February 17th, 2011

Feb 17th
Attended the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing which hosted Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen. It was in Dirksen G50 which is a huge committee room as they expected lots of guests. The gentlemen detailed out questions ranging from Guantanamo Bay and the F-35 Joint-Strike Fighter program which is set to deliver its first jet to the Navy later this spring and to the Air Force later this fall. It was neat to see two guys who have a direct hand in what my future in the Army will hold. They operated without notes answering the Senators’ questions and were very knowledgeable and had detailed numbers at the ready. Senators from both sides were very forthcoming with comments that uncontrolled military spending is coming to an end. The Secretary detailed how they have already saved over $300 billion over the past two years in budgets going forward by streamlining programs and acquisition processes such as the F-35 program. The Marine Corps’ jets have been pushed back so the first jets can be delivered in the next few months. Trying to bring 3 branches jets to completion at once was holding up the entire process. There was no talk over FY 12 expenditures other than the big programs but I’m sure the staffs will be working out the President’s numbers in the coming weeks.