Madeleine Bordallo: “I am curious...if you could comment briefly, how are you leveraging privatization efforts...”

I think it is fair to ask if the Army is, in fact, just creating more overhead that will further slow an already cumbersome process.

The system needs, as you said, overhauling. There is no question about it, whether you go to privatization, or whatever. And it should not be a monopoly.

I am concerned that in a year where readiness has been cited as the Department's top priority, the Department's budget request falls well short of meeting the total depot maintenance requirement for the Army and the Marine Corps.

If we are going to rebuild readiness, we need to ensure that the depot maintenance accounts are fully funded to meet the requirement.