Transcripts For CSPAN National 20240705

Half. Good morning, we are going to call this committee to order. Thank you all for being here to discuss your fy 2024 budget priorities, i think this is your last appearance before this committee, we extend a particularly warm welcome to you and wish you the best in your upcoming retirement, and we dont really care whether you retire in maine or montana. [laughter] but either place will work. You can move back and forth, rather than kansas. [laughter] at any rate, i want to say thank you for what you guys do. The National Guard has all has always done more with less. The Weapon Systems in vehicles and aging i. T. Infrastructure and facilities. The men and women that you lead have one foot in civilian life and the other foot in the military. They juggle their homes, families, duties. While serving their countries here and abroad. The workload is not decreasing and the Ongoing Mission on the southwest border and your support to military command demonstrate exactly that. Over the last five years the National Guard has shrunk by more than 40,000 Service Members. You are not immune from recruiting challenges that are active duty military nor are you immune from the separate impacts of government shutdowns, continued resolutions, and it is my sincere hope that with the threat of the government default, hopefully averted, we can now make progress on passing the budget on time, get it out of the cycle of annual continual resolutions. I want to hear how you are managing these challenges and how you are providing a ready modernize guard and reserve forces well as ensuring the healthy Work Life Balance in the military career for these men and women. Once again, i want to thank you for being here, i want to thank you for your testimony ahead of time. Before you begin that testimony i want to turn it over to susan collins. Senator. Sen. Collins thank you very much, mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing on the National Guard and reserve component fiscal year 2024 budget request. As the chairman is well aware, im very concerned about the budget request and its adequacy. The soldiers of the guard and reserve child in the just serve in the proud tradition of the minute men who fought for the very founding of our country. In fact, the one 33rd engineer battalion of the main National Guard has been an unbroken line of service from 1760 to this very day. Thats the distinction of which we have of which we are all very proud in the state of maine. The United States military is not able to fight a war without the garden and reserve. For the past two decades, the guard has accounted for nearly half of deployments to iraq and afghanistan. The guard has also taken the brunt of supporting the department of Homeland Security along the southern border since 2018. And they will continue to do so until our border is finally secure. They need to properly resource, ready, wellequipped and in integrated guard and reserve component cannot be more clear. The guard Safe Partnership program is also an essential International Security operation tool. Today, guard units have formed the 88 partnerships with 100 countries around the world. The maine guards partnership with montenegro paves the way for the countries exception to nato in 2017. Yes, the president s budget request cuts the guard and reserve budget by 3 billion compared to fiscal year 2023. Enacted levels impeding both modernization and readiness. As the general has previously shared with the committee, the National Guard represents a lower cost option to deliver deterrence and compat power. I understand all of you have considerable equipment shortfall and none of you have parodied with the active components in terms of fielding the most modern capabilities available. Congress has repeatedly needed to provide the National Guard and reserves without todays vehicles, platforms, and aircraft that were excluded from the inadequate budget request. Finally, the committee is aware that to transition dod, the Ongoing Mission at the border from active duty to guard or reserve units. I would welcome an update from our witnesses, stem some with status of that plan and what the plans are to pay for those deployments. I look forward to your testimony and join the chairman in thinking each of you for your service. We will start out with chief of the National Guard bureau. Chairman, Ranking Member collins and esteemed members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. Your investment in the National Guard is built has built a ready, capable force, vital to our Nations Defense and communities in times of crisis. Thank you for your support. I would also like to recognize the efforts of my wife kelly and our Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead for their support and partnership in addressing soldiers, airmen and family needs. As a communitybased force with the authorities to perform almost any mission ensuring healthy and resilient guardsmen and families is not only our highest priority, it is foundational to all we do. This is my third time before you on behalf of soldiers, airmen and families of the National Guard. Over the past three years, we performed over 28 million responding to emergencies of every kind. As i speak, guardsmen are supporting typhoon relief operations in guam. In the last three years, the National Guard has rescued or saved 18,826 individuals. In the midst of all those events , every one of our overseas deployments. This included the nations final days in afghanistan, where National Guardsmen helped defend the kabul airport and assist with allies refuge. One of our other missions is the joint Multinational Training Group in ukraine. In concert with californias 30 year state partnership with ukraine, our guardsmen helped establish a Training Center after russia part first invasion in 2014. Focused on combat arms and Lessons Learned from our National Guard trainers were some of the last to leave ukraine before russias unprovoked invasion. A few months after the war began, we reestablished our Training Group and have been training our partners every single day since then. Today, every Combatant Commander leverages our state Partnership Program which was recently mentioned now includes 100 nations around the globe. Always ready, always there, it is not just our motto, it is our promise to america that we have kept for almost 386 years. In the 2800 communities we call home, they know whenever or wherever a disaster occurs, the National Guard will be there because we already are. As i begin my final year as chief, there are still many things we must accomplish to ensure the National Guard remains always ready, always there. Today i have shortened that list to four priority areas. Versus our air National Guard units who have been performing Space Missions for 28 years. In 1947 when the air force was established, the air guards squadrons were established concurrently. Todays air force is the envy of the world. In 2019 when the space force was formed, it did not address nearly 30 of its operational squadrons that reside in the National Guard. With 1000 personnel and 14 units, we are almost all truths and no tail. These highly skilled airmen are absolutely vital to the success of the Space Mission. Dislike our air force, we want to todays space force to be the envy of the world. The second is Premium Health care for currently serving guardsmen and reservists. There are many things we can search in times of emergency, but medical readiness is not one of them. Access to care is critical to readiness. The number one concern i hear from guardsmen and recruiters when i visit our states and territories. To help recruit and retain the most talented, skilled and ready force, all National Guard servicemembers regardless of status need medical coverage. This is a matter of readiness and duty to the guardsmen who serve and sacrifice for our nation. We are working closely with the Defense Health agency to clarify the number of guardsmen this would impact and what current programs could be reduced or eliminated so we could activate the readiness benefit it can provide. The third is recapitalization of our air guard fighter squadrons. We have 25 fighter squadrons in the air guard and our nation needs every single one of them. By working with the air force and congress, we believe there is a path recapitalize all 25 squadrons to the f35, and a renewed is newest f16. This would help the air force divest older platforms and retain the capability, capacity and structure it needs for war fighting requirements. Lastly, i ask for your support in meeting the intent of the National Guard empowering act. To be a full member of the joint chiefs of staff and properly represent our 430,000 guardsmen and their families, our vice chief cannot do that effectively is a subordinate to his peers. In closing, i want to thank you again for the National Guard we have today. All we do would not be possible without your support that you provide to our soldiers, airmen and families. I look forward to your questions. Next, general daniels. Chief of the army reserve. Chairman tests are, distinguished members of the committee, on behalf of the 100 90,000 soldiers and civilians of the army reserve, major lumbar going die thank you for this opportunity to testify and for your continued support for our soldiers, civilians, families and other employers. Present in 20 time zones and five continents, the army reserve makes up nearly 20 of the total armys personnel and just 5 of total Army Operations and maintenance budget. We provide key units and capabilities of nearly half of the armys maneuver support and a quarter of its mobilization category while sustaining the mobilization and deployment of more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians annually. As a federal response partner, the army reserve maintains a ready posture for defense support authorities by providing critical dual use capabilities such as petroleum distribution, Water Purification and railroad operations. In an extremely challenging recruiting environment, our highest priority is sustaining the resources required to recruit and retain the best. Today and into the future. We also rely heavily on the support of families and communities as well as the willingness of employers to share their best talent. By changing our culture to refocus on tough, realistic training done safely, we are helping to bridge the knowledge divide between the military and the american public. This creates better answers for civilian soldiers who want to share with their communities. As we build the army of 2030, we are grateful for the authorization send appropriations that invest in our people, enhance readiness and accelerate equipment modernization to maintain superiority over any potential threat the need for reserve component duties cannot be overstated and is long overdue. That is why we support dutys proposal to fundamentally redesign the current system, aligning benefits to duties performed and assuring us soldiers receive the entitlements they have earned. The reserve also appreciates Congress Efforts to improve access to childcare. However, access and quality and affordable childcare remains a challenge for our soldiers, especially during battle weekends. As the partnerships, continued congressional support will help enhance retention and readiness. Finally, as the army reserve looks to the future, leveraging the National Guard remains a key component of our modernization strategy. This funding enables the army reserve to fulfill missioncritical shortages. Command Sergeant Major lum barto and i are incredibly proud to lead the men and women in Americas Army reserve and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Good morning distinguished members of the subcommittee. It is my distinct honor to report to you today alongside my peers on the status and vision of Americas Navy reserve. I would like to begin by recognizing my wife kim whose steadfast support typical of military spouses. I would also like to thank master chief tracy hunt for his tireless efforts. I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for my colleague dave ballin for his exemplary career of service in uniform. We are going to miss you, general. Finally, i called the committees attention to the 103 thousand sailors, 450 civilians, the families who sustain demand of the thousands of employers who enable the service of our citizens sailors. All are essential to the success of our reserve force. For more than a century, the reserve has reliably responded to needs in the recent past, the navy reserve provided response to the covid19 pandemic and surged nearly 500 sailors on short notice to support ongoing security crisis in europe. They were instrumental to the execution of noncombatant operations in sudan. Rapidly removing citizens from harms way. These activations highlight the flex ability, readiness and value our citizens sailors bring to the fight, get these contributions nearly hint at the demands of the navy reserve. The navy reserve is rapidly transforming to deliver a force designed, trained and ready to fight competently and boldly in sustained, multidomain high end warfare. The sinker sealer priority is simple, war fighting readiness. Modernizing reserve equipment, Training Systems and mobilization processes is critical to delivering this readiness and a mandate to ensure the readiness and availability of the Critical Response team, our service combatants demand. To ensure they are ready to activate on day one, the force must maintain parity with our counterparts in maintain relevant, modern equipment. Procurement of the julia aircraft to replace legacy airframes is the Navy Reserves number one equipment priority. In the past year, fleet logistics squadrons moved 96,000 passengers and 19 Million Pounds of cargo at a cost avoidance of 1 billion over alternative methods. However, the current c130 fleet is unable to meet requirements due to obsolescence issues. In conflict, the strain on supply chain would be an achilles heel to logistic requirements and operations. The juliet delivers increased capacity and cost savings due to fuel efficiency and reduced life cycle resulting in a reduction of 1000 per flight hour. In addition to equipment modernization, we are leveraging advancements to improve and modernize access to work and training and bring the navy reserve to the 21st century. These conference if improvements include hardware and software upgrades, the creation of digital workflows and the implementation of policies and processes that harness our greatest assets. The minds, talents and ideals of our sailors. In concert with these efforts, this exercises will leverage the navy reserve infrastructure to locally mobilize 50,000 sailors in only 30 days. Rapidly, accurately and to scale. Our reserve sailors are central and vital to our navys enduring war fighting advantage. We are committed to recruiting and retaining the very best of our society and equally committed to maintaining a culture of excellence, eliminating district behaviors, insuring sailor wellness and fostering a diverse, inclusive culture. Doing so is about war fighting readiness and enhances the asymmetric advantage generated by our winning team. I am grateful for the committees support of the naval reserve. Our efforts are made possible by the Timely Delivery of the appropriations bill that provides predictability to sailors, families, employers and our global Combatant Commanders. Distinguish memories of this committee, i remain humbled everyday by the commitment and contribution of our citizens sailors, dedicated civilians, supportive families and employers that collectively are your navy reserve. Thank you for your support and attention today. Thank you. Next we have general ballin. Distinguished members of the subcommittee, it is great to be here with you today. To share a conversation, a public conversation with Sergeant Major carlos reese. About your Marine Corps Reserves for congress has been a great partner to us as a service as we have been in the middle of this historic inflection point. To evolve the marine corps in order to meet the threats we have been directed to meet. Hopefully, my comments today provide extra contacts about what the Marine Corps Reserve has done to meet those demands. Time is what i want to emphasize. This is a Time Sensitive Task we have been given by you, the department of defense and the combat commanders to evolve quickly to deter any necessary threats. What have we actually done in the last year to meet that need . I want to talk about a couple of things specifically. First, a vignette. The lens through which we see the world, we focus on the marines first. The all volunteer force effort. We believe in our hearts that we are tasked with winning our nations battles. We win battles with marines and sailors. We dont equipment, we equip marines and sailors. As we look deep into the threat and deep into our task, we acknowledge this amazing Human Capital that it joined us because they want to serve. They chose us because they thought it was going to be a harder task. It was going to be more difficult than other choices. What they are asking us to do is to make their service worthwhile to honor them with the most fickle task, then armand equip them to achieve those tasks. To that end, we have formed what we call the marine Innovation Unit. An acknowledgment that this population will enjoy this unique, combined experience and education. They have their military service and they are civilian occupation education. If we bound them together, they could do Amazing Things if we didnt Pay Attention to occupational specialties and ranks and instead the desire to serve. This marine Innovation Unit accelerated an opportunity for us to transition legacy capacity and capability and you gave us the tools to do it. By using the funds from fy 2022 and 2023, we were able to take 400 marines who were facing a son downing scenario with legacy equipment and instead through ability, a maneuver capability, that allowed them to not only have a new mission set, but reinvigorated them. Here is the lesson i learned, by placing in tampa, florida and galveston, texas, we went from a scenario where enlistment rates in those cut in those two companies undervalue to some of the highest in my component. They were simply looking for a signal from us collectively that their service is meaningful. The task we would give them would be meaningful. With your help and with your staff in particular, we got great guidance from you and we moved at the speed of relevance. And enabled and empowered these volunteers to continue service in a way that is inspiring. So what do i believe the future is . The other thing we did was combine the abilities you have given us by combining the marine force reserve and the southern command. We accomplished two tasks at once. We raised the readiness of our Marine Forces in the reserves and also provide capabilities and capacities to a significantly under resourced combatant command. I believe the American People want us to do that. Youre marines and sailors love it. I am excited about the future. The quality of the marines we have are phenomenal. The environment for recruiting is going to be difficult. The American People and our forces are waiting for us to show that service is meaningful and they can trust us. I appreciate the opportunity and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Except, general healy. Chief air force reserve. Distinguished members of the subcommittee, on behalf of the 70,000 women of the men and women of the air force reserve, it is an honor for me to be here today. Chief master starting israel munich i am continually amazed by the accomplishments as they meet every challenge put forth. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the air force reserve. During that time, we have provided the nation with an operational capability, strategic depth and Surge Capacity across the u. S. Air force. As a parttime force, we provide a ready now accessible force that is both Mission Effective and costefficient. As our thread increases, we are committed to the secretary of the air forces operational imperatives. The chief of staffs vision and the three lines of effort. When i took command of the air force reserve a year ago, i issued a task order with my two priorities of ready now and transforming from the future. In our past year, we have gotten to prove that force through our ability to rapidly search and provide experienced airmen to the joint force. Reservists provide a critical support to nato allies and European Partners and performed everything from intelligence analysis, cybersecurity and air superiority missions, aircraft maintenance. The air force and space wars would not be able to support ukraine and deter russian aggression without reserve citizen airmen. To optimize our performance as part of a total force, the air force reserve must transform for the future. That transformation requires the air force reserve to be proportionally and concurrently modernized with the regular component. Main tweening equipment maintaining equipment parity ensures our ability to match facing threats. Legacy aircraft investment without recapitalization and delayed modernization ads substantial risk to the ability to sustain air superiority and strategic Surge Capacity in the future. We are grateful to congress for the National Guard and reserve equipment account which enables us to modernize and our replace obsolete equipment when recapitalization by the active component is not feasible. Our most important Weapon System is our airmen. Their focus on ensuring reserve airmen receive the support they need. This includes Mental Health resources, investment in resilience initiatives, offering social support through Yellow Ribbon programs, implementing recommendations from the independent commission on sexual assault. Over the past 75 years can the air force reserve has provided combat proven readiness. We are confident the air force reserve will remain prepared to defend our great nation now and in the future. Thank you for your continued support of the reserve, airmen and families. I want to thank you all for your statements. Im going to start with a story that has been well documented over the last months about a 21yearold air guardsmen that posted highly classified documents on the internet including intel about the war in ukraine. I dont know anybody that can tell me why this person had access to this particular classified information, but it is troublesome and i do not think it gives the air National Guard a particularly good look. So, what can you tell me about the status of the investigation . Thank you for the question. With respect to the airmen in the massachusetts National Guard, the secretary of the air force as initiative an investigation and we look forward to the results soon. Any and all recommendations they make will obviously be implement it immediately. With respect to the individual, it is an ongoing fbi investigation and we look forward to the results. I think we need to learn from the past as we move forward. How confident are you that with the information and the people you have talked to, that this kind of situation will never happen again . Very confident. This will never happen again, based on what we have found. Unfortunately we have been doing this for a long period of time. A lot of personnel are doing this. This one individual was an individual action and not indicative of the entire system. We are looking at safeguards we can put in place to put prevent any individual in the future from being able to do this. This pertinent this person didnt do it without somebody above them knowing what was going on. Are the people that allowed this to happen being held accountable too . Yes. They have removed some folks in light of the investigation. Based on the results of the investigation, active air force or if it applies to the National Guard, we will take appropriate action. A couple of the presenters talked about the account. For a point of reference, congress has appropriated 2. 9 billion over the last three years. This was a congressional add to make sure the reserves had the equipment they need, modern equipment that is ready when called upon. I think it is important we plan for how to utilize this money so the taxpayer gets the biggest bang for the buck could at the cash buck. At the end of march, basically half the money had been spent. I think your needs are great, i do not think anyone would dismiss that. For all of you, and be brief, why does it seem to be it has taken so long to get this money out the door to actually get the equipment you need . Whoever wants to start can. On behalf of the National Guard, we programmed to get about 99 to 100 execution in all of our funding. It is absolutely critical to modernization and some of our dual use equipment. Unfortunately we have found supply chain issues have delayed the delivery of some of those goods. But we are on track to spend all of that money. Anybody else want to comment . Federal daniels, go ahead. Similar to the National Guard, we take a hard look at what equipment lines are open, what critical capabilities are prioritized. Sometimes we cannot get access to that equipment in the sequence we would like, but we monitor a lengthy list of requirements and make sure we spend those funds judiciously across the three years we have the Funds Available to us. My comment is very similar. With the three year look, we phase out expenditures. There is pressure in a cr environment. However for new contracts, which has delayed in some cases what we intended to rid buy. Intended to originally buy. For us, the biggest delay this year was the fact that we wanted to reroll some of the money already approved. And your staff helped with that. We are 100 committed this year and if there is any left over, we will spend that too. This er does impact our ability to get a start but once we get started, the money does flow through our proportional multiyear plan of implementation. General hook and, you talked about 25 flying missions within the guard and needed every one of them. A10 tens are going away and they should. How Many Missions does that impact . Suspicion all three squadrons would convert to a more current aircraft. F35 or one of the what is called postblock f16s. Our newest ones. There are plans for every mission to go away and to replace with another fighter mission . That is the plan. We believe through fleet leveling and current scheduled aircraft or any additionals, we could provide the ability to do that. Sen. Collins i wanted to followup up on the important issue you just raised, since we have heard our witnesses talk about the need to recapitalize the aircraft fleet. General hughley, and understand that more than three quarters of the 25 air guard fighter squadrons operate legacy f15 fighter aircraft, that obviously reduces interoperability and compatibility with activeduty units. The disproportionate fielding of the aircraft affect other units as well such as the air refueling wing and my home state of maine. My understanding is that the current plan places 71 of the new with active units. 14 with reserve units and 15 with guard units. Even though the guard flies almost 38 of all air force tankers. It seems disproportionate to me if only 15 of the new aircraft is going to the guard if the guard is flying 38 of all tankers. Should new aircraft be fielded in a manner that is proportional to the guards operational contributions . I agree 100 that it appears disproportionate right now. The 77 of the air force reserve sleep is legacy. In the words of the secretary of the air force, legacy is defined as does not concern the prc. C1 38, preblock f16 are all in concerns for the air force reserve in terms of proportionality. The National Commission on the structure of the air force in 2014 called friend recommended proportional rent and current fielding of Weapons Systems with the Garden Reserve in association with the active component and we are constantly advocating adherence to that location. As Weapons Systems are upgraded and recapitalized on the active component, if the card and reserve are not proportionally recapitalized, we will ultimately lack the capacity and capability to participate in that fight if we are still flying in 37yearold aircraft. Whether is the ft oneforone , kc 46 or any of the bombers for the b 21 family of systems, we are looking to contribute and we want to be that Search Capacity we have provided for the last 75 years. Sen. Collins thank you very much. Germans questions to you about the airmen who has been accused of leaking classified documents. What was so disturbing to me was when i learned through some of the Court Filings that there was an air force member and a miranda that indicated that he had been repeatedly warned. This was not a deviation that came out of the blue. But in fact he had been reprimanded and he had been instructed to quote, stop any deep dives into classified intelligence information and focus on his job. He quote, had been observed taking notes on classified intelligence materials. These reports are very concerning because it appears that this serious breach might have been prevented, or stopped much sooner, if the guard unit had taken greater action to restrict his access to classified information. My question is, what is the Standard Practice when someone has been reprimanded for misuse of classified information and then does it again . That means it should not require an ig report. That should be on the books now, i should think. Yes, i found that extremely concerning as well. Anytime there is a the chain of command should investigate it. The fbi is investigating to determine if there was negligence in the airmens chain of command. We are looking at the chain of command who was responsible for that, and if it was negligence on their part, it will be addressed immediately. Thank you all for being here. As the cochair of the National Guard caucus, i am appreciative of hearing your concerns. I want to start with you, you may wish to weigh in as well. In your Opening Statement you talked about the readiness concerns. You mentioned specifically the fighter squadrons. With the 157th air refueling wing in New Hampshire, i am concerned about the status of those kc46 units, we still do not have them flying the way they were commissioned to fly. What we have seen at the 157th, they have seen cuts of their personnel. I recognize you face constraints , i am very concerned that we have aircraft sitting in New Hampshire, i know they are being used, it doesnt feel like they are being used to the full extent because of those personal constraints. Can you talk about how you expect to resolve some of those issues . I understand you are conducting a manning study. When do you expect the results of that study and do you have any insights into what that will show . You bring up a great organization, i believe that refueling unit set a world record for the longest continuous flight of an Aerial Refueling. We are very proud of them. It is a great organization. When we look across the entire National Guard, if we have any positions that are in excess, we need to account for those. The personnel actions were not specific to the one 57th, but at all of our guard units. Because you are the first of our kc46 units, we evaluated on an annual asis to make sure we have the right number of personnel so we can fully leverage the capability of that system. This is a temporary measure to keep in touch with what are authorized, as we identify additional capabilities, we will reallocate the manpower. It has been temporary for several years. Yes maam, our strengths have a reduced in some cases. We have had to look across the entire National Guard to determine savings. Do you have any insights from the staffing study from the kc 46 . I am not aware, but i can follow up on exact specifics of that study. With the reserve kc46 units, we have seen Great Results in terms of coming up to speed and delivering on schedule. I know that the air force Mobility Command is holding the manufacturers to task to make sure we are releasing the capabilities as fast that they are able and to recover the capabilities that werent initially produced the way they should be. We are looking forward to deliveries in california and expect to see fully capable kc46 units. How many years late . Yes maam. I think it is a message to boeing to do better in the future as well. You mentioned the importance of childcare in your Opening Statement. I think that is very critical that we think about how important that is. We have interesting cooperative effort between the Naval Shipyard and the air National Guard in New Hampshire to do a joint childcare center. That they would share. Can you speak to why that is so important to the guard . I have a hundred 50 Army Reserve Centers across the u. S. , most of which are not within a 50 mile radius of a major installation. They are in communities, we have had challenges finding weekend care. We cannot find the providers that are willing to work on weekends. We have done a number of different pilot activities over the past year. That is still our challenge. He found a couple of organizations that we will make inroads with that will help us have that we can opportunity. I look forward to hearing more about what you have learned and see how this committee can be supportive of that. I want to go to your First Priority for how the guard gets integrated into the space force. I think that is a very real concern. I have asked the general about the issue on several occasions. The ambiguous response has not been reassuring. I hope that we can continue to work with you on how that gets done. From the beautiful sunflower state. I have always known you to tell the truth, at least on some occasions. Thank you for being here, thank you for your service to our nation, i understand and appreciate the crucial role that the National Guard and reserve play in our military. You are there and a great asset to the wellbeing and National Security of our country. Guard hokanson , to follow on senator shaheens beginning conversation about the Space Mission, when general saltzman was in for this committee, i asked him of the creation of space National Guard. He testified that his best military advice supported the most Cost Effective alternative that preserve operational capabilities. In your best military advice, on creation of a space National Guard, how would you answer that request from general saltzman . Thank you for the question. I would argue that the comments that the chief of Space Operations made describing the air National Guard units performing the Space Mission. From my best military advice, when i look at the fact we have been doing this mission for over 28 years, in some cases we are the only ones that have ever done those missions. We have 14 units, about 1000 people, we are about 30 of the operational squadrons today. To me, my greatest concern is readiness to the force. By simply redesignating those air guard units performing the Space Mission to a spaceguard organization, i could do that with the resources that i currently have in my budget. And it would simply be from one against to the next, our airmen would change their name from air force to scared at no time would interrupt the capabilities provide. The personnel would stay in the same place, same jobs, doing the same mission they are doing every day. Some of them are deployed right now, providing that support to our nation. My concern is, if we look at reestablishing in another component, it could cost our nation about 1 billion. That is not only to restructure, rebuild this within a different component, but also the need to retrain those current air guard members that are performing the mission into another mission set read. When you look at is, it is an easy decision. Thank you sir. I was going to ask you about the cost to stand up a National Guard component. I give you the chance to make that clear. We look at the cost of 640 million to remission what currently exists into a future type organization. The concern that we have is right now the air National Guard space units of the only unit equipped search to Work Capability. Our air force reserve counterparts are primarily individual fillers. The National Guard is actually manned trained and equipped. The concern is come up when you look at the 28 years of experience that we have to replicate that or the constituted, it may take 710 years to get those folks grew scrolls and trained. I do not think our nation can afford to see that reduction in readiness over that time period. Would you elaborate on the significance of the National Guard reserve to the u. S. Army reserves mission . It is a vital to my ability to modernize the army has spoken on legality. And looking forward to the 20302040 future battles. The army reserve is primarily, support and service report. Our modernization efforts have led to behind. It supports about 3540 of my ability to modernize in terms of raw dollar value. I appreciate what you told me, i have a goal of seeing that the Starbase Program is expanded in kansas, Stem Education is usually important to the National Security of our nation. Starbase, which i have visited on many occasions, is compelling, but we have parts of the state, particularly the most rural, that are underserved. I appreciate your willingness to work with me to see that we change that circumstance. We appreciate your service to the nation. Thank you for your testimony today, thank you for the years you have spent in duty to country, and all kansans are particularly honored by that service. Thank you mr. Chairman, thank you to all of our witnesses. You have listed health care for the National Guard force as a command priority. Like you i believe that increasing access to health care and dental care for our guard and reserve Service Members would pay dividends in readiness. Especially for short notice appointment. I injuries the health care for our troops act, a bill that would provide all National Guard and reserve Service Members premium, Free Health Care coverage. Can you describe the impact of this proposal, what sort of impact would have on the readiness of the total force . I think you hit it right on the head. There premium Free Health Care and dental care are critically important. Having been through multiple deployments, one of the biggest things that we see addressing in readiness is medical and dental readiness for our personal. I would say that is the largest thing that impacts our readiness. Having that ability, so that every guardsman and reservist that is in universe in uniform, will ensure their medical readiness. We look at the investment that we put in, our individuals in terms of the training and time that goes into it. Not only that, their investment and time away from their families and employers. This is the best way to ensure that when we make that call, they are ready to go to answer whatever our nation needs him to do. General hokanson, last month the f 35 aircraft started to arrive at a field in madison, wisconsin. Wisconsin National Guard was the critical capability for our Nations Defense. I have questions about that. The cutie and supports a significant number of jobs. What are the economic benefits for the local community that we can anticipate from hosting the f 35 fighter wing . The community and their that establishes such a fantastic unit. The benefits is there are aerial ranges, gun ranges, Aerial Refueling units, and airspace that made it a good choice. When you look at the community, you have a stateoftheart aircraft, that will be there for decades. The number of folks that employees and are going to be there to support the unit are going to make a huge difference to the local community. And having been there, the coordination between the unit and the local community makes a huge difference. While i am very grateful that my home state is making a significant contribution to National Security, i would say that neighbors are concerned about the impact of increased noise in the area surrounding the airport. I helped secure resources in a previous appropriations bill to help us start planning for noise mitigation activities. Can you please elaborate on efforts the National Guard is taking to help with this planning and to engage the local community that will be impacted by noise . That key there is for us to work with the faa and the unit. As we get the aircraft into identify the areas we can reduce noise. This may affect the approach patterns or the type of approaches into the airport. Also working with the aircrews to identify the areas where they can reduce noise. And also make the communities aware of grants or Resources Available to them to help reduce the noise locally. Are these activities well underway . Yes, maam, as we get more aircraft, as we go on, they will definitely want to be Good Neighbors with the community, they are great supporters of the organization. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you offered being here, we appreciate your service, i always enjoy getting to visit you. We appreciate your service, and as always, we appreciate your families. This is certainly a family affair. All that you represent. General daniels, one key element of funding is the funded Reimbursable Authority. Each year this committee authorizes this Funding Authority for military intelligence activities in support of combatant and defense agencies. Can you speak to the importance of this authority, and if you believe funded Reimbursable Authority should be expanded to other high demand skills such as cyber and space activities . The funded Reimbursable Authority allows combatant commands to use their operational funds to pay for service. It is done in a voluntary manner, it allows them to have done additional capacity for those folks who are available to support the requirements within the combatant command. Expanding on bond expanding beyond intelligence would be helpful. Adolescent to use skills and to be very expert in those areas. Expansion would be welcome. Streamline if i the active activation and utilization of reserve component members. Efforts to consolidate this burdensome system has gone on for almost three decades. Which i know has been frustrating for Service Members. Can you all jump in and briefly discuss how consolidating the system would positively impact servicemembers and their families and increase retention . How can congress be more helpful in getting this effort . This is some thing we have talked about forever. With the situation that we are on now, with retention, it is more important than ever. When we look at the 28 different duty statuses, the ability under duty status reform simply vies how we would mobilize and our guardsman. The biggest thing that we have a concern of, we want people to pay for what we do, we want guardsman or reservists to be treated exactly the same as active duty counterparts if they are doing the same mission. The last thing we want is to socialist to be standing two soldiers to be standing together , and one gets the benefits, and one doesnt. We would fully endorse being able to have the that passed into law. But also to remove the Administrative Burden of knowing which is the right pay status to put someone in. Find the process for everyone. That would be a great value. What is the marine core doing to help this committee better understand how we can help the Services Going forward . I think we are the only one who came close to meeting the go. Our requirement is smaller. I do not think we should draw the long wrong conclusions. We were successful this year, but the, don have testified that the strength of the Marine Corps Reserve will be back at 37,000. We are at 33,000. That has to happen at the end of the decade. The trends in society, i have questions about how we are going to do that. One of the things that we are doing is looking at reestablishing capacity where the population is and will be. Some of our drill centers are located where the publishing was in the 1950s. Not where it is and will be. A big part of it is proving to the American People that service is honorable and worthwhile. The trends are not good in that direction. I do not see that as a bad thing. Should we not have to prove to our citizens occasionally that the nation is worth defending . Absolutely. Picking up on that, how do you do that . How do you convince them that they should want to step up and serve . Work with your staff, had a need that emerged, i need for capability. We were looking at sun downing a couple of units that were healthy in florida and texas. The demonstration by working with this committee to find the right authorities to move at the speed of relevance, took two units whose realness meant rates were going down because they saw no future in service. Now they are among the top of all my formations. All they needed was a demonstration from us that we value the service and are going to give them the tools and equipment they need to be ready when the nation needs him. That is an example of what they can do. I also think theyd like this where we have open testimony, and demonstrate an open conversation that we are trying to find ways to reestablish some of the faith and confidence we have not have lost. We might have lost. I would also like to point out, the federal Tuition Assistance program. I would like each of you to weigh in on that. I want to start with you, general hokanson, we put together a Pilot Program through this committee. That interNational Guard reserve Pilot Program is important, not only to recruit individuals, but to keep them. There is a difference between services and active duty and guard reserve. We need to be for that thing up right now. It will not only help tool help pull people in, it will help make them better. I would like to hear from each one of you on that. It is a great program. When i visit the 54, i always talk to recruiters and asked them, what are the things that bring people in . Education is a consistent thing. All of them but one, the state helps provide Tuition Assistance. We had to balance with the fiscal year and Academic Year to fully utilize the funding. Anytime we have the ability to utilize that, also for tuition payback, also retention bonuses, it will make a huge impact. Do you think we should make a priority to strengthen it as a tool for recoupment and retention . Yes sir, education, any benefits we can provide to them is a benefit when it comes to recruiting. Less than 1 of volunteer. Who are they . They have a call to service, anything we can do to invest in them has an amazing return on investment from a citizens perspective. They are selfmotivated, they already have a call to service, why would be not invest in them . The army reserve has 25 million in 2022, we put in a request for 33 Million Dollars next year. It is a growing it is another fund that we use simultaneously. It is super important for our members to become more and more educated. Along with our warrants as well. They leverage quite a bit. This is vital for us to keep them on the cutting edge of their technical experience for the civilian careers and to be ahead of their peers. It is super important. It is a winning program, we recognize the impact on recruiting, we can offers this incentive. We continue to invest within the navy reserve for Selective Reserve Tuition Assistance, recognizing the benefit that it provides our sailors. The navy is a technical force. It benefits the individual, but it is a selfish they need that ongoing education to handle all of the amazing systems that we are developing. We used to say, we are competing for the same resources to recruit against the marine corps, the navy, and the army. Now we are recruiting against meta, google and others. The 4500 we use spend on Tuition Assistance rightly impacts our ability to recruit and retain. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you all, thank you for your service, thank you on behalf of the state of alaska. We appreciate our reserve and our National Guard Service Members and civilians. They provide extraordinary support to us and the state, and to the country. We have continued success with inpatient readiness training. Certainly when it comes to homeland defense, missile defense, air refueling. Combat search and rescue, strategic airlift, there are so much. We are very grateful. I am very proud of the reserve men and women who service as an provide such benefit. I also im thing for for the cost savings that you bring to all of the effort here. We have an opportunity yesterday to visit about some of the more specific concerns that you and i had shared. We had discussed previously the issue of the space force and the mission there. They have been doing extraordinary work there with the ground base radar Missile Warning mission since 2006. We are seeing space force becoming more mature, that is good. I have been concerned that there has not been a clearly articulated or adequate plan to ensure that these airmen and their mission are cared for in a way that works Going Forward with the space force. I fear they may miss out on opportunities, education or equipment. I understand that prior to my arrival at committee, you did address a question regarding space force. I do not know if you want to add anything further to that in terms of your opinion on the establishment of the space National Guard to ensure that these guardians are equipped and trained for the missions that they are in the front on. This goes back to the years and years of experience our airmen have doing this mission set. And to the incredible capability they provide our nation every day. We are the only unit equipped searched go to Work Capability that exists within the reserve component for the Space Mission. Having a Clear Pathway for them will not only help with our current recruiting but it will also ensure that all of those years of experience, although where they have done, and the ability of our guardsmen to bring over half of them have veterans in technical or hightech or aerospace industries. They bring that Knowledge Base to work to them. We rely on them to deploy around the globe and continue to do their mission. Anything and everything we can do to retain them, my best military advice to reduce any impact at all to readiness or the ability to feel that the unit would be to transfer the current interNational Guard units during the Space Mission into a National Guard component for the space force so they continue everything they are doing today tomorrow. Thank you for clarifying that and putting it on the record. I would like to erect the question to you, general healy. We are proud of the the most experienced f22 unit in the. They produce while if id fighter pilots. You mentioned the term concurrent and proportional fielding. It allows the air force reserves to incorporate new aircraft at the same rate and proportion as our activeduty components. How will the current concurrent and proportional fielding effect units, especially as we are looking to the new airframes coming on, such as the next Generation Air dominance and the 87 e7s . I have had the great opportunity to go twice to anchorage to visit them. The most experienced f22 unit and the entire air force, they are exactly where they need to be. At the forefront of the defense of the country. They are the tip of that spear that alaska provides. As we look towards the future, and possible recapitalization from f22s and the possibility of nextGeneration Air dominance, air superiority experienced will translate perfectly and would be the template to go by if we were to look at concurrent proportional servicing of nine liquids with ee seven, allows us to write expertise and experience moving forward. I will submit this for the record. I happened to adjourn and time to make this hearing. The gao noted lester that the pentagon is facing the most challenging recruitment environment in 50 years. The army has especially struggled to meet recruitment goals. The service missed its number by 15,000, or 25 . I am glad to see this budget request increases competitive compensation and funding for recruitment working programs. As well as improving quality of life for current Service Members. How has the impact been on the guard and reserve in this recruiting challenge . I will start with a National Guard. One you look at where we are today, our recruiters have been able to adjust to the current environment. We have seen a steady increase in our recruiting abilities. The army National Guard is on path to meet our and a strength by the end of the year. In terms of the National Guard, we are in an challenging environment. We have seen very positive increases, especially over the last year. I am not declaring victory, i am saying that right now, all of the trends are very positive, we hope to continue those into the new year and make sure we maintain our army National Guard and a and reach our air National Guard and strength. What elements that are most persuasive . For those when i go across the 54, i visit with recruiters. Educational benefits are the first thing they bring up. The other one is benefits such as health care. What they are finding is Many Companies are offering benefits that they did not before. Medical, educational benefits. Competition out there for the same individuals is getting much stronger. Also internally, we are working with our own systems. That is reducing the time it takes for it personal to get waivers and addressing policies are preventing folks from serving. Any other members have a common . Is important to realize the math component. The population we are trained to recruit is smaller among gen z and millennials. That is a fact we have to deal with. The propensity to serve has diminished. That is all about us earning the confidence of the American People back that service is worthwhile. It is a holistic problem but there is a math component as well. I am about to say coming that is a secret, it is not classified, but i need shortly. We have 780,000 doctorate daca recipients. Many of whom want to serve this country, where they grew up. There is an obstacle, congress. We have not given them a pathway to citizenship. This should be a pathway. You ought to open up your opportunities, we should across the board. Two dreamers, two daca recipients, who really want to serve this country. For some wreath and there has been a resistance, perhaps it is the luxury of a lot of recruits that we didnt need. I would tell you that, i have met them, i know them, they make great sacrifices just to have this opportunity to wear the uniforms. I hope when you are in the highest levels of the pentagon, that you will discuss this candidly. Your predecessors have not always been cooperative. There is a resistance because they are undocumented. They may have not been born here, but they love this country just as much as all of us, and pledge allegiance to the flag. I add my voice of thanks and gratitude to all of you for service and your families as well. I wanted to ask general hokanson , West Virginia is home to the National Guard special forces capabilities. Can you speak to the importance of the guards special forces capabilities and what they contribute to the joint force . It is an herbal capability. When you look at the two special forces groups that are not on the active component, they are both in the army National Guard. If you go back to the early days of 9 11, it was special forces folks that were there, they have served admirably around the globe. It is something we work very closely with special Operations Command to make sure that we make the ability for those leaving active duty to come into the National Guard. And also to recruit those straightly out of the National Guard into our formations. It is a critical skill set that we utilize each and every day. And our Combatant Commanders cannot get enough of them. We are doing everything we can to recruit and retain and provide bonuses and incentives to keep them in our formations. You have a transition pipeline from active . Is that we were saying . Absolutely, maam. In the early days of 9 11, when the special forces deployed, we lost a good West Virginian at the very beginning. This is a technical question, i am going to ask it, i am not sure exactly what i am asking in terms of the technical parts of it. Accurate positioning navigation and timing, and gps services are essential to u. S. Critical infrastructure and for literary operations. Our state is one of the states of the West Virginia to participate as a test site for the National Guards National Integration of time resiliency for operations. Could you tell me a little bit about nitro . It is a very important capability, it provides alternate resilient diamond for tps. Just alternate resilient timing for gps. In the case there is a loss of the gps directional signal. Does this capability go throughout all different forces . We are not sure of the exact fielding plan, it is based on the finding that is provided. Have it in six states, 20 one others have expressed an interest. We are looking at the longterm viability of this. If there are other alternate abilities to provide the same. Let me ask a question on cyber. I am assuming that all of you have certain cybersecurity components. Is it growing . How important is it to you . Is there a coordinating aspect of this across the forces . I think acknowledging we are in the information age, it is only going to get more important. It is vital to everything we do. For all of us we are looking for more extreme lined ways for us to get our marine soldiers, sailors and airmen to have simply expertise in qualifications but may not have the military specialty to find a way to expedite their access to our systems that does not exist right now. It is a very byzantine approach that we have now, we need to do better. The army reserve is looking to expand the amount of our force that is cyber warriors. We are growing out eight Cyber Protection brigade, adding in additional capabilities. I meet with the army cyber lead, along with the army National Guard director, we coordinate activities to make sure we are not hitting the Training Pipeline to fast. We are trying to make sure we are all in sync. Cyber is a growth area for the navy reserve. We currently have about 8000 sailors. We continue to work closely with cybercom and fleetcyber. Where i see this happening most effectively is also related to our recruiting initiatives. We have civilians i can walk in the door immediately, we can do direct commission. We created a new cyber designator, a significant step from a immunity Management Community management perspective. The absolute growth industry within the air force reserve currently getting into mission insurance, increasing cyber operations, looking towards leveraging sibling experience. Civilian experience. We have 4000 separate professionals in the guard. We are part of the Cyber National mission force. The one thing i would highlight is we have state partnerships with 100 nations. One of the greatest requests is to help them with the Cyber Defense and Network Defense in the country. We are finding when we are looking at misinformation campaigns, it is critical to have our allies. Help our allies. We appreciate your work and making sure that our National Defense is up to where it needs to be. General bellon, we wish you all the best in the next phase of your life. Senators may submit additional questions, we ask that if additional questions come in, you answer them as quickly as you possibly can. The defense subcommittee will reconvene on tuesday june 20, at 3 30 p. M. For a class of a hearing with the intelligence community. This committee stands in recess. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] rear after the service