if we don't take care of our people, if we don't give them predictability, those decades of experience that they have, that will take decades to replace, they are going to vote with their feet, and they are going to do something else.

Count me amongst those that are worried about our shipbuilding capacity and our infrastructure.

I appreciate your response to that. But I also recognize that as I talk to these AGR folks back home, they have got decisions to make.

I think that tight coupling is where when the dollars get big there needs to be a service partner identified in advance before the money gets too big.

Thank you for being here, thank you for your leadership.

I, too, am concerned about the border as we all are.

I would commit to you that we will look at that, but I would like to look at it in the context of some of the other programs that we are doing as well.

if we fail to invest adequately in our soldiers, that is where we fail, that is where we have the vulnerabilities.

I think would be a strategic critical error.

So, you think it's a good idea, but we're not quite there yet in terms of making sure that we are implementing to scale?

Thank you for being here, thank you for your leadership.

So, let me ask a question about the expansion of research and the modernization funding in OSD.

Thank you all for being here and your focus on what we need to be doing better when it comes to accelerating in the acquisition space.

As an Arctic Nation, when we have one operational Polar Class vessel, and it doesn't even get to the Arctic, we are woefully behind.

I need to know and I'd like your commitment, Admiral, that the Navy as the contract agent for this effort is proactively supporting the Coast Guard and their acquisition of additional icebreakers.

Last year you testified that the Air National Guard makes up 30 percent of our Nation's Space Force capacity.

The United States is an Arctic nation, and of course, this is a strategically important region to us.

What is really going to cost us is when these people vote with their feet, when they leave, and then we lose that experience that we have invested in them.

In the fiscal year 2025 budget, Air Force is acquiring less fighters than originally projected six less F-35s, six less F-15EXs than originally planned.

In the fiscal year 2025 budget, Air Force is acquiring less fighters than originally projected six less F-35s, six less F-15EXs than originally planned.

I appreciate your response to that. But I also recognize that as I talk to these AGR folks back home, they have got decisions to make.

if we fail to invest adequately in our soldiers, that is where we fail, that is where we have the vulnerabilities.

So, let me ask a question about the expansion of research and the modernization funding in OSD.

I think that tight coupling is where when the dollars get big there needs to be a service partner identified in advance before the money gets too big.

we're moving forward with the first deep water Arctic port, the Port of Nome. It's going to be incredibly important to our national defense interests.