I grew up with a real understanding and appreciation of how hardworking and capable the people of India and China are.

Could you provide us information on what the cost would be to upgrade and support the U-2s through 2025?

Last year Governor John Baldacci, of Maine, was hired for a yearlong study of military health care.

That strikes me as tragic for retention and recruiting.

In my home state we have unemployment over 9 percent--many communities almost 20 percent. And so this needs to be addressed.

If it were up to me the defense budget would not be reduced.

I am very, very concerned about the reductions in the personnel of our military--other reductions--at the time of war.

How can we understand that an asset critical to national security and costs less than an alternative be terminated?

What specific efforts are being made to address suicide and suicide prevention in the National Guard and Reserves?

The percent, again--345 percent--really is a great concern to me.

Why is there a disparity in treatment between civilian and uniformed personnel?

We have just got to be prepared.

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To me, this is a great concern for the people I represent.

I am very disappointed that we have cuts in the Guard and Reserve envisioned in your plan.

I disagree with that. And let me give you another area that I would like you to look at. And that is slowing our promotion system down.

I think we ought to look at if they are not involved in the prepositioning of forces, if they are not expeditionary in nature, they ought to come out of Europe.

Thank you very much.

And TRICARE is so appreciated.

I think if we look at the ratio of flag officers or general officers to the number of soldiers--and this is in every branch of the service, I believe--it is just--we are too top-heavy.

It is just extraordinary what you do and the opportunities you provide, and of course to see it evolve from the Cold War of the Warsaw Pact to now, countries that are significant and very important allies of the United States and friends.

That is startling information you have just provided, how tragically unique this is.

that is sad, too, because the military has a reputation, and the people who serve in the military, a reputation of being professionals.