Actions in the ukraine by russia and the challenges that means for us here in the u. S. And for the International Community. I certainly hope that we will see action in the senate and congress in the next few days. Thatast in the next week expressed bipartisan concern and send a strong message that the country is united and we thank those think those actions are totally inappropriate and unacceptable within the International Community and international law. I hope that you all will continue to keep the Committee Informed about that issue in the coming weeks as challenges change and things are changing very rapidly. Outlined in many of the questions so far, people have talked about the increasing threats around the world, the significant crises we are facing throughout the world today and the challenges that face is for our National Security. Thetly is about men and women in uniform and int is happening elastically terms of our military and its footprint in the United States. I represent the state that shares the shipyard. That is the big issue for us. As i saw the budget that is being presented, one concerned that i had was that there is a request for another background in the future as chair of the readiness subcommittee and senator kelly ayotte is my ranking member. We are very concerned about that. I certainly strongly disagree or a coupleee and i think of things we need answers to, one is last year at our readiness subcommittee i asked about the timeline for the delivery of a report on our installation and europe with respect to our infrastructure there. A sensitivehat is issue right now. It seems to me if we are making base closurest here in the United States we need to have a picture worldwide about what we are facing and europe is part of that picture. Secondly i do not think we have heard adequately about the cost of another background and how that would impact on our ability to save money over time. We know that the last round costs about 14 billion more than was anticipated. There have been a number of recommendations for how to do this in the future that have not yet been adopted idea d. Speak toif you could that concern and to the potential for us to be able to see a report on what is happening with our other infrastructure around the world, particularly in europe. Thank you. First, since 2000, i think down the road on our facilities closing in europe by over 30 of where we started from. We can get you the specific numbers. We are accurate in that. This Committee David the dod some pretty clear direction on that. We are complying with that and we are continuing to explore all the options everywhere particularly in europe. We will give you the specific numbers. On two or three of the other points you made on the cost, i presume youre talking about the 2005 base closing. Which as you know the focus on that and chairman levin knows this very well was as much a is anythingon as else. We are generating considerable from based we will closings. It is around 12 billion, is that a year . I think the yearend savings which we can document and we can show you that. The fact is bottom line, we tonot continue to afford carry infrastructure that we do not need. I wish we could do it all. I wish we could keep every platform we have everywhere. But we cannot do it all. It does not make sense taking money away from infrastructure that we do not need that is not relevant. It takes money away from what is relevant. Our people and otterness nation and our readiness. We think this is a smart position to have. Called for we have it again. We will continue to work through all this. I have got some options as secretary of defense. And through a section of article 10 of reorganization and so on. We have to come at this like i said and the chairman said from the beginning with a complete understanding of what our needs for the security of this country are and going to be and the requirements in order to fulfill our missions to secure this nation and our interests around the world. That is how we are coming at it. I agree. That is why i hope we will see the report on the european infrastructure consolidation because i think that is information that will be helpful to this committee. I will ask for comptroller fee wants to add anything. Another round would be different. It would be ended saving money and cost based on historical precedents about 6 billion. 2 billion a year in perpetuity. If we do not do that we are basically wasting 2 billion year. We need your help on this one. Do you have information on when we might expect a report on the european and for structure . I do not know the exact a. We need to do both. We cut a lot of europe and we will continue to as it is appropriate but we know we have domestic infrastructure that is not needed. We need to go after votes. I do not want to see us wasting money. It wouldeciate that. Be helpful for us to have that information so we can help work with you. We will get you a date for the record. Thank you. Thank you very much. Senator fisher. Thank you. I thank the witnesses for being here today. First of all i would like to say that i appreciate your comments that you made last month with regards to modernizing our Nuclear Capabilities and also with your attention you have given the issues that we have with icbms. I do thank you for that and for prioritizing those. And the president speech in berlin last year, hell and the door to additional reductions in nuclear forces. Since that time we have heard numerous testimony and we have heard that from commanders that further reductions should only come as part of a negotiated agreement with russia. Is that your view . X yes. General dempsey, do you agree . I do. The russians, they are not interested in further reductions at this time, is that true as well . There are not any further conversations on this issue. As far as i know. Do you also agree with that . I do. About orare talking any additional reductions, whether it is going to be warheads or launchers, that is kind of premature, would you say, it is not practical at this time. We continue to work to comply with as the russians do with the new start treaty. That is our focus and that is what we are continuing to do. Would you agree with that, general dempsey . Youre saying that any reductions in those warheads or launchers, and he additional reductions are premature. Beyond the new start treaty, yes. Thank you. For last week you announced structure changes. If you can imagine a lot of us have heard about it and we have heard about it not just from active military and reserved but also our National Guard members. Our governors were here last week or the week before as well. When i have heard was the perception out there that possibly the guard really was not engaged and how this decision was made. Can he speak to that for us . Yes. I met with the governors counsel when they were in town as you may know. Our senior representatives spent most of the day with the governors and their staff. That is first. I had lunch with nebraskas governor. We talked about these issues as well. Priority of the national forceand reserves in our structure posture remains a critical part of this is i have already noted. We are planning for that. As you know the National Guard as chiefepresentative who sits at the table. The chairman of the joint chiefs convenes those meetings. The active participation and voice of the National Guard is very clearly heard on all matters. General frank has been an important addition to all these issues and recognizing he represents the National Guard and we get that. There is no leaving out the National Guard on any decision. Recognizing there were differences ultimately. Make no mistake. The priority of the National Future isd reserves critical to the interest of this country. I can reassure my guarded home that their views were heard, it was a collaborative postal. Doing a veryass is effective job representing you. Thank you. Back to the ukraine. Everyone here has deep concerns with the situation. What our goals are, what the goals are for the United States, what is our priority, is our priority to return the crimea to ukraine and how will we addressing what the priorities are for our country with regard to what is happening there . Our objective is the president has laid out and i think as you know what secretary kerry is doing is to deescalate the tension, the crisis. So that i give us that gives us an environment where we can work through the current situation. As i noted in my opening comments a number of diplomatic economic tracts are now in play. President issued initiated those with our European Partners with the u. N. Osc and nato and the budapest partners thats that signed. He budapest agreement secretary kerry was supposed to meet with the minister today. Whether that has happened or not. These different tracks, it diplomatic, economic solve this problem diplomatically. We have interests them of course we do. Ask. Is the goal as you what are we pursuing and what are we doing . I think it is the right approach. The responsible approach. Thats what you say our goal is todeescalate tensions over see the russians removed from crimea . We made that clear, our position. We are we recognize the new government. The russians, they have a basing agreement with crimea. Troops should return to their barracks. There is a threshold of how many troops they can have in the crimea. Deescalated be and tensions are down and the troops go back to their base. The government is allowed to govern and prepare for the elections that are set in may. That is the right approach. The integrity, the sovereignty of ukraine has been violated. We made that very clear. That is the issue and will be the issue until that is resolved. Call on senator kelly ayotte. Thank you. Received the wrong protected the president s priorities because there was an increase in defense nondefense spending versus defense spending with regard to 14 14 to 15, that is not correct. It is there a verse. There is a one percent reduction for defense and to 3. 4 reduction for nondefense. To the sick just the extent i suggested their priorities were anyrsed and encourage and impression that was given by that. Let me begin by joining my colleagues and thanking you, mr. Secretary, general dempsey, and mr. Hale for your Extraordinary Service and your focus on this the Strategic Priorities which i believe are the right ones for this nation. On example, for the need additional submarines at the rate of two per year in production, for the focus on air superiority and the joint strike fighter, and the concentration of the needs to keep the National Guard and reservists strong. Man whoo focus on one happens to be a resident of connecticut. Who enlisted in the u. S. Marine thes in november of 1968 at age of 20. Went to paris island and served untiltnam from july november of 1969 where he was brushed by mortar fire and gassed, by guerrillas, subject to rifle fire, he received a high proficiency rating for his conduct and performance on the field, and some months after leaving vietnam, began to suffer from anxiety attacks, flashbacks, insomnia, symptoms that we now know are associated with poster manic stress. Posttraumatic stress was not even diagnosed until 1980. He was involved in altercations, other incidents that led to his confinement to the brig and he was even the choice to leave the military within other than Honorable Discharge. And he chose to do so. In that year, when he received that discharge, his condition was unrecognized but now would be recognized as such thanks to the changes in policy and i commend them and i know that you have read extramarital you have been instrumental in achieving them. There are thousands, we do not know how many men who were discharged with other than honorable status and have suffered the stigma and shame and loss of benefits and wounded twice, first on the battlefield and then in civilian life first and thenaumatic stress by an other than Honorable Discharge which denied the medical treatment for the very wounds that they suffered as well as employment benefits, housing, other ba benefits va benefits. Mr. Monk hasunt, sued you and your colleagues as did John Sheppard before him. Hope this can be avoided. You are very forthcoming in the confirmation hearing. And agreed to review this situation. I am asking you now to commit to changing the system because mr. Monk has waited for 18 months for the board of corrections of naval records, the board of corrections has not dealt with his application. He has begun a class action on behalf of himself, other organization, and veterans. The system really needs to be changed and overhauled. I would like your commitment that you will address this situation as soon as possible. I supported you because of my confidence that you cared about veterans such as mr. Monk and the v. A. Is sympathetic and supportive of the situation but discharge. Ge his that is solely within your power and i am confident in your commitment to our veterans and our troops. I continue to have tremendous aspect and admiration for your record of service and your commitment to them. This comment on my part is not by way of criticism. I know you have a lot of things on your mind and it has been a to z year but i am looking asking for your commitment now. Thank you and thank you for your generous comments. You have my absolute commitment. I asked our general counsel yesterday about this lawsuit. I assume you are referring to the larger Vietnam Veterans of america. Exactly. I took note of it. I asked our general counsel to get back to me this week on it. I will get into it. Get the specifics and our staff will get the specifics. The already addressing larger issue and taking a look at it and i will do it personally. Thank you. Let me briefly deal with the interoperability of the medical like electronic records. Could you update me as to what can be done as soon as possible not only to make the system interoperable but also to in effect integrate it and make it seamless and truly serve the medical interests of our veterans as well as our activeduty members. Went you may know when i to the pentagon a year ago, this was a high priority. Systemuctured the entire within dod. We were not making progress we should have been making progress. We all spent a lot of money on this. Put it under the direction of the undersecretary and requisitions we brought in a new team a few months ago. That team has been briefing the help constantly. We have gone out to the private sector on rfps and we are going to happen interoperable situation. Dod thisnell at is aside from this particular project. Thist dod her snell out in aid of washington out assigned out there. Closely on this. We are going to get there, that is the goal. We will attain that. We will be putting that rfp out in the next couple of months. Had three different industry meetings. Response and we want to make sure that we havent and are operable system. We have computerized the health care records. We have some other things that we need to do with it as well. If your staff would like a specific briefing on this we can do that. I was going to ask you if that would be possible and i would appreciate it. I would like to say when the council contacts me about the vietnam veteran ptsd situation. I am not asking about only mr. Monk, i am asking about the literally thousands of others who suffer from condition that was undiagnosed until 1980 and many suffer the shame and stigma of the other than Honorable Discharge. Hey can be corrected item, it is at critical item. Would you let the committee know and i will share that with the members of the committee. They touched an issue which is very significant and that strikes a chord with all of us. Thank you for your service. We will try to get through a lot of ground here. Releasednees that were by the karzai government, i want to thank general dempsey and secretary hagel for speaking out strongly. I know you have been intimately involved in this issue. Congress spoke on this issue about the issue. I appreciate your leadership as i have told you. As i have said publicly. The voice of congress would be important because this is a huge threat to our people. Ini worry about more to come the last hours of the karzai administration. We have a bipartisan resolution. I would like to urge my asleagues to get that passed soon as possible. I want to thank you both there. Sequestration was not your idea, was it . That the record show. Not nor was it yours. It was not. Whatever differences we may have a problem we are discussing was created by the congress and the white house. Lease do not misunderstand the military has never suggested this road map we set out for them. It was part of a supercommittee and punishment clause and here we are. I want to let everyone know that you did not create this problem. Youre going to help us solve it. When it comes to reforming this is a must no matter how much money you have in the budget. There are some things they should do. Sequestration aside and that is one of them. I want to be generous to our military men and women. It is on the path of being unsustainable. Rex if we can slow the growth we can spend the money where he needed. It was a couple of years ago, you did allow some modest increases. It has not changed much. I want to compliment you for putting these tough issues on the table. I hope that congress will back you up as to how we sit down and look at future retire retirement and benefits. That needs to be put on the table. That is why i am waiting on the commission. Tommy and in reforming the military, count me out when it comes to cutting the military. With an understanding i would like to talk about our budget. Of gdp are wee spending on our National Defense in this budget . Be 3. 2 for dod. Historically in times of peace, is that low or high . It depends on what history you are looking at. If you go back it is a lot higher. It was higher in the past. Apples to apples. It has been well over five. Do you consider this a time of peace . It would be hard to describe it that way. , 3. 2 is below what we would spend on military and time of peace. We will see if we can recognize reconcile that. Lets talk about the ongoing conflict. Have you talked with anyone in ukraine on the military side t