Sen. Ben Nelson Holds a Hearing On Military Quality-of-Life Issues

Political Transcript Wire › August 26, 2009

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Sen. Ben Nelson Holds a Hearing On Military Quality-of-Life Issues

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL HOLDS A HEARING ON MILITARY QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES

APRIL 16, 2008

SPEAKERS: 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

WITNESSES: COLONEL STEVEN STROBRIDGE (USAF, RET.), DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

MASTER CHIEF JOSEPH BARNES (USN, RET.), NATIONAL EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION

KATHLEEN MOAKLER, DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY ASSOCIATION

MASTER SERGEANT MICHAEL CLINE (USA, RET.), EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENLISTED ASSOCIATION OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF THE UNITED STATES

MEREDITH BECK, NATIONAL POLICY DIRECTOR, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

[*] NELSON: Good afternoon. This Personnel Subcommittee hearing will come to order.

The subcommittee meets today to receive testimony from military beneficiary organizations regarding the quality of life of active, reserve and retired military personnel and their family members in review of the defense authorization request for fiscal year 2009 and the future years defense program.

This committee is responsible for the most important aspect of the United States military system, our men and women and their families.

These great Americans have volunteered to serve our nation so we have a special responsibility to provide for their quality of life.

The repeated and extended deployments and the intensity of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking a toll on the health of our troops and their families. This hearing will help us to learn about the concerns and needs of our military members and their families from the beneficiary organizations that stay in constant contact with them and represent their interests.

It has been an honor to be able to work with my ranking member, Senator Graham, in this effort. We have exchanged positions a time or two.

(LAUGHTER)

But we, along with the rest of the subcommittee, aim to do everything we can to ensure that our servicemembers and their families have a quality of life commensurate with the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.

I would like to express my personal appreciation to the many organizations that assist and represent the interests of our military personnel and their families.

You do a great service to our nation. And you deserve to be recognized for what you do.

Although it would be ideal to hear the testimony of each of the organizations, that's not possible. That's why we reach out to the Military Coalition, a consortium of 33 service and veterans organizations to present the collective views of the organization.

We're pleased to welcome our witnesses here this afternoon. Colonel Steve Strobridge, U.S. Air Force, retired, and Master Chief Joseph L. Barnes, U.S. Navy, retired. And they are the co-chairmen of the Military Coalition.

Colonel Strobridge is the director of Government Relations for the Military Officers Association of America. And Master Chief Barnes is the national executive director of the Fleet Reserve Association.

We also welcome Kathleen Moakler, director of Government Relations for the National Military Family Association. She also serves as the co-chair of the Survivor Committee of the Military Coalition.

Michael Cline is the executive director of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. He served as the co-chair of the Guard and Reserve Committee of the Military Coalition.

Ms. Meredith Beck is the national policy director of the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization devoted to the care and treatment of our wounded warriors.

We look forward to learning from our witnesses about the needs and concerns of our ...

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