Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee - On G.I. Bill, Walter Reed Reforms, and China Military Modernization

Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee - On G.I. Bill, Walter Reed Reforms, and China Military Modernization

Senator Akaka: My questions aren't about Iraq and Afghanistan but more about the troops. As a strong advocate of the readiness and quality of life for troops and their families, I recognize that the ability of the Armed Forces to attract and retain quality personnel for the future depends on how we meet the needs of those serving today. In 2008, Congress approved the Veterans' Educational Assistance Act of 2008 which is known as the 21st Century GI Bill. This Bill provides enhanced educational benefits for veterans and service members who have served in the Armed Forces after September 11th, 2001. Secretary Gates, the 21st Century GI Bill grants authority for service members to meet certain criteria to transfer unused educational benefits to family members. What progress has DoD made with the Department of Veterans Affairs in establishing a policy to implement this critical part of this bill across the services?

Robert Gates: First of all, Senator Akaka with a nod to Senator Webb, I think that the bill when it was finally passed it really hit the sweet spot. Obviously the economy is helping us with recruitment over the last number of months but the surveys we have taken indicate that the enhanced educational benefits have contributed to a greater willingness to enlist and enter the Armed Forces. But the transferability provision that you've just cited is also an incentive in terms of retention, in terms of people seeing this as an opportunity for their spouses or their children. My understanding, I'm not exactly familiar but we can get you a precise answer, but my understanding is that the provisions, the transferability provisions, are set to be put into practice this fall. That the procedures are being worked out right now and that the first availability of that transferability provision will be this fall.

Akaka: Yes, we are looking forward to that taking place in August. Secretary, in May 2007 as a result of the problems identified at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, you and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs established the Senior Oversight Committee (SOC) to address the concerns of the treatment of wounded and ill and injured members of Armed Services. Based upon concerns about sustaining these efforts, the 2009 Defense Authorization Act directed the Departments to continue the SOC's activities until December 2009. I'm concerned that in the waning days of the Bush Administration the effort to achieve a united effort on behalf of the wounded veterans became fragmented due to intricate departmental differences on how best to organize the SOC. As a result of DoD's reorganization, VA now has to coordinate its efforts to multiple offices within DoD. I greatly value the efforts of SOC. Secretary Gates, do I have your commitment to work with Secretary Shinseki to get things back on track?

Gates: Yes sir Senator, in fact I attended Secretary Shinseki's swearing in and was the first time we had a chance to talk since he had been nominated and confirmed and I told him at his swearing in that we needed to get the SOC back up running. And I told him that one of my worries as is often the case with the bureaucracy. This thing has been going now for a year, a year and a half, and it has done some amazing things but if you take away the energy and pressure from the top these things tend to get bureaucratic and institutionalized again and the energy goes out of the continuing to make changes and we've just expanded the pilot program in terms of trying to cut the time down on the disability evaluation system. That now has expanded out of this metropolitan area into a number of other areas and so I think it is important to keep the energy going and the creativity of the recommendations with respect to wounded warriors and Secretary Shinseki and I are in total agreement that this Senior Oversight Committee be continued.

Akaka: I would like to ask you Secretary if you would get back to me in 30 days to let me know how you're preceding on that policy.

Gates: Sure.

Akaka: Secretary, our military has experienced strains after nearly 7 years of warfare. It is imperative that we support our forward deployed forces engaged in current operations but we must not overlook other important developments in the international system. In your opening statement you addressed China's military modernization. China's continued investment in it's military transformation has grown. Balance of power in Asia and the Pacific region has changed and in March 2007, Beijing announced a 19.47% increase in it's military budget. In light of China's continued military modernization efforts, do you believe that the US forces in the Pacific Command are properly equipped to address any possible future threats related to China's modernization, particularly with regards to Pacific commands forward basic strategic needs?

Gates: Yes sir, I think we need to complete the relocation programs with respect to Guam and Okinawa as well as in South Korea. But I think with those, with the forward deployment in the George Washington to Japan. I think they are, I think that the US forces, both the Navy and Air Force in particular are well positioned. We have a number of programs underway in development that are intended to counter some of the Chinese technological advances that have the potential to put our carriers at risk. And I think we're making good progress on those and I think we have the capability and place to be able to deal with any foreseeable Chinese threat for some time now.

Akaka: Thank you very much.

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