and equipping for combat we cannot ignore the readiness challenge close to home. We must support or airmen by addressing suicide, Sexual Assault, housing and a quality of life. Much work has been done to address the serious issues and if confirmed i would support and fortify those efforts. Most americans took their kids in bed at night without a thought about a foreign threat because brave men and women in uniform stand ready. It is because of their sacrifices that we all sleep well. As an aviator i have a deep love and respect for the air force and the men and women uniformed and civilian who served and their families. Our dad was a cowboy when he enlisted in the army corps of engineers during world war ii. Long ago he instilled the importance of Public Service in us today as a result ive eiselt the duty to serve when called. I would considered a supreme privilege in the pivotal responsibility to lead our airmen and serve as the 25th secretary of the air force. I look forward to your questions. Thank you ms. Barrett. During my opening comments i talked a little bit about our launch capabilities and i regret that while we were light years ahead in the Previous Administration we lost that edge we now have china and im very much concerned about what they are doing. They are developing technology that takes us a lot longer with a different system. That is not our system. First of all i would ask if you agree with the most recent space launch acquisition effort in the air force and the senate focus on staying the course in the Armed Services procurement today. Thank you mr. Chairman. We dont get to space without an effective space launch. Or chewing the recent past we develop not just a military and government capability but commercial capability as well. We still need to have government capability and i am fully supportive of continuation of the capability through the military. Also the fact that we stay on course in terms of our timing because any delay is going to put them that much further ahead do you agree with that . Absolutely senator. Snap is one of your top priorities. Theres a misunderstanding. We know that the air forces top about needing 72 white or craft that when we came out with this 60 and the f15s the main problem we had at that time was the manufacture of the contractor didnt have the capacity to get up any higher than that. Thats a moving target right now. We are not sure where that ends but we have another situation and that is on the f15s in the f35 that are out there. Any that we get right now would be lock three and get block for will be coming next year. What is your feeling on the situation today, where we are and how would some of these problems affect our im on the outside and those with inside knowledge the f35 is our future and we needed food we needed and we needed sustainably so getting more of the f35 has been something the air force has been working hard to do and if confirmed i would look to continue to push. Ms. Barrett i remember when we had the m. 42 and the numbers we were supposed to have and they drop down and i dont want that to happen again. Secretary mccarthy you know the job. You have been secretary for how long . B25 months. 25 month so you know some of the problems that are out there. We are not able to meet their recruitment goals this last time. Looking at what we are trying to do right now what are the problems we have . Right now we have the best economy arguably in my lifetime so thats your competition out there. How do you overcome that and are you going to be able to meet your goals and if not what is the fallback position . To your point chairman we missed the active goal by 6500 in fy18 so secretary esper and the general set down as a family said we had to make a change could we change the strategy to focus on 22 cities across the continental United States because we need a larger sample size. We need to get greater penetration in demographics. To your point with 3. 6 deployment theres never been a benchmark since 1969 and that was an all draft the military. A unique setting and we are competing with a air force navy and marines. Our leadership is meeting with mayors and our parks and recreation directors are getting Civic Leaders to a pretty change your Marketing Strategy and we are putting more funding in the effort of Digital Marketing so we have made a dramatic change and also looking at 150 different operational specialties theres a vast opportunity for americans to get an opportunity to get technical skills, money for education and surely get out of an environment where they can reach the middle class part as well and saying the army its the escalator so changing the method was the key in communicating with the country. I would add initially trying to meet those goals we didnt anticipate having the economy that we have today. We meet those targets well in a year in advance so we had to make the adjustment. Its hard because we still need to grow to 50 of combat and commanders worldwide creative come any continued thrive. Thank you mr. Chairman congratulations to the nominees to enjoy their visits. We talked about the concern of mine in the space area which is the lack of rules. As you pointed sort of invisible and the challenges of the rule as environment are going to get more and more significant the more investments we never countries make. Theres an example in the last year where an American Company was denied an fcc license on satellite denies it but they circumvented the fccs ruling by going to india and launching the satellite and there was a monetary penalty set against the company for doing that. We talked about issues of debris in space created by either accidents for efforts to use missiles missiles do not down satellites in the great debris that affected investments as you contemplate should you be confirmed as secretary what are your thoughts about what the United States should do to try to work with other nations to create a set of International Rules that could be enforced to try to protect the investments we would make . Thank you senator. I think that would be one of the important things for the future. The air force is certainly a big part of that. Confirmed i would dissipate in the leadership. You indicated you were strongly support the space force we did it good bit of work on the ndaa and that will survive relatively intact on the Conference Room and hearing to be of many priorities. Talk a little bit about how you would approach the implementation of the accreditations included in the ndaa. And seeing the outcome of those negotiations in congress and building upon what Congress Directs i would look forward to participating if confirmed in developing an agency that is focused on capability in space not building structural peer receives but instead building the capabilities for the warfighter and the american public. And back to my first question you would agree with me would knew that it would be very difficult for us to protect their investments in space without some kind of a rulebased order that other nations are agreeing with. Its hard to either have bilateral or unilateral rules in space because the cavities of other nations could jeopardize our investments. Just as our activities could jeopardize there is an international set of rules. I agree completely. We are vulnerable to the actions of others in open territory. Thank you. Secretary mccarthy i have been impressed with first impressed with the challenges surrounded military housing but i am impressed with the armys candor about technology and them. Secretary i worked with him on that one of the reasons i was happy to introduce him to the committee for his hearing was because the work thats been done. It strikes me as i think about the work over the last few months including visits that i have made two bases in virginia including army bases and looked at a lot of military Family Housing but i havent looked at erics for the i4 and below and make us if we are really going to be serious about the housing issue we have to make sure single individuals men and women who are in erics in the lower ranks who are in many assists as the most vulnerable they have accepting housing but we talked about military housing issues as the army is grappling with those. What are you doing to look at Housing Conditions for all of the troops who live a single members in dereks . We had to conduct a very thorough baseline to make sure we understood the problem. This was back in the fall of 18. Secretary esper initiated the 19 investigations of every of this year. We recently released the results of the entire congress and there were a series of recommendations 90 of which were deftly going to implement. We had to get a better understanding of how we were managing the problem and thats really what has gone on for the last couple of months. Have now begun to move resources and get better data and understanding of the health of all of the assets in the entire portfolio. That would include the barracks for a single person. You would like to briefly yesterday. A recent study by the cdc indicates if there is 1. 5 billion a year in obesity related health issues. It puts the obesity rate of the army at 17 . You have done, the army is now implementing a new fitness standard across the force we talk about how you would help them plant those should you be confirmed. We have extended the length of the 11 unit basic training to get more repetition in time for soldiers to get fit before they arrive. Thats the 16 to 22. 16 to 22, yes sir and from there working with the contractors they run or nine facilities to change the venue so we are working across that and we continue fitness with how the utt and quite frankly they have to get more sleep at night so going across the Health Continuum we look at how we can improve all of those areas and its a challenge for the country with over half the country within an obesity range. And military can set a good example is other areas. Thank you very much mr. Chair and i yield back. Thank you senator kaine. I felt we had a good conversation about the importance of the 55th wing stationed at the air force base and really the air force isr mission without winning helps perform for that being said the isr mission performed by the air force is evolving is evolving with the changing pace of technology and also with the threats that we face as a country. Given the importance of the information gained from the isr systems how do you see the air force growing and evolving in this mission over time and would you agree that future technologies such as Network Systems and the unmanned vehicles could work to enhance the proven platforms that we are to have liked the rc 135 and other very highpowered isr f. s thank you senator. From your position in nebraska we see that its a keystone to the isr mission of the United States air force and that is a mission that is only going to grow. To modernize and incorporate more technology so that is something that seems to lie very much in the future of the United States air force and if confirmed i would hope to work with you in continuing that modernization. As we discussed in our private meeting that we had that every combatant command needs that information provided. Every Combatant Commander that has testified before this committee, they mentioned the need for more isr so would you commit to working with me and my colleagues to expand that the isr infrastructure that we have so that we can put more of those assets into the field . Absolutely. They are needed by the air force. Thank you. Thank you and i both the realso on the importance of modernizing the air forces nuclear forces. And the Nuclear Command and control infrastructure which they rely. I ask you if you would give me a commitment that will make that Nuclear Modernization at top priority if you are confirmed. Senator i can make that commitment to you. Thank you. In your response to the committees advance policy questions you know that most of the systems in the Nuclear Triad have quote exceeded their original defined lines and they must all be modernized. This includes the ground base and i know the gps is an area that if confirmed you are going to be thoroughly reviewing. We are seeing calls for changes to the Acquisition Strategy but i would encourage you to please keep in mind the lack of margin in the current schedule as you acquaint yourself with the program. Do you agree that the highest party needs to be moving forward to ensure that this program delivers on time and that we also meet the warfighter requirements . Senator, timeliness and moving forward on modernization of our capability is among the highest priority. I would say is the highest its the bedrock of the security of our country. We understand that its that important. Thank you. One of the fundamental issues that the air force will need to address is the question of what is the force structure and the force size its going to be necessary in order to meet those goals from our National Defense strategy and put simply we cannot afford to maintain an outdated air force, one that is shaped by a lowend conflict when we are looking at great power, competition now and into the foreseeable future. I have been a vocal proponent of the air force. The air force we need, that plan that is fair to grow the size of the air force and rethink the mix of the aircraft that we have but im concerned that without resource and also with out implementation plans like this end up on the shelf and go by the wayside. I do not believe we can afford this, to see that happen. What is your vision for the future, for size and the future in the air force . A great deal of effort was put into analysis of what is the air force we need that my predecessor. I would think thats not something that is destined for the shelf but instead destined for him to mentation. Whether its exactly 386 quadrants i dont know but it would be something that if confirmed i would pay a great deal of attention to so we can have the force structure that we need to achieve the mission. Thank you ambassador and thank you mr. Secretary for your willingness to continue to serve this country. Thank you. Senator heinrich. Ambassador barrett i appreciate your meeting with me yesterday and i want to follow on the same ground and i want to look is specifically in this case on this new mexico project. Im sure you are going to hear about projects all over the country for my colleagues. My state was one of the hardest hit by the end run around the congressional defense appropriations process and specifically the administrations plan that would cut 85 million from mq9 formal training units at home and air force base. A new building that is desperately needed to effectively train al ahkbar operators. We aware that we trained 100 , 100 of the active reserve an international mcnine operators at the facility . Senator i was not aware of that. Very aware of the fact that Current Training is resorting to using duct tape for holes in the wall. No, senator. I think we need to do better than that. You know because of these conditions these operators are the only combat aircrews in the entire air force that are forced to train in an unclassified unsecured environment. Those are. If this project doesnt receive that money will would be your approach to make sure we receive the money . Senator i understand the funding has been deferred and i would hope appropriate funding is achieved. If confirmed deferred is not a word we use around here. Its either appropriated or not appropriate and when its reprogrammed its no longer procreated for the use that congress wrote into the appropriation. Im trying to get a sense from you how we are going to get the project back on track. The priority remains very high for that project is i understand it and ive been on the outside so its not something that i is a participant mm but i do believe the priorities havent changed and that would be something that would be looked to for funding and appropriate action. I would see to that the secretary of confirmed. Act king secretary mccarthy it wasnt just air force bases that were affect did by these transfers of funds, these cuts. The administration also cut information systems. If this cut is enacted if that funding isnt received what would be the impact on our Global Information operations . Senator as we have discussed in the office call we will be making investments in efforts with our modernization birdies with hypersonic energy. The project specifically was an award from the fy20 timeframe so what we are going to do is look at options and put it into 21 fiscal year to make the adjustments to do weekend to recover the schedule and work with contractors. For both of you needless to say i was more than disappointed by these actions. It makes it very hard, well it makes it obvious that mexico is not paying for this, is not paying for the wall and instead we have real cuts that have a root very were a price and her military readiness even if its a single year at best. And real impacts on the backs of our men and women in uniform and their families. I would love to know from both of you if you understand just how caustic ignoring congressional intent can be to the kind of relationship that should exist between the administration and congress. Senator i would look to build a relationship with congress there would be such that we could work carefully and closely despite adversarial issues and things like condition scarcity of resources and Important National and strategic assets if confirmed. Sara senator woodward very hard on a bipartisan relationship with with this committee. Thank you chairman. Senator caught in. Congratulations secretary mccarthy and ms. Barrett on your nominations and thank you mr. Mccarthy for your Current Service and ms. Barrett your past service and i look forward to working with you in the years ahead. Ms. Barrett earlier this week a few days ago a number of f15 said that fives and a stronghold north of baghdad the Task Force Said they were used to disrupt high and thick vegetation could have concerns about using a fifthgeneration aircraft to strike a bunch of terrorists hiding in the bushes. It feels to me like we should be using aircraft that are suitable in an environment where we have total air dominance in our f35s and the pilots should be training for highend complex with evertz series like china especially when the cao has published a study that says queue be a 35 supply chain does not have enough spare parts available to keep your ref line or the time necessary to meet requirements end quote read this congress has repeatedly authorized and appropriated money for an aircraft that would deal the conduct such missions against threats in the middle east at a fraction of the cost while freeing up the f35 and people who supported to train for those highend complex. Do you share my concerns about this kind of highend aircraft especially given the strain f35 salve right now . Senator mike can identify what went into the decisions. I do mean a particular operation but a commonsense conceptual matter. When we could be using lowend aircraft to conduct these missions in places like iraq or afghanistan and getting our f35 pilots ready for a fight against a competitor does it seem t. Like we should be exploring that option more aggressively than we have in the past . I think so. The congressman said we want to see initial operating capabilities by 2023 and i hope you can make that a priority for happening. I look forward leadership in moving avalon mark wrigley and training and operational missions. Secretary mccarthy when you were in the army and other people were in the army in 2000 they saw a lot of art tillery operations. There that was a reflection of the strain on the force and part but its had lasting repercussions as artillery units now have lieutenants and captains and dismounted infantry operations. Can you talk to a solo bid about the armys plan for both getting our servicemembers ready to conduct but also the new six stems systems coming in place for them to operate in light of russias successful groundbased, hot missile that occurred a few weeks ago. Yes sir. We attribute this to a lot of general malaise leadership in a particularly change the scenarios of home stations as well as Training Centers worldwide and threats and areas that we would see against competitors. We changed our Investment Strategy making it the number one priority with 9 million to include north of 1 million in hypersonic missiles so fast investments for time and energy and training as well as the investment and materiel to bring strategic fighters back in the formation we are working hard to change more units so a tremendous effort moving forward on our portfolio. In the same regard as missile defense. A lot of investments looking at shayrat batteries coming on line in fy22 so there is improvement that is on the way but we are still short if we had to go to wartime. I like to hear that im glad the imf treaty is and we can provide her soldiers with the longrange fighters they need also the threat from china as well. They were never part of that treaty and imf. Thank you. Mr. Reed. Thank you very much mr. Chairman i apologize. I was in a Committee Hearing and i had to attend that secretary mccarthy let me raise an issue of Sexual Assault in misconduct. Several years ago general odierno and secretary mcewen took a step or in terms of requiring an actual affirmative evaluation of the soldiers adherence to policy and also training. I think what has happened in the interim is they failed to check the box and the training from what ive heard is someone sitting at their desk and begin checking exes and why as. This has to be the Company Commanders and squad meeting facetoface. Phoneician put political correctness. They dont exploit soldiers, they protect them. Can you comment on what you can do to inspire other servicemembers . Im addressing you. Yes sir. As discussed in our office call general con bill and want to look at changing the way we are training. Clearly the trend is going the wrong direction. Im very encouraged by general williams. He brought in outside experts and change it to a scenariobased training. So getting away from the compliance on an ipad and powerpoint and making it much more interactive tree clearly the methods we have been using are not working. Ambassador again i think its an issue that you have attended to in the air force but i want to focus on another issue and that is one that we spoke about at our meeting. Its becoming a more critical aspect and there were a number of suggestions that 60 of the lifecycle force of the platform is sustaining the force and not the production. This is put huge pressure on the f35 and your comments are very insightful about how he uses aircraft and told 35,000 an hour to keep in f35 in the air. We are going after some folks in the bush with a 35,000dollar aircraft. The air force would like to see 1763 f. 35 aircraft but at 35,000 an hour how can we afford that Going Forward . Do have ideas about reducing the lifecycle of the f35 . Senator as we talked in the office that would do getting those flight hour costs down would be one of the things that i would give a higher party too. The f35 is an important element of the arsenal and we need the capability but the cost for flight hours seems high. I would use the background that i have two work to negotiate and build the capabilities of the aircraft be flown. One of the cost factors is the automatic logistic program. Are you familiar with the program . At this point it would be very difficult to talk about specific changes that you would erect in terms of total overall sustainment as well as relationship to alice. Details im not privy to the bad is the kind of thing we should be paying attention to if im confirmed. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you senator reed. Thank you mr. Chairman thank you both for being here today. Mr. Secretary i appreciate your Prior Service and or willingness to continue in a different role for our United States army. Thank you very much for that and ambassador thank you very much for being willing to step forward and fill in in a very exciting time for air force as we advance or space force. Thank you very much for that and for your wonderful old family thank you for coming today as well. I want to continue down the road that Ranking Member reed was on in discussing threshold within our military. We absolutely must push against and bring to an end to the shift that we have seen in our military culture. Its difficult to stomach and those that are in positions of leadership and responsibility really need to see this through. They need to make sure that they are addressing the situation with the seriousness that it requires and mr. Secretary you spoke of west point in the events at general williams held there and i was able to participate in that event last monday. Evan honorable stand down day and it was an entire day dedicated at west point to addressing this issue on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault. It addressed the attitudes and behaviors that are consistent with our army dog is that are degrading readiness. We have seen that across the force not just at west point. You are right that they had ways of challenging the cadets in their thinking. I think this event was very very effective through to see the looks on the faces of some of the cadets that had to respond to different scenarios. It was engaging their brains which is not what we seem with clicking through a bunch of powerpoint slides. Im excited to see the results as we move through this grand experiment and to see if it works and shows the change in attitude. For both of you if you are confirmed what else would you like to see that would change the culture that we see existing in our military today . What else can we be doing to effect that change . When teams have more time to train together and went there which with each other to chow hall or training together they get to know each other and much of the challenge has been in the last 2425 months as chief management officers too much reporting, and we take them away from doing the core elements of the things that i remember as a senior officer. I 1800breakfast lunch and dinner with my teammates. I was with them all the time and they knew my family then you my friend. We eat breakfast and go to the gym. They know im tired and need a cup of coffee. Thats really what it comes down to. We started taking requirements to allow more collusive relationships to be built and thats one of the trusts and foundations is where it is really codified. We need to do more of that and the type of interactive training you describe, thats what we do for anything. Thank you. Know your soldiers. Ambassador. Thanks. This scourge as you described it of Sexual Assault cannot be in tolerated. An environment where we entrust our military soldiers sailors airmen and marines with extraordinary power. Senator i have taken action, ive investigated Sexual Assault claims in her previous role and i fired a top leader for that action. It is a zerotolerance matter in my view and its something that is confirmed i would take very seriously. I believe there is a value of having women in leadership roles where women feel comfortable to step forward if there are problems of that sort. I do appreciate it in the think with a view of headon key components through we need to know where teams and soldiers sailors airmen and marines and exhibiting the necessary leadership to make sure we are identifying those issues and bringing solutions to the table for those issues. Thank you both very much and i look forward to your confirmation. Thank you senator ernst. Thank you mr. Chairman and thank you to both of our nominees for being here and think you for your service and your willingness to serve. I think senator kaine alluded to this. We have had multiple hearings here this year to uncover and address persistent and unacceptable problems our servicemembers and their families have experienced in privatizing housing preceded in alabama and across the country. The root cause continued to be uncovered. My take away from these reports is that we are finally applying some needed focus to get this right but we still have a long way to go. We have tried to address the center and baa and hopefully that language was stay in there but i would like to ask each of you can we get a commitment from each of you that if confirmed that you will continue the service, each of your services focusing on addressing these issues ensuring our military members and emilys housing that they deserve the transparency and responsiveness that he believed and i think all members of this committee believe are important to our family members and the wellbeing of a military and condition to our modern station. I tried to exhibit that very type of behavior or we could do when we release the ig investigation to the entire congress. We had a series of recommendations from the ig which is the legislation he just referred to. We are taking appropriate actions now and they are starting to fall in place that is mentioned earlier leave baseliner cells into problem because quite frank way its not just the army. Its the entire department managing the contractors with the level of diligence that we should produce a guy we took out the chain of command from the process. You cant empower leaders if you take away their authority and take away their ability to measure the problems. We have to do better. This is a qualityoflife issue in her attention for our soldiers. It should be top of mind every day for the rest of my tenure. Ambassadors barrett. I understand United States air force has been doing significant efforts in the deplorable conditions are families have been subjected to but if confirmed i will continue that and possibly accelerate. All right, thank you both. I guess secretary mccarthy ill ask you first but its probably appropriate for ambassador barrett as well. Going back to the question that senator heinrich asked about specific programs being deferred out of new mexico. We have only had one in the army army depot when there was difference that deferred money and pushed money to the southern border. It was a critical maintenance project. I know there are a lot of these projects and theres a lot of money and instead of focusing, but to have secretary mccarthy im sure you are familiar with it, how that might affect and a son but in a broader view id like for each of you to discuss a little bit of your view on how the deferral of all of these as a whole and the possibility of future controls might affect the military away from the congressional appropriations process. It could potentially schedule depending on if boy find another funding mechanism. Then boy can recover the schedule overtime. It has presented some turbulence. Boy are trying to manage her way through this. Boy look at the various funding vehicles that we have. Boy will prepare proposals project according to, they are all very important. Boy continue to work this through to find a solution. Exactly the same thing we put the air force. Boy would be looking to find funding to make those priorities issues go forward. Thank you for your service. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you mr. Chairman. Boy talked a little bit about this. We do are in my office, thank you for your time for self. I dont know you as well has senator mick sally but i am fully confident that you know going to do a great job. In one of the areas boy talked about in the committee was about something that started in the air force almost 11 years ago now. It was this document. 680 page document, to define the next generation handgun for the department of defense. And then went through the army says they finally had to take it over to get the job done by the way. But then went through a process of procurement and acquisition it took about ten years. It was finally selected and i was going to take about ten years to get it fully deployed. When will need the next generation handgun. When i first started, i taken this document 680 pages and bringing it more for the committee. I had some folks and acquisition but its only 40 pages of specifications. So my question to them was, are all of the other pages intentionally left blank . Do they have requirements that the suppliers can just dismiss. Only focus on those 40 pages. Boy only answer that. I want to make sure that we figure out a way to acquire appropriate to the risk of whatever it is boy are acquiri acquiring. I fully expect boy and our fd that was 300 pages long for the next generation paperclip. Im not going to look for that but i could see that. Tell me what you think boy are already doing to address that and to discuss this in the office and give me your assurance that these sorts of things in these ways that could be put to more capabilities and better prepared our men and women in uniform, to me a little bit about it. Then secretary mccarthy, employee detention housing we put you. Thank you senator, i think most would agree that the acquisition system has been broken. I credit my predecessor as secretary of the air force for having really tackled the problem and what you evidence there from ten years ago, lets hope its better now. It would be something boy look to get better if i confirm during my tenure as secretary wilson, to the acquisition of google process we put leadership of doctor phil glover from 14 approval levels before. That kids out how much favor, a lot of hands moving through neptune response ability that each of those 4000 once you confirm my love to come over and visit we put you as mentioned in my office so that weekend sit down and look at these specific things around the business of the guilty boy not only have to fix, not once and done but the Continuous Improvement initiatives that convinced me that we dont get it right at a time and then ten years from now, were back to this unacceptable process. Terry ryan you and i had a great discussion in the office. Its been great working we put you over the past couple of years. I will support your nomination. Tell me little bit about what you express and for greg and the progress that we are making on housing. Senator, i was disappointed. I went to the Housing Project in particular and there were some of the families that when he experienced Carbon Monoxide leaks, one home in particular, the solutions were not adequate. The progress its not moving fast enough. Boy are going to, i just did a town hall we put a couple hundred people about a month ago. Boy had this remarkable input on them and every time i go down there that the three to four weeks before i get there, boy see a lot of Service Requests for men and women in housing go down. But boy have got to to work on the systematic changes and congress, through west ration, the department has taken his eye off of the ball. There is no one person to blame here but boy have got to continue to measure the projects that i spoke we put senator kane earlier about the bill of rights that i look forward to us getting into place. Boy will continue to pound on this. But the families know that part right here, that i plan on doing a town hall down there again in about a month. I hope they are working on those Service Requests now and i look forward to working we put both of you on addressing what i consider to be an unacceptable Family Housing. I have full confidence in you all will get it right. Thank you. Thank you mr. Chairman. First i want to acknowledge both of you to our country. Thank you for your service and welcome to this community committee. Im delighted we put the qualifications and i look forward to supporting both of you. We put that said, i have a question and secretary mccarthy, you may be better because you are in the pentagon now. As a legal opinion been prepared by the general counsel of any of the military services or the Defense Department on the legality of use of these military Construction Funds for the border wall construction. And could you make that available to the committee. Yes, thank you. I believe you been given a new legal order. I think what is being done here is an gross violation of the constitution and the fundamental principles of the constitution which is the separation of powers. And that of a of the appropriation and spending power on the congress. Article one section nine could not be more clear. No money should be drawn from the treasury. No money should be drawn from treasured bedding huts we put some appropriations made by law. I can be more clear. The fig leaf that they admits ration is using, title x section two 808. Troops being deployed in the national emergency. But even that, doesnt that. It is the troops, any expenditures the taking out of the military Construction Funds, may be used for projects undertaken to support the troops. And these are this project has nothing to do we put supporting the troops. What theyre talking about roads or erics or defensive positions and actually support the troops, i want to see that legal opinion. I just cant believe it holds any water and what shocks me is the failure of this congress to stand up for its prerogatives. If this goes through, it establishes and president s that essentially transfers a significant part portion of the ministration paid not just this administration but any administration. Boy are establishing a presence here that will haunt this institution i believe, for many years. Neither of you have a role in this, you doing we put the chain of command reports but i believe its illegal order and therefore id like to see that legal opinion that justifies going on here. One, etc. After heinrichs, maybe the president misstated that when he met new mexico is going to paper law, not mexico. Thats whats happening here. Its not right and its not in accordance we put the constitution. Secretary mccarthy, the army has been going through a substantial period of modernization of the past two years. Has been accomplished wish standing up in the army future command. What is on right and what is can run. One of the things that have worked the best word boy still have gaps for. I believe boy have the organizational, the three pillars of the command. Combat systems and this cross functional design brings the stakeholders together. You can get unity command. And thats actually working . Boy stood up in the fall of 17, and boy had prototypes delivered in 18 months the retesting. Rick testing like an extended range canon fire from 39 kilometers to 70. The prototypes are delivering and boy are starting to yield results of that reducing the span time, is everything. Five to seven years. Are there elements that we could be doing better . Of course senator, i think that when much of what boy are going to see in the true witness that test is when the prototypes are actually what boy want and boy want to scale them, boy buy charges. How the decisions will be made from the futures command at the seniormost loophole when boy slept this on the table on the next climate lift platform. Making those hard trades up top. Not out of the woods yet. There is great progress in the way boy have gone about the requirements process. Im sure you are going to stay on. Just a couple of comments. You and i talked yesterday about the importance of maintenance. I think boy should be doing a much better job of readiness in terms of our airplanes grade getting them maintaining them, having maintainers, boy not only have maintainers shortage. Also, i would hope we do do the acquisition process, and this really goes for both services. Then this day and age boy should be buying so long we put the platform the intellectual Property Rights to all of the parts of that platform so that weekend pre three d print our own parts rather than having to go back to manufacture or go back to the supply chain that could be slow and expensive and inefficient. I hope that will be part of your Acquisition Strategy. Center, boy are investing in the manufacturing and its over in rock island illinois. The challenge will going to have Going Forward is the intellectual property reports rights we put the major defense congress. It may require some support from the committee his jurisdiction in particular. Youll certainly have it from the senator. Thank you very much. The intellectual property is very important to her in order to have all of this. Thank you very much. Thank you mr. Cameron. Thank you for answering the call. Arizona is the home to many foreign air force. Basis. As you know the air force is been an active partner to identify bases of active Air National Guard for higher than normal the fast loophole of contamination. Some of these higher than normal sites are in arizona. Mostly just north of tucson airport. Can i get your commitment confirm that you will continue to partner we put these other communities like tucson to discuss this issue. Absolutely, the relationship between our military facilities in the communities is vitally important. This contamination is a problem that is not unique to arizona but is something if confirmed, carefully identified. Stick as you well know, im a strong advocate of the f35 in the a10. Boy need both. In order to make sure boy have air dominance and air support your party and boy protect our troops on the mound. Can i also get your commitment. How do you feel about that and you do you agree that we need both of these important capabilities for our war fighters. Boy require both of those pieces of equipment and those Weapon Systems until there is a replacement to do the job that the a10 does. And the f35, those would be court to the air force. That was be confirmed. Great, boy can get an update first hand. One thing they are doing it look, really innovative. Bringing down because of maintenance and sustain it, they are doing whats called lightning integrated teams. Their training people to be more crosstrained in different functions to only aircraft. And its really cut down on the number of people involved, the cost, the time and so i brought this up to secretary wilson and also secretary as part, and theyre very interested in it but i want to ask if i can continue to have your commitment to assess that and see how that maybe could be used at other races. It really is an amazing initiative. Absolutely. Will show you that first hand you come out to look. Great great senator mccarthy is good to see you again. When boy visited in my office a little while ago boy talked enough about a number of different issues that one being the importance of a to god, its got some unique capabilities for being our center of excellence for intelligence training. And for the electronic improving grounds. A unique attributes down there for asymmetrical capabilities that will be so important for our work fighters in the future. So boy talked about this, i just want to ask you are you continue to be committed to the importance for pachuca and those unique missions that they have their and would you come visit and see them percent. I will definitely come and visit them. Also the processing populations, that is the Core Foundation element of the what these folks do for targeting and moving on the battlefield. Exactly but as you know the results unique elements there in the airspace that we have in the weather, mission and the electronic improving grounds is absolutely critical. So boy look forward to hosting you down there so boy can see it firsthand. Boy had a long conversation about all of those other missions. Great, thanks, one thing boy have talked about also is range modernization and the importance of strike, love actually supplied to both of you modernizing the globe wrote what her ranges longrange strike missions. So i just want to give you guys a little time and opportunity to speak of those issues and the importance of modernizing our testing and training. This is where testing and the extended range artillery as part of the number one portfolio for long range. These capabilities are going to have read ranges and historically. The investment will be very important to us. This is where i trained and trained my squadron, they didnt really keep up we put the now capabilities that we have. So boy really do need to modernize them and i want to get your thoughts on modernization of our testing and training ranges. Goldwater ranges a National Juul and ive been there to watch in performance and it is something that is rarely replicable because of the airspace. For my ten years we put the faa and looking at the use of the airspace, its really important matter. That black bear set aside is really benefit to training for the United States air force. Great, thanks. I want to thank you both for your service and willingness. At this very important time and i look forward to supporting your nomination. I hope boy do that swiftly and i look forward to continue to partner we put you. Thank you mr. Chairman. I like to think both of you for being here. Ms. Barrick, continuing on the subject of logistics in our conversations, a couple of days ago. I wanted get further into the details we put you. Boy talked about Great Power Competition and the masses boy would need to position across those distances. But its highly some seriously logistical challenges. Specifically the end they know daja region. They would grow even more dire. For example, as i said i recently traveled to the pacific and i had a chance to talk we put several commanders of pacific air forces. Boy discussed dispersing us air his ssn in the region to counter chinese missile attacks. This would require massive inter theater lift capabilities. Our secretary, what specific logistics we put twopart torrent night wire ties to support our commanders and shortterm in situations like this and can you please give me specific examples. Vast reaches of the pacific are present a logistic challenge. It be met we put ease. Boy have bases that have been helpful but i have taken a special interest in that region and many of us know that european theater from world war ii, the two american president s almost died in the pacific theater. I mayday. Of going to those points in the pacific. The canal,. I only have three minutes, can you give me specific initiatives that you will take to address these issues in the pacific. The air force has been building the kc 46 to do mid air refueling so boy expand our reach beneath greater reach buys. Our fighters and bombers to be able to have access in that area. In addition a lot of what will have to do in the pacific is especially we put the best, expanses is to work we put our allies and work and build greater partnerships in that region. How . Building partnerships. In refueling basing, what are you talking about specifically . Both of those sheep of the Staff Air Force visited the philippines, japan and vietnam and other areas in the pacific to build greater friendships. I think that is the part of my background in diplomatic work and it would be a way that we would work to have better cooperations. Them flying when appropriate and having our allies and partners flying american compatible equipment is the way that we expand our reach and our capability in vast region of that sort. So you are staying increasing and refuel ours to our allies, is that which you, because when boy talk you actually said boy wouldnt really need to worry about logistics in the area to support at 35 his if boy actually put platforms and space to take over the roles of f35 his that we put a wood play. Im afraid you misunderstood. It really is important for us to have access in the air breathing region as well as space. Space offers great new opportunities. But it doesnt replace our air breathing and surface capabilities. Is good to know but im still trying to get to the specifics from you. What platforms are you talking about and your capabilities are you talking about . Increasing diplomatic efforts. As i indicated, the kt 46 will have an mid air capability. Do you think boy have enough in the pipeline now for the future needs . In the pipeline boy have a lot more. In the moment i think boy have a great dearth of as i understand it. Im not in the building at this. Im coming in from the outside but from what ive seen and how ive been brief, it seems that the intent is to get a great deal more of the kc 46, the more modern and mid air refueling in the air. Why are boy abandoning a program and what relation to the Air National Guard. C130 j, juliet model is especially important for the its more modern capability and hasnt replacement is that for the h model. Again, if the asset that we are looking to acquire more of. And feel them. Actually think you know ending the program. Especially at a time when the guard is doing the h models. Garza were flying the h models, is something i will spend more time on and pay more attention to if i can be confirmed. Please do because i think the cards actually need those juliet models and i actually just want to close we put ms. Miss thank you for meeting we put me prior to the break and i hope you will support the program. Mr. Mccarthy, the fy 20 budget calls for the elimination of 18000 medical villas. This put up 20 percent of the force. If i have my facts right. That is a significant cut in the medical workforce and was likely to have a prissy Significant Impact on the quality of medical care provided. Hospital of Fort Leonard Wood as you know is already in a pretty significant strain. Its from the lack of nickel signed medical personnel. Can you assure me that if you know confirm you will work we put me to address this problem. Actually would like to go down and visit the facility we put you. As boy work our way through the dha merger, what boy like to refer to it in the department, there are locations around the country where there is great healthcare outside of the gate and other more remote places where boy are challenged we put the distance from the installation to the healthcare facility and then this size and scale of those facilities. This would make this transition, some of our more remote installations boy will have challenges and that is a place where boy are putting a tremendous amount of it tension to make sure boy have the health care that they need. Thank you i look forward to that. How do you switching topics, how do you envision the army to help delay degrade and deny chinese against taiwan. Im thinking in particular against long range precision fires. Center, our number one investment priority longrange precision fires is from the tactical standard range. Missiles which should is the replacement and outside of the treaty, if those can have range in the upwards of 600 kilometers, hypersonic lighting missiles, boy have an array within the suite, an array of capabilities that will change the geometry within southeast asia. If boy get the appropriate partnerships expeditionary basing rights, we put partners in the region, boy can change the geometry and basically have the effects to reverse capabilities that have been invested by near competitors. Thank you for that. Just make sure i understand it. I hear you staying that i have range, missiles would significantly enhance the army his ability to perform that mission blunting it tight potential chinese strike. Did i hear you correctly. Let me ask you this on the same topic how do you see working specifically we put the marine corps to ensure these longrange precision buyers and associated capabilities are integrated we put the rest of the joint force. , hypersonic effort in particular, boy set a joint memorandum of agreement in this joint Interest Program where boy are all sharing data and synchronizing the buys material, ensuring the data within test regimes, how many shots were going to take over the course of the next 24 to 36 months. A Great Partnership of working together but boy are not looking at changing the fundamental requirements of how this Weapon System will be employed in combat operations. I dont want to slow it down, where theres synergies, were going to lock arms and go after it. That in particular, boy view the hypersonic effort similar to the purging capability in the 80s. This could fundamentally change the posture for us in various combating demands and number one investment priority for us. Its something that really started we put secretary medicine and has been at her foot on the gas. See thank you. Let me ask you a question about airflight force priorities. The Analysis Shows that investments in c4 sr, admissions erase resilience. Our critical to ensuring that you are able to contribute fully to deterring or defeating china. And secretary secondarily russia. Can you be a sense of how the air force is working in contested environments and particularly they end up in the pacific. In a specific is such a vast area. In instances, its hard to get a perfect access to those areas. Basis alternate basis opportunities, especially isr especially dependent upon space. Thats where the importance of defending and protecting our base assets really arises to the core. Let me just ask you this filing. If your confronts on any plan to balance the tension between the need to invest enough in c4 sr and omissions and airport base resilience another nickel enablers. While simon tenuously increasing the operational squadrons 236. The balance is really the key issue center. It is the resource constraint time and thats just where boy have to establish priorities and make sure that we are not vulnerability in any of those areas. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you both for your service. Thank you for visiting we put me earlier in the week. Secretary mccarthy, you and i talk about military housing. I have no doubt about your very good intentions and your investor as well. To make sure the quality of housing is to improve. Isnt the best way to come terminate the contract or cinching the army be taken some action in the air force against them including potential criminal referrals. As i have raised previously we put general miller, you know both of there are steps to hold those private contractors accountable for their clear violations of contractual obligations and possible fraud. Centers so from the range of what you discussed, just recently, the delegated the authority for the withholds to the amc commander we put maximum latitude to do what was need it to improve performance we put respect to criminal activity, or potential fraud allegations, clearly this was something boy would investigate and pursue we put. The Inspector General of the army recently completed a report. It shows that the residence, 1180 of them who participated as you well know, two thirds of them in that survey said they were dissatisfied and 48 of the 49 Army Locations of Privatized Housing who have residents who have expressed concerns we put safety and environmental issues. The inspectors found that life health and safety items arent part of the current army housing inspection requirement. They counted 2013 army policy that specifically prohibited welfare. Inspections. Can you reverse that. I would like a report back if possible. As soon as possible. On what is being done to hold those private contractors accountable both civilly and criminally. Esther. Thirty days, five days as usual. Fortyfive days if necessary. Thirty days. It is preferable. I know that you know focused on this issue and you will be ambassador barrett, as far as the air force is concerned. Ambassador eric, you and i discussed we do visited we put me, the issue of air force personnel properties, this issue is from you new or novel and in fact erase it we put secretary esper, when i found that in the First Six Months of this administration 140,000 dollars had been spent in almost a hundred and 40000 had come from properties as you know aware. There was supposed to be a Global Review as to how the Service Gives overnight accommodations for servicemembers. I appreciate your commitment made to me, i hope you will restated here to provide this committee we put the air force investigation. Once it is complete. Committed to me to provide extra information made by employees on properties. When he has not provided that information. Im going to review my request we put him. Will you on behalf of the air force to provide a complete accounting to me and this committee about expenditures thats been front branded properties. Absolutely. Do you agree that no taxpayer funds should be going to the president or his business as a result of saved by department of defense personnel a front branded properties. Boy should have generic rules and regulations that look to the best value and best acquisition and those rules should be enforced and enforced equally. Will you commit to issuing that service wide policy to prohibit all air force personnel from using Truck Properties or military travel whenever operationally is feasible. You and i discussed the appearance. Fully apart from the reality of the present property. Expenditures of properties when he owns is absolutely unacceptable. Syriac what boy need to do is they have and regulations that are applied evenly and there are thoughtful and do include appearances in those rules and regulations. They should not be specific to any particular owner. When they clear policy as you suggested the against violations against the domestic cause. Two prevent the commanderinchief are profiting. I understand the question and i understand the concerns. But if there were shareholders in a company that owns hotels, should that be excluded from military housing or military involvement. I am asking you about the president of the United States who owns properties where a department of defense has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to the prophet of the president of the United States in violation of the United States constitution. Will you issue a Clear Service wide policy prohibiting that. I will take those look at the rules and regulations on that and evaluate what policy should be issued. Before confirmation, i hope you will provide a clear answer to this committee. The thank you. Think the nominees and their families for their service to our country. Previous service and continuing service. Ivan enjoyed a meeting we put both of you and i look forward to confirming you and boy need Senior Leadership. Boy need this in the bidding on. Very important. Let me start with the question that is on the region of the world and im sure not going to be surprised. Thus the arctic. America is an arctic nation because of alaska. I have some handouts that i can provide them to my colleagues as well. They were provided to you. There is a very significant rush and build up in the arctic. Take those look at the animals. Handouts. Almost daily if you look at the other handouts, the articles, literally almost daily whats happening in arctic in the russia china bill up. Up rivalry. Article in the washington post, said forget greenland, a far more dangerous game is being played in the arctic. All within the last week. What is china want we put the arctic given its new strategy. Then on the hill, the hill newspapers just said an article that started by staying the next cold war we put russia maybe a literal vice metaphorical one. But before boy dismiss, President Trump his interest in greenland, boy should consider their great rival is china and russia aggressively seek arctic influence. This is daily. Ambassador. Do you have an extensive experience in the arctic. Given that the National Defense strategy focuses on Great Power Competition. Secretary pompei recently gave what i thought was a wellthoughtout speech on the arctic. I like to get your views on what boy should be doing there. To protect National Interests and secretary i like pictures as well. Mccain or didnt us any favors by flattening the globe. People lose track of how small the Northern Hemisphere is and how close those properties are. And how close alaska is to going over the top into the siberian area. That is now both available in shipping as well as the persistent space access to those areas and that is an area that boy are threatened. Let me say real quick, this committee certainly starting to raise awareness on this. I do think the Biggest Agency in washington that hasnt got the message on our strategic competition in the arctic, the pentagon. Some are getting it and some of the big blob of. Can you get both of your commitments to see the arctic firsthand in america and get your commitment to work we put me and this committee which is very interested by the weight of a bipartisan way of these issues. To work we put this committee to make sure boy are protecting americas strategic interest in this next great power rivalry arena. Senator duckworth raised a very good question we put regards to logistics and the asia specifics. The air force is looking at making it his own conus decisions on basing of the kc 46. Alaska is going to have over hundred fifth generation fighters, 35 his, f22 soup within the next couple of years. No place on the planet earth will have that many combat fighters. Secretary, when he went through when he mentioned that carrying a hundred and fifth fighters we put kc 46 is, that can range three combatant commands areas within hours. This would give the United States extreme and strategic rate. Boy you commit to working we put me on that oconnor his decision which again this committee has laid out guidelines for the air force in terms of its own conus. Absolutely. Let me ask a final question on readiness. Mr. Secretary, the chairman to his credit has raised this readiness issue a lot. I chair the readiness subcommittee in 21022015, the departments of Defense Budget was cut by 25 percent. My first three months in the senate and in a 2015, the obama met demonstration was still cutting 50000 additional active duty army troops which in retrospect looks like a strategically idiotic decision but they did it anyway. Near this book. This war by tr. Which the army and marine corps gives to all of the officers. Twice. I appreciate that. You talk a little bit about readiness and what happened in america when in 1945, boy had the most feared military in the history of the world and five years later, boy couldnt stop the world pleasant army from invading us. Readiness is the constant state. You cant ever take your foot off the gas. Everyday boy had to get as many repetitions as boy can. Physically individual training and collective training, it is something that is one of the greatest deterrence that we have in the military is having as many formations at the highest levels of readiness, capable to meet national. Thank you mr. Chairman. Secretary mccarthy as boy discussed in my office, i have a very significant contamination problem in my state. There seems to be some miscommunication going on between the department of the army and the National Guard bureau, and the michigan National Guard as well as the local community. Problematic. To give us some background, the michigan National Guard submitted a Time Critical response actual requests the national regard goat bureau. Contaminations and there are homes in grayling township that have tested positive for very high levels of ethos and contamination from the Camp Grayling army airfield. It is my understanding that a request made by the michigan National Guard through the National Guard bureau and the deferment of the army requesting funds to provide for a new water system to the residence so that were effective. They held down me, we put residents in late july, and the amended announcement to the town, that they would receive a new water system. It was obviously receive very positively. However, following the meeting, my office was contacted by the department of army and was told that the homage of armament of legal. Could the funding could not be provided. This was obviously very problematic. I would hope that you would work on we put me on this and if confirmed, more specifically how will you work we put the local community to assure this issue gets resolved. Boy set a team of experts forward to make the assessment. The vessels made by us. Boy have things up. Worked out an initial potential solution. It didnt work out. I bow to you, and all of you constituents that we will Work Together to make this happen. When effects. I appreciate your commitment and boy need to do it exponentially. There is also a provision in the house based that grants the National Guard access to Defense Environmental Restoration Program funding. To support the cleanup that is currently controlled by the department of the army. If confirmed, would you support giving the National Guard access to some of these accounts. Yes sir. Thank you. I appreciate assistance secretary John Henderson his visit to michigan and requested in april to meet we put residents also facing a ethos contamination problem. In around the former air force base. Im sure both of you have concerns we put these communities and you are well aware of what goes on. Ive saw it on to ensure that the air force adequately budgets for projected contamination related needs. I was disappointed to say the least, that the air force recently diverted more than four and half Million Dollars intended for cleanup at wurtsmith, to cover needs and another site elsewhere in the nation. My question to the investor is will you work we put congress to secure the resources boy need to fully address is pfs contamination problem that exists not only in michigan but all across the country and how boy will eat how will you do that. Absolutely. If confirmed, it is so important for the air force to work well we put the communities. This is the contaminant that was used in good faith not knowing of the injury that it caused. Now a reset Health Standard establishment is clear that this contamination is clear of air force activity. If confirmed i will be happy to work we put congress to resolve it. Im glad you brought up the Health Standard. Michigan and other states are now taking steps to establish and forcible Drinking Water and various cleanup standards set for ethos. Boy need federal standards. I like to better understand circumstances in which the air force will recognize and meet Environmental Standards that are established by the individual state where you are operating. The air force has thus far committed to considering both of state laws will qualify as a political or appropriate requirements. In this circle of clear process but respectively, for communities that feel they been waiting way is it too long. They certainly have been doing that. It is frustrating to say the least. The improved transparency, will you commit if confirmed, to work we put me to understand when and why in the past, the air force willingly met a state standard, through the circle of process and how the air force will approach that moving forward. Ill be happy to work we put you if confirmed. Thank you. Thank you and i appreciate each of you being here in the time youve spent visiting we put us. Ms. Miss mary, i want to come to you and continue the discussion that we had a little bit about Nexgen Networks and technologi technologies. And five g. The deployment displacement we put the air force and the difference this is going to make for our war fighters and also some of the r d is being done and boy are delighted to know that air in tennessee is going to be one of the first two b completed. So what i like for you to do is to give us an overview of the rollout for five g capabilities and technologies through out the air force system. The air force is based on technology in the air force engages technology and provides technologies more fighting capabilities through technologies. G5 is clearly the ecology of the future, its very important part of what the air force is building into. The new generations of capabilities. How are you going to approach integration. We put existing technologies and looking at Artificial Intelligence and data flows. These are all very important to the new capabilities and how as boy are modernizing our platforms and resources. Nexgen platforms are engaging the five g and Artificial Intelligence and augmented intelligence and boy are seeing a lot of capabilities through the hypersonic and additional technologies that make our reach rater. Mr. Mccarthy, i have been concerned and boy talked about some of the and of their really critical in army cyber attempts. This is all going to be vitally important as boy look at the 21st century work there. As boy look at interoperability and integration and working class platforms. The readiness that you are going to fund multi Capacity Utilization in ai we put davies the way you are going to have disparate platforms that you going to be working from an multi letters. One is you talk a little bit about how you envision the army pursuing signet and cyber. And how you see the army network sitting into for shaping the strategy. First, is people. Boy have to recruit more cyber experts. Its a very difficult to recruit and even harder to retain. Boy had a lot of success there. Im trying to retain men and women to stay in the army because they make the move to the private sector because theyre clearly very marketable. Boy establish some unique relationships we put academia like party milling which boy established Artificial Intelligence task force. This is much a cultural indoctrination to the force as well as finding the best academia. The hub of us to work we put academia to find the best and brightest to help us look at how to boy apply these algorithms into our Weapon Systems. That really is foundational when he cloud architecture. If boy cant get the army to the cloud, the standards and formats of the data will not move seamlessly from a system to system. This will become a big effort by asking leadership teams. Make sure the appropriate resources focus and attention to a forward. The network is our top six investment portfolios. As much of the types of radios in the Telecommunications Systems as boy have as well as the space to make. Armies investing in satellites. Across from people to material. Its been a monumental effort for the army for the last three years. Boy see it as having to be a monumental effort for the dod. As well as for the air force and the army. Boy see buildings the systems as being a priority. The interoperability and Network Capacity in those systems is being vital to 21st century welfare. What is make one comment. You mentioned recruiting and retention. Yes boy are quite concerned about the human capital. Or lack thereof when it comes to technologies and both of it is hypersonic or Artificial Intelligence or the work we put a disease. Our supercomputing quantum computing. Boy do share the concerns that are there. Also boy care share the concerns on pilots. I know that each of you have a pilot shortage. And will continue to raise that issue we put you. Thank you mr. Chairman. Two questions. Since you became a legal adult have you ever made unwanted requests. Or for sexual favors or even kind of assault of any nature. No sir. No. Have you ever question were. No. In response to questions from senator kane, regarding legality, abusing the moral law, you refer to a legal opinion. Who issues that legal opinion. The dod counsel. Is at the highest loophole for the legal opinion on both of or not this is okay what is the attorney general way and on this. Center, isa jaffar department of defense and the advice in making this decision. I take it that it is okay that the president for doing this. For the 11 funny, yes. If this is okay, boy can expect more of this what boy call the rating. For military funds for various purposes that the president has in mind. So if confirmed, what would you do to prevent the president from continuing to do this. Continuing team raise military funds. When the request shame down to support this effort, chairman dunford, conducted a military assessment to the value of the projects. This will be ultimately determined the 11. In the security values as where boy. Irreverent was to comply we put what the president wanted to do. Thats how you see your role. This was a lawful order and boy intend to follow it. His of the president was to do this further, you will continue to support making reductions and duly funded projects by this congress. That you will comply. Thats what you are telling me . Tmac lawful orders, boy will provide the appropriate military pies about these projects and the offsets associated we put this. What about you investor barrett customer. What would you do to prevent the president from continuing to raid military funds for whatever projects when he sees fit. If confirmed, i would love to work cooperative we put the senate but i would outlook also to conduct every action in compliance we put the law. And the constitution. I can move it would be to the constitution and that would be my guiding. I think that a lot of us would want our military leaders to speak up against this kind of action by the president. Legal or not because these are all duly funded. At some. Boy can argue about at some. Both of these kind of reality occasions if you want to call it that, what impact it has has is National Security. One hopes that all of the funds that projects are in a very necessary. They relate to readiness. Youve been asked a number of questions about military housing. Boy all share the concerns regarding the lack of oversight. That was done by the military we put regards to private housing. Secretary mccarthy, you refer to the 20 recommendations in this hard. Port, how many have been addressed at this time. Were going to execute just about all of them, 90 percent of them. I cant remember exactly the couple they were working backandforth on. The preponderance of the right liquidations will be executed. Can you provide a list of the 20 recommendations and we put the timeline is and what youve been doing we put regards to all of this. Yes or yes. Fast track some of those things that you need to do from the air force side. I wanted turn very quickly to the matter of suicide prevention. In the military. In a report department of defense released, says last month hundred and 39 active active duty soldiers, died by suicide. Last year and this is 40 more Service Members than the review here. So the for the Navy Marine Corps and army, this is an increase over the previous year. I would just like to ask and im running up time but what you all are doing very specifically to prevent these suicides from happening. That went out getting into it right now, this is the matter that we will follow up we put you on. Thank you. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Mccarthy, yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the 911 attacks. The work has gone on for almost 20 years, when he continues to claim the lives of servicemembers, there is no clear end in sight. No longer the right strategy for our country. It hasnt been for many years now. During recent peace talks we put the taliban, there has been a surge in violence and an increase in combat operations in which our soldiers have lost their lives. This week the white house brought these talks to an abrupt end. That went out stating any changes in policies or goals. As the Administration Policy and connecting diplomacy through twitter caused significant challenges, for the army in afghanistan. We put respect to the talks being ceased. I think it was clear that National Command felt they did not have the conditions appropriate to enter the next phase of negotiations. So i think it was the right decision to step back from the table. And try to look at how do you get to a framework to the political and conflict. Was the army draws down our forces in afghanistan, i believe there are tactics boy can employ to ensure afghanistan does not plan to once again, coming a host terrace. We put the intent and capability of forming the us. To what extent can you an open session provide insight on your thinking on this. Sophistication in the classroom to drill down to the fundamentals to become very good platoon leaders. With three. 6 million in funding for military insulation. Installation and these delays to prepare for the future and the parking garage specific behind it that improves the existing infrastructure that we got involved working in the budget that would put a new schedule to improve the facilities. Our military Industrial Base remains under siege most notably from china with 1 trillion in losses than to have a comprehensive cybersecurity review to modify those processe processes. With that level of confidence with that exfiltration and if you dont have time but i would like her to answer. So could you answer in writing . With the chairmans indulgence the air force would be happy to take a look at the cyberreview like what the navy did. Thank you mister chairman and congratulations. With your nomination to this very Important Role for your past service and your willingness to continue to serve this country. I want to start with a question that this has come up in a hearing but as i am sure you are aware that the secretary announced the creation of a task force and i want to ask both of you if you are willing to commit to working to have that contamination on all military facilities. Yes senator for we are taking a leadership role on the. And we have been working to work up with those contamination. I appreciate the time that you both gave me yesterday the air force has been responsive to the issues we have had with the city of portsmouth in New Hampshire we hope they continue that you will help under the study is underway and it is a model site for that. And also urging the department of defense to come up with an alternative to the firefighting phone that has these chemicals that have done so much to contaminate the sites and i guess we are trying to find the commercial comparisons. I understand that you are aware of the defense bill we hope will pass this year includes directives to get that done in the next year. I also want to call your attention to a request from the New Hampshire National Guard to conduct a Public Health study that if there is higher than expected rates of morbidity or other Health Impacts i know this study is currently in development i dont expect you to have an answer but i hope you make that a priority as you go forward. And then to have the new refueling tanker and our first two we are looking forward with the remaining ten and certainly do everything we can to urge boeing to make that a priority and without the challenges they have had. One of the challenges is that many people that we expect with those tankers have been transferred to other bases dealing with legacy tankers and i hope you will commit to ensuring they get transferred back to make sure we have the full force we need to continue to maintain this excellent record of the 157th. We appreciate the great performance of the refueling wing. With the passing with the personnel where it is best needed but that is a high priority. Thank you. I also understand you have worked with us afghan Womens Council project. And you have supported making sure afghan women can go back to their home country to be successful in business and other areas. Can you talk about how important you think it is for afghan women to be at the table for any peace negotiations that are ongoing. Thank you senator i appreciate the question. If you eliminate 50 percent you will not have as good of a product the women of afghanistan have been really underappreciated and completely abused in the past with us afghans Women Council we have worked with health and education what my generation calls civics to empower those women to have a role in society thats important we hope to continue that. Thank you very much you are aware we have passed a law for the women peace and security act that guarantees women are supposed to be at the table with any conflict negotiations we participate in so i hope you both will do anything you can to ensure that happens afghanistan and other places around the world. For the record i agree i think we need a Counterterrorism Group to continue in afghanistan regardless of what happens with all the troops because of the threat from isys and continue terrorist groups there. Thank you very much. Let me take the chairmans prerogative. A lot of comments were made by members concerning the law and activity and the characterization of training. I feel i have been down there and observed that more than any other member of congress over 20 years i know whats going on at the border also as recently as two weeks ago the only member of congress with the three generals i know its going on what they are doing down there thats all we had to do was talk to our guard and reserve and others who are down there to find out that the training they are getting their this onthejob training is better than at their own base. Thats it they all said at the time. So to characterize that as trading is totally inaccurate i want that to be included in the record. We have a request for further questions. Its very quick. Proposed secretary, the f 35 started construction before the level of competition with china has reached the level that it has now into our knowledge. I dont know if this is already happened but i would urge you to order a survey of every single part of the f 35 to determine what if any of those are made in china and in particular to the software and electronics. That is a National Security imperative that we dont have our most advanced airplane in a position to be compromised by some intrusion of the supply chain coming from china. Will you take a look at that quick. Yes sir. Just to piggyback on that i have had several conversations working on the f 35 concerned of the next steps to be removed from that program and those that would be made about asking for a response today but i would urge you to provide direction for other players with respect to turkey. Senator reid you have any further quick. No sir. Let me say to the witnesses you did a great job and we are adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] because in thursdays briefing you had nine or ten questions do you get frustrated when you get asked about that . Everybody has their own point of view but i do know a speaker i have a responsibility with the constitution of the United States to protect and defend the constitution and we will look at the facts and determine what is right and make a decision based on the facts and the law. I have said all along no one is above the law and this president will be held accountable as a group of top Business Leaders urge the senate to take action on gun control