Sen. Ben Nelson and Sen. Daniel K. Akaka Hold a Joint Hearing On Active Duty Military Family Support Programs

Political Transcript Wire › August 18, 2009

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Sen. Ben Nelson and Sen. Daniel K. Akaka Hold a Joint Hearing On Active Duty Military Family Support Programs

U.S. SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL AND SUBCOMMITTEE ON READINESS AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT HOLD A JOINT HEARING ON ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS

APRIL 18, 2007

SPEAKERS: SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL SEN. BEN NELSON, D-NEB. CHAIRMAN SEN. EDWARD M. KENNEDY, D-MASS. SEN. JIM WEBB, D-VA. SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, D-MO. SEN. CARL LEVIN, D-MICH. EX OFFICIO

SEN. JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, I-CONN.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. RANKING MEMBER SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, R-MAINE SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, R-GA. SEN. ELIZABETH DOLE, R-N.C. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZ. EX OFFICIO

SUBCOMMITTEE ON READINESS AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SEN. DANIEL K. AKAKA, D-HAWAII CHAIRMAN SEN. ROBERT C. BYRD, D-W.VA. SEN. EVAN BAYH, D-IND. SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, D-N.Y. SEN. MARK PRYOR, D-ARK. SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, D-MO. SEN. CARL LEVIN, D-MICH. EX OFFICIO

SEN. JOHN ENSIGN, R-NEV. RANKING MEMBER SEN. JAMES M. INHOFE, R-OKLA. SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, R-ALA. SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, R-GA. SEN. ELIZABETH DOLE, R-N.C. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZ. EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ, PRINCIPAL DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY, PERSONNEL AND READINESS, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

LYNDA DAVIS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY

JOHN MCLAURIN, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY, HUMAN RESOURCES

LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROGER BRADY (USAF), DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL, U.S. AIR FORCE

JOYCE RAEZER, COO, NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY ASSOCIATION CONNIE MCDONALD, WIFE OF AN ARMY SERVICEMEMBER

PAULA SUMERALL, WIFE OF A NATIONAL GUARD SERVICEMEMBER

LAUNA HAL, WIFE OF AN AIR FORCE SERVICEMEMBER

MARY PIACENTINI, WIFE OF AN ARMY RESERVE SERVICEMEMBER

[*] NELSON: The Personnel and Readiness and Management Support Subcommittees of the Senate Armed Services Committee meet together this afternoon to consider the impact of quality of life and family support programs on the readiness of active-duty National Guard and Reserve personnel.

We're holding this joint hearing of our two subcommittees at the recommendation of Senator Akaka, who's chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support.

And I think, Senator Akaka, this is a great idea, and I appreciate very much your suggesting it.

We all understand that our military personnel cannot focus on the mission at hand if they're distracted with worries about whether their families are being taken care of. Taking good care of military families translates directly to improved readiness, military readiness. It's our intent to support policies and programs that foster a family-friendly environment for our military families.

So, Senator Akaka, thank you for your leadership on this.

It's certainly appropriate that we hold this hearing on family readiness during April, as April was the month of the military child. Military parents have the very difficult and challenging task of raising children during these highly stressful times of deployment, redeployment, extended deployment and reintegration into home life upon return from deployment.

The secretary of defense just recently announced that the Army combat tours will be extended from 12 to 15 months. What impact will this have on our military families? I'll be interested in hearing whether the Army is making a special effort to address the needs of the families of the servicemembers who just learned that they will be coming home three months later than they had planned.

What will the families have to say about this recent change? Parenting is challenging enough without these additional stresses. Military parents need help, especially during these trying times, and that's what this hearing is all about.

Today we'll hear from Senator Chambliss about his proposal to reduce the age at which certain National Guard and Reserve retirees are eligible to receive retired military pay. Next, we will hear from the Department of Defense and from the military services about programs and policies that they have in place to help our military families.

Following their testimony, we will hear from military spouses who have a great deal of experience in dealing with the challenges faced by military families and the National Mili...

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