Joe Wilson

Again, thank you all for your service.

Thank you for that very thorough response. Thank you.

I have three sons serving in the Army, so I actually have a personal interest. Thank you again for what both of you all are doing.

I want to put a bug in your ear, too, that in the district I represent, which includes the Savannah River Site, there is a great deal of research for modular nuclear reactors.

I hope that every effort is made to work with military families and get their input.

During our whole debate, I was impressed several times, it was referenced about military families.

I want to thank Congressman Dr. Joe Heck for recommending that this subcommittee conduct this hearing.

Today the Military Personnel Subcommittee will address the subject of military retirement, an issue of immense importance to service members, and in turn to combat readiness.

Dr. Heck very astutely recognized that military retirement would be a pivotal issue in the coming months.

I want to thank Dr. Joe Heck for recommending that the Subcommittee conduct this hearing.

I certainly know what a resource you can be. And so I hope that you would be contacted.

If you could state further--I can't hear enough because I do know firsthand of the extraordinary success, like the 218th Brigade in South Carolina of their service in Afghanistan.

I am very concerned with the drawdown, the Army below 520,000, the Marines below 186,600, that that puts us at risk.

I appreciate you stating your belief that that is the position of the President.

There should be no further cuts in our military defense.

I believe that global nuclear disarmament is necessary if our country and our species are to survive and flourish.

What do we say to the mother and father, the wife of the last soldier or marine killed to support a corrupt government and a corrupt leader in a war that cannot be won?

I see the primary function of the national government as national defense.

I believe, ultimately, the American people do have resolve.

Is there a second location under consideration at all?

What reassurance do you have to the American people as to space at the current location of Arlington Cemetery?

So to me, Mr. Chairman, this is pretty persuasive case, and I think the committee should be looking at something like this.

Good morning. Thank you for attending this morning. And I apologize. I am 4 minutes late.

Sadly, the message is really clear. Do not locate in a union state because if you locate in a union state, you cannot leave.

We call on the administration, the State Department to have at least some semblance of the human rights policy and stop giving money to those groups that have a hand-in-glove relationship with the Chinese dictatorship.