at a time when the europeans are not spending enough money on defense of any kind, that is what we should be saying to them. instead of of creating these fancy dress uniforms, what we need is the europeans to spend more in defense. i think that may happen as a result of the rising anxiety of ten and russia. i think britons leaving the structure would be a plus. >> . . . .

they have quite recently begun to fail and rush on our borders. we have to find a way and i think that is more than anything else, is the response -- you will notice that the central european countries continue to play their part in upholding nato and e.u. sanctions on putin's russia and they haven't stopped that. they don't like it to coast the economies. but they have maintained the sanctions on russia.

what you said about english morality and notwithstanding you associate it with economic and foreign-policy and today the children are the main people opposed to the e.u. and immigration. how does that appear to those people today? >> well i think the immigration policy should be always in all countries, it should be determined by the assimilative capacity of the country, both economic terms and in cultural terms. what you want is immigration to run at a level that means those people don't feel that new arrivals don't feel they are joining a small imitation

enclave of their own country but they are joining america or joining britain or joining a still yet. in general that has been true and successful. for how long? since well, i think it was successful until sometime in the 80s and since then the numbers of immigrants coming in all countries and sometimes the character, the sense that they want to maintain separate kind of institution, separate kind of nationality within america or within britain leads to really serious problems, problems of national cohesion and social order, terrorism. so we have to bear all these things in mind it a practical way. mrs. thatcher did control immigration. she didn't stop it. it continues at a moderate level but it didn't rise to that times

the level in which she created and fostered tension. groups assimilated fairly well. not all groups as we know. groups are harder to assimilate. they have a much more impervious separatist culture and they assimilated to become a productive member of society but often obtained a different level of consciousness and society. the problem in britain is the british encourage times encourage this in interesting ways but we no longer teach our own children to be proud of being british. it's something which has disappeared. you still do and mrs. thatcher certainly wanted them to enter one point in the war churchill was asked by one of his ministers are a butler what do we have to teach the children in the new schools were planning? churchill said tell them how

what took québec and in a way that's right. he is onto something but we need to work out the implications of churchill's remarks and we have to apply it in our own schools. it's interesting that countries like india for example do stress in their schools a commitment to the country. they have the same kind of attitudes as americans do. their pledges -- pledge allegiance to the flag. it's very hard to imagine that happening in britain today but if britain is to survive its going to have to become so. >> george from orlando and i'm curious about your feelings as pointed out on breitbart news immigration is really successful argument that the league campaign used against the state campaign and the second part of my question is i remember reading the canadian newspaper during lady thatcher's

tremendous governance of united kingdom and one of the newspapers about his proposal of a monetary union within the anglo sphere. thank you for using that term, between u.s. and canada and between canada, the u.k. and australia. >> i'm sorry so the question, sorry but is the question? [inaudible] i think, i'm not an economist. looking at the euro makes me think there should be serious tests before we have a monetary union. we would have course be going back to sterling area. i would like to leave that to the monetary experts.

i can see where something is failing like the euro. i don't necessarily want to lay the groundwork for somebody that might fail as well. with regards to the immigration debate, yes. in a way if you are thinking of it being a battle between the remaining people who say we have to remain in europe to be prosperous, i personally think that's false and so do a lot of economists. apparently not the majority but frankly when experts differ its up to the rest of us to make the best choice we can. there is not a single expert view on that but that's what they are saying. now the other side says look, i'm happy to remain in a free area but we don't want to find ourselves living in a country in which we don't govern ourselves. britain has been a self-governing democracy and we don't see any reason why we should give that up. the problem with the sovereignty

argument has been that it is a somewhat abstract argument. unless you have an example of how the lossf sovereignty is damaging to you and in this case the fact that under the rules of the european union you were not able to control the entry of european citizens into your country at all. they have free movement of labor and free movement of persons so you have lost control of immigration and immigration being very high both from the e.u. and from other parts of the world and the majority of citizens are very worried about it. in it. during the campaign new figures came out suggesting that the government simply didn't know how many people were coming to the country and how many people were actually claiming tax relief and so on and so forth. so the immigration has been a very important part of the

brexit debate for what it could mean in practical terms and its brexit is passed that will be one of the major reasons it has passed. >> hi. i'm a former employee at upi. my question is i know you are for brexit. if you are running the campaign against it what would you use is the best argument today? >> well that's an interesting question because their campaign has not succeeded area that is to say they may win narrowly but the campaign as a whole of the main people has been a failure. one of the reasons being that some of the claims of what will happen become so ludicrous and exaggerated that people think --

you may not seen the television david cameron's first exposure to this when he gave an interview to a forget which television company but the interviewer said to him, mentioning two prophecies of his son said tell me prime minister, what is going to come first after brexit, world war ii or the great depression and without the whole audience exploded in laughter because obviously the exaggerated claims were simply not being believed. i thought at that point i will have to scale back on that. they will have to be doing something a bit cooler and calmer but they haven't. this week the chancellor of the exchequer george osborne threatened an emergency budget if brexit passed that would raise taxes by 50 billion pounds. now that has produced two very strong reviews.

57% said they would never vote for such a budget which is the exact opposite of what you should do in the event of a problem he is predicting and two former chancellors of the exchequer and to party leaders wrote a letter to the telegraph saying that they were simply indulging in stories out of desperation and this is the key sentence. you don't often get party leaders and chances are saying this. no responsible chancellor would make such a policy. in tory terms they tend to be discreet. and so it was, so that policy has failed. i suppose i would stress as they have done the uncertainties and risks of life outside. that is what they have done. the problem is, the other side can stress the uncertainties

over risks remaining within the european union particularly if the european union is thinking of things like establishing new sorts of european institutions like the european army or the new fiscal union that will in effect take away the skull sovereignty from the eurozone states. i think i answer is coming up as follows. i don't think there is a good case actually and it would be hard for me to think of one. >> thank you. one of the arguments you hear around washington is that if britain leads the e.u. it will weaken relationships. how would we perhaps strengthen the special relationship? >> while i don't think it would weaken the relationship at all and i think, i mean one of the problems is if you're a journalist and you were writing about these things you obviously go to people who have been in

previous of industries and or the existing one and they are all part of a set of quote responsible public officials and they take the cue from each other just as all of the economic institutions sit on the same panels. they exchange the same ideas. they develop, they fall victim to a kind of conformity. what is it called? groupthink which is a conformity enforced by scapegoating. if you actually look at the institutions which have recently been issuing these condemnations of the idea what you will find people slightly lower down from the top person giving a speech and someone saying actually i don't agree with what the imf is saying or i don't think the bank is correct on this and again and again their people coming forward saying this is nonsense. it's not that they may not have

a negative impact, they may but there might be a positive impact to counteract that we are quite weak -- quite sure that leaving a system that is fundamentally an intrusive regulatory system called harmonization is not going to have a terrible effect on the british economy or british society. by lot of these arguments just have to be met with a robust realistic common sense and the request to these people. i'm sorry i have not answered your question, have i? [inaudible] >> i don't think it would. i don't think it would weaken the special relationship in the slightest bit and incidentally let me put it this way. a huge fan of america, i'm married to an american.

two american stepdaughters and i pay american taxes and so i'm very much on america's side and i would be open to trying to forge an agreement with american policies in a number of things but if you say to me you know it's terribly useful having champs at the conference table in brussels where all these things are hammered out you are representative, you can represent our interests and i would say well that's fine but i don't think it quite justifies my surrendering my political independence and democracy in order to help you out from time to time. yet that is the nature of the argument that barack obama paid to the british people. we love you. stay in there and fight for us. go fight for yourselves. >> very well said and just a

final question for you with regard to the future of david cameron. if you let the european union next week what is the fate of. >> there are a few people involved here because david cameron and osborne are in a kind of partnership and i would say at this point george osborne is a dead man walking. he will not become prime minister and he will probably not be able to remain chancellor of the exchequer. he has waged, they both waged a campaign that's highly aggressive and which is, which people just think it's unreasonable and i think -- i don't think he will stay. the prime minister state will depend on three things.

it will be -- depend on the first. if there is, if there is brexit i don't think those members of the conservative party in her out of the parliament will think that the man who waged such a passionate campaign against brexit is the man to negotiate with europe for the conditions of our departure. i just think that they will conclude that it should be somebody else. in the event as a narrow victory remains, the prime minister will probably have to be able to cling onto office but he will do so as the prisoner of war is boris because he will have to surround himself with ministers who were on the opposite side of the campaign in recent weeks. the conservative party will conclude mr. cameron's judgment first in calling a referendum that he didn't really have a

good idea of what the impact of it was going to be and then almost losing it means that he is on a very short leash and i doubt he would survive for long. i do think the big question here is, and the only way that he can entertain independence and power is that there is a massive majority to remain. and that doesn't look like it may happen. the long-term question is this. the right in british politics is being defined by this issue for some time in two different parties the tourism brexit in the last 10 years. if brexit occurs and even remains majority i think a lot of people would say the right could remain in office for a long time if it reunites the same way the canadian right

reunited and brought about the conservatives, the new conservative party was held power for a think nine years. there would be a lot of people who would be wondering how to get them back and maybe even to get itself back within the conservative fold. that can be a hard thing to do. brothers who fallout are often worse enemies than strangers can ever be. but i do think there will be a lot of people wondering look if we get together we will have more than 50% of the national vote though we would next to get that for u.k. voters on the right but they would get enough to come for a long time and that's a tempting opportunity. >> i would like to thank john o'sullivan for a tremendous presentation today.

[applause] and john hope that you will be back here again in the coming months and you are one of her greatest fringe of the heritage so delighted to have you here today and thank you for everyone who joined us today. thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

the nominee to be the air force next chief of staff. the answer questions answered questions on the current state of the air force, its challenges in retaining trained pilots and experienced officers and aircraft programs that have been impacted by budget cuts in recent years. this is an hour and a half. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> i would like to apologize to my colleagues for beginning this hearing a little late. there was a meeting called by our republican leader, the republican senators which is still going on.

i'm sure our other colleagues will be joining us soon at the conclusion of those monumental discussions. the senate armed services committee meets to consider the nomination of david goldfein to be the 21st chief of staff of the united states air force. general goldfein we thank you for joining us this morning we are grateful for your many years of distinguished service to our nation and your continued willingness to sarah pratt also recognize you are a member of the elite group of pilots whose number of landings did not equal the number of takeoffs. congratulations on that. it's not a club that many choose to be members of. you also welcome members of your family who are joining us this morning and thank them for supporting you and the nation. as is our tradition at the beginning of her testimony we will invite you to take introduce any family members

that are joining us today. now more than ever strong air force is central to our nation's ability to deter our adversaries and defend our national interests. global challenges contained to grow in the threat of terrorism from north africa to the middle east to south asia. advanced potential adversaries like russia and china has -- and north korea and iran. despite these going threats today's air force is the oldest, smallest and least ready in its history. no doubt in part because of the arbitrary budget cuts that congress and the president agree to five years ago and have since failed to reverse. even under the best of budget conditions modern air and space and cyber capabilities are much more expensive and absolute terms than are predecessors, that is if they even have predecessors. as one of the primary reasons the air force's inventory of warfighting weapons has steadily decreased over the past decades.

in 1960, the united states air force had 2000 bombers and 4300 fighters. in 1980, that declined to 323 bombers and 3600 fighters. today the air force has 159 long-range bombers and less than 2000 fighter aircraft. today the air force is retiring aircraft faster than a pure cures them -- procures them and it will continue to do so for you to come. while the aircraft today, we have today are highly capable our adversaries are shrinking that gap or finding asymmetric ways to negate our advantage. the air force's global reach and global power are being tested as our adversaries invest heavily in fifth-generation fighter aircraft advanced missiles and integrative air systems that expand contested airspace contested airspace and exacerbate the tyranny of distance readme while as our air

force shrinks the combination of relentless operational tempo and misguided reductions in defense spending continues to deplete readiness. the air force does not expect to return to full spectrum readiness for more than a decade general goldfein addressing these three challenges, capacity, capability and readiness will work wire the next the next chief of staff strong leadership and personal engagement. one of the principle obstacles you will confront is a huge wave of modernization investment programs costs that are all coming due in the next decade. just consider the list of air force modernization priorities. 35 fighters, be 21 bombers, j. star's a wax and a new trainer aircraft not to mention modernized nuclear force including the ground-based or

dejected turn b-61 gravity bomb and a long-range standoff weapon. there is simply no way all of these important get expensive modernization programs will fit into the projected air force budget. at this point it is by no means clear to me that the air force has conceived a possible path through this tremendous budget crunch. with the future of our air force on the line it will be your task is confirmed to chart this course in the coming years. in any event no matter how many dollars we spend, but won't be able to provide her military equipment they need and the defense out position system that takes too long, cost too much and innovates too little bit less to defense authorization bills this committee has embarked on a major effort to reform the system including ways to empower our service chiefs to manage their own programs and

take on greater accountability. i will be keenly interested in hearing how you would employ these new authorities to accelerate and streamline the air force acquisition programs, ensure our warfighters get the equipment they need when they need it and act as a responsible steward of the american taxpayer dollars. finally, we must knowledge the service and sacrifice of the outstanding men and women in the united states air force. as you mentioned in your opening statement general goldfein the air force has been at war for 25 years straight and we cannot take our airmen for granted. we must recognize that high operational tempo, reduced readiness and the of opportunities outside the air force continued to drive some of our best talent to leave the service. i'm interested in your plans to recruit and retain the best talent for our air force including how best to provide a competitive and tailored

compensation package that incentivizes retention, especially for the united states air force pilots to general goldfein we look forward to your testimony. senator lee. >> thank you very much mr. chairman. let me join in welcoming general goldfein regarding his domination of the chief of staff united states air force and general goldfein welcome to the armed forces committee and thank you for your many years of service to our nation and your willingness to continue to serve. we are mindful that families also serve and so we want to extend our thanks to the family as well and you'll have an opportunity to introduce your family. general goldfein is highly qualified for the position which he has been nominated. ..

response to congressional request. >> yes, sir i will. >> will those witnesses be protected from her prideful from their briefings? >> yes, they will, they will. >> you agree to appear and testify before this committee. >> yes, so i do. >> do you agree to provide documents including copies electronic forms a comedic asian in a when requested by duly constituted committee or to consult with a committee regarding the basis of any good faith or delay denial and providing such documents? >> yes, i i will. >> thank you general, please proceed. >> chairman mccain, ranking member read, distinguish members of this committee, let me begin by thanking you for your tireless support and advocacy for the greatest treasure in our nation's arsenal. the young men and women who continue to join our ranks and serve their

countries during time of war. if conference, it will be my honor to lead over 660,000 active guard. >> general, do not care to interrupt but would you care to energies or family to the committee. >> yes, sorry what. i'm thrilled to introduce my family get beginning with our youngest order, diana utter, diana who is a third-generation first-grade schoolteacher. following in the footsteps untran's footsteps of her grandma mary and her mother for both here today. >> welcome. >> in a few months diana will be a published author of her first children's book. she reminds reminds me of the very best teachers i ever had growing up. kind, caring, compassionate, but tough when she has to be. >> maybe we ought to make that a required reading. >> if asked, most of us can remember our favorite teachers, but almost all of us can name our first-grade teacher. her kids to be are blessed to be in her class and i cannot be problem to be her dad. our oldest daughter, danielle is a captain in her the air force

and is on duty today so she cannot attend. she is also third-generation, following in the footsteps of her grandpa bill. a retired pilot who fought in vietnam and is here today. both both of her uncles, her cousin, and her dad. danny is a great officer in combat that are having recently been deployed from afghanistan, she helped keep me grounded with our younger force and i could be a prouder father. all is good in our daughter comes from their mother dawn, why met in high school, 40 years ago when both of our parents were stationed in germany. dawn represents the best donation gets in the military family. our spouses. thirty-three years, 21 moves, three wars, and several deployments to include her recent to your separation. i not only love her, i admired her strength, her courage, and i believe i am the luckiest man on the planet that she chose me. >> welcome, to the entire

family. >> chairman i would like to thank president obama, secretary carty, secretary james and dunker for this opportunity of a lifetime. i would like to think general mark and betty welsh, not only are they concluding 40 years of distinguished service, they let our air force over the past four years with passion, style, unwavering commitment. it is my honor to serve as the vice chief of staff and if confirmed, dawn and i look forward to building on their success. chama, and i've seen firsthand how important the service chief relationship is with members of this committee. to help you execute your oversight responsibilities. if confirmed, i'm committed to building a relationship with trust and confidence with each of you, based on openness, candor, and competence. the questions you just asked form the foundation of this relationship. i fully understand the gravity of the importance of living up to my answers. today's landscape offers equal

amount of challenge and opportunity, the combination of strong states challenging world order, weak states that cannot preserve order, and under govern spaces providing sanctuary for extremists, i'll represent challenges we must counter simultaneously as part of a joint correlation and interagency team. from troubling chinese military activities in the south china sea, two recent provocative actions by russia in crimea and ukraine, to the line activity across the middle east by iran, to the increasingly on predictable actions of north korea, each represent state sponsored activity that challenges world order and stability and predictability all civilized nations rely on for prosperity and freedom. after this, the military campaign to defeat isil and continue to work in afghanistan, and we have the framework secretary carter laid out months ago as the five global challenges that the department of defense must be ready to counter.

china, russia, iran, north korea, and violent extremism. if confirmed, i take very seriously my role as a member of the joint chiefs, and i look forward to providing an airman's voice voice as we deliberate military options, capabilities, and risks in violating our best military advice. the other hand i will wear of confirmed is the top officer in my service. responsible for assisting secretary james to properly organize, train, and equip an ever worse that can meet these challenges both today and tomorrow. when i was commissioned in 1983, we had not fought in combat since my dad came home from vietnam. the cold war was in his final years and there is no conflict on the horizon. this all changed in 1991 when we launched operation desert storm. when the war ended, the air force state. from operations northern and southern watch two follow-on campaigns of the balkans during operations delivered worsen and lead force, to the last 15 years

of 15 years of enduring freedom, i recce freedom, inherent resolve an absolute resolve, they are force has been in combat for 25 years. while we are extremely proud of our contributions to these operations, it has taken its toll on our ability to probably balance give ability, capacity, and readiness. when combined with unpredictable budgets, the devastating impacts of sequestration, i am acutely aware of if confirmed, i will be taking the reins of a smallest and smallest and oldest air force did our 69 year history with significant readiness challenges. but where there's challenge, there is opportunity. i believe it is the obligation and duty of senior leaders top of the president, the secretary of defense, and the congress, creative solutions to our most complex problems. we are the servers known throughout our history known for innovation and breaking barriers. from the earliest days of man's flight, to breaking the sound

barrier, to reach in the outer limits of space, to fielding advanced l technology, we have the service you rely on to push the limits of innovation. it is in our bloodline. we face challenging times before and overcome them with ideas. over 90% of today's air force joint after nine/11. they never known a day for we are not at war. as i speak, airman spent watch with a nuclear enterprise, they settle her double double scramble when called upon to defend her homeland. they work side-by-side with our fellow worriers in the most remote corners of the globe to build partner capacity and hunt on our enemies. they are flying global mobility missions to deliver supplies to humanitarian relief, while personal to a complex transmission. they're fine, but over iraq and syria providing top cover to the joint and coalition teams as we deliver a lasting defeat isil. their operating constellations of satellites, providing

everything from on interrupted gps signal to an on linking inr adversaries. these airmen, proud members proud members of the profession of arms, provide the oxygen the joint team briefs. this is who we are, your air force. we operate from a capsule below the surface to a combat controller cyber warrior on the surface, to a cockpit at altitudes above the service, took constellation took constellation in the outer reaches of space. we are everywhere. we know who we are, we know what we are expected to look deliver for the joint team, air power. if confirmed, it will be my honor to work everyday with secretary james to create the environment were great ideas get a hearing, where barriers are crushed, where airmen and their families five, and where war fighting excellence remains our top focus. thank you again for this opportunity, i look i look for to your questions. >> think general. on the issue of the b21 bomber,

do you know what the in a pentecost estimate associated with the winning bid was, roughly? was it 23,500,000,000? >> yes sir, that was in a pentecost estimate. >> in the air per unit in your cap per unit cost associated with the winning bid was about 55 6,000,000, zach request marks. >> that's correct. >> in the air force budget request development is request development is about 1,360,000? is that right? >> that's right. >> the air force released an artist conception of the b21. >> yes or. >> the air force released the top 21 suppliers. >> yes, sir. >> i'm one suppliers. >> yes, sir. >> i'm having a difficult time understanding how the public disclosure of a single contract award value funded from an unclassified budget request is going to give the enemy more information on the capability avenue bomber than what the air force has already disclosed.

all i can see is keeping it a secret deprives the american taxpayer the transparency and accountability they deserve. can you explain what new emperor information our enemies might learn from the release of the contract award value that they cannot learn from the information the air force has already released? >> yes, sir. in chairman i agree with you. i believe that if we are not transparent with the american people on the cost of this weapon system through its elected leadership, the we have a good chance of losing this program. >> i think you very much for that. during the air force hearing on march 3, jim welch testified in reference of long-range readiness that need investment, that will take as a - ten years to reset the force from what we are doing today which is not going to happen. obviously the issue sequestration we know what it's doing as far as acquisition is concerned because all you have to do is counts. talk to to us about the effect of men and

women that you just praise in the opening statement on how they can do their job and what effect it has on retention, particularly on pilot retention. maybe you could for the record give us your views on what, i think at least in my view is almost an emergency situation, given, given the events that are taken place in the world and the changes in the world since 2011, one in our active incredible cowardice and acted sequestration because we did not have the guts to make the budget cuts that were necessary. >> think a chimney. when i think about retention i think about it into areas, quality of service and quality of life. when it comes to quality of service, are airmen, when they join are looking to be the very best they can be. pilots who don't fly,

controllers who don't control, cyber warriors who do not operate because the not given the resources to do so, morale goes down and they vote with their fee. when we feet. when we are sequestered in 2015, we grounded 13 fighter squadrons to stop fighting. we are still read covering, and if we are sequestered again it will be even worse. >> and with retention, are you beginning to feel the effects of this lack of flying hours #i've been told our pilots are now flying less hours than russian and chinese pilots are per month? and do you agree with, i believe it was the chief of staff of the army who stated before this committee that we are putting the lives of the men and women who are serving at greater risk. >> yes sir spirit. it is a mix story because we are flying significant hours before. all crews in the middle east are

at a high state of readiness and flying a significant number of hours. the bill payers to allow that level of readiness is what's happening at home station. at home station, sir, you are absolutely correct. we are not find the number of hours that we used to fly. there's number of issues that contribute to that. not the least least of which is a shortage of critical skills in our maintenance force. when you add that up to the age of the aircraft, it makes them harder and harder to keep your board. that is both contributed to a less number five lying hours available for training. >> isn't it true that a b-1 squadron just came back with something like six aircraft out of 20 that were operational? isn't that a story that i've her? >> yes, sir you have. when i was deployed was deployed forward as the air component commander, i enjoyed upwards of 95% on average mission capable rates on every fleet that was a ford. i was the b-1, the f-16, atac, everyone. so we had the parts.

so we had the parts, the supervision, the maintainers, that's what we pushed for. i know if i went back to the home station, that was the bill paired to get that level of readiness. back home at other locations that you talked about, the b once when they come home, they require significant recovery time when they come back from combat operations. >> i do not need to get parochial here but we just had about that i was trying to fix the problem and it wasn't just democrats voted against it, it, it was republicans that voted against it as well. and members of this committee. i think it is a very heavy burden for them to carry, given the state of our military today the situations and challenges that we face in the world which just epitomized by the terrible tragedy in orlando. i hope that the voters understand that a good faith effort was made and it was turned down, four votes short by

some members of this committee. i am embarrassed. i think you general. >> general, you have the responsibility of the bomber and the air force, are there any particular authorities that you think are necessary to help you accomplish those tasks which you do not have? >> sir, actually actually the authorities that you pushed recently to service is very helpful. the when i look at those authorities, it's a both authorities but also the increase of accountability for service chief. so, in two areas where i focus, number one i'm the lead requirements officer for all major weapon systems. it is my responsibility to ensure that we do not have requirements that increases cost or increases schedule on any of our programs. that is number one. number two, i now have more authority and accountability in some of the milestone decisions,

specifically's milestone a milestone b, that allows a service chief to have input on the program as it goes forward. >> very good. so you feel, at this point, confident that you have the legal authority to bring these programs online in a very cost-effective way? speemac's are, i do. i would highlight that those authorities also, many of those authorities reside with the secretary of the air force. i believe it is my job to actually work with her as we keep these programs on track. >> we have had an ongoing debate in the committee and in congress about the plans to retire the a-10 aircraft which is extraordinarily effective close range platform. the air force seems, at least temporarily to adjusting to keeping it. but longer term this issues going to come up again, again again, and again and it raises the issue of how do you

develop and can you develop the same capabilities if, at some point the a-10 is retired? can you give us some points on that? >> yes, sir. my commitment to. my commitment to confirmed is that we will cover down this missing set for the joint team and i will take ownership of that. when it comes to the attack, i am actually is concerned about the a-10 community as i am about the a-10 platform. because the tech community is actually a phd force when it comes to course air support. they set the bar for not only the jointing but for the coalition team. anybody who does close air support they try to reach that level the level the a-10 community has been able to achieve. my focus is going to be on ensuring that i go back to the doctors of a-10 fleet in the a-10 operators and say what is the future of close air support? that is the conversation we need to have. we need to need to maintain what we have for the current fight, but where we going in the future?

why is it that i only get a minute and a half of trigger pull on a 30-millimeter bullet, white don't i get ten minutes? wise and every bullet precision guided. what i spend so i spent so much time trying to figure out who is friend of on the ground we have technology to be able to help us do that. why is it that i have to do all the work for collateral damage estimates that i have a machine that can help me do that? so for me, it is a matter where we are going in the future my commitment to you is that we will and i will take this on. >> they give her much general. another issue that we have been dealing with and we have seen some movement is deploying more and more enlisted pilots were remotely piloted aircraft. there are various models in the history of the military warfare, one that has an impact with me is the helicopter pilots in vietnam, were mostly officers with the vast majority were extremely capable, in fact they had more hours and that aircraft

than anybody else. it seems to me that model could be applied much more vigorous. i know the the air force is taking steps, can you elaborate what i you're doing and what you want to do? >> yes, sir. for us the remotely piloted aircraft or rpa community is the largest number of pilots that carly serve in the air force. we have over 1300 rp eight survey. the next is the c-17 which is just shy of 800. so the rpa is part of the fabric of the air force. for me, this is a question of what is the future this business going forward and how does the enlisted core that we enjoy fit into that enterprise. we are committed to having enlisted pilots and we are already starting on a program, we'll start this fall and have the first class of enlisted our q4 pilots who will graduate one year and right behind that will be another class, paul by another class. where focused on moving forward to ensure that our list of pilots are fully a part of that weapon system. so so i see this

as one of the major global growth industries in the air force and i think this is the right have to be on. we have a model for that we know that works. we actually started off fine satellites we had nothing but officers and we transitioned over a few years from officers with the scientific backgrounds to officers with more political science background and we made it in to enlisted a pity% of the satellite constellations are flown and managed by the listed force. we are taking that very successful model and applying it to the rpa model and we are on track. >> think you very much. >> just a follow-up general, and upwards from your comments on the a-10, at this this time it is best not to retire them, but to look at other options to

follow on, is that a creek stemming? >> sir, right now we're looking at that as an option. the challenge will be to keep the capabilities of the fight we are you today, there's no degradation to any of the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen on the ground. >> so we should not be retiring them now? should not be retiring them now? >> not in the near term, no, sir's. >> thank you colonel,. >> think mr. chairman. you said that you are going to give us your personal views regardless of the administration's policy, let me ask you this. chairman mccain has repeatedly reference the terror and carnage caused by asides barrel bombs that are deployed by syrian aircraft. our chairman has made the point, and i agree with that as evil as as isis is, it is the barrel bombs in error attack that are causing most of the civilian casualties in syria, is that correct in your request works. >> yes, sir. >> do you agree with general betray us who testified before us a few months ago when he said that we have the capability to

take out assad's air force question. >> i do. >> did the presence of russian air forces in syria impact the ministrations decision not to implement a no-fly zone lester? >> sir, i don't know whether it had any impact on the administration's decision. i will tell you from a military standpoint, as a service chief, and confirmed a service chief, and confirmed it absolutely complicated the situation that we're facing. >> okay, complicated the situation and didn't rule it out? was it a close call? do you think that should be revisited? >> sir, whether it will be revisited or not was really be a decision a decision that would be above mine. let me tell you is a airmen who has planned and executed no-fly zones, this is a capability that we retain, we know how to do it, at the end the question is can we do, the answer is yes. there are three fundamental questions that i think have to be answered before i would ever

recommend that it's an option. the first is, i would have to have the authority to shoot down and kill anybody who violated a no-fly zone, since i sold doesn't have an air force that means i would have to have the authority to shoot down and kill russian or searing aircraft. the second is, i would have, i would have to have a clear understanding of exactly what the objective was on the ground below the no-fly zone. and the objective was to have a humanitarian saves on a refugee return, that would require some additional scrap for stabile control that. i i can't control it from the air. the third would be, a clear decision that i would have to divert resources from the current campaign into the no-fly zone. with the answer to those three questions, sir, we can do that. >> do you believe a no-fly zone would've saved lives of innocent civilians in syria? >> sir, no-fly zone alone that

would've stopped aircraft going out to bomb civilians actually would have had an impact. >> thank you. let me ask about replacement of the latest qe helicopters. some of which are nearly 40 years old. these helicopters are used to to do double strike command as well as the district of washington's mission. and that is to ensure continuity of government operations. some members of this commitment are interested in learning more about the air force strategy to replace these legacy he we helicopters. we would like to obtain a description description of the air force helicopter requirements, including how they differ between global strike demand and other such as the air force district of washington? we're also interested in obtaining a lifecycle cost analysis of alternatives that includes mixed fleet versus single fleet solutions. if confirmed, we, we commit to providing this committee with the report on the air force acquisition strategy for

replacing these he we helicopters? >> yes, sorry will. >> to think you could get this report to us by october 1 of this your? >> sir, yes i believe we can. >> thank you very much. i you'll back my time. >> thank you mr. chairman. thank you for visiting with me earlier this week, i recently visited the niagara air station was senator schumer and we were pleased to see the progress underway in converting the 914 air left wing, the casey 135 mission. however, i do and i discussed there's not a similar schedule to be moved to niagara falls to obtain training necessary, even obtain training necessary, even though there is a building waiting. will we have your assurance that the excellent airmen of the 914th will have all the tools they need to sustain their

expertise, including a casey 135 flight simulator, on the ground of the air station? >> yes, ma'am. i will also tell you that my mother who was born and raised in niagara falls would go after me if i didn't. >> thank you. as you know general, the new york air national guard 109 there were wing operate are only fleet of sky birds which permit takeoff and landing on ice and snow pack. given the terrain in the polar region of the world, as a result of global warming, these aircraft provide critical capability as well as scientific research. at the moment, however there is a recapitalization plan and progress for these. if confirmed, we commit the resources to ensuring the fleet of high demand aircraft remains operationally capable? . . . .

>> >> that we have lost in combat those attrition reserve aircraft will be the newest aircraft are first going to the air national guard then we will replace the oldest in the fleet the reason rinaldi air national guard is on the back end of the rescue helicopter because then they will have the newest helicopters. >> okay. according to sexual-harassment in violence report through 2015

academic year similar in size to the naval academy and military academy there is almost 17 in 25 at the naval academy. can you look at disinformation and do you have any explanation about the larger number of reports and what is in place to respond? >>. >> thank you for your passion on this issue and keeping the pressure provide a thought about our conversation in a share that with my a staff if confirmed her but the force academy the numbers you are looking at i believe are just of reports if you look at the are restricted you actually don't see the large jobs but

they do tell you one thing what is the culture at the airforce academy that makes this more and more difficult over time so not only to bring them in with the right moral background and character to make this except:this squadron the also to work and build on a character with leaders of character when they come out. we will not stop for take our foot off the gas until it is zero. >> ever get unrestricted or restricted where the investigation can move forward. unrestricted numbers which show you are comfortable but the restricted numbers are higher that means they are not comfortable so we are revealing their own protocols so of a book to

retaliation and perhaps investigate why they are now reporting that they may fear retaliation so i would see what the climate is like to get those unrestricted numbers up. >> i will do that. >> good morning. general day believe the current mix of capabilities and the triad of our delivery vehicles the foreword deploy tactics that we have to you believe that will continue to be necessary for deterrence? >> i do are any of those capabilities of unnecessary? >> given the investment of russia and china and the nuclear arsenals from the of

limited use of nuclear weapons we do say it is important for the variety of u.s. nuclear forces to make sure the president has flexibility to respond. >> and i would add to that nuclear command and control to make sure we tie those three legs together. >> despite the capabilities ec a reduction of the nuclear weapons in the near term and nt believe any production of a nuclear force should only be part of the negotiated bilateral verifiable agreement? >> i'll defer to the secretary of state but as a service chief, if confirmed my job will be to execute according to guidance in the year on track right now so we make this the associated changes.

>> wed you personally recommend with any unilateral reduction? >> by personal opinion i would recommend against that. yes ma'am. >> when we met last month we discussed that decision and i am also concerned we are yet to receive a the milestone certification as well. so do i have your commitment to resolve these two issues as soon as you possibly can? >> yes man. >> also it has with those adversaries of the technological superiority and innovation but rather

specific technologies that you believe will ensure and how do you view that balance with those current requirements such as readiness and announce that with the future needs? >> innovation and breaking barriers is simply expect the air force 2 do. first is the censored bread -- bread that says how to use all those demands in a way to infuse that information to produce quality decision making for commander? and that is to all the members of the joint team for what we bring and what

affects are we trying to create with a significant investment? where i think the air force will be focused is command-and-control to penetrating and standoff the air force that has the command-and-control team where we spend most of our time. >> thank you for that answer. >> the senator warner my colleagues and i today did something that we do once a year for all of the academy

nominees i am here to tell you if they're very excited the report on june 30th is when they're out to we're very excited. we talked about readiness if you have testified in spoken briefly that there is a projection because of the admitted through late 20/20 s we have just passed off the senate floor the end strength and policies of what we have passed that will enable you to stay on the same track with respect to recovering readiness. >> it does that number one issue to increase beyond

what we consume is manpower specifically so your support for the increase of manpower is the number-one issue for us every service creates and sustains readiness differently the first is the critical skills the air traffic controllers to all those that have fingerprints on the airplane. and all the required maintenance to keep your plane sustained in the third is the program that is operations to get the airplane airboat -- airborne and funded. kurtis critical infrastructure that ranges in the exercise is of the full spectrum for the up-tempo relief right now those limiting factors beyond what we are consuming

is people and time so what you did was critical and we will manage the time you testified before about that we said it was 17,000 larger but that doesn't mean there are some disparities so talk to was about to maintaining a shortfall and if how you deal with that issue. >> rinaldi are short of what we need or will go into maintenance. >> that is layered i have notice is that lange lead to a very good job.

>> yes it is that way across the force if you ask who is active for guard reserve all three will go up very often. >> so we bring in the right skills that but the challenges of those are three levels which is early entry to do basic maintenance to get them fully trained in the neck to five years before their supervisors so we have to manage this against the guard reserve to continue the mission of the up-tempo we are today which i a to not expect will come up with my tenure. >> you talk about the air

force to be a key innovator if that is the case a lot of the new missions talk with us about your ability to move on those missions with the current budget realities? >> this section bin space and cyberthe researchers growth area that has been conventional air power looking at the last team years you will see that is why we are today. i would like to focus on space because sometimes the right individual at the same time and he is brilliant in the way we think about space and has some significant initiatives but this base

mission force he has now replicated where most operators now they think about operating so to spend some time in operation and sometimes in training. it is one of the more powerful things getting to think about space as an enterprise because it has three elements there is a consolation in what happens in the frames for us but then we have not had a way

in the past to realign. >> congratulations on your nomination by one to continue the conversation and call attention to what you said in particular that don't expect that will come down during my tenure. so for four years you expected to be as high as it is today? >> i do. secretary gates wrote the department of defense was to plan for war not wage war. day believe the department

still has that challenge today? >> and another context of what he was saying this bernanke was trying to do and acquire the capability is needed for the fight of iraq and afghanistan with the eyes are platforms with the point being that pentagon is trying to procure weapons for the next generation's war. >> is accurate but if confirmed, there are certain capabilities to bring to this fight that if confirmed that there is no degradation >> now this is beyond a general discussion of this morning for deployed aircraft we express this and

i tell you why continue to hear a true professional channels from the pilots that are flying aircraft over iraq and syria territory you mentioned in the conversation is that the rates are in the 90% range? >> so we tend to average but the bill payer that is nowhere near that going to every home station you see them covering. >> so hearing from pilots and their families that prevent aircraft from taking off or to extend a the missions because the relief

aircraft cannot take off? >> that is accurate and i can get you more accurate numbers if you would like spinach now turning to nuclear modernization issues at a specific level about the mindset reflected of the modernization. talking about the message that i intend to modernize the strategic nuclear system and since then the air force has looking at alternatives and a healthy ground-based strategic deterrent but they have both been under the secretary of defense i worry

it is inconsistent with the president's commitment do you share that commitment or do you believe that conditions have changed to delay the modernization programs? >> senator fischer asked you about your personal commitment and he said yes ma'am so could you be more precise? >> so for that gb sd we are expecting august of this year and we're on track and expecting to but i request the proposal within the next two weeks and also within the same time we should have

a decision on the long-range strike. >> interpublic speech the adviser said'' the administration has already made it plain, modernization budget forces typical trade offs as the cans the baton off to his successor. if there has year for service staff and asked to examine the changes can or should be made for nuclear modernization. >> closer. >> general thank you and your family for the commitment and service. a like to turn to the issue of headquarters with specific headquarters in hawaii i am concerned with possible reduction of staff the special and the full set

of requirements are not taken under consideration so what to read need to do to make sure no cuts will be made across the board or no unnecessary tasks? >> with the original 20% reduction in was given to the department to organizations to close cuts up front the joint staff bin united states air force in read did that to keep an from delaying that paying overtime so to rip off the band-aid take that up front then reorganize accordingly. one of the examples be stood up with the mission support center we had 1500 airmen

and civilians by consolidating into a single center so that is just one example of how we took the 20% to be more efficient. >> and you will continue with that type of approach? >> yes ma'am they already have some insights about the way it is responding to the current threat environment the traditional acquisition approach results in late delivery capabilities and superior forces and the concern that we present what they needed to succeed so what would you suggest to

approve that major situation outcome. >> that now they're moving toward the service chiefs to do my job and a whole industry accountable for the contracts that we sign to insure that i do my part that we're putting the right programs for word. >> in these types of budget constraints you responded to some of the questions we have both a strong and active airforce so what your guiding principles that are working together? >> we actually cannot accomplish our mission we talked earlier but how we

look across here force we take a series of initiatives high velocity analysis and looking with those with the various states in our deliberations to make sure we optimize the missions we are required to do one of the biggest initiatives the sheer to have an integrated concept in south carolina and we're combining the reserve and active duty and working your way through that they can operate as a single wing and perhaps the

best, outcome is of a better understanding of the pressures in the challenges and motivations that can cause each one to set up and serve to accomplish the mission. >> you do this and in south carolina and then you do that and other places? >> and based on the success we will look at that. >> senator gillette brand products sexual assault i am also on the air force academy board so your commitment to prevent sexual assault is retaliation and is critical so thank you for

that commitment. >> in india for all you do for the country and want to ask q align your viewpoint on the performance with the role that it plays to ensure that we interrupt combat control. >> it is critical in every area of operation stick as best as you can answer can you explain why this is an urgent requirement to place this package on a more productive aircraft? >> this mission of electronic attack is more and more critical especially

looking to the global challenges but also plays a significant role the challenges it does not fit this altitudes that we need so our challenge any pappardelle to get this to an aircraft that can climb to a higher altitude will diminish over the same timeframe. >> if we fail to authorize with the rapid acquisition authorities will that result in a four or section six year delay to more effective aircraft?

>> yes and if we have to do further integration you can add two more years to that. >> so based on their request air force has made is important to authorize this year's defense authorization to use rapid acquisition authorities? given the fact is such an important need? >> yes. absolutely. >> this is important to our combatant commanders i a join the center to urge the airforce tuesday's committee as expeditiously -- expeditiously as possible. >> dash you know, from your

time my home state is home to the research laboratory how what to start by inviting you to do the great work for the airforce specifically. what role d.c. the defense labs playing? >> i go back to my opening statement that have been some labs to a large extent so what we're looking not right now the hypersonic soared new technology. >> allows as a direct energy but despite the great work a do this committee has expressed its concern that it takes an unreasonable amount of time at the defense labs sometimes it is over one year it seems like

far too long and the result is that is a sizable percentage that they remain vacant due to link the delays were we're placed in a relatively reasonable amount of time so came make this a priority? >> and dial line was secretary carter that his force of the feature allows us to go directly to university to hire talent from university now we have told our talented young men and women who are considering to join us to get on usa jobs and post resonates you get back to than the six months they are:. it is unacceptable in this environment everything the secretary is doing to make that easier we will do.

>> that will be incredibly important and what is becoming a very competitive environment with the private sector but regarding the discussion that the senator broke up, will you consider the same platform as combat rescue? >> right now it is a different set of requirements clearly when you can get one platform the right now clearly if confirmed that will get deeply involved in to make sure those requirements are firm right now theres enough differences for what you need to fight your way into rescue someone versus what you do to provide

security. >> given the dramatic improvements we have seen in lasers in particular and microwaves what role do you see? >> i see that as silent sabotage right now when we want to place firepower on the enemy we need a capability and not know where it came from or hill and it will be especially effective so i'm excited about the technology to push that. >> i look forward to working with you. thank you for your service. >> first of all, is said the greatest asset was betty and

i have observed over the last few weeks in my opinion he will be replacing betty to have a problem with that? >> brought up by one of the questioners back in april of 2013 that lasted for four months ended eight we had 17 or 25% during that time had to be retrained. avenue calculated the cost. >> i haven't monetarily but the cost personally for those individuals because it

did those that stop maintaining but to save this is how i will be treated devastate with the company. >> i have talked to those forces and to in terms of the refuel lerner to make the statement is at a point year bending in a reflex that forced to another region do you agree? >> i do and i would highlight the need -- magicians there is only one aircraft still flying after 50 years because of the

equality of individuals to keep it flying. >> but now we shift to the fighters now we are training and they are 50 years old but they are projecting before we can start replacing it will be 2024? >> yes, sir. >> data now how many years that would take intel is totally replaced? can we hold onto that? >> using your quotations and this is revealing the most pressing challenges appear

competitors with advanced military capabilities now we talk about their generation we have already a knowledge the training is not adequate isn't that correct? it is almost everything will have been in a vacuum when it is not if we're not getting adequate training so what will it be 15 years from now? does that bother you? >> and this is a classic case of what they are faced with in the resources given if confirmed with the race -- with the right capability for the trades that we make

that is one of the trades we have to make to push that to the right to so that requires us to keep it flying longer. >> we were spoiled because we didn't have competitors out there or if financing from the current status of that is one of the great concerns and i know we have talked about that and i look forward to working with you. >> thank you mr. chairman of a bite to congratulate your nomination we talked about their refueling where it wing in the of process went

you anticipate we will see that opportunity? >> the next is mobility based for within the next two weeks. >> in the air force emphasized of alliance with of recommendation of the air force commission report and expanding the in number of associate units do you anticipate you'll have more in the future? >> cry now have active duty officers and their commanding active duty wings so that is the mix with every organization to see

what we can sustain if we can optimize all three of those components so as we do this i expect we will see more associations. >> that deterrent i think is a cross service collaboration of strategic missiles. i think it is a historic opportunity with lessons learned from the modernization program with an extremely capable follow one so is that is a means to modernize of the triad? >> what elements idiocy for commonality for the icbm program? >> when the aspects is the enterprise approach so

actually is in just the missile but command-and-control the entire enterprise approach the navy does the same thing with the submarine force and we approached that enterprise not the least of which is nuclear command and control. >> in the process prioritizes commonality to increase capability. >> a lot to talk about though 122nd fighter wing conducting numerous missions in support with their 810 aircraft. >> we were excited to see it would continue to wage war on terror with the f-16 the

structure action announcement shows many transition to concerns raised by this committee these plans in a shift a little bit so what is your assessment of how the senate and house versions impact your ability? >> anything that allows more funding stability inflexibility with those key decisions are helpful for a service chief for any for restrictions hurt us because as you look at balancing capabilities we need the flexibility as he put forward our options we may ask your support to delay

that transition to be sure we can continue to fight. >> how will that impact your time? >>. >> congratulations to you in your family a way to begin with a complement to secretary carter and president obama they have been doing a good job in terms of their selection of top military generals or your nomination fitting into a category of incredible experience but also will have come to the committee and have been very up front

in well-respected and appreciate its if you are confirmed let me mention as a general was here a couple months ago when he stated given the current budget or the force levels to but the army at high military brisk brisk, that was pretty dramatic to do the mission on the current budget you have i diverse missions that people don't even recognize how diverse or broad it is to use the military risk given the current budget and the air force members? right now in terms of what you need to do of high military risk?

we need to do something about that. >> it was it would be significant training. >> your ad the lowest levels to now the contractors so really what we have this discussion if you were to ask me to fight extremism in the middle east every year it is ready to execute the fight the fed is all we ever asked to do but if you tell me half to be simultaneously ready for those other challenges that i do believe we need to be ready for a believe we're at high risk.

>> nw uh casey 46 you will be making some decisions relatively soon when the plan and making those? >> the next decision will be done in the next several months. >> as of matter-of-fact to those the next two i do not believe. >> would you look at for characteristics? >> we have a set criteria that lays out the criteria nt score bases of the preferred candidate list but then we begin our site surveys a strategic location

of the asia-pacific world-class training areas 24/7 norad three red flag exercises per year over 105th generation fighters to the sell like important characteristics? >> velazquez is strategic. >> when you take that decision with covered mitchell's as part of that?

>> are you concerned about the chinese and russian in the airspace say and what should we be doing about it? we need to draw a line. >> what is your recommendation and how dangerous? >> they are dangerous and it is more frequented here's my concern. when you close you cannot have the the weapons so why would we allow each other at range because for 50 years we have been doing this with u.s. and china and russia to was a professional airforce

with the predictability and professionalism one is of miscalculation in the second but the other concern is an incompetent pilot does not actually capable they have professional enforces the senator's time is expired back to meshes them some of

us believe that billy mitchell was not always right but the court martial was injustice. >> that could happen to anybody. >> thank you very much for being here and we discussed this a week ago we recently had testimony over 80 percent of current members of military in the united states come from military bloodlines and you yourself your father brad bird daughter is a captain in the air force that is good with the commitment but to problems suggested self as the people to populate

going from the vietnam generation to a smaller base than the development of a separate military caste in our country talk to me about these two issues. >> would get the active duty air force we tend to be an eastern seaboard along the south or the northern tier but not everywhere suez we have gotten smaller and smaller it is harder to connect the american people with active duty airforce. >> this is a concern? >> absolutely but where we are in every state is the national guard. the closer connection is one airforce between all three components the international guard that they are the most connected to the citizens and people of political leadership in each state where i think we need to leverage i am concerned what you talk about which is a lack of connection which is further concerning the more

we have a second or third or fourth generation. >> talking about maintaining operations with complex resolving the rose not getting more komer easy to deal with yet you talk about the be 21 the 46, deployment of the of 35 that the ohio class replacement icbm, and major capital expenditures and at no anybody is talking about additional funds and now we're operating under budgetary decisions made in 2011 before syria or ukraine or the south china sea or isis but yet we are trying to put all that capacity and 28 lb sack i think this is a

looming and huge problem if we don't somehow account for the increased threat and the necessity of the operations. >> i agree. >> is there any way you can maintain your capabilities with your responsibilities and the world for the sequestered to return next year? >> it could not be done. >> no sir. >> i cannot give you a better example of what sequester did to the united states air force than this discussion if we are sequestered again because we have an 8 million math problem solved we will have a $10 billion now problem to solve in 2018 and that will have a direct measurable effect on the national security of this nation and

we will be unable to execute strategic guidance if we are sequestered again. >> i hope people in this building are listening to your testimony is very important. you helped to develop of what turned into the opposition's. are you comfortable where the budgetary means means are concerned? >> i am sure it can work them with you. >> a missed deadline with the delivery next year it is unusual to of delivery one year in advance what will that do to the whole schedule? for the deployment of the

casey 46? are you concerned what is happening? >> i am disappointed of this milestone now with the program having been out there to walk the line in seattle i'm confident they have a good plan to overcome those developmental challenges primarily with refueling but the unfortunate reality is now we have to delay up to one year for those airplanes we still believe we can absorb the impact for the first to a trading unit and then the first option but then after that to get back on track. >> as you make your future decisions for those that are known as the maniacs to be

very skilled in a very important facility but now i'm talking a base around the 41st parallel thank you for your testimony. >> just a few more follow-ups the committee has a concern of the bill that was recently passed can use. [inaudible] that a little bit? how important it is to address that issue? >> windows tittered to sustain and modernize it the same time so when you bring on new weapons system it will receive that aircraft so our challenge the more we are told it will further delay the of 35 so we're

working through options we have transition to contractors to of on deploying locations serving in alaska as well so we're doing everything we key and to bring up the of 35 but the more we are delayed with new manpower with existing weapons systems to have a significant defect. >> do we need to make sure we have airmen working those issues as opposed to contractors? >> absolutely. >> has that been mentioned in the budget discussions? >> we're authorized a 321,000 so we put those resources in place to bring in the number of airman so

we see those recruiting members to reprogram money to allow was for that authorization. >> so lot of those characteristics that our powerful of a necessity to elect as alaska and to get your commitment if you see those issues and strings for yourself. >> yes, sir,. i will. >> thanks to you and your family and your decades of service to our country. the hearing is adjourned.

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] . . candy

[inaudible conversation] >> the new 30 and 60 is not the new 40. it looks good, people are okay, and people should own their age and we ought to not talk about being over 50 as the period of decline. >> sunday night on q&a, aarp co talks about the challenges older people face and she is the author of a new book. >> the fastest growing age segment in the country is people over the age of 85 and the second is people over the age of 100. when these programs were put in place life expectancy was 67-68. there are more people in the system and they are living longer.

we have to be able to look at these programs and make meaningful adjustments that will allow people to live with dignity at a much longer period of time. >> sunday night at 8 eastern on c-span's q&a. >> with the political primary season over c-span's road to the white house takes you to the political conventions this summer. watch the republican national convention starting july 18th with live coverage from cleveland. >> we will go going to the convention no matter what happens and i think we will go in so strong. >> and watch the democratic national convention starting july 25th with live cov rnl from philadelphia. >> let's go forward, win the nomination and in july return as a unified party. >> then we take our fight for social, economic, racial, and

environmental justice to philadelphia, pennsylvania! >> every minute of the republican and democratic party's national convention on c-span, c-span radio and cspan.org. >> tonight on c-span2, part of this conference from the network of enlightened women. a former writer for margaret thatcher talks. and the u.s. commission on civil rights issues a ruling on the rights of transgender students in public schools. at this year's network of enlightened women talk about student debt and campus codes. there is a q&a session with author and bloger katie pavlich.