WASHINGTON - Rep. Joseph Heck (R-WA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, made the following opening statement for today's hearing entitled “Stakeholder’s Views on the Recommendations of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.”
Opening Statement of Chairman Heck
Stakeholder's Views on the Recommendations of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
Rep. Joseph Heck(R-WA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, made the following opening statement for today's hearing entitled "Stakeholder's Views on the Recommendations of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission."
"I want to welcome everyone to a hearing of the Military Personnel Subcommittee on the stakeholder's views of the fifteen recommendations to modernize the military compensation and retirement systems suggested by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission. As we continue to study the Commission's recommendations we also need to consider the views of our current and retired service members through you, the organizations that represent them. We are committed to addressing concerns and issues raised by members of The Military Coalition and others on the effects of the Commission's recommendations on service members and their family's willingness to serve and the effects on their quality of life.
I want to continue to assure everyone that the Military Personnel Subcommittee is taking every opportunity to thoroughly review and discuss the recommendations. We are fully committed to improving the welfare and quality of life for both current members of our Armed Services and our veterans, while ensuring we keep our nation safe and secure.
Our purpose today is to understand how current and retired service members are viewing and discussing the commission's recommendations. A guiding consideration for our work is the viability of the All-Volunteer Force. Most importantly, we must not break faith with our service members and undermine our efforts to recruit and retain the best and brightest in our Armed Forces.
We are joined today by an outstanding panel of stakeholders.
Let me welcome our panel:
Mr. Scott Bousum Legislative Director Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States
Mr. Brendon Gehrke Senior Legislative Associate Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
Col. Michael Hayden, USAF (Ret) Director, Government Relations Military Officers Association of America
Mr. Chris Neiweem Legislative Associate Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Ms. Karen Ruedisueli Government Relations Deputy Director National Military Family Association
Mr. John Stovall Director of National Security The American Legion"
