he is flanked by military personnel and ray odierno is there as well as a number of athletes and this is focusing on the public/private investment and research and technology to learn more about concussions by the numbers. the white house says some 200,000 kids go to the emergency room every year as a result of suffering a concussion. right now on capitol hill, a feud between the first lady and house republicans. it's intensifying as lawmakers debate changes that's become one of the first lady's top priorities. what she said in a new op-ed in the new york times and a house committee is deciding on a provision that would let some public schools skip it upon. we'll have much more on that coming up. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] great rates for great rides. geico motorcycle, see how much you could save. [ male announcer ] great rates for great rides. you've reached the age where you've learned a thing or two. this is the age of knowing what you're made of. so why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? talk to your doctor about viagra. 20 million men already have. ask your doctor if your he

this week i spoke with the current army chief ray odierno. he stood up for him and strongly defended him and said there are problems at the v.a. >> that's like the watchdog's watchdog standing up for the watchdog. he has a very distinguished military career. but you know the fact that the military is standing up for him. i mean, just look at this. this is his job. >> what strikes me about this is something john said, the bipartisan nature of these attacks. these aren't just republicans. he they are not just red state democrats worried about re-election. this is balloon that. >> even more question why is he still there? >> it wases white house worried. it comes on the heels of the irs scandal and obamacare rollout it speaks to wows official. they don't. the resignation is north going to do the trick. >> i know republicans and democrats both are deeply disturbed by this but the fact that people are not calling for his head when he sad all these years and people have died under. this not just that they have had to sit at their computer trying to

. >> there is a list already circulating around the white house that includes general ray odierno, theirman of the joint staff, general marty syst dempsey. and colin powell has been kicked around. even robert gates. as i looked at the list and talked to people combing the list, i thought why would any one of those individuals take this job right now. >> that's leading to my next question what will the secretary have to deal with if they took this job? >> everybody's talking about throwing more money at the va. and i've talked to a lot of the people at the va over the years. and many people on capitol hill who believe that there is really no way -- not enough money to fix all the problems at the va. and it is not just about money. if you have a bureaucracy, such an entrenched bureaucracy, with the philosophy and working guidelines that say it's okay to cook the books, it is okay to put veterans on secret lists, to pump up your own bonuses, perhaps, and then in some cases allegedly it is okay to then try to hide that evidence when the inspector general comes around. so there needs to be

our witnesses on the first panel our general martin dempsey, admiral james when i felt, general ray odiernoadmiral welshreener, general mark , anderal james amos general frank grass, chief of the national guard bureau. we will have a second panel consisting of nongovernment witnesses which i will introduce later. it is not often that all the members of the joint chiefs of staff testified before us in a single hearing. that we have the opportunity to thank them as one group for the contributions that they and those that they lead make to the well-being of our nation. thank you, gentlemen. thank you for the service of you and yours. distinguish nature of this panel reflects the importance of the questions before our committee this year. the nationalet defense authorization act for fiscal year 2015 later this month. the decisions that we make, the compensation, core structure and strength readiness and modernization will have a far-reaching impact on the men and women of our armed forces and on the future of our military and our country. the departments 2015 budget request comes at a time of t

the army, the honorable john mchugh, the 38th chief of staff of the united states army, general ray odierno and the lieutenant tendent, caselen.obert l. ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the resident of the united states. [playing "hail to the chief"] "star spangled banner" playing ] [cheers and applause] >> order. arms. n. staff, return. ready. cut. staff, uncovered. >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the shear. on by chaplain >> i invite you to pray with me, if you so choose. lord, it has been 47 long months for these young men and women and their families. thank you that from our day you brought them safely through cadet basic. from calculus to physics to the ioct, we asked you for patience for the new barracks construction and the endurance to handle long nights with little sleep. most of all, lord, we praise you that through your steadfast presence these women and men have grown from wide eyed immature high school graduates to be leaders of character. so now, lord, as they trade their cadet grays to dress blues, i ask you to lead them as soldiers into the future. may they p

you will notice this a guy here ray odierno who is not only the leader of our army but also somebody who plays football and i don't know if he still plays although he could but as a leader of our armed forces he sees the effects that injuries have have him brave men and women who serve in uniform and all of those who care about them. that's why he raised here. i have seen in my visits to wounded warriors dramatic brain injury is one of the signature issues of the wars in iraq and afghanistan. the thing is the vast majority of mild traumatic brain injury cases in the military occurred outside deployment so even though our wars are ending a dressing this issue will continue to be important to our armed forces. as part of a new national action plan we announced last year we are directing more than $100 million in research to find more effective ways to help prevent, diagnose and treat mental health conditions and traumatic brain injury. because the more we learn about the effects of brain injuries the more we can do to help our courageous troops and veterans recover. and that obviously

senator jack reid, admiral mike mullen, general chiarelli, jim r webb and talk about chief of staff ray odiernome you want to endorse? >> we're certainly not endorsing anyone in particular, but i've heard some of the same names floated. chiarelli has been really good on attacking mental health issues, finding solution. senator jack reid a great advocate on the senate arms services committee. another name not on that list we've heard, congressman walsh, highest enlisted member to serve in congress. amazing advocate on the house veterans affairs committee. a number of people perfect lly qualified and capable. we want to see someone with the post-9/11 military involvaled we feel we need a transformational new generation leader in the v.a. to help bring the v.a. into a 21st century v.a. >> thank you, sir, so much for your service. >> thank you so much. appreciate it. >>> still ahead, imagine you're standing on this glass. we have the glass? picture here? >> gosh. let me tell you something. i have stood there. >> you have? >> well -- kind of. >> so -- it's 103 stories high. and then it cracks. >> ye