the price of the nearly 2,500 F-35s could approach $140 million for each plane.

We believe it's sized right. We believe it's prioritized correctly in this budget.

I want to thank all of you for what you do. You're charged with managing the most important aspect of our military, and that's the people and the programs that support them.

the Guard and Reserve retirement initiative, early retirement initiative, that we have been successful at having put in place

To recruit the highest caliber young people and to retain them for careers, during good economic times and bad, it is absolutely critical that incentive pay, such as bonuses and special pays, be flexible enough to respond to changing…

America should be very proud of the commitment of the citizen soldier. I know I am.

It is essential that we provide them and their families with compensation and a quality of life that reflects not only what is needed to successfully recruit and retain personnel, but also our appreciation and respect for their volunteer…

The Cold War model has to be changed, because the Cold War--thank God, we won that; we need to win the war we're in now.

I couldn't support his idea more. We need to deliver for the troops here.

I have been a strong supporter of allowing qualifying duty performance since September 11, 2001, to be counted towards early receipt of retired pay.

Setting compensation at an appropriate level is critical to the sustainment of robust Guard and Reserve.

Don't even think about cutting military pay.