Joe Lieberman

So we obviously need a new GCV, whether we call it MGV or GCV.

It's been a very constructive panel and it helps to guide us as we go forward to our markup next week.

The sooner the better.

One thing I'm confident of is that Senator Inhofe will stay on this until he gets that answer.

I hope we've all learned. I agree with you, we're going to get a lot out of it, we've already gotten a lot out of it, some of it quite amazing really in technological advances.

Do you want to flesh out that conclusion just a bit, about why did you conclude that in some cases the Army was too close to the lead systems integrator?

Why did OSD yield to the Army?

I think I agree we have to be thinking in terms of systems-of-systems.

I think it was, Mr. Chairman.

We're in a most unusual moment, which is, as you said, recruitment is going very well, there is a high level of recruits coming in.

So here, as well as in some other key decision areas, you're really waiting for the QDR to give some guidance about where we go from here?

I take from that you support the changes in the FCS program as recommended by Secretary Gates and ultimately the President.

We're going to work to increase the authorization by 30,000 and hope that together we can find the money

There will be a serious effort in this subcommittee... to increase the authorized end strength of the Army by 30,000.

To say that the service of the personnel of the Army has been extraordinary, whatever the phrase is, it seems to me that this is the next greatest generation in service of our country.

We are adamant, and I know the members of this esteemed subcommittee are equally adamant, that we never want to send our soldiers into a fair fight.

However, we understand that initial insights will be available to Army budget planners as early as the end of July.

This is not unusual, of course, in the first year of a new administration, but it does make our subcommittee's work in Army modernization oversight that much more difficult.

The implementation of these decisions will require detailed analysis and planning, prioritization, and resource alignment, none of which has been done yet.

Today's topic, which is Army modernization, merits particular concern because of the many changes that are underway to reorient and restructure our national defenses.

The subcommittee will come to order. Good afternoon. We particularly welcome General Chiarelli and General Thompson.

We on this committee are always mindful that we're a Nation at war, and obviously the budget has to play some role and resources have to play some role.

I agree. I was thinking when Senator Chambliss said you were messengers that you should be assured that this is a subcommittee where we do not kill the messengers.

We can't afford the second engine and it will compromise the JSF program. So I hope we stick with the President's recommendation on that one.

So this has real consequences. In a normal case, of course you'd like to have two programs. But you can't have it all.