US Navy, WASHINGTON: Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Dr. Donald C. Winter, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead, and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Conway, testified before members of the Senate during a session of the Fiscal 2009 Defense Authorization Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) on Feb. 28.
“The Department of the Navy's FY 09 budget meets the challenge of resourcing the Navy and Marine Corps team across a range of missions, from partnership building to combat operations. It invests in our ability to operate, sustain, and develop forces that are engaged in the global war on terrorism while preparing the force for the challenges and threats of the future,” Winter said.
The Secretary also highlighted the ability to train Sailors and Marines in real world environments as one of the department's most critical readiness needs. The Navy has encountered increasing encroachments in its ability to conduct critical training.
“We recognize that there are, on occasion, impacts on the citizenry at large associated with such training,” stated Winter. “We owe it to the American people, and we owe it to those who serve to acknowledge that—as in all things in life—there are competing interests and trade-offs, and that we treat the risks of sonar operation at sea or the impact of jet noise the way we treat all public policy issues, balancing risks and costs against legitimate national security interests.”
Roughead discussed his priorities of building tomorrow's Navy, maintaining current readiness and attracting, recruiting and retaining Sailors, Navy civilians and their families. He also thanked the members of the committee for their support in building tomorrow's Navy and reiterated that a minimum of 313 ships is necessary to provide the global reach, persistent presence, and strategic, operational, and tactical effects the future Navy needs.
Roughead believes that there is stability in the submarine, amphibious and auxiliary ship programs, but the Navy needs to allow its combatant build programs to take root, grow, stabilize and move into the future.
“Right now, we are developing a new fleet of ships. If you look from submarines, to combatants, to amphibious ships, we are introducing all new classes,” Roughead said.
CNO said the new class of destroyers introduces technologies that will advance future Navy combatants. He also noted that with the smaller crew sizes, the cost savings over time will be significant.
“I remain strongly committed to funding those programs that provide critical capabilities to our forces,” he said.
He also stressed to Congress that health care is at the top of the list of concerns for Sailors, Navy civilians and their families and that the services are working at the most senior levels of leadership to address those concerns.
“The [joint service] chiefs must have a discussion as to what the nature of our operational health care will be. In the case of the Navy and Marine Corps, we are an expeditionary force, we are a deployed force, so as we make changes to health care systems and how we budget for that, what effect does that have on the operational mission? And I believe it's the chiefs that must have that discussion,” said Roughead.
He concluded his testimony by thanking the members for their continued support in creating an environment that is personally and professionally fulfilling for the young men and women who comprise the all-volunteer force serving in today's Navy.
“Today, I serve in the best Navy I have ever served in, and it's a function of the all volunteer force,” said Roughead.
Crediting the committee for their support, Roughead said, “The care … the attention and the thought that goes into truly creating an environment where our young men and women can come and be fulfilled, personally and professionally has made our Navy what it is today.”
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