Claire McCaskill

We do not want to even begin going down the road until we are sure where the road is going to lead at the end.

Most recently, the Navy Regional Maintenance Center (RMC) was established to oversee the operations and management of the RMCs.

The most important priority of the Federal Government is our national defense.

Notwithstanding the steps taken by Congress to increase investments, reported readiness rates have significantly declined over the past 10 years, record funding and still a significant decline.

Can we keep the best military and do it smarter with a little less money? I am confident we can.

I am very, very concerned about where we are.

We have the best military in the world, and that we must keep the best military in the world.

I find it hard to believe that we could characterize the most recent round of BRAC as a success.

General Austin, Admiral Ferguson, General Dunford, and General Breedlove, do opportunities exist to better focus the requirements for equipment reset, so that reset dollars go farther to meet equipment shortages and better address our…

Since the turn of the century, we have been heavily involved in combat operations which have required our personnel to deploy frequently and has caused incredible wear and tear on both people and the vital equipment that we need for…

I think it is important that we clean that up at this point.

That would be something that should be the first step before consideration of a BRAC.

I just do not understand. 4,400 is 4,400 is 4,400. I do not understand why we cannot refurbish to accommodate women and why we cannot--I mean, it looks like to me that somebody is not managing the population. I mean, you are adding 650…

When it is expensive, it really is a gut punch to the budgets of our military.

We should close excess installations overseas, particularly in Europe.

I just hope we would reexamine.

Environmental remediation at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida is an example of a cleanup effort that needs to move forward.

DOD's new DSG released in January 2012, as well as the Secretary of Defense's accompanying document, 'Defense Budget Priorities and Choices', make a number of statements which have implications for the readiness of the force.

The Navy is now planning to add additional crew members to its cruisers, destroyers, and several of its amphibious ships.

Well, how many beds are you short?

We want you to do more and do it better.

Can you give us today what your best projections are, as to when we will see a more positive readiness trend in light of the drawdown that is currently underway?

I think it is always a good sign to have a hearing on military readiness and for me to look up from my notebook and see three women.

I do not believe that Congress should authorize additional BRAC rounds at this time for the following reasons.

Under the current plan, about 8,000 marines would have moved from Okinawa to Guam.