Kelly Ayotte

Since maintenance of DOD facilities requires a minimally adequate level of annual funding, why does DOD consider cuts to those accounts as an efficiency savings?

If there isn't a baseline accounting of these funds, how will you be able to assess the performance of DOD's goal to cut service contracts by 10 percent in each of the next 3 years, resulting in a savings of $5.7 billion?

Given the recent tragic events in Japan, is DOD currently reassessing the terms of the agreement?

Secretary Hale, given all the shortcomings in DOD's financial management systems, I question whether the efficiencies identified in the fiscal year 2012 budget request are reliable, realistic, and achievable without a set of auditable…

Secretary Hale, what other Department-wide efficiency initiatives are subject to the uncertainty of world events?

Secretary Hale, if DOD decides to reverse the proposal, would you expect to get the $6 billion back in the top line in fiscal year 2015?

What happens if the economy picks up, as we all hope it will?

The Army has proposed a reorganization of recruiting and retention incentives to cut $764 million in fiscal year 2012 based on 'current and projected economic environments.'

Can you provide your projection for annual military pay adjustments through fiscal year 2016 that contributed to your savings estimate?

Secretary Hale, what economic projections were used to justify this rate?

Secretary Hale, the Army assumed an unemployment rate of over 9 percent through fiscal year 2015.

I need to make sure that we are not relying on speculative economic assumptions in order to justify budget cuts.

There will be no mad rush to spend any funds.

The DOD effort to increase efficiencies will not wait for the out years.

We're going to have to reprogram funds from somewhere--I don't know where, for sure yet--in order to meet those.

How do we put that into the permanent mindset of DOD?

Having the incentive structure to do any type of effort like this is very important.

Only in the current climate here in Washington, DC, can an agency propose a cut in the rate of growth of future budgets and call it a triumph.

We cannot continue to spend what we do not have. We must closely scrutinize every Federal agency--including the Department of Defense (DOD)--to identify and eliminate wasteful or duplicative programs.

Are you confident that the Army has appropriate measures in place to ensure the safety and reliability of its body armor inventory?

What is the total cost of this retrofit program?

Will you please explain how the Army arrived at the Full Spectrum Training Mile?

Lieutenant General Reno, is there a similar program planned for the A-10 Warthog?

What effect will this disturbing development have on maintaining the operational availability of these aircraft?

I understand that a preponderance of F-22 Raptors came out of production with structural defects that are significantly limiting its service life.