not so sure that would extend to mrap's right now. i know it has been a focus in the aircraft as well as the navy. host: are there slightly different models for the army and for the marines? guest: i think the marines have wanted some of the lighter ones. just based on where they are operating. but they're all using essentially the same vehicles. host: in just a few minutes we will be covering an event of the brookings institution talking about the future of afghanistan, in laying out the military presence there as well as diplomatically. how much of the forward future of the military in afghanistan is based on being able to have a sufficient number of mrap's in the country? guest: i think the military has made it quite clear that they won troops to be on patrol in these vehicles. it is going to be a big part of the presence there, i would think. host: are there any lingering issues with the mrap's that have not been resolved? are they doing anything to work on the top heaviness? or is such as a function of the truck to be the top hea

why did they take years to go to the mrap? guest: that is a great question and i do not think it has been fully answered yet. part of it stems from the fact that the military and civilians here did not think we would be in iraq as long as we have been. and the thought of spending a lot of money on a vehicle for what they thought would be limited use was not very appealing. and you are right, other countries had built these and have have been around for long time. we have used them in our own fleets, primarily for the disposing of bombs. but it was not until 2004 or 2005 that we realize they would have applications for trips across the board and not just an explosive ordnance disposal. why did not happen before, i do not think that has been answered yet. host: the caller before mentioned the letters matv's. tost: that's simply refers -- that simply refers to the mrap's in afghanistan already. it is just the mrap all terrain vehicle. next host: call from maryland. caller: can you hear me? c-span3 i can. -- host: i can. turn down

. >> i need to get these mraps out. >> my purpose is to get the recruits prepared for the constructiontraining. >> what you do is get a 2 by 6 sitting on the saw horses. we will cut 10 feet. everybody going to get one and you measure up 6 inches. you sure you got 8 feet. >> as a carpenter you have to let them know what's expected and they need to know the stuff to get going on the trades. >> the main thing they need to know is how to carry the stuff on the job and the hussle. >> you can't work with the gloves. >> my part is a small part. my part is the best part. the part that really teaches them how to go out and fish rather than go to the fish market. my job is how to teach them to fish when the fish market is closed. >> this requires i thinking. when you go on the job site they will pay you 20-15, dollars an hour you have to think and figure stuff out and get the jobs done in a record time. >> one of the things we try to teach with the construction trades is your attitude going to work. how employers look on new workers and it's about profitability and productivity. it's not how muc

ago of the humvees and now because we're in because were inh the terrain is not well-suited to the mrap all-terrain vehicles and atvs. so those things have been a huge priority of the secretary to rebalance, to get things done as quickly as possible about the people that are fighting today. but in his mind is also part of rebalancing. it's not so much of money though that's part of it, but leadership, intention and focus of people to make sure that the things he think should be at the top of the priority list for getting things done are the top of the priority list. now the next thing that's probably most closely related to the topic. and cover for me what and how we buy. again, this is something secretary gates is being very well known for. start with last year's budget. last year's budget that the focus was mainly on the large programs, the modernization program. and that meant a couple things. terminating things that weren't working well. presidential helicopter development was probably the biggest influx. and not point basically starting over. a flawless terminating things that were

our series continues tuesday with a look at mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, mraps. wednesday, the military use of drones. thursday, military pay, compensation, and benefits. friday, a conversation on rehabilitation programs for injured veterans. "washington journal" is live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. . >> hearings ran from november 2009 until the end of july 2010 with a total of 132 witnesses. this portion is one hour 15 minutes. >> good afternoon and welcome. welcome to everyone this afternoon. our witness is dr. hans blix. you, sir, served as the executive chairman for the united nations monitoring, verification and inspection commission, which i think we are allowed to call unmovic, from march 1, 2000 until the end of june 2003. as chairman of unmovic you had overall responsibility for the inspection process in iraq. the process itself ran, we understand, from november 27, 2002 until march 18, 2003, just two days before the commencement of military action. we hope to look today at some detail about the inspection process, the context in which it took place a

monday, we look at the f-35, tuesday we look at mraps,, wednesday, the military use of drugs, yesterday, a look at military -- military use of drones, want to come into the military benefits, and today, rehabilitation for those injured in iraq and afghanistan, specifically brain injuries. joining us as katherine helmick of the defense centers of excellence. describe your job to us. guest: i ever see a lot of the programs and initiatives -- oversee a lot of the programs and initiatives to assess and treat and ensure optimal recovery for our veterans who sustained dramatic brain injury. we are -- trauma brain injury. --a traumatic brain injury. we are located in silver spring, maryland. one of the first lines of business, when you look at how many folks are coming back, we had to make sure that we were able to code traumatic brain injury correctly there is not want system in the health care are we not like someone with a heart attack would have. traumatic brain injury is quite different. we have had to really isolate what that means in terms of the coding system. we monitor how many servi

monday, we look at the f-35, tuesday look at mraps,, wednesday, the military use of drugs, yesterday, a look at military -- military use of drones, want to come into the military benefits, and today, rehabilitation for those injured in iraq and afghanistan, specifically brain injuries. joining us as katherine helmick of the defense centers of excellence. describe your job to us. guest: i ever see a lot of the programs and initiatives- oversee a lot of the programs and initiatives to assess and treat and ensure optimal recovery for our veterans who sustained dramatic brain injury. we are -- trauma brain injury. --a traumatic brain injury. we are located in silver spring, maryland. one of the first lines of business, when you look at how many folks are coming back, we had to make sure that we were ab to code traumatic brain injury correctly there is not want system in the health care are we not like someone with a heart attack would have. traumatic brain injury is quite different. we have had to really isolate what that means in terms of the coding system. we monitor how many service me

tomorrow, mraps. thursday, military pay and compensation.eries with a look at rehabilitation programs offered to wounded veterans. "washington journal is like every day at 7:00. -- "washington journal" is live every day at 7:00. >> it is book history week. the life of the french explorer. book to be -- but tv in prime time, all this week on c-span2. >> we are all punt on a chess board. >> i because -- i come before this body to personally express again my sincere regrets about the encounter with the capitol hill police. >> i cannot walk away and have you guys do to the campaign because i am in . >> watch more on line and read about them on the video library. it is washington, your way. >> as time ticks closer to the the november elections, various states continue their primary process. tomorrow, florida is among four states voting. we will look at the republican and democratic candidates. we will start our coverage at 8:30 p.m., live on c-span. three hours later, the focus is on arizona, where john mccain is battling the former house member

minority students and thed jation system and "usa today" journalist is our guest talking about mrap. "washington journal" every morning at 7:00 p.m. mike ross talks to voters. congressman ross is in his fifth term and represents the 4th district of his state. the event was held in againwood , arkansas. hall meeting with congressman mike ross. he has several of these each year. we have probably twice a year he comes by and visits with all of us in this area. not only here, but throughout his district. we're really glad this morning to see him. we're glad also to see some of our representatives we have here, an i'm going to ask our representative if he would, randy stewart, if he'd come up and introduce congressman ross. randy? >> it's my pleasure. i've got kind of a big district compared to all the other representatives in arkansas, because i've got all of park county and five other ones. and dwayne knows all about that as a former representative. but i can't imagine having the territory that congressman ross has. he has to be the hardest-working guy in washington, because he has half

brook is our guest and he discusses afghanistan and the mine-resistant vehicle program, also known as mrap. washington journal " -- "washington journal" is live everyday at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> it is all available to you on television, radio, online, and on social media networking sites. finder content in any time through c-span's video library. we take c-span on the road with our digital bus and local content vehicle, bringing our resources to your community. it is washington your way -- the c-span network, now available in more than will get -- in more than 1 million homes. provided as a public service. >> united nations estimates that 17 million people have been affected by the flooding in pakistan. next, the special representative for pakistan talks to reporters about his recent trip to the country. this reading is about 25 minutes. -- briefing is about 25 minutes. thank you -- >> thank you your much. good to see you again. i want to give you a quick read out of the trip i took last week. i was part of senator kerry's group, showing the close working relationship between the