Daniel Inouye

Well, I agree with the chairman that a strong family system equals a strong military.

At this moment, our ground forces are benefitting from unmanned air vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles.

Our goal is to maintain the technological edge for the next generation.

Well, Mr. Chairman, we all recognize the heavy reliance upon Reserves and Guards in this war, so I can assure you that we are looking at this very carefully.

The military has done well in developing body armor technology, and as a result, comparatively there are very few thoracic injuries.

Recently our attention has been focused on prisoner abuse. Would your studies have been able to detect flaws in one's character?

I suppose you all agree.

Well, I am certain I speak for the committee, and I speak for all of my colleagues in thanking all of you for your service to this Nation.

I realize that it is part of the policy of our Defense Department to make certain that every person in uniform carries his or her load.

BRAC is upon us again.

First of all, I agree with your plan.

The major concern that this committee has can be said in two words, retention and recruiting.

If we let this fester any longer, it would be criminal, and I would hate to be a witness to its first accident.

If I may, I would like to join all of you in welcoming our Reserves and their chiefs and to thank and commend them and their men and women for their demonstration of citizenship and courage.

Since September 11th, 282,896 of our Guard and Reserve personnel have been called to active duty, and 25,151 have been called upon more than once.

Today our Guard and Reserves make up 38 percent of our force in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

It is critical that we demonstrate our support and express our thanks to these fine officers and airmen, and their families.

I wish to begin by congratulating the Secretary and the General for the performance of the men and women in the Air Force in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places around the world.

I encourage you to include us in the decision making process as you proceed.

Are we doing any research to, for example, protect the foot and ankle or the hands and wrists?

I absolutely do not believe that LHA(R) is just a repeat of the LHDs that we have today.

Mr. Secretary, your stated submarine force structure calls for 55 boats, but it appears that by 2020, we may have about 30.

The operational tempo is high, and forces are stretched thin.

Integration began in the Army. That is the first place. It was not the Interior Department or any other Department; it was the Army.

I find that there are two elements involved in the development of a combat soldier. One is morale, naturally; and the other is the sense of belonging to a unit.