OPENING REMARKS OF CHAIRMAN WILSON

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the Subcommittee's hearing titled “Aviation Mishap Prevention – A Progress Report.” For testimony and to watch the hearing click here.  

"Good afternoon. The subcommittee will come to order.  I welcome each of you to this hearing of the Readiness Subcommittee on 'Aviation Mishap Prevention – A Progress Report.'

Today the subcommittee will hear from each of the services on the efforts of each to reduce the number of aviation mishaps,  focusing on any preliminary conclusions on common causal factors to these mishaps, and any changes made to improve safety and decrease mishaps. 

We owe it to our service men and women to eliminate preventable accidents and continue to strive to provide the resources necessary for the most capable and most trained military in the world.  Readiness is not just having enough spare parts on the shelves or enough aircraft to fly.  Readiness is also training service members to be proficient in their jobs. 

As witnesses testified last week during the Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee hearing on the 'Department of Defense Aviation Mishap Review and Oversight Process,' most mishaps are due to human error.  Although human error may be the primary causal factor in most aviation incidents, there are ways to reduce human error.  During your testimony, please ensure you highlight how your service is taking actions to reduce human error and prevent today’s accidents while we all work to  ensure that servicemembers have the time, tools, and training to be successful and prevent future aviation mishaps.  
 
I am pleased to recognize our witnesses today.  I thank them for taking the time to be with us and we look forward to your update on how your service is preventing aviation mishaps.  We have with us:

• Lieutenant General Chris Nowland
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations

• Lieutenant General Steven Rudder
Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation

• Major General William Gayler
Commanding General, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence

• Rear Admiral Roy Kelley
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic"