[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