U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on talent management policies and their effects on military personnel.
Rep. Gallagher's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Chairwoman Speier. I also want to thank our Military Personnel Chiefs for being here today. Talent Management in the Services is an extraordinarily important topic for the Military Personnel Subcommittee.
When discussing talent management, we must think about the national defense threats the United States encounters… whether they are from China, Russia or an emerging threat… The constant… is that we must have warriors in our military with the moral conviction, physical constitution and character to defeat our adversaries.
I look at talent management as critical to our success in the multi-domain battlespace. We must have the people with the skills, knowledge and abilities to embrace the warrior ethos…
As a Service Personnel Chief you and your staffs play an integral component in the success of our military… One of my interest areas in today's hearing is understanding your Service definition of talent management and how that is woven into the fabric of your organization.
Investment in the right people may be the singularly most important factor in any organization's success...
I have long felt that the military is a reflection of society. The strength of the Joint Force relies on the strength of society…. Talent management should target the best and the brightest to serve our great nation… regardless of race, color, religion, etc.… Yet, how do we reach that person that has not been exposed to the military but has the talent to serve?
Another integral component of talent management is promotion and retention.
I believe in our military as a meritocracy, that should promote those individuals that are most deserving and exemplify the warrior ethos. However, my concern is ensuring the Department of Defense has the tools needed to proactively retain and promote the talent required to defeat our adversaries.
