Kirsten Gillibrand

I do hope you will focus every effort to make sure our best and brightest and all of our best and brightest are serving.

I want to applaud the Army for taking steps towards eliminating combat exclusion policies for women by opening up over 20,000 combat engineer and associated skill positions to female soldiers in June.

How will you incorporate cyber forces, especially in the National Guard, into our Homeland defense strategy?

I have been concerned by what appears to be a haphazard approach from DOD to reforming pay and benefits.

I know you have been a strong supporter of small business and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

I would like you to consider all options for how you can reform the military justice system.

I am highly concerned that the military is still failing in living up to their zero tolerance policy.

What do you think are our two most important cyber needs for the next 5 years?

Now, it's not clear, would this program also apply to family of military retirees, or is this just for Active Duty?

The commission recommended that the ECHO benefit be expanded to provide benefits similar to the Medicaid benefit

Commissioners, the commission recommends further downsizing the capacity of MTF; how do you foresee dealing with MTFs in more remote areas and would those be at risk under the commission's proposal?

How can the military provide continuity of care for military family members who choose to receive their healthcare using a commercial insurance plan?

Commissioners, do you recommend a required standard of care that will be available under all plans?

I think one thing we can work on, to whatever end we have, a--minimum requirements.

One of the things that I hear a lot from our veterans is that the mental health services that are needed really aren't there.

Are you concerned about how military families will be able to transfer medical records maintained by a private provider when the family is required to move to a new location?

Do you think that this new model of care will provide the same level or greater access to quality of care that exists now?

The Commission's report describes significant beneficiary dissatisfaction with the current TRICARE health benefit.

So, what would they--so, someone who is a veteran, who is--wounded warrior who has a child with autism, what do they do?

One of my concerns is the needs of families with special needs.

Military families who are eligible for Medicaid services have to reapply for Medicaid benefits every time they move to a new State

But, you said retirees aren't covered--their families aren't covered.

The commission has recommended adding military dependent student identifiers to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The commission's recommendation is that retirees leaving after 20 years of service have the option to choose a lump-sum in place of all pension payments up through age 67

Currently every branch has different policies on how they provide financial literacy