the first panel includes max cleland. he honorable max cleland, who has served this country in many capacities currently as secretary of the battle line commission congratulations on your position, sir, but also as senator and soldier and we all americans i think are grateful for your service. also, mr. john metzler, superintendent at the arlington national cemetery accompanied by his -- [inaudible] deputy secretary for personnel oversight department of the army u.s. department of defense and the katherine stevenson assistant director for business services of the national park service u.s. department of interior. and i forgot to mention former secretary of the va for mr. cleland, long and illustrious resonate. we go with five minute rule as closely as we can and secretary cleland, you are recognized for five minutes. >> i will say that the kind words why buyer are welcome. i can take credit for none of that. the american battle monuments commission has been of around since 1923 when general pershing when the effort after