I am pleased that the subcommittee is turning its focus to the important issue of hazing in the military.

Parents and families who send their son or daughter to serve our Nation in uniform are already concerned about their health and safety given the operational requirements service members are facing.

So we need to restore the confidence in our families that the Services are doing all that they possibly can to prevent hazing from occurring among the force.

I am sure that we would all agree that hazing is a serious and deplorable crime.

Hazing, particularly in light of the current ongoing deployments and responsibilities that are being asked of our men and women in uniform, is a very serious matter.

I am very pleased that the subcommittee is turning its focus to the important issue of hazing in the military.

Vision injuries have impacted 58,000 OIF and OEF service members according to DOD, hearing loss has been diagnosed in over 189,000 veterans from OIF and OEF according to VA.

This year, the Department of Defense has proposed yet another change to its governance structure.

What is the Department and the Services doing to address the healthcare needs of female service members and dependents?

Has your Service looked at the potential impact of these fee increases and its impact on retention of the force?

The Department of Defense has proposed cost increases for health care that not only will impact retirees, but they could also impact military dependents.