Mike Coffman

We are not going to go back to the selective service system. We are ultimately going to do away with it.

I am concerned about the nature of the treatment, modality of treatment that we offer our veterans, our combat veterans.

It is important that this Committee make a veteran's transition as seamless and rewarding as possible.

My legislation, H.R. 2549, the G.I. Bill Processing Improvement Act, would ensure those receiving G.I. benefits for their military service do so in a more timely manner.

I think that if Roger Staubach played for the Dallas Cowboys, graduated from the United States Naval Academy, served his entire Active-Duty commitment of 5 years before he went to play professional sports, this does not eliminate somebody…

I claim time in opposition to the amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes.

Let me ask the VA, why isn't there mandatory training for the folks that review these claims?

And so it certainly left a bad taste in my mouth as a Gulf War veteran in terms of the integrity of the United States Government relative to veterans.

The Department of Defense denied for I believe about a five-year period in the aftermath of the war that the U.S. troops were ever exposed to chemical weapons and it wasn't until, you know, they were forced to admit it later on that they…

And I just want to say first, as a Gulf War veteran, how disappointed certainly I was in the aftermath of the war and to this day that the Department of Defense I think participated in a cover-up, and that cover-up was the exposure to…

He does have the authority?

There are 430 buildings, VA buildings, vacant for the most part.

I just think that there are cultural impediments within the Active Duty Force that argue against that.

How do you maintain the All-Volunteer Force if you will not pay them competitive wages?

Mr. Secretary, you recently stated that VA has identified more than 430 vacant buildings and 735 underutilized buildings that costs the government $25 million a year. How do you intend to address the issue of unused VA facilities without…

Are we forcing good people out that should otherwise stay in, by virtue of our promotion system?

The more incentives we cut, the old adage: Nothing is too good for the troops, and nothing is what we will give them.

I just think that is inappropriate.

Before I introduce our panel, let me offer Congresswoman Speier an opportunity to make any opening remarks.

I am especially interested in your plans for retention of the right service members that are central to your mission, in what may develop into difficult recruiting and retention environment in the coming years.

Please be seated. I want to welcome everyone to the Military Personnel Subcommittee's hearing on the state of the military service personnel systems as we enter the fiscal year 2018 budget season.

We want safe academies. We want the world's best military. We want a respectful environment.

We have just heard the compelling stories of survivors of sexual assault.

Assaults are a criminal act and nothing less. They are always a criminal act.

We have got to do three things in leadership. One, make the policies clearer, what the standards are, and how to respond when an incident does occur. Two, I think we owe a way to support victims when these things occur, so we have to have…