Opening Statements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX), Chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, delivered the following opening remarks at a posture hearing on military department personnel chiefs. 
 
Rep. Fallon’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
 
I want to welcome everyone to this hearing of the Military Personnel subcommittee.   

Today’s hearing is focused on the personnel policy makers…who are charged with developing the policies, guidance and programs that affect the strategic objectives for accessions, recruiting, assignments, benefits, career development and much more. 

You are largely responsible for developing the tools that shape the total force in each of your Services.  

This is no small task. We are here to hear from you on the effectiveness and consequences of all of these polices.

Which makes what we are going to discuss here today so important.  

First and foremost, I wanted to congratulate all of you on the turn-around in recruiting. 

This is a testament to the hard-work and focus that the Services, the recruiters on the ground, this Committee, and the administration have invested in making sure we are a fully-manned, lethal, and ready force. 

However, with the danger from China increasing, we need to make sure we keep our focus. 

I also want to hear from you how the implementation of the FY25 NDAA Quality of Life provisions are going:  

Are the dining facilities getting better? 

Are you doing a better job at making sure our service members and families have access to safe, affordable housing? 

Are our service members seeing doctors they need to see in a timely manner? 

Do our military children have access to quality childcare? 

Are our military spouses gainfully employed and pursuing careers they want? 

These are just some of the questions I hope we can answer today.  

Because if we don’t ensure that our service members and their families are prioritized, our excellent recruiting will dry up and we may very well have a retention problem. 

I want to thank all of our Service-members: Active Duty, Reservists and Guard Members who are serving this nation around the world as we speak.

You and your families are really the subject of this hearing as the policies and regulations controlled by these senior officers profoundly affect your lives and your very decision to stay in service.