Kelly Ayotte

If we keep going over the--to the 10-year period, that it could get down to 230-235

General Milstead, from a Marine Corps perspective, can you provide an update on the Women in Service Review?

What must be done to further reduce the time it takes for soldiers to progress through IDES?

Obviously, I think we can all agree that is totally unacceptable.

I think this is a situation that ends up being pennywise, pound foolish because we will get behind on the maintenance schedule.

At least you got a system online. They are finally getting their system online. I mean, it is taking too long for these things.

My concern is that we know that certainly the Navy can avoid the civilian furloughs, has a way forward to do it.

It is really important because we just hear from too many people that are waiting too long.

Please, do not tell me you think that 295 days is acceptable either.

I want you to meet it, but do not tell me that that is where we are going to stop because I just do not think that is acceptable.

I hope that we can eliminate furloughs for the entire department.

The family piece of this is incredibly important as well in the support structure.

But that does not take away the responsibility of the Federal Government, given what we have asked our Guard and Reserve members to do, along with our Active-Duty Forces in fighting the wars for our country and for our Nation.

I wanted to follow up on this idea, Captain Hanson, on the Guard and Reserve assistance.

Every Guard and Reserve member across this Nation and their families deserve that type of support.

I think we can do a lot better within DOD.

I remain concerned about the impact furloughs will have on our military readiness--not to mention the financial hardship they will inflict on our DOD civilians who perform critical tasks at our shipyards and depots.

Why can't DOD treat registering to vote the same way it treats SGLI?

It is our moral duty to protect the civil rights of our men and women in uniform and their families.

I cannot even imagine what sometimes our men and women in uniform go through in trying to exercise their right to vote.

This is an issue that is a bipartisan issue that we are concerned about making sure that when our men and women in uniform are victims of sexual assault, that they understand that when they come forward, they will receive justice.

I just want to make sure it is standardized in an appropriate way--not to infringe, but to give people information.

Just making sure that they have the tools at their hands to understand how to exercise their right to vote.

I appreciate how difficult it is at this time and appreciate what you are doing and those that serve underneath you.

I would ask, for the record, for a more detailed analysis of what the----cost differential is between those.