The committee is part of a major transition of American Military leadership. If confirmed as army chief of staff you will serve along side the joint chief of staffs new Service Chiefs for the navy and marine core. You will lead part of the volunteer soldiers and time and time over a decade of time in iraq. The army indured 70 of the casual casual casualties. As the nation confronts the most array of Global Crisis since the world war ii the next chief of staff of army is responsible for making sure the total army and active guard and reserve remains the most decisive land troops in the world. We have drastic reductions in defense funding and the army is going to be forceded to carry out missions with fewer dollars, soldiers and equipment. It has been reduced from 570,000 active duty personal to 490,000 troops this year and last week the army announced they would cut an additional 40000 troops reducing to 450,000. There is talks the army could decline to 420,000 troops and what is worse is one third of the army teams are ready for deployment and decisive operations. In short, the army is facing a downward spiral of military competitive that increases the risk of too few soldiers who could enter training without proper equipment. With assumptions we are getting out of iraq and deployments to africa. We have seen the rise of isis russian invasions and the ebola crisis. We must adopt to new realities or scale back to meet reduced needs. Instead the administration and many in the congress are trying to have it both ways. Asking soldiers to take on a growing set of missions with fewer and fewer resources. This is not about reverse affects. It is about enforcing the budget control act of 2007 and 2011. That is the only way we will get back to a truly strategy Defense Budget. I believe there is no strategic rational for the army to fall below the pre9 11 troops of 490,000 troops. Administrate staff has been growing at the same time as the decline. This committee is embarking on an effort to make reductions in Head Quarters and administration across the department of defense. If confirmed, i want you to be relentless partners in this effort. You will have to modernize the force and the army is facing a challenging in repairing, replacing and reconditions equipment. The army must continue to modernize for threats. The armored Multi Purpose vehicle enhance command and control and medical evacuation and other functions while significantly improving the protection and safety of the soldiers. Perhaps, more importantly, this requires the army to learn the lessons of its failed Acquisition Programs. A record that has been particularly abyssmal. From crusaders to the Ground Combat vehicle billions of dollars have been wasted on programs that never became operational. There were cost and schedule estimates, requirement, excessive risk taking and currency between testing and production. There are diverse opinions on acquisition reform but one thing for sure is the status quo is unacceptable. To provide soldiers to equipment they need to defend the nation we cannot continue to have blurred lines of accountability and innovations of responsible inside the defense acquisition system. That is why in this Years NationalDefense Authorization act this committee adopted reforms to reduce the role in the acquisition process and create new mechanisms to insure accountability for results. Among these reforms is an enhanced role for the service chief. The army must insure the Acquisition Program is on schedule within cost and perform to expectations. If that doesnt happen, general, we will be calling you. We look forward to your testimony. General milley is joining us with his wife, and thank you for your service to nation and army. And i want to acknowledge them and wish them well. You will see the army when the United States is facing a multitude of challenges broad abroad. The amount of resources for the army is continue to decrease. It was announced the army would convert two bir gade teams to combat forces chatty. This is necessary to reach the final goal of 450 soldier,000 soldiers. The army has thought identified which instillation will be impacted by this. If sequestration levels remain in place the situation is ominous for the army. The army needs strength to the level of 420,000 soldiers in the coming years. I hope you will share your views how to manage the reductions and if they are called for. And what if any, impact these reductions have on the readiness of the army. In addition to managing the re reduction reduction, the army is grappling with increasing levels. They have made to make tough decisions on the modernization program. As the Program Released acknowledged the army cannot afford to equip and sustain the total army with the most modern equipment and we must acknowledge fiscal reality and selectively modernize equipment and formation. At the same time the Army Continues to cope are reduced levels. Testifying before the Senate Appropriation subcommittee it was said levels are at a historic level. Only 33 of the brugades are ready and it should be closer to 70 . I look forward to hearing from you. They serve as the first line of defense when there is a National Disaster at home and the role the National Guard played in afghanistan and iraq was critical to our success. There has been tension between the active and reserve components. The most notable example being the Army Restructuring a initiative. Last year there was a review of the size and structure of the army. The commission has been working with meeting and stakeholders and conducting hearing to provide the report to congress by february 21st 2016. You will work with general brass if elected and i look forward to hearing from you how you envision the relationship and what, if anything can be done to strengthen that relationship. I have said sequestration is undermining our National Security and our military readiness. The Defense Budget should be based on a longterm strategy and not sequestration budget caps. The chairman made this point eloquently and i hope you will share your thoughts on the topic. Thank you for your service. General standard question of all military nominees and i would like to proceed with those before the opening statement. Questions are as follows in order to exercise legislative and spects it is important this committee and other committees of the congress are able to receive testimony, briefings and other communications of information. Have you adhered to laws and regulations gov rngerning conflicts of interest . I have. Do you agree when asked to give your personal view if they differ from those in power . I do. Have you undertaken anything to compromise the election . I havent. Will you respond when requested in a timely manner . I will. Will those briefings be protected from witnesses ual will the witnesses we protected during their briefing . Yes they will, do you agree to appear and testify before the committee . I do. Do you agree to provide electronic documents in a timely manner when requested by a committee or consult with the Committee Regarding good faith delay or denial providing such documents . I do. Thank you. Welcome and please proceed. Thank you chairman mccain, and Ranking Member reed and the members of the Senate Armed Services for the privilege to appear before you. I appreciate the confidence the president of the United States and the secretary of defense have shown by nominating me to be the next army chief of staff of the american army. It is your army that is the strength of our nation. Our soldiers are the strength of our army and their families are the strength of the soldiers. Likewise my family has been my strength through my life. My mother and father served in the world war ii. My mother attending the medical needs of iers airman and marines at a Military Hospital near seattle. My father served in the Central Pacific making landings in the bloody battles as a young 19 and 20 year old. Sadly, my mother passed over 20 years ago and my father passed just last april a week shy of his 91st birthday. I am absolutely sure they are both very proud from above of their soldier son and will always be a source of leadership and guidance for me. I am unbelievable and lucky to have the most dedicated and strongest woman in the world my wife holly ann. She, like me parents, is a constant course of inspiration and love. During seven deployments on operations and thousands of days of training holly ann has been like so many spouses, a single parent who raised two wonderful children who are adults. Our daughter Mary Margaret and are son peter who could not be here today. It is for them and all of the children and the future generations that i and all of us in uniform are continuing to go to give our todays for their tomorrows. I would like to take a moment to recognize holly ann as a represent of all of the army family and spouses for their resilience, service and sacrifice. And also i would like to congratulate my predecessor, ray odierno and his wife linda, who have given 39 years of service to our nation. I want to personally thank them both for their tremendous leadership as the current chief of staff and leading spouse. Our nation has been well served by the selfless soldier and his entire family. Chairman senators service in the United States army is a privilege and earned the old fashion way. Through hard work and meeting standards of discipline and excellence. Your armys contract with the American People is a combat ready force build around the nations most valuable assets, our sons and daughters, who become the best equipped army in the world. Our fundamental past is like no other. It is to win. And to win in the unforgiving situation. There are other tasks and roles and mission your army can do. We assure allies, deter people and provide foundational capabilities to enable other joint forces in a variety of ways. We provide needed help to victims of disasters. But our reason for being, our very reason for being, at the very core of what it means to have an army is to win and to win decisively in Ground Combat against the enemies of our country so american citizens can enjoy life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And every year 120,000 of americas sons and daughters raise their right hand to they can the oath to serve in the United States army. In return, we make the commitment to develop them as soldiers, leaders and importantly as citizens. These soldiers are the core of the allvolunteer army made up of the active nation guard and the reserve. We are a total army. We are in fact one army. We are americas army. And all of us come from the people. Right now, we have the most skilled and combat experience army in the nations history. But in this time of increasing instability and increasing uncertainty throughout the global we must face and solve significant challenges. I pledge to be a steward on behalf of the american taxpayer we recognize we all serve as well. And finally, if confirmed at army chief of staff i want to make sure the army meets the expectations of the people. The American People have expected your army to fight and win our nations wars at any time, any place, and your soldiers are ready to do that today as we have done that for 240 consecutive years. Today we have a great army and stand on the soldiers of those coming before us. Thank you, general, thank you for your strong statement. Last week four unarmed marines and one sailor in chattanooga, tennessee were murdered. What steps do you believe should be put in place immediately to secure facilities in the United States especially like recruiting centers. As the son of someone who served in the fourth marine division. I want to extend my sympathy to the families. It is key task for any commander and all of the leaders in the army and throughout the military. Specifically, there is a wide va variety of active and passive measures. Commander north is going to shoot out increased force Protection Measures which i will not discuss what they are publically. But there is a variety of hardening things like bulletproof glass. Increase patrols, work closely are law enforcement. As far as arming recruiters go i think that is complicated legally and there are issues involved we will have to deal with that. The legal part of it can be resolved do you think they should under certain conditions be armed . I think under certain conditions on both military basis and out stations recruiting stations we should seriously consider. With regard to afghanistan, should we withdraw to the cal n dar base man or the condition base plan . I am a condition base. Would you say the situation would warrant evaluation and revision of the president s plan by 2017 to have an embassybased force . Right now talking with general campbell the commander of the force in afghanistan, it is my understanding the plan is continually reviewed and we will execute based on the plans on the ground. It was testified even with the 38 billion addition that the nations military would remain at the lower wedge of reasonable defense strategy. Do you agree with that . I do with respect to the army. I agree with the assessment of being at the lower ragged edge . I think he testified to significant risk if we go to 420,000 it would be shifting to high risk. Did you believe we should arm the ukraine people with weapons . I think providing nonlethal equipment is being done i am asking about lethal equipment. I think it is Something Like that we should considered and i will be in favor of lethal defense weapons do we have a strategy to beat isis . I think you are familiar with the nine lines. That strategy also applyies to syria . Syria is part of the strategy. You believe we have a strategy to defeat isis . There is a strategy yes. Do you think it will defeat isis . I think currently right now the way it is laid out as i understand it is that it is going to take a considerable amount of time measured in years, to defeat isis if we execute the strategy as it is currently designed. Maybe you can tell me about the strategy because the president said they have not yet developed. There is nine lines of effort as i understand. The two that concern the military are providing a variety of enabler capability do is the Iraqi Military and also to provide Security Forces assistance and building partner capacity with the Iraqi Military. Do you believe we need Forward Air Controllers . In my experience it provides more effective air support. Thank you, general and thank you for your service and we look forward to moving forward with your nomination and congratulations and all of us would agree your predecessor was an outstanding soldier also. Thank you. Thank you very much chairman and thank you general for your testimony. I get confused because it is usually miley. That is in rhode island. You are from massachusetts. As long as we both like the red sox it is okay. I will stop there and ask you a serious question. You are facing force reductions 450,000 active forces which leads to the question how do you ensure you can get the requirements facing the army and several possibilities and you can comment on. It is a much smoother closer integration with the national regard and forces so they can come to the fight earlier. That is one. Two is obviously continuing to operate jointly and train jointly with the marine core which is a way to augment land forces. And three, to continue or to increase in fact during operation of the millitary that is our ally. Will that in any way help off set the decline in man power . Well first senator, i think the reduction brought it down to 450,000 for the active force and 98 98 980,000 for the total force and i agree with the current chief of staff that puts the nation at risk. In order to elevate that working with allies is fundamental. I think that is necessary to mitigate some of the risk. Specifically with the national regard, we speak of one army, and looking back three or more years it is much more one army than it was previously what are you going to do to make sure it is more than rhetoric and one consistent army watt are you doing . We integrate at both combat Training Centers louisiana and california. We are fully integrated with the reserve component and National Guard. Integration of the forces is key and we will sustain that. We are partnerships that are partnered with National Guard units and they are stationed for supporting each other. One of the areas of concern, and this has been led by senator mccains effort has been acquisition reform. He frankly indicated a long litany of systems. There are proposals that involve the chief more directly and not only with authority but responsibility. Can you comment about the acquisition process . And what you would like to do as its service chief in making it more effective . In my view i think the service chief should have an increased role across the entire acquisition process where we are responsible and held accountable for linking the requirements, which the service chief play a role in now. But we are not the Service Chiefs are not as engaged as could be with respect to the resources and decisions of actually acquisitions. Those three people linking resource do is the requirements in my view the chief should have increased authority to link all three throughout the process. In puts of requirement and output