DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2004 HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEFENSE JERRY LEWIS, California, Chairman C. W. BILL YOUNG, Florida GEORGE R. NETHERCUTT, JR., Washington ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi JOHN P. MURTHA, Pennsylvania NOTE: Under Committee Rules, Mr. Young, as Chairman of the Full Committee, and Mr. Obey, as Ranking KEVIN M. ROPER, ALICIA JONES, GREGORY J. WALTERS, DOUG GREGORY, PAUL W. JUOLA, KRIS M. MALLARD, JOHN G. SHANK, and SARAH E. YOUNG, Staff Assistants PART 1 Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army Page 1 Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, and 205 nificant to all who observe the work of our national forces during this critical time. You have already achieved considerable success in this regard. The Congress and the American people have seen the results firsthand again and again from Bosnia to Kosovo to Afghanistan to the current operations pertaining to Iraq. As we all know, the hardest tasks before those in leadership positions is to successfully promote and to produce change. And with respect to the Army, the two of you, the DOD, this Committee and others have all seen our share of frustrations along the way. This is not new, especially when it comes to developing and fielding equipment. Many of us recall vividly a hearing this subcommittee held 3 years ago where representatives from the Army were unable to answer basic questions about the status and continued relevance of your acquisition programs. As a result, we pushed the Army to rethink both the process for developing and acquiring weapons and how the Army organizes itself to accomplish that task. Mr. Secretary and General Shinseki, you both heard us; and you have responded. We know what it is like to propose new ideas and technologies. Not so long ago we have talked about this a lot. Not so long ago, this Committee had to struggle with all of the military services to win the acceptance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as a regular element of the forces you deploy. Now, with the successes of these systems in the Balkans, in Afghanistan and elsewhere, one almost takes for granted the capabilities of these systems, what they bring to the fight and to each of the services as well. And, General Shinseki, I would like to say to you that our troops who have used the Stryker medium combat vehicle, those troops and our warfighting commanders, they feel the same way about a system which was not brought into this world in a typical fashion, a major new program which will fill a dangerous void in our Nation's power projections capability. Now it goes without saying that, even while we are here principally to discuss the 2004 budget request, all this takes place at a very dangerous time in our world history and indeed a very dangerous time for our Nation. Your forces are engaged around the clock supporting the global war on terrorism in Afghanistan and elsewhere. You have deployed thousands of troops for a likely conflict in Iraq, and events on the Korean peninsula continue to represent a cause of grave concern. And let us not forget those tens of thousands of Reservists who have been called to duty who are not only on the front lines overseas but also, in a way we have not seen since the Second World War, providing for our homeland security as well. No one ever believed we would need soldiers to protect our places of business, production and public gatherings. But the troops who have taken on this job have been a soothing reminder of those who are willing to protect our Nation with their lives; and the soldiers have performed their duties with good cheer, grace, and efficiency that have made them welcome everywhere they have gone. |