Very good. Okay. Good morning, everyone. We will call this subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities to order, and the subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities meets today to receive testimony on the department of defense review of the december 6th, 2019, insider attack on Naval Air Station pensacola in which three u. S. Servicemembers tragically lost their lives and eight more suffered injuries. It is critical that we learn from the attack, understand the threat, and take the necessary steps to ensure the protection of our servicemen and women going forward. I would like to welcome our witnesses. that is why i long supported critical Security Cooperation programs. That is the International Military training and education. These programs provider partners from around the world an opportunity to train and learn, from the best here in the United States. Ultimately our partners returned in the home country with a greater appreciation of the u. S. In part, Lessons Learned on how to better organize an employee, their own armed forces. These programs improve our intraoperative ability with our key partners lay the foundation for cooperation. It will pay dividends for years to come. Over the past 20 years, more than 1 million International Military trained in the United States. Currently the United States was over 5000 students from 100 from 153 countries. Many of the students who come to the u. S. , are the same troops, who have fought or will fight alongside americans downrange. Often times the rise through the ranks and become leaders in their own armed forces. With many becoming chiefs of defense, ministers, or even president s. However, while the benefits of these programs are invaluable, the tragic event in pensacola highlights unacceptable shortfalls in our Security Standards and vetting procedures. The attacker, arrived in the United States in 2017, and harbored anti u. S. Sentiments which he broadcast on social media. All the while, he was able to purchase a firearm, access u. S. Military installations, and ultimately carry out a deadly attack against americans. We must do more to protect our military personnel and assure the security of our facility. Mr. Reid in general, we look forward to your testimony explaining the result of the department of defense review and describing what corrective steps are being undertaken prettier findings are critical to our efforts to ensure that the department has the resources that support an authority that it needs and thank you again for joining us and i look forward to the discussion. And before i headed over to the senator for opening remarks and would like to remind everyone that later we will close the hearing in order to discuss sensitive matters of National Security. At that point, we will ask for the public and members of the press, to exit the room. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding. The intent is for us to break at 1030. And we will then, at the time put in the room and senator peters and i will vote and we have a phone call 41030. And then we will then reassemble those that have the authority to stay in the room. So thank you very much. Ranking member peters. Let me begin by thanking you for holding this hearing. In response to the 2019 attack and pensacola that unfortunately and tragically resulted in the death of three u. S. Service members and wounding eight other americans. Our thoughts arent made with the victims, and the families. We have a responsibility to the victims to learn all that we can from the attack, and to implement changes that will mitigate the risk of future occurrences to the greatest extent possible. Following the attack of the department reacted quickly, put in additional Safety Measures. Provision of training of Foreign Military personnel is a comparative advantage of the United States over a near peer competitors like china, and russia. So it the training helps operability with foreign partners but also to establish connections with officers then go it then going to hold significant leadership in their home countries. The International Program is readily cited by her military enzymatic leaders. As the most effective and resource efficient tools that we have to build Strong Military relationships with foreign partners. Despite these clear benefits, they must ensure that such training does not risk the safety of u. S. Military personnel. Other foreign students, or the installations in which the training is occurring. On january 17th, the department announced new Safety Measures and im looking forward to hearing about those new Safety Measures from the witnesses today. I want to thank the chair once again for holding this hearing and look forward to the discussion. Will go ahead with with our witness opening statements. Dr. Gary reid thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to testify today and address your questions regarding our review of International Monetary student screening and vetting procedures. The tragic loss of life the occurred at the naval station on december 6, 2019, will never fade from our memories. Three young vibrant u. S. Navy sailors, were tragically taken from us. And their families and loved ones. Paying the ultimate sacrifice to save others while they heroically concerning their attacker. This is an the sheriffs office, their brave actions to get control of the action within 15 minutes and save many more from the heavily armed shooter. We are forever in debt into her comrades and those who took swift action to protect others that was later determined by the u. S. Department of justice, an act of terrorism. We greatly appreciate the outstanding work of our federal state and local Law Enforcement agencies. It was the Great Partnership between Naval Security forces, pensacola, and the county Sheriffs Department and the response saving countless lives. In response to the attack, the department of defense improve immediately implemented a stand and pretty the secretary of defense to direct my office, to take immediate steps into areas. One to strengthen the vetting process for International Military students. In two to conduct conference and review of the policies and procedures in place for screening foreign students and granting them access to our basis. Im here today to review and the results of this work and as you already mentioned, a followup in closed session to talk about the National Security details. With regards to the first task, we screened all current Saudi Arabian military students immediately using new procedures that we had recently put in place as part of our personnel vetting initiative as you have been previously great, we are building towards a continuous vetting process that relies on automated data record searches. This is the vetting process. We put this process into place for the International Military students and stays in place today. We screened all of the saudi students, and through the full population of roughly 5000 current people. These automatic searches look at Intelligence Community drive data sets that include government data, commercial data, and publicly available data. The results are analyzed by trained Security Experts and analysts. And used as a basis for determination to further investigate action if its required. In this case the review produced only a small amount of returns the required additional analysis within the department of defense but none that triggered any Immediate Reaction or any action by federal authorities relative to the population. It should be noted however that the perpetrator of the attack, and several of those associated with the perpetrator, were not subjected to this review because they were already subject to the ongoing fbi investigation and they were examined more thoroughly through that process. As you may have been brief, resulted ultimately in the removal of 21 Saudi Arabian military officers from training in the u. S. For misconduct however not related to the december 6 attack. Moving on to the policy review, we found the department of defense has been overly reliant on the vetting conducted by the department of state as part of their assessment of eligibility for the reasons. And the insufficient information sharing in place between that process. We also found that the dod programs meant to detect and mitigate things like this attack, did not cover the students. We learned policies for International Military students possession of firearms, they buried the installation level. And then at the federal level, there are ways to bypass firearms restrictions for non immigrant visa holders. We are well underway to implement the six recommendations the right from the 21 findings and reports. Additional screening and vetting measures are already in effect for all current and future military students. The secretary is issued and policies related to access credentials, and the position of privately owned firearms and ammunition for International Military students. We will build on this with additional changes that reach across the entire student population. To implement these recommendations, have established this vetting and security review and approve integration group, cochaired with general coopers office. When forcible burnett working groups going through each of these recommendations in detail to implement the full set of prs and ideas. We would be happy to revise these in closed session. In closing, its important to note that this work is not singularly focused on the tragic event that occurred in his color. Protecting a personal and military bases, is a top priority for us. Across the department we are actively reinforcing our Insider Threat programs and improving basic security and strengthening our counterintelligence. Within the federal government, were in the midst of the most significant reform of the Background Investigation process indicates. Adopting new technologies and always improving. We appreciate all of the congressional support we received over the past several years to provide us the resources and authorities for the full range of the deity security on the counterintelligence, Law Enforcement and entire programs. Is this ongoing work that enable us to quickly adapt the International Military student vetting process. We will continue to modernize this for all trusted personnel who live and work around the world. Thank you again, for your interest in these matters and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you. I acknowledge the presence of senator scott, ladies and gentlemen, the training and education of the military and United States is one of our most effective tools to strengthen alliances and track new partners. As a foreign area officer and a career security operator, i worked alongside for military leaders concerning the United States, established an appreciation for American Culture and values, and is shaped longstanding cooperation and partnership with the United States. While the value of these types of military training and education programs, cannot be overstated, i want to be absolutely clear and nothing is more important than safeguarding american lives. The incident has cola was tragic. My heart remains with the families of those who we lost. With the people of pensacola, for the impact this event has had on their community. My colleague and i today, will be sharing new procedures the u. S. Government has put into place, to reduce risk and improve the training environment so that all u. S. Foreign military and civilian personnel and their families remain safe. They have the opportunity to continue benefiting from our Foreign MilitaryTraining Programs. The training and education a Foreign Military personnel alongside u. S. Forces, and specifically in the United States, is one of her most effective Security Cooperation tools. What makes this cooperation different, from that of our strategic competitors is that the basis of our approach is of the sale of goods and services, but the enduring relationship comes along with it. At the heart of any defense relationship that is human relationship. It is built and fostered through opportunities for u. S. And Foreign Military students to train alongside one another. When International Military students attend training and education in the United States, they are exposed to our values, our culture, and people. These experiences serve as the Building Blocks from longterm strategic in his relationships. In addition to building lasting relationships, these Training Programs build the capacity of our allies, to provide for their own defense and contribute to shared security challenges. Education and training in the United States is a foundational to building an enduring on interoperability with our partners and allies. Since the year 2000, over 1 million International Military students, have been trained in the United States. We trained more than 28000 saudi students over the life of our Security Cooperation relationships. It is worth noting, the close to 4000 heads of state, ministers of defense, she said defense, and other general officers, received training by the United States. This delivers a lasting strategic return on our Security Cooperation investments. Recently, arun secretary of defense discussed his personal experience training alongside foreign partners. He did in west point with students from other countries, trained at the military academy, and train alongside an officer from the african continent while he was on active duty. These experiences have shaped his strong support for Foreign Military and education programs, and for the departments response to the incident in pensacola. InterNational Military students can receive training and education and the United States, under a variety of programs. The department of defense and the department of state, both have authorities and appropriations to Fund Military training and in the United States. Most of the training occurs at the department of defense facilities and schools. The department of defense provides an offense International Military training and education under a variety of dod programs, such as section 333 global trained and equipped, and that isa trained and equipped fund. The Afghan Security forces fund, the studies, and the Regional Defense combating terrorism and Fellowship Program the department of state has three main programs of training three military programs. InterNational Military education and training for imac program, military financing, and the peacekeeping operations account which includes the global peace operations initiative. Department of state program, is focused on the professionally Partner Nation Military forces and by emphasizing education at every level of the individuals career, we seek to develop professional leaders of whom the United States can work in foster enduring relationships that enable collaboration all of the time. The department of state uses military financing to Fund Training which typically focuses on operational subjects, and is directly related to preterm it made drug programs. In addition, the state funds training peacekeeping operations, which is almost exclusively conducted in part of the nations and primarily for peacekeeping, counterterrorism and security and military professional purposes in selected countries. The programs i have discussed thus far, our programs that are primarily lying on u. S. Grant assistance. Many of our allies and partners use their own money to come to the United States the dod providing training associated with procurement of defense under Foreign Military sales. They are responsible for ensuring transfers of articles and services to include the necessary