Always a negative effect on morale.

It would really help, in my view, if we were members of the Law of the Sea Treaty.

Are they being degraded in terms of equipment as well as finances, manpower, foreign fighters? Where are they getting their equipment?

Russia, as Senator Shelby has pointed out, has been increasingly aggressive in the Ukraine, in the Baltics, and in the Middle East.

Under the longstanding Berry Amendment, our troops are supposed to be outfitted with clothing and footwear that is made in this country.

I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the Department's performance with and responsibility to veterans preference in Federal government hiring.

I have heard the comment, the anecdotal comment, that you just mentioned, that they just keep them there until they can say, 'Well, we hired a veteran,' then they let them go.

While the employment situation for veterans continue to improve with veterans' unemployment being lower than nonveterans' unemployment, DOL will not rest as long as any veteran needs assistance finding meaningful civilian employment.

Some veterans think that because of veterans preference, that they will automatically be hired in the Federal services. That is not the case.

Just because a case is filed doesn't mean that the HR manager violated the law. It could be that the veteran was not eligible in the first place.

I can provide you and the Committee for fiscal year 2013 and 2014 the retention rate for veterans versus nonveterans in all the agencies.

Yeah, absolutely. When you look at that only 5.4 percent have merit, part of the bulk of the reasoning is actually the lack of understanding of the law.

We have numbers on the retention rate and how many are leaving.

I think we should be applying the same level of resources, money and personnel, to transition out of the service that we put into recruiting in.

I think that's important news out of this hearing that this is not a hopeless situation, that there are successful treatments.

47,000 a year.

There is actually a Council on Veterans Employment meeting on May 4.

I want to encourage you, in the strongest possible terms, to pursue these technological advances, because time is not on our side.