Transcripts For CSPAN Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Nominat

Of starting on time and say good morning to the committee today to consider the nomination of general mark milley to be chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. We thank you for being here today and are grateful for your decades of distinguished service to our nation. We also welcome why you are family and friends and invite you at the appropriate time to introduce those that you feel are appropriate. Its standard for the committee to ask certain questions. These are the required questions, we will ask them fast and if you would audibly respond to them, i would appreciate it very much. First, if you adhere to the applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest . Yes. Do you agree if confirmed to appear and testify upon request before this committee . Gen. Milley yes, chairman. Chairman do you agree to provide documents including copies of the forms of communication in a timely matter when requested by a duly constituted committee or to consult with the Committee Regarding the basis for any good faith delay or denial in providing such documents . Gen. Milley yes. Chairman do you agree when asked to give your personal views even if those are different from the administration . Yes. Chairman will you ensure that your staff complies with deadlines established for requested communications including questions for the record in hearings . Gen. Milley yes. Chairman will you cooperate and providing witnesses and briefers in response to the congressional requests . Gen. Milley yes. Chairman and will you, will those witnesses be protected from reprisal or testimony or gen. Milley testimony or briefings . Gen. Milley yes. Chairman have you assumed any duties or undertaken any actions which would appear to presume the outcome of the confirmation process . Gen. Milley no. Chairman very good. Well, this is for you say and weve all said ng individually in different forums that we are in a threatened world, i think its the most threatened we have ever been in before. Our main focus is countertichl our main focuses counter focus, but today americas security challenges have grown to become more dangerous. The National Defense strategy, which is this document that we have adopted for our guideline to be used, we have adhered to it, is an excellent one, were trying to maintain the integrity of that and to follow it closely. The National Defense strategy makes it clear that strategic competition with china and russia not terrorism is now our primary National Security concern. China and russia have passed us in key areas and are catching up with others. I will outline some of these areas, thats something that most americans are not aware of and its one that we have to be aware of and have to communicate that to the public. In years of budget cuts have left our military in a crisis that will take us years to fix. General, you have been nominated to be principal military adviser to the president and National Security council, secretary of defense and to congress. The chairman is a unique and influential role, the National Security policy and so the chairman has an outsized impact on the state of Civil Military relations. Appropriate Civil Military relations are essential for a healthy democracy. We look forward to your views on this critical subject. The committee believes that the 2018 National Defense strategy and the recommendations made by the National Defense Strategy Commission provide a Solid Foundation for how to prioritize our modernization efforts and how to position our global force effectively. We need a chairman who can advise civilian leaders on an integrated strategic approach to a wide array of Global Threats and the tradeoffs between our strategic priorities. For example, more u. S. Troops in the middle east might help stabilize the region, but at what cost to the u. S. Interests in europe and the endo Pacific Region . How do we sustain focus on the most important theaters, not just the ones that are the most recently in the headlines . Our civilian leaders are going to have to decide the answers to these difficult questions and the chairmans best military advice is critical input of those decisions. Thats you. The committee looks forward to your views on balancing our Global Force Posture and modernization efforts as the department continues to focus on competition with china and russia. President trump has supported the new National Defense strategy with Defense Budgets that give our troops the resources they need and the National Defense authorization act which has been just passed by this committee, with an overwhelming bipartisan support of 868 at the end of june, continues the positive trajectory we are now prepared for readiness and restore our military advantage. But hard work remains, most importantly we need a budget agreement. The nds and the 750 billion budget request will be useless without a budget agreement. I think with we all understand that. Its not your problem, but its your problem to advise us as to the significance of that. Senator reed. Senator reed thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Let me join you in welcoming general mark milley this morning. Thank him for his Outstanding Service to the nation. Let me acknowledge your wife anne and yourlly family for their service to the United States. As a long distinguished year as an army officer where you prioritize rebuilding readiness and transforming the armys modernization process. General milleys professionalism served him well. I commend him for his willingness to take on another nickel assignment. General milley, if confirmed, you will serve as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during a time of transition within the department of defense. Currently the department is in the midst of implementing the National Defense strategy or nds which will enable the u. S. To posture for competition with a near peer competitor like china and russia. This strategy requires new investments for high end capabilities and new training for our troops. At the same time the threat posed by violent extremist organizations and, is not diminishing and iran and north korea remain extremely dangerous. In addition to these broad strategic challenges the department continues efforts to restore readiness while recruiting and retaining high caliber individuals to serve in our Armed Services. As the department has grappled with these challenges it has been hamstrung by the fact there has not been a Permanent Senate confirmed secretary of defense for nearly seven months and during this time two different political appointees have helmed the department. In addition, across the most senior level, particularly in the civilian positions. The mily is processing now more then ever but i am concerned that turnover in the leadership in the department has created uncertainty and disarray, and as a result of may have unintentionally created a situation that could weaken the control of the military within the department. I first had concerns about this in the context of secretary mattis and most recently the National Defense Strategy Commission also raised significant concerns about the cost and state of military relations and encourage the department to take action to ensure decisionmaking remains in the hands of civilian leaders in the civilian military relations in the department and if confirmed as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff what actions you intend to take for ththe president and secretary defense as i mentioned if confirmed he will serve as the chairman of the time which the country is facing multiple threats from abroad. It had been my hope is the president became more constant to the office he would over time become more conscientious and thoughtfuthoughtful with his co. Unfortunately, that hasnt been the case to discount the value of the longtime alliances and from one crisis to the next. Often times the personality and the affinity for the leaders that do not share our core American Values such as liberty and freedom of the press. If confirmed im confident that your understanding of the threats facing the nation will be connected to the president and hopefully the military will alleviate the risk of miscalculation and unintended consequences. If confirmed i expect you will continue to make it a priority to keep the committee fully informed of the policy decision impacting the armed forces and changes to the strategy to counter the risk. Thank you again, general, for your willingness to serve the nation. For the statement and introductions you would like to perform to the hispanic thinks, thinks, chairman and i appreciate that. Distinguished members of the committee, good morning and thank you all for the opportunity to appear before you today. It is an honor and a privilege to be nominated as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and i appreciate the time and support the committee provides the men and women of the total joint force. Id like to thank the president of the United States with the confidence hes placed in me and if confirmed by pledge to you and to the American People into the president i will always providprovide my best military e to him, secretary of defense, National Security council and congress to ensure and acknowledge the Extraordinary Service to current chair has been a longtime friend of mine and his wife. The chairman has inspired the men and women of our armed forces have conducted themselves with utmost professionalism and honor. If confirmed, i intend to use the example and steadfast approach as a person of the examplpersonal examplefor me to. On a personal note i also like to thank my wife who is here to my left for her love and support going on 35 years of marriage for multiple moves into so much time as a single mom. Without her i wouldnt be here today. Along with our daughter and our son for our love and support throughout the career day like so many other military families demonstrated incredible resilience of service and sacrifice enabling men and women in uniform to serve and protect the great nation. Im also grateful for the example set by my mother and father who are no longer with us the strength they instilled in me will last a lifetime. During world war ii my mother served in the Military Hospital in the navy in seattle watching and further needs to the pacific and my father served with the marine division, Central Pacific making the assault landings. The foundation of service and commitment they provided through my life continue to be an inspiration for me now and in the years ahead. Chairman and senators to ask you are aware and have observed we are living in a period of competition in a very complex and Dynamic Security environment. My parents greatest generation fought to establish an International Order and presented a great power war for over seven decades and currently under the most stress since the end of the cold war. From east asia to the middle east, authoritarian actors are testing the willingness of the system and seeking regional dollar dominance when testing the norms and undermining u. S. Interests. Our goal should be to sustain great power and peace that has existed since world war ii and adult firmly with all those that might challenge us. In addition the fundamental character changing rapidly we have witnessed a shif the shiftn industrial approach to warfare to the ne new era characterizedy highspeed information and disinformation and proliferation of precision weapons and military operations in a highly dense urban areas require arease requiring decentralist operations all of which will demand unprecedented levels of initiative and agility from the forces we must adapt faster and if confirmed by look forward to working with the committee to continue to accelerate the modernization. By having the leap the military will continue to be an element of National Power to secure peace through strength. If confirmed, i will support our diplomatic efforts to the destabilizing activities of understanding alliances and partnerships are critical to advancing the National Security interest and i will work tirelessly with my counterparts to ensure collective security responsibilities are met. To protect their freedoms the American People and trust us with the nations most valued resource, their sons and daughters, these young men and women are the best military in the world and our adversaries should test that. In islam, if confirmed, my my priorities are to provide the best military advice and maintain the continuity of military leadership and implement the National Defense strategy with emphasis on increasing their readiness and modernization of the joint force, maintaining the network of allies and partners, sustain great piece in the era of competition and provide unwavering support, kerry and leadership to the troops and their families. Finally, i have a deep sense of personal humility and fully recognize the complexity of the United States military and World Security situation, and i know that i do not know all of the answers. Therefore i will be open to a wide variety of opinions to form my best military advice and in closing if confirmed it would be my honor to serve alongside the men and women we are going to try to adhere to that time frame because we have a lot of interest as you can see here. Ive got three things i want to make sure we can get at the very beginning of this meeting. First of all, i wish the entire country could read this article from the economist. I know youve seen it. We talk about the office at the same time frame since 2010 to 2015, our defense was actually cut just under 25 . Now when you stop and think about that, we had a similar experience a few years ago but not to this extreme. It is the modern thing we must always be in competition with the readiness has devastated just as well. When we became the chief of staff, only 5 of the brigade were at the highest level of readiness. We have improved a lot to 50 . You might correct me if you think that this is not accurate but it is significant and shows if we dont get a budget to budget that is going to support the growth that we have experienced in fiscal year 18 and 19, it would be pretty devastating. I think it is a very sad and negative impact on the training and equipping of the readiness modernization of the military. We are using our subcommittees where they are all chaired by the Ranking Members and chairman of the people up here with a real interest printing of the areas when you look at the entire joint force across the air, sea, land, cyber and space domain with current capabilities and emerging technologies are you most concerned about to china and russia . Second, i would say its based, it is a new domain of military obligations we have a considerable amount of commercial and military capabilities in space that need to be protected in all of the technologies that go with space and in addition to that, i would say Artificial Intelligence and hypersonics those two are at the top of my list for putting the modern organizations. There is some unnecessary would you respond to that observation . One of them is Nuclear Deterrence and part of that is the capability of the bombers, missiles and submarines and they will give you a second strike and Immediate Reaction and the bombers give the man to control the system so all three present different problems so its important to keep all three. The top 12 positions are vacant now. How much of a hardship is that going to place on you and gives you join most of us up here who field we need to fill these positions . We need to fill the nominated positions as quickly as we can, properly vetted and confirmed. Having a confirmed person in place i think helps us out in uniform, and also clearly delineate civilian control and military. I think it reinforces that because usually the oversight is a critical importance and the interface with other agencies. I think that filling those positions is important. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. How the military conflict with iran be outlined in the National Defense strategy . In your professional view him with a military conflict with iran intact priorities outlined in the National Defense strategy . The priority is in the National Defense strategy is written in the document for us and the department of defense to follow clearly states china, russia what we should be looking at but in addition to that we have to deal with the violent extremism, but you mentioned a war with iran. I dont know if thats what happened to did happen we would have a Significant Impact on the distribution of the force relative to those. And in fact, almost inevitably it would overtake those priority is because of the many factors. One in combat which we owe significant support to the resources or so involved in a fight and gave the russians and chinese and opportunity to Start Building up their forces. That is a possible outcome, yes, sir. Since the withdrawal, has aired on behaved in a less destabilizing manner . Theyve always been maligned actors. Iranian terroris