Before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Quality of Life and Veteran’s Affairs
Washington, DC 16 February 2005

Mr. Chairman and committee members, I want to thank you for this opportunity to sit before you today and represent the more than one million men and women of America’s Army.

Your continued support has had a tremendous impact on our Army’s ability to fight and win our Nation’s wars and take care of the families waiting at home for their Soldiers’ return.

First, I would like to introduce the Soldiers seated behind me, the Command Sergeant Major for the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Frank Lever and the Command Sergeant Major for the Army Reserve, Command Sergeant Major Michele Jones. They represent more than 550,000 citizen-soldiers who play a vital role in defending our Nation.

Since 9/11, we have activated nearly 334,000 Reserve Component Soldiers to support Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Together with their active duty counterparts, the Guard and Reserve form a unified, dynamic team that brings unmatched skills to enhance our capabilities to fight and win.

I’d also like to note that this testimony will be the last for Command Sergeant Major Lever, as this summer he retires after almost 35 years of service to our nation. He has been a good friend and an invaluable source of wisdom this past year. He is truly the model of the citizen Soldiers and will be missed by his troops as well as the entire Army family.

Our Army has been heavily engaged this past year. Approximately 315,000 Soldiers are deployed around the world in over 120 countries doing their duty. Most of these Soldiers are stationed in harm’s way in places like Iraq and Afghanistan fighting the Global War on Terrorism.

We are also in the midst of transforming our existing Brigade Combat Teams into Brigade Units of Action. I know you’ve heard quite a bit about those units. What I would like for you to know from a Soldiers perspective, is that the transformation to a modular force will bring predictability and stability to Soldiers and their families by increasing times between deployments and providing certainty regarding when those deployments will occur. We have always said that you recruit a Soldier, but you retain a family.

The other part of maintaining a healthy force is recruiting. Although we’ve made incredible improvements in technology and weaponry, we cannot fight and win without well-trained, motivated, and dedicated young Soldiers willing to volunteer to protect this great nation. Our recruiters are working hard to ensure we maintain our all-volunteer force.

I know I speak for Soldiers across the force in thanking you for consistent and substantial pay raises for them and their families. The fiscal year 2004 targeted pay raise averaged 4.1 percent. This year, we received a 3.5 percent across the board raise and next year’s budget calls for a 3.1 percent raise. We continue to try to close the gap between our Soldiers and their civilian counterparts, and we ask for your support in meeting this goal.

Pay isn’t the only benefit our Soldiers worry about. Medical care continues to be one of the biggest issues for Soldiers and their families. From a Global perspective, our medical care professionals have stepped up to the challenge. Today, more lives and limbs are saved than in any other conflict in history.

I have seen this service up close in Iraq, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, and here in the states at Walter Reed, Brooke, and other Army 4Medical Centers. Thanks to our talented rehabilitation teams, our Soldiers are receiving top-notch treatment. Amy leadership continues to support modernizing our medical facilities to take advantage of technology and to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our combat injured Soldiers.

From a family perspective, TRICARE is a very important program. We have restructured and evolved TRICARE through input from Soldiers and families which has enabled us to continue to improve the system for the future. Our new TRICARE contracts shifted 11 regions to three. This restructure is providing improved customer service to our families. The program is not perfect, but with each recommendation, comment or suggestion it gets better.

For our returning wounded heroes, the Disabled Soldier Support System (DS3) was created this past year to help severely disabled Soldiers and their families. This program provides the resource to help these Soldiers and their families with all their needs as they continue the process of healing. It is especially important to those soldiers to choose to leave the service so there is a seamless transition to the civilian sector and any needed follow-on care.

Finally, as our Soldiers return from their deployments, many are finding themselves in new housing. Privatization through the Residential Communities Initiative and programs that renovate our Barracks are key to ensuring our Soldiers and their families live in the quality housing they deserve. It is an ongoing process and requires your support to keep on track. Our Soldiers and their families deserve the best quality housing we can provide.

I want to personally thank you for your support during my first year as the Sergeant Major of the Army. More importantly, I want to thank you for your continued support of Solders and their families. Collectively we have made great strides improving their quality of life.
We still have improvements to make and with your help, we can continue to take care of Army family.

Mr. Chairmen, committee members, thank you; I look forward to your questions.