    [Senate Hearing 115-674, Part 6]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                    S. Hrg. 115-674, Pt. 6

                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION OF
                   APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND
                   THE FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARINGS

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                         ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                       ON

                                    S. 2987

         TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 FOR MILITARY
    ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION,
    TO PRESCRIBE MILITARY PERSONNEL STRENGTHS FOR SUCH FISCAL YEAR, AND FOR
                                 OTHER PURPOSES

                                   ----------

                                     PART 6

                                   PERSONNEL

                                   ----------

                               FEBRUARY 14, 2018

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

             Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services
                    Available via: http://www.govinfo.gov

                                 __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    47-054 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES

    JOHN McCAIN, Arizona, Chairman
    JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma, Chairman	JACK REED, Rhode Island
    ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi		BILL NELSON, Florida
    DEB FISCHER, Nebraska			CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
    TOM COTTON, Arkansas			JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
    MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota		KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
    JONI ERNST, Iowa			RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
    THOM TILLIS, North Carolina		JOE DONNELLY, Indiana
    DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska			MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
    DAVID PERDUE, Georgia			TIM KAINE, Virginia
    TED CRUZ, Texas				ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine
    LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina		MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico
    BEN SASSE, Nebraska			ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
    LUTHER STRANGE, Alabama              	GARY C. PETERS, Michigan

                     Christian D. Brose, Staff Director
                     Elizabeth L. King, Minority Staff Director

    _________________________________________________________________

                           Subcommittee on Personnel

    THOM TILLIS, North Carolina,
                 Chairman
    JONI ERNST, Iowa		     KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
    LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina	     CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
    BEN SASSE, Nebraska         	     ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts

                                 (ii)

                               C O N T E N T S

    _________________________________________________________________

                               february 14, 2018

                                                                       Page

    Military and Civilian Personnel Programs and Military Family
      Readiness......................................................     1

                               Member Statements

    Statement of Senator Thom Tillis.................................     1

    Statement of Senator Joni Ernst..................................     2

    Statement of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand.......................     3

    Statement of Senator Tim Kaine...................................     4

                               Witness Statements

    Wilkie, Hon. Robert L., Jr., Under Secretary of Defense for           6
      Personnel and Readiness.

    Rocco, Lieutenant General Michael A., USMC, Deputy Commandant for    10
      Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

    Grosso, Lieutenant General Gina M., USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff      16
      for Manpower, Personnel and Services.

    Burke, Vice Admiral Robert P., USN, Deputy Chief of Naval
      Operations,
      N-1............................................................    24

    Seamands, Lieutenant General Thomas C., USA, Deputy Chief of
      Staff,
      G-1............................................................    32

    Roth-Douquet, Kathy, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Star Families.    55

    Hruska, Kelly B., Government Relations Director, National            66
      Military Family Association.

    Haynie, J. Michael, Executive Director, Institute for Veterans       94
      and Military Families, Syracuse University.

    Questions for the Record.........................................   102

    Appendix A.......................................................   129

    Appendix B--Attachments 1 to 6...................................   149

        Attachment 1.................................................   149
        Attachment 2.................................................   151
        Attachment 3.................................................   152
        Attachment 4.................................................   153
        Attachment 5.................................................   154
        Attachment 6.................................................   159

    Appendix C
        The prepared statement of The National Association of Chain
          Drug Stores................................................   179

                                     (iii)

     DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR
                   2019 AND THE FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM

                                  ----------

                          WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018

                          United States Senate,
                             Subcommittee on Personnel,
                                   Committee on Armed Services,
                                                        Washington, DC.

     MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL PROGRAMS AND MILITARY FAMILY READINESS

        The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:03 p.m. in
    room SR-232A, Russell Senate Office Building, Senator Thom
    Tillis (Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
        Subcommittee Members present: Senators Tillis, Ernst,
    Gillibrand, McCaskill, Kaine, and Warren.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR THOM TILLIS

        Senator Tillis. I'm going to bring the hearing to order.
    Ranking Member Gillibrand will be joining us, but, in the
    interest, making sure we have time for both panels, thank you
    all for being here.
        The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel meets
    this afternoon to receive testimony on military and civilian
    personnel programs and on military family readiness. We are
    fortunate today to have the Under Secretary of Defense for
    Personnel and Readiness and the Services' personnel chiefs to
    discuss the Department's military and civilian personnel
    programs, and to have several important civilian witnesses to
    discuss military family readiness.
        On panel 1, we will hear from the Honorable Robert Wilkie,
    Under Secretary of Defense in Personnel and Readiness, and,
    actually, a former colleague of mine in my office; Lieutenant
    General Thomas Seamands, Deputy Army Chief of Staff; Vice
    Admiral Robert Burke, the Chief of Naval Personnel, Deputy
    Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training,
    and Education; Lieutenant General Gina Grosso, Deputy Air Force
    Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services; and
    Lieutenant General Rocco--Michael Rocco, Deputy Marine
    Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
        Thank you all for being here.
        I'll introduce the second panel during the transition.
        The recently released National Defense Strategy correctly
    states that creativity and talent of the American warfighter is
    our military's greatest enduring strength. Therefore, the
    topics this subcommittee will discuss today are vital to the
    health and effectiveness of our All-Volunteer Force. As the
    Nation faces an increasingly complex global security
    environment, our military's personnel programs and policies
    must build on an agile and adaptable force capable of
    responding to the uncertain threats we face.
        A high-quality military and civilian workforce must appeal
    to this Nation's best and brightest young people, provide
    greater stability and flexibility to servicemembers in their
    professional and personal lives, and provide compensation
    commensurate with the level of responsibility inherent to a
    military career.
        As we do all of this, we can't lose sight of the military
    families who support our troops much better than any personnel
    policy ever could. Military families confront unique stressors
    and challenges which must be considered in any discussion of
    military personnel management. The Congress needs to understand
    military families' concerns and four work diligently to ensure
    that the Department of Defense (DOD) provides the support and
    the services families need. The readiness of our Armed Forces,
    and, ultimately, our Nation's security, depends on it, because,
    if the Defense Department fails to support military families,
    our volunteer servicemembers will simply walk away.
        Finally, I look forward to hearing from Secretary Wilkie
    and the personnel chiefs about their efforts to improve
    recruitment and retention of military and civilian personnel,
    to improve military personnel and family readiness, to prevent
    sexual assault and harassment, to reduce servicemember and
    family suicides, to combat domestic violence and child abuse,
    and to enhance childcare services, and, finally, to improve
    employment opportunities for military spouses.
        I hope the civilian witnesses on the panel--on panel 2 will
    describe the challenges faced by military families and give us
    good ideas about how we can improve family readiness.
        I want to thank all the witnesses for being here today, and
    I look forward to hearing your testimony.
        I want to especially thank Senator Ernst. She's a frequent
    attender of subcommittees. I know she's got a lot of
    subcommittees today; she's bouncing in and out.
        Senator Ernst, I would offer time for you to make any
    opening comment.

                    STATEMENT OF SENATOR JONI ERNST

        Senator Ernst. Certainly. This is a rare occasion, since
    I'm not a Chair or Ranking Member of this Committee. So, I
    don't have any prepared statements, but I do want to thank you
    for being here today.
        A number of questions that I have from--later on, if we get
    to those--Senator Tillis addressed most of them in his opening
    comments. One that I want to raise awareness on, and something
    that we do talk about, is recruitment of our forces, and how do
    we sustain readiness with an ever-decreasing population that
    will not meet the height-weight standards to come into the
    service.
        Senator Tillis and I engaged in a ruck march last week,
    something we frequently do on the Hill, so----
        Senator Tillis. It was cold.
        Senator Ernst. It was--for a North Carolinian, it was cold.
    It was a beautiful day for an Iowegian. But, we were joined by
    Sergeant Major of the Army Daley, and we had a great discussion
    about recruiting young people, and we talked a lot about the
    benefits and opportunities that are extended to these young
    people. But, the fact of the matter is, we need a pipeline of
    people coming into the service. I had some physical education
    teachers from Iowa in this morning, and they stated that 71
    percent of our students will not be able to qualify for
    Military Service, because they're simply not ready, coming out
    of high school, because of those height-weight standards. So,
    I'm not suggesting that we need to lower standards at all. I
    think we keep the standard, but what we have to do is focus on
    that pipeline and make sure that, if they want to serve, they
    are ready to serve as they exit high school.
        So, thank you very much for the opportunity, Mr. Chair.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you, Senator Ernst.
        Ranking Member Gillibrand.

               STATEMENT OF SENATOR KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND

        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you. I really appreciate your
    work.
        As we begin our review of DOD's military and civilian
    personnel budgets and programs, I remain concerned about the
    pace of accessing and signing women into all military
    occupations and units that were previously denied to them. It
    has been 2 years now since the Secretary of Defense and the
    Obama administration lifted the remaining restrictions. A lot
    of progress has been made, but we must be vigilant that
    occupational standards remain rooted in everyday requirements
    of military duty, as required by law, to ensure an equal
    playing field for all, and that we field the best possible
    military we can, and recruit and retain the best people.
        Second, I applaud the Department, and you, Mr. Wilkie, for
    finally publishing a Uniform Anti-Harassment Policy applicable
    to all uniformed military members, required by the 2013 defense
    bill, which is nearly 5 years late. I have some questions about
    what you choose to include and what is not included in the
    policy. I understand that the next steps, which you are working
    on, is a policy for the Department's civilian and contractor
    workforces. I'm also interested in hearing about your efforts
    to curb retaliation against those who report sexual assault and
    harassment within the ranks. The reported retaliation rate
    against survivors has consistently been around 60 percent,
    which is deeply troubling.
        An area that we have not talked about sufficiently is
    intimate partner violence and child abuse. This came to the
    forefront last year with the shooting by Devin Patrick Kelley,
    in Texas. In that instance, the system failed in keeping a gun
    out of his hands. I know that the Services have been looking at
    how this had happened, and working to ensure that it doesn't
    happen again. But, a less reported data point I think is
    staggering is that, in fiscal year 2016, there were 13,916
    reports of suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect, and,
    horribly, 18 child abuse-related fatalities. All of the
    deceased victims were under 5 years old, and half of them were
    under 1 year old. In addition, there were nine spouse or
    intimate-partner fatalities. Unfortunately, we do not have
    prevalence data for these crimes, but the data that is out
    there suggests to me that we should be paying more attention to
    this issue. So, I'm grateful to Senator Tillis for agreeing to
    hold a hearing devoted to intimate-partner violence and child
    abuse next month.
        In terms of the Department's budget request, the fiscal
    year 2018 request for military personnel, including healthcare,
    totaled $180 billion. This year's request is $187 billion. I
    look forward to hearing from our government witnesses where
    these additional funds would be used in order to increase
    military family readiness. I do have to say, however, that I'm
    extremely disappointed that, even with $85 billion in
    additional funding provided by the budget deal passed by
    Congress, that the President has proposed freezing the pay of
    Federal civilian workforce, half of whom work within DOD and
    its S.0ervices. I believe this is shortsighted, unnecessary,
    and will further erode morale and trust among our civilian
    employees.
        Thank you, Senator Tillis, for including the second panel
    today, which is the focus of a military families program. I am
    especially pleased to welcome Dr. J. Michael Haynie, from
    Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military
    Families, which he leads, and which has done some very
    important work supporting military families' post-service
    employment and financial readiness.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tillis. We'll just share this mic.
        Senator Kaine has joined us. Senator Kaine is not on this
    subcommittee, but I understood yesterday that he was talking
    about stepping in. So, Senator Kaine, before we receive
    testimony from the first panel, if you'd like to make some
    comments, we'll recognize you at this time.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR TIM KAINE

        Senator Kaine. I want to thank the Chair and the Ranking,
    and thank the witnesses and colleagues for forbearance on this.
    I am the ranking on the Readiness Subcommittee, and we're
    meeting around the corner. So, I wanted to just make brief
    comments on a readiness and personal matter, and then race
    back.
        Family readiness. Family readiness, which is so critical to
    personnel, but to the entire military mission. I firmly believe
    that family readiness, and specifically military spouse
    unemployment, is a military readiness issue. I have a child in
    the military who recently is married, and so now I'm
    experiencing the discussions about this issue in a different
    way than I have before. But, I hear about it from folks all
    over the Commonwealth, and I'm sure it's the same for all my
    colleagues. They hear about it in their State.
        Military families face significant financial strain in
    security and sacrifice because of having single incomes or also
    because of the frequent moves. This places an enormous strain
    on the force. I think we've often heard our military leaders
    testify, in the full hearings, that often it's the
    servicemember that makes the decision to enlist, but whether
    somebody stays or not is most often a family decision. So, we
    need to focus on retaining top talent. Military life will never
    be easy on those who serve or their families, but, while we
    can't make Military Service easy, sometimes we can lighten the
    burden on families and make it a little bit more doable.
        Within the last 2 weeks, I introduced S. 2379, the Military
    Spouse Employment Act. I want to thank Senators Gillibrand,
    Murray, and Purdue for being cosponsors of the legislation.
    Truly bipartisan. It's been introduced in a bipartisan way on
    the House side, as well.
        Spouses are facing unemployment rates two to--at least
    three times higher than the national average, and some surveys
    have that rate as seven times higher. The only reason there is
    a range is, we haven't cared enough about the figure to really
    accurately measure it. We do measure veterans' unemployment
    rate very well through the Department of Labor, but military
    spouse unemployment hasn't been a priority, so the measures are
    more difficult, and they have to be done via survey.
        When we saw, collectively, similar rates among veterans-- a
    veterans unemployment rate higher than the national average in
    the late 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 space, we did a bunch of
    things, together with society, and then the veterans
    unemployment rate of Iraq and Afghan war vets actually dropped
    down to be now below the national average. That's good. So, if
    we were able to do it there, with some persistent attention, I
    think we can do it here, too. I hope we can make a similar
    effort, connected to the NDAA [National Defense Authorization
    Act] this year, to take this really talented, resilient
    workforce of military spouses and help them tackle the
    challenge.
        The bill that I passed, which I hope we'll be discussing
    during the NDAA, came from stories that I heard around
    Virginia, and basically falls into four pillars:
        First, assistance with direct hiring. To the extent that we
    can use expedited hiring into Federal jobs--we sometimes do
    that for veterans--we can do it for military spouses, too.
    Often, the best jobs around military bases are other Federal
    jobs, either DOD civilian or other Federal agencies.
        Second, training. The MyCAA, career advancement account,
    can be used by spouses, but we've found a whole lot of people
    don't really know about the account. There's even some uses of
    it we think we can expand. So, it's one thing to use that
    account to take a course, to advance your employability, but
    how about using the account to pay for a credential? If you
    move from one State to the next and you're a teacher, a real
    estate agent, lawyer, cosmetologist, and you need to get a new
    credential, how about using the CAA account to recredential or
    reregister?
        Third, counseling. The Military OneSource offers counseling
    resources for servicemembers and spouses after the transition.
    But, we heard from a lot of folks that the 6 month availability
    of these resources--career coaching, counseling--was just too
    quick to help some people in the transition. That 6 months
    comes fast. The transition isn't done. We can extend that for a
    year.
        Then, finally, there are transition assets on military
    bases, Transition Assistance Program, that are now guaranteed
    access for the military servicemember, but not guaranteed
    access for spouses. Since transition is a family matter, we
    think we ought to guarantee spouses access to those resources,
    as well.
        There's a lot to it. The nice thing is, this is a matter
    that I know there's not a partisan issue to. It's my hope that
    whether it's tackling it on the readiness side or in the
    personnel side as we go through the NDAA process this year,
    this bipartisan idea might find favor with the Committee. Mr.
    Chair, I thank you. Senator Gillibrand, thanks so much for
    being a cosponsor of the bill.
        Thanks for letting me interrupt. You're actually going to
    hear from some witnesses in panel 2 who have been very
    instrumental in helping us realize what we need to do in this
    area. I thank them for their help.
        Thanks, Mr. Chair.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you, Senator Kaine.
        Secretary Wilkie, welcome. We'll then move from right to
    left on opening statements from the personnel Service Chiefs.
        Secretary Wilkie.

      STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT L. WILKIE, JR., UNDER SECRETARY OF
                  DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS

        Secretary Wilkie. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator
    Gillibrand, and Senator Ernst.
        As you said, Mr. Chairman, this is a bit of a homecoming
    for me. I can never begin to repay the Senators here and my
    colleagues on the staff for your kindness to me through the
    years.
        I also want to thank you for your herculean efforts on
    behalf of our troops to provide them stable and predictable
    funding for our operations for the next 2 years.
        Mr. Chairman, during my nomination hearing, you charged me
    with making life easier for the men, women, and families who
    carry our future on their shoulders. Since my confirmation, I
    am happy to report that the role of personnel and readiness
    (P&R) has not only changed to make that charge real, but it has
    changed to provide a wider use of personnel issues as we inform
    the National Defense Strategy (NDS).
        Secretary Mattis first laid out three Department of Defense
    priorities in the new National Defense Strategy. One is
    rebuilding military readiness as we build a more lethal joint
    force. Two, strengthening alliances as we attract new partners.
    Three, reforming the Department's business and family practices
    for greater performance. P&R has a role in all of these areas.
        The Secretary has also given us new responsibilities for
    the strategic readiness of the force. He has instructed us to
    address resource gaps in capabilities, readiness, and the
    capacity to project power in globally contested environments.
    He has charged us with updating readiness goals in line with
    the NDS, working with the Joint Staff and Services to establish
    a standardized demand signal to determine the forces essential
    to address future warfighting scenarios. He has also tasked us
    with implementing a readiness recovery framework that includes
    a plan on specific Military Service identified areas for
    improvement, such as maintenance, access to training,
    sufficient manpower, depot maintenance, and the time needed to
    plan, coordinate, and execute readiness across the Services.
        As I mentioned last year, the Department has too often been
    caught up in chasing the shiny object, like the new carrier or
    the new fighter. We have forgotten many of the family issues
    that make our All-Volunteer Force work. But, we have also
    forgotten servicemembers on the front line. The front line is
    where 80 to 90 percent of the casualties occur. It is where the
    human dimension of conflict is its most bloody. It is a world
    that is brutal and unforgiving, and a world in which the grim
    reality now is that the enemy is catching up and exploiting
    areas of weakness. The Israeli Defense Force experienced that
    in Lebanon against Hezbollah in 2006. We have experienced it
    against foes in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now look to a world
    where threats are proliferating from North Korea, China,
    Russia, and Iran.
        Our goal in reassessing the way we carry the fight to deter
    and, if need be, defeat any enemy is to make sure that our
    soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines get home alive quickly--
    and get home quickly to their families. What does that mean? It
    means no more fair fights. That means overmatching our enemies.
    That means providing our troops with the same level of
    investment and scholarly attention that we do with the billion-
    dollar programs that tend to grab headlines across the country.
        Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned at my nomination hearing, this
    is not the military that Chairman McCain and my father joined
    at the dawn of the Kennedy administration. Yet, we are still
    faced with policies and procedures in place then to run that
    force of multiple millions, refreshed each year by tens of
    thousands of draftees and thousands of ROTC [Reserve Officers'
    Training Corps] graduates.
        Today, our military is vastly different. It is comprised
    entirely of high-quality volunteers. As Senator Gillibrand
    noted, 17 percent of the force is female, many of them serving
    on the front lines in numbers and missions unimaginable in the
    days of the Women's Army Corps. Yet, we still rely on a 20 year
    up-or-out model for servicemembers who are forced to leave the
    military in their prime. Promotion models often see the bottom
    performer advanced at the same pace as the frontrunner. Success
    in the Information Age will increasingly rely on the technical
    ability of our troops. Their assignment system values breadth
    over depth of experience. Recruiting is often stovepiped and
    not reaching a wider audience online. Our servicemembers cannot
    move freely amongst Active, Guard, and Reserve components to
    meet changing circumstances in their lives.
        As part of a holistic talent management strategy, I am
    working with the Services, and will work with you, to ensure
    that our legislative authorities and policies meet these
    requirements and the requirements laid out by the Secretary of
    Defense and the National Defense Strategy.
        Our families, as I mentioned, are our priority, as well. In
    my father's day, very few servicemembers had families. Today,
    almost 70 percent do. For our families, the military health
    system has been slow to keep up with modern medical advances
    for conditions like autism, as the Chairman and Ranking Member
    have often pointed out, and other behavioral disorders. The
    Department will continue to enhance and provide DOD support for
    military families with special medical or educational needs
    through the ongoing Exceptional Family Member Program
    standardization, with oversight and analysis of policy
    implementation, increased communication of available resources,
    and continuous process improvement.
        We still have military families making their medical
    appointments on paper. P&R, in accord with the direction of
    this Committee, is consolidating our military healthcare
    systems into one streamlined and efficient military healthcare
    administration.
        Constant rotation, again based on a 19th Century Army model
    and an issue addressed in Senator Kaine's recent legislation,
    causes stress on our force. It prevents families from putting
    down roots, and spouses from garnering meaningful employment.
    We are mindful of this. We are undertaking a review of ways in
    which we can mitigate those stresses through greater stability,
    particularly at large posts, camps, and stations, locations
    where stability can be balanced with the readiness imperative
    for servicemembers' professional development.
        We are also reviewing our childcare service, and will
    implement strategies to improve access to, and the quality of,
    Department of Defense-provided childcare across our services.
        The bottom line is that readiness is holistic, and, if the
    families are not happy, the soldier walks.
        Importantly, we have finally provided our Members with a
    comprehensive anti-harassment and bullying policy, as
    instructed by this Committee over 6 years ago. To mark the
    seriousness of this endeavor, I have instructed the elevation
    of the DOD Office of Resiliency to include the Sexual Assault
    Prevention and Response Office to be a direct report to me, so
    that it is no longer lost within the layers of the Pentagon's
    bureaucracy. This office will be responsible for Department
    policy and enforcement on sexual assault, harassment, suicide
    prevention, and equal opportunity.
        Mr. Chairman, the All-Volunteer Force has performed
    miracles, but certain communities within the joint force are
    still deploying at a higher rate than desired, and, in some
    cases, their current deploy-to-dwell rate is not sustainable to
    achieve our readiness recovery goals. We must address those
    hard facts or the force will break.
        One way we address this is to ensure our servicemembers are
    performing warfighting operations while we rely on our civilian
    workforce to meet support missions that enhance our military's
    readiness. To that effort, I am reviewing not only how the
    Department can optimize staffing at our shipyards, hospitals,
    and especially our headquarters, but how we can hire the right
    people to make them accountable to perform at the highest
    level.
        Mr. Chairman, this Committee has kept faith with the finest
    military in the world, and the solutions for many of the issues
    I have mentioned have already begun to be put in place by you.
    I pledge P&R to continue to build upon your work and help you
    keep that faith.
        Thank you, sir.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Wilkie follows:]

               Prepared Statement by the Honorable Robert Wilkie
        Mr. Chairman, Senator Gillibrand, and distinguished Members of the
    Subcommittee on Personnel, this is a bit of a homecoming and I can
    never begin to repay the kindness shown me by the Senators here and
    their wonderful staff.
        Mr. Chairman, during my nomination hearing I noted that you were
    charging me with making life easier for those men and women who carry
    our future on their shoulders.
        Since my confirmation, the role of Personnel & Readiness (P&R) has
    changed to comport with Secretary Mattis' vision. The Secretary has
    laid out three Department of Defense (DOD) priorities in the new
    National Defense Strategy:

        1.  Rebuilding military readiness as we build a more lethal Joint
    Force

        2.  Strengthening alliances as we attract new partners

        3.  Reforming the Department's business practices for greater
    performance P&R has a role in all these areas, most significantly in
    building readiness and reforming DOD.

        The Secretary has also given P&R new responsibilities for the
    Strategic Readiness of the force. He has instructed us to:

             Address resource gaps in the capabilities, readiness,
    and capacity to project power globally in contested environments.

             Update the readiness goals in line with the National
    Defense Strategy--working with Joint Staff and Services, establish a
    standardized demand signal to determine the forces essential to address
    various future warfighting scenarios and identify actions to maximize
    force readiness.

             Implement a Readiness Recovery Framework (R2F) that
    includes a plan on specific Military Service-identified areas for
    improvement, such as sufficient maintenance; access to training ranges;
    sufficient manpower; depot maintenance capacity; and time needed to
    plan, coordinate, and execute readiness and training activities.

        In my opinion, the Department has too often been caught up in
    chasing the shiny object--the new carrier or fighter. We have forgotten
    the servicemembers on the frontline. The frontline is where 80 percent
    of the casualties occur.
        It is where the human dimension of conflict is its most bloody. It
    is a world that is brutal and unforgiving--a world in which the grim
    reality now is that the enemy is catching up and exploiting areas of
    weakness. The mighty Israeli Defense Force experienced it in Lebanon
    against Hezbollah. We have experienced it against foes in Iraq and
    Afghanistan and now look to a world where threats are proliferating
    from North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran.
        The threshold question then is whether each decision made by the
    Department enhances America's ability to deter--and if need be defeat--
    any enemy while keeping our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines
    alive and getting them back home quickly.
        That means no more fair fights. That means overmatching our
    enemies. That means providing our marines and Army infantry with the
    same level of investment and scholarly attention that we do with the
    billion-dollar programs that grab the headlines in this town.
        Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned at my nomination hearing--this is not
    the military that Senator McCain or my father joined at the dawn of the
    Kennedy Administration, yet we are hamstrung by the policies and
    procedures emplaced then to run that force of multiple millions
    refreshed each year by tens of thousands of draftees and thousands of
    ROTC graduates. Today, our military is vastly different. Comprised
    entirely of high-quality volunteers. Seventeen percent of the force is
    female--many of whom are serving on the frontlines--in numbers and
    missions unimaginable in the days of the Women's Army Corps.
        We rely on a 20-year-up-or-out model for servicemembers who are
    forced to leave the military in their prime. Promotion models often see
    the bottom performer advanced at the same pace as the front runner.
    Success in the information age will increasingly rely on the technical
    ability of our troops, yet our assignment system values breadth over
    depth of experience and expertise. Recruiting is stove piped and not
    reaching a wide audience online. Servicemembers cannot move freely
    amongst Active, Guard and Reserve components to meet changing
    circumstances in their lives. As part of a holistic talent management
    strategy, I am working with the Services and will work with you to
    ensure our legislative authorities and policies meet the requirements
    laid out in our National Defense Strategy.
        I will also make our families a priority. In my father's day, few
    servicemembers had families--today over 60 percent do. For our
    families, the Military Health System has been slow to keep up with
    modern medical advances for conditions like autism and other behavioral
    disorders as Senators Gillibrand and Tillis have pointed out. The
    Department will continue to enhance and improve DOD support for
    military families with special medical or educational needs through
    ongoing Exceptional Family Member Program standardization efforts,
    oversight and analysis of policy implementation, increased
    communication of available resources, and continuous processes
    improvement.
        We still have military families making their medical appointments
    on paper and P&R, in accord with the direction of this committee, is
    consolidating our multiple military health care systems into one
    streamlined and efficient military health care administration.
        Constant rotation--again based on a 19th Century Army model--causes
    stress on our force and prevents families from putting down roots and
    spouses from garnering meaningful employment. We are mindful of this
    and are undertaking a review of ways in which we can mitigate those
    stressors through greater stability, particularly at large posts,
    camps, and stations--locations where stability can be balanced with the
    readiness imperative for servicemember professional development. We are
    also reviewing our childcare services and will implement strategies to
    improve access to and the quality of Defense Department-provided child
    care services. The bottom line is that readiness is holistic--if the
    families are not happy, the soldier walks.
        Importantly, we have finally moved to provide our members with a
    comprehensive anti-harassment and bullying policy as instructed by this
    committee over 6 years ago. To mark the seriousness of this endeavor--I
    have instructed the elevation of the DOD Office of Resiliency to
    include the Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Office to be a direct
    report to me, so that it is no longer within the layers of the Pentagon
    infrastructure. This office will be responsible for Department policy
    and enforcement on sexual assault, harassment, suicide prevention, and
    equal opportunity.
        The All-Volunteer Force has performed miracles but certain
    communities within the Joint Force are still deploying at a higher rate
    than desired and in some cases their current deploy to dwell rate is
    not sustainable to achieve our readiness recovery goals. We must
    address those hard facts, or the force will break.
        One way we address this is to ensure our servicemembers are
    performing warfighting operations while we rely on our civilian
    workforce to meet the support missions that enable our military's
    readiness. To that effort, I am reviewing not only how the Department
    can optimize staffing at our shipyards, our hospitals, and especially
    our headquarters, but how we can hire the right people and make them
    accountable to perform at the highest level.
        Mr. Chairman, this committee has kept faith with the finest
    military in the world and the solutions for many of the issues I
    mentioned have already begun to be put in place. I pledge to continue
    to build on your work and help keep that faith.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        General Rocco.

    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL MICHAEL A. ROCCO, USMC, DEPUTY
              COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS

        General Rocco. Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand,
    and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for
    the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss your
    Marine Corps.
        Your 186,000 marines are the foundation of the Corps. They
    are the Corps' most critical resource, and always will be.
    Marines are recruited, trained, and educated, and retained to
    win our Nation's battles. They are smart, resilient, fit,
    disciplined, and able to overcome adversity. Marines are
    warfighters. They are lethal, and they are ready.
        Recruiting high-quality men and women, and retaining those
    whose past service and future potential continues to make the
    Corps stronger and is our highest priority. Our marines ensure
    that we will be no better friend to our allies and those we
    have come to help, and no worse enemy to those who oppose us.
        We will meet our recruiting missions again this year,
    while, at the same time, exceeding all quality goals. The
    Department requires 90 percent of marine enlistees to be in the
    top education tier. We are over 99 percent. We require 60
    percent of enlistees to be in the highest mental aptitude
    group. We are over 72 percent.
        Just as we recruit the best, so must we retain the best.
    The Marines are capable of fulfilling our leadership roles and
    operational requirements. There is a continuous challenge to
    keep high-quality marines in the service, especially in the
    current economy and increasingly competitive civilian job
    market. This is particularly true for cyber and many of the
    other high-tech occupations that are of critical and enduring
    importance. Incentive pays and bonuses remain vital to our
    retention effort, and we appreciate your continued support. We
    are open to, and always assessing, new ways to recognize,
    reward, and ultimately retain quality marines in the Corps. The
    Commandant's top priority in this regard is to increase
    flexibility for officer promotions. We believe that this is a
    simple yet very real and effective way to recognize excellence.
        We look forward to working with all of the services, the
    Department, and Members of the Subcommittee on other
    initiatives that will enhance personnel quality, readiness, and
    lethality. We must remain adaptable and consider new ways to
    recruit and retain the high-tech force we need for the future
    as we build on the foundation of the quality marines we have
    today.
        I look forward to answering your questions. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Lieutenant General Rocco
    follows:]

           Prepared Statement by Lieutenant General Michael A. Rocco
                                  introduction
        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and distinguished
    Members of the Subcommittee, it is my privilege to appear before you
    today to provide an overview on Marine Corps personnel.
        Since our founding in 1775, marines have answered our Nation's
    call, faithfully serving the American people and maintaining a standard
    of military excellence. Your Marine Corps is, and will continue to be,
    our Nation's expeditionary force in readiness. We are warfighters who
    are ready to rapidly respond to crises around the globe to ensure the
    continued security of the American people and to protect the interests
    that underpin our Nation. Marines will be always faithful to the trust
    which the American people have vested in them.
                                   our people
        Mission first, people always. Marines are the foundation of the
    Marine Corps. They are the Corps' most critical resource, and always
    have been. Your marines are recruited, trained, educated, and retained
    to win our Nation's battles. They are smart, resilient, fit,
    disciplined, and able to overcome adversity. Recruiting high quality
    youth and retaining those whose past service and future potential
    continues to make the Corps stronger are our highest priorities; they
    ensure we remain no better friend and no worse enemy.
    End Strength
        We thank you for the increased end strength authorization to
    186,000 in the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act
    (NDAA). This increase is allowing us to strengthen our capabilities to
    meet warfighting requirements. Nevertheless, the Marine Corps operating
    forces continue to average a deployment-to-dwell ratio of 1:2. This
    tempo is not sustainable over the long term; our optimal deployment-to-
    dwell is 1:3. Our marines want to deploy, serve our Nation, and protect
    our country from threats overseas, but we owe our marines and their
    families the appropriate time to reconnect with family, refocus, learn
    from their most recent deployment, and train for the next deployment or
    contingency. In the near term, we have made the decision to fund
    modernization and recover our readiness to continue to ensure our
    marines are fully equipped for today's conflict. However, we must not
    accept a 1:2 deployment-to-dwell as the new normal.
    Recruiting
        Unique to all services, all recruiting efforts across the Marine
    Corps--officer, enlisted, regular, reserve, and prior-service--fall
    under the purview of a single entity, the Marine Corps Recruiting
    Command. Operationally, this provides us with tremendous flexibility
    and unity of command, facilitating efforts to meet accession
    requirements.
        Last fiscal year, we successfully achieved all enlisted and officer
    recruiting goals for both the Active and Reserve components, and we
    expect to do the same again this year. We also will exceed all quality
    goals. The Department of Defense requires 90 percent of enlistees to
    have a high school diploma or equivalent (Education Tier 1), and 60
    percent of enlistees to belong to Mental Groups I-IIIA (mental
    aptitude). Last year, the Marine Corps achieved 99.9 percent of Tier 1,
    72 percent mental group I-IIIA, and expects to be at or near these
    levels for fiscal year 2018.
        While only 8 percent of new Marine Corps recruits receive an
    enlistment bonus, these incentives are critical to enable us to ship
    new recruits at the right times to balance recruit loads at the recruit
    depots and meet school seat requirements. We appreciate Congress'
    support for these priority programs that assist our contracting high
    quality marine recruits.
        To meet future challenges in the current recruiting environment, it
    is imperative that we maintain our high standards both for our
    recruiters and those who volunteer to serve in our Corps. Recruiting
    quality young individuals translates into higher performance, reduced
    attrition, and improved readiness for the operating forces. Our
    actions, commitment, and investments in recruiting today ensure a high
    state of readiness in our Corps tomorrow.
    Retention
        As the Marine Corps manages its 186,000 force, we work to retain
    the very best available marines capable of fulfilling our leadership
    and operational needs. This is accomplished through a competitive
    career designation process for officers and a thorough evaluation
    process for enlisted marines, both of which are designed to measure,
    analyze, and compare our marines' performance and accomplishments.
    However, there is a continuous challenge to keep high-quality marines
    in the service, especially in a competitive civilian job market.
        Marine Corps retention models, systems, policies, and processes
    emphasize consistency of leadership, personnel stability, and sustained
    readiness across the force. Officer career designation incorporates a
    board system that enables leaders to examine officer records and
    accomplishments. After designation, the promotion process continues the
    evaluation of marine officers. It is a primary tool by which we retain
    only the best and most qualified marines.
        For enlisted marines, a tiered rating system takes into account a
    number of quantifiable performance factors and includes inputs from
    both immediate and more senior leaders. It helps to set achievable
    goals for marines as they compete for retention. After initial
    reenlistment, the evaluation and continued retention of high quality
    enlisted marines is supported by a detailed and continual performance
    evaluation system which is fully integrated with the promotion process.
    Those marines with the best proven performance are retained and
    promoted.
        Incentive pays remain critical to our retention effort, allowing
    the Marine Corps to fill hard to retain positions, such as cyber
    security technicians, special operators, and counter intelligence
    specialists. Similarly, Selective Reenlistment Bonuses (SRBs) allow us
    to shape our career force by targeting critical military occupational
    specialties (MOSs) and supporting lateral movement of marines to these
    MOSs. Continuing resolutions have delayed payments of promised SRBs,
    and can negatively impact re-enlistments. We appreciate the committee's
    continued support to ensure we have the resources required to meet our
    retention goals. We are open to, and always assessing, new ways to
    recognize and reward excellence in the Corps to ensure quality remains
    high and retention strong.
    Reserves
        Your Marine Corps Selected Reserve is fully manned at its
    authorized end strength of 38,500, and our reserve unit personnel
    readiness stands at its highest level in a generation. Unit reserve
    personnel readiness continues to increase from 71 percent in 2013 to
    over 86 percent today, with significant improvement in both enlisted
    and officer force management.
        While these are welcome and positive trends, we continue to assess
    ways to further improve personnel readiness. We have implemented a
    comprehensive manpower management plan to provide full service support
    to our Reserve officers and staff NCOs [non-commissioned officers] for
    their career management. We have expanded this plan to provide full-
    service manpower management support for the entire Selected Reserve.
    This is a talent management initiative that will help our NCOs, staff
    NCOs, and officers move between commands to enhance their development
    and military career goals.
        The increase in our officer manning has been driven in part by
    bonuses and incentives to attract more marines from the Active
    component. In addition, our Reserve Officer Commissioning Program has
    produced 1,199 lieutenants for the Marine Corps reserves since its
    creation in 2006. As a result, our ground company grade officer manning
    has increased from 21 percent in 2007, to 89 percent today.
        Your Marine Corps Reserves has increased the number of Reserve
    marines activating under the 12304b mobilization authority for pre-
    planned training missions supporting combatant commander requirements.
    Approximately 1,100 Reserve marines are scheduled to deploy during the
    remainder of this fiscal year. The fiscal year 2018 NDAA extended pre-
    and post-deployment health care to marines who deploy under 12304b, and
    the Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 provided them with post
    9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. We appreciate this subcommittee's work to
    implement these changes.
    Blended Retirement System
        The new Blended Retirement System (BRS) went into effect on January
    1, 2018. The BRS is a significant change from the legacy retirement
    system and, while it confers a monetary benefit on the large majority
    of marines who do not reach retirement eligibility, we remain concerned
    on the potential impact on retention behavior of the force. With over
    184,000 marines--both Active and Reserve--having to make an ``opt-in''
    decision this year, will be closely monitoring BRS execution progress
    for any of these and other impacts.
        During 2017, the Marine Corps focused on training those current
    marines who may elect to enroll in the BRS this year. Headquarters
    Marine Corps subject matter experts visited major bases and
    installations, briefing over 2,000 officer and enlisted leaders on the
    tools available to educate their marines. The Marine Corps implemented
    an integrated communications plan employing administrative messages and
    a website with training links, videos, and robust reference material.
    We utilized the Marine Corps' social media platforms to increase
    awareness and knowledge regarding the BRS and the associated training
    requirements. We are closely tracking BRS execution progress and will
    continue to do so throughout 2018.
    Marine Corps Integration
        Executing our successful gender integration plan is key to
    sustaining readiness, as well as ensuring we afford all marines the
    opportunity to succeed as valued members of the Corps. The Marine Corps
    is fully committed to sustaining the most combat effective force by
    capitalizing on the knowledge, skills, abilities, demonstrated
    performance, and potential of every marine.
        To date, our plan is progressing very well. Female marines are now
    represented in all previously-restricted occupational fields.
    Performance standards are working to ensure both male and female
    marines possess the requisite ability to successfully perform the
    critical skills of their chosen military occupational specialty. We
    continue to collect data and assess all aspects of our plan through the
    lenses of 1) combat effectiveness; 2) unit readiness; and 3) talent
    management.
    Civilian Marines
        Our civilian marines support the mission and daily functions of the
    Marine Corps and are an integral part of our Total Force. They
    exemplify our core values; they embrace esprit de corps, teamwork, and
    pride in belonging to our Nation's Corps of Marines. Serving alongside
    our marines throughout the world, in every occupation and at every
    level, our civilian appropriated-funded workforce remains by far the
    leanest of all services, with a ratio of one civilian to every ten
    Active Duty marines.
        Approximately 95 percent of our appropriated funded civilians work
    outside the Washington, DC, beltway at 57 bases, stations, depots, and
    installations around the world. Sixty-nine percent are veterans who
    have chosen to continue to serve our Nation; of those, 18 percent are
    disabled veterans. Our civilian non-appropriated funded workforce
    steadfastly continues to provide vital support to our marines, Reserve
    marines, their families, and our wounded, ill and injured.
        The last few years have not been easy on our civilian marines.
    Attracting and retaining top civilian talent when faced with personnel
    reductions, limited pay raises, and furloughs is challenging. Continued
    continuing resolutions also create an environment of uncertainty and
    threat of furlough. Nevertheless, our civilians have truly shown
    themselves as Semper Fidelis, keeping our marines and their families in
    the forefront. For that, they have my personal admiration.
                   taking care of marines and their families
        Taking care of marines and their families is a key element of
    overall readiness and combat effectiveness. The adage ``we recruit
    marines, we retain families'' remains as true today as ever. Our
    comprehensive package of services seeks the holistic fitness and
    readiness of our marines and families--body, mind, spirit, and social.
    Behavioral Health
        The Marine Corps Behavioral Health Program is an integrated
    community-based service model that includes community counseling,
    family advocacy, suicide prevention, substance abuse, and combat
    operational stress. We provide world-class prevention and counseling
    services at each installation, and all of our behavioral health
    programs provide free confidential services offered by licensed
    counselors. These services are available to individuals, couples,
    families, and children. During fiscal year 2017, we provided nearly
    15,000 assessments and more than 100,000 counseling hours to marines
    and their families.
    Suicide Prevention
        Suicide prevention is one of the Marine Corp's highest priorities;
    one death is too many. Preventing suicide has proven to be a very
    challenging task given the complex nature of the problem, but we are
    steadfast in our commitment to eliminating it.
        Our Marine Intercept Program (MIP) is targeted intervention for
    marines who have had a suicidal ideation or attempt. MIP combines
    efforts from fellow marines, commanders, installation counselors, and
    Marine Corps headquarters elements. It assists marines with a suicide
    ideation or attempt through care coordination, regular telephone
    outreach by care managers, development of safety plans, and suicide
    assessments for marines with a reported suicidal ideation or attempt.
    MIP is a very effective program that results in marines receiving
    assistance faster, keeping their appointments, and, ultimately, saving
    lives.
        The Marine Corps DSTRESS Line is a 24/7/365, marine-specific call
    center providing phone, chat, and video-telephone capability for
    anonymous counseling for circumstances across the stress continuum.
    DSTRESS calls can discuss stress and anger management, grief and loss,
    deployment cycles, parent-child relationships, couples communication,
    marital issues, relationships, relocations, and suicidal crisis. To
    date, the DSTRESS Line has had approximately 45,000 sessions with
    marines, attached sailors, and their families. Since its inception in
    2010, DSTRESS has helped save 39 marines who were in imminent danger
    situations.
        Our current social media campaign--``#BeThere--Marine''--is a call
    to action that motivates marines to take steps and pay attention to
    individuals experiencing emotional distress or expressing suicidal
    thoughts. To date, nearly 800,000 individuals have viewed and shared
    these social media posts and public service announcements worldwide.
    Sexual Assault Prevention & Response
        Protecting our marines and eradicating sexual assault from our
    ranks are top priorities for me and our Corps. We are committed to
    eliminating incidents of sexual assault by increasing awareness through
    prevention and education, victim centered support, intimidation free
    reporting, thorough investigation, and accountability for those who
    commit sexual crimes. Any marine who comes forward to report a sexual
    assault will receive support, even when the sexual assault occurred
    prior to service.
        Based on results from the 2016 Workplace and Gender Relations
    Survey for Active Duty Servicemembers, sexual assault prevalence has
    decreased by 30 percent since 2014. Conversely, reporting levels have
    increased. We believe that reduced prevalence with increased reporting
    means we are reducing the number of unreported incidents, ensuring that
    marines who experience sexual assault get the support they need.
        In an effort to better reach junior enlisted marines and officers,
    the Marine Corps has developed ``Join the Conversation,'' a
    professional military education campaign that helps guide marines in
    identifying five destructive behaviors--hazing, sexual assault, sexual
    harassment, retaliation, and alcohol misuse. Marines are educated on
    the importance of understanding destructive behaviors, the negative
    impact of those behaviors to the unit and the Corps at large, and what
    marines can do to combat them. This initiative is now formal
    instruction at The Basic School.
        Male marines are less likely to report a sexual assault than
    females. Since so few studies focus on males, the Marine Corps
    conducted interviews with its Sexual Assault Response Coordinators
    (SARCs) and Sexual Assault Prevention & Response (SAPR) Victim
    Advocates (VAs) to learn about their interactions with male marines who
    experienced a sexual assault. We learned valuable information regarding
    barriers to reporting, reasons why male marines report, and techniques
    to build rapport with this population. This information is part of
    current SAPR training for SARCs and VAs.
    Personal and Professional Development
        Our Marine For Life Cycle is a career-long process that helps
    marines prepare for transition to civilian life. We provide a continuum
    of tangible learning or experienced-based opportunities at nine
    different action points with specific emphasis at the marine's first
    permanent duty station, promotion to corporal, and the Transition
    Readiness Seminar.
        At their first permanent duty station, marines complete the
    Personal Readiness Seminar within 90 days of arrival to the
    installation. This seminar provides an overview of personal and
    professional development services to include voluntary education,
    career technical/credentialing, personal financial management, family
    member employment assistance, and information and referral; the seminar
    also emphasizes financial readiness awareness.
        At time of promotion to corporal, all marines must complete ``Your
    Readiness'' training. This online, MarineNet training provides an
    overview of personal and professional development services, the
    reenlistment process, transition readiness, developing the Individual
    Transition Plan, and an introduction to available resources and support
    provided at our installations.
        Approximately 12 to 14 months prior to separation, or 24 months
    prior to retirement, marines complete the Transition Readiness Seminar.
    The week-long program seminar includes a mandatory standardized core
    curriculum followed by three 2-day track options to align with their
    future goals and aspirations--accessing higher education, career and
    technical training, or entrepreneurship.
        No later than 90 days prior separation, marines meet with their
    commanding officer for Capstone. During Capstone, the commanding
    officer will validate whether the marine has met their career readiness
    standards. If a marine does not meet their career readiness standards
    or have a viable transition plan, a warm handover will be provided to
    Department of Labor or Veterans Affairs partner agencies for additional
    post-transition assistance.
        The mission of Marine Corps Credentialing Opportunities On-Line
    (COOL) is to help marines receive transferable credit for their
    military skills and work experience. COOL links marines with civilian
    certifications related to their military occupational specialties. It
    is a public website accessible to all current marines, as well as
    veterans, spouses, potential employers, enterprises, credentialing
    agencies, and associations. A credential translates Marine Corps
    technical skills into marketable language recognized by employers. The
    Marine Corps will pay for examination fees and annual maintenance for
    enlisted marines to earn civilian/industry credentials closely aligned
    with their occupational specialty.
        The Marine Corps continually collaborates with the other services,
    the Department of Labor, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to
    improve our transition programs. We recently participated in a
    Transition Assistance Program hearing and follow-up roundtable with
    these partners and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. The Marine
    Corps plans to meet throughout the year with the committee to
    continuously improve the metrics relating to successful transition from
    military to civilian employment.
    Wounded Warrior Care
        The Marine Corps' Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR) continues to
    execute our Recovery Coordination Program in support of wounded, ill,
    or injured (WII) marines and their families, in a manner that greatly
    facilitates their recovery and upholds our enduring commitment to
    ``keep faith'' with those who have incurred life changing impairments
    in service to our Nation. Regardless of the origin of affliction, our
    marines require and genuinely deserve access to the comprehensive
    recovery care available through the WWR.
        WWR recovery care coordinators, in coordination with medical
    providers and unit leaders, help WII Marines develop and execute their
    individual comprehensive recovery plans, which provide the road map for
    a successful transition. WII Marines with complex care coordination
    needs are assessed for post-separation support requirements. When
    appropriate, those marines are transferred to a Department of Veterans
    Affairs (VA) designated lead coordinator prior to their medical
    discharge to ensure seamless support.
        WWR maintains faith with our marines through our district injured
    support coordinators, who are geographically dispersed around the
    country and provide one-on-one support as needed, and the Sergeant
    Merlin German Call Center, which conducts outreach calls to marines and
    receives and responds to calls for assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a
    week.
        Since our WWR was established in 2007, thousands of WII marines and
    family members transitioning from Active service have benefitted from a
    full spectrum of support services that begins with physical recovery
    needs and increasingly focuses on post-service employment and education
    opportunities as they heal. Marines and their families, Members of
    Congress, and the public at large can be assured that the Marine Corps,
    through the WWR, will continue to expertly provide recovery care
    coordination support at all times.
    Marine Corps Business and Support Services
        The Marine Corps delivers many of its quality of life programs via
    an integrated Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) construct that
    combines Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR); Marine Corps Exchange
    (MCX); Warfighter and Family Services; and Child Development Programs.
    This integrated model is unique within DOD and provides many operating
    efficiencies, including consolidated non-appropriated fund (NAF) back-
    office support, e.g., human resources, finance and accounting,
    procurement, construction, and information technology. Our focus on
    efficiency continues today with transformation and innovation pursuits,
    such as a shared services center for all MCCS NAF transactional
    accounting functions that will utilize robotics functionality; we are
    expecting a significant cumulative NAF benefit over a 10 year period.
        The MCX is an integral self-sustaining business component of MCCS,
    delivering products and services in garrison and expeditionary
    environments, while producing an invaluable NAF dividend to our MWR and
    family programs. Marines and their families can count on real savings
    when they shop at the MCX. The 2017 market basket survey showed an
    average savings of approximately 26 percent. Further, the MCX is proud
    to employ military family members who represent approximately 33
    percent of our workforce.
        Transformation and innovation are the fabric of MCCS as we continue
    to assess and implement new delivery models by leveraging technology,
    partnerships, and sponsorships. The Marine Corps is also an active
    participant in DOD Business Reforms that encompass many of the programs
    and services within the MCCS portfolio. We are committed to seeking
    efficiencies across the Department while preserving our highly
    effective MCCS organization that is best attuned to meeting Marine
    Corps operational requirements.
                                   conclusion
        The marines of our Corps represent the individuals of our Nation
    who have stepped forward and sworn to defend and protect it. Through
    recruiting, training, education, and retention of men and women of
    character who take up our challenge to become one of ``the Few and the
    Proud,'' we will enhance the quality of our Corps and our overall
    combat effectiveness. By ensuring that we take care of all marines and
    their families, we fulfill our responsibility to keep faith with the
    honor, courage, and commitment they have so freely given.
        Our individual marines are our most precious asset. They are proud
    of what they do. They are proud of the ``Eagle, Globe, and Anchor'' and
    what it represents to our Nation. With your support, a vibrant Marine
    Corps will continue to meet our Nation's call.
        Thank you again for the opportunity to present this testimony.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        General Grosso.

     STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL GINA M. GROSSO, USAF, DEPUTY
          CHIEF OF STAFF FOR MANPOWER, PERSONNEL AND SERVICES

        General Grosso. Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand,
    Senator Ernst, thank you for the opportunity to appear before
    you today to deliver the United States Air Force's personnel
    posture for fiscal year 2019.
        Increasing end strength is the Air Force's number-one
    priority to accelerate readiness. We appreciate the Fiscal Year
    2018 National Defense Authorization Act's support for continued
    end-strength growth to 675,000 Total Force airmen. This growth
    allows the Air Force to compete, deter, and win in a more
    competitive and dangerous international security environment.
    The Air Force's Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget continues
    that growth to 680,000 Total Force airmen. This end-strength
    growth increases training capacity to address foundational
    disconnects in the training pipeline. It also funds instructors
    to boost pipeline capacity and increases intelligence, remotely
    piloted aircraft operations support, and cyber mission
    capability.
        As of October 2017, our Total Force pilot shortage was
    approximately 2,000, with the largest shortage in our fighter
    pilot inventory. The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget
    continues to address the pilot shortage by funding increased
    pilot production capacity. This increased capacity assists in
    rapidly producing new pilots to meet operational requirements.
    In addition, the budget funds implementation of myriad programs
    and policies designed to address assignment, operational tempo,
    and quality-of-life issues targeted to improve pilot retention.
        The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget increases support
    to airmen and families through a variety of capabilities that
    drive mission readiness by focusing on resiliency and
    retention. The budget increases child and youth funding by $54
    million, for a total of $114 million. This funding will expand
    childcare for those airmen needing care outside of normal duty
    hours, provides fees to support 4,000 children who only have
    access to off-base childcare, and funds youth resiliency camps.
    The Exceptional Family Member Program assists more than 33,000
    airmen who have special-needs family members. This budget adds
    15 installation-level family support coordinators across the
    Air Force and also funds increasing respite childcare for
    primary caregivers from 12 to 40 hours per child per month.
    Taking care of our airmen's children and caregivers removes
    worries and distractions to allow the airmen to fully focus on
    the mission.
        Today's threat environment requires agile and inclusive
    military and civilian personnel management systems to ensure
    the Air Force continues to retain the highly skilled talented--
    talent needed to defend our Nation. In our enlisted force, we
    are conducting a triennial review of an enlisted evaluation
    process following the transition to a new system in 2015.
    Within our officer corps, we are looking into options to
    enhance the Air Force's ability to execute the right size and
    mix of capabilities required to meet and sustain emerging
    mission demands. We are reviewing multiple initiatives, to
    include exploring the possibility of modifying our current
    promotion competitive category structure and establishing
    technical tracks. We fully support the Defense Officer
    Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) reform efforts; in particular,
    opting out of promotions, constructive credit, merit-based
    promotions, and secretarial authority for a small number of
    spot promotions. We look forward to continuing the discussions
    with this--on this topic with you.
        Our civilian workforce is essential to the Air Force's
    mission in joint warfighting readiness. Recruiting and hiring
    top civilian talent is critical to our success. In fiscal year
    2018, we implemented a Premier College Intern Program. This
    initiative enables the Air Force to recruit top talent directly
    from college campuses via summer intern program, starting their
    junior year, using direct-hire authorities to streamline the
    process. Our target for fiscal year 2019 onboarding is 500 new
    civilians, and we currently have 450 acceptances, to date. This
    approach ensures we will leverage the new congressional hiring
    authorities and stay competitive with aggressive private-sector
    recruiting.
        Finally, the Air Force is modernizing information
    technology infrastructure across our human resource systems to
    provide exceptional personnel service to airmen and their
    families. In a digitally connected world, our airmen deserve
    the best human resource systems available today. We have a 6-
    year plan to migrate 115 technology platforms and 400-plus
    applications to the Cloud. As we modernize our information
    technology platform, we will provide more modern systems for
    our airmen, and we will enhance our ability to make data-driven
    decisions.
        In conclusion, we ensure--we must ensure our airmen have
    the resources, training, and tools to compete, deter, and win
    in an increasingly complex world. We are committed to
    prioritizing and resourcing what is most important to make the
    Air Force more ready and lethal. We welcome the opportunity to
    partner with Congress in our endeavors to protect and defend
    our Nation.
        I thank you for your continued support, and I look forward
    to your questions.
        [The prepared statement of Lieutenant General Grosso
    follows:]

            Prepared Statement by Lieutenant General Gina M. Grosso
                                  introduction
        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand, distinguished Members
    of this Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before this
    Committee to talk about our airmen. America's airmen remain ``Always
    There'' providing global vigilance, reach and power to protect and
    defend our Nation. Our airmen, Active, Guard, Reserve and civilian,
    have been engaged globally for the longest continuous stretch of combat
    in our Nation's history. As noted in the National Defense Strategy, we
    are facing a complex and volatile global environment with increasing
    disorder resulting from the decline of the long-standing rules-based
    international order under which we previously operated. Great power
    competition has reemerged as the central challenge to U.S. prosperity
    and security. In this environment, we must prioritize and resource what
    is most important to field a lethal, expertly trained, resilient, and
    rapidly adapting Air Force to meet today's and tomorrow's warfighting
    demands.
                             accelerating readiness
        Our airmen, both military and civilian, are our most important
    asset. Increasing end strength, as requested in the Fiscal Year 2019
    President's Budget, will allow the Air Force to better meet today's
    warfighting demands as well tomorrow's. Without continued end strength
    growth, readiness will decline and the Air Force will find it
    increasingly difficult to meet evolving combatant commander
    requirements.
    End Strength
        The Air Force appreciates the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense
    Authorization Act support for continued end strength growth to 675,300
    Total Force airmen. This growth allows the Air Force to compete, deter
    and win in a more competitive and dangerous international security
    environment. The Air Force's Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget
    continues that growth to 680,400 Total Force airmen--329,100 Active
    Duty, 107,100 Guard, 70,000 Reserve, and 174,200 civilians. This growth
    will accelerate our readiness and provide more lethal airmen to protect
    and defend our Nation.
    Recruiting and Accessing
        Readiness is first and foremost about the airmen who make up your
    Air Force. Today only 25 percent of 17 to 24 year old men and women in
    the United States are eligible to serve--our prime recruiting pool.
    Despite this low ratio, the Air Force achieved its fiscal year 2017
    enlisted Active (31,000) and Reserve component (6,583) recruiting
    goals. The Air National Guard missed its enlisted recruiting goal by
    280 airmen (achieving 94 percent of the goal), but was able to offset
    this with increased retention.
        The fiscal year 2018 Air Force Active Duty enlisted recruiting goal
    is 29,450. Thus far, we have met 33 percent of the overall goal and
    have identified recruits with projected dates for basic military
    training at 55 percent of the goal. The fiscal year 2018 Air Force
    Reserve enlisted recruiting goal is 7,240 with 31.6 percent already
    met. In summary, Active Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard are on
    track to meet fiscal year 2018 enlisted recruiting goals.
        The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget Active Component enlisted
    recruiting target is 28,250. The fiscal year 2019 Air Force Reserve
    enlisted recruiting target is 7,497 and the fiscal year 2019 Air
    National Guard enlisted recruiting target is still being worked.
        In fiscal year 2019 the Active component officer recruiting target
    is 5,450, a 350 increase from fiscal year 2018. The fiscal year 2019
    Air Force Reserve's is 1,253, an increase of 43, and the Air National
    Guard recruiting target remains steady.
        The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget increases Reserve Officer
    Training Corps scholarship funding by $18.1 million to allow the Air
    Force to offer 1,000 additional scholarships. We are confident we can
    meet our fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019 recruiting targets.
        The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget also increases training
    capacity to ``right-size'' the student pipeline with a focus on
    critical skills production as identified in the National Defense
    Strategy. These increases address foundational disconnects in the
    training pipeline, fund instructors to boost pipeline capacity,
    increase Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations support and cyber mission
    capability. Specifically, we are adding 248 authorizations to assist in
    pipeline technical training in addition to adding 74 authorizations to
    increase Military Training Instructors and Military Training Leaders at
    Basic Military Training.
        To further assist with overall pilot shortages, we are actively
    seeking retired pilots to return to Active Duty. As of the end of
    January, 22 applications are in the review process. Though not large
    numbers, these returning pilots will mitigate manning shortages and
    augment other programs to help restore our pilot inventory.
        The end strength increases in this budget begin to restore squadron
    manning by filling gaps that were created by years of declining end
    strength.
    Retaining Airmen and Families
        While the Air Force is experiencing historically high retention
    rates in both the officer and enlisted corps, we do have pockets of
    retention challenges. For our enlisted career fields, we have lower
    retention for linguistic analysts, special operations aircraft
    maintenance, and nuclear medicine specialties. For officer career
    fields, retention is challenged for pilots, combat systems officers,
    and various medical specialties.
        We appreciate Congress' generous support of special and incentive
    pays. The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget includes $1.2 billion for
    special and incentive pays allowing the Air Force to target critical
    skill shortages. Further it assists in compensating airmen for
    hazardous duty or earned skill sets that are critical to our
    warfighting excellence. To ensure we are making the best use of our
    aviation bonus authorities, we will continue to use a business case
    model to target payments based on four main criteria: manning levels,
    retention, cost to train and the length of time to train.
        The Total Force pilot shortage for fiscal year 2017 ended at 1,812
    and was most acute in our fighter pilot inventory. This budget
    continues to address the pilot shortage by continuing the aviator bonus
    and allowing the Air Force flexibility to focus those resources to
    address our greatest needs. In addition, this budget adds required
    training production capacity in our formal training units to assist in
    rapidly producing new accessions to fill our cockpits. Finally, this
    budget permits implementation of a myriad of programs and policies
    designed to address assignment, promotion, operational tempo, and
    quality of life issues targeted to improve retention.
        That said, monetary incentives are just one small piece of our
    retention portfolio. The majority of the retention portfolio are in
    fact non-monetary. Commanders have the authority to approve high year
    of tenure extensions for personnel in undermanned key career fields to
    retain much needed experience. We are adding flexibility into the
    assignments process for aviators by leveraging technology to improve
    our assignment matching system. After researching industry best
    practices, we implemented an information technology solution known as
    ``Talent Marketplace.'' Talent Marketplace uses an algorithm, based on
    the Nobel-Prize winning National Medical Residency Matching Program, to
    assist in matching officers to available assignments. This algorithm
    takes into account 1) the officer's assignment preferences and 2) the
    hiring manager's ranking of officers being considered, and produces a
    match. While Talent Marketplace provides an automated ``scientific''
    match at the beginning of the process, it then assists the Air Force's
    Personnel Center assignment team in applying the ``art'' to finalize
    the process. This two-pronged process approach of ``science'' and
    ``art'' assists with transparency in the assignment process and will
    assist with better managing talent. A demonstration of the Talent
    Marketplace concept was first tested with our operations researchers
    analyst career field in the spring of 2017, with successful results.
    Incremental implementation is underway with fighter pilots and combat
    system operators for the summer 2018 assignment cycle. As funding
    allows, we will bring all officer and enlisted skill sets into the
    Talent Marketplace program.
        Having a lethal, agile and flexible force, capable of winning in
    any environment, goes beyond solely the overall size of the force. It
    also encompasses looking after airmen's mental and physical wellbeing
    and ensuring we take care of their families so they can focus on the
    mission.
        Airmen must be able to withstand, recover, and grow in the face of
    stressors and changing demands. Our airmen must be resilient to be
    fully mission-ready and lethal. The Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget
    increases support to airmen and families through a variety of
    capabilities that drive mission readiness and improve the resilience
    and retention of our human weapon system.
                             child and youth programs
        Airmen cannot be effective if they are worried about their
    children. In fiscal year 2019 we increased child and youth funding by
    $53.6 million for a total of $114.2 million. This funding will (1)
    expand child care for those needing childcare outside of normal duty
    hours, (2) provide fees to support 4,000 children who must use off-base
    child care, and (3) fund youth resiliency camps. The funding increase
    also includes 119 additional civilian child care positions across the
    Air Force; supplies, closed circuit television repair and replacement,
    and national youth partnerships such as Boys and Girls Clubs and 4-H.
                        exceptional family member programs
        More than 33,000 Total Force airmen have special needs families
    currently enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program and
    retention of these skilled airmen is critical to readiness. To assist
    in the retention efforts, we are improving support to Exceptional
    Family Member Program families by increasing installation-level family
    support coordinators from 84 to 99, providing additional coordinator
    training, improving assignment management processing, and offering
    online information for airmen and their spouses to assist in planning
    for future assignments. We are also increasing Exceptional Family
    Member Program Respite Child Care from 12 to 40 hours per child each
    month. These efforts, along with increased communication with our
    Exceptional Family Member Program families through quarterly webcasts,
    accelerate the readiness and lethality of the Air Force.
      Recharge for Resiliency
        Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreation capabilities build skills
    and self-confidence, reduce stress, and enhance quality of life for
    airmen and families. With our Morale, Welfare, and Recreation budget,
    we will implement new capabilities designed to drive unit cohesion,
    stability and resiliency in our squadrons. One capability highlight is
    our Recharge for Resiliency Program which was originally designed to
    provide airmen and families an outlet to decompress and adjust after
    returning home from a deployment. In fiscal year 2019, we are expanding
    Recharge for Resiliency to include activities commanders in the field
    can use specifically to build unit cohesion and drive squadron
    vitality. One such example is the Team Cohesion Challenge, an adventure
    race incorporating the four comprehensive airman fitness pillars
    (mental, physical, social and spiritual). The event lasts approximately
    4 to 5 hours and focuses on team building.
                       foundational readiness imperatives
        The Air Force's core values--Integrity First, Service before Self,
    and Excellence in All We Do--are the foundation of all airmen
    performance.
      Wounded Warriors
        The Air Force has 3,200 Wounded Warriors serving today. Our
    commitment to our wounded, ill and injured airmen remains resolute as
    these airmen, their families and caregivers deserve nothing less. As
    such, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program provides world-class
    medical treatment along with physical, psychological, social and family
    healing through a variety of avenues to include recovery care
    coordinators that provide care management assistance. Our goal is to
    return airmen to duty, whether back to their unit or to another
    opportunity to serve in uniform. For those who cannot return to duty,
    we provide personalized transition support from housing and education
    services, to employment and financial coaching.
      Airmen with Invisible Wounds
        Airmen with Invisible Wounds--post traumatic stress disorder,
    traumatic brain injury or other cognitive, psychological or behavioral
    disorders--experience unique challenges requiring an agile,
    comprehensive approach to support and care. The Air Force has 2,355
    airmen with invisible wounds. Recognizing these challenges, the
    Invisible Wounds Initiative began in 2016 with a complete review and
    revision of medical care and support programs along with a long-term
    culture change on how we care for airmen with invisible wounds. Since
    then, we established a specific medical separation review to ensure
    individuals were diagnosed appropriately and received a thorough course
    of treatment before meeting a medical review board. We also developed a
    communication campaign to educate commanders and leaders at all levels
    on the challenges faced by airmen with invisible wounds with the intent
    to bring clarity, understanding and open doors for more members to seek
    help rather than hide mental health issues.
      Personal Violence Prevention and Response
        Interpersonal violence and suicide are detriments to our airmen,
    our culture, and our core values. These acts negatively impact victims,
    those who perpetrate, and their units. As a result, unit cohesion,
    mission effectiveness, and ultimately Air Force readiness are
    threatened. We are deeply committed to the prevention of interpersonal
    violence and suicide on all fronts from sexual assault, child
    maltreatment, domestic violence, to workplace violence. Should these
    events occur despite prevention efforts, we are committed to providing
    victims the care they need across a robust response system.
        Effective prevention is necessary to accelerate readiness. Our
    prevention strategy involves leveraging cutting edge, evidence based
    innovations to deliver holistic prevention. We are in the final stages
    of validating a tool that will screen for individuals with a high
    propensity for unethical decision-making and risk of engaging in
    counterproductive behaviors and integrity violations inconsistent with
    the Air Force culture and core values.
        At our accessions sources we are adapting the best available
    interventions from civilian settings to develop tailored and holistic
    prevention for entry-level airmen. At Basic Military Training, we are
    using mobile technology to provide prevention interventions matched to
    each trainee's unique risk profile. At the Air Force Academy, the Cadet
    Healthy Personal Skills program is showing tremendous promise in not
    only working to eradicate sexual assault but also fostering healthy
    personal and interpersonal skills to build resilience and exceptional
    leaders.
        Across the Total Force, we are moving to the sustainability phase
    of our evidence-based bystander intervention approach. This integrated
    bystander approach combines sexual assault, dating and domestic
    violence, stalking, and suicide prevention, and reduces these forms of
    violence. Evaluation results indicate the approach is increasing hope,
    efficacy, and positive behavior changes. Final results from the 2017
    DOD Annual Report on Sexual Assault will be released this summer; our
    early analysis shows promising indications of increases in sexual
    assault reporting. The complete analysis will be available late spring
    2018.
        We are also implementing Task Force True North, a comprehensive
    approach to increase help seeking behavior and decrease negative
    behavior outcomes. This approach embeds mental health providers within
    at-risk units. Bold initiatives are also underway to prevent suicide,
    sexual harassment and workplace harassment. These initiatives highlight
    scientific innovations in prevention, such as computer-based learning
    for suicide risk detection and intentional climate design to create
    environments in which workplace harassment is less likely to occur.
    Time-based prevention, an initiative designed to separate someone who
    is suicidal from the most lethal means to kill themselves, is also
    being developed to reduce suicide (i.e. free volunteer storage of
    personally owned firearms). Taken together, these innovations have the
    potential to result in substantial decreases in interpersonal violence
    and suicide.
        We are committed to continuous improvement and critical evaluation
    of our systems. We will partner with external experts from academia,
    industry, other government agencies and non-profit organizations to
    improve our ability to support leaders in the field. We remain
    dedicated to implementing bold ideas that leverage technology and
    strategic communications to improve leaders' ability to support their
    airmen and families.
              developing exceptional leaders and talent management
        The Air Force continues to improve its Force Development processes
    to ensure alignment with the 2018 National Defense Strategy. Through
    that lens, we have been working hand-in-hand with our joint partners on
    several leadership development programs.
        The deliberate development of Air Force leaders includes education,
    training and experience. Our enterprise-level development programs
    focus on improving leadership, management, and warrior ethos. They are
    designed to produce airmen who possess the tactical expertise,
    operational competence, and strategic vision to lead and execute Air
    Force and Joint missions, now and in the future. The Air Force executes
    a senior leader development portfolio emphasizing the continued
    development of enterprise-level senior leaders (targeted for GS-15s,
    senior executives, chief master sergeants, colonels, and general
    officers). Senior leaders' development is managed by specific officer,
    enlisted, and civilian management teams and the development portfolio
    consists of approximately 35 tailored courses and development
    opportunities annually.
        We are examining our professional military education to improve how
    we develop leaders capable of critical and strategic thought, clear
    communication, and adept in the art and science of warfighting. We will
    emphasize intellectual leadership and military professionalism, deepen
    our knowledge of history, embrace new technology and techniques to
    counter competitors.
        We need airmen with the right operational and international skills
    who can work with partner nations to meet global threats and
    challenges. The National Defense Strategy highlights the importance of
    ``strengthening allies and attracting new partners.'' Critical to
    meeting this line of effort is developing a workforce with the skills
    to build partnerships, strengthen capabilities and capacities as
    partner airmen. In tandem with Department of Defense efforts, we are
    assessing how we train and develop our airmen to meet the demands of
    the increasingly complex security cooperation environment. We are
    working cross-functionally to build a security cooperation workforce
    that is appropriately trained, certified, resourced, and managed to
    meet the dynamic, global challenges.
    Performance Management
        Today's threat environment requires agile, responsive military and
    civilian personnel management systems to ensure the Air Force continues
    to retain the highly skilled talent needed to defend the Nation.
    Cultivating workforce talent is a priority.
      Enlisted
        In our enlisted force, we are finishing a triennial review of our
    enlisted evaluation system since transitioning to the new system in
    2015. The review centered around answering two strategic questions: 1)
    ``How do we get the very best out of our airmen so they give their very
    best to accomplishing the mission?'' and 2) ``Are there any alternative
    performance management models that may be used other than forced
    distribution for promotion recommendations?'' Initiatives include re-
    examining what is valued in documenting performance feedback,
    transforming the current evaluation form to more precisely document
    performance, developing an evaluation tool that encourages more candid
    performance feedback, and clarifying stratification rules to reinforce
    performance feedback. When completed, senior leaders can use the
    review's recommendations as a baseline to ensure our Enlisted
    Evaluation System is reinforcing the development and feedback for our
    enlisted force. It is also an example of the deliberate and continuous
    process we use to strengthen the capabilities, readiness, and
    professionalism of our vital enlisted force.
      Officer
        Within our officer corps, we are looking into what we can do to
    enhance the Air Force's ability to execute the right size and mix of
    capabilities required to meet and sustain emerging mission demands.
    Currently, we are exploring ways to transform officer performance
    management using the lessons learned from the transition to the
    enlisted evaluation system. In 2017, we began an initiative to look at
    officer performance management, which includes a deliberate review of
    our officer evaluation system and officer promotion processes. We have
    a dedicated team exploring various officer evaluation and promotion
    considerations which include starting at the foundation with thoughtful
    work focused on what the Air Force values in its officer corps.
    Building on that sturdy foundation, we are reviewing a number of
    initiatives to ensure our officer corps is able to meet strategic
    challenges.
        The Department is reviewing proposed statutory changes for the
    fiscal year 20 2019 National Defense Authorization Act to recruit,
    develop, promote and retain officers for today's operational
    requirements. Once we have completed our review and obtained approval
    of our proposed changes not just within the Department, but also by the
    Administration, we will share these proposals with you and provide you
    with more details.
      Civilian
        Our civilian workforce is essential to the Air Force's mission and
    joint warfighting readiness. Recruiting and hiring top civilian talent
    is critical to our success. Civilian airmen represent 25 percent of our
    Total Force. The vast majority of our civilian airmen, 94 percent, are
    at the tip of the spear in our depots and squadrons--not on
    headquarters staffs as many believe. The Air Force's strategy to
    improve its civilian hiring process has four lines of effort: (1)
    Information technology--increasing reliability and automation, (2)
    Authorities--utilizing current authorities and expanding them as able,
    (3) Process improvements and (4) Modest additional manpower.
        In addition to these lines of effort, the Air Force recognizes the
    need for a more agile and flexible talent management system responsive
    to warfighter needs. Air Force civilian force management leaders,
    partnered with other key stakeholders, have begun developing a concept
    plan for a pilot civilian talent management system, modeled after a
    successful demonstration project already in place.
        The Air Force has also made strides in civilian workforce
    recruiting, developing, and retaining talent by launching an accredited
    civilian associate degree in Leadership and Management Studies program,
    as well as implementing a Premier College Intern Program. The purpose
    of the associate degree program is to allow the 50 percent of Air Force
    civilians without a college degree to begin their educational journey.
    The degree enables personal and professional development, improves
    communication and critical thinking skills, and invests in building a
    cadre of future Air Force leaders. In fiscal year 2019, the Premier
    College Intern Program will enable the Air Force to recruit top talent
    directly from college campuses via a summer intern program using direct
    hiring authorities to streamline the process. The intent is to recruit
    college students who have completed their junior year by giving them
    summer internships followed by a guaranteed civilian intern
    developmental position immediately upon graduation. The premier
    internship program will provide the Air Force with a strategic approach
    to target specific fields of study, build a campus talent pipeline and
    introduce the Air Force as an employer of choice. Our target for fiscal
    year 2019 is 500--we currently have 415 acceptances. This approach
    ensures we will leverage the new congressional hiring authorities and
    stay competitive with private sector companies like IBM and Google who
    hire directly from college campuses.
            human resource management information technology reform
        The Air Force is modernizing the information technology
    infrastructure across its human resources systems to provide
    exceptional service to Total Force airmen and their families. In a
    digitally connected world, our airmen deserve the best Human Resource
    Systems available today. To improve these systems, our efforts are
    focused on providing all airmen a modern cloud-based, mobile-enabled,
    self-service oriented digital experience. The way forward requires
    analyzing the Human Resource Management Information Technology
    portfolio which includes 115 talent management information technology
    platforms and 400+ applications, to identify business redundancies and
    opportunities for consolidation. At the foundation of this effort is
    our transition to cloud services which will enhance Privacy Information
    security. As we modernize our Information Technology platforms, we will
    increase our ability to make data-driven decisions.
      MyVector
        MyVector, is a web-based Total Force development platform and is an
    example of how we are evolving our human resources information
    technology capabilities to enhance support to airmen in an efficient,
    agile, and cost effective manner. It underpins the force development
    for all airmen and allows them to be actively involved in their own
    career development process. Presently, more than 176,000 Total Force
    airmen, military and civilians, (15,000 more than last year) are
    registered on MyVector and more than 17,000 airmen have matched
    mentoring connections. We are currently posturing the platform to
    accomplish Officer Developmental Education Boards, enlisted deliberate
    development, and foreign language proficiency tracking capabilities.
      Air Force Integrated Personnel and Pay System
        Another example of modernizing our Information Technology platform
    is the Air Force Integrated Personnel and Pay System (AFIPPS). This
    program will enhance our already fully operational personnel system for
    all three components, Active, Reserve and Guard, by integrating
    payroll. Our strategy has greatly reduced the life cycle cost estimate
    of the program from $1.8 billion to $0.7 billion. It has also
    dramatically reduced risk by using our existing Oracle Electronic
    Business Suite platform, established system infrastructure and trained
    workforce. Contract award will occur early this spring and once
    completed in January 2021, the Air Force will have a fully integrated
    personnel and pay system that will meet all Federal audit compliances
    and resolve existing pay issues airmen experience today.
                                   conclusion
        We must ensure our airmen have the resources, training and tools to
    compete, deter, and win in an ever increasingly complex security
    environment. Resilient and ready airmen, both military and civilian,
    are the foundation of the Air Force's readiness and lethality. Your Air
    Force will remain ``Always There'' providing global vigilance, reach
    and power to protect and defend our Nation. We are committed to
    prioritizing and resourcing what is most important and look forward to
    partnering with Congress in our endeavors to protect and defend our
    Nation. I thank you for your continuing support of your Air Force.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        Admiral Burke.

    STATEMENT OF VICE ADMIRAL ROBERT P. BURKE, USN, DEPUTY CHIEF OF
                         NAVAL OPERATIONS, N-1

        Admiral Burke. Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand,
    and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for
    the opportunity to represent the men and women of the United
    States Navy. The stalwart support for them and their families
    continues to have a profound impact on the health of our force
    today.
        Global demands on the Navy continue to grow. We must
    continue to recruit, develop, and retain the highly skilled
    workforce needed to meet the growing demands of our naval
    forces.
        Our force structure is expected to grow as we build the
    navy the Nation needs, which will require increasing end
    strength. As we grow, our need for highly talented people
    increases. At the same time, propensity to serve is declining,
    and each of the services, as well as the civilian sector, are
    vying for the same limited talent pool. We are clearly in a war
    for talent.
        Current forecasts, based on leading economic indicators,
    suggest difficult times ahead. Labor market factors may pull
    sailors with critical skills into the growing civilian job
    market. We took note of these indicators and initiated
    preemptive action to retain these sailors using all available
    policy levers to posture us to meet this anticipated growth.
    Despite this, we just made our fiscal year 2017 end-strength
    targets. This year's trajectory is good, but we will require
    steady and reliable funding, going forward, to stay on track.
    The new 2-year budget is great news for us and is an excellent
    step in that direction, and we are very appreciative of your
    work on that.
        While recruiters experienced challenges last year, the
    increased fiscal year 2018 recruiting mission will be even more
    difficult, as certain fields are in short supply. Our projected
    growth profile requires a balanced approach of accessions
    increases as well as retention improvement. While aggregate
    retention remains high, the new fields, special warfare,
    advanced electronics, aviation, and cyber demand close
    attention. Targeted bonuses continue to be the most cost-
    effective monetary tool in addressing retention challenges.
    But, we're aggressively applying a combination of monetary and
    nonmonetary incentives, with good effect.
        Toward that end, we continue to implement and expand our
    Sailor 2025 Program, a dynamic set of over 45 initiatives that
    work to provide today's sailors and their families the choices,
    flexibility, and transparency they expect and deserve. Combined
    with our manpower, personnel, training, and education
    enterprise transformation efforts, we will provide these
    programs to our sailors with a renewed focus on customer
    service through streamlined, efficient businesses processes and
    systems. We will also better meet the needs of our fleet
    commanders through agility, responsiveness, and use of
    predictive analytics to be the pillar of stability in an
    uncertain world.
        We're moving out now with purpose and a committed sense of
    urgency on these initiatives. We also remain actively engaged
    in your Department's review of officer management policies. We
    are very grateful for the Subcommittee's interest in a
    committed partnership in modernizing DOPMA to meet the future
    needs of each of the services.
        I look forward to your questions, and thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Vice Admiral Burke follows:]

               Prepared Statement by Vice Admiral Robert P. Burke
                                  introduction
        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and distinguished
    Members of this Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear
    before you today to discuss the personnel posture of the United States
    Navy and our manpower, personnel, training, education (MPT&E), and
    family support programs.
                         ready and capable global navy
        For over 240 years, the U.S. Navy has been a cornerstone of
    American security and prosperity. In an increasingly globalized world,
    America's success is ever more dependent on the U.S. Navy. As Chief of
    Naval Personnel, I am responsible for manning our ships, squadrons,
    submarines, and stations with sailors ready to undertake the
    challenging jobs and tasks demanded of them. This entails recruiting
    talented individuals and providing efficient and effective training
    pipelines that transform sailors into highly-skilled maritime
    warriors--the best in the world! My team manages the single resource
    that cuts across every warfare specialty, platform and organization in
    the Navy--our most prized treasure--our sailors. As we stand on the
    horizon of a new fleet with new operating concepts, we must also seek
    out people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, critical thinking
    skills and the mental agility to operate across the spectrum of change
    that lies ahead. This requires a personnel system that is equally agile
    and flexible, ready to meet the challenges and uncertainty of a great
    power era.
                              competing for talent
        While recruiting and retention are generally healthy, it is clear
    that competition for talent is steadily increasing. Propensity to serve
    has declined among young people possessing the requisite academic and
    physical aptitude necessary for service. The improving economy is
    beginning to impact recruiting and retention. We are in strong
    competition with the civilian sector and the other Military Services
    for the same talent pool. As our Navy grows in the years ahead, our
    need for additional highly talented people will increase, even as we
    enhance our ability to retain our current talent base and reestablish
    required fleet wholeness.
        It has been more than a decade since we experienced widespread
    challenges in the recruiting and retention markets. In the period
    since, the civilian unemployment rate has become a less accurate
    predictor of retention and recruiting behavior. The Center for Naval
    Analyses (CNA) recently concluded a study on the impact of various
    economic metrics on retention, and created a useful economic index,
    which is more indicative of overall economic health, relying more
    heavily on factors beyond unemployment, and more closely matching
    historical retention and recruiting behavior. Comprised of different
    economic variables and monthly economic forecasts, we consider it a
    reliable leading indicator.
        Current forecasts suggest difficult times ahead. Several MPT&E
    metrics, which normally serve as the bellwether for change in Navy
    workforce behavior, are consistent with an improving economy, and
    demonstrate that the competition has indeed begun. Forecasts predict
    regional labor shortages in working age population in some states and
    skill-sets, e.g., computers, mathematics, and healthcare. Technically-
    skilled labor is at high risk for both shortages and accelerated wage
    growth, based on a large number of anticipated retirements and few new
    workforce entrants. These labor market factors may pull sailors in
    certain critical skill-sets away from the Navy and into the civilian
    job market. We must heed these market indicators and take preemptive
    action to retain key labor skills as challenges increase in the coming
    years. We are using these predictive analytics to apply modest
    increases in enlistment and retention bonuses ahead of need, rather
    than wait for the large reactionary swings of the past.
      End Strength
        Navy end strength and budget growth, in fiscal year 2018 and fiscal
    year 2019, will further efforts begun in fiscal year 2017 to restore
    fleet wholeness, while beginning force growth. Following three
    consecutive years of declining end strength, we will achieve growth
    through a balanced approach of maximizing retention, increasing
    accessions, and ensuring the right sailor, with the right skills and
    experience, is in the right place to meet mission requirements (a
    metric we call ``fit''). To position us for success in implementing
    anticipated force structure growth, we recently initiated a number of
    important policy changes. We have effectively eliminated voluntary
    Enlisted Early Transition Program (``early-outs'') and incentivized
    early return to sea duty for career sailors, to narrow gaps at sea and
    retain sailors through completion of their service commitments. Despite
    aggressive use of all policy levers throughout fiscal year 2017, we
    only just met our end strength requirement, a challenge caused largely
    by a cut in accessions we had to take in fiscal year 2016 due to
    Military Personnel, Navy (MPN) funding limitations associated with
    Budget Control Act top line requirements. While overall strength is
    near programmed levels, the funded levels at the end of fiscal year
    2017 left over 7,500 gapped sea duty billets because new accessions
    primarily fill sea duty billets. We also face significant challenges in
    meeting the demand for specific technical skills in our nuclear, cyber,
    and special operations programs, certain type/model/series aviation
    platforms, and in the healthcare professions.
        The President's Budget for fiscal year 2019 supports growth in
    accounts for fleet manpower, student and training, special and
    incentive pays, and transients, patients, prisoners, and holdees
    (TPPH), furthering Navy's commitment to fully fund total ownership
    costs for people. Funding total ownership costs ensures adequate lead-
    time for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, student training and
    special and incentive pays. This is critical to maintain good faith
    with our sailors to increase retention and better position us to
    properly man the growing future fleet.
      Recruiting
        Recruiting risk was moderate in fiscal year 2017, although
    recruiters were already experiencing challenges in meeting mission
    goals in an improving labor market, with decreasing propensity of
    qualified youth to serve in the military, constrained marketing and
    advertising budgets, and security clearance delays. We continue to
    closely monitor the labor market and other leading indicators,
    appropriately adjusting risk mitigation strategies to accomplish the
    mission.
        Meeting an increased fiscal year 2018 recruiting mission will be
    even more challenging as market conditions continue to improve. We have
    begun to position ourselves to address these challenges by restoring
    226 fleet recruiters and career recruiting force billets across the
    Future Years Defense Program (FYDP), and re-phasing the end strength
    growth-profile to reduce risk and stress on the supply chain.
        Since 2015, overall recruit quality has declined slightly, as
    indicated by a decrease in the number of new-contract applicants
    scoring above 50 percent on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT).
    The number scoring at least 65 percent, necessary to fill special
    programs such as Naval Special Warfare/Operations (NSW/NSO), is also in
    decline. During 2017, we missed new contract goal for NSW/NSO for the
    month of September, and for the year. Nuclear field shipping-goal also
    presents unique challenges to the recruiting force. The requirement and
    necessity for a fully-adjudicated security clearance imposes delays in
    shipping future sailors from the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) to Recruit
    Training Command (RTC).
        We continue to see strong interest in commissioning opportunities
    through both the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) and Naval Reserve Officer
    Training Corps (NROTC) program, as the number of highly qualified
    applicants vastly exceeds the number of available appointments. Officer
    accession sources continue to attract the finest applicants and
    graduate well-rounded, technically competent leaders for commissioned
    naval service.
      Enlisted Retention
        For fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019, production of new
    sailors will be largely limited by first term sailor training capacity,
    making retention of every capable sailor critical to operational
    readiness as the Navy grows. We continue to maximize retention behavior
    by focusing on retaining proven performers in the right mix of ratings
    and pay grades through targeted use of enlisted retention incentives to
    position us to meet current and future mission requirements. In light
    of growth anticipated in the coming years, we expect most ratings will
    find it difficult to continue achieving required retention. While
    aggregate enlisted retention remains high, nuclear field, special
    warfare, advanced electronics, aviation maintenance and information
    technologies retention require focused efforts.
        Previously-mentioned changes in force management policies to retain
    sailors through completion of their current obligations include
    adjusting High Year Tenure (HYT) gates for sailors in pay grades E3-E6,
    discontinuing the Enlisted Early Transition Program, revising our
    Physical Fitness Assessment separation policy, and reducing Recruit
    Training Command attrition. We also expanded reenlistment and rating
    conversion opportunities. Special and incentive pays continue to play a
    vital role in retaining sailors in high-demand and/or high-investment
    skills under the greatest stress. Monetary incentives will continue to
    be an integral part of our retention strategy as we proactively address
    force structure challenges to meet operational requirements. As part of
    sailor 2025, we will also pilot use of a merit component to enlisted
    retention bonuses.
      Officer Retention
        Competition is increasing to recruit America's top talent into our
    officer corps, train them with cutting-edge technology and techniques,
    and retain their expertise to preserve our competitive advantage in the
    maritime security environment. Generally, officer retention is
    sufficient to meet most community-milestone requirements. However, we
    continue to face challenges within some historically retention-
    challenged communities, particularly among aviators in specific model/
    type/series platforms, nuclear-trained surface warfare officers,
    submarine officers, and within naval special warfare, specifically
    among Navy SEALs.
        Active component aviation concerns are primarily among the Strike
    Fighter (VFA), Electronic Attack (VAQ), and Helicopter Mine
    Countermeasure (HM) communities--each did not retain sufficient numbers
    of O-4 pilots to meet all operational department head requirements in
    our aviation squadrons. Similarly, the Reserve component is struggling
    to retain aviators in in these same communities, as well as among
    Maritime Patrol (VP) and Fleet Logistics (VR) squadrons.
        While Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) and Aviation Bonus (AvB) are
    the primary, and most-effective, monetary incentives for addressing
    aviator retention shortfalls, as with other communities, Navy is
    applying a combination of monetary and non-monetary incentives focused
    on meeting aviator career expectations and quality of life/service.
    Increases in statutory caps for both pays, enacted in the fiscal year
    2017 National Defense Authorization Act, were well received and
    appreciated by naval aviators. The Aviation Department Head Retention
    Bonus (ADHRB) offered to aviators in pay grades O-3 and O-4 targets
    communities with the greatest retention challenges, including VFA, VAQ
    and HM. Aviation Command Retention Bonus (ACRB) incentivizes officers
    in pay grade O-5, particularly those needed to fill post-command
    commander assignments.
        Submarine and surface warfare (nuclear) communities are working to
    retain their best talent by combining monetary and non-monetary
    incentives. Monetary incentives include retention bonuses for officers
    willing to commit early to future service, and special duty pays for
    challenging nuclear billets.
        We restructured naval special warfare officer bonus programs to
    increase bonus take rates. We now offer two SEAL officer retention
    bonuses at critical career decision points: Naval Special Warfare
    Officer Continuation Pay (NSWOCP) to paygrades O-3 and O-4, and Naval
    Special Warfare Officer Retention Bonus (NSWRB) to pay grades O-4 and
    O-5.
        Historically, targeted bonuses have proven most effective and cost-
    efficient in addressing retention problems in specific communities,
    jobs, and experience levels to retain high-quality personnel to meet
    operational requirements. Additionally, recently-implemented
    adjustments to add performance components to surface warfare officer
    bonuses were very effective--we are moving to make similar adjustments
    to aviation officer bonus programs. We are complimenting monetary
    incentives with non-monetary initiatives, to include open communication
    and transparency in officer detailing, mentorship, and fleet feedback
    mechanisms to optimize retention policy changes.
                                  sailor 2025
        To attract and retain the very best sailors in an increasingly
    competitive talent market will require continued flexibility and
    transparency in our policies and practices. Sailor 2025 is a dynamic
    set of over 45 initiatives designed to help us do just that. It is a
    roadmap designed to improve personnel programs by providing sailors
    with choice and flexibility.
        Sailor 2025 is modernizing personnel management and training
    policies and systems to identify, recruit, and train, talented people
    more effectively, and manage the force of tomorrow while improving
    warfighting readiness. The modern, innovative, information technology
    (IT) infrastructure we are building will help improve the way we
    recruit, train and retain talent, more accurately and efficiently
    assign talent across the force, better design and account for
    compensation packages, and generate a system that affords greater
    flexibility and permeability. Sailor 2025 is built on a framework of
    three pillars:

          A modern personnel system,

          A career learning continuum with modernized delivery
    methods, called Ready, Relevant Learning (RRL), and

          Shaping resilient, tough, sailors bolstered by a family
    support network that fosters a career of service.

      Personnel System Modernization
        The first pillar is a wholesale modernization of our entire
    personnel system. We are creating flexible policies and additional
    career choices, and empowering commanding officers with tools to retain
    the best and brightest sailors. We have already implemented programs,
    including the meritorious advancement program, increased credentialing
    and graduate education opportunities, and tours with industry. We are
    also working to expand ``Marketplace Detailing'' pilot initiatives,
    overhaul the performance evaluation system, modernize delivery and
    tailoring of advancement examinations coincident with a rating
    modernization effort, and achieve greater permeability between the
    Active and Reserve components.
      Ready Relevant Learning
        The second pillar ``Ready, Relevant Learning'', is a holistic
    approach to training our career enlisted force, which will accelerate
    the learning of every sailor for faster response to rapidly changing
    warfighting requirements in increasingly dynamic operational
    environments. Today's legacy training does not take full advantage of
    existing and emerging technology for knowledge-transfer. Oftentimes,
    the skills acquired during accession pipeline training atrophy due to
    delays between receipt of training and on-the-job performance,
    increasing the burden on the fleet and potentially compromising
    operational readiness. We are using the science-of-learning to
    transform the current training model to identify modern training
    solutions delivered at the point of need, better preparing sailors to
    operate and maintain equipment at its technological limits, and meet
    rapidly evolving warfighting requirements. It will require sustained
    focus across three lines of effort: (1) career-long learning continuum,
    (2) modern delivery at the point of need, and (3) integrated content
    development.
        We are currently in the first stage of this career-long learning
    continuum line of effort, known as block learning, which divides
    existing accession level training content into smaller blocks, which
    are moved to real-world points of need in the sailor's career,
    shortening initial accession training time and making sailors available
    to the fleet sooner. block learning uses existing training content
    while we reengineer the training to meet objectives of the future RRL
    training continuum. To date, we have completed block learning analysis
    for 54 rating paths, approved changes for 25 ratings, with 9 now
    delivering training in this new continuum.
        The second line of effort of RRL will provide modern delivery of
    training by taking advantage of emerging learning technologies to allow
    sailors to more efficiently receive training at the point of need--at
    the waterfront, or aboard the operational unit. These training
    solutions will apply science-of-learning principles to make training
    more effective, efficient and available by leveraging technology,
    thereby, minimizing the necessity of repeatedly returning to a brick-
    and-mortar schoolhouse. Over the last year, we initiated requirements-
    development for modernization of 29 ratings, and began identifying and
    aligning IT capabilities to support delivery of modernized content,
    ashore and afloat. Requirements-development is critical to the third
    line of effort of RRL, integrated content development. Here, fleet
    leadership defines training requirements and aligns training content
    and delivery methods with fleet needs.
      Career Readiness
        The third pillar, career readiness, seeks to remove barriers to
    continued service and improve sailors' work-life balance, health, and
    wellness. Our goal is to enhance sailors' career readiness by better
    developing leaders, and removing obstacles that negatively influence a
    sailor's decision to stay Navy. The Navy is more powerful and lethal
    when we leverage and capitalize on the talents and strengths of the
    entire military and civilian workforce, and instilling an environment
    in which everyone feels valued and respected, which is a force
    multiplier. Toward that end, we have incorporated the One Navy Team
    concept into leader development efforts to make our force stronger,
    more resilient, and more competitive with the best public and private
    sector employers, equipped and ready to deter war and protect the
    security of our Nation.
             manpower personnel training & education transformation
        Recruiting, training, and managing sailors in today's demanding
    operational environment using historical, industrial age, assembly line
    techniques of the past, is costly and unsustainable. To effectively
    combat current and emerging threats, maintain maritime superiority, and
    continue competitively recruiting and retaining America's top talent,
    we must move-out now with purpose and a committed sense of urgency to
    transform and modernize the MPT&E Enterprise.
        Our efforts will greatly improve fleet readiness, integrate pay and
    personnel systems, fix auditability issues, and improve service
    delivery through a holistic, end-to-end, transformation that will
    directly, positively, affect the entire Navy ``Hire-to-Retire''
    lifecycle. Following industry best practices, we implemented a new
    operating model, restructuring the enterprise around three fundamental
    lines of business:

          Force Development--the recruiting, on-boarding, and
    training of new sailors,

          Force Management--the management of our force from first
    command to retirement or separation, and

          Enterprise Services--ensuring that Force Development and
    Force Management have the tools and resources to meet mission
    objectives efficiently and effectively.

        We are establishing the MyNavy Career Center, a multi-channel
    centralized customer service solution that will enable sailor self-
    service, streamline human resource operations, and provide 24/7 call
    center support. Three MyNavy Career Centers will consolidate the
    workload of over 60 geographically dispersed personnel support
    detachments with better standardization, improved auditability, and
    significantly improved customer service. In early 2017, we fielded the
    first incremental release of MyNavy Portal, which continues to evolve
    rapidly with each new planned release, bringing additional
    functionality and integration to the system. Development of the
    integrated Navy Pay and Personnel (NP2) system is underway, with an
    early prototyping field test at Naval Station, Great Lakes, in progress
    since late 2017. In 2018, we will begin early testing of MyNavy Career
    Center functionality, and commencing a second, larger scale, test of
    NP2, which will build-out and test Commercial off the Shelf (COTS)
    initial operating capability (IOC) elements.
        Combined with Sailor 2025 and Ready, Relevant Learning, MPT&E
    Transformation will open the door to new ways of managing the force,
    with improved transparency, connectivity, and customer service. Fleet
    leaders will see faster action, and more-accurate data on personnel and
    training needs. Ultimately, Navy will benefit from a more agile,
    adaptive, and better trained force, ready to meet an increasingly
    complex mission.
                      officer personnel management reform
        In conjunction with our Sailor 2025 effort to modernize personnel
    management programs and training systems, we are reviewing officer
    management statutes and policy to provide our officers with similar
    tools and flexibility to those we have already provided to enlisted
    sailors. We have achieved a solid start within existing authorities.
    However, achieving the point-of-service support expected by our
    officers, and the standard of agility and responsiveness needed by
    fleet commanders, requires a more flexible set of officer management
    tools. We can accomplish this through relatively modest adjustments to
    the current officer personnel management framework, while maintaining
    core Defense Officer Personnel Management Act attributes. We are
    grateful for the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee's
    interest in this area, and your partnership, as we work to modernize
    DOPMA to meet the future needs of all of the services.
                    taking care of sailors and navy families
      Family Framework/Support Programs
        In October 2017, the Chief of Naval Operations published the Navy
    Family Framework to reinforce the importance of the role families play
    in mission success and to outline five organizational goals for
    enhancing mutual support between the Navy and our families:

          Improve Navy family support programs,

          Better connect with, and inform, Navy families,

          Improve spouse training and expand our education network,

          Increase meaningful command leader engagement with Navy
    spouses and families, and

          Reinforce Navy families' connection to the Navy and its
    core values of honor, courage and commitment.

        Family Support programs are critical to enhancing mission readiness
    and assisting commanding officers, sailors and their families in
    managing the unique demands of the military lifestyle, balancing
    military commitment with family life.
        Navy Fleet and Family Support Centers ensure military families are
    informed, healthy, and resilient through robust programs to include,
    relocation assistance, non-medical and family counseling, personal and
    family life education, personal financial management services,
    information and referral services, deployment assistance, domestic
    violence prevention and response services, exceptional family member
    liaison, emergency family assistance and transition assistance.
        Navy child and youth programs provide quality childcare. Navy
    morale, welfare, and recreation programs provide core fitness and
    recreation for sailors and families to enhance quality of life and
    encourage life-long positive and healthy leisure pursuits. As part of
    Sailor 2025, we extended hours of operation at fitness centers and
    child development centers in response to the demand signal from sailors
    and their families, which positively influences decisions to remain in
    the Navy and improves our ability to meet fleet readiness requirements.
    Suicide Prevention
        Suicide remains the second leading cause of death in the Navy and
    prevention remains among our highest priorities. We experienced a 27
    percent increase in deaths due to suicide last year, a rate of 20.2
    deaths per 100,000, greatly exceeding the 2016 rate of 15.9, as well as
    the previous high rate of 18.1, in 2012.
        There is no single cause, and no single solution, to this complex
    problem. We are tackling each major contributing factor at both the
    individual and community level, studying each death in detail.
    Individual factors continue to be relationship problems, legal
    problems, career and academic setbacks, and mental health problems.
    Sailors who have died by suicide felt a loss of belonging and
    connectedness; felt ostracized and alone; and lacked adequate coping
    and problem solving skills, and emotional regulation. Fleet training
    efforts have revealed that increasingly sailors are responding
    appropriately when shipmates require help. We continue to focus on
    initiatives to enhance our ability to reduce suicide within our ranks:

          Our six Operational Stress Control Mobile Training Teams
    provide resilience and toughness skills for sailors and their families,
    and tools to remain psychologically healthy.

          Embedded mental health providers within units, including
    all large deck ships and expeditionary units, improve access to care,
    remove barriers to seeking care, and embody a culture of help-seeking
    behavior.

          Waterfront clinics are under development in fleet
    concentration areas and civilian resiliency counselors are deployed to
    assist in managing non-medical problems that affect sailors.

          Reserve Psychological Health Outreach Program ensures
    that Reserve component sailors have full access to appropriate
    psychological health care services.

          The Sailor Assistance and Intercept for Life (SAIL)
    Program, implemented last year, provides rapid assistance and ongoing
    risk assessment and support for sailors in the 90-day period following
    a suicide-related behavior. SAIL supplements medical care with non-
    clinical resources that address other life problems confronting the
    sailor.

          Defense Suicide Prevention Office collaboration to
    implement skills training at accession points and throughout sailors'
    careers and provide a strong foundation for follow-on training.

        Suicide prevention coordinators partner with command leaders to
    enhance the sense of community and ensure everyone feels valued and a
    part of the mission. The most recent version of the command climate
    survey assesses the extent to which sailors feel they belong, and gives
    leaders more insight into problem areas within the command. Our 21st
    Century Sailor Office reaches out to the commanding officer of each
    command that experiences a suicide-related behavior or death by
    suicide, to guide them to available resources and reassure them of our
    availability, support, and empathetic ear.
      Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR)
        We are reviewing and evaluating the Navy SAPR prevention strategy,
    and training content, to ensure we are achieving the desired impact,
    e.g., knowledge transfer, issue awareness, and intervention skills. We
    continue to collaborate with academia, and other Federal and non-
    federal organizations, in investigating research-informed and evidence-
    based prevention strategies aimed at reducing, and ultimately
    eliminating, destructive behaviors.
        We continue to refine our response capability with investigations
    into suspected misconduct, and both criminal and administrative
    accountability for individuals who violate the standards. We treat
    victims with compassion, and remain committed to providing quality
    care, conducting thorough investigations in a timely manner, and
    providing a fair and equitable system of accountability to ensure
    justice and maintenance of good order and discipline. Through
    partnerships across the Department of Defense, we continue to execute a
    strategy to prevent and respond to retaliation by better understanding
    the prevalence of retaliatory behavior, including reprisal, ostracism,
    and maltreatment.
      Eliminating Destructive Behavior
        We are eliminating destructive behavior by determining the most
    effective approach for prevention and education to reduce adverse
    social and health-related outcomes. We have engaged a highly qualified
    expert in the field of behavioral science, to better address complex
    societal issues that affect sailors and readiness. We have also applied
    a metrics-based, data science approach, to provide clearer insight into
    the nature of incidents resulting from destructive decisions, and to
    better identify leading indicators, target prevention efforts, and
    accurately focus action. For example:

          We have initiated primary prevention strategies that
    focus on a continuum of excellence, facilitating productive behaviors
    that support a more effective warrior ethos.

          We will evaluate tools for assessing recruits to better
    understand their needs and how to address them effectively. Leadership
    is the key to carrying out the national security mission while creating
    a positive environment for our people.

          We have engaged leaders to evaluate tools and policies
    that build trust, unit cohesion, and a positive command climate, while
    developing the most lethal naval force.

        This year, we launched Full Speed Ahead 2.0, continuing our efforts
    to prevent and combat destructive behaviors and promote positive
    signature behaviors by emphasizing dedication to personal betterment,
    development of team dynamics grounded in trust and respect, and
    reinforcement of sailors' commitment to Navy values to uphold a culture
    inclusive and empowering for all.
        Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention programs support enhanced
    fleet, family, and personal readiness through aggressive prevention of
    alcohol and drug abuse. Substance abuse places lives and missions at
    risk, undercuts unit readiness and morale, is often involved in other
    destructive behaviors, and is inconsistent with Navy's ethos and core
    values of honor, courage and commitment. The Keep What You've Earned
    campaign fosters improved decision making for sailors to protect their
    career investment by creating an environment that encourages and
    teaches methods on responsible consumption of alcohol, offers
    alternatives, and educates about the consequences of poor decision
    making. Detection, deterrence, and prevention are key elements in
    combating drug abuse. Our Prescription for Discharge campaign educates
    sailors on the proper use of prescription drugs. Expanded urinalysis
    screening has increased detection of wrongful prescription drug use and
    yielded a decline in positive synthetic drug results. We are committed
    to providing sailors with the support network, health care, and skills,
    needed to overcome adversity and make responsible decisions.
                                 our way ahead
        The three Future Fleet Architecture studies required by the Fiscal
    Year 2016 NDAA provided a range of insights and perspectives that
    validated and informed Navy leadership's thinking on fleet architecture
    and design. These studies will play a foundational role in the process
    of designing a future fleet, and support CNO strategic priorities as
    articulated in the Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority, which
    calls for exploration of alternative fleet designs.
        We are at a point of strategic inflection. The maritime environment
    is becoming more stressed, contested and congested, and the pace of
    change is accelerating in almost every area. We must continue to
    outpace our peer competitors and future threats by ensuring that future
    fleet development is thoughtful, informed, agile and focused. These
    studies will help the Navy determine optimum fleet size and mix, over
    time.
        We are preparing to grow the Navy in an environment in which
    competition for talent will be increasingly sharp. Growing to a 355-
    ship Navy would require increases in the MPN and Operations and
    Maintenance, Navy accounts, to support and sustain a larger fleet.
    Manning the fleet may require an end strength increase approaching
    35,000, fully dependent on the required supporting units and squadrons,
    and training pipeline growth. Our end strength profile is largely
    determined by the composition and manpower needs of the fleet and the
    timing of delivery of those platforms. Growth in the number of ships
    will drive end strength increases and growth in other warfighting
    areas, (e.g., aviation and cyber), and warfighting support domains
    (training, maintenance, communications, logistics, and facilities).
    Additional resources would be required for accession supply-chain
    manning, including recruiters, recruit division commanders and
    instructors.
        Navy is developing specific accession and workforce management
    plans to support anticipated force structure scenarios, within
    established fiscal and infrastructure constraints. These plans rely on
    the demand signal of the anticipated force structure. Furthermore, any
    request for additional fleet manning will depend on the rate at which
    new platforms are procured and constructed, the manning-needs of
    specific platforms as they come online, required skill-sets of sailors
    assigned to those platforms, and the seniority/experience mix needed to
    operate at peak readiness, efficiency and capability.
        Finally, Navy continues to aggressively work through the combined
    recommendations of both the comprehensive review and the Secretary of
    the Navy's Strategic Readiness Review, under a consolidated Readiness
    Reform Oversight Council, for improvements on crew manning, individual
    training, and career progression, among other things. These lessons are
    being applied, not only to the surface warfare community, but across
    the Navy.
                                   conclusion
        Navy must continue to attract, recruit, develop, assign, and retain
    a highly skilled workforce. As we continue to battle in this
    competition for talent, Navy is well postured to support sailors and
    their families, and increase their resilience. I look forward to
    working with you as we continue to shape the Navy to meet current and
    emerging requirements.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        General Seamands.

    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS C. SEAMANDS, USA, DEPUTY
                          CHIEF OF STAFF, G-1

        General Seamands. Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member
    Gillibrand, distinguished Members of the Committee, thanks for
    the opportunity to appear before you on behalf of the men and
    women in the United States Army.
        I've submitted a statement for the record, and would like
    to highlight a few of the points now.
        Manning our Army is one of the key components of readiness
    and is vital to our Army's ability to win--fight and win our
    Nation's wars. Thank you for the Fiscal Year 2018 National
    Defense Authorization Act, which authorized the total Army end
    strength to increase by 8,500. We also appreciate the 2 year
    budget agreement. These will help us improve readiness and
    ensure your Army is fully manned in its formations in the
    coming years.
        To build a future Army, we must recruit diverse men and
    women from high--of high quality and high character in a
    competitive market, where only one in seven--one in four of the
    17 to 24 year olds in the Army--or in the Nation is eligible to
    join the Army, and only one in eight has a propensity to enlist
    in the military. Our recruiters across the Nation are doing a
    great job and working hard to achieve the mission.
        The Army must also continue to retain the most talent
    soldiers and noncommissioned officers with the experience and
    skills necessary to meet our future needs. We project historic
    retention rates again this year for our NCOs.
        The Army leadership has embraced talent management as a
    cornerstone of how we retain our best NCOs and best officers.
    The Integrated Pay and Personnel System Army, or IPPS-A, will
    be the keystone in the archway of talent management. IPPS-A
    will bring a responsive system that connects all three
    components and builds a marketplace for talent. We are a
    standards-based team in the Army, and the Army remains
    committed to giving all soldiers who can meet the standards of
    a military occupational specialty the opportunity to serve in
    that speciality.
        Last year, the Army integrated the gender-neutral physical
    standards for initial-entry training and job-specific training,
    and the initial results are very positive. We have successfully
    assessed and transferred more than 600 women into the
    previously closed occupations of infantry, armor, and field
    artillery. The opportunities are so popular, we're expanding
    the programs next year.
        As part of the Total Force, the civilians are vital to and
    comprise about 22 percent of the total personnel. We need a
    civilian workforce that has critical and unique skills to
    support the soldiers and families. As we build our force, we
    focus on areas that provide the foundation for our future. We
    remain focused on personal resiliency and suicide prevention
    with world-class programs for our soldiers, civilians, and
    family members. Sexual harassment and sexual assault
    retaliation are not compatible with Army values, and they
    diminish our readiness. Therefore, combating all forms of
    sexual misconduct remain a top priority in the Army. Although
    optimistic about the progress we've made in reducing sexual
    violence in the ranks, we understand there's much more work to
    be done as we drive toward zero.
        You've authorized us to grow, and we thank you for that. We
    must be--ensure that the force is ready. The Army has improved
    personal readiness by increasing the number of deployable
    soldiers. We also have an ongoing review to see how we can
    increase the number of deployable soldiers even more in order
    to enhance readiness.
        Because we care for soldiers as they prepare for life after
    the service, the Army Soldier For Life Program, with support
    from commanders and command sergeant majors, has resulted in
    increased educational employment opportunities for Army
    veterans and family members, and a significant reduction in
    unemployment cost.
        Additionally, I appreciate that--you beginning the
    discussion on a review of DOPMA to determine what's essential
    and should be retained and what needs to be updated. Our Army
    is strong because of the courage and commitment of our
    soldiers, civilians, veterans, and family members who serve our
    Nation. I thank you for your continued support of the All-
    Volunteer Army.
        [The prepared statement of Lieutenant General Seamands
    follows:]

          Prepared Statement by Lieutenant General Thomas C. Seamands
        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand, distinguished Members
    of this Committee, I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you
    on behalf of the men and women of the United States Army.
        Our Army is the most formidable ground combat force on earth
    because of the courage and commitment of the soldiers, civilians,
    veterans, and family members who serve our Nation. Our people are our
    greatest asset as we position the Total Army Force to meet security
    demands around the globe. It is imperative that we remain focused on
    responsible growth of the Army and world-class programs that provide
    continued care and resources for soldiers and their families.
        The Army is globally engaged, supporting combatant command missions
    with approximately 186,000 soldiers committed in 140 countries. The
    Army's forward presence and stationing builds partner capacity, assures
    our allies, and deters aggressors. The continued need for a ready
    force--fully manned, trained, and equipped is evidenced daily by
    international events. Consistent, strategy-based funding is critical to
    the Army accomplishing its missions.
        Manning the Army is one of the key components of readiness and is
    vital to the Army's ability to fight and win our Nation's wars. Our
    Total Army is comprised of the Active component (AC), the Army Reserve
    (USAR) and the Army National Guard (ARNG). The Fiscal Year 2018
    National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized a Total Army end
    strength increase of 8,500 to 1,026,500 soldiers (483,500 AC; 199,500
    USAR; 343,500 ARNG). This increase will help us improve readiness and
    ensure the Army has fully manned formations in the coming years.
        Today only one in four 17 to 24 year-olds in the U.S. is eligible
    to serve in the Army, and only one in eight has a propensity to enlist
    in the military, making Army accessions a challenging and resource-
    intensive activity. The Army achieved its fiscal year 2017 recruiting
    mission of 68,500 Active component recruits with more than 96 percent
    of them holding high school diplomas. The ARNG fell short of their
    mission of 40,000 (85.8 percent) and the USAR fell short of their
    mission of 14,400 (92.2 percent). For fiscal year 2018, the recruiting
    missions are 80,000 for the Active component, 44,300 for the ARNG, and
    15,600 for the USAR. We are aggressively working both accession and
    retention missions needed to achieve the 8,500 soldier growth in end
    strength for the Total Army provided for in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA.
    We are committed to holding quality high by using enlistment bonus
    incentives and expanding prior service enlistments to help reach our
    goal. We are also pursing efforts to positively leverage our soldier
    for Life population to assist in achieving our accessions mission and
    continue to maintain an All-Volunteer Force.
        The Army must continue to retain the most talented soldiers and
    non-commissioned officers with the experience and skills necessary to
    meet our future needs. The AC, USAR and ARNG each achieved their fiscal
    year 2017 retention missions. The increase in end strength for fiscal
    year 2018 has also led us to an increase in the Army's retention
    mission, and we have expanded retention incentives accordingly. Each
    component is diligently working to accomplish their respective
    retention missions while maintaining standards.
        Our officer corps is strong and committed to the mission, and we
    continue to make improvements in the diversity of our officer corps.
    The United States Military Academy (USMA) increased the number of
    female cadets from 16 percent in the class of 2017 to 22 percent in the
    class of 2020. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) had similar
    growth in female admissions from 22 percent in the Class of 2017 to a
    projected 28 percent women in the Class of 2020. Additionally, the
    officer corps has had an increase in African American accessions--14
    percent in USMA class of 2020 are African American versus 10 percent of
    the class of 2017, and projected 14 percent of ROTC commissions in 2020
    will be African American versus an average of 11 percent from 2012 to
    2017. The Army will maintain our emphasis on sustaining a high-quality
    All-Volunteer Force that reflects the diversity of America.
        The Army strives to continuously improve efforts to assess and
    train the right soldier for the right job. The U.S. Army Training and
    Doctrine Command completed a physical demands study of Army specialties
    in 2016 and used it to develop an Occupational Physical Assessment Test
    (OPAT). Since January 2017, the OPAT has been used as a physical
    assessment screening tool for Officer and Enlisted Accessions. Passing
    the OPAT ensures new soldiers, regardless of gender, can succeed in an
    assigned specialty and verifies their readiness for training and to
    prevent or minimize injuries. Longitudinal studies on OPAT are being
    conducted by the Army Research Institute to measure OPAT's effect on
    morale, cohesion, and readiness.
        The Army remains committed to giving all soldiers who can meet the
    standards of a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) the opportunity to
    serve in that MOS. In January 2017, the Army implemented MOS-based
    gender-neutral physical standards to start initial entry training, and
    to successfully be awarded a given MOS. To date, the Army has
    successfully accessed and transferred more than 600 women into the
    previously closed occupations of infantry, armor, and field artillery.
        Since 2016, 74 female officers have successfully completed the
    Infantry or Armor Basic Officer Leader's Course and are arriving at
    assignments in Forts Hood and Bragg. In 2018, assignments will expand
    to Forts Carson, Campbell, and Bliss in support of the Army's Leaders
    First Strategy. Additionally, the Army has transferred, trained and
    assigned female NCOs into both infantry and armor specialties. This
    approach sets conditions in operational units before newly trained
    junior enlisted soldiers arrive. The first integrated enlisted training
    courses for infantry and armor graduated in May/June 2017 and female
    soldiers were assigned to Forts Hood and Bragg. Due to a multi-year
    effort to open other jobs that have long been unavailable to female
    soldiers, as many as 500 women currently serve in every active Brigade
    Combat Team in the Army down to the company level. Of significance, 10
    women have graduated Ranger School and one officer is assigned to the
    Ranger Regiment. As the Army continues long-term studies in support of
    gender integration and the soldier 2020 campaign, lessons learned will
    continue to enhance readiness and increase the diversity across our
    force using a standards-based approach.
        In order to employ and retain soldiers and maintain a capable and
    effective ground combat force, the Army requires a civilian workforce
    with unique and critical skills to support soldiers and their families.
    Civilians serve across the institutional Army and enable the Army to
    free up soldiers for service in the operational Army. When placed in
    the context of the Total Army, civilians comprise about 22 percent of
    the Army's total personnel (soldiers of the Army, Army National Guard,
    and Army Reserve comprise the other categories). Since 2011, the Army
    has been drawing down the civilian workforce from a wartime high of
    285,000 full time equivalents to 239,500 at of the close of fiscal year
    2017. These reductions were implemented to meet budget levels, military
    end strength reductions, and legislative mandates associated with the
    military drawdown.
        Given the need to recover and sustain readiness, and with the
    increasing of military end strength, the Army will need to increase the
    capabilities that our civilians give us. While we continue to implement
    reforms and reduce the size of headquarters activities, we recognize
    that Department of Army civilians are key enablers of our readiness and
    operational capabilities. As the Army looks to become more lethal,
    enhance both its capability and capacity, and ensure critical support
    to the Solider and their families, our Department of Army Civilians are
    an integral partner and we must ensure our workforce is sized
    appropriately.
        Every soldier is a valued member of the Army team and is critical
    to readiness and mission accomplishment. Sustaining individual personal
    readiness is a necessary component of maintaining the readiness of the
    force. The Army is improving personal readiness and individual
    deployability by focusing on strengthening soldiers, building
    protective factors, and fostering a culture of trust to ensure
    successful service and unit cohesion.
        We have implemented a holistic and outcome-focused proactive
    prevention model which drives change through visibility, routine
    assessment, and targeted actions. The prevention model is tailored to
    fit the needs of our people in diverse and challenging environments and
    will improve personal readiness to enhance and sustain a resilient
    force. This paradigm shift to a proactive prevention strategy, as
    opposed to one that is reactive, empowers soldiers and leaders at all
    levels to promote personal readiness.
        We continue to provide commanders and leaders increased visibility
    of their readiness with the development of the Commander's Risk
    Reduction Dashboard (CRRD) with anticipated initial operating
    capability by the end of 2018. This tool provides commanders visibility
    of their soldier and unit risk history, trends, and the impacts on
    personal readiness. We are developing a predictive analytical
    capability for integration into the full operational capability system
    by the end of 2019 in order for commanders to make proactive decisions
    and resource allocations, based upon probability of readiness.
        We are fielding Engage, which is a means to enable bystander
    intervention and improve cohesion across the force. Research indicates
    that soldiers lack the expertise to successfully and routinely execute
    professional confrontations. Engage encourages engagements across a
    wide variety of situations and with peers, subordinates and supervisors
    to enhance communication and positively influence personal readiness.
        We are also executing the ``Not in My Squad'' initiative, developed
    by the Sergeant Major of the Army that is focused on squad leaders.
    Research has determined that squad leaders have the greatest impact on
    units, the individual soldier and the climate. ``Not in My Squad''
    facilitates self-development and helps squad leaders understand and
    embrace their roles as leaders in their organization.
        Engage and ``Not in My Squad'' are being executed at the 26 Ready
    and Resilient Performance Centers across all components of the Army. We
    have certified 32,000 master resiliency trainers who are resident in
    company-level formations and train soldiers on 16 resiliency skills
    that focus on sustaining personal readiness and optimizing human
    performance. The goal is to have a master resilience trainer for every
    company in the Army to coach these skills.
        Sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation are not
    compatible with Army Values and they diminish our readiness, therefore,
    combatting all forms of sexual misconduct remains a top priority for
    the Army. The Army, along with the Department of Defense, continues to
    make significant progress eradicating sexual assault, while encouraging
    more soldiers to report the crime. Since 2012, reporting has increased
    approximately 59 percent for the Total Army (1,572 - reports in fiscal
    year 2012 compared to 2,497 reports in fiscal year 2016) while
    prevalence has decreased 6.4 percent for women and 36.8 percent for men
    within the Active component. As we analyze fiscal year 2017 data,
    indications are that we will see another increase in reports. The
    increase in reporting and decrease in prevalence are tracking in the
    right direction of our Department of Defense and Army goals. Continued
    progress will come from commanders eliminating sexual violence from
    their formations; encouraging more victims to obtain the services and
    support they need to heal, recover, and resume productive careers; and
    holding offenders appropriately accountable.
        The Army is also as dedicated to providing Department of the Army
    (DA) civilians with a safe space to report sexual assault and to seek
    victim support/services. During the past year, the Army implemented a
    pilot program for DA Civilian Sexual Harassment and Response Prevention
    (SHARP) services. In addition to providing full access to sexual
    assault response coordinators and victim advocates, the pilot enabled
    civilians to opt for either the restricted or the unrestricted
    reporting option. The pilot essentially provided DA civilians reporting
    parity with their uniformed servicemember counterparts. From January
    through December 2017, approximately 34 Army civilians utilized
    services provided through the pilot, with 5 opting to file restricted
    reports. Although the pilot ended 24 January 2018, the Army examining
    ways to allow us to continue to provide SHARP services, including both
    reporting options, to our civilian teammates.
        Another way we've increased support to our DA civilians is through
    the implementation of special victims' counsel program support to Army
    civilians when the offender is a soldier and the case falls under the
    jurisdiction of the military. We cannot fulfill our commitment to the
    American public without our dedicated Army civilians. We owe it to our
    country to take care of our civilian employees the way we take care of
    our soldiers.
        With healthier command climates where victims feel safe to report
    without fear of retaliatory behaviors, the Army is continuing to place
    increased emphasis on prevention. We are especially focused on teaching
    members of the Army team how to recognize and address inappropriate
    behaviors identified in the left spectrum of the sexual violence
    continuum of harm. These behaviors include offensive jokes, hazing,
    cyberbullying, and other actions that create an environment that
    tolerates sexual violence. Historically, civilian and DOD research/
    studies have shown a correlation between sexual harassment and sexual
    assault. This research is why the Army decided to combine the sexual
    harassment prevention and sexual assault prevention and response
    programs a decade ago. We're continuing to develop tools to help
    command teams, soldiers, and DA civilians place greater emphasis on
    prevention of sexual violence.
        Although we're optimistic about the progress we've made in reducing
    sexual violence in the ranks, we understand there's more work to be
    done. We will not be satisfied until America's sons and daughters can
    serve in our Army--a multi-generational, ethnically diverse, gender-
    integrated Army--without fear of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or
    retaliation for reporting sexual offenses. Through the continued
    leadership of our command teams, the expertise of our SHARP
    professionals, and the commitment of our soldiers and DA civilians, we
    believe this standard is achievable.
        The Army's goal is to sustain the personal readiness of our
    soldiers and build unit cohesion; however, suicide remains one of our
    most serious challenges. We remain devoted to our task of more
    proactively identifying indicators and developing holistic approaches
    to prevention. Our comprehensive approach includes strengthening our
    soldiers, leaders, and families; building protective factors; and
    fostering a culture of trust. Suicide prevention is a complex human
    endeavor that requires a network of human sensors, the skills to
    Engage, continuous assessment of behaviors, and a comprehensive
    assistance and treatment capability.
        To improve personal readiness and resiliency, we are aggressively
    working to decrease the stigma associated with seeking behavioral
    health care. Behavioral Health (BH) encounters for the Total Army grew
    from approximately 900,000 in fiscal year 2007 to approximately 2.25
    million in fiscal year 2017, indicating greater trust in the system.
    Soldiers required 67,000 fewer inpatient bed days for all types of BH
    conditions in 2016, as compared to 2012. This 41 percent decrease, is
    due in part to improvements in outpatient services, Intensive
    Outpatient Programs, and case management.
        In addition to reducing the stigma associated with seeking help,
    the Army has provided more timely care, especially to those with the
    most significant behavioral health conditions. For example, according
    to the 2016 DHA Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, 96
    percent of all soldiers hospitalized for a behavioral health condition
    receive a follow-up appointment in a clinic within 7 days, which far
    exceeds the national average. Embedding behavioral health personnel
    within combat units is a proven best practice--we've recently extended
    this effort by embedding the substance use disorder providers within
    Embedded BH to provide more comprehensive care.
        The Army has reduced Total Army non-deployable personnel from 15
    percent in June 2016 to 11 percent in December 2017. The current 11
    percent non-deployable population includes a new category introduced
    summer 2016 to proactively manage expired medical and dental
    examinations. Excluding this category, the Total Army rate would be 9
    percent and the Regular Army 8 percent. The Army will make continued
    reductions to our non-deployable population a priority.
        The Army continues to reduce the time required for soldiers to
    process through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).
    Current processing times for the Reserve components are down to 298
    days and the Active component is down to 261 days. Processing times
    were impacted during fiscal year 2017 due to information technology
    (IT) migration activities involving our separate Medical Evaluation
    Board and Physical Evaluation Board case processing applications into a
    single disability case processing application for both stakeholders.
    Active component IDES processing times have decreased by 14 days on
    average since October 2017 as our IT migration nears completion, and we
    will continue to strive towards achieving our informal Army goal of 210
    days versus the DOD published goal of 295 days. The IDES population is
    steady state at approximately 12,000. We will continue to evaluate how
    to efficiently and fairly evaluate injured soldiers and either return
    them to duty or assist them in transitioning to civilian life.
        In addition to taking care of soldiers and their families while
    they are in the Army, we are committed to ensuring their successful
    transition. We know that every year approximately 100,000 soldiers
    transition from the Total Army via either retirement or separation. Our
    mandate here is clear--we must continue to focus on preparing our
    soldiers for transition to productive veterans across our respective
    communities.
        The Army's Soldier for Life program conducts strategic outreach and
    shapes education, employment, and health policies, programs and
    services to inspire citizens to serve and to create an environment
    where soldiers transition to be productive veterans of character,
    integrity, and service. The program has connected more than one
    thousand private and public organizations to transitioning soldiers and
    spouses, resulting in increased educational and employment
    opportunities for Army veterans and family members. Further, according
    to the Department of Labor, Soldier for Life efforts assisted in
    reducing the veteran unemployment rates 3.7 percent for fiscal year
    2017, with the lowest amount of unemployment compensation for veterans
    in 17 years.
        For fiscal year 2017, the Army's Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW)
    Act compliance was over 88 percent--the Active component at 90 percent,
    ARNG at 86 percent and USAR at 79 percent. We as an Army continue to
    enhance our policies and procedures for transitioning soldiers and have
    ensured commanders understand that they must ensure their soldiers
    attend VOW Act-mandated briefings. In the end, it is in the Army's and
    our Nation's best interest to ensure soldiers transition successfully
    back into our communities. They are better able to become productive
    citizens as well as important ambassadors for the Army who can
    positively affect the propensity for others to serve.
        To build a Total Army of professional Active, Reserve and National
    Guard forces, as well as civilians, who are trained and ready to take
    on the challenges of the future, we must leverage and manage all
    available talent and ensure every individual is optimized to fight and
    win our Nation's wars. The Army is piloting a Talent Assessment Program
    that will identify our talent and match them to Army requirements. For
    example, this past summer at the Aviation Captain's Career Course at
    Ft. Rucker, Alabama, junior captains completed a battery of talent
    assessment instruments, which collectively provide them with
    individually-tailored feedback on where their talents align with the
    requirements of the Army's various career specialties. Likewise, junior
    captains at the Field Artillery Captain's Career Course are conducting
    a similar talent assessment now. The pilot program finishes this
    spring, and we plan to expand the assessment program to include
    additional career courses over the next 2 years.
        Our goal is comprehensive visibility of all our soldiers'
    knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors to best fit the right
    person in the right job at the right time. The Integrated Personnel and
    Pay System-Army will transform the Army's legacy personnel system to a
    21st Century talent management system. To accomplish this, we must move
    from a personnel management system to a talent management system that
    will enable us to better manage soldier talents and match them to Army
    requirements.
        For the first time ever, IPPS-A will enable the Army to manage all
    1.1 million Total Force soldiers in a single, integrated personnel and
    pay system that will directly impact the readiness of the Total Force
    and improve the lives of our soldiers. Finally, it will provide a full
    end to end audit capability to ensure Army personnel and pay
    transactions are compliant with the law. IPPS-A integrates software
    that creates distinct roles and permissions by individual positions,
    sets business processes, segregates duties, and generates system alerts
    when changes are made--we cannot do this with our current systems.
    IPPS-A enables the Army to modernize and transform our human resource
    processes and helps us to facilitate significant business process
    reengineering. The initial implementation of IPPS-A will start with the
    Pennsylvania Army National Guard in October 2018.
        The Assignment Interactive Module 2.0 is a web-based information
    system that will further facilitate the Army's talent management
    efforts. This system promotes transparency of requirements for soldiers
    and units; enables stakeholder interaction via an intuitive
    marketplace; captures unique soldier talents, unit and position data;
    and establishes a talent management link to IPPS-A.
        At the end of the day, the Army is people. The men and women who
    serve our Nation, both in uniform and out of uniform, along with their
    families, are our most important asset. As a Nation, we must ensure
    they have the required resources so they are ready when called upon to
    fight and win our Nation's wars. I thank all of you for your continued
    support of our All-Volunteer Army.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you all.
        Secretary Wilkie, the--you and I have had this discussion
    on a number of occasions, and thank you for your time this week
    in your office. I'm curious about the medically nondeployable
    population. I'd like you to talk a little bit about the number
    who are in that category today, some of that which is expected,
    and some of that needs to change. Any steps you've already
    taken, or steps in the future you intend to take.
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes, sir.
        Today, I will be releasing a--the new Department of Defense
    policy on military retention. The situation we face today is
    really unlike anything that we have faced, certainly in the
    post-World War II era. On any given day, about 13 to 14 percent
    of the force is medically unable to deploy. That comes out to
    be around 286,000 soldiers. In September--I mean, in July of
    this year, Secretary Mattis tasked Personnel and Readiness with
    developing policies to ensure that everyone who comes into the
    service, and everyone who stays in the service, is worldwide
    deployable. The way I described it in our conversation is, if
    Mr. Bezos, in Amazon, walked in to Christmas week, and 14
    percent of his workforce could not perform their duties, then
    he would no longer be the largest company in the world.
        There are several issues that--there are several aspects of
    nondeployability that are on us. I was going to--I was hoping
    that Senator Ernst would stay, because we could talk about our
    experiences as junior officers. If, in our small units, our
    commanders discovered that half of our troops were not
    medically ready because they had not visited the dentist, that
    would have been on us. We would have been accountable, as
    junior leaders, to make sure that they've visited the dentist
    to become dentally ready to deploy. That's a mission for us.
        The other thing that we have seen is that, in a--the down
    years, in terms of recruiting for the military, we offer too
    many medical waivers to get into the service. The medical
    conditions that those servicemembers had when they received
    those waivers followed them into the service as they progressed
    through their careers. We have to address that.
        This new policy is a 12 month deploy-or-be-removed policy.
    However, there are exceptions to it. Does not apply to
    pregnancy. Does not apply to postpartum conditions. Medical
    boards will review the medical status of those who have been
    wounded. I will use a personal example from 1970. My father was
    severely wounded in the invasion of Cambodia, spent a year in
    an Army hospital. A determination was made by a medical board
    then that his service was still required, and he was allowed to
    recover and return to Fort Bragg in the 82nd Airborne Division.
    Those are the things that we will take into consideration.
        But, we need to look at the force holistically. We have to
    ensure, given the climate that this country faces, that
    everyone who signs up can be deployed to any corner of the
    world at any given time. That is the reason for the change in
    policy.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        In the next panel, we're going to hear from military
    families and groups representing them. The one thing that I
    hear consistently is that the frequent relocations creates a
    great disruption to the family, to employment, a number of
    other things. So, maybe starting with General Seamands, we'll
    just move down the line to the services' personnel chiefs. What
    specifically is your service doing to address the concerns for
    the Permanent Change of Status flexibility?
        General Seamands. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Dr. Esper, Secretary of the Army, as he's gone around and
    had townhalls with soldiers, hear the same comment that you've
    made and ask how they can stay at a place longer. So, he's
    asked us to go back and take a look at not only how--if we can
    reduce the PCS, in terms of the monetary cost of the PCS, but
    also provide stability to the soldiers at those installations.
    We're, right now, trying to peel back the onion to find out
    where you can keep somebody in place longer to allow stability
    for them, and perhaps continued employment for their spouse,
    because, if the spouse is employed, they'll want to stay where
    they are, as well.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        Admiral Burke?
        Admiral Burke. Yes, sir. One of those nonmonetary retention
    incentives and--I mentioned, was our detailing marketplace,
    which is sort of a Linked-In for the Navy, allows sailors to
    connect directly with prospective jobs, communicate their
    desires, negotiate. But, the marketplace aspect of this is to
    view, sort of, not just their orders, but total next
    assignment, in terms of a total compensation package.
    Geographic stability can be part of the conversation, when it's
    possible. Career progression, ship type, where those ship types
    are home-ported, where they are in their career, may make that
    impossible.
        But, through use of those techniques over the last 2 years,
    we've been able to increase the numbers of assignments
    systematically, so up to around 25 percent of our next career
    moves have been same home port for our sailors. So, we're
    increasing it. We may be approaching our limit, here, just
    based on where our ships are home-ported. But, we're trying to
    expand that as much as feasible. So one of the market dynamics
    and the detailing process are--are defining that for us. It's
    been interesting to watch.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        General Grosso.
        General Grosso. Mr. Chairman, we're doing several things.
    We also have leveraging technology with a optimization model
    that will let people put their desires in and let the--let them
    see the requirements, put their desires in. We think leveraging
    technology will make it easier to--people that want to move, to
    move; and people that want to be stable, to be stable. So, we
    think that--we are just testing--we tested it, and we're slowly
    incrementing that across the officer force.
        We also, for certain career fields, have implemented a
    second assignment in place. That's one of our pilot retention
    models. But, what you find is that the overseas rotation pulls
    people overseas. So, some of the force structure makes it
    difficult to keep people in place. But, we are certainly trying
    that. Certainly some number is completely possible to do.
        The final thing I would add is that I think some of the
    DOPMA flexibilities that we've talked about--one in particular,
    opting out of promotions--because I've had both--from a female
    retention survey, there are people that would like to stay in
    place, but, because of the career progression forced by an up-
    or-out system, they really can't. So, I think, with some DOPMA
    flexibility, I think you could keep families in place longer,
    in the same position. We'd obviously have to think about how to
    manage that, but I think that would be one huge benefit of some
    DOPMA flexibility.
        Senator Tillis. General Rocco.
        General Rocco. Senator Tillis, the Marine Corps, the--prior
    to executing Permanent Change of Station orders, we have
    monitors, the person in the loop that talks to each marine
    before they are issued orders to wherever they may be. So, what
    we try to do is, we take into account the spouse's situation
    and the family situation, in whole. We support any effort to
    protect their ability to have jobs or protect their jobs.
        The other initiative we have--and we just submitted
    recently, within the past few months--is to reduce the time
    that unaccompanied tours for married members will have
    overseas. We're reducing that from 2 years to 15 to 18 months.
    So, that's another initiative to try to keep the families
    stable and have the member go unaccompanied overseas at a less-
    than a 2 year time period. But, we support any initiatives that
    would protect the spouse.
        But, we do have marines that are in the loop for every
    change-of-station orders that we provide, and we try to
    mitigate that by keeping them stable or moving them to an area
    both fits the Marine Corps and the family desires.
        Secretary Wilkie. Mr. Chairman, may I add to that?
        On February 8th, Secretary Mattis signed a directive
    placing me in charge of what he calls his Close Combat
    Lethality Task Force. Certainly the primacy of the family and
    the stability of the family is what P&R has had as its prime
    directive for many years. But, the Close Combat Lethality Task
    Force looks to the cohesion of the Marine Corps and the Army's
    front-line close-combat units. Cohesion throughout our history,
    stability, in terms of the years that a team spends training
    with each other, is the key to survivability on the
    battlefield. So, when you look at a place like Fort Bragg, or
    when you look at a place like Camp Lejeune, the goal of the
    Task Force, working with the two services, will be to find
    those formulas that allow those infantry units to stay together
    longer, provide their NCOs and their junior officers with deep
    familiarity with the soldiers and the marines that they lead,
    and, in the end, as they lead those units to actually populate
    larger command structures.
        But, family stability is a key to unit cohesion. Unit
    cohesion is a key to survivability on the battlefield.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        Ranking Member Gillibrand.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        Secretary Wilkie, last month you put out a harassment
    policy that once again includes gender identity as a protected
    class, yet there are reports that the Department plans to
    change its policy towards transgender servicemembers in the
    coming months. How will you ensure that this policy abides by
    the Department's own classification on gender identity as a
    protected class?
        Secretary Wilkie. Well, first of all, Senator Gillibrand,
    my commitment to you, when I had my confirmation hearing, was
    that the dignity of all servicemembers is paramount in anything
    that I do, both in my job as Under Secretary, but also in my
    other life as an Air Force reservist. The only thing I can say
    about the policy that is being discussed within the Pentagon is
    that it's predecisional. The Secretary is looking over the
    recommendation of the panel that you mentioned, and is on track
    to report that recommendation to the President.
        But, I will also note that my office is carrying out four--
    the orders of four separate courts across the country that
    keeps in place Secretary Carter's transgender policy. We are
    assessing transgender Americans, in accord with that policy,
    and the services are complying with their particular needs as
    they move through the ranks.
        So, right now, there is absolutely no change from a policy
    that was laid out in 2016. But, again, my one commitment to you
    is that dignity is a foundational issue for all of us, and I
    will do my best to ensure that that is maintained throughout
    the force.
        Senator Gillibrand. I was listening intently when you
    talked about the new nondeployability policy. Do you think this
    is going to impact transgender servicemembers?
        Secretary Wilkie. Well, I will say that, with 286,000
    Americans who are now listed as nondeployable, I don't think
    that there's any particular group that would be unaffected by a
    close scrutiny of our standards for deployability. That is not
    aimed at any group of Americans who are serving. That is an
    across-the-board standard that will apply to everyone when it
    comes to being able to fulfill the Secretary's mandate that
    everyone be worldwide deployable.
        It is a staggering number. In this world where the forces
    are at a premium and, as you mentioned, we are struggling to
    maintain the ranks, we need to get a grip on this. As I said,
    some of it is on us, some of it has to do with our training and
    fitness programs, which I think we need to address and bring
    them up to 21st-century standards. But, those numbers are not--
    those numbers do not indicate the success or failure of any one
    group. It is across the board.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        For each of the services, I'd like an update on three
    things. You can--I only have a minute or two, so do your best
    to be concise.
        Combat integration. Can each of you provide an update on
    the status and implementation in your respective service? Can
    you explain how your service has adapted recruiting practices
    or strategies to attract female candidates? What strategies
    have you employed to ensure the effectiveness of combat
    integration?
        Second, if you have time, this issue of intimate partner
    violence and child abuse. What is the Department doing to
    prevent such violence against our youngest military children
    and against our family members?
        Third, if you can, what specifically are each of your
    services doing to end retaliation against sexual-assault
    survivors who report those crimes? Have you actually convicted
    anyone of retaliation in the last year?
        Start on the end.
        General Seamands. Thank you, Senator. Appreciate it.
        In terms of the combat integration, we're very proud,
    within the Army--we have 675 soldiers and officers who have
    stepped up to the plate, raised their hand and said they want
    to be infantry armor. We've, so far, had them assigned to units
    at Fort Bragg and Fort Hood. We believe that the number of
    people who are in that category is increasing to the point that
    we can expand it to Fort Carson, Fort Campbell, Fort Bliss, in
    Italy, for next year's assignments, as they move forward.
        We've had no issues for sexual assault or sexual harassment
    in those units above the--what the Army average is. We think
    the integration has gone very well. It was deliberate,
    scientific, methodical; slower than some people would have
    liked, but I think we're very happy with the leader's first
    policy that we've put in place.
        Senator Gillibrand. Any update on prosecuting any cases of
    retaliation?
        General Seamands. Ma'am, I'll have to take that for the
    record, but I believe there's at least one case where there is
    a prosecution.
        Senator Gillibrand. Will you submit that to me? Then, also
    add status of child abuse and spousal abuse, if you could
    submit that, too. Thank you.
        General Seamands. Absolutely.
        [The information referred to follows:]

        General Seamands. With regard to the question of prevention, the
    Army is fully committed to preventing domestic violence and child abuse
    by providing a full range of services that promote and sustain healthy
    relationships for soldiers and families. Preventing domestic violence
    is a command priority, and leaders at all levels are empowered to
    intervene. The Army educates soldiers and leaders at all levels on
    prevention, education, reporting, investigation, intervention, and
    treatment of spouse and child abuse.
        In addition to mandatory training, each installation operates a
    Family Advocacy Program and 24/7 Victim Advocacy Hotline to provide
    prevention, identification, reporting, investigation, and treatment
    services. Installation Family Advocacy programs have intervention and
    treatment services to assist victims of domestic violence. Military
    Treatment Facilities have a cadre of licensed health care providers to
    support Families and treat offenders to prevent repeat offenses.
        With regard to the question on retaliation, annual SHARP training
    materials have been updated to incorporate new instruction, vignettes,
    and practical exercises about the prevention of retaliation.
    Additionally, new animated vignettes focused on retaliation prevention
    and response, as well as practical exercises, have been incorporated
    into the Army's Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE)
    Command Team Trainer (CTT). ELITE CTT is integrated into the resident
    Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC)/Victim Advocate (VA) course
    at the Army SHARP Academy and information about ELITE is presented in
    the Army Senior Education Program, Army Pre-Command Course at Ft.
    Leavenworth, and the Army Company Commander/1SG Courses.
        In the SARC/VA credentialing courses, all SARCs and VAs are trained
    and educated on retaliation policies, the Spectrum of Retaliation, and
    tools available to commanders in dealing with retaliation (provided or
    presented by Legal).
        SHARP has created multiple information/awareness products focused
    on the prevention of retaliatory behaviors. These products include
    printed public service announcements (PSA), video PSAs and social media
    messaging.
        Each report of alleged retaliation is thoroughly investigated by
    independent authorities, providing transparency for victims and
    visibility for senior commanders. If a report of retaliation is
    founded, Commanders employ a range of effective judicial, non-judicial,
    and administrative tools to address the conduct.
        With regard to convictions, the Army's Office of The Judge Advocate
    General, states that there were no courts-martial convictions for an
    offense under the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice] arising from
    an allegation of retaliation connected to a report of sexual assault in
    fiscal year 2017. There were three soldiers charged with offenses
    arising from an allegation of retaliation connected to a report of
    sexual assault at courts-martial in fiscal year 2016. In those three
    cases, two soldiers were convicted of offenses arising from allegations
    of retaliation and one soldier received an Other Than Honorable
    Discharge in Lieu of Court-Martial, admitting that there was sufficient
    admissible evidence to convict the soldier of an offense, so findings
    were never entered.
        Comprehensive data on all allegations of retaliation, including
    whether or not the allegation was substantiated and any punishment
    administered, whether judicial, non-judicial or administrative, is
    provided annually to the Department of Defense for inclusion in the
    Annual Report to Congress on Sexual Assault.
        Vice Admiral Burke. The overarching goal of the Navy Family
    Advocacy Program (FAP) is to decrease behaviors that contribute to
    family maltreatment and enhance behaviors that foster a healthy
    lifestyle to facilitate family, community, and mission readiness. The
    FAP prevention team collaborates with key military and community
    leaders to provide services that enhance the toughness of Navy
    communities and reduce the incidence of domestic and child abuse. These
    services include education and skill development, clinical counseling,
    advocacy, collaboration, community intervention and marketing the FAP.
    The Navy New Parent Support Home Visitation Program--in a collaborative
    approach between military, civilian, and private agencies--offers
    efficient and effective non-clinical parenting education and support
    services to expectant parents and families with children up to age 3.
    The New Parent Support Safe Sleep campaign implements an evidence-based
    approach and curriculum designed to decrease sleep-related child
    fatalities by providing detailed guidelines for parents and child
    caregivers to create a safe sleeping environment for infants.
    Prevention strategies through the following major annual awareness
    campaigns have hallmarked our efforts to reach target audiences across
    both military and civilian communities:
          Teen Dating and Prevention Month (February)
          Child Abuse Prevention Month (April)
          Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) The Navy FAP
    Educators Resource Guide--a standardized training curriculum that
    ensures consistent messaging to assist educators and other prevention
    staff by providing command leaders and first-line responders policy
    guidance and program expertise on incidents, or suspected incidents, of
    child and domestic abuse. The guide encourages collaboration with
    programs and departments across the coordinated community response
    system and supports annual command and first-responder training
    requirements. We have released the second edition of a Domestic
    Violence awareness training mobile application, which incorporates
    prevention, early identification and reporting of domestic and child
    abuse, and includes risk factors associated with fatal outcomes, e.g.,
    electronic distraction, infidelity (perceived or known), and access to
    weapons. Our One Love pilot prevention model focuses on promoting
    healthy relationships and recognizing the signs of escalating violence
    in relationships, by providing tools to create a movement that
    decreases risk factors and increases protective resources. The message
    of this program is strength-based with the belief that everyone has a
    role in preventing interpersonal violence. We have contracted with
    Boston University to evaluate the program's effectiveness and expect
    results, which will inform program improvements, by October 2018.
    Deployed Resilience Counselors (DRCs) continue to serve aboard large
    deck ships and their availability has been expanded to smaller
    combatants. The High Risk for Violence Coordinated Community Response
    (HRV-CCR) program model formalizes and standardizes procedures to
    monitor risk in child and spouse abuse cases. It provides a coordinated
    community response to reduce family violence by protecting and
    assisting in cases of domestic or child abuse. The HRV-CCR team is
    activated whenever there is a threat of immediate and serious harm to
    Sailors, family members, or intimate partners. Navy has not prosecuted
    any cases for retaliation associated with alleged sexual assault.
        Lieutenant General Grosso.
        1)  The Air Force New Parent Support Program (NPSP) targets
    prenatal families and families with birth--3-year-old children. The
    primary modality of care is home visitation to families screened as
    high risk for maltreatment. Air Force NPSP services are provided by
    licensed professionals; registered nurses and clinical social workers.
    The targeted services are:
             Improving parental problem-solving skills and
    adaptation to parenting
             Increasing knowledge of child growth and development
             Reducing potential for maltreatment
        2)  The Air Force Prevention/Outreach Program provides secondary
    prevention services providing targeted prevention training, skill
    development, consultation, and coaching with individuals, couples, and
    parents at risk for family maltreatment.
             Evidence-informed programs and practice:
               Couple relationship enhancement (PREP 8.0)
               Dads Basics
               Parenting training (Love and Logic for parents with
    children 9 and under); (Active Parenting of Teens for parents with
    children 10 and up)
               Stress and anger management (approved by SAMHSA)
               Skills, Strengths, Techniques, and Resources
    (SSTaR). This program targets both decreased likelihood of a new
    incident, and support of alleged offenders in first steps toward
    readiness for change.
               Strength in Home--Reviewed evidence-based program
    targeting veterans and military couples on impact of trauma on couple
    relationships.
               Prevention/Outreach integrates primary prevention in
    training leaders, agencies, and action teams. It functions in
    conjunction with other service agency programs to promote population
    awareness, collective competence, and shared responsibility regarding
    family maltreatment prevention.
             Educational campaigns:
               April for child abuse prevention; campaigns
               October for domestic abuse prevention
               February for teen dating violence
        Provides opportunity for collaboration with other installation
    support services as well as local community resources.
        ***The policies on the number of cases each Service has prosecuted
    for retaliation to sexual assault is not within the scope of FAP
    policy. Reference Question 13 (below) for retaliation data.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Marine Corps' Family Advocacy Program
    Prevention and Education Specialists provide universal prevention
    education classes utilizing evidence-based curriculum for domestic and
    child abuse prevention. Class topics include anger management, stress
    management, and parenting. They also provide new commander and unit
    training and education. Additionally, our New Parent Support Program
    (NPSP) is a voluntary, intensive home visitation program, for eligible
    parents and caregivers, providing parenting education and support, and
    information and referral for the Marine Corps community. The NPSP
    target population is eligible expectant parents or parents with
    children through age 5 years with the goal of providing services to
    prevent child abuse and neglect.

        Senator Gillibrand. Vice Admiral?
        Admiral Burke. Senator, on the women integration with
    respect to the recruiting efforts, immediately after the
    remaining career fields were opened, which, for us, was
    predominantly Special Forces, Navy Special Warfare, SEALs, we
    overhauled our recruiting page, our recruiting efforts,
    redesigned them to depict women in those roles, and then
    actively reached out to, you know, public events and things--X-
    game events and things that would, you know, attract folks
    interested in those types of career fields. We've been
    continuing to seek them out.
        One of our predominant ways of entry into the SEAL program
    is folks that are already in Recruit Training Command or at the
    Naval Academy. So, there's--or NROTC--so there's already an
    internal Navy program for attracting folks to apply into that.
    So, we also strengthened those programs, as well.
        To date, we've got--we had--we have one woman that will
    start on Special Warfare Combat Crew training, enlisted in May.
    So, she's in her delayed entry program. There's a training
    program to help every SEAL prepare for the special training
    that they go through. This is not something special for women.
    But, she's in that training program and her delayed entry
    program right now. There is a Naval Academy first-class
    midshipman that has expressed interest. She's passed the
    physical screening test and may apply. She has not applied yet.
    But, if she does, she would be eligible to go through
    additional screening this spring and summer. So, that's the
    extent of the interest there.
        The submarine force integration continues to go well. We
    have 18 crews integrated. That's six SSGN--I'm sorry--six SSBN
    crews, eight SSGN crews, and then four SSN crews. That's with
    officers. A total of about 79--right around there--79 women
    officers. Now 99 enlisted women on two SSBNs. We just finished
    the application process for the third SSBN. Additional SSBN
    application processes will open soon. We'll finish with those
    about 2021. Then the first SSN which was designed with the
    berthing compartments designed for women will come online in
    about 2021. From that point forward, all submarines will be
    integrated with women, going forward. Women are doing just
    absolutely wonderful in the submarine force.
        Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Chairman, since I'm over my time,
    why don't we defer to the next round to complete the rest of
    the answers for the services so that Liz can go.
        Senator Tillis. That means, Generals Grosso and Rocco, get
    ready to answer that question after Senator Warren----
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Gillibrand. The other two, that Vice Admiral Burke
    didn't answer yet. So, we'll come back to it.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tillis. Senator Warren.
        Senator Warren. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank
    you, Senator Gillibrand.
        Thank you, to our witnesses, for your service, and thank
    you for being here today.
        Admiral Burke, you and I had a very interesting
    conversation in my office last week, and I'd like to revisit it
    with your fellow personnel chiefs. We talked about new ways of
    thinking about an individual's life cycle in service, including
    potentially making it easier for someone who has to leave
    Military Service for either personal or professional reasons to
    be able to return to uniform later in life. Admiral Burke, I
    know you're interested in piloting that concept. Rather than
    up-or-out, you were talking about up-and-return.
        So, I'd like to ask the other services, Do you also think
    there's value in opening up opportunities to individuals who
    have left the military but might be interested in returning?
    Can you just say a brief word about what you see as the pros
    and cons of that?
        General Rocco, could I start with you?
        General Rocco. Yes, Senator Warren, thank you. That's an
    important question.
        So, in the Marine Corps, we have--and I'd be--our numbers
    are small, but we have the Career Intermission Program. We
    currently have about 12 marines that are involved in that. That
    involves the marine, basically, stopping their time, going out
    into the civilian world, and then coming back, and then picking
    up where they left off.
        We also have the Advanced Degree Program, where they can
    both go and stay in uniform or they can spend up to 15 months,
    being paid full, and then go get an advanced degree of their
    choosing, and then come back, with no payback. When I say ``no
    payback,'' there's a payback in commitment, but there's not a
    payback in a specific job.
        Senator Warren. Okay.
        General Rocco. We have over 300 marines that go to the
    Advanced Degree Program in--up in Monterey, but they go back to
    specific jobs inside the Marine Corps. So, we give them the
    opportunity to do something possibly in the Marine Corps that
    they like or go get an advanced degree in a field of their
    choosing for--from 12 to 15 months, to go do what they need to
    do, and then come back into the Marine Corps, with no harm to
    their career.
        Senator Warren. Okay. I take it you like this program, that
    this program is working well for the Marines.
        General Rocco. It is working very well for us.
        Senator Warren. Okay. It may not be quite as far as Admiral
    Burke was talking about, in terms of out and being able to reel
    back in, but at least it's a step in that direction.
        General Grosso, could you say a word about that?
        General Grosso. Yes, Senator Warren. I completely support
    that idea. We do it, to a small extent, today. We actively
    recruit non---we call them prior-service accessions on the
    enlisted side and on the officer side. We find that we don't
    actually attract them back, for several reasons, but we do
    think it's very powerful. You've got an experienced person--
    again, we think some increase in constructive credit would
    help, because, right now, if you come back in, you have to
    start where you left, but you've got all this additional
    experience. So, some additional constructive credit may help us
    attract more.
        Senator Warren. It's a very interesting point.
        It's also an interesting point about the kinds of people
    you may attract, that people, for example, who are in high
    tech, who are in computing, they learn a lot while they are
    out, would like to come back, and you'd very much like to have
    them back, but you may need some flexibility around how you get
    to attract them again.
        If you could, General Seamands.
        General Seamands. Senator, appreciate the question. The
    Army supports this kind of program. We're actually excited
    about the opportunities.
        General Grosso talked about the enlisted force. For the
    Army, we brought in 68,500 soldiers last year. About 5,000 of
    them were prior service. In other words, they had served
    before, and wanted to come back. On the officer side, we
    brought about 1,000 officers on a call of Active Duty as the
    Active Force School last year, where we reached out and invited
    them to come back. Most of them were Reserve or Guard, so they
    had to get clearance from their units to come back on.
        I recall--I went back to an alumni event one time, and I
    met a classmate who had gotten out. My wife asked him, you
    know, ``Do you miss the Army?'' He looked at her and said,
    ``Every day of my life.'' So, for a guy like that, it would be
    wonderful to be able to have a transparent, quick process to
    bring them back into uniform.
        You asked for the pros and cons. I think an obvious pro is
    that you get an experienced individual who comes back in. The
    con would have to be that they'd have to continue to meet the
    standards that they met before.
        Senator Warren. Sure.
        General Seamands. So--but I think it's a great program. I
    think the Army would endorse that like to be part of it, as
    well.
        Senator Warren. Good.
        Well, Admiral Burke, you started this. Anything you want to
    add to it? At least you started getting me involved in this.
    The idea of piloting it----
        Admiral Burke. Yes, ma'am.
        Senator Warren.--which is what you said you wanted to do,
    would you like to add a brief word on that? Then I'll go to
    Secretary Wilkie.
        Admiral Burke. All right. Yes, ma'am. Well, thank you for
    the question.
        The--I think it has a lot of potential, in terms of the
    idea of--we can do this, to some degree, today, but it's very
    cumbersome, it's very difficult, on the officer side. We
    piloted this to much greater success on the enlisted side. For
    example, today we've got around 8,000 gaps at sea. We can
    fairly quickly bring folks back in that were on the Reserve
    side, bring them back into the Active component, who are
    enlisted, if they've got the right constructive credit and
    their skills haven't atrophied, and things of that nature. But,
    we're filling, you know, hundreds of gaps at sea from
    reservists that we've brought back into the Active component.
        On the officer side, it takes months to bring them back,
    due to some really, you know, kind of outdated scrolling
    processes that are in the law.
        But, we eventually would have this idea of Reserve-
    component/Active-component permeability, the ability to move
    back and forth, for the reasons that you articulated at the
    beginning. We're thinking in terms of, you know, a longer
    career, making our people pyramid narrower at base, so we bring
    in fewer people, giving them opportunities to move around. But,
    as importantly, with this commitment to family readiness, which
    is important to sailor readiness and fleet readiness, we have
    to let people step off the treadmill occasionally or they're
    not going to hang out for a 40-year career.
        So, we've got to have an option to out. So, that option
    could be into the Reserves for a brief period of time, as long
    as they could quickly come back in when that life/work balance
    need is met, or the--one other alternative will be an up-and-
    stay, a horizontal career track, where they can keep flying,
    maybe at a different tempo, go into a research job, whatever it
    may be. So, these are the types--we need alternatives to out.
    Right now, there are none.
        Senator Warren. Yeah. I'm over my time, but if the Chair
    will indulge me for just a minute, I'd like to ask Secretary
    Wilkie, What would it take to do something like that? Does the
    Pentagon have the authority right now, or do you need Congress
    to step in and provide more flexibility if--to make this
    happen?
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes, Senator. It would be a combination
    of the two. I think, for the Pentagon, it would be a cultural
    issue. I'll give you an example, then I'll play off what
    Admiral Burke just said.
        If we believe in the concept of the total force, then it
    should be much easier for a servicemember to move amongst
    Guard, Active, and Reserve components. That also means, in my
    view, if someone in your Yankee division sees an opportunity in
    the Active component that he or she feels they're qualified
    for, they should have every right and every opportunity to
    apply for those positions in the Active component. Again, this
    is not your daddy's National Guard anymore, your granddaddy's
    Guard anymore.
        So, that--the answer to your question is, it would need
    help from the Congress, in some respects, because we're talking
    about title 32 and title 10 on the Guard side. But, we have to
    rethink the way we use our Reserve component, and that means we
    have to acknowledge that the family rules that were in
    existence when these rules were created don't apply anymore.
        Senator Warren. So, I very much appreciate that. I
    understand that recruitment and retention is as much art as it
    is science, but we know that the population that has the
    ability and the propensity to serve, and particularly in
    leadership positions, is a narrow group. Figuring out how best
    to tap into that group and make them an ongoing part of our
    military seems crucial to building and strengthening the kind
    of fighting force we need.
        So, I appreciate your thoughts on this. I really like the
    idea that we look at some nontraditional approaches and
    recognize how other changes impact where we are today, and hope
    that we'll be able to build on that, going forward, and that
    you get some real support for the flexibility you need.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize for going over.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you. Great questions.
        Senator McCaskill.
        Senator McCaskill. Thank you so much.
        Mr. Wilkie, I think it's great. I've had a chance to
    review, but not in detail, all of the new sexual harassment
    policy that's been issued by DOD. My first question is, Why
    weren't civilian personnel and contractors covered?
        Secretary Wilkie. My time limit. I made a commitment to the
    Committee that I would move, within 60 days, to comply with the
    law that you passed 6 years ago. The most readymade avenue to
    that was to instruct the services, which I have complete
    authority to do, through the Secretary of Defense. There are
    about 30 different statutes that govern the civilian component
    that have to do with union negotiations, in one respect. We are
    working on that. That is the next step, is to make sure that
    these standards apply to the entire workforce. That's 900,000
    civilians. But, it's absolutely vital. It's inchoate now.
        Senator McCaskill. Okay. I just want to make sure that you
    know that--I know the Ranking Member and I are not going to go
    away until we're sure everybody's covered.
        Secretary Wilkie. Right.
        Senator McCaskill. Also, what is the standard to
    substantiate an allegation under this policy? I know the Army
    uses ``preponderance.'' Does this policy envision using a
    ``preponderance of the evidence'' standard?
        Secretary Wilkie. I would have to get you a legal answer on
    that. I will tell you what has changed. This also has to do
    with the legal issue that you present.
        For the first time, we are telling these services that
    substantiated allegations of harassment----
        Senator McCaskill. Go on their record.
        Secretary Wilkie.--go on the record.
        Senator McCaskill. Yeah. I'm aware of all that. But, that
    doesn't help me if I don't know what ``substantiation'' means.
        Secretary Wilkie. Right.
        Senator McCaskill. So, I've got to know----
        Secretary Wilkie. I will----
        Senator McCaskill.--that ``substantiation'' is a
    ``preponderance,'' is it ``clear and convincing"? I mean, these
    are really important considerations. I'm sure someone has--
    knowing how thorough you guys are when you do one of these new
    things, I'm sure this has been in the works for a long time.
        Secretary Wilkie. Yeah.
        Senator McCaskill. This discussion has been had, and this
    Committee needs to know what standard is going to be used for
    ``substantiation.''
        Secretary Wilkie. Yeah. Well, I can say that, with the
    reporting requirement on the efficiency report, that could be,
    in the Navy, a captain's mass, where someone has been convicted
    of something. It runs that legal gamut. So, it's--if a body or
    an officer has concluded that another member has committed an
    infraction or a crime, that officer puts that on that
    individual's efficiency report. In my experience as a junior
    officer, nothing gets anyone's attention quicker than knowing
    that the career is on the line and that people are watching. I
    think, as we have had this national conversation and as it
    impacted the military, we've lost that fundamental military
    lever of enforcement.
        Senator McCaskill. Well, you know, I--that's all great, but
    we still have a problem, in that we don't know what the
    standard is. Because what's going to happen here is, you're
    going to have a he-said/she-said about whether or not it was
    harassment. Then somebody's going to have to determine whether
    it's substantiated, which is going to mean corroboration, it's
    going to mean other evidence that might be surrounding the
    incident, it's going to mean interviewing a number of
    personnel. At the end of it, whoever is in charge of deciding
    whether it's substantiated or not has to know what the standard
    of proof is.
        So, this needs to be clearly delineated. If you haven't
    done it yet, if we're going to have a different standard in
    every branch, then it's a problem. So, we've got to get busy,
    and you've got to be able to answer that question clearly----
        Secretary Wilkie. Well----
        Senator McCaskill.--with just one phrase.
        Secretary Wilkie.--you just answered the question for me.
    Our instructions are to standardize all of those matters----
        Senator McCaskill. Okay.
        Secretary Wilkie.--across the services. So, there's--and I
    would have to get--I'm a recovering lawyer--I would have to get
    someone who knows the particulars in the depth to give you the
    answer----
        Senator McCaskill. That would be great.
        Secretary Wilkie.--answer that you deserve.
        Senator McCaskill. Yeah. That's an answer that I think we
    all need to have. Because, frankly, it's important for everyone
    to have really clear guidance on what the standard is. Because
    if you start out, and no one's sure, then you're going to have
    disparate outcomes, and you're going to have a lot of
    unhappiness, especially if it's going on someone's record.
        I'm really glad it's going on their record. That's the
    right thing. That's why it's really important. Every single one
    of these has to be laid out.
        Finally, and briefly, if you'd indulge me, if you're not
    really familiar--are you as familiar with the UCMJ [Uniform
    Code of Military Justice] as perhaps maybe some other witnesses
    might be?
        Secretary Wilkie. I have been subject to the UCMJ for many
    years----
        Senator McCaskill. Okay.
        Secretary Wilkie.--in my other life.
        Senator McCaskill. So, I just want to clear up--there seems
    to be some confusion about the way the system works now, in
    terms of crimes being committed. I want to clear up, briefly,
    that--there have been some things said--and I wasn't there when
    these were said, but evidently--that gave the impression that
    prosecutors were not involved in investigating the cases, and
    that prosecutors were not involved in advising the cases, and
    that prosecutors weren't the primary source of information for
    a convening authority, in terms of recommendations, going
    forward. It's my understanding that the trial counsel, which is
    what a military process prosecutor is called, they review, they
    evaluate, and they advise on the case at every single stage,
    from the initial phase all the way to the court-martial. Is
    that correct?
        Secretary Wilkie. Absolutely.
        Senator McCaskill. So, any characterization that
    prosecutors are not involved in investigating and advising
    these cases is just incorrect.
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes, ma'am.
        Senator McCaskill. Thank you very much.
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes, Senator.
        Senator McCaskill. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tillis. General Grosso and General Rocco, you
    remember the question you've got to answer?
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Tillis. We'll start with General Grosso.
        Senator Gillibrand. Yes, Senator Gillibrand, ma'am. I just
    want to clarify on Claire's question.
        What my understanding is--not until a decision is to go
    forward to trial. So, before--so, we talked to the chief
    prosecutor at the Air Force, and he said he was never consulted
    by counsel or by a commander until the decision was referred to
    trial.
        Secretary Wilkie. Yeah.
        Senator Gillibrand. In 20 years.
        Secretary Wilkie. That--I don't know the context of what
    she was speaking. I can tell you that, when any command, if
    it's a commander who is a commander of a company or a squadron
    or a battalion, is faced with a legal matter involving one of
    his troops or airmen or marines or sailors----
        Senator McCaskill. Or her troops.
        Secretary Wilkie.--or her troops--that trial counsel from
    the JAG [Judge Advocate General] is his--not only his legal
    advisor, but he is also carrying out the details of that
    investigation. That is my----
        Senator Gillibrand. So----
        Secretary Wilkie.--that's been my experience.
        Senator Gillibrand. So, I have been told, the only person
    that consults with the commander is his general counsel--his
    counsel. He does not actually speak to the prosecutor until
    after a decision has been made.
        Secretary Wilkie. No. That's not my experience.
        Senator Gillibrand. Okay. Can I have a letter from each one
    of your services outlining exactly when prosecutors are
    consulted? Because I talked to the chief prosecutor for the Air
    Force who did the job for 20 years, and he said he literally
    was never, never consulted until the decision was made that
    court-martial--that it would move forward to court-martial, but
    never in the deciding phase. In fact, his challenge to me was
    that, once the decision was gone to court-martial, that he
    would have to go back to the commander every time he wanted to
    call a witness, and get permission, and that that delay, in and
    of itself, was problematic.
        Secretary Wilkie. I will get you a comprehensive answer
    from the general counsel.
        [The information referred to follows:]

        Secretary Wilkie. Attached letter signed by Acting GC sent
    to requesting Senators (see Appendix A, page 129).

        Senator Gillibrand. Right, about when--at what stage in the
    process is the prosecutor engaged, briefed on the case. I don't
    think it's before a convening authority is----
        Senator McCaskill. It--not only----
        Senator Gillibrand.--is called----
        Senator McCaskill.--before a convening authority, it's
    before there's even a preliminary hearing. It doesn't even go
    to the convening authority until after there's a preliminary
    hearing at which the trial counsel is engaged in.
        Senator Gillibrand. So, not----
        Senator Tillis. Let's----
        Senator Gillibrand. So, the--you will give us the briefing.
    Because I was told that, not until a decision was made that a
    case would go forward was a trial counsel engaged.
        Senator Tillis. You've heard the request for the record----
        Senator Gillibrand. Yeah.
        Senator Tillis.--from each of the service lines----
        Senator Gillibrand. Just to tell us, How does it work and--
    for each of the services?
        Senator McCaskill. Let's figure out a time we can both be
    there, and have the head lawyer for each service come and sit
    down with Senator Gillibrand and I so we can clear up what I
    think are a lot of misperceptions that are being spread around.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you very much.
        Secretary Wilkie. Senator, now you know why Gary Leeling
    knows I'm a recovering lawyer.
        Senator Gillibrand. Yes. Yes.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Gillibrand. Okay, back to the questions we asked.
        Senator Tillis. Then we'll transition to the next panel.
        Senator Gillibrand. The Vice Admiral didn't answer about if
    he's prosecuted any retaliations, and whether he's doing
    anything on domestic violence.
        Admiral Burke. Start here?
        Senator Gillibrand. Yes, go ahead.
        Admiral Burke. Yes, ma'am.
        On----
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        Admiral Burke. Yeah. Domestic violence front, we continue
    to expand our prevention programs. Deployed resilience
    counselors onboard our large decks. We've expanded those out to
    pierside for our smaller combatants. Those folks are helping
    with interpersonal-skills training, along with a domestic
    violence prevention mobile app that we issued that helps
    enhance training and provide local resources, to include
    emergency contact information. We're continuing to evaluate
    private-sector programs that provide research-supported
    frameworks to help us reduce interpersonal violence.
        And the child abuse issues, we've expanded and continue to
    improve our training on our New Parent Support Program service
    providers. This program has been relatively successful. We take
    at-risk families and teach them, you know, basic skills,
    increase the father's engagement, promote parenting resiliency.
    In the past year, there were no reported cases of child abuse
    or neglect for those high-risk families that participated in
    the program.
        And in the High Risk for Violence Coordinated Community
    Response Team Program, again, for high risk, known possible
    issues, it has been panning out, as well. That gives us a
    coordinated community response, local law enforcement, base,
    police, whatever the situation might be, that are on call,
    known response force ready to come and protect and assist,
    actual or alleged past victims, potential victims of domestic
    or child abuse.
        We also piloted, in a number of different locations, One
    Love Foundation facilitators to help with these interpersonal
    skills, and helping us get to the left of a number of
    destructive behaviors, but intimate partner and child abuse
    being among them. Part of that was an assessment tool for how
    successful was that. We're just getting to the point where
    we're going to be able to employ some of the assessment tools
    to find out how effective the One Love training was for our
    forces.
        But, we're continuing to employ some big-data approaches.
    We've brought behavioral science folks onboard. We're looking
    at as many approaches as possible.
        Finally, CNO [Chief of Naval Operations] established a Four
    Star Governance Board to look at signature behaviors. Our focus
    is on, the behavior at the high end of the spectrum. How do we
    want sailors to behave, we'll continue to focus on prevention,
    but we want the focus on the winning-team behavior at the high
    end of the spectrum, as well. We have to do both, not just
    focus on the pass-fail line. So, domestic violence and suicide
    and some of these other things are very much at the top of the
    list of the focus of that Four Star group right now.
        So, we're bringing as many resources to bear to take some
    nontraditional looks at trying new approaches, here, rather
    than just continue to train and hope we get new results.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        Lieutenant General Grosso?
        General Grosso. Senator Gillibrand, reference your question
    about combat integration, we do have such a small number of
    positions--about 1,700--that we had to finally integrate. These
    positions are all of our special operations career fields.
    Interestingly, we have a challenge recruiting both men and
    women. We have actually put a contract for a group of people.
    Typically, they're--they hire former special operators, and
    they help us recruit both men and women. So, they're going into
    high schools to find very athletic, intelligent people. But,
    it's a challenge for both men and women.
        We have--and we also recruit within the force. So, we have
    had 12 women enter the program; and, unfortunately, we have
    none that have passed the physical exam. In fact, we had just
    one eliminated yesterday for a knee injury. So, I think we're
    certainly trying hard, but, unfortunately, we haven't gotten a
    woman to go through. I think some of--the thing you discussed
    earlier about the health of the population--women are less--
    even less available than men in that young population. So, I
    think that's something that we have to look at.
        Reference your questions about child abuse, you know,
    unfortunately for the Air Force, since fiscal year 2013, we've
    had a rate per thousand that's been fairly stable, so about
    four rate per thousand. So, we've really been looking--
    targeting the leadership, both in training--both on the
    officer--on the commander side and on the senior enlisted, to
    recognize signs and to encourage people to seek help. So-- and
    not to have a barrier to help. Just like Admiral Burke
    discussed, we've had tremendous success with our New Parent
    Support Program. Our data shows us that 99 percent have not
    reoffended.
        We are rolling out a new program, as well, that's going to
    target couples that have already experienced some form of
    violence, and trying to--trying to help them understand the
    dynamic of that, to also bring down this--child abuse.
        Then, finally, I will say that the work that we're doing on
    our sexual assault prevention, just on prevention in general,
    and healthy life skills work that's ongoing, I think will also
    tangentially have an impact on this challenge for us, as well.
        I will get you your answer on--I don't know the answer on
    retaliation, but I'll get that.
        Senator Gillibrand. So, even the services--tell me, how is
    it going? Have we prosecuted any yet? If we have a rate so
    high, we need to start prosecuting it as the crime that it is.
        General Rocco. Ranking Member Gillibrand, for the Marine
    Corps, your first question, about fields--all the occupational
    fields are--currently are open to female marines. We have over
    300 female marines that are in previously closed units.
        For female recruiting, Marine Corps Recruiting Command has
    focused their efforts to recruit females at colleges through
    sports programs, and high schools through the sports programs.
    So, they've emphasized that, and focused their efforts in
    trying to open up some avenues that were previously closed.
        For retaliation, it's not tolerated. We investigate them
    fully. I don't have the numbers on what exactly--what are the
    results of it, but I know, a number of them, senior officers
    are under currently--investigation--open investigations on
    retaliation.
        For family member violence, we have the Family Assistance
    Program. This is at all bases and stations. They have a 24-hour
    help line. They provide support to the victims. We also provide
    counseling and legal support to those affected by it.
        Finally, on the family assistance, when we talk about
    domestic violence, we incorporate that training and
    predeployment training, post-deployment training, and all
    commanders' course and schools--proficient military schools--to
    make sure that the commanders and the senior leaders are aware
    of what's out there, what the numbers are, and what's available
    to help them, marines and the families.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tillis. Well, thank you all for being here.
    Appreciate the member participation. We're going to transfer to
    the next panel. Thank you for your service, and continue
    engagement with the Committee.
        [Pause.]
        Senator Tillis. If we could have the witnesses just come
    forward. We can come back to order.
        I'd like to welcome the witnesses. On the second panel, we
    have Kathy Roth-Douquet, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Star
    Families; Ms. Kelly Hruska, Government Relations Director for
    the National Military Family Association; and Mr. Michael
    Haynie, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and
    Innovation at Syracuse University.
        Thank you all for being here. We'll allow up to 5 minutes
    for an opening statement.
        We will start with Ms. Roth-Douquet.

    STATEMENT OF KATHY ROTH-DOUQUET, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BLUE
                             STAR FAMILIES

        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Thank you very much, Senator. Thank you
    for including us in this hearing.
        We enjoyed the prior testimony, and we see great movement
    over the years. We credit a lot of that to your leadership and
    the leadership of your staff.
        Blue Star Families builds communities that support military
    families and connects them to their civilian neighbors. We
    believe that all military families should be able to serve and
    simultaneously build thriving and healthy families.
        One way we do this is by performing research and using the
    resulting data to inform others and to develop our own programs
    and solutions. Our annual Military Family Lifestyles Survey
    provides a yearly snapshot of the state of military families.
    It's released by the Senate and House caucuses on military
    families.
        We believe military families are central to the security of
    our Nation. They aren't a nice-to-have. They've a component of
    the force. In the 21st Century, the majority of people who
    serve are married and do have children and will serve over
    time.
        Our survey results show that servicemembers and their
    families have substantial difficulties balancing work and
    family. That's especially acute for female servicemembers and
    female spouses operating in a military culture designed to meet
    the needs of male servicemembers and their families.
        Rather than ad hoc measures meant to provide support during
    periods of acute warfare, military families must be understood
    as a structural component of the force. Thinking about families
    in this way makes the country smarter about what it takes to
    ensure our country's national security and improves the ability
    of DOD to meet military family support needs.
        So, when we asked, this past year, what could DOD do to
    make it easier for you to ensure your family is happy and
    healthy during your or your loved one's Military Service, the
    top things people talked about was operational tempo, which
    included their ability to take their own leave--that was an
    interesting finding, and a top finding--spouse employment, and
    childcare. We also saw a central topic this year being the lack
    of integration in their local civilian communities. We see that
    as being a real avenue for improvement.
        So, one of our key stats is that nearly half of military
    families said that the amount of time away from family was
    their number-one concern. Deployments were cited as a top
    stressor associated with time in the military. Fifty-six
    percent felt that DOD support services were inadequate to
    support their children dealing with the unique challenges of
    military lifestyle. Over time, over a 3-year trend, we've seen
    servicemembers, veteran, veteran spouse, and post-9/11 veteran
    subgroups indicating increased rates of suicidal ideation.
        So, we see some policy actions or solutions that would
    respond to these. Very much applaud the ideas about reducing
    family separation, increasing predictability and absences, and
    increasing dwell time. Can't overstate how much sequestration
    and continuing resolutions hurt military families because it
    reduces predictability. Even with the very brief shutdown we
    had recently, we heard from Special Forces families, from
    National Guard families, about not having support for families
    who were wounded in action. People having to go into their own
    credit cards to get over to Landstuhl to see their
    servicemembers. Not having support at a memorial service for a
    fallen special operations person. Hundreds of National Guard
    not getting their training, not getting their pay. People are
    living on a very tight leash. This is real harm.
        Improved leave benefit and ability to take leave. We need
    to investigate this further, but, in a write-in response, a
    number-one problem that people stated was not being able to
    take the leave that they've earned. This is causing a lot of
    problems for families. That's no impact on the budget. What's
    going on there? Can we do something about it?
        We do believe we need to fully fund and staff the DOD
    Office of Suicide Prevention because of the increased trends in
    suicidal ideation we see.
        Spouse employment. Financial consideration is a key factor
    in whether or not people stay in the military. Sixty-two
    percent of our families in this survey said they felt some or a
    great deal of stress because of their current financial
    situations. Again, sequestration harms that.
        In our survey, we had an uptick of unemployment. Twenty-
    eight percent of military spouses told us that they had been
    actively seeking work in the last 4 weeks. We saw that went up,
    because many who had stopped seeking work in previous years,
    maybe that they have heard more about it, and so they've
    started looking again. That's a good sign, but we need to help
    them work.
        A majority of military spouses earned zero income in 2016.
    A majority of those who did work made less than $20,000 a year.
        Not coincidentally, about half of military families have
    less than $5,000 in available savings. That causes a lot of
    pain when people transition out. About half of both Active Duty
    and spouses say that their top obstacle to financial security
    is spouse unemployment and underemployment. So, we very much
    support Senator Kaine's Military Spouse Employment Act, and
    applaud Senator Purdue and the other Senators for joining it.
        We are interested and asking Federal hiring managers, in
    addition, to report on why they don't hire military spouses.
    Seventy-nine percent of military spouses in our survey who
    applied for positions did not get them. Despite the fact that,
    since 2014, there is special authority that allows hiring
    managers to appoint qualified spouses, I think we should ask
    them why they're not hiring them.
        We are interested in the idea of legislation that might
    reimburse States for spouses'--military spouses' licensing fees
    so that States can waive licensing fees for military spouses.
        Childcare continues to be a critical problem. Issues
    related to children, time away from children or worries about
    the impact of military life, was the top stressor for
    military--for female servicemembers, and their top reason for
    exiting Military Service in the next 2 years. We dove a little
    deeper into the experience of military--of females in uniform
    this past year's survey. You may be shocked to hear that the
    experience of women in uniform is not the same as the
    experience of men in uniform. Childcare is one of the key
    reasons. Two-thirds of men said they had childcare to meet
    their needs, in uniform. One third of women said the same
    thing. We asked people in dual-military couples. Interestingly,
    the husband in a dual-military couple did have childcare to
    meet his need; the female in a dual-military couple did not.
        A top reason for not working identified by the military
    spouse respondents were the servicemembers' job demands, which
    includes the moves and the unpredictability of deployments and
    training, and then childcare. Both of those were the majority
    reasons.
        So, we think that these suggestions--to increase dwell
    time, allow military servicemembers to turn down a move for
    family stability, and allow servicemembers to take leaves of
    absence for family reasons, particularly for females in the
    military--will be critical. The needs of the military and
    national security have to come first. We certainly don't want
    to trump those. But, I'm heartened to hear the services feel
    that this is possible.
        Female servicemembers aren't nice-to-have, they are need-
    to-have. To get the qualified people we need to run our
    military, we have to have that 17 percent, and growing,
    females. We have to make Military Service compatible with them
    having the kind of American life that other Americans enjoy,
    which includes having children.
        We have to expand options for affordable childcare and
    improve flexible work-hire initiatives so that we can allow
    military spouses to work under the conditions that their
    national security mission requires them to work. Military
    spouses aren't not working because they don't have the
    skillsets, it's because they need flexible work conditions.
    Those do exist. We just need better visibility and better
    cooperation with the Military Services to allow that
    opportunity for the outside resources that can help us find
    these kinds of jobs more possible.
        We support the progress of the Availability of Childcare
    for Every Servicemember and Spouse Act, the ACCESS Act.
        Finally, I do want to mention local civilian community
    integration, even though it's not a DOD function, per se. But,
    70 percent of married servicemembers live off-installation.
    Seventy-two percent of our servicemembers who responded to our
    survey were less than 2 years in their current community. So,
    they're moving very frequently. Perhaps because of this, the
    majority of people who we asked said that they do not feel that
    they belong to the communities in which they live. They don't
    feel they belong. They would like to feel that way.
        We asked them, How many conversations have you had with
    civilians in the last month? Just in bands: 3-6, more than 10?
    Thirty percent said zero. Zero conversations. So, this
    isolation makes it hard to get jobs, it hurts mental health, it
    has a direct effect on child abuse and neglect. If you don't
    have someone you can turn to to help you with your families,
    that's an outcome. So, isolation from family and friends is a
    top-five stressor each year that we've done our survey.
        We think there are things that can be done. We are
    frustrated by the--how difficult it is to create public-private
    partnerships with the Department of Defense, to share the
    resources that are available to communities, the sea of
    goodwill that there is for military people. We are interested
    in exploring the idea of an Office of Strategic Partnership in
    the DOD, similar to what exists in the VA and has been very
    effective, to perhaps push some of the initiatives that really
    are political and not operational. We need to connect the
    civilians and the military. Having more openness at the
    community level would help that.
        As part of the work I did with the Bipartisan Policy
    Council on Defense Personnel Reform, we suggested asking all
    young Americans to take the ASVAB, the Armed Forces vocational
    aptitude test, male and female at 18, a simplified online
    version. We think having one time where all Americans consider
    what sort of--what work they might do in the military, in
    itself, might break down barriers and might allow us to bring
    people into the military who don't currently serve. Creative
    ideas like that are something that we're very interested in
    this.
        So, thank you for letting me speak. I apologize for going
    over my time.
        [The prepared statement of Ms. Roth-Douquet follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Blue Star Families Submitted by Ms. Roth-Douquet
        Dear Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and other
    distinguished Members of the Subcommittee,
        Blue Star Families deeply appreciates the opportunity to testify in
    front of the Personnel Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services
    Committee on February 14, 2018. Thank you for including our
    perspective.
        The following attachments are also submitted for the record:

        1.  Written Testimony

        2.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Comprehensive Report

        3.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Executive Summary

        4.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Comprehensive
    Infographic

        5.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Opportunity Costs for
    Service Infographic

        6.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Civilian Community
    Integration Infographic

        7.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Diverse Experiences of
    Service Infographic

        8.  2017 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Benefits of Military
    Service Infographic

        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand and other distinguished
    Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear
    before you today.
        I am Kathy Roth-Douquet and I am the CEO of Blue Star Families.
    Blue Star Families (BSF) builds communities that support military
    families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions,
    including career development tools, local community events for
    families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, BSF has
    engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5
    million military family members. With BSF, military families can find
    answers to their challenges anywhere they are. With strong ties to all
    branches of service, Active Duty, veterans, and their families, BSF is
    nationally recognized for its annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey.
    The largest of its kind, the survey provides both quantitative and
    qualitative data that reveals a snapshot of the current state of the
    servicemembers and their families. Conducted annually, the Military
    Family Lifestyle Survey is used at all levels of government to help
    inform and educate those tasked with making policy decisions that
    impact servicemembers and their families-- who also serve.
     supporting military families strengthens national security and local
                                  communities
        Military families are assets to national defense and local
    communities. They are central to the health and capability of the All-
    Volunteer Force and are good neighbors actively engaged in making their
    civilian communities great places to live.
        The All-Volunteer Force continues to serve in uncertain and
    challenging times. With our Nation's 16th consecutive year at war
    drawing to a close, military families continue to endure multiple
    prolonged periods of separation from their servicemembers. This past
    year continued to see new and emerging security threats in numerous
    regions while Department of Defense (DOD) grew the Total Force to
    support a mission that is not expected to shrink in the near future.
    The resulting operational tempo and substantial difficulties in
    balancing work and family is very concerning to servicemembers and
    their families. Quality of life issues like time away from family,
    military family stability and the impact of Military Service on
    children are top concerns along with lasting concerns regarding pay,
    benefits, and spouse employment.
        Research suggests that servicemembers' top concern is for their
    family's well-being and family well-being is top consideration in
    whether a servicemember stays or leaves the force. In fact, our
    research shows that while 55 percent of servicemembers and their
    spouses would recommend service to young people, only 40 percent would
    recommend it to their own child; both showing a decline from previous
    year's percentages. While the military has adopted a number of reforms
    to support military families in the past few years, there is still much
    more to be done.
                      key priorities for military families
        Blue Star Families conducted its 8th Annual Military Family
    Lifestyle Survey in April-May, 2017 with over 7,800 respondents
    including military spouses, Active Duty servicemembers, veterans, and
    their immediate family members participating in the survey. The
    Military Family Lifestyle Survey's response rate makes it the largest
    and most comprehensive survey of Active Duty, veterans, and their
    families.
        This year's survey results show military families are increasingly
    concerned about the continued sacrifices that accompany this prolonged
    period of conflict. It shows the country needs to get smarter about
    what a healthy All-Volunteer Force really looks like--and what it needs
    it to look like to ensure future success. The All-Volunteer Force was
    not designed for our current security environment or the modern
    servicemember--who may be single parents, have professional spouses,
    have children with special needs, and living in an increasingly diverse
    and inclusive society.
        Analysis of the qualitative portions of this year's survey
    reinforced the quantitative findings. For example, extended family
    separations, frequent moves, and outdated expectations that military
    spouses sublimate their personal, professional, and familial priorities
    to support their servicemembers Military Service are the most relevant
    topics identified as substantially reducing the quality of life and
    attractiveness of martial service. Simply put, military families have a
    strong desire and commitment to serve; however, responses suggest they
    remain rational actors who are increasingly assessing alternatives to
    maintaining a long-term commitment to Military Service.
        Despite varied topics covered in this year's survey report such as
    family separation, civilian community integration, and mental
    healthcare, one clear and consistent theme emerged: the DOD must do a
    better job of incorporating military families into its current thinking
    and future planning. Rather than ad hoc measures meant to provide
    support during periods of acute warfare, military families must be
    understood as a structural component of the force. Even further, just
    as a strong defense requires diverse skills, strong military family
    support requires a comprehensive understanding of the diversity of
    today's military families. Thinking about the families in this way
    makes the country smarter about what it takes to ensure our Nation's
    security and it improves the ability of the DOD to meet military family
    support needs.
        Our key priorities for the coming year are based on areas of need
    identified in our 2017 survey. We feel improvement in these areas also
    has the greatest potential to reduce the trend of increasing quality of
    life concerns that was a top trend in our 2017 survey.
        The areas we will be focusing on are:
          Increasing understanding among the general U.S.
    population that operational tempo and family separations remain very
    high--72 percent of Active Duty and military spouse respondents
    indicated the current operational tempo (optempo) exerts an
    unacceptable level of stress for a healthy work-life balance, and 40
    percent of military family respondents report experiencing more than 6
    months of family separation in the last 18 months. Military families
    continue to experience significant challenges and make heavy sacrifices
    as a result of their service.
          Improving civilian-military community connections that
    improve local integration is important for the overall health and
    wellbeing of military families and is a smart recruitment and retention
    policy for DOD--51 percent of Active Duty and military spouse
    respondents indicated that they did not feel a sense of belonging
    within their local civilian community and 72 percent of military family
    respondents indicated living in their current community for 2 years or
    less suggesting families experience substantial challenges integrating
    into their local, off-installation communities.
          Improving financial security and improving employment and
    career viability for military spouses--unemployed or underemployed
    military spouses. Military spouse unemployment sits around 28 percent
    (compared to 4 percent for all married women with children under 18)
    and is a top obstacle to the financial security and successful
    retirement or transition planning for military families.
          Increasing modern understanding of the diversity of
    today's military workforce--while concerns about family was the top
    reason motivating male and female servicemembers to exit Military
    Service, traditional expectations regarding gender roles continue to
    compound this issue for female servicemembers, who indicated higher
    levels of stress and concern balancing work and family
    responsibilities. Related, developing better solutions to the lasting
    challenge of access and affordability of quality childcare is a
    continued top need--67 percent of military families are unable to
    reliably find childcare that meets their needs and it was cited as a
    top military spouse career obstacle.
    Operational Tempo and Family Separations
        The military lifestyle demands long hours, unpredictable work
    schedules, and that families endure frequent and prolonged separations
    not just for wartime deployments, but also for training, temporary duty
    assignments, and additional responsibilities that frequently require
    travel. Servicemembers and their families feel the current optempo is
    unsustainable and threatens the health of their families. For the first
    time, based on strong indications from 2016's survey results,
    respondents were provided a new ``top issue'' option: ``Amount of time
    away from family.'' Forty-six percent of Active Duty servicemember and
    spouse respondents ranked this new option as their top issue of
    concern. Additionally, 34 percent of Active Duty servicemember
    respondents ranked ``family stability/quality of life'' as their number
    three issue.
        Seventy-two percent of Active Duty and military spouse respondents
    indicated the current optempo exerts an unacceptable level of stress
    for a healthy work-life balance. Forty percent of military family
    respondents report experiencing more than 6 months of family separation
    in the last 18 months and deployments are cited as the top stressor
    associated with time in the military for both servicemembers and
    military spouses. In qualitative portions of the survey, respondents
    identified several steps the DOD can make to alleviate the stress
    arising from large amounts of time away from family. Improving leave
    benefits and ability to take leave was the top response. Improving the
    servicemember's work schedule (while at home) to allow time with
    family, and improving leadership behavior/policies impacting military
    families were also top suggestions.
        Concerns regarding the impact of a military lifestyle on dependent
    children's wellness appears to be increasing with two issues related to
    military child wellbeing ranked in the top 5 concerns for both
    servicemembers and military spouses for the first time in the 9 year
    history of this survey. Thirty-two percent of servicemember and 39
    percent of military spouse respondents ranked dependent children's
    education as a top 5 issue of concern, and 33 percent of servicemember
    and 36 percent of military spouse respondents ranked impact of
    deployment on children as a top 5 issue of concern. Fifty-six percent
    of military family respondents feel the DOD support services are
    inadequate to support military children in coping with unique military
    life challenges. Military leaders can continue to prioritize military
    family programming as an essential component of readiness while
    operational tempos remain high and the global security environment
    remains uncertain. Similarly, mental health, childcare, and community
    integration support are critical needs and are excellent opportunities
    for the DOD, local and national leaders to enhance support to address
    these areas of concern.
        Meeting the demands of an unrelenting optempo can take a toll on
    mental health for servicemembers and their families. The Deployment
    Health Clinical Center released a study citing the rate of anxiety
    disorder diagnoses among servicemembers rose from under 2 percent in
    2005 to more than 5 percent in 2016, and the rate of depression rose
    from 3 percent in 2005 to more than 5 percent in 2015. \1\ Research
    also suggests that substance use disorders are likely to co-occur among
    veterans and servicemembers with at least one other mental health
    disorder such as depression or anxiety, and that alcohol abuse is more
    prevalent among military servicemembers when compared to civilians. \2\
    Three year BSF Survey respondent trends for servicemember, veteran,
    veteran spouse, and post-9/11 veteran subgroups all indicate an
    increasing rate of those who have considered suicide. Just as physical
    health is a core requirement of servicemembers for readiness, their
    mental health as well as the mental health of their family members are
    a critical component of mission readiness requiring additional support
    and early intervention.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Deployment Health Clinical Center (2017). Mental Health
    Disorder Prevalence among Active Duty Service Members in the Military
    Health System, Fiscal Years 2005-2016. Retrieved from http://
    www.pdhealth.mil/sites/default/files/images/mental-health-disorder-
    prevalence-among-active-duty-service-members-508.pdf
        \2\ Institute of Medicine (2014). Understanding psychological
    health in the military. In L.A. Denning, M. Meisnere, & K.E. Warner
    (Eds.), Psychology Disorders in Service Members and Their Families: An
    Assessment of Programs. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
    Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222167/

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Recommendations

          Fully fund and staff the Office of Suicide Prevention.
    The Pentagon has reported suicide takes more lives of United States
    troops deployed to fight ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]
    than those killed in combat. BSF encourages Congress to reconsider
    fully funding and staffing the DOD's Office of Suicide Prevention to
    support service Headquarters' ability to provide innovation and
    programming.
    Civilian Community Integration
        The end of the draft resulted in a stronger, more professional U.S.
    military; however, it has also decreased understanding of Military
    Service and sacrifice within the broader American society. Roughly, 0.5
    percent of the American public has served on Active Duty at any given
    time since 9/11; this number is expected to continue to decline as a
    result of continued voluntary service and evolving technology. While
    the smaller percentage of Americans in martial service alone is not a
    cause for concern, the resulting decrease in understanding between the
    military and the broader U.S. society presents significant challenges
    for the future of American defense.
        Nearly one-third (31 percent) of military family respondents in
    this year's survey indicated they had not had an in-depth conversation
    with a local civilian in the last month. Military spouse respondents
    indicated higher rates of engagement with civilians compared to
    servicemembers, with 39 percent reporting an in-depth conversation with
    civilians at least once a week. Thirty-two percent of servicemember
    respondents indicated the same. Recent research underscores the
    negative impact of loneliness and social isolation on physical health,
    as ``social isolation may represent a greater public health hazard than
    obesity, \3\'' For military spouse respondents, isolation from family
    and friends has been a constant top five stressor each year despite 94
    percent of military spouse respondents indicating working with others
    in their neighborhood to fix problems or improve conditions is an
    important responsibility. This military spouse disconnect presents an
    opportunity for the civilian communities, DOD, and military
    installation leadership to create a more efficient pathway for
    servicemembers and their spouses to engage locally and for the broader
    American society to gain deeper understanding of the military
    lifestyle.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ American Psychological Association (2017). So lonely I could
    die [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/
    releases/2017/08/lonely-die.aspx

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Recommendations

          Report on the feasibility of establishing an Office of
    Strategic Partnership in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).
    We support the Secretary of Defense reporting to the Committees on
    Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the
    feasibility of the DOD creating an Office of Strategic Partnerships.
    Modeled after the VA Office of Strategic Partnerships, such an office
    would serve as a clearinghouse staffed with the political appointee to
    promote consistency and prevent mission stagnation. Potential activity
    would include forming a Joint Partnerships Committee who would host
    quarterly meetings with representatives from all Services. Quarterly
    meetings would allow for increased openness with Services and aim to
    determine where policies, power to enforce, and budgets would align.
    This office would also serve as an access point for qualified non-
    governmental organizations to provide innovative solutions to
    challenges experienced by the OSD and Services.

          Enhance and expand the Selective Service System to
    include all young American adults, and require Selective Service
    registrants to complete a modified, online military vocational aptitude
    test (ASVAB). Today's Selective Service System is based on a pre-All-
    Volunteer Force recruitment strategy and is not useful for developing
    the increasingly adaptable force the Nation will need in the future. An
    enhanced Selective Service System would collect more detailed
    registrant information which could be used as a recruiting tool that
    allows the military to identify both men and women who have relevant
    skills. By requiring Selective Service registrants to complete a
    modified, online ASVAB, millions of younger Americans will be exposed
    to the possibility of Military Service and, with registrant permission,
    allow military recruiters an opportunity to engage students with
    proclivity to serve. \4\ Such exposure will help in reducing the
    civilian-military divide and improve the future of American defense.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ Bipartisan Policy Center. (2017). Building a F.A.S.T. Force: A
    Flexible Personnel System for a Modern Military: Recommendations from
    the
    Task Force on Defense Personnel. Retrieved from https://bluestarfam.org
    /wp-content/uploads/2017/04/BPC-Defense-Building-A-FAST-Force. pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Financial Security
        Financial considerations are a key factor in a military family's
    decision to stay in the military. Sixty-two percent of military family
    respondents reported they felt some or a great deal of stress as a
    result of their current financial situation, which is slightly higher
    than the broader American society where 56 percent indicated worrying
    about their finances within the last year. \5\ When financial readiness
    is threatened by financial stress and insecurity, military readiness is
    compromised with potential to negatively impact servicemember's careers
    and the stability of military families. Forty-nine percent of all
    military family respondents also indicated they have less than $5,000
    in available savings. In 2016, 7 percent of respondents reported
    experiencing food insecurity in the past year.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ Pew Charitable Trusts (2015). American's financial security:
    Perception and reality. http://www.pewtrusts.org/8/media /assets/2015/
    02/fsm-poll-results-issue-briefartfinalv3.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Military family financial stress is further compounded by the
    lasting threat of sequestration. BSF survey research shows changes to
    pay/benefits is currently a very sensitive issue, given the numerous
    changes in recent years. Military family respondents rely on government
    leaders to protect their earned benefits and respect their service.
    Sequestration and changes to military pay/benefits is the quickest way
    to decrease morale and erode trust between servicemembers and national
    leadership. It is critical that the government stop whiplashing
    multiyear families with these solutions.
        Findings suggest that retirement planning is an area where a large
    number of servicemembers, military spouses, and veterans experience
    significant challenges and uncertainty. Ten percent of military family
    respondents indicated they are not currently contributing towards a
    retirement account. As with many military benefits, respondents
    indicated their understanding of this benefit was low. Fifty-one
    percent of those servicemember respondents who may be eligible for the
    new Blended Retirement System reported they did not understand the
    benefit. Among those eligible for the new retirement system, 55 percent
    reported they expected the new benefit to be less than they otherwise
    would have received. Most troubling for those who must make a decision
    regarding which retirement system to choose, 42 percent of
    servicemember respondents indicated they did not know how the new
    system compared to the old benefit.
        Without a clear picture of their financial future, military
    families are less likely to stay long-term. Educating military families
    with the facts about the new retirement system and equipping them with
    the tools to invest and save wisely are critical to maintaining both
    financial readiness and willingness to serve.

    Recommendations

          Remove barriers to military families receiving nutrition
    assistance in the form of food stamps. BSF supports any efforts to
    remove barriers for military families to receive access to nutritional
    assistance and supports the Military Hunger Prevention Act, H.R. 1078
    (115) which would exclude the value of Basic Allowance for Housing
    (BAH) from military families' income when determining eligibility for
    the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. BAH is known to adjust
    depending on the cost of living in any given location and can fluctuate
    enough that it disqualifies military families from SNAP even though
    food prices may also be higher where they are stationed. As the IRS
    [Internal Revenue Service] does not consider BAH taxable income and is
    not considered income for a multitude of other social welfare programs,
    we do not feel it should be considered income when considering
    eligibility for nutritional assistance.

          Mandate the creation on a military family adjusted income
    index. Include language requiring research on the difference between
    total household earnings of military families vs comparable-looking
    civilian families to measure so called ``military family earnings
    penalty.'' This index could be used in future considerations or
    quadrennial reviews of servicemember remuneration.

          Oppose changes to Post-9/11 transferability that would
    end transferability for those with 16+ years of service. While
    transferability is a retention initiative, denying transferability
    denies benefits to those who have chosen to continue to serve during
    16+ years of war and also denies the benefit to the children of those
    who have chosen to stay.

          Oppose repeal of deduction for moving expenses and
    exclusion for qualified moving expense reimbursement.

          Oppose repeal of the exclusion of gain from sale of a
    principal residence.
    Military Spouse Employment
        The ability of military spouses to meet their own employment
    expectations is a significant factor with overall satisfaction with the
    military lifestyle and with individual servicemember retention
    decisions. \6\ \7\ Forty-six percent of respondents to our survey
    identified military spouse employment as a top obstacle to their
    family's financial security and military spouse employment remains a
    top concern for Active Duty spouse respondents. Military spouse
    unemployment sits around 28 percent (compared to 4 percent for all
    married women with children under 18), an increase from last year's
    survey findings. Findings also indicate that the financial challenge
    presented by spouse unemployment and underemployment is further
    underscored by the finding that 52 percent of military spouse
    respondents earned zero income in 2016 and only 9 percent contributed
    equally or more. In comparison, of all U.S. households with children
    under 18, the share of married mothers who out earn their husbands is
    15 percent. \8\ Existing research suggests updating the DOD's outdated
    and bureaucratically cumbersome personnel management system into a more
    flexible and decentralized model would allow the military to more
    effectively meet operational needs and would also enable military
    families to optimize duty station assignment selection so that both
    servicemembers and spouses are better able to progress in their
    careers.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ Casetenada, L.W. and Harrell, M. (2008). Military Spouse
    Employment: A grounded theory approach to experiences and perceptions.
    Armed Forces and Society, 34(3), 389-412
        \7\ Scarville, J. (1999). Spouse Employment in the Army: Research
    Findings. Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/
    a222135.pdf
        \8\ Harrison, D. & Laliberte, L. (1997). Gender, the Military and
    Military Family Support. Weinstein, L. & White, C.C. (Eds.), Wives and
    Warriors: Women and the Military in the United States and Canada (pp.
    35-54). Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        BSF supports legislative proposals such as Senator Kaine's Military
    Spouse Employment Act of 2018 which seeks to improve military spouse
    competitiveness for Federal employment and offer military spouses more
    opportunities. In 2016, 79 percent of military spouse respondents who
    applied for a GS [general schedule] position indicated they were not
    hired. Federal employment opportunities are key positions for military
    spouses as employment often exist close to nearly all installations, is
    frequently portable, and for bases overseas may be the only option due
    to SOFA [status of forces agreement]. If passed, such legislation would
    be one of the strongest steps the Federal Government can take to
    improve military spouse employment challenges that arise as a result of
    Military Service.

    Recommendations

          Support the Military Spouse Employment Act of 2018
    introduced by Senator Kaine.

          Require Federal hiring managers to report on any military
    spouse applicants for open Federal positions and if they were not
    hired, a reason as to why they were deemed unqualified or otherwise not
    hired. Also expand hiring capabilities to Federal hiring managers to
    allow for ``expedited hiring authority'' to quickly employ military
    spouses.

          Develop legislation similar to the Lift the Relocation
    Burden from Military Spouses Act introduced by Representative Stefanik
    and passed with the 2018 NDAA at a state level. Proposed legislation
    would reimburse states for licensing fees if those states agree to
    waive the cost of military spouse relicensing.

          Expand Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) offered to
    veterans to include military spouses.

          Remove repeal of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
    from the proposed TC&JA [Tax Cut and Jobs Act]. Instead, the WOTC
    should be expanded to include military spouses. The WOTC has been a
    critically important tool assisting in solving the problem of veteran
    unemployment and would be a game-changer for spouse unemployment. (DOL)
    statistics show 35,904 veterans were certified for WOTC during the 3-
    year period before the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act. By contrast,
    278,611 veterans were certified during fiscal years 2013 to 2015, an
    increase of more than 700 percent.
    Increasing Modern Understanding of the Diversity of Today's Military
            Workforce
        The All-Volunteer Force implemented in 1973 was not designed for
    the modern servicemember--a force that is married, has children, and is
    increasingly diverse. As a result, modern servicemembers are
    experiencing increasing difficulties balancing work and family. This
    challenge is especially acute for female servicemembers and female
    spouses who must operate in a military culture designed to meet the
    needs of male servicemembers and their families. \9\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \9\ Southwell, K.H., & MacDermid Wadsworth, S.M. (2016). The many
    faces of military families: Unique features of the lives of female
    servicemembers. Military Medicine 18(1), 70-79.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Women comprise 16 percent of today's Active Duty force and analysis
    of future defense needs suggests this is likely to grow in order to
    sustain an All-Volunteer Force. \10\ Research has shown that even in
    families where both partners attempt to share household
    responsibilities, women often assume a larger load of the work at home,
    creating the burden of ``second shift'' that men don't equally feel.
    \11\ \12\ In this year's survey, ``issues related to children (time
    away from children or worries about impact of military life on
    children)'' was identified as the top stressor for female servicemember
    respondents while male respondents ranked deployment as their top
    stressor. While top stressors for both groups can be understood as
    related to the high optempo and frequent family separations that are
    associated with service, the fact that each gender expressed this
    stressor differently suggests substantially different experiences of
    service between genders--even when experiencing the same stressors.
    Furthermore, existing research indicates that when forced to choose
    between a career and a family, females in heterosexual dual military
    marriages are more likely to consider leaving the military. \13\ This
    was also seen in this year's survey with 41 percent of female and 35
    percent of male servicemember respondents indicating concerns about
    military family as the top reason motivating them to exit Military
    Service in the next 2 years.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \10\ U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant
    Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (2015).
    2015 Demographics: Profile of the military community. Retrieved from
    Military OneSource Website: http://download.militaryonesource.mil/
    12038/MOS/Reports/2015-Demographics-Report.pdf
        \11\ Hochschild, A. (2012). Revised Edition. The second shift::
    Working families and the revolution at home. New York: Penguin
        \12\ Pew Research Center (2015). Raising kids and running a
    household: How working parents share the load. http://
    www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/11/04/raising-kids-and-running-a-
    household-how-working-parents- share-the-load/
        \13\ Huffman, A. H., Craddock, E. B., Culbertson, S. S., &
    Klinefelter, Z. (2017). Decision-making and exchange processes of dual-
    military couples: A review and suggested strategies for navigating
    multiple roles. Military Psychology (American Psychological
    Association), 29(1), 11-26.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Similarly, respondents in this year's survey indicate that the
    military culture substantially heightens gender roles and compounds
    spouse employment challenges already incumbent in the military
    lifestyle. Survey responses over multiple years have consistently shown
    that the most significant obstacles to spouse employment are not
    related to job availability or employment readiness. the top three
    reasons for not working among military spouse respondents who want to
    work were identical to those identified in 2016: servicemember job
    demands (55 percent), childcare (53 percent), and family commitment (43
    percent).
        Childcare continues to be a top need for both military spouses and
    female servicemembers. Sixty-seven percent of military family
    respondents indicated they are not always able to obtain the childcare
    they need. Similarly 67 percent of female servicemember respondents
    reported the same (compared to 33 percent of male servicemember
    respondents). Male military spouse respondents were also far less
    likely to indicate childcare challenges as a factor in employment or
    education decisions, with 40 percent of male military spouses vs. 17
    percent of female military spouses reporting their employment or
    education decisions had not been impacted by childcare challenges.
        In 2012, the GAO [Government Accountability Office] conducted a
    study on military child care reporting that military families face two
    main barriers to obtaining DOD-subsidized child care: lack of awareness
    of available resources and insufficient availability among those
    resources. According to DOD officials and based on GAO's group
    discussions, a substantial number of military families remain unaware
    of subsidized child care that may be available to
        them, particularly off-installation care, despite DOD's efforts to
    provide information at pre-deployment briefings and through other
    outreach efforts. BSF survey research suggests that the bureaucracy in
    learning about and accessing military childcare is substantial and a
    barrier to families obtaining the child care they need. Further,
    families who are geographically isolated from an installation, such as
    reservists and recruiters, are also less likely to be aware of
    subsidized care.
        If the DOD is committed to attracting and retaining talented men
    and women, then it is essential that DOD prioritizes the responsibility
    to create a work environment where both men and women are afforded
    equal time and opportunity to work and attend to responsibilities at
    home. Additionally, DOD can expand opportunities for affordable
    childcare to all military families, promote access to civilian
    childcare providers through referrals and subsidies and improve
    flexible work hiring initiatives to employ military spouses in a manner
    that allows military parents to better balance home and work
    responsibilities.

    Recommendations

          Increase dwell time, allow military servicemembers to
    `turn down' a move for family stability, and allow servicemembers to
    take leaves of absence for family reasons. BSF encourages the Committee
    to support any moves towards innovation by the Services.

          Support the progress of S.1434 Availability of Child Care
    for Every Servicemember and Spouse Act (ACCESS Act) / Sec 558 (c)
    Childcare Coordinators For Military Installations. Community childcare
    coordinators located at each base would serve to bridge the
    communication gap between military families and the installation.
    Similar to the role of a School Liaison Officer, community childcare
    coordinators would act as an expert in local childcare options-- on and
    off base--and extend support to help military families locate the best
    available available childcare that meets the diverse needs of their
    military family. The community childcare coordinator would also be
    responsible for liaising with the local civilian childcare providers to
    help them better understand the needs of military families and the
    possible opportunities caring for military family might provide.
    Finally, the coordinator would be responsible for measuring and
    tracking the inventory of childcare in a local area as this information
    is crucial and not currently collected in an effective way to help DOD
    understand and plan regarding childcare capacity.

          The DOD and other stakeholders can link child care
    resources to spouse employment resources such as including a possible
    tab on employment websites so that spouses looking for employment would
    have better visibility of child care options. Regulations and
    requirements imposed by military installation childcare units (e.g.,
    complicated waiting list policies and eligibility restrictions based on
    employment status) are an unintended barrier to accessing child care
    for the purposes of seeking employment or furthering one's education. A
    frequently cited child care challenge is that access to on-base child
    care is dependent on a spouse's employment status, yet spouses may be
    unable to obtain jobs or enroll in education programs without first
    having access to reliable child care.

          Simplify on-base child care enrollment, increase capacity
    across military-certified providers including occasional care capacity,
    and increase career to child ratio in order to align with state laws
    where federal ratios are lower than those mandated by the state.
    Nationally, military families spend an average of $108 per week for
    DOD-subsidized civilian child care, which equates to 8.7 percent of the
    average military family's income. Civilian child care agencies and
    providers that meet the quality requirements that enable military
    families to receive DOD subsidies could augment child care options on
    installations and expand access to child care for families who do not
    live near installations or where installation based child care has
    reached capacity.
                                   conclusion
        Blue Star Families believes that military families are assets to
    both our national defense and local communities. They are central to
    the health and capability of the All-Volunteer Force and are good
    neighbors actively engaged in making their civilian communities great
    places to live. Servicemembers may be employed by their respective
    services--but they work for all Americans. Thus the responsibility for
    supporting military families is certainly a duty of the Department of
    Defense; however, a healthy nation also shares in this responsibility.
    Our country can help support military families by learning more about
    the unique nature of military life and increasing civilian and military
    collaboration on a number of levels. We can do this by supporting a
    number of positive military lifestyle factors such as: the employment
    of military spouses; military child education and wellness; financial
    and retirement savings education; military childcare; local civilian
    community engagement; strong mental health; and veteran employment.
        Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

        Senator Tillis. Ms. Hruska.

     STATEMENT OF KELLY B. HRUSKA, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR,
                  NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY ASSOCIATION

        Ms. Hruska. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and
    Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity for
    the National Military Family Association to speak with you
    today about the readiness of military families.
        Our statement, submitted for the record, highlights many
    issues important to military families, and I will touch on a
    few of them.
        We thank you for pay raises for the past 2 years at the
    employment cost index (ECI), and we appreciate the President's
    Fiscal Year 2019 Budget submission, which includes a 2.6
    percent pay raise at ECI. This is welcome news for military
    families whose purchasing power has been pinched by recent
    decreases to BAH [basic allowance for housing], increased
    healthcare costs, and retirement changes. We thank you for your
    quick work in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA to ensure military
    children with life-threatening conditions have access to
    hospice services without having to forego curative care and
    quality-of-life therapies. Your actions not only fixed an
    urgent problem for impacted families, but it sends a signal to
    all military families that egregious TRICARE coverage issues
    will be addressed.
        We thank you for your dedication to creating meaningful
    reforms of the military health system, to enhance medical
    readiness and improve access to care and contribute to a
    quality patient experience for military families. However, we
    have concerns about how the healthcare reforms you enacted are
    being implemented. We urge you to maintain close oversight as
    DOD implements healthcare reform, and hold them accountable for
    making improvements and accessing quality a reality.
        While DOD has made progress in making the Exceptional
    Family Member Program more consistent across the Services,
    military families need better coordination between the
    relocation, education, healthcare, and family support elements
    of the program. We also urge you to adopt the recommendations
    of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization
    Commission, and direct DOD to align coverage under the ECHO
    [Extended Care Health Option] program, especially respite care,
    with State Medicaid waiver programs.
        Thank you for proving reimbursements for relicensing,
    recertification for military spouses in last year's NDAA. The
    day after the President signed the legislation into law, our
    office and various Facebook pages were lit up with questions on
    how to apply for these reimbursements. Military spouses are
    very excited about this new policy, and are anxious to see it
    implemented. Please hold DOD accountable to the promise.
        In 2014, the Defense Suicide Prevention Office released a
    report outlining an approach for tracking military family
    member suicides. As a response, Congress included a provision,
    in the Fiscal Year 2015 NDAA, for DOD to track military family
    suicides. We are extremely frustrated. DOD has yet to release
    any information to meet this mandate. If we don't know the
    scope of the problem, targeting solutions is impossible.
        Part of the job of keeping our current force ready is
    preparing for transitions, including the transition to civilian
    life. The President's executive order dated January 9th
    expanded Military OneSource from 6 months to 1 year, post-
    separation, or retirement. Let's make this permanent.
        We also ask you to ensure that, as the nature of
    deployments continues to change, as the services increase end
    strength and military missions evolve, programs to support
    military families, healthcare and childcare access, and the
    pillars of military compensation remain strong. Military family
    and servicemember readiness are inescapably linked. Military
    families shudder when they hear their servicemember may not
    have the training or equipment they need to do the job.
    Servicemembers can't focus on their job if their family is
    pinched financially because a spouse can't find a job, their
    sick child can't get a doctor's appointment, or there's no
    quality childcare available. Programs and services must be
    responsive, consistently funded, and constantly evaluated as
    the needs of our military families evolve with the demands of
    the mission.
        Thank you for supporting military families.
        [The prepared statement of Ms. Hruska follows:]

        Prepared Statement of The National Military Family Association
                        Submitted by Ms. Kelly B. Hruska
        The National Military Family Association (NMFA) is the leading
    nonprofit dedicated to serving the families who stand behind the
    uniform. Since 1969, NMFA has worked to strengthen and protect millions
    of families through its advocacy and programs. We provide spouse
    scholarships, camps for military kids, and retreats for families
    reconnecting after deployment and for the families of the wounded, ill,
    or injured. NMFA serves the families of the currently serving, retired,
    wounded or fallen members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force,
    Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS [United States Public
    Health Service] and NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric
    Administration].
        Association volunteers in military communities worldwide provide a
    direct link between military families and the Association staff in the
    Nation's capital. These volunteers are our ``eyes and ears,'' bringing
    shared local concerns to national attention.
        The Association does not have or receive Federal grants or
    contracts.

        Our website is: www.MilitaryFamily.org.

    Kelly B. Hruska, Government Relations Director
        Kelly became the Government Relations Director of the National
    Military Family Association in 2015. In this role, she leads the
    Association's advocacy for the families of the seven uniformed services
    and monitors the range of issues relevant to their quality of life. She
    began her work with the Association in 2007 as a Government Relations
    Deputy Director and served as Outreach Coordinator in 2014.
        Kelly has represented military families on several committees and
    task forces for offices and agencies of the Department of Defense (DOD)
    and Military Services. She serves on several committees of The Military
    Coalition, an organization of 33 military-related associations. She is
    co-chair of the Coalition's Survivor Committee. In 2008-2011, she
    served on the first DOD Military Family Readiness Council.
        A Navy spouse for 25 years, Kelly has served in various volunteer
    leadership positions in civilian and military community organizations
    including COMPASS, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, The Girl Scouts,
    and Navy Spouses Clubs. She was also appointed to the City Commission
    on Children and Youth by the Corpus Christi City Council.
        Kelly is a recipient of the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service
    Medal in recognition of her work on behalf of servicemembers and their
    families at Navy Region Center Singapore.
        A Pennsylvania native, Kelly earned her B.A. in Political Science
    from La Salle University and a Masters of Public Administration from
    Shippensburg University. Kelly and her husband, Captain Jim Hruska, USN
    (Ret) reside in Annandale, Virginia with their daughter, Emily.
                               executive summary
        The United States military is the most capable fighting force in
    the world. For almost 2 decades of war, servicemembers and their
    families never failed to answer the call, steadfastly sacrificing in
    order to protect our Nation. They make these sacrifices trusting that
    our government will provide them with the tools to keep them ready.
    Continued national fiscal challenges have left military families
    confused and concerned about whether the programs and benefits
    contributing to their strength, resilience, and readiness will remain
    available to support them and be flexible enough to address emerging
    needs. The Department of Defense (DOD) must provide the level of
    programs and resources necessary to meet this standard. Servicemembers
    and their families have kept trust with America through 16 years of war
    with multiple deployments and separations. Unfortunately, that trust
    continues to be tested.

    We ask Congress:
        As you evaluate spending proposals, consider the cumulative impact
    on military families' purchasing power and financial well-being, as
    well as the effects on the morale and readiness of the All-Volunteer
    Force now and in the future.

    Please:

          Reject budget proposals that threaten military family
    financial well-being as a way to save money for the government.

          Keep military pay commensurate with service and aligned
    with private sector wages.

          Provide oversight to ensure recently-enacted military
    health reform efforts enhance military families' access to quality
    health care and that readiness costs are not passed along to families
    as cost shares or premiums.

        We ask Congress to make improving and sustaining the programs and
    resources necessary to keep military families ready a national
    priority.

    We also ask Congress to:

          Provide oversight to ensure DOD and the individual
    Services are supporting families of all components by meeting the
    standards for deployment support, reintegration, financial readiness,
    and family health. Fund appropriately at all levels.

          Ensure adequate funding for military child care programs,
    including child care fee assistance programs. Improve access to
    installation-based child care and increase availability of part-time
    and hourly care.

          Facilitate easier paths to both licensure and employment
    for military spouses and veterans who are in the mental health field
    when they work with our servicemembers and their families. Include
    military spouses who enter the mental health profession in federal
    loan-forgiveness programs.

          Preserve the savings military families receive by
    shopping at the commissary and oppose any reform measures that would
    reduce the value of the benefit.

          Require DOD to study where military families with severe
    special needs are concentrated and whether DOD impact aid for schools
    serving military children with special needs is appropriately
    allocated.

          Expand servicemember and family access to Military
    OneSource counseling and other assistance to 1 year post-separation.

          Ensure appropriate and timely funding of impact aid
    through the Department of Education (DOEd).

          Continue to authorize DOD Impact Aid for schools
    educating large numbers of military children and military children with
    severe special needs.

          Bring the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) benefits on
    par with State Medicaid waiver programs and extend ECHO eligibility for
    1 year following separation.

          Correct inequities in survivor benefits by eliminating
    the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) offset to the Survivor
    Benefit Plan (SBP).

          Ease the financial burden and coverage confusion faced by
    Medicare-eligible, medically-retired wounded, ill, and injured
    servicemembers.

        After over 16 years of war, we continue to see the impact of
    repeated deployments and separations on our servicemembers and their
    families. We appreciate Congress' recognition of the service and
    sacrifice of these families. Your response through legislation to the
    ever-changing need for support has resulted in programs and policies
    that have helped sustain our families through these difficult times.
    Pay and Compensation
        We appreciate Congress making the pay raise at employment cost
    index (ECI) a priority in the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense
    Authorization Act. Congress chose the ECI as the standard for Active
    Duty pay raises in order to recruit and retain the quality of
    servicemembers needed to sustain the All-Volunteer Force and we thank
    you for meeting that standard this year.
        Although the last 2 years have seen military pay raises at the ECI,
    reductions to servicemember housing allowances, increased health care
    costs, and the new requirement under the Blended Retirement System for
    new servicemembers to contribute to their retirement savings lower
    servicemember take-home pay. We ask you to consider the cumulative
    effects of these policies on military families' financial well-being
    and reject any proposals that ask families to shoulder a greater
    financial burden.
        We believe that Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is an essential
    component of military compensation. We oppose any changes that threaten
    to reduce military families' pay.
        We ask Congress to keep military pay commensurate with service and
    aligned with private sector wage increases.
        We ask Congress to reject budget proposals that threaten military
    family financial well-being as a way to achieve savings for DOD.
    Military Health System
        We greatly appreciate efforts by Congress on military health system
    (MHS) reform and were gratified the process included listening to
    beneficiary concerns over costs, quality of care, and the patient
    experience in both direct and purchased care. However, as we reviewed
    the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, we were
    struck by how few MHS reform provisions represent immediate tangible
    wins for military families. Ready access to high quality health care is
    imperative for families managing the stress and unpredictability of
    military life. There are areas of the system that deliver, but we still
    consistently hear from families who face barriers in accessing quality
    medical care--barriers that range from punishing levels of
    inconvenience and inconsistent military hospital policies to complete
    lack of access to basic standards of care. These are urgent problems
    that must be fixed. For instance:

        Facebook Post from July 28, 2017:

          Anne H: Okay so I have never been seen by base doctors until we
    moved here. Of course we moved here and are now pregnant with baby
    number 5. So excited until we had to be seen on base. The ob
    coordinator is such a sweetheart! However, it just seems like they have
    no time for appointments. I called women's health and they were an even
    bigger mess telling me to call back in September and they would set up
    my first intake appointment for then. Which I'm 12 weeks tomorrow so
    that seemed kinda crazy. So my question is how do I get a doctor off
    base. I have a history of high risk pregnancy. I have low iron, high
    blood pressure, and a guarantee c section as this will be my 4th one.
    Any help is very much appreciated.

          Sarah N: You will have to switch to TRICARE standard to be seen
    off post

          Anne H: I'm just used to doctors that have more flexibility. We
    have never had to be on base. If a normal doctor told me a month to see
    my doctor I would find a new doctor but maybe it's just me.

          Sarah N: That's not so bad. Usually you are only seen every 4
    weeks when not high risk. I was considered complicated and was seen
    every 3 weeks.

          Anne H: I haven't been seen since becoming pregnant. I had an
    appointment this past week, got there to be told they gave my
    appointment to someone else. I have yet to do an intake appointment. So
    it's actually pretty horrible. I know you are seen once a month
    normally. But I haven't been seen at all.

          Sarah N: Oh, geesh! I figured you had already had your intake.
    Around here, with pretty much everything, due to the sheer amount of
    people, you have to be pretty persistent.

          (Per later Facebook posts, Anne's baby was born 5 weeks and 1 day
    early and spent time in the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit].)

        While the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA includes many well-intentioned
    provisions for MHS improvement, nearly all are contingent on successful
    implementation, including an emphasis on getting the patient experience
    right. We fear the required focus on the patient experience will be a
    heavy lift for the MHS, an organization that routinely reminds families
    their primary mission is not beneficiary care, but military medical
    readiness. It seems like a great distance--with much room for error--
    between the law's good intentions and actual improvements that military
    families will experience. Which provision in the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA
    will address a problem such as this? How long will families have to
    wait to see that fix?

          Facebook Post from July 10, 2017:

          Chris M: Hi guys! I have a quick question about Tricare. I'm 20
    and just had my son 5 months ago. When I got pregnant, I immediately
    went to family medicine and started being seen there. I had my 6 week
    postpartum check up there and decided against getting birth control at
    that moment. I'm ready to start on birth control now and I called to
    get an appointment with my dr and they got me an appointment with the
    pediatrician. Then the pediatrician's office called me and told me they
    don't do birth control there. So I called family medicine back and they
    said I'm too young to be seen there now because pediatrics treats all
    the way until 22 . . . that doesn't sound correct to me. I'm at a loss
    of what to do. Please help haha

          Kate W: Contact women's health to see if they can help you.

          Chris M: I actually did call women's health and they said I need
    a referral. The dr I saw at family medicine is my PCM [primary care
    manager] but they won't let me make an appt with him. I'm so new to
    Tricare. lol I've only been married a year so I'm confused by this. lol

        This spouse made what seems to be a reasonable effort to make an
    appointment to obtain birth control. She spoke to three different
    clinics at her military hospital, but none helped her or pointed her to
    a resource to resolve her issue. Within the scope of MHS reform, what's
    the plan to fix problems like this?
        On January 1, MHS reform launched with changes to the TRICARE
    plans. As implementation has begun, our wary optimism has morphed into
    grave concerns about what seems to be a focus on cost savings and not
    improvements to address beneficiary health care needs. TRICARE reform
    thus far does not fix coverage gaps such as TRICARE's failure to adapt
    coverage to emerging technologies or treatment protocols or pediatric
    coverage issues due to TRICARE policies based on Medicare, a plan for
    seniors. TRICARE reform does not address locations with TRICARE
    provider network inadequacy or the concerns that ``race to the bottom''
    contracts will eventually result in lower provider reimbursements and
    narrowed networks. TRICARE reform does not fix bureaucratic and
    customer service problems such as those families are currently
    experiencing with the T17 contract transition. We understood part of
    TRICARE reform was to reset a balance between beneficiaries' out of
    pocket costs and DOD costs. Yet, we did not expect new TRICARE policies
    and copay constructs that are so clearly detrimental to military
    families. We are concerned that while the Department of Defense (DOD)
    will achieve cost savings, beneficiaries will face higher costs while
    still waiting for improvements in the care they receive.
        Given the magnitude of MHS reform, it would be difficult for any
    organization to get every piece of the implementation 100 percent right
    from the start. We trust there will be an opportunity to make
    adjustments as second and third order effects become apparent and we
    pledge to assist DOD in understanding where improvement is needed. To
    that end, we ask Congress and DOD to:

          Modify the TRICARE Annual Open Enrollment policy to
    prevent military families from becoming trapped in underperforming
    military treatment facilities (MTFs)

          Adjust TRICARE Prime and Select copay constructs

          Monitor and provide oversight on T17 contract
    implementation

          Align TRICARE Extended Care Health Option respite
    coverage with Medicaid waiver programs

          Implement the Defense Health Board's recommendation to
    broaden TRICARE's definition of pediatric medical necessity

          Expand Federal Employee Dental and Vision Program
    eligibility to Active Duty family member dental coverage while
    maintaining DOD's premium contribution levels

          Ensure military family perspectives are considered as MTF
    management is transitioned to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and
    reforms related to direct care system right sizing are implemented
                         tricare reform implementation
    TRICARE Prime
        We are grateful TRICARE Prime remains a low/no out-of-pocket cost
    option for all Active Duty families. It is important that those
    managing the stress, sacrifices, and unpredictability of military life
    are spared concerns about health care costs.
      Referral Free Urgent Care Policy
        We greatly appreciate that TRICARE Prime beneficiaries can now
    access civilian urgent care without a referral. For years, we have
    highlighted this problem--families had no option but the emergency room
    for acute medical issues when their MTFs were closed or fully booked.
    While the direct care system has made strides on meeting access
    standards, problems persist at the local level and during Permanent
    Change of Station (PCS) season. Many thanks to Congress for authorizing
    TRICARE Prime referral free urgent care in the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA.
    We are grateful DHA implemented this policy with no restrictions on the
    number of visits and urge them to maintain referral-free urgent care
    moving forward. Changing the number of referral-free urgent care visits
    annually, as suggested in DOD's September 2017 IFR [Interim Final Rule]
    Establishment of TRICARE Select and Other TRICARE Reforms, would create
    confusion among beneficiaries and providers as well as communication
    and implementation challenges for DHA and the managed care support
    contractors.
      Annual Open Enrollment Period
        Our biggest concern about TRICARE Prime is related to the annual
    open enrollment period's potential to trap TRICARE Prime families in
    underperforming MTFs. Prior to 2018, beneficiaries could switch from
    TRICARE Prime to TRICARE Standard at any time. This flexibility
    provided a critical escape hatch for families who believed they were
    not receiving adequate access and/or medical care at their MTF.

            My son had a collapsing trachea. It had been discovered before
            he was a year old. At age 3 the strider returned. The MTF DX it
            as ``hiccups.'' I left the appointment, in disbelief, and
            walked straight to the enrollment office. I moved him from
            prime to standard and within 24 hours had a civilian children's
            specialist ``waiting for me in the lobby'' to do a scope on my
            son. Where the MTF dismissed a possible life threatening
            condition, the civilians treated it like it was their priority
            and moved mountains to get immediate answers. From that moment
            on, all three of my kids were standard.

            I had a history of ectopic pregnancy and a damaged fallopian
            tube as a result. I had been told I was at greater risk in the
            future and it was critical to have an ultrasound at 8 weeks to
            rule out another ectopic pregnancy, a condition that could
            threaten my future fertility or even my life if it went
            undetected. Soon after my husband deployed, I got a positive
            home pregnancy test. I immediately called the appointment line
            and tried to schedule an appointment but was told they would
            not see me until I was 14 weeks along. I explained my history
            and what I had been told about getting an ultrasound at 8
            weeks, but the appointment line clerk would not budge. I called
            back several times, trying to convince them I needed an earlier
            appointment. Finally, they told me if I started having tubal
            pregnancy symptoms I should just go to the ER. When I finally
            reached my husband on the ship, I was frantic. I was caring for
            a toddler at a new base on my own. I didn't yet have a support
            network to lean on. I knew what my last ectopic pregnancy
            emergency was like--how was I going to handle a toddler on top
            of that and being alone to boot? My husband was upset but knew
            there was nothing he could do from the ship, so he told me to
            switch to Standard. I did and immediately got an appointment at
            a civilian office where they ordered an 8 week ultrasound.
            (BTW, although this pregnancy was fine I did eventually have
            another ectopic pregnancy with the next one.)

        We realize the annual open enrollment period is a feature of
    civilian plans and generally have no issues with this new requirement.
    However, TRICARE Prime's reliance on military hospitals and clinics
    creates a situation unique to the military and demands a policy
    tailored to military family needs for the following reasons:

          Given the variability in access, quality of care, and the
    patient experience across the direct system, military families may not
    be able to make informed choices during the open enrollment period or
    following a qualifying life event, such as a PCS move. TRICARE Prime,
    and specifically getting care at the MTF, may work for a family at one
    duty station but not at another. MTF access to care can also vary over
    time as providers come and go, making an informed decision nearly
    impossible.

            We are currently contemplating making the switch to Standard.
            We had no issues on Prime at our last duty station, and a great
            experience with the clinics and hospital there, but since
            PCSing it's been a nightmare. It's absolutely impossible to get
            an acute care appointment here. Last time I tried I was told my
            2 year old wouldn't be able to be seen for 2 weeks for a double
            ear infection, and he's a patient being considered for tubes!

            I switched my kids from Prime to Standard several years ago. We
            were at a large navy hospital and got great care from a
            phenomenal civilian pediatrician. I switched when she shared
            that she was leaving practice, and that the hospital hadn't
            added personnel to cope with two carriers newly moved to the
            area. That explained why it was so much more difficult to get
            urgent appointments. I didn't want to continue the hassle of
            going through them without the benefit of our awesome doctor.

          Although the patient advocate and PCM change request
    should help families resolve MTF problems, these may be ineffective in
    addressing systemic access or quality concerns particularly in time
    sensitive situations. Additionally, appointment line clerks and MTF
    staff do not typically direct families to resources such as the patient
    advocate who can help resolve access and quality of care issues.

          The unique aspects of the military health system demand
    solutions tailored to military beneficiaries. For commercial health
    plans, the annual enrollment period locks in beneficiaries to coverage
    levels, not specific providers or a single medical facility. While an
    annual enrollment period for military families is not unreasonable,
    preventing them from seeking care outside the MTF will severely limit
    patient autonomy in a way that is inconsistent with commercial plans.
    Even those commercial plans with extremely narrow networks do not limit
    beneficiaries/members to a single medical facility (see Insert A, page
    90) for a comparison of medical facilities available to Kaiser
    Foundation Health Plan members versus beneficiaries stationed in the
    National Capitol Region.

          Allowing families to switch enrollment from Prime to
    Select provides an important aspect of MTF accountability. Analyzing
    enrollment changes from Prime to Select will afford the MHS an
    opportunity to understand why families leave. It should also allow the
    MHS to identify problematic MTFs and target solutions to local access
    and quality of care problems.

        Our association has suggested two possible solutions. The fiscal
    year 2017 NDAA gives DOD discretion in defining qualifying life events.
    We believe one potential solution is to include ``dissatisfaction with
    MTF access or quality of care'' as a qualifying life event. Another
    option is to extend the enrollment ``grace period'' to maintain the
    TRICARE Select escape hatch while allowing DHA more time to develop and
    publicize an effective MTF problem resolution process. We are open to
    other ideas and stand by to assist in developing a solution that
    prevents military families from becoming trapped in underperforming
    MTFs.
    TRICARE Prime Copays
        While we are not opposed to modest and predictable copay increases,
    the increased copays outlined for Group A/Grandfathered Retiree
    Families are unacceptable and have stunned military families and
    retirees seeking care this year. Although we did not support
    grandfathering, we are disturbed by DHA's complete disregard for the
    congressional intent behind the decision to create the grandfathering.
    Furthermore, the increases outlined in the IFR are far from modest,
    ranging from 67 to 173 percent higher than 2017 TRICARE Prime Retiree
    copays:

        TRICARE Prime Cost Sharing: 2017 vs. 2018--Group A/Grandfathered

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        2018 Group A/
                                                  2017                  Grandfathered           Percent Increase
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Preventative Care Visit                                  $0                        $0                 No change
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Primary Care Outpatient Visit                           $12                       $20                      +67%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Specialty Care Outpatient Visit                         $12                       $30                     +150%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ER Visit                                                $30                       $60                     +100%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Urgent Care Center                                      $12                       $30                     +150%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ambulatory Surgery                                      $25                       $60                     +140%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ambulance Service                                       $20                       $40                     +100%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Durable Medical Equipment                               20%                       20%                 No change
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Inpatient Admission                                 $11/day            $150/admission                       N/A
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Inpatient Skilled Nursing/Rehab                     $11/day                   $30/day                     +173%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        While we follow the rationale outlined in the September 2017 IFR
    for DHA's authority to increase copays, dating back to the Fiscal Year
    1994 NDAA, it feels like a ``gotcha'' for military retirees--as if they
    should have read the fine print regarding their military retirement
    health benefit. Is this really the way we want to treat men and women
    who served a full military career, particularly at a time when those
    approaching retirement have served nearly their entire careers during a
    period of sustained conflict and high optempo [operational tempo]?
        Furthermore, DHA's rationale for increasing copays rests on
    achieving ``cost neutrality''--that is, keeping per beneficiary costs
    for TRICARE Prime in line with TRICARE Standard/Select. The IFR cites a
    Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimate: ``CBO estimates that
    under current law, a typical retiree household enrolled in TRICARE
    Prime as a `family' in 2018, and for whom TRICARE is the primary payer
    of health benefits, will cost DOD about $17,400, and a typical family
    that uses Standard/Extra will cost DOD about $12,700.'' \1\ What DHA
    fails to add is that the same CBO report acknowledges that MTFs, where
    most Prime beneficiaries receive their care, are run less efficiently
    than private facilities and hence have higher costs per service. Our
    Association also contends the Department of Defense has historically
    done a poor job of differentiating readiness costs from costs to
    provide beneficiary care. We believe TRICARE Prime cost estimates are
    inflated due to MTF inefficiencies and erroneously include costs that
    should be attributed to readiness. DHA should not put the burden on
    TRICARE Prime beneficiaries to achieve ``cost neutrality'' through
    copay increases.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate, S. 2943, National
    Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, June 10, 2016, page 17
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Finally, these TRICARE Prime fee increases aren't even being put
    toward MHS improvements that will benefit military families and
    retirees. According to senior DOD officials, they are being used to
    fund readiness--we are tapping military retirees to pay for equipping
    and training the current force. This is unacceptable.
    TRICARE Prime Eligibility
        Although TRICARE Prime eligibility wasn't addressed with the Fiscal
    Year 2017 NDAA health care reforms, DOD's September 2017 IFR
    Establishment of TRICARE Select and Other TRICARE Reforms appears to
    assert DOD's authority to put greater limits on TRICARE Prime
    availability. The IFR states that the DHA Director has authority to
    determine locations where TRICARE Prime will be offered using the
    guiding principle that the purpose of TRICARE Prime is to support the
    medical readiness of the Armed Forces and the readiness of medical
    personnel. The IFR also says TRICARE Prime can be limited to Active
    Duty family members if the DHA Director determines it is not
    practicable to offer Prime to retired beneficiaries as well. From the
    IFR: \2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/09/29/2017-
    20392/establishment-of-tricare-select-and-other-tricare-reforms

            One other matter on which the interim final rule preserves DOD
            discretion, similar to that in the current regulation, is with
            respect to the locations where TRICARE Prime is offered. This
            is noted in the current regulation at 32 CFR 199.17(a)(5).
            Under the interim final rule, the locations where TRICARE Prime
            will be offered will be determined by the Director, Defense
            Health Agency (DHA) and announced prior to the annual open
            season enrollment period. The guiding principle for this
            decision is that the purpose of TRICARE Prime is to support the
            medical readiness of the armed forces and the readiness of
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            medical personnel . . .

            TRICARE Prime, especially for working age retirees and family
            members, provides MTFs clinical workload, including for a range
            of medical specialty areas that permit military health care
            providers to maintain currency and proficiency in their
            respective clinical fields. This important support of a ready
            medical force is what justifies the higher government cost of
            Prime (which CBO estimates at $17,400 per retiree family),
            notwithstanding the original statutory requirement of cost
            neutrality between TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard. This
            cost-benefit assessment supports the conclusion that it is
            practicable to offer TRICARE Prime in areas where it supports
            the medical readiness of one or more MTFs. Additionally, where
            TRICARE Prime is offered, it may be limited to Active Duty
            family members if the Director, DHA determines it is not
            practicable to offer TRICARE Prime to retired beneficiaries as
            well--a determination that again would take into account the
            nature of the supported MTF and the range of services it
            offers.

        Please note, the IFR does not just assert DOD's authority to limit
    access to MTF care but, rather, to limit the availability of the
    TRICARE Prime plan only to those beneficiaries who provide clinical
    workload to MTFs. This change would then limit beneficiary
    opportunities for plan and out-of-pocket cost choices to a greater
    extent than under current policy.
        The IFR language raises additional questions, including: How would
    this impact Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Prime Service Areas?
    What would happen to retirees currently on Prime but not seen at MTFs?
    How would this affect Active Duty family members?
        It is our interpretation of the IFR that DOD will continue to offer
    TRICARE Prime to Active Duty military families regardless of their
    geographic location or MTF capacity. NMFA asserts that all Active Duty
    families must have the option of a minimal out-of-pocket cost health
    plan. Additionally, DOD must not create a two-tier health benefit
    system based on assignment location or MTF capacity, factors that are
    outside the control of military families.
    TRICARE Select
          TRICARE Select Copays
        We are alarmed by DHA's careless approach to establishing copays
    for TRICARE Select, a plan that was billed as an improvement for
    beneficiaries formerly in TRICARE Standard. As currently defined, we
    believe TRICARE Select out-of-pocket costs are highly inconsistent with
    private sector PPOs [preferred provider organization] and will be
    detrimental to most military families and retirees who rely on it for
    health coverage.
        Even though our Association participated in Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA
    working group meetings with DHA since the legislation was passed, we
    were stunned by the Group A/Grandfathered TRICARE Select copays
    outlined in the TRICARE Changes Fact Sheet that accompanied the
    September 2017 IFR Establishment of TRICARE Select and Other TRICARE
    Reforms. The Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA directed DOD to calculate TRICARE
    Select cost-sharing requirements ``as if the beneficiary were enrolled
    in TRICARE Extra or TRICARE Standard as if TRICARE Extra or TRICARE
    Standard, as the case may be, were still being carried out by the
    Secretary.'' However, TRICARE Select network copays for primary and
    specialty care outpatient visits, emergency room visits, and urgent
    care centers are much higher than expected given the percent cost
    shares beneficiaries paid for network encounters under TRICARE Extra.
        Further details from DHA (not included in the IFR and not publicly
    available to date) revealed specifics on their approach. Instead of
    taking an average of the cost share for the TRICARE allowed amount for
    each of those encounter types, DHA also included all associated
    ancillary, laboratory, and radiology costs, driving up the average per
    encounter charge. Since ancillary services are covered by the new fixed
    dollar copays, TRICARE Select beneficiaries will have no separate copay
    or cost shares for these services. Although DHA claims this approach is
    revenue neutral, we remain skeptical. Even with limited methodology
    details, military Association representatives uncovered a flaw in the
    approach that led DHA to revise their calculations and lower TRICARE
    Select copays from 6 to 22 percent for outpatient visits, urgent care
    and ER [emergency room] encounters. While we appreciate DHA listened to
    our feedback and made a correction to their copay calculations, we
    still have numerous concerns that have not been addressed:

          The approach of folding labs, radiology and ancillary
    services into each outpatient encounter drives up the average copay for
    many, if not most, encounters by shifting costs from those receiving
    more complex medical care to those receiving less complex care. While
    this ``risk pool'' approach may make sense for setting commercial plan
    premiums, it not a sound strategy for establishing TRICARE copays given
    the role copays play in encouraging sound patient decisions.

          Under the TRICARE Select plan, physical therapy,
    occupational therapy, and speech therapy are considered specialty care.
    Active Duty families will pay $31 per visit while retiree families will
    pay $41 per visit, significantly higher than previous TRICARE Extra
    cost shares.

          We are concerned about how the dramatically higher copays
    will impact patient adherence with treatment plans. When a retiree
    family member is directed to get physical therapy twice a week for 6
    weeks, will $492 in copays dissuade them from seeking necessary care?
    What happens to DOD's overall costs for that patient when they fail to
    follow doctor's orders and the problem progresses? When asked, DHA said
    no research or analysis was done on the potential impact on treatment
    plan compliance.

          Mental health visits are also considered specialty care
    under the TRICARE Select copay plan. The $31 ADFM [Active Duty family
    members]/$41 retiree copays are significantly higher than the percent
    cost shares families paid for network mental health visits under
    TRICARE Extra. The new copays are also higher than out-of-pocket costs
    for mental health care under FEHBP [Federal Employees Health Benefits
    Plan] national PPO plans (see Insert B, page 91). For many years, DOD
    has acknowledged the importance of seeking mental health care for
    families struggling with the impact of 16+ years of war. We are
    appalled by TRICARE Select copays that create a cost barrier to
    accessing mental health care.

          The IFR says that converting current TRICARE Standard/
    Extra cost shares into TRICARE Select fixed dollar copays is consistent
    with prevailing private sector health program practices. However, we
    believe DHA's TRICARE Select copay structure (combining outpatient
    visit costs together with labs, radiology and ancillary services) is
    inconsistent with most private sector preferred provider option
    practices. An examination of FEHBP national PPO plans (see Insert B,
    page 91) shows significantly lower copays for office visits with
    separate percentage cost shares for labs, radiology and ancillary
    services. FEHBP plans also had significantly lower copays for physical,
    occupational, and speech therapies as well as mental health office
    visits.

          When asked, DHA was unaware of any commercial PPO plan
    that uses their proposed approach of higher copays for office visits
    with no cost sharing for ancillary services. As follow up to our
    question, DHA later provided a single example from Fairfax County
    Public Schools (FCPS)--the CareFirst Blue Choice Advantage plan. This
    plan does have zero out-of-pocket costs for ancillary services and
    copays in line with those for TRICARE Select retirees. However, it also
    appears to be the lower end PPO plan for FCPS employees. The higher end
    FCPS PPO, Aetna/Innovation Health, also has no cost sharing for
    ancillary services but much lower copays across the board compared to
    TRICARE Select. This reinforces our perspective that, when compared to
    the appropriate benchmark, TRICARE Select copays are clearly too high.

          TRICARE Select defies the entire PPO concept with network
    copays so high beneficiaries could actually pay less by seeing non-
    network providers. The IFR states TRICARE Select beneficiaries ``will
    enjoy lower out-of-pocket costs if they choose preferred providers
    within the TRICARE civilian network'' but TRICARE Select's high network
    copays will exceed the 20/25 percent out-of-network cost share for many
    therapies and office visits. It won't take long for families to
    determine they can save money by using non-network providers. How does
    this make sense for DOD or military families?
          For both Active Duty families and retirees, TRICARE
    Select Group A/Grandfathered beneficiaries will pay more out-of-pocket
    for their care than Group B/New beneficiaries, creating exactly the
    type of situation we opposed when the grandfathering concept was raised
    during the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA process.

        TRICARE Standard/Extra covers a significant portion of the
    beneficiary population. In fiscal year 2016, over 2 million
    beneficiaries used Standard/Extra including about 1/3 of ADFMs and 1/2
    of retirees and their families. \3\ Given the IFR comments on Prime
    eligibility, it seems clear DHA wants to affirm TRICARE Select as the
    earned health care benefit, potentially shifting many retirees who
    aren't treated at MTFs from Prime to Select in the future. It is
    critical the TRICARE Select copay construct reflect best practices and
    out-of-pocket costs on par or lower than high quality commercial plans.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ Evaluation of the TRICARE Program: Fiscal Year 2017 Report to
    Congress--Plan Choice by Beneficiary Category; please note the ADFM
    group includes inactive Guard/Reserve and their family members eligible
    for TRICARE
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A Note About Grandfathering
        Some have suggested many of our issues surrounding TRICARE Select
    copays can be addressed by eliminating grandfathering. While our
    Association appreciated Congress' intent to fulfill promises to those
    currently serving and retired, we opposed ``grandfathering'' current
    beneficiaries throughout the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA process for two main
    reasons: 1) It creates a situation where two servicemembers serving
    side-by-side earn different health care benefits for their families and
    future retirement; and 2) It results in a level of operational
    complexity, which will divert scarce resources away from health care
    delivery and be difficult for the DHA to manage.
        Simply eliminating grandfathering is not the solution. We are not
    opposed to modest and predictable growth of out-of-pocket costs linked
    to retiree COLA [cost of living adjustments] to ensure they do not
    outpace military income increases--in fact, we believe it is essential
    to clearly define the health care benefit including expectations around
    future out-of-pocket costs. However, that does not mean we support the
    excessive fee increases imposed on new entrants. The cumulative impact
    of increased encounter copays, enrollment fees, catastrophic caps and
    pharmacy copays included in the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA was too much. We
    also opposed any out-of-pocket cost increases used to fund readiness or
    other military family programs. Senior DOD leaders have been very clear
    that savings from increasing beneficiary costs will be ``ploughed into
    readiness.'' While we would be happy to see grandfathering eliminated,
    it would have to be part of a larger discussion around appropriate out-
    of-pocket costs to gain our support.
    DHA Beneficiary Communication
        Given the magnitude of TRICARE plan changes, communication to
    beneficiaries has been abysmal. DHA has provided detailed information
    solely via ``pull'' channels (communication channels that require the
    beneficiary to seek them out) such as the tricare.mil website and
    Facebook page. However, there was very little in the way of ``push''
    communication--such as direct mail--to alert families to impending
    changes and drive them to digital media outlets for more details.
    Association representatives were told in December a letter would be
    sent soon from the new contractors regarding the changes in TRICARE
    regions and the switch from TRICARE Extra/Standard to TRICARE Select.
    While those changes occurred January 1, beneficiaries did not receive
    these letters until a month later.
        The numbers speak for themselves. There are 9.4 million TRICARE
    beneficiaries. About 2.2 million are TRICARE for Life (TFL) and not
    impacted by the changes. That leaves more than 7 million beneficiaries
    affected by TRICARE Prime and Select changes. As of mid-January 2018,
    the TRICARE Facebook page has about 163,000 likes/follows. According to
    DHA's data, the tricare.mil changes website section has had only
    427,631 users. Even if you assume no viewer overlap across these two
    channels and no TFL beneficiary visits (unlikely), DHA is reaching only
    a small percentage of affected families with plan details. Military
    associations such as ours have worked with DHA to increase awareness of
    the changes, but many families are only learning about the changes as
    they receive claims from 2018 encounters and face significantly higher
    copays.

          Facebook Post from February 1, 2018:

          Jennifer P:  It seems like it has all changed. In my opinion,
    they did not do a very good job in informing those of the (TRICARE)
    changes coming. I do not remember seeing anything in the mail about the
    changes. I had an up-front copay for my daughter at the dermatology
    office. I was told they are specialty so it was $31.

          Michele M:   THIS! To my knowledge changes were only communicated
    via websites and emails. The biggest change is going from cost shares
    to copays.

          Jennifer P:  The poor registration lady at the office said that
    the tricare switch has been awful. She brought out her flow chart to
    explain my copay. She did tell me to make sure I kept my receipt
    because I will be needing it!

          https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fd0/1/16/
    1f602.png

        When TRICARE changes occur, a greater effort across multiple
    communication platforms must be made to raise awareness of the changes
    and drive beneficiaries to digital media for more details.
                        tricare 2017 contract transition
        We are now 1 month into the T17 contract transition including the
    consolidation of the North and South Regions to create the East Region.
    Early January was marked by call center and website customer service
    problems across both the East and West regions as call volume exceeded
    expectations and winter weather problems created customer service
    staffing issues. Humana quickly resolved website problems and long call
    center hold times in the East Region. According to DHA, Humana is
    currently at a 3 second hold time for callers. Unfortunately, HealthNet
    is still struggling to make improvements with phone call hold times
    clocking in at 30 minutes on average as of late January.

          Facebook post from January 30, 2018:

          Lisa W to From Boots to Wingtips: We got a letter in December
    stating that we could pay our Tricare enrollment fee online. Over
    Christmas, Jeff attempted do that, but couldn't. He called Healthnet
    and was told ``Sorry. You can't make an online payment.'' Okay. He
    attempted to set up a monthly payment plan, but they were not set up
    for that yet. So they took a one time payment and told him to call back
    this month.
          Yesterday, he called back only to listen to a message saying that
    they are not accepting phone calls. He tried the online thing again,
    but that was a bust.
          We just want to pay our stupid fee. My daughter is having the
    same issue as she needs to pay her young adult Tricare Prime premium.
    Grrr . . .

          Facebook post from February 2, 2018:

          Heather H S to TRICARE: TRICARE I am extremely disappointed in
    the service I've received trying to get into a specialist. Tricare
    neglected to call me after my PCM put in the initial referral to tell
    me that I had a doctor assigned to me. I eventually called Tricare
    (with a 58 minute wait time); they gave me incorrect information for a
    doctor. I had to call back (45 minute wait time) for a different
    referral. And I had to call back again (45 minute wait time) for an
    authorization letter for my doctor to even be able to make an
    appointment. Your recording blames long wait times on inclement
    weather, which sounds like a poor excuse since there isn't any
    inclement weather in our country at the moment. Call it what it is, and
    hire more employees to service the demand you're seeing. (Tricare-west)

          Heather H S to TRICARE: Worse, when I try to send a message
    through the website, I get this message: Unexpected Error While
    Communicating with Service. Please try again after some time.

             Heather H S to TRICARE: Online messaging doesn't work today
    either.

        There are also concerns in the West Region regarding provider
    networks. We have heard numerous complaints about providers leaving the
    TRICARE network and overall fewer providers in many geographic areas.
    We understand Prime Service Areas cover about 80 percent of the
    beneficiaries in the West Region, so increasing network coverage to 85
    percent of beneficiaries is not much of a jump and still leaves
    significant white space in the West Region. While we appreciate
    HealthNet allowing beneficiaries to nominate their providers for
    network inclusion, it is unclear if this approach will work. Will these
    providers be willing to join the network? How long will this process
    take?
        In the East Region, network concerns seem limited to applied
    behavior analysis (ABA) providers. ABA offices have reported delays in
    credentialing, treatment authorizations, and claims processing. Some
    providers have already notified TRICARE patients that they will need to
    suspend services if the issues are not resolved (see Insert C, page
    92). Although Humana has shared their corrective action plan, we
    believe this situation warrants further monitoring until problems are
    resolved.
        In both the East and West Regions, provider directory inaccuracies
    are also contributing to military family frustration about the
    transition.
        Contract transitions are by nature disruptive, particularly for
    families in the middle of on-going medical treatment. We appreciate the
    steps the contractors have taken to address problems as they arise, but
    continuing complaints from both regions suggest continued oversight is
    warranted. We hope Congress will continue to demonstrate interest in
    ensuring a smooth transition for military families.
                        special needs military families
        Thank you to Congress and the Committee Staff for your diligent
    work in crafting a Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA provision to allow TRICARE to
    cover pediatric hospice services concurrently with curative care and
    quality of life therapies. The pediatric concurrent hospice legislation
    not only fixes an urgent problem for impacted families, but it also
    sends a signal to all military families that egregious TRICARE coverage
    issues will be addressed.
    TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO)
        Medicaid Waiver programs provide long term care services in home
    and community-based settings to people who would otherwise require care
    in an institutional environment. Most states have lengthy waitlists for
    their Medicaid Waiver programs and, as a result, many military families
    are unable to access Medicaid Waiver services because they PCS before
    reaching the top of the waitlist.

            I have two special needs children and have never been able to
            access Medicaid services till our recent assignment. When we
            move out of state this summer, we will again lose services. In
            9 years, we have received only 9 months of Medicaid waiver
            services due to frequent military moves. The process takes so
            long each time we PCS. It is really discouraging.

        Congress established TRICARE's Extended Care Health Option (ECHO)
    to substitute for state Medicaid waiver services that are often
    unavailable to mobile military families. Services provided by Medicaid
    Waiver programs should serve as the benchmark for ECHO covered
    services. However, ECHO currently falls short relative to Medicaid
    waiver services, particularly in the area of respite care.
        The 2015 Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization
    Commission Report validated this issue and recommended ECHO covered
    services should be increased to more closely align with state Medicaid
    waiver programs. Expanded services should be subject to the ECHO
    benefit cap of $36,000 per fiscal year, per dependent. Specific
    examples include, but are not limited to, expanding respite care hours
    to align more closely with state offerings and allowing families to
    access respite care without receiving another ECHO benefit.
          Respite care is covered by almost all State Medicaid
    Waivers: 92 percent of Waivers cover in-home respite while 86 percent
    cover out-of-home respite
          ECHO respite coverage falls far short of Medicaid
    Waivers. ECHO currently provides a maximum of 192 respite hours per
    year while the average State Medicaid Waiver provides 695 respite hours
    per year. \4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ MCRMC state-by-state Medicaid waiver analysis
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pediatric Definition of Medical Necessity
        TRICARE's adult-based definition of medical necessity prevents some
    military kids from getting the care they need--care that is widely
    accepted and practiced in the civilian health care system and MTFs.
    TRICARE is authorized to approve purchased care only when it is
    ``medically or psychologically necessary and appropriate care based on
    reliable evidence.'' DOD's hierarchy of reliable evidence includes only
    ``published research based on well controlled clinical studies, formal
    technology assessments, and/or published national medical organization
    policies/positions/ reports.'' While beneficiaries certainly want safe
    and effective treatment, such tightly prescribed data for children are
    not always available. TRICARE's strict adherence to this adult-based
    standard of reliable evidence results in coverage denials for widely
    accepted pediatric treatments.
        After our Association, together with the TRICARE for Kids
    Coalition, repeatedly raised this issue at Military Family Readiness
    Council meetings, senior DOD leadership requested the Defense Health
    Board (DHB) examine opportunities to improve the overall provision of
    health care and related services for children of members of the Armed
    Forces. The July 2016 report request specifically directed the DHB to:

            Address any issues associated with the TRICARE definition of
            ``medical necessity'' as it might specifically pertain to
            children and determine if the requirement for TRICARE to comply
            with Medicare standards disadvantages children from receiving
            needed health care.

        The DHB Pediatric Health Care Services Report \5\ was released
    December 18, 2017. The report documented TRICARE is out of step with
    commercial plans and Medicaid and concluded TRICARE's current
    definition of medical necessity disadvantages children from receiving
    some needed services. The DHB recommended the MHS:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ Defense Health Board Pediatric Health Care Services Report--
    December 18, 2017 https://health.mil/About-MHS/Defense-Health-Agency/
    Special-Staff/Defense-Health-Board/Reports

            Modify the administrative interpretation of the regulatory
            language in 32 Code of Federal Regulations 199.2 to broaden the
            use of the ``hierarchy of reliable evidence'' for the benefit
            of pediatric beneficiaries. Exclusions to the hierarchy
            described under ``reliable evidence'' in 32 Code of Federal
            Regulations 199.2 should not preclude pediatric services (a)
            meeting definitions of medical necessity used broadly in
            civilian practice or (b) recommended by recognized medical
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            organizations.

        Although the DHB's pediatric medical necessity recommendation was
    released with the pre-decisional report draft last summer, we are not
    aware of any movement at DHA to update the interpretation of the
    regulatory language. Although this issue doesn't require legislation,
    we believe demonstrated congressional interest will help speed
    resolution of this documented coverage gap affecting military kids.
    Fixing TRICARE's definition of pediatric medical necessity is an
    essential part of the TRICARE reform effort.
             tricare dental program for active duty family members
        The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) contract change to United
    Concordia (UCCI) took place May 1, 2017 and has led to a significant
    reduction in the value of the TDP benefit for many military families.
    Our Association has heard from dozens of angry families who have lost
    their dentist and/or can't find a dentist within a reasonable distance
    of their home/duty station. Not only have families reached out to us to
    provide feedback, they have leveraged multiple forums to raise the
    issue directly to DHA and the Services including Vice Admiral Bono's
    presentation at AUSA's [Association of the United States Army] Military
    Family Forum, TRICARE webinars, and TRICARE Town Hall events at
    individual installations.
        We are very concerned that, although the contractor is meeting the
    contractual access standard (a general dentist within 35 miles of 95
    percent of beneficiaries), the value of the military family dental
    benefit has become significantly diminished by narrowed provider
    networks. In some areas (Fort Campbell, the Tidewater region of
    Virginia), we question whether even contractual access standards are
    being met based on family member feedback as well as UCCI's
    acknowledgement of network deficiencies in those areas.
        Families are also concerned about the quality of dental care they
    might receive from providers who remain in the network at reduced
    reimbursement rates, particularly because many dentists have issued
    letters saying they are unwilling to accept outdated restrictions set
    forth by UCCI and/or use overseas labs or inferior materials, etc.
        After meeting several times with DHA and UCCI to express our
    concerns, it seems nothing will be done to improve the TDP under the
    current contract and we are concerned about the lack of options to
    address the ``race to the bottom'' nature of the TDP contract process.
    We ask Congress to consider extending Federal Employees Dental/Vision
    Program (FEDVIP) eligibility to Active Duty family members while
    maintaining current DOD contribution levels, adjusted annually for
    inflation, to dental plan premiums. FEDVIP participation would provide
    military families with options for dental coverage that best meets
    their needs.
      next phase of mhs reform: dha management of mtfs/direct care system
                                  right sizing
        During the MHS reform process, our Association detailed challenges
    military families face within the direct care system, including MTF
    appointment shortages and scheduling hurdles, variable quality and
    safety across the Direct Care system, and policies and patient
    experiences that vary greatly across MTFs. As reform efforts continue,
    we hope DHA and the Services maintain a focus on addressing these
    challenges.
        We appreciate and strongly support the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA
    provision that requires DHA to assume responsibility for the
    administration of all MTFs. Currently, DHA sets policy but MTFs have no
    accountability to the Agency for implementation of that policy.
    Consolidating MTF administration under DHA should allow the Agency to
    enforce policy and ensure more consistent communication.
        We are also grateful that the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA requires a DHA
    professional staff including a Deputy Assistant Director for Medical
    Affairs with responsibility for clinical quality, patient safety and
    the patient experience. We trust this position will be held accountable
    for improvements in quality of care and the patient experience.
        While we also support MHS reform intended to right-size the direct
    care system, retaining only beneficiary care that directly contributes
    to the readiness mission, we urge DHA to ensure access for
    beneficiaries who must transition care to the private sector as a
    result. If right-sizing includes specialty care consolidation into a
    handful of military medical centers of excellence, we trust military
    family preferences will be considered when determining where families
    will obtain specialty care.
        The quality and value of the military health care benefit should
    reflect the extraordinary demands of Military Service. MHS care should
    be on par with that provided by top performing civilian health systems.
    MTF policies, procedures and customer service should have a beneficiary
    focus designed to facilitate access to care. In short, military health
    care should be a robust benefit to families--not another sacrifice to
    add to the many that military families already make in support of their
    servicemembers. We truly appreciate your efforts on MHS reform that
    will get us closer to that goal.
                                   commissary
        Military families consistently tell us the commissary is one of
    their most valued benefits. We have long viewed the commissary--and the
    savings it provides to military families--as an essential element of
    military compensation. For that reason, we were concerned when the
    Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA authorized the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
    to make significant changes to its business operations; specifically,
    allowing the introduction of private label products and replacing the
    traditional ``cost plus 5 percent'' pricing model with variable
    pricing. While we understood the changes were introduced to make DeCA
    more efficient and less reliant on appropriated funds, we worried DeCA
    lacked the necessary expertise to manage the new system and the changes
    would ultimately erode the value of the benefit.
        A year later, the jury is still out. We have watched closely as
    DeCA introduced a number of private label products to its stores.
    Shoppers seem to be accepting the new products and have not complained
    to us about their quality relative to national brands. However, we
    often hear from shoppers regarding other elements of the shopping
    experience: empty shelves, expired dairy products, high-priced produce.
    We recently received the following report from a family stationed in
    Germany:
        (Here are) are photos from the commissary the week of Jan 2 to Jan
    5 where the shelves were bare in the meat section along with eggs,
    butter, yogurt, cheese and much of the product section. (Though the
    produce section generally hovered around 60 percent stocked, so it
    wasn't startling enough to take a photo. The complete lack of the other
    categories was surprising . . . one or two subsection within each
    category might be low or out of stock, but not everything all at the
    same time and for a week!)

        Similar issues with keeping shelves stocked have been reported at
    the commissary at Fort Myer, so the problem is not limited to stores
    OCONUS [outside the continental U.S.]. We recognize that some supply
    chain problems are unavoidable and unrelated to the changes in business
    operations. However, the problems do speak to DeCA's ability to deliver
    a high-quality benefit families can rely upon. We are also concerned
    repeated problems with product quality or availability will lead those
    families who can do so to shop elsewhere, further contributing to
    DeCA's decline in sales--and hindering its ability to generate enough
    revenue to reduce the need for appropriated funds.
        It is also important to remember the Exchange retail stores are
    highly dependent on foot traffic from nearby commissaries. Any threat
    to the health of the commissary puts the entire military resale system
    at risk. This is particularly concerning as Services reduce funds for
    installation Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs and instead
    increasingly rely on the Exchanges for MWR funding. If Exchange sales
    revenues decrease, funding for MWR programs will go down as well.
        We are gratified both Congress and DOD have recognized the
    importance of commissary savings to military families and have
    expressed their commitment to preserving the value of the benefit. We
    especially appreciate that Congress has demonstrated its commitment by
    authorizing a full commissary appropriation and by including key
    oversight provisions in the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA. However, we continue
    to be concerned about the long-term viability of this essential
    benefit.
        We ask Congress to continue closely monitoring DeCA as it continues
    with its business transformation.
                           military retirement system
        Servicemembers with fewer than 12 years of Military Service are
    faced this with an important decision--whether to opt in to the
    ``blended'' retirement system created in the Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA or
    remain in the current system. This choice has significant long-term
    financial ramifications for servicemembers and their families. It is
    vital to ensure these young servicemembers--and their spouses--are
    given the tools and resources they need to make the decision that is in
    their financial best interest.
        In addition to being an extremely important financial decision, the
    choice to opt in to the BRS is also irreversible. Thus, it is essential
    that servicemembers and their families know where and how to access
    information, training, and counseling in order to make the best
    decision. We are pleased DOD has recognized this responsibility and is
    taking steps to ensure servicemembers are informed about the new
    retirement system. Military OneSource and DOD have been proactive in
    advertising webinars and Facebook live sessions for both servicemembers
    and families to ask questions. We are especially glad the Department
    recognizes that the choice of retirement plan must be a family decision
    and is making its online course available to spouses as well. However,
    DOD should expand family access to the financial education provided by
    Military Family Life Counselors and unit Personal Financial Managers.
        We appreciate the new military retirement system will allow more
    servicemembers to accumulate retirement savings while preserving the
    defined benefit for those who serve a full career. However, we ask
    Congress to consider amending the plan to increase its value for
    servicemembers. Specifically, we ask Congress to increase the maximum
    level of matched contributions to servicemembers' Thrift Savings Plan
    (TSP) accounts to 5 percent--the level recommended by the Military
    Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC). Because
    the match is based on servicemembers' basic pay, rather than total
    compensation, servicemembers should have the option of a higher match
    in order to maximize their retirement savings. We also ask Congress to
    extend the government match for the full career of the servicemember,
    rather than ending it at 26 years of service.
        Finally, we note that the adoption of the new retirement plan is
    likely to affect the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). Will future retirees
    elect to pay into SBP if they have TSP accounts to leave their
    survivors? What would a lower participation rate mean for the overall
    health of the SBP? These are important questions that need to be
    studied. We ask Congress to direct DOD to study the potential impact
    the blended retirement system will have on the Survivor Benefit Plan.
        We ask Congress to increase the maximum level of matched
    contributions to servicemembers' TSP accounts to 5 percent--the level
    recommended by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization
    Commission.
        We ask Congress to extend the government match for the full career
    of the servicemember, rather than ending it at 26 years of service.
        We ask Congress to direct DOD to study the prospective impact the
    blended retirement system will have on the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).
          what do today's military families need to ensure readiness?
        It has often been said while the military recruits a servicemember,
    it must retain a family. Our Association has long argued in order to
    build and maintain the quality force our Nation demands, the military
    must support servicemembers as they balance the competing demands of
    Military Service and family life. We urge Congress to strengthen the
    programs and services available to support all troops and families in
    diminishing uncertainty and meeting the daily challenges of military
    life.
        We thank Congress for providing military families with greater
    flexibility in timing their relocation either before or after a
    servicemember's permanent change of station (PCS) report date in the
    Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA. We are anxious to see how the Services implement
    this new policy and will monitor whether it minimizes the upheaval
    associated with moving.
        Yet, budget issues have increased stress and anxiety for families
    facing a military-ordered move. The military must evolve to meet the
    needs of today's military families, but it needs a predictable budget
    and appropriation to do so.
                                   child care
        Military families frequently cite the lack of high quality,
    affordable child care as among the most significant challenges they
    face. In part, this reflects a national shortage of affordable child
    care options. However, the need for child care is especially pressing
    for the military community, which is disproportionately composed of
    young families. According to the 2016 Demographics Profile of the
    Military Community, more than 40 percent of military personnel have
    children. Of the nearly 1.8 million military-connected children, the
    largest cohort--37.8 percent--is age 5 or younger. \6\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ 2016 Demographics Profile of the Military Community, http://
    download.militaryonesource. mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2016-Demographics-
    Report.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Like all working parents, servicemembers with young children need
    access to affordable child care in order to do their jobs. However, the
    military lifestyle comes with unique challenges and complications for
    families. Servicemembers rarely live near extended family who might be
    able to assist with child care. Their jobs frequently demand long
    hours, including duty overnight. They are often stationed in
    communities where child care is expensive or unavailable.
    Servicemembers frequently deploy or travel for training or other
    assignments, putting strain on at-home parents.
        We are grateful to Congress for recognizing the importance of child
    care to military families and including a number of provisions
    addressing child care availability in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA. Thank
    you for requiring a study of compensation paid to DOD child care
    providers. Staffing shortages are a frequently-cited reason for lack of
    availability at installation child development centers (CDCs). Ensuring
    DOD child care providers are appropriately compensated at a level
    commensurate with their skills and responsibilities is a critical step
    in addressing this chronic problem.
        DOD is also to be commended for its commitment to providing high-
    quality, affordable child care to military families. Its facilities are
    often top-notch and it offers an impressive level of training and
    professional development opportunities to CDC workers as well as
    providers in its network of on-installation Family Child Care (FCC)
    homes. However, there are additional steps that DOD should consider in
    order to better meet the child care needs of military families.
        Streamline the hiring process for CDC employees and FCC providers:
    The process of hiring CDC personnel is lengthy and arduous. It can be
    difficult for CDC directors to find, hire, and put into place qualified
    staff. This limits the number of children a facility can serve.
    Similarly, military spouses seeking to offer child care in their homes
    as an FCC provider must endure a hiring process that can last up to 6
    months. It's not reasonable to expect a spouse to wait 6 months before
    starting her home-based child care business, especially if the spouse's
    family will only be in a given location for 2 years or less. While the
    safety of children is paramount, requiring multiple redundant
    background checks does nothing to enhance security while significantly
    impacting the amount of quality care DOD is able to provide. DOD should
    analyze whether and how the hiring process can be streamlined while
    still ensuring that necessary background checks and training take place
    to ensure children's safety.
        Increase availability of part-time and hourly care: We continue to
    hear from military families frustrated by the lack of hourly or drop-in
    care at installation CDCs. Many military families--especially those
    overseas or in remote locations--do not have easy access to reliable
    caregivers. For those families, access to drop-in care at an
    installation child care facility can greatly enhance their quality of
    life, enabling parents to go to medical appointments, run errands, and
    volunteer in their communities. This service can be especially vital
    when a servicemember is deployed, providing the at-home parent with a
    much-needed break. Increasing the number of hourly slots would also
    help address a common conundrum faced by military spouses after a PCS
    move: they can't look for work without child care, but under DOD
    priority guidelines, they aren't eligible for child care if they're not
    working. DOD should evaluate the programs at installation CDCs to
    ensure the mix of care offered--full time, part-time and hourly--meets
    the needs of the families they serve.
        Increase participation in the fee assistance program: The fee
    assistance program operated by the services is an innovative, effective
    approach to the problem of insufficient child care availability on
    base. The program helps offset the cost of child care in the civilian
    community, ensuring participating families can access high quality care
    at an affordable cost. Unfortunately, relatively few families take
    advantage of this benefit. Expanding participation in the child care
    fee assistance program would address many families' child care needs.
        A major reason why relatively few military families participate in
    the fee assistance program is a lack of eligible providers. DOD has
    stringent requirements for child care providers participating in the
    fee assistance program, to include national certification, regular
    inspections, and background checks. However, many states have less
    stringent requirements for providers. In those locations, families
    often have difficulty locating a provider who meets DOD's eligibility
    requirements. The Office of Military Community and Family Policy and
    the Defense State Liaison Office (DSLO) have worked together to
    encourage states to increase their standards to meet DOD's and have had
    a great deal of success in this regard. We encourage them to continue
    with this effort. We also encourage DOD to consider ways that it could
    broaden the pool of providers eligible to participate in the program
    while still maintaining its commitment to high quality care.
        Analyze role of FCC Homes: For many years, child care providers who
    offered care in their on-installation homes were an important part of
    the military child care system. These providers receive training and
    professional development from DOD much like that given to CDC employees
    and must comply with stringent DOD inspections and background checks.
    They provide a flexible care option for parents whose schedules don't
    work with CDC hours and offer employment opportunities for military
    spouses. However, the number of FCC homes has been declining for years.
    DOD should survey current providers as well as those who leave the
    program to assess why fewer people are offering this service and what,
    if anything, could be done to attract and retain in-home care
    providers.
        Part of the problem may be that if an FCC provider moves and no
    longer lives on an installation, he or she is subject to the licensing
    requirements of the state. Given DOD's stringent requirements, we
    expect that FCC providers would meet or exceed most states'
    requirements for licensing an in-home day care. For that reason, we
    suggest DOD and the Defense State Liaison Office work with states to
    expedite licensing for approved FCC providers, so they can quickly
    reopen their in-home day care in their new location.
        In addition, operating an FCC is a difficult, at times isolating
    job. We have heard that many providers drop out of the system during
    the deployment of their servicemember spouse as the burdens of
    operating an FCC become too much to manage during a time of additional
    stress. We commend DOD for providing opportunities for training and
    professional development to its FCC providers but encourage the
    Department to seek other ways to support these essential care providers
    in order to make it possible for them to continue offering child care
    services.
    EFMP Respite Care
        Military families with special needs family members are supported
    through the Services' Exceptional Family Member Programs (EFMP). The
    primary mission of the EFMP is assignment coordination is to ensure
    special needs families are sent to locations that can meet their
    medical and educational requirements. However, the EFMP also includes a
    family support component. While we appreciate that DOD recognizes the
    importance of supporting special needs families, we hear often from
    families who tell us that EFMP family support programs are falling
    short. This is especially true when it comes to respite care.
        Families with special needs children have unique child care needs.
    For those families, dropping a child off at a day care center or with a
    sitter may not be an option. Instead, parents of special needs children
    need respite care provided by trained caregivers. Access to quality
    respite care allows families to run errands, spend time with other
    children, and simply recharge.
        Recognizing the importance of respite care, especially for military
    families far from the support of friends or extended family, the
    Services have provided respite care for military families with eligible
    special needs family members as part of the EFMP family support
    function. However, because the respite care programs are operated and
    funded by each of the individual Services, eligibility requirements and
    the number of respite care hours available to families vary. This is a
    significant source of frustration to families assigned to joint bases
    or installations managed by other Services. We are also concerned the
    current fiscal environment may lead the Services to reduce the level of
    respite care they offer.
                         military children's education
        The vast majority of military-connected students attend local
    public schools in their civilian communities. Districts serving large
    numbers of military children rely on funding from the Department of
    Education and the Department of Defense to help offset the additional
    expenses they incur. It is incumbent on DOD and the Federal Government
    to ensure that schools charged with serving military-connected children
    have the support they need to provide the best possible education.
    Military families often have no control over when and where they move.
    They worry about the effect multiple moves will have on their
    children's academic achievement. They deserve the assurance that their
    children will receive a high quality education wherever they happen to
    be stationed. We urge Congress to continue funding programs designed to
    support the education of military-connected children.
        We are grateful that Congress chose to permanently authorize the
    Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) grant program in the
    Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA. This program, which was established by the John
    Warner National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2007,
    provides tangible, targeted support to public school districts serving
    large numbers of military-connected children. School districts have
    used DODEA grants to fund transition support programs for military
    children, enhance student proficiency in reading, math, and foreign
    language, and offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes in locations that
    would otherwise be unable to offer this level of instruction. We are
    pleased that military children will continue to benefit from the
    valuable educational programs made possible through the DODEA grant
    program.
    Impact Aid
        Military families care deeply about their children's education. It
    is essential to them that local public schools--which enroll the vast
    majority of our Nation's military-connected children--receive the
    resources they need to provide their children with the best possible
    education. For this reason, we strongly support the Department of
    Education Impact Aid program and call for its continued funding. Impact
    aid is designed to replace some of the property tax revenue lost by
    school districts with nontaxable Federal land such as a military
    installation within their boundaries. This essential revenue stream
    goes directly to affected school districts, which use it to meet the
    needs of the community they serve. Without impact aid, the quality of
    education available to military-connected children AND their civilian
    classmates would suffer. We thank Congress for recognizing the
    importance of impact aid by reauthorizing it in the Every Student
    Succeeds Act of 2015 and continuing to appropriate funds to support the
    program. We ask you to continue to prioritize impact aid funding.
        We are also grateful to Congress for authorizing $40 million for
    DOD Impact Aid and $10 million in impact aid for schools serving
    military children with special needs in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA. We
    ask Congress to maintain this funding to offset the costs incurred by
    districts educating large numbers of military children. These funds
    help local school districts meet the education needs of military
    children in an era of declining state budgets. Both DOD and Department
    of Education impact aid funding are critical in order to ensure school
    districts can provide quality education for military children.
        We strongly oppose proposals that would transition impact aid into
    a voucher program for military-connected kids. Losing impact aid would
    be financially devastating for school districts across the country and
    critically compromise the education services they are able to provide.
    Realistically, any voucher program supported by reallocating current
    levels of impact aid funding will only reach a few of the 550,000
    school-age children of Active Duty servicemembers. Who would decide
    which military children would be eligible for vouchers? Would costs of
    administering such a program come from the same funding stream as the
    vouchers? We believe military children should be eligible for local or
    state funded voucher programs at the same level as their civilian
    neighbors. But, we question DOD's capacity to administer a voucher
    program for military-connected children, made more complicated by the
    transient nature of military life. We urge Congress to reject a Federal
    voucher for military-connected children and preserve impact aid.
        Under the terms of the Services' Exceptional Family Member Program
    (EFMP), military family members with special needs should only be sent
    to locations where their medical and educational needs can be met. In
    practice, this policy has led to concentrations of special needs
    military families in locations such as Joint Base Lewis-McCord, where a
    large MTF and other specialized services are available. While the ready
    availability of services through the military and local civilian
    community benefits the special needs military families, we are
    concerned about the unintended burden on the public school districts
    serving these installations, which must provide special education
    services to a larger than normal population. Serving unusually large
    numbers of children with severe special needs places great strain on
    the budgets of these public school districts. We fear that in the long
    term this financial pressure will affect the quality of the education
    services these districts are able to provide. We ask Congress to
    require DOD to study where military families with severe special needs
    are concentrated and whether DOD Impact Aid for schools serving
    military children with special needs is appropriately allocated.
                    spouse employment and education support
        Spouse employment and education support is a critical component of
    military family readiness. Much like their civilian counterparts, many
    military families rely on two incomes in order to help make ends meet.
    However, military spouses face barriers hindering their educational
    pursuits and career progression due in large part to challenges
    associated with the military lifestyle.
        We are gratified in recent years Congress, DOD, the White House,
    and individual States have all taken steps to lessen the burden of an
    Active Duty member's military career on military spouses' educational
    and career ambitions. We fully support these initiatives, including
    DOD's portfolio of Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO),
    which provides educational funding for select military spouses, career
    counseling, employment support, and the DOD State Liaison Office's
    (DSLO) state-level initiatives. However, while progress has been made,
    military spouses continue to face significantly lower earnings and
    higher levels of unemployment and underemployment than their civilian
    counterparts, greatly impacting their families' financial stability.
    \7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Military Spouse
    Employment Report, Syracuse University (IVMF) February 2014: http://
    vets.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Military
    SpouseEmploymentReport--2013.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        We appreciate that Congress recognized the difficulty military
    spouses have in moving their careers from state-to-state by providing
    up to $500 reimbursement for re-licensing and re-certification because
    of a PCS in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA. Military spouses are anxiously
    awaiting the implementation of this new program. We hope DOD and the
    Services will quickly implement the reimbursement policy so that
    military spouse can begin to offset the out-of-pocket costs of
    additional licenses.
                                  grow our own
        One of our top priorities is to ensure adequate access to
    behavioral health providers who are attuned to the unique stressors of
    military life for servicemembers and their families who have endured
    years of repeated deployments, long separations, and possible injuries
    or illnesses. We support efforts to educate and employ military spouses
    as mental health professionals.
        As military families struggle to cope with the effects of 16 years
    of war, we are seeing an increasing demand for mental health services
    within our families and community. Since 2004, NMFA's military spouse
    scholarship and professional funds program has had almost 90,000
    applicants. Data from this year's approximately 9,000 scholarship
    applicants, as well as from Active Duty spouse respondents to the 2015
    health care survey done by the Military Officers Association of America
    (MOAA), indicate increased rates of behavioral health usage among
    military families. Both surveys show between 40 to 50 percent of
    military spouses have sought behavioral health care for someone in
    their family.
        Unfortunately, access to high quality care is limited. The shortage
    of mental health professionals nationally is mirrored in the military
    community; it is even greater at military installations in remote
    areas. We believe our Nation has an obligation to prevent, diagnose,
    and treat the mental health needs of servicemembers and their families.
    Doing so in the face of a nationwide shortage of mental health
    professionals will require innovative solutions and strategic public-
    private partnerships including Congress, DOD, the VA, and other
    organizations. We believe military spouses may also be a source of help
    for their community.
        Since the launch of our military spouse scholarships, the number of
    spouses pursuing mental health careers has increased. Our 2017
    applicant pool had more than 500 spouses planning to pursue careers in
    mental health fields. Twenty-two percent of these mental health
    profession applicants are spouses of wounded or fallen servicemembers.
        Many of our military spouses pursuing careers in mental health
    fields intend to serve military families. Helping these spouses
    overcome obstacles and pursue their careers has the dual benefit of
    assisting the individual spouse and family while addressing the
    shortage of mental health providers in the military community. However,
    these spouses face obstacles due to the unique challenges of the
    military lifestyle. In a February 2016 Facebook post a Marine Corps
    spouse shared an experience all too common for military spouse mental
    health professionals:

            We are currently stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA and I will
            start my practicum this June. I have excelled in my graduate
            program and now I am facing major challenges finding a facility
            that doesn't require a year sign-on and who has openings for
            new interns starting this summer. One specific problem I'm
            facing is we aren't sure when new orders will come or where
            they will be (making it additionally hard to convince licensed
            supervisors to take a new intern on if I will only be there for
            a couple months). Is there anyone who can share a professional
            contact with me?

        We offer the following recommendations for Congress to consider:
          Include military spouses and others who enter the mental
    health profession in Federal loan-forgiveness programs;
          Facilitate easier paths to both licensure and employment
    for military spouses and veterans in the mental health field when they
    work with our servicemembers and families;
          Pass legislation to allow military spouses full
    reciprocity when transferring an active unrestricted mental or
    behavioral health license from one state to another due to PCS;
          Support partnerships between the military health system
    and the VA to ease spouse difficulties in obtaining clinical
    supervision hours, reduce licensing barriers, and spur employment of
    military spouses and veterans in the mental health field.

        We ask Congress to increase access to behavioral health providers
    by supporting employment efforts of military spouses in the mental
    health profession.
                          military families in crisis
        Our country is still at war and military families continue to live
    extraordinarily challenging lives. Reintegration continues to pose
    challenges for some. Others are anxious about their financial futures.
    Most military families are resilient and will successfully address
    whatever challenges come their way. However, some will need help. It is
    critical military families trust DOD services and programs and feel
    comfortable turning to them in times of need. These programs and
    services must be staffed and resourced adequately so when families
    reach out for help, they can trust it is available. Military families
    must be assured our Nation will support them in times of family or
    personal crisis.
    Suicide
        In 2014, the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) released a
    report outlining an approach for tracking military family member
    suicides. The report, Suicide and Military Families: A Report on the
    Feasibility of Tracking Deaths by Suicide among Military Family
    Members, was requested by the Senate and House Armed Services
    Committees.
        We appreciate Congress including a provision directing DOD to track
    military family suicides as well as Reserve component suicides in the
    Fiscal Year 2015 NDAA, but are frustrated by DOD's delays in developing
    a plan to meet this mandate. If we don't have accurate information on
    the extent of the issue, targeting solutions is impossible.
    Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, and Domestic Violence
        Research commissioned by our Association \8\ and others during the
    past decade documents the toll of multiple deployments on children and
    families, the difficulties many families face on the servicemember's
    return, and the added strain a servicemember's physical and invisible
    wounds can place on a family. These stressors put military families at
    risk for marital/relationship problems and compromised parenting that
    must be addressed with preventative programs.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ Anita Chandra, et al., RAND Center for Military Health Policy
    Research, Views from the Homefront: The Experiences of Youth and
    Spouses from Military Families, 2011
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Those looking for budget cuts may find it tempting to slash family
    support, family advocacy, and reintegration programs. However, bringing
    the troops home from war zones does not end our military's mission,
    family separations, or the necessity to support military families.
    ``Rotations'' and ``training exercises'' of units to Europe and
    elsewhere must be accompanied by the same high levels of family support
    as if servicemembers were heading on a combat deployment. To family
    members, especially young children, ``gone is gone.''
        We are concerned the extraordinary stress military families face
    could lead to increased domestic violence as well. Preventive programs
    focused on effective parenting and rebuilding adult relationships are
    essential. The government should ensure military families have the
    tools to remain ready and to support the readiness of their
    servicemembers.
        We are encouraged the Family Advocacy Program, a congressionally-
    mandated DOD program designed to prevent and respond to child abuse/
    neglect and domestic abuse in military families, has redoubled its
    focus on prevention programs. Their efforts to repair relationships and
    strengthen family function will be essential. Programs like New Parent
    Support focus on helping young parents build strong parenting skills
    early on.
        We encourage Congress and the DOD to ensure Family Advocacy
    programs are funded and resourced appropriately to help families heal
    and aid in the prevention of child and domestic abuse.
                       support for transitioning families
        Transitioning out of the military affects the whole family. In
    addition to the transition assistance program available to
    servicemembers, resources relevant to family members need to be
    identified. Issues such as how to find community resources to replace
    DOD programs and the military spouse's role in the long-term care of
    the family as a whole aren't addressed in the transition classes.
        Military OneSource is an invaluable resource for military families.
    Services utilized by military families include: non-medical counseling,
    financial counseling (to include free tax preparation support), spouse
    education and career opportunities, and wounded warrior and caregiver
    support. In fiscal year 2016 Military OneSource completed 167,505 non-
    medical counseling sessions; 22,629 financial counseling sessions;
    223,069 federal and state tax returns; and distributed 1,628,322
    educational and promotional materials. \9\ The Department of Defense
    Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Program is accessed
    through the Military OneSource website. SECO provides spouses with
    career exploration, education, training and licensing requirements and
    options, career connections, and employment readiness. In fiscal year
    2016 Military OneSource received 145,067 calls related to spouse
    education and career opportunities. Military spouses have said:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \9\ Fiscal Year 2016 Military One Source Year at a Glance

            ``I'm a military spouse from overseas. When I came to the
            states I didn't know what to do and who to ask. No family here,
            no friends. Military OneSource is a great and fast help. It's
            like Google for military spouses. I love it and greatly
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            appreciate all the employees.''

            ``The spouse relocation and transition consultant was amazing.
            I felt so comfortable talking with her and she gave me a peace
            of mind with the PCS process! I absolutely loved her, and give
            my highest level of recommendation!''

            ``I'm a military spouse for 24+ years and oh how I wish I could
            say deployments get easier. I sure wish I would have known
            about Military OneSource all those years ago! I plan on
            utilizing for many, many years to come!''

        Our Association conducted a survey of military spouses facing
    transition. Over half the spouses indicated they were extremely or very
    concerned about relocation and finding employment. Over three quarters
    of the spouses were extremely/very concerned about being financially
    prepared and finding employment for their servicemember. Access to the
    counseling and other services provided by Military OneSource, beyond
    the 180 days currently provided, would make available resources and
    information to ease some of the concerns of our transitioning military
    families.
        Several weeks ago, President Trump signed an Executive Order
    titled, ``Supporting Our Veterans during Their Transition from
    Uniformed Service to Civilian Life,'' which extended Military OneSource
    services to separating servicemembers to 1 year post-separation. While
    we are grateful the Executive Order extended access to Military
    OneSource, we would like to see the extension written into law.
        Expand the opportunity for spouses to access transition information
    including face-to-face training and on-line training.
        We ask for legislation ensuring expanded servicemember and family
    access to Military OneSource to 1 year from a servicemember's
    separation from the military.
            today's surviving spouses need the dic offset eliminated
        Our Association has long believed the benefit change that would
    provide the most significant long-term advantage to the financial
    security of all surviving families would be to end the Dependency and
    Indemnity Compensation (DIC) offset to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).
    Although we know there is a significant price tag associated with this
    change, ending this offset would correct an inequity that has existed
    for many years. Each payment serves a different purpose. The DIC is a
    special indemnity (compensation or insurance) payment paid by the VA to
    the survivor when the servicemember's service causes his or her death.
    The SBP annuity, paid by the DOD, reflects the military member's length
    of service. It is ordinarily calculated at 55 percent of retired pay.
    Military retirees who elect SBP pay a portion of their retired pay to
    ensure their family has a guaranteed income should the retiree die. If
    that retiree dies due to a service-connected disability, their survivor
    becomes eligible for DIC.
        We appreciate Congress making the Special Survivor Indemnity
    Allowance (SSIA) permanent with cost-of-living increases in the Fiscal
    Year 2018 NDAA. This is another step towards permanently eliminating
    the DIC offset to SBP.
        We ask the DIC offset to SBP be eliminated to recognize the length
    of commitment and service of the career servicemember and spouse.
                  caregiver and wounded service member support
        Servicemembers and their families must be assured our Nation will
    provide unwavering support to the wounded, ill, and injured. This
    support must extend beyond the recovering warrior's medical and
    vocational rehabilitation. It must also include programs and services
    that help military caregivers, typically spouses or parents,
    successfully navigate their new role.
    Medicare Eligible Wounded Warriors & TRICARE Coverage
        Medically retired wounded warriors who receive Social Security
    Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits become eligible for Medicare Part
    A after 24 months on SSDI. At that point, the wounded warrior must
    enroll in Medicare Part B in order to keep TRICARE coverage. After the
    wounded veteran enrolls in Medicare Part B, their TRICARE coverage
    converts to TRICARE for Life (TFL). This poses a variety of problems
    for the severely wounded population:
          In the worst case scenario, the wounded warrior or his/
    her caregiver does not realize or is not appropriately informed they
    must enroll in Medicare Part B (and pay Part B premiums) in order to
    avoid losing their TRICARE coverage.
          In other instances, the wounded warrior or caregiver
    understands and enrolls in Medicare Part B and retains TFL. Although
    medical coverage is retained, the severely wounded veteran is now
    paying more for medical coverage than most other working-age TRICARE
    retirees.
          Finally, some severely wounded veterans receive SSDI for
    over 24 months and are forced onto Medicare/TFL. Eventually, the
    wounded veteran returns to work, but is required to stay on Medicare
    Part B for 8 years after returning to work. This results in more than
    $10,000 in Medicare Part B costs to the severely wounded warrior who
    returns to work.
        This is an extremely complex issue facing the most severely wounded
    servicemembers and their caregivers. These families face emotionally
    challenging lives and overwhelming responsibilities. Making a mistake
    about enrollment in Medicare Part B should not result in the life
    altering consequence of losing health care coverage. Furthermore, our
    most severely wounded warriors should not be forced to pay more for
    their health care than others.
        This complex problem crosses many jurisdictions including the
    Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, DOD, the Social Security
    Administration, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means
    Committee, the HASC and the SASC. Given this problem impacts our most
    severely wounded veterans and their families, we urge the House and
    Senate Armed Services Committees to take the lead in creating a
    solution to this complex issue.
                     military families--continuing to serve
        Recent national fiscal challenges have left military families
    confused and concerned about whether the programs, resources, and
    benefits contributing to their strength, resilience, and readiness will
    remain available to support them and be flexible enough to address
    emerging needs. The Department of Defense must provide the level of
    programs and resources to meet these needs.
        Servicemembers and their families have kept trust with America,
    through more than 16 years of war, with multiple deployments and
    separations. We ask the Nation to keep the trust with military families
    and not try to balance budget shortfalls from the pockets of those who
    serve.
        Evolving world conflicts keep our military servicemembers on call.
    Our military families continue this call as well, even as they are
    dealing with the long-term effects of almost 2 decades at war. The
    government should ensure military families have the tools to remain
    ready and to provide for the readiness of their servicemembers.
    Effective support for military families must involve a broad network of
    government agencies, community groups, businesses, and concerned
    citizens.
                                   Insert A:
     comparison of medical facility access--kaiser foundation health plan
                               vs. tricare prime
    _______________________________________________________________________
        Without the option of switching to Select, TRICARE Prime families
    will be trapped in their assigned MTF regardless of access or quality
    issues.

        Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Mid-Atlantic States: Search radius
    around zip code 22315 (Alexandria/Kingstowne)

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Hospitals--20 mile radius                         Medical Office Buildings--10 mile radius
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Virginia Hospital Center..........................                                Burke Medical Center
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Children's National Medical Center................                         Falls Church Medical Center
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Sibley Memorial Hospital..........................                          Springfield Medical Center
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Washington Hospital Center........................
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        National Capital Region Medical Directorate: Search radius around
    zip code 22315 (Alexandria/Kingstowne)

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Military Hospitals--20 mile radius                        Military Clinics--10 mile radius
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Fort Belvoir Community Hospital......................                             Rader Clinic--Fort Myer
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   Insert B:
                          copay/cost share comparison

    TRICARE Select vs. Federal Employee Health Benefit & Fairfax County
    Public Schools Plans

    FEHBP Plan Types: Nationwide Fee for Service/PPO-Open to All

                                   Insert C:
    examples of aba provider service suspension notices to tricare patients

                             Insert C (continued):
    examples of aba provider service suspension notices to tricare patients
                                  (continued)

        Senator Tillis. Thank you.
        Mr. Haynie.

     STATEMENT OF J. MICHAEL HAYNIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE
        FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

        Dr. Haynie. Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand,
    thank you very much for the opportunity to address you today on
    the topic of military family readiness.
        I would actually like to use my time to speak briefly on
    the central role that military families play in our national
    defense.
        This year marks the 45th birthday of America's experiment
    with an all-volunteer military military. As the volunteer force
    has evolved as an American institution, all too often the
    narrative associated with the role that our military families
    play in our national security has been misplaced, marginalized,
    and misunderstood.
        As Members of this Committee understand, America's All-
    Volunteer Force assumes a deep pool of eligible volunteers.
    However, as we heard from the previous panel, today DOD's own
    estimates suggest that approximately 70 percent of the Nation's
    roughly 34 million 17- to 20-year olds are ineligible for
    Military Service due to issues ranging from obesity, fitness,
    and insufficient formal education. At the same time, over the
    past 20 years, consistently the Nation's youth--that we have
    witnessed a decline in the willingness or propensity of the
    Nation's youth to consider Military Service. According to the
    University of Michigan's annual Monitoring the Future Survey of
    high school students, today less than 12 percent of American
    youth are even going to consider Military Service after high
    school. So, while the Nation's defense rests on the assumption
    of a robust pool of eligible volunteers, the reality is, today,
    that assumption has never been more tenuous.
        All that said, since the advent of the All-Volunteer Force,
    the Nation's most reliable pipeline of eligible and willing
    volunteers comes from our military families, the daughters,
    sons, brothers, and sisters of those who are now or who have
    served in the Nation's uniform. In other words, one consequence
    of the All-Volunteer Force has been to create Military Service
    as a family business. This means our ability to recruit the
    best and the brightest to Military Service in the future
    depends, to a significant degree, on our capacity to support
    those families serving today.
        So, how are we doing? This is an exceedingly difficult
    question to answer, because, as an academic, I want research
    and data. In that regard, I'd like to highlight to the
    Committee that there is a profound deficit of research focused
    on the social, economic, and wellness concerns of our Nation's
    military families. However, what we do know from research
    conducted by my teammates at Syracuse University's Institute
    for Veterans of Military Families and by others, to include at
    this table, suggest that we must do more, and better. I--but, I
    will share some of what we do know.
        We know that military spouses are exceedingly well
    educated, as compared to their civilian counterparts, but, as
    we've heard already this morning--this afternoon, many
    experience unemployment at a rate three times higher than their
    nonmilitary peers. This could be because military spouses
    relocate ten times more frequently than their civilian
    counterparts, creating gaps in employment and education and
    making it nearly impossible to create the security, stability,
    and community connections required to sustain a career. Those
    military spouses who are able to secure employment, on average
    earn 38 percent less than their civilian counterparts.
        We know that employment and underemployment challenges
    experienced by military spouses undercut the financial health
    of our military families. While military families save at the
    same rate as their civilian counterparts, over one-third report
    difficulty covering monthly expenses. Only 50 percent report a
    rainy-day fund for available emergencies. As Kathy mentioned
    earlier, a recent survey found that 54 percent of those
    planning to leave the military within the next 12 months have
    less than $5,000 in savings available to support that
    transition to civilian life.
        One thing that I think we need to talk more about are our
    military children. We know that children of the post-9/11
    generation have been exposed to unique stressors. Two recent
    studies demonstrate that military-connected children have
    higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, sadness, suicidal
    ideation, and suicide attempts, as compared to nonmilitary-
    connected youth. While the costs and consequences of the
    Military Service experience on military children is a story
    that will unfold in the years and decades to come, all
    indications are today the costs and consequences will be high.
        Importantly, we also know that military spouses and
    military children are resilient, resourceful, adaptable,
    entrepreneurial, and engaged in the world around them. We know
    that military spouses and military children have much to
    contribute to our communities during and after Military
    Service.
        Finally, we also know that, in recent years, there has been
    a steady decline in the willingness of currently serving
    military members to recommend Military Service to their own
    children. Today, only 40 percent of those serving indicate that
    they would recommend Military Service, with the unwilling
    majority citing concerns related to the well-being of the
    family as being one of the primary factors in their decision.
        All of this is to say that many inside and outside of
    government have long hypothesized a relationship between the
    concerns of military families and DOD's ability to recruit and
    retain the most skilled, qualified, and service-minded
    individuals. From where I sit today, the data is clear.
    Investments positioned to care for and support our military
    families are central to our military readiness and to our
    national security. Further, these investments are morally and
    ethically right.
        It's my hope that the public and the private sector join
    together to act to make strengthening our military families a
    national priority, acknowledging that building a prosperous and
    safe nation for future generations requires that we treat our
    military families as a treasured national resource.
        Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your
    questions.
        [The prepared statement of Dr. Haynie follows:]

                  Prepared Statement by Dr. J. Michael Haynie
        Chairman Tillis, Ranking Member Gillibrand, Members of the
    Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to address you today on the
    topic of military family readiness. Further, I'd like to thank this
    Committee for your ongoing efforts in support of our servicemembers and
    their families.
        The Committee asked that my testimony focus on military family
    readiness--specifically issues related to the transition from military
    to civilian life, spousal employment, education and childcare programs,
    and financial readiness impacting servicemembers and their families. I
    will address these issues during our discussion, but first would like
    to situate my testimony within a brief statement related to the central
    role that our military families play in our Nation's defense--
    specifically with regard to the sustainment and viability of the
    Nation's All-Volunteer Force.
        The U.S. National Security Strategy emphasizes all of the Nation's
    resources as central to our national security, and explicitly
    identifies America's support of wounded warriors, veterans, and
    military families as fundamental to our defense.
        Importantly, emphasizing support for those servicemembers,
    veterans, and families who have shouldered the burden of our past and
    current wars is not about patriotism or politics. Instead, this
    emphasis acknowledges the greatest fear of the architects of the post-
    Vietnam All-Volunteer Force; that is, a circumstance where the
    Department of Defense is unable to recruit and retain citizen
    volunteers. In this regard, at no time in the history of the All-
    Volunteer Force have the costs and consequence of inaction been more
    profound.
        Since the advent of the All-Volunteer Force, the pool of Americans
    who meet the minimum standards to volunteer has consistently declined,
    to a point where today it is estimated nearly three out of every four
    of the roughly 34 million 17- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. are
    ineligible to serve. Compounding this situation is the fact that only
    about one quarter of high-school graduates who might be otherwise
    eligible, can also pass the Armed Forces Qualification Test, which
    measures basic math, writing, and reading skills.
        Thus, while our Nation's defense rests on the assumption of a broad
    and deep pool of eligible volunteers, the reality is that this
    assumption has never been more tenuous.
        However, the existence of a broad and deep pool of volunteers
    eligible to serve, by itself, is obviously not enough. There also needs
    to be a willingness to serve--particularly among the best and brightest
    of America's youth.
        In that regard, consider that since the early 1980s, the
    willingness of American youth to consider Military Service has steadily
    declined. The University of Michigan's longstanding ``Monitoring the
    Future Survey,'' which has since 1975 annually surveyed about 50,000
    high school students about their general attitudes, behaviors, values,
    including toward Military Service, suggests today that less than 12
    percent of American youth are willing to even consider Military Service
    after high school. Further, this same survey also indicates that
    perceptions of Military Service as a `means to get ahead' in life and
    to `secure and education' have declined sharply in recent years.
        All of this is to suggest that today, given fewer Americans
    eligible for Military Service, and a declining number willing to
    volunteer, those both eligible and willing represent a treasured
    national resource.
        Importantly, throughout the now more than 15 years of sustained
    military conflict, the most reliable and robust pipeline of eligible
    and willing volunteers is represented by the daughters, sons, brothers,
    and sisters, of those who are now or have served in uniform. In other
    words, the health of our military families is inextricably linked to
    the future viability of the All-Volunteer Force. This is not
    speculation or conjecture, but fact demonstrated by research.
        Specifically, new research conducted jointly by Blue Star Families
    and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse
    University suggests that today, only 40 percent of military family
    respondents would recommend Military Service to their children--a
    decline from 45 percent in 2015. Further, the same study highlights
    that the extent to which military families feel supported while
    serving, and throughout the transition from military to civilian life,
    is strongly and directly correlated to the likelihood of recommending
    Military Service to others. For example, the research indicates that 71
    percent of families reporting a supported and smooth transition from
    military to civilian life express a willingness to recommend Military
    Service to their own children. However, among those indicating a
    difficult or very difficult transition, only 56 percent would recommend
    Military Service to a family member.
        All of this is to say that many inside and outside of government
    have long imagined a relationship between action [or inaction] to
    address the concerns of military families, and the DOD's ability to
    recruit and retain the Nation's most skilled, qualified, and service-
    minded individuals. Today, a much-enhanced ability to leverage robust
    and longitudinal data--informative of the `lived experiences' of our
    Nation's military families--supports more than ever before, a
    comprehensive understanding of the social, economic, and wellness
    concerns of those families who have shouldered the burden of the
    Nation's post-9/11 wars. This body of research suggests strongly that
    the in-service and post-service welfare of our military families
    directly affects All-Volunteer Force imperative of recruiting a high-
    quality and socio-economically representative force.
        Accordingly, over the last 5 years, the Institute for Veterans and
    Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University has engaged in a
    purposeful effort to inform and act on opportunities to advance in-
    service and post-service opportunities for servicemembers, veterans,
    and military families. Over that period, more than 90,000 have
    benefited from educational, vocational, and business ownership programs
    offered by the IVMF and its partners. Importantly, the large scale and
    scope of the IVMF's programs has set the conditions for extensive study
    of the in-service and transition-connected challenges facing our
    servicemembers and their families. I look forward to sharing some of
    what we have learned regarding the topics the Committee identified as
    the focus of this hearing during our discussion.
        It is clear to me that investments positioned to care for and
    support our military families, to include a robust infrastructure
    supporting the transition of military families to civilian life,
    represents an investment in the Nation's future defense. Further, such
    investments are also morally and ethically right. These are complex
    issues, but exceedingly important. I thank the Subcommittee for hearing
    me and others on the concerns of military families, and look forward to
    your questions.

        Senator Tillis. Thank you all.
        Mr. Haynie, I'm guessing that's not a Tennessee Volunteers
    orange tie you've got on. Is that----
        Dr. Haynie. Senator, it is not. That is the proud Syracuse
    orange.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Tillis. A man's got to try.
        Dr. Haynie. Big game tonight, North Carolina State, up in
    the Carrier Dome.
        Senator Tillis. That--actually, I want to just start with
    you. The--a question I had--I served in the legislature before
    I came up to the Senate, and we were constantly trying to
    figure out how we partner with the States and with the private
    sector. Ms. Roth Douquet, I heard your concern about the DOD
    partnering not going so well. But, what are you-all's view,
    should we do more--particularly when you have a relatively
    highly skilled workforce that's grossly underpaid. Some of that
    probably relates to the relocation rate and just not being able
    to go and get the credentialing they need in a given new
    jurisdiction. Are there any good examples out there of States
    or private-sector collaborations that are working? What more
    can we do there?
        Dr. Haynie. So, I think one of the things that's--that is
    interesting to me--and I'm going to come back to something that
    Kathy mentioned earlier--is, we saw the private sector stand up
    en masse when the veterans unemployment rate hit the 20-25
    percent. Collaboration between the private-sector actors and,
    you know, coalitions of firms 200-300 strong focused on solving
    the veterans' employment problem. We have not seen that same
    kind of effort as it relates to military spouses.
        I do believe that--for the last 2 years of the Obama
    administration, I was the vice chairman of the Federal
        Advisory Committee on Reform at the VA. One of the things
    that Kathy mentioned, that I think has been transformative
    relative to the VA's ability to partner with the private
    sector, is creating a focused effort and office around public-
    private partnerships. I agree very much with Kathy's
    recommendation. I think that, in this regard, DOD could benefit
    from that opportunity, as well.
        Senator Tillis. Ms. Roth-Douquet, do you have anything to
    add to that?
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Blue Star Families helps convene a group
    of about 55 nonprofits, foundations, and government leaders.
    They did all endorse this idea of a--an office similar to the
    VA at DOD. I do agree that it takes a sustained effort.
        Most Americans have no idea this problem exists. Most
    employers have no idea. When they hear that it does, they are
    interested in these talented workers, who actually have health
    insurance, by the way, so they're pretty attractive employees.
    But, it takes a big voice, and a bigger voice than we have. So,
    the work that we're--that we can do with Senators, with States,
    but also getting the DOD this kind of office, can get us to
    replicate the success that there was in veteran hiring, I
    think.
        Senator Tillis. Ms. Hruska, you mentioned, in your opening
    comments, about, on the one hand, you welcome some of the
    healthcare reforms, but you did have some possible concerns, or
    potential concerns, about the implementation. I'd like for you
    to maybe expand a little bit on that. I know your organizations
    also advocated for extended healthcare options for--healthcare
    option benefits for military dependents with special needs. So,
    could you talk a little bit more about what we should be
    mindful of as we move through some of the changes?
        Ms. Hruska. Well, we outlined quite a bit of our concerns
    on the healthcare reform in our testimony. I'll just use one
    example. We appreciate DOD is trying to make the healthcare
    benefit for military families a little similar to the their
    civilian counterparts. So, we are starting enrollment periods,
    and this year is the first year, but the rules are a little
    lax. So, next January, you will have an opt-in period. I
    believe that actually will go November to December. Then you
    must enroll in your healthcare program, starting January 1st.
    So, the Department has created qualifying life events.
        As we look at those qualifying life events, dissatisfaction
    with the military treatment facility is not a reason to opt
    out. We have particular concerns about this, because you may
    have a wonderful experience with a military treatment facility,
    say, here in the National Capital Region, but you move to
    another area, you say, ``I've had a great experience. I'm going
    to sign up and go to my military treatment facility,'' and then
    you have a very poor experience, and then you're trapped. You
    have nowhere--you have to deal with that one healthcare
    facility until the next open-enrollment period. If you have a
    child that has a particular condition, or if you find--you have
    concerns--you're pregnant, you have concerns about a pregnancy,
    that can be particularly restrictive. That's just one issue
    that we have.
        Senator Tillis. Well, thank you. We'll certainly take what
    you expanded on in the written testimony, and any additional
    information you'd like to submit to the record, as being
    instructive as we go through the implementation.
        Ranking Member Gillibrand.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        The rate of entrepreneurship in America has grown in the
    past couple of years. And the economy is estimated to be at a
    third of the U.S. workforce. When considering the barriers that
    military families face finding work, these avenues may offer a
    key to increasing employment.
        Mr. Haynie, can you speak about programs such as Boots to
    Business and VWISE, which is Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit
    of Entrepreneurship, and whether the DOD can learn from them,
    in terms of military spouse employment?
        Dr. Haynie. Senator, I can. One of my great passions is
    military connected entrepreneurship. Matter of fact, I am
    leaving here to fly to Austin, Texas. For the next 4 days,
    almost 400 military spouses, military veterans interested in
    pursuing entrepreneurship will receive training, mentorship,
    and support through programs that we operate out of the
    institute. Business ownership is a unique opportunity for this
    population, both our military veterans as well as our military
    spouses, to craft a vocation for themselves in a way that
    accommodates some of the unique challenges, stressors
    associated with Military Service.
        Military veterans and military spouses are over-indexed to
    business ownership in this country, relative to nonmilitary-
    connected populations. If you look at--veterans represent about
    6 percent of the population, but almost 15 percent of all small
    business owners in this country. Take women veterans, female
    spouses that are--VWISE program that you mentioned--now
    thousands of women have received training through that program,
    and they're outgrowing businesses at a rate of--venture
    creation rate, 92 percent; 5 year survival rate of those
    businesses, up in the 80-percent range, which is unheard of.
    So, I think it's a unique opportunity for this population, one
    that the Boots to Business Program and the ability of spouses
    to take advantage of that has to remain central to how we think
    about transitioning families out of the military.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
        Researchers have found that Military Service adds
    additional challenges for married couples, which you've all
    testified to, such as increased household responsibilities for
    spouses or the impact of psychological effects of service on
    marital stability. Married volunteers who served in post-9/11
    wars were slightly more likely to become divorced during their
    first 2 years post-service, compared to civilian populations.
    What can the DOD do better to support military families to
    address these unique strains?
        Go ahead, Kathy.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. A lot of the ideas about creating
    flexibility in the life cycle, I think, will go a long way.
    Allowing--our current military is millennials. Millennials
    value stability very highly. They value stability more than
    they do upward mobility, in fact. So, the opportunity to weigh
    in on their careers, we believe, would create a lot of strength
    within the family. So, I think that is an important element.
        Predictability also would reduce a lot of the strain that
    creates strains in marriage and creates strains around children
    and childcare. So, I think the same things that will create
    more satisfaction in the career, itself, will provide a lot of
    strength in marriage.
        I don't think DOD should get into the marriage therapy
    business. I don't think it's going to be their strength. I
    think the underlying structure and this partnering with the
    people whose strength it is, organizations like Taya Kyle's
    Frog Foundation--there's a lot of great organizations out
    there. Let's make it possible for them to do their work.
        Senator Gillibrand. So, I'm concerned about, not just
    divorce rates, but also domestic violence rates and suicide
    rates that you've all talked about today. You know, we have
    our--every other year, we have the survey of sexual violence in
    the military, but spouses aren't actually surveyed. I would
    really like to either add the spouses to that survey--and I'd
    like your thoughts on that--or create a unique survey to get
    some of this other data, too. A survey that's conducted by the
    military and aggregated every year or every other year of
    issues like divorce rates, suicide rates, domestic violence
    rates, child abuse rates, so that we actually have real data.
    I'd like your thoughts and recommendations on whether we should
    do a survey that's unique to families or at least add spouses
    to the biannual survey of military sexual assaults.
        Ms. Hruska. Our association would prefer to see a separate
    survey, because domestic violence is sometimes different than
    sexual assault. As the Services discussed earlier, especially
    with the family advocacy program, the outcomes when there is
    counseling and families work together--the outcomes are better.
    So--and, a lot of times, in domestic violence, you want to see
    that both partners want to save the marriage and improve the
    situation. So, I think a separate survey would be beneficial.
        Dr. Haynie. So, what I'd--how I'd like to respond to that
    is to suggest that the more data we have, the better off we
    are. I chose to emphasize military children a bit in my opening
    statement, because, honestly, one of the communities that I am
    most concerned about are our military children. We often look
    for precedent related to how to think about supporting--whether
    it's our servicemembers, our spouses, our children. What we
    fail, I think, or have failed, to consider is, there is no
    precedent relative to the past 15 years. You know, I talked
    about the 45th birthday of the All-Volunteer Force. The past 15
    years have been the first extended test of the All-Volunteer
    Force. What we understood after Vietnam, even after the--you
    know, the first Gulf War, there is no precedent for going to
    Fort Drum, for example, and talking to a soldier who's been in
    for 10 years and has been deployed five times. Talking to that
    soldier's child, who, you know, might be 6 or 7 years old, and,
    for 2 or even 3 of those years, has been without a parent, I--
    it's shocking to me that we have not invested more in looking
    at the impact of these stressors on military children. I think
    we have to do it over time. Because there is no safety net for
    them. For the veterans, there is the VA. When families
    transition out of the military, for those children, there is no
    safety net. I think that we will be in for a surprise, as a
    Nation, as a society, when we come to learn, over time, the
    implications of the past 15 years for those children.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. My grave concern is that we do this in a
    way that preserves the dignity and respect of the people
    involved. So, when I--when my husband was Active Duty, and I
    went to see the doctor, they always asked me, ``Do you feel
    safe in your home?'' I always thought, ``Gee, are my neighbors
    who aren't in the military, are their doctors asking them that?
    I being targeted because my husband's in the military, and
    therefore there's a veil of suspicion over it?'' So, if there
    are surveys, I think it's important that we do it in a way that
    isn't stigmatizing and treating military people as a separate
    population from other Americans that are maybe somehow suspect.
    I say that because who's going to do the survey? Already
    there's a little bit of distrust with being your husband's
    boss's boss. So, we have to make sure it's done in a way that
    is respectful to the people involved, and respectful that many
    of them----
        Senator Gillibrand. Would that lend itself, then, to just
    be part of the regular DOD survey?
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Well, I think people--it's not a popular
    survey. It gets around a 2-percent response rate, that survey.
    So, I think that this is another place you want to look at
    public-private partnerships to have people who are more in tune
    to the right kinds of questions.
        Senator Gillibrand. Well, the RAND Corporation does the
    survey for the Department of Defense, and they implement it.
    All servicemembers are supposed to fill it out, and then they
    extrapolate from that an estimate of how many cases.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right. I know a lot of people don't take
    it, or choose not to answer it, because there is a certain
    distrust about it. I felt it, myself. I felt that distrust
    about, Was it really private? So, I think this is just the
    reality that you need to know. When you observe a population,
    you change it. Right? So, if the person who's observing is seen
    as being an official body, you may or may not get the data that
    you hope to get. I'm offering this as----
        Senator Gillibrand. It's a tough question.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right. I do feel----
        Senator Gillibrand. What is a trusted source, if you--if
    you were to design--if you were trying to get to the data that
    Michael wants to get to----
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right.
        Senator Gillibrand. Are these kids suffering? How many kids
    are subject to child abuse? How many have, you know, suicidal
    ideation? How many are at risk? How much domestic violence?
    What's a percentage of divorce? If you want to get to that
    information--because the military, unfortunately, doesn't do
    anything until they have data. So, if they don't see the
    problem, they're not going to fix it.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right.
        Senator Gillibrand. They just are going to say the problem
    doesn't exist. So, I can't fix these problems unless I can
    prove to the DOD and my colleagues that they exist. So, I need
    data to prove they exist. So, I need data, but I don't----
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right.
        Senator Gillibrand. I obviously don't want data that's not
    accurate, and----
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. Right.
        Senator Gillibrand.--I don't want it to be used to bludgeon
    the military, because that's not the point. The point is, how
    do we protect servicemembers, their families, and their
    children?
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. I think that using focus groups that have
    some engagement with something that looks--what we've found
    from people is, they want things from their friends and
    neighbors, and they want it from popular culture. So, I would
    work with Sesame Street or something that seems trusted in that
    way, or--one of the reasons people answered Blue Star Family's
    survey is because it's seen as being different----
        Senator Gillibrand. Maybe we could ask them to do it.
        Ms. Roth-Douquet. With--yeah, and we do actually have some
    data on domestic violence. I think also the--you know, it's----
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you. We'd like to work with you
    offline with our staff. Thank you.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tillis. Thank you, Senator Gillibrand.
        I want to thank you all for being here. I think it's been a
    great hearing. We've gotten a lot of information. We'll have a
    lot more from your written testimony. Certainly, the question-
    and-answer has been very helpful.
        I want to make sure--Ms. Hruska, I--the point that you made
    about getting the information on military family suicide, I've
    taken a note. We will get an answer to your question and share
    that with you. I want this to be the continuation of a dialogue
    as we go into the NDAA. We continue to work on policies after
    the NDAA, so you have an open invitation to work with the
    Committee staff and with my staff. I'm sure I speak for Senator
    Gillibrand. We want your feedback.
        I also want to move that any outside statements received in
    the--that we include any outside statements received in the
    official record for this hearing, without objection.
        Senator Gillibrand. So moved.
        Senator Tillis. So moved.
        So, thank you again for being here and for your personal
    and professional interest in this issue. Thank you for your
    service to a very important population in our community.
        This meeting is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 5:00 p.m., the Subcommittee adjourned.]

        [Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]

                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
                          financial readiness matters
        1. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, over the last 15 years, the Department of Defense has
    implemented policies and procedures to improve the financial readiness
    of servicemembers through personal finance management and education.
    Yet there are still too many Active Duty military personnel and
    veterans experiencing challenging financial issues, including excessive
    debt, credit problems, bankruptcy, foreclosures, short-term loan fees,
    and a lack of savings or emergency funds. According to the Department's
    2017 Annual Report on the Financial Literacy and Preparedness of
    Members of the Armed Forces, over 25,000 servicemembers used an auto
    title loan and over 13,000 used a payday loan in the preceding 12
    months. The Department, over a decade ago, concluded that these
    practices endangered readiness. In your view, how important are
    individual and family financial readiness to the overall readiness of
    the armed forces and the Services' ability to execute the missions we
    assign them?
        Secretary Wilkie. Personal financial readiness is a critical
    component of overall military readiness. The Department is committed to
    ensuring our servicemembers possess the skills and resources to help
    them maintain their financial readiness.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. Soldier and family financial readiness
    yields a significant positive impact on overall Army readiness. Poor
    financial literacy can contribute to stress related to indebtedness,
    soldier inability to manage finances, and marital discord. It can
    reduce mission focus and reduce productivity. To improve financial
    readiness, the Army provides financial readiness training to soldiers
    and families throughout their military lifecycle. Financial literacy
    training was required during fiscal year 2017 for Blended Retirement
    System (BRS) eligible soldiers so they can make an informed decision
    whether to opt-in the BRS that began in January 2018 or stay in the
    legacy system. Financial literacy training will be more important to
    Reserve component soldiers as early as April 2018 when given a choice
    elect ``Lump Sum'' retirement payment under BRS for a non-regular
    retirement.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Individual and family financial readiness is
    very important to sustaining mission readiness and family readiness.
    The Navy family readiness system supports commanders in maintaining
    unit readiness, sustaining mission readiness, and promoting personal
    readiness and retention, through the Navy personal financial management
    program, which provides financial literacy education and training,
    counseling, consumer advocacy and complaint resolution assistance, and
    information and referral services to increase personal, family, and
    operational readiness. These educational efforts and the protections of
    the Military Lending Act serve to minimize the adverse impacts on
    readiness of predatory lending and poor personal financial management.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Individual and family financial
    readiness are critical pieces to the overall readiness of our airmen.
    We continue to build capabilities and work with partners within and
    outside of the department to address our airmen's unique needs,
    creating and adapting solutions in a rapidly changing financial
    environment. The Air Force is committed to enhancing capabilities
    related to financial readiness to increase the overall mission
    readiness for our airmen and their families. The Air Force data on
    Financial Literacy is reported annually via the Status of Forces Survey
    conducted by Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). Overall, the Air
    Force does not have large numbers of financial issues and airmen
    indicate a comfortable financial situation.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Individual and family financial readiness
    are critical components of individual readiness, and ultimately our
    ability to execute our mission. The Marine Corps has focused on
    improving the reach and structure of its Personal Financial Readiness
    Program to support overall mission readiness. The Marine Corps has
    increased education efforts to help marines understand the lending
    habits of payday and auto title loans. As requested in the Fiscal Year
    2016 National Defense Authorization Act, the Marine Corps has made
    efforts to work with other agencies and nonprofit organizations. The
    best example is demonstrated by the availability of Navy Marine Corps
    Relief Society (NMCRS) loans to help curb the use of predatory loans
    within the Marine Corps. Throughout the last ten years NMCRS has
    provided more than $158 million in financial assistance to Active Duty
    sailors and marines through their Quick Assist Loan (QAL) program. This
    program was created to combat the predatory lenders harming our sea
    service personnel's overall financial well-being. QALs are short-term,
    interest-free loans for amounts up to $500, and are generally processed
    in about 15 to 20 minutes. By working with NMCRS the Marine Corps has
    been able to reduce the number of marines participating with predatory
    lenders and support the marines financial readiness.

        2. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, what steps has the Department taken to educate and empower
    officers and enlisted personnel to make better-informed financial
    decisions throughout their military careers?
        Secretary Wilkie. The Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA expanded the scope and
    frequency of financial literacy training required to be given to
    servicemembers. In response, the Department and the Military Services
    are expanding existing programs and developing new initiatives to help
    servicemembers develop the skills to make informed financial decisions
    and meet personal and professional goals throughout the military
    lifecycle. For example, the Department recently educated more than 1.6
    million opt-in eligible servicemembers on the Blended Retirement
    System. In other efforts, the Department is redesigning financial
    readiness training to better focus its delivery at the appropriate
    lifecycle touchpoints in a servicemember's career. servicemembers have
    access to more than 700 certified financial counselors at military
    installations and other locations around the world, as well as 24/7
    counseling via telephone through Military OneSource. These
    professionals are available to assist servicemembers in responding to
    their individual personal financial situations.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Army provides financial readiness
    training throughout a soldier's career. Even before enlistment,
    soldiers may gain a financial foundation by completing the Consumer
    Financial Protection Bureau's Delayed Entry Program interactive
    learning course. The Army continues with fundamental financial
    education principles at Basic Combat Training and more in-depth
    training at Advanced Individual Training. Officers are provided
    personal financial education as cadets at both the United States
    Military Academy and ROTC, then again at the Basic Officer Leader
    Course. Throughout the remainder of their careers, officer and enlisted
    soldiers receive financial education and counseling through personal
    financial education programs available at Army Community Services
    centers on every installation. Finally, every soldier participates in
    the Soldier for Life--Transition Assistance Program where they receive
    financial education to prepare them for life after the military.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Financial literacy education and training is
    delivered at the personal and professional touchpoints across the
    military lifecycle beginning with recruit training (Boot Camp) and
    officer accessions' training, and continuing throughout a sailor's
    career and transition to civilian life. The financial literacy topics
    include, but are not limited to budget management, life insurance
    (including Survivor Benefit Plan), health insurance, investments
    (including Thrift Savings Plan), banking, credit, loans, deferred
    plans, mortgages, retirement planning and taxes. The training is
    provided by general military training, FFSC personal financial
    education programs including the Million Dollar Sailor course, the
    LifeSkills course, Military One Source offerings, Navy eLearning and
    Joint Knowledge Online courses, the LifeSkills Reach Back mobile
    application (app), the Navy Financial Literacy mobile app, and the
    Personal Financial Management webpage. Fleet and Family Support Centers
    (FFSCs) provide support to all elements of the personal financial
    management program. At the individual command level, elements of the
    personal financial management program are under the control of a
    qualified command financial specialist (CFS). Active and Reserve
    commands, permanent detachments, and departments having at least 25
    personnel assigned must have a trained CFS to coordinate the program
    and to assist the commanding officer or officer in charge in providing
    financial training, information, and counseling to command members.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. The Air Force is committed to ensuring
    airmen and families have timely financial education at critical points
    in their military life cycle. Airman and Family Readiness Centers offer
    comprehensive financial readiness support through personal financial
    counseling and training. We recently implemented updated First Duty
    Station financial literacy training for both enlisted and officers. The
    standardized curriculum focuses on understanding and decision making of
    key financial concepts. The Air Force is concentrating on proactive
    financial education for airmen and leadership at all levels to ensure
    financial issues are identified for early intervention.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. In 2014 the Marine Corps created and
    launched a Personal Readiness Seminar (PRS) to provide marines
    financial and professional development training within 90 days of their
    arrival at their first permanent duty station. A pre- and post-test are
    administered during the financial training to gauge the level of
    financial knowledge prior to training and the increase in knowledge at
    the conclusion of training. We conducted a long-term study of marines
    who attended PRS and found they were more likely to engage in positive
    financial behaviors, including using a budget, paying down debt, and
    saving for the future. To ensure continuous training is available
    throughout a marine's career, Installation Personal Financial
    Counselors provide financial and education counseling aboard Marine
    Corps installations. Additionally, Marine Corps Order 1700.37,
    ``Personal Financial Management Program'', dated 11 December 2014,
    requires all Marine Corps units to have a trained unit Command
    Financial Specialist for every 75 marines in the unit. This requirement
    is validated during unit inspections. Financial education seminars and
    individual counseling are available to marines and their families
    throughout the marine's lifecycle. The Personal Financial Readiness
    Program (PFRP) provides financial education on topics including money
    management, investment planning, financial planning, retirement and
    estate planning, and consumer awareness and protection. Topics may
    include budgeting; savings strategies; investing; use of credit; debt
    management and reduction; major purchases; military financial rights;
    Thrift Saving Plan; Saving Deposit Plan; investment tools; goal
    setting; major financial life challenges; insurance products;
    entitlements and benefits; Survivor Benefit Program; and retirement
    plans. Data is collected regarding the reach of the PFRP. Annually we
    have approximately 60,000 Brief Contacts (up to 15 minutes), 13,000
    Extended Contacts (16 to 60 minutes), and conduct on average 2,600
    Workshops and Briefs. The Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA's expansion of
    financial literacy training requirements across the entire lifecycle
    codified and supported our use of a regular and established timeline
    across a marine's career (Ibid.) In accordance with 10 U.S.C. Sec. 992,
    PFRP employs a Financial Continuum of Learning that provides mandatory
    financial education at specific action points during a Marine's career.
    We have begun a complete update to our standard financial curriculum
    and expect to complete the development phase of this project by the end
    of Fiscal Year 2018.

        3. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, please explain how the
    Department has worked with the Office of Servicemember Affairs of the
    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to improve financial literacy
    throughout the force and to make servicemembers more aware of the
    consumer rights and protections available to them?
        Secretary Wilkie. The Department regularly engages with the
    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and other federal
    regulatory agencies for education and consumer protection. The
    Department works with CFPB in particular to improve our educational
    products and outreach efforts, and to ensure our servicemembers are
    afforded their rights under the Military Lending Act, Servicemembers
    Civil Relief Act and other consumer protection laws or regulations.
        4. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, in your experience, what has worked well to improve financial
    readiness for members and military families?
        Secretary Wilkie. Education is the primary method through which to
    improve financial readiness. Through focused financial education
    delivered at appropriate professional career and personal touchpoints
    we can help servicemembers and their families develop the skills
    necessary to address financial challenges before financial hardships
    are caused that impact readiness. The Department reinforces our
    educational efforts through strategic communications, for example,
    delivering key messages on the importance of contributing to TSP for
    maximum government match through social media where servicemembers and
    family members can access information at their convenience.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Consumer Financial Protection
    Bureau's Delayed Entry Program education effort has notably enhanced
    the foundational financial literacy knowledge recruits have when
    entering the Army. Additionally, financial education programs at
    Advanced Individual Training ensures continued training on important
    financial matters. Training on the Blended Retirement System is a
    priority for the Army. Centralized DOD training developed for
    educators, leaders, soldiers, and new accessions prove valuable and
    instrumental for the educational process. We look forward to additional
    collaborative efforts with the Services and DOD on additional financial
    literacy projects and training. Additionally, each Army Community
    Services center has financial programs and counseling capacity. Fiscal
    Year 2016 NDAA requirements for training throughout soldiers' careers,
    will help us leverage other resources such as additional financial
    counselors provided by DOD, the robust capabilities of Military
    OneSource, and partnerships with nonprofit organizations to provide
    financial education support. Finally, the Soldier for Life--Transition
    Assistance Program provides significant financial material and
    counseling related to transitioning out of the Army.
        Vice Admiral Burke. The Million Dollar Sailor course and LifeSkills
    course have worked well to improve sailor and family financial
    readiness. The 4-day LifeSkills course, presented to sailors after
    recruit training and prior to technical school training, provides
    sailors with the knowledge and skills required to increase personal,
    family, and operational readiness by recalibrating mental models and
    assumptions, and building a culture of leadership, respect,
    professionalism, and trust. Much of the course delivers the
    fundamentals of financial literacy to include the Blended Retirement
    System material, Thrift Savings Plan, spending plans, account
    management, credit, consumer awareness, car buying, insurance,
    Government travel, and financial planning. Additionally, the LifeSkills
    Reach Back mobile application allows sailors to revisit topics of
    interest post-course. The 2-day Million Dollar Sailor course assists
    sailors and their families in successfully navigating the transitions
    of Navy life and associated financial challenges. It targets the most
    common financial issues facing sailors such as, security clearance
    issues, credit management, identity theft, bankruptcy, mortgage and
    foreclosure issues, government credit card abuse and multiple issues
    involving Internet buying and selling, by providing sound financial
    management skills that can be used over their lifetime and a
    comprehensive overview of steps required to The Million Dollar Sailor
    course and LifeSkills course have worked well to improve sailor and
    family financial readiness. The 4-day LifeSkills course, presented to
    sailors after recruit training and prior to technical school training,
    provides sailors with the knowledge and skills required to increase
    personal, family, and operational readiness by recalibrating mental
    models and assumptions, and building a culture of leadership, respect,
    professionalism, and trust. Much of the course delivers the
    fundamentals of financial literacy to include the Blended Retirement
    System material, Thrift Savings Plan, spending plans, account
    management, credit, consumer awareness, car buying, insurance,
    Government travel, and financial planning. Additionally, the LifeSkills
    Reach Back mobile application allows sailors to revisit topics of
    interest post-course. The 2-day Million Dollar Sailor course assists
    sailors and their families in successfully navigating the transitions
    of Navy life and associated financial challenges. It targets the most
    common financial issues facing sailors such as, security clearance
    issues, credit management, identity theft, bankruptcy, mortgage and
    foreclosure issues, government credit card abuse and multiple issues
    involving Internet buying and selling, by providing sound financial
    management skills that can be used over their lifetime and a
    comprehensive overview of steps required to enhance personal financial
    fitness. It enhances overall quality of life through personal financial
    growth and fitness, to improve overall operational readiness and
    performance, and to enhance retention.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Relevant and timely education and
    creating a culture where proactive assistance seeking is encouraged are
    key to improving financial literacy. Outreach to members at all levels
    increases an airman's opportunity to practice proactive prevention and
    employ educational capabilities enabling them to improve personal
    financial issues and make informed financial decisions.
        Research studies on financial education from the Government
    Accountability Office and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pinpoint
    elements which yield the most results for financial literacy to include
    (1) relevant and timely content, (2) appropriate delivery methods for
    audience or topic, (3) accessibility and cultural sensitivity, (4) use
    of partnerships, (5) program evaluation, (6) trained and competent
    providers, (7) program sustainability, (8) building on motivation, and
    (9) improving financial skills. We are taking advantage of the outcomes
    of these studies to improve financial literacy capabilities available
    to our airmen and families.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The statutory requirement for financial
    training has ensured every Marine has access to training resources
    needed to successfully manage their personal and family financial
    obligations. This requirement ensures unit commanders adhere to the
    NDAA requirements and prioritize financial literacy training as part of
    their unit's mission readiness. To meet this goal, while remaining
    aware of other obligations in a Marine's life and career, we have taken
    a well-rounded approach to training opportunities, including face-to-
    face and online training opportunities. This ensures we meet the needs
    of all generations of Marines and provide delivery methods to fit their
    individual learning habits and schedules. Funding for these services
    has enabled us to update materials, improve service delivery, and
    expand program offerings. Finally, the recent introduction of the
    Blended Retirement System has increased interest in, and awareness of,
    the need for financial planning and the resources available to marines
    and their families.

        5. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, what is still needed to make existing financial readiness
    preparation more effective?
        Secretary Wilkie. We deliver financial educational in ways that
    provide servicemembers with the tools to make informed financial
    decisions. This includes not only tailoring the delivery of financial
    literacy content through modalities (such as micro-learning modules and
    development of a financial literacy mobile app aligned with the
    military lifecycle) but also the important messaging that financial
    literacy and preparation benefit all servicemembers and their families,
    not just the traditional population of at risk junior enlisted members.
    Furthermore, we continue to review these education programs for their
    effectiveness and make improvements where needed.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. According to the Department of Defense
    (DOD) 2017 Annual Report on Financial Literacy and Preparedness of
    Members of the Armed Forces, there is more work to be done. The Army
    recognizes the enduring need for financial literacy throughout a
    soldier's career. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure
    efforts to make personal financial education a core requirement in
    secondary school systems across the country. New recruits will join the
    Army with a much stronger foundation, which we will continue to
    reinforce throughout the soldier's lifecycle.
        Vice Admiral Burke. To make existing financial readiness
    preparation more effective, Navy is:
          Developing online micro-learning videos, and updating the
    Personal Financial Manager, Million Dollar Sailor, Command Financial
    Specialist, and LifeSkills courses
          Updating LifeSkills and Navy financial literacy
    applications
          Improving our personnel systems to automatically push
    financial training information to sailors as life changes are recorded
    in their records to support the new Blended Retirement System and
    financial literacy training Reviewing all courses and conducting a
    needs assessment which, in conjunction with staff/command leadership
    feedback, will inform program improvements
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Simply put, we need continued
    congressional advocacy and legislative protections to ensure our
    servicemembers and their families continue to improve financial
    readiness. While the impacts of predatory lending practices have become
    less of a concern, it indicates legislative safeguards are instrumental
    in helping our airmen and families avoid these traps. Continued
    Congressional advocacy supporting readiness programs such as spouse
    licensure and employment, child care, and readiness programs for
    deployment and financial readiness remain the most impactful assistance
    to support the overall readiness of the Air Force.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
    (CFPB) is critical to ensuring protections exist for our marines and
    their families. Recent decisions by the CFPB to abstain from
    investigating and enforcing violations of consumer protections has the
    potential to dismantle gains made in protecting our marines. We believe
    continued consumer protection and effective trainings are necessary to
    ensure financial readiness among our marines and their families. CFPB's
    continued protection is needed to curb predatory products. The Marine
    Corps currently has the resources we need to ensure training and
    counseling is available to support marines and their families.
      military lending act and consumer protections for military families
        6. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, by enacting the Military Lending Act (MLA) as part of the John
    Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007,
    Congress sent a clear bipartisan message that protecting servicemembers
    and their families from predatory and high cost lending was of
    paramount importance to their financial security and military
    readiness. This law caps the annual interest rates for consumer credit
    to servicemembers and their dependents at 36 percent while authorizing
    DOD to define what loans should be covered. Over the past 2 years, DOD
    finalized new MLA rules closing loopholes and strengthening MLA
    protections for our servicemembers and their families. According to
    DOD, ``each separation of a servicemember is estimated to cost the
    Department $57,333, and the Department estimates that each year
    approximately 4,703 to 7,957 servicemembers are involuntarily separated
    due to financial distress.'' Do you agree that the protections afforded
    by the new MLA rules, including the enforcement authority of the Office
    of Servicemember Affairs of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,
    provide an important benefit to servicemembers and their families?
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The protections afforded by the
    updated Military Lending Act go a long way to help shield soldiers and
    their families from high-cost credit products. Soldiers face continuous
    challenges in navigating, obtaining, and successfully using financial
    products and services. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a
    valued partner for increasing soldier financial literacy and avoiding
    debt traps created by high-cost, high-credit products.
        Vice Admiral Burke. We agree that protections afforded by the
    Military Lending Act (MLA), including the new rules, provide an
    important benefit to sailors and their families. The MLA provides
    protection from predatory credit practices for servicemembers by
    expanding financial protections and ensuring military families receive
    the consumer protections they deserve. The restrictions imposed by the
    MLA significantly reduce the ability of lending organizations to take
    advantage of sailors, while the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's
    enforcement actions serve to deter those who seek to engage in such
    activity.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Yes, the protections afforded by the new
    MLA rules provide important benefits to airmen and their families.
    These new rules protect airmen and their families from high cost
    predatory lending practices, saving them money and reducing stress.
    Additionally, the enforcement authority of the Consumer Financial
    Protection Bureau has also benefited our servicemembers. Enforcement
    actions, specifically those by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's
    Office of Servicemember Affairs, provide airmen an avenue to file a
    consumer complaint and request assistance in resolving the complaint.
    The enforcement actions of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
    have provided over $130 million dollars of relief to affected
    servicemembers. Without the intervention of Consumer Financial
    Protection Bureau, servicemembers are vulnerable to exploitive
    practices of some lenders. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's
    actions resolving complaints, protected airmen against misuse of
    allotments, predatory lending, and illegal debt collection practices
    and helped maintain mission readiness of our airmen and families.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The new Rules and enforcement by the
    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) are greatly benefitting
    servicemembers and their families. One of the most beneficial aspects
    of the new Rules is the expanded definition of ``consumer credit'' to
    which the 36 percent Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) applies.
    Before the new Rules, the MLA applied only to vehicle title loans,
    payday loans, tax refund anticipation loans, and similar products. The
    new Rules expand protections to credit cards and vehicle loans to
    include ancillary products such as vehicle GAP insurance, credit
    insurance and credit servicing charges. The new Rules also prohibit
    creditors from requiring servicemembers to submit to arbitration and
    waive protections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. In addition
    to effective CFPB enforcement action, the Office of Servicemember
    Affairs, CFPB is doing an excellent job of educating military
    consumers, as well as military legal assistance attorneys, about the
    MLA both on its website and during installation visits.

        7. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, at one point, the Department noted that the new MLA rule ``would
    reduce non-quantifiable costs associated with financial strains on
    servicemembers. High-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce
    productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and
    commanders.'' Do you agree these protections enhance the financial
    readiness of servicemembers and their families, and the overall
    readiness of the armed forces?
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. Yes, the new rules provide greater
    protection and close several loopholes concerning timelines, fees, and
    how products are defined. However, we cannot yet ascertain whether they
    are meeting the needs of soldiers. More time is needed to effectively
    evaluate their impact.
        Vice Admiral Burke. We agree that protections provided by the
    Military Lending Act enhance the financial readiness of sailors and
    their families, thereby improving overall readiness. Financial problems
    have a serious negative impact on sailors and their families, and
    adversely impact operational readiness, morale, and retention. For
    instance, a sailor whose financial difficulties result in loss of a
    required security clearance may preclude the sailor from performing his
    or her duties, impacting deployability and retainability.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Yes, having these protections in place
    enhances financial readiness by providing airmen and their families the
    ability to reduce stress associated with finances and concentrate on
    the mission. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's report, ``The
    Office of Servicemember Affairs: Charting our course through the
    military lifecycle'', indicated that finances are a source of stress,
    even more so than deployments or personal relationships when comparing
    stressors. On the 2017 DOD Status of Forces survey, approximately 10
    percent of airmen experienced relationship issues regarding financial
    matters. MLA protections extended to spouses and children add an
    additional layer of protection from unscrupulous business practices and
    further reduces the related stress on the servicemember.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. I agree. The new MLA rules will help
    ensure military members and their dependents understand the actual cost
    of credit received under covered transactions. Having this
    understanding should reduce financial distraction and strain, which
    detract from mission.

        8. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General Seamands,
    Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General
    Rocco, how can we strengthen consumer protections for servicemembers,
    enhancing even further their financial readiness and the readiness of
    their units?
        Secretary Wilkie. The Department continues to monitor the
    implementation of and compliance with the Military Lending Act by
    engaging with the financial industry, regulators and servicemembers.
    One key to strengthening protections is efforts by the Department and
    Military Services to continually educate servicemembers to make
    informed financial decisions and avoid potential improper lenders and
    other types of fraud. Another area would be to evaluate the need to
    extend MLA protections to Guard and Reserve members who are not
    presently covered since they can encounter problems before being called
    to duty for 30 days or more that impacts their readiness on Active
    Duty.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Military Lending Act of 2006,
    coupled with recent DOD rules, appear to be strong measures, but
    require more time for analysis to see if further adjustments are
    necessary. The greatest way to protect soldiers and their families is
    to teach them to protect themselves, and we believe quality financial
    education, throughout soldier careers, is the first and best defense as
    a consumer.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Consumer protections can be strengthened
    through financial literacy education and training. For example, Navy's
    4-day LifeSkills course, provided following recruit training, offers
    ``Essentials of Credit and Debt,'' which addresses the Servicemembers
    Civil Relief Act, Military Lending Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices
    Act and managing pre-existing student loan debt. ``Consumer Awareness''
    covers consumer protection laws, predatory lending and identity theft.
    A sailor's financial readiness can be enhanced even more through
    sustained emphasis on the importance of consumer protection training.
    Continued sailor access to Judge Advocate General's Corps legal
    assistance attorneys, and the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of
    Consumer Protection's emphasis on combatting military scams and frauds,
    are both important to the financial readiness of the Navy.
    Additionally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal
    Trade Commission have established strong links with legal assistance
    attorneys and each regularly conducts town halls and training at Navy
    installations to raise sailors' awareness of the Military Lending Act
    and to ensure military legal assistance attorneys have tools and
    conduits to enforcement that are necessary to combat Military Lending
    Act abuses. Continuation of these partnerships will help strengthen
    consumer protections.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. We need more time to properly evaluate
    the December 2017 changes to the MLA in order to see how these consumer
    protections will impact airmen and their families. The Air Force will
    monitor the Status of Forces Survey results and elicit feedback from
    installation level personal financial counselors, legal assistance
    providers, and governmental enforcement agencies (e.g., the Consumer
    Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, State Attorney
    General offices, and Department of Justice) to identify if any
    additional consumer protections are needed. Continued emphasis and
    advocacy from lawmakers to provide consumer protection for
    servicemembers and families will assist them in making sound financial
    decisions and contribute to mission readiness.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Continuous education for our
    servicemembers and their families about consumer protection laws and
    financial management is crucial to strengthening their readiness.
    Allowing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to continue its
    aggressive educational push and strenuous enforcement of the MLA and
    other consumer protection laws that benefit the military community is
    essential; otherwise, military members lose a critical enforcement
    mechanism and lenders will have no incentive to change their practices.

        9. Senator Reed. Secretary Wilkie, prior to Secretary Mattis'
    confirmation, he gave me his personal assurance that he would support
    and protect these new MLA rules, as well as support and work with the
    Office of Servicemember Affairs of the Consumer Financial Protection
    Bureau, which enforces these protections. Do I have your personal
    assurance to do the same?
        Secretary Wilkie. Yes.
                                   __________
                Questions Submitted by Senator Claire McCaskill
                               harassment policy
        10. Senator McCaskill. Mr. Wilkie, in many cases, it is common for
    victims to come forward months and sometime years after an incident has
    occurred. Under this new policy will substantiated allegations be
    annotated on the current fitness/evaluation report even if the conduct
    did not occur during that rating period?
        Secretary Wilkie. Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 1020.03
    ``Harassment Prevention and Response in the Armed Forces'' requires
    rating and reviewing officials to annotate substantiated harassment
    complaints on fitness reports or performance evaluations. All
    substantiated incidents will be reflected in a performance evaluation,
    though how this will be done may vary from Service to Service. Military
    Service regulations govern the performance and evaluation reporting
    processes. Per my direction, the Military Services will submit plans
    detailing implementation of DODI 1020.03 by 13 April 2018. My office
    will review these plans to ensure effective implementation of all
    policy requirements including annotation of substantiated allegations.
                          ucmj case management system
        11. Senator McCaskill. Mr. Wilkie, the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA
    required DOD to establish a case management system. Has DOD complied
    with the legislation and are the different services using a universal
    system?
        Secretary Wilkie. Section 5504 of the Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA
    required the Secretary of Defense to ``prescribe uniform standards and
    criteria'' for several functions, including ``[c]ase processing and
    management.'' The statute provided that the Secretary of Defense will
    issue those standards no later than 2 years after the date of
    enactment, which will be December 23, 2018. The section further
    provided that those standards and criteria will take effect not later
    than 4 years after the date of enactment, which will be December 23,
    2020. The Department has been working to meet those statutory
    deadlines.

        12. Senator McCaskill. Mr. Wilkie, if DOD has not established a
    case management system, why not, and are the services using various
    case management systems that are interoperable to ensure consistency in
    reporting and tracking and can OSD manage and analyze that information?
        Secretary Wilkie. As discussed in the previous response, the
    statutory deadline for providing uniform standards and criteria for
    case processing has not yet arrived. While the Department works to
    carry out that statutory requirement, the Military Departments continue
    to use their existing case management systems. Those case management
    systems are not interoperable.
                                   __________
               Questions Submitted by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
                number of prosecutions for retaliation offenses
        13. Senator Gillibrand. Lieutenant General Seamands, Vice Admiral
    Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General Rocco, please
    provide the number of retaliation allegations in Fiscal Year 2017 that
    were investigated in your service, by whom were they investigated, a
    brief description of the nature of each of the allegations, and the
    final disposition of each allegation.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Army had 100 unique reports/
    complainants of retaliation in fiscal year 2017. The Department of the
    Army Inspector General investigated 56 complaints, Army Criminal
    Investigation Command investigated 18, and the remaining 26 were
    addressed by Commands or referred to other agencies such as the
    Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General. Of the 100 reports, 49
    involved reprisal, 1 involved restriction, 24 were criminal, 12
    involved ostracism, and 14 involved cruelty/maltreatment. The final
    dispositions of the 100 reports are still under review and will be
    provided to DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO)
    for inclusion in the Annual Report to Congress on Sexual Assault in the
    Military.
        Vice Admiral Burke. During Fiscal Year 2017, the Naval Inspector
    General Military Whistleblower Reprisal Branch received one allegation
    of retaliation, purportedly resulting from the complainant having
    reported criminal misconduct and/or sexual assault/harassment. In this
    case, the complainant alleged that, after reporting to the chain of
    command that personnel were not ``verifying their Personnel
    Qualifications Standards,'' and reporting to a chaplain that she had
    been sexually harassed by a fellow officer, she received, in reprisal
    for her protected communications, a letter documenting ``her inability
    to perform her duties.'' The Inspector General determined that, under
    regulations, communication to the chaplain did not constitute a
    protected communication, and the Chaplain did not report the
    allegations to complainant's chain of command. The Inspector General
    declined to investigate the matter since the complaint was submitted
    over 21 months following the complainant's becoming aware of the
    alleged unfavorable personnel action. Under the Department of Defense
    directive in effect at the time, no investigation was required when a
    complaint of reprisal/retaliation was submitted to an IG over 60 days
    following the date on which the member became aware of the alleged
    unfavorable action. Allegations of criminal activity committed against
    a victim or witness in retaliation for participating in a sexual
    assault investigation are investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative
    Service (NCIS). Emerging allegations of reprisal, restriction,
    maltreatment, or ostracism against a victim and/or witness are
    immediately reported to the appropriate DOD component with
    investigative authority. In fiscal year 2017, NCIS reports it
    investigated ten allegations of retaliation against a victim and/or
    witness to a sexual assault investigation. Five of those cases involved
    members of the U.S. Navy. A summary of each case is provided. U.S. Navy
    Subsequent to the victim making an unrestricted report of sexual
    assault, NCIS was contacted by local law enforcement (LE) regarding the
    victim's home being burglarized. A Military Protective Order (MPO) was
    in place and at the time of the incident the suspect was at a court
    hearing. Ultimately, no suspect was identified and the burglary
    investigation was closed. The Victim Legal Counsel (VLC) contacted NCIS
    to indicate the subject of the sexual assault investigation had
    violated the MPO and had accessed the victim's email account, deleted
    emails, and forwarded emails pertaining to the victim's divorce and
    child custody proceedings. Both investigations are on-going. Offender
    found guilty at General Court Martial (GCM) and sentenced to life in
    prison. Offender's father has made two music videos alluding to killing
    victim. Victim has been provided an updated safety plan. The
    retaliation investigation is on-going. The victim in an unrestricted
    sexual assault investigation contacted base police to report she was
    receiving harassing electronic communication. Numerous individuals were
    interviewed and provided statements. Forensic evidence was sent to the
    lab with negative results. The investigation did not identify a subject
    and was subsequently closed. NCIS sexual assault investigation was
    closed with command electing not to prefer charges due to insufficient
    evidence against the subject. The victim of a sexual assault contacted
    base police reporting the subject of the sexual assault investigation
    had violated the MPO and followed the victim. Subject denied following
    the victim and indicated he was to stay at least 300 feet away from the
    victim. Subject was unaware that the victim was in close proximity on
    the Ship and would continue to avoid the victim in the future. NCIS
    sexual assault investigation on-going.
        Lieutenant General Grosso.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Investigation
     Retaliation         Authority                    Description                            Disposition
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              1                      CommOstracized by Team Coach -Retaliation         Investigation not complete--
                                          allegation initiated by parents of        Investigating Officer and Judge
                                         Secondary Victim who were informed by           Advocate also made several
                                          Secondary Victim that he was being    recommendations, all of which are in
                                             ostracized by his Coach and two      the process of being implemented:
                                               Teammates. The reason for the           Teammate receive appropriate
                                             ostracism was because Secondary    counseling from leadership; Mandate
                                         Victim's sister (Victim) was sexually  a sexual assault survivor event for
                                                assaulted by Accused, also a    the team (first) then implement with
                                         teammate. The 2 Teammates and Coach    other athletic teams (regardless of
                                           were perceived to have sided with       gender); Develop a communication
                                            Accused and therefore ostracized      plan between Cadet Wing Chain-of-
                                         Secondary Victim and mistreated him     Command and Athletic Department to
                                                                                  ensure leadership of both mission
                                                                                 elements are aware of developments
                                                                                   during sexual assault incidents,
                                                                                   within the limits of the Privacy
                                                                                       Act; Develop and implement a
                                                                                  professional relationship seminar
                                                                                for Athletic Dept. staff; Schedule a
                                                                                        meeting with the parents of
                                                                                  Secondary Victim to brief them on
                                                                                  the final recommendations of this
                                                                                Command Directed Investigation; Use
                                                                                scenario as lesson-learned training
                                                                                  for commanders, faculty, staff at
                                                                                                              USAFA
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              2                      CommReprisal -Reporter (Civilian) alleged           Investigation not complete
                                         that retaliator E-7 sexually harassed
                                          her and that he threatened to fire
                                         her and/or make it difficult for her
                                         to obtain medical supplies after she
                                               rejected his sexual advances.
                                          Originally Reporter and retaliator
                                           were peers. E-7 attempted to kiss
                                          Reporter in his car and he invited
                                         Reporter into his home after a night
                                          out with co-workers. Both advances
                                                  were rejected by Reporter.
                                         Subsequently, E-7 became the acting
                                          Superintendent of the squadron. In
                                         that position he allegedly retaliated
                                          against Reporter by threatening to
                                         fire her and making it difficult for
                                         her to obtain needed medical supplies
                                                          to perform her job
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              3                      CommaReprisal, Cruelty and Maltreatment          Investigation opened; command
                                         and Other Matters (Failure to Protect           directed investigation on-
                                               from Ostracism, Maltreatment,    going.PComplainant PCS'd (not due to
                                         Discrimination, and/or Retaliation;                    expedited transfer)
                                         Failure to foster culture of dignity/
                                         respect).P-Reporter, who at the time
                                         was an E-5, filed a restricted report
                                         of sexual assault; the accused is a
                                            civilian employee. There are two
                                                alleged retaliators: alleged
                                             retaliator one (R1) was the O-6
                                             senior military official in the
                                         organization and alleged retaliator
                                             two (R2) was R1's O-5 executive
                                            officer (O-5). R1 and R2 did not
                                         notify law enforcement or SARC upon
                                         learning that reporter alleged being
                                         sexually assaulted, and instead, R1
                                          and R2 informed reporter and other
                                         employees that the accused civilian
                                           employee would not have committed
                                         such misconduct. Thereafter, reporter
                                         changed her restricted report to an
                                               unrestricted report. R1 moved
                                          reporter to the front office to be
                                         more closely supervised; refused to
                                         transfer the reporter out of the duty
                                         section and/or change her rater; and
                                         ordered reporter to stop discussing
                                         her sexual assault case with anyone
                                         in her chain of command (to include
                                         First Sergeant and Command Chief) and
                                               to stop defaming the accused.
                                              Reporter first made a reprisal
                                           complaint to USAFA/IG; this first
                                          reprisal complaint was closed on 6
                                          Jan 17 as not meeting the USAFA/IG
                                         threshold for reprisal. However, due
                                            to new evidence uncovered via an
                                            Office of Special Investigations
                                             investigation of the underlying
                                         sexual assault report, reporter filed
                                             a second reprisal complaint. 2d
                                         reprisal complaint was made to 21 SW/
                                          IG because the reporter PCS'd to a
                                                                    new base
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              4                      CommReprisalP-Complainant 1 reported to    Investigation not complete; command
                                            her First Sergeant that the Non-        directed investigation on-going
                                              Commissioned Officer in Charge
                                         (NCOIC) of her work group (Subject)
                                          had been sending her inappropriate
                                           text messages for several months,
                                         despite her expressing displeasure.
                                         Complainant 1's allegation resulted
                                           in the initiation of a commander-
                                         directed investigation (CDI). During
                                         the on-going CDI, the Investigating
                                          Officer (IO), spoke with reporter.
                                          Reporter stated she dated Subject/
                                         NCOIC but that he had also sent her
                                               photos of his penis that were
                                          unwanted. Reporter told the IO ``I
                                            wanted to notify leadership that
                                             these things were going on, but
                                          [Subject] told me that I would get
                                          kicked out of the military or that
                                          leadership would not believe me.''
                                          Subject is the NCOIC of a section,
                                             and he supervises eight airmen.
                                         Complainant 1 and reporter are both
                                             members of the section. A third
                                          female airman in the section had a
                                         consensual sexual relationship with
                                               Subject. At this stage in the
                                          investigation the IO has confirmed
                                               that Subject pursued a sexual
                                          relationship with three of the six
                                                 female airmen he supervises
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              5                      CommaReprisalP-Victim made a restricted          Initial Investigation opened;
                                         report to the Sexual Assault Response          investigating officer found
                                         Coordinator (SARC), which was later    allegations to be unsubstantiated--
                                             changed to unrestricted without         closed 28 July 17.PComplainant
                                         victim's consent because of concerns             transferred via expedited
                                               for victim's safety (suicidal         transfer.PNew command directed
                                          ideations). An Air Force Office of         investigation pending based on
                                              Special Investigations (AFOSI)    discovery of new evidence; legal is
                                         investigation was initiated on 3 Oct           working to draft the framed
                                         16. Victim and E-8 worked in the same                          allegations
                                                squadron. Victim received a Letter Of
                                                                 Reprimand (LOR) for poor work
                                         performance on 7 Mar 17 from the E-8
                                         (Superintendent). Victim claims that
                                                   the E-8 issued an unjust LOR.
                                         Additionally, victim alleged that her
                                          Enlisted Performance Report, which
                                          was submitted by E-8 on 11 Apr 17,
                                         did not accurately portray her work
                                              and volunteer performance. She
                                         reported reprisal on the part of the
                                          E-8 to the IG, which forwarded the
                                                   allegation to the command
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              6                      CommReprisalP-Complainant reported to his        Initial Investigation opened;
                                                 squadron commander that his            investigating officer found
                                         supervisor had sexually harassed him                     allegations to be
                                           on two occasions. The complainant     unsubstantiated.PComplainant moved
                                         alleged that his negative response to   to another section due to existing
                                         the sexual advances, led the alleged             poor working relationship
                                         subject (who was also complainant's
                                                 supervisor), to give him a Letter of
                                           Counseling and a Referral Officer
                                                Performance Report. The Wing
                                               Commander initiated a Command
                                         Directed Investigation regarding the
                                                 sexual harassment complaint
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              7                      CommReprisalP-Victim made an Unrestricted       Allegations substantiated, the
                                              Report. Afterwards, the victim            Retaliator received adverse
                                          reported a friend and co-worker of                 administrative actions
                                         Accused was actively mistreating her
                                           and talking negatively behind her
                                                back to other members of the
                                         squadron, all after he discovered a
                                                             Report was made
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              8                DOD IG    Reprisal -Victim made a third party    Reported to AF IG; case transferred
                                         allegation of sexual assault to her    to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                              squadron commander. The victim
                                         alleged the commander discussed the
                                                 report with the Joint Force
                                         Headquarters Director of Staff. The
                                           victim then alleges he received a
                                          letter of admonishment in reprisal
                                            for the report of sexual assault
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              9                DOD IG      Reprisal -Victim made a report of     Reported to SARC; case transferred
                                         sexual assault during training by her  to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                              instructor to her SARC. Victim
                                              alleges her supervisor and her
                                         supervisor's supervisor threatened to
                                            terminate her job with the Honor
                                         Guard in reprisal for make the report
                                           of sexual assault. Victim alleges
                                         that the manager reprised against her
                                         because he knew of the actions of the
                                           supervisors but took no action to
                                                                   stop them
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             10                DOD IG    Reprisal -Complainant was supporting   Reported to AF IG; case transferred
                                         a sexual assault victim as she dealt   to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                                  with her chain of command.
                                            Complainant believes he is being
                                         reprised against for supporting the
                                                       sexual assault victim
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             11                DOD IG    Reprisal -Complainant alleged he was   Reported to AF IG; case transferred
                                         the victim of a sexual assault while   to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                           deployed to Afghanistan. Upon his
                                         return stateside, he alleged he was
                                         denied an end of tour decoration in
                                         reprisal for having made the report
                                                           of sexual assault
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             12            Service IG       Reprisal -Victim alleged she was       Service IG Investigation opened;
                                         sexually harassed by a coworker and            investigating officer found
                                         that the same coworker had sexually    allegations to be unsubstantiated--
                                             assaulted another coworker. She     DOD IG reviewed and concurred with
                                         reported this to her supervisor who        findings; investigation closed.
                                         she claimed threatened to reveal the      Complainant informed of findings
                                         victim's inappropriate relationship
                                              with another servicemember. An
                                            inquiry by the Service inspector
                                         general determined that the threat to
                                         reveal the victim's relationship to
                                         the unit's leadership did not rise to
                                         the level of an unfavorable personnel
                                                                      action
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             13            Service IG       Restriction and Reprisal -Victim    Investigation not complete--on-going
                                                 alleged she reported sexual
                                         harassment by her squadron commander
                                         and that after she made complaints to
                                                     the IG, she received a Letter of
                                                    Reprimand and other duty
                                         restrictions. Also, that the E-7 told
                                          victim ``to stop filing complaints
                                            with IG and using Judge Advocate
                                            General (JAG) and (her) troubles
                                                             might subside''
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             14            Service IG       Reprisal -Victim alleged she was       Service IG investigation opened;
                                         sexually harassed by a coworker. She          allegations unsubstantiated;
                                         reported this to her supervisor who    complaint currently under review and
                                              she claimed wrote a downgraded             will be sent to DOD IG for
                                          performance report in reprisal. An                   concurrence/approval
                                         inquiry by the Service IG determined
                                         no such unfavorable personnel action
                                                                  took place
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             15                DOD IG    Reprisal -The victim alleged she was    Reported to SARC; case transferred
                                         sexually assaulted and reported it to  to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                         the SARC. Afterwards, she claims her
                                                Group commander and Squadron
                                           commander reprised against her by
                                          denying Incapacitation Pay request
                                                and not informing her of her
                                         promotion or non-promotion to captain
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             16                DOD IG      Reprisal -Victim was offered non-    Investigation not complete--on-going
                                           judicial punishment (NJP). Victim
                                         then made an unrestricted report of
                                         sexual assault. Victim then alleged
                                            reduction in rank from NJP is in
                                            retaliation for making report of
                                                              sexual assault
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             17                DOD IG    Reprisal -Witness/bystander assisted   Investigation not complete--on-going
                                            a coworker in reporting a sexual
                                         assault. As a result of the report of
                                         sexual assault, the witness alleges
                                         his commander reprised against him by
                                                not allowing him to test for
                                         promotion and First Sergeant reprised
                                         against him by issuing him a letter
                                                                of reprimand
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             18                DOD IG      Reprisal -Victim alleged a sexual           Reported to SARC/AFOSI, case
                                         assault and reported it to the SARC/   transferred to DOD IG; investigation
                                         AF Office of Special Investigations                            is on-going
                                         (AFOSI). Afterwards, she claims her
                                               Squadron commander and Flight
                                           commander reprised against her by
                                         issuing her a letter of reprimand for
                                                           making the report
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             19                DOD IG      Reprisal -Victim alleged a sexual    Reported to AFOSI, case transferred
                                         assault and reported to AFOSI. Victim  to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                            alleges her Enlisted Performance
                                             Report was then marked down for
                                                           making the report
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             20                DOD IG      Reprisal -Victim alleged a sexual    Reported to SARC/AFOSI; the case is
                                            assault and reported to SARC and         currently undergoing continued
                                          AFOSI. Victim alleges her chain of     analysis and may be transferred to
                                          command attempted to disenroll her                                 DOD IG
                                          from the AF Academy for making the
                                                                      report
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             21                DOD IG      ReprisalP-Victim alleged a sexual    Investigation not complete--on-going
                                         assault and reported it to her Senior
                                                                   Materiel Leader. Afterwards, she
                                              claims her supervisor reprised
                                           against her by falsifying Officer
                                         Performance Report feedback date for
                                              making the report and a senior
                                             officer reprised against her by
                                                               giving her a Letter of Counseling for
                                                           making the report
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             22                DOD IG      ReprisalP-Victim alleged a sexual    Reported to SARC/AFOSI; the case is
                                            assault and reported to SARC and         currently undergoing continued
                                          AFOSI. Victim alleges her chain of     analysis and may be transferred to
                                          command attempted to disenroll her                                 DOD IG
                                          from the AF Academy for making the
                                                                      report
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             23                DOD IG      ReprisalP-Victim alleged a sexual     Reported to SARC; case transferred
                                         assault and reported it to the SARC.   to DOD IG; investigation is on-going
                                         After reporting the sexual assault,
                                         the victim claims her supervisor gave
                                                   her an unfavorable Airman
                                                    Comprehensive Assessment
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             24            Service IG      ReprisalP-Victim alleged a sexual     Reported to CID; case is currently
                                            assault and reported to Criminal    under review by Service IG; results
                                         Investigation Command (CID). Victim             will be sent to DOD IG for
                                                   alleged she was issued a Letter of          concurrence/approval
                                                             Counseling and Letter of Reprimand
                                            for reporting the sexual assault
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             25                DOD IG      ReprisalP-Victim alleged a sexual    Investigation not complete--on-going
                                            assault and reported it. After a
                                          trial, the alleged perpetrator was
                                         found not guilty. Subsequently, the
                                            victim's squadron superintendent
                                             intended to move her to another
                                          organization because of the sexual
                                         assault, which the victim felt was an
                                                unfavorable personnel action
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             26                     MCIO/SeReprisal, ostracism, & cruelty or        Complaint filed with IG & Equal
                          Enforcement    maltreatmentP-Complainant was called    Opportunity (EO); Command directed
                                               a liar and told she falsified    investigation open in squadron--on-
                                                official documents, would be                                  going
                                             administratively punished; when
                                              complainant pushed back on the
                                          accusations she was threatened and
                                          harassed by supervisor and another
                                          male squadron member to ``drop the
                                                                     issue''
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             27           Service Law    ReprisalP-Received unwanted Facebook        Investigation opened--on-going
                          Enforcement       message from alleged perpetrator
                                             asking for nude pictures of the
                                              complainant; complainant feels
                                           rejecting the alleged perpetrator
                                           would lead to reprisal due to the
                                                      small size of the base
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             28                     MCIO/DOOstracismP-Peers commented ``unit     Referred to First Sergeant, EO and
                                         would be better without her'' after           SARC; reporter requested and
                                         complainant reported sexual assault;                     received transfer
                                         work and personal appointments more
                                                     scrutinized than others
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        It is important to note that retaliation can take many forms. Thus,
    any underlying misconduct that may constitute retaliation could result
    in any number of charges in violation of the Uniform Code of Military
    Justice (for example, communicating a threat, property damage, or
    obstruction of justice). Please see the attached documents for an
    overview of judge advocate involvement in the military justice process.
    Attachments 1 to 4 have already been provided to members of Congress,
    to include another request for information submitted to DOD by Senator
    Gillibrand. Attachment 5 generally describes Air Force judge advocate
    training.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. In fiscal year 2017, the below fifteen
    (15) cases/allegations of retaliation were reported by Sexual Assault
    Responses Coordinators (SARCs) and represent allegations of retaliation
    discussed at Case Management Group (CMG) meetings. Allegations of
    retaliation discussed at CMG may or may not have been formally
    investigated, as some allegations were resolved when the command
    learned of the allegation. Inspector General inquiries and command
    investigations were utilized to formally investigate certain
    allegations. While further coordination will be necessary to report on
    the final disposition of some of the allegations, the following case
    information (allegations) is tracked by the Marine Corps Sexual Assault
    Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office: Victim alleged she felt punished
    because her Master Sergeant (MSgt), in an effort to ensure the victim
    and her offender did not interact, did not permit the victim to perform
    certain duties. She described the experience as stagnating her
    training, proficiency, and career. She was also denied sick in quarters
    (SIQ) because she might come into contact with the offender in her
    barracks. The Commanding Officer (CO) has informed the MSgt the marine
    is allowed to be at any PMO posts during her shift. Corporals were
    discussing a victim's case. The victim was made aware of the discussion
    and information was referred to command for action. No further update
    is available at this time. Victim made an unrestricted report. She
    learned that a MSgt in another unit was discussing her case negatively.
    She reported the conduct to her Victim Advocate (VA) and Victim's Legal
    Counsel (VLC), who reported the matter to the IG. The conduct was
    determined to not constitute reprisal. Nevertheless, the command
    counseled the MSgt for discussing the case. Victim learned that the
    subject in the investigation was talking negatively to other people in
    the command about the victim. She reported it to her VA and the
    command. The command modified the Military Protective Order (MPO) to
    specifically address this concern and counseled subject about talking
    to others about the victim. Victim made an unrestricted report.
    Afterwards, the victim reported receiving adverse comments on social
    media from peers which included stating that the victim was the most
    hated marine within the command. The allegation was reviewed during the
    CMG. It was determined that this was a peer-to-peer situation and the
    command was directed to conduct a Preliminary Inquiry. MPOs were issued
    to control further discussion of the matter within the Detachment. The
    CO issued a 6105 (Page 11 Entry) to the individual who initiated the
    comments. Victim initially made a restricted report and later changed
    the report to ``unrestricted'' to get VLC involved on an IG complaint.
    Victim was found to have narcotics in his system after the assault. The
    victim felt he was drugged during the course of the assault and that he
    should not be held responsible for wrongful drug abuse. The command
    took administrative action for drug abuse that resulted in a negative
    impact on the career progression of the victim. Victim executed an
    expedited transfer. After the victim made an unrestricted report of
    sexual assault, his evaluations were lowered without being provided
    justification or prior counseling. Victim was told he could not go to
    the Naval Academy, reenlist, or laterally change rates to a new MOS
    because he was being seen by mental/behavioral health services. Victim
    was transferred out of the battalion and to a new work place and
    barracks with no explanation, while the alleged offender was able to
    stay in the battalion and MOS. Victim's confidentiality was violated
    and he was labeled a ``rapist'' and reportedly ostracized. No further
    update is available at this time. A Civilian VA (CVA) was retaliated
    against by their SARC while providing advocacy support and services to
    their client. The CVA reported the allegations to the local IG and the
    case was forwarded to DOD IG. The CVA reported the allegations at the
    CMG. The case is being investigated by DOD IG. Victim was a subject in
    a separate ongoing investigation. When his clearance was suspended
    pending outcome of the separate investigation, he filed a case of
    reprisal to his command via his VLC. A request mast was held with the
    O-5 Commander and the victim's issues/concerns were addressed to the
    victim's satisfaction. VLC was also present on behalf of marine. Victim
    made an unrestricted report. Afterwards, the victim reported being
    subjected to adverse performance evaluations, interference with
    promotion, denied the opportunity for meals, and degrading comments
    amongst other adverse actions. She reported the retaliation to the
    command via request mast and also requested an expedited transfer,
    which ultimately led to her relocation to a new unit aboard the
    installation. The Battalion CO initiated administrative separation
    (ADSEP) processing against the victim for fraudulent enlistment. The
    information supporting ADSEP processing is a history of depression not
    revealed during the enlistment process. The information relating to
    depression arose during a counseling session at the Community
    Counseling Center. The victim was attending counseling as a result of
    an unreported sexual assault. The victim's Battalion CO and MEF
    Information Group CO have been advised by the victim's SARC about the
    alleged retaliation. The SARC continues to follow up with the victim's
    O6-level commander to determine the way forward. A victim reported
    receiving threats and being sexually harassed in the barracks. Comments
    she received included reference to her unrestricted report. The alleged
    retaliator received an informal/verbal counseling. Victim stated her
    immediate supervisors made it difficult for her to make personal
    contact with her uniformed VA (UVA) and other resources, as she was
    required to provide a detailed explanation of where she was going and
    why. A colonel spoke with her immediate supervisors and implemented
    policies to ensure the victim could seek assistance without going into
    detail regarding her appointments. UVA for a victim stated the victim's
    immediate supervisors made it difficult for the UVA to make personal
    contact with the victim and stated to the UVA that she did not need to
    accompany victim to appointments. UVA's immediate supervisor expected
    UVA to provide details where UVA was taking her victim and for what
    reason. A colonel spoke with all involved and implemented policies to
    ensure victim could seek assistance without going into detail regarding
    her appointments. Victim reportedly experienced ostracism and
    retaliation from the command when her promotion was delayed. Further,
    she reported several co-workers were directed to stay away from her.
    The victim requested mast with the Commanding General and worked with
    her VLC. The command investigated, but was unable to substantiate the
    ostracism allegation, and developed a plan to assist the victim in
    meeting promotion requirements. The victim was subsequently promoted.
       involvement of trained prosecutors in criminal investigations and
                                decision making
        14. Senator Gillibrand. Lieutenant General Seamands, Vice Admiral
    Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General Rocco, please
    describe, in detail, the typical training and experience level of each
    judge advocate advising at each stage of the military justice process
    (from initiation of investigation to post-trial matters).
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The JAGC ensures that military
    practitioners are trained at all levels:
          Institutional (primarily conducted at The Judge Advocate
    General's Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS)); Intermediate Trial
    Advocacy Course; for mid-level practitioners, the Graduate Course,
    Military Justice Managers Course, the Judge Advocate Officer Advanced
    Course, and the Advanced Trial Communication Course; and for senior
    practitioners, the Military Judges Course and the Staff Judge Advocate
    Course.
          Functional (primarily conducted by subject matter experts
    at designated locations).
          Operational (primarily conducted at the judge advocate's
    unit by the unit's military justice leadership).
        This training continues throughout the course of a Judge Advocate's
    (JA's) career, corresponding to the JA's rank, time in service, and
    military justice position.
        All JAs are attorneys who are members of at least one civilian bar.
    As such, they are subject to the individual continuing legal education
    (CLE) and administrative requirements of that organization in addition
    to the annual requirements imposed by the JAG Corps (JAGC). Upon entry
    into the JAGC, all JAs travel to Charlottesville, Virginia to TJAGLCS,
    an ABA accredited institution that is located on the University of
    Virginia grounds, adjacent to UVA's law school. While there, students
    will complete the JA Officer Basic Course, a 3-month course covering
    the various military legal disciplines, to include criminal law.
    Approximately 8 years later, JA's will return to coincide with their
    promotion to major for a year-long program to receive their L.L.M. in
    military law which includes a number of general and specialized
    military law courses, some mandatory, others optional. Additionally,
    throughout the entirety of a JA's career, as they move into new
    positions that require specialized training, such as military justice,
    they will attend training to meet that need. This will take place both
    at TJAGLCS, as well as regional training elsewhere when hosted by Trial
    Counsel Assistance Program (TCAP), a JAGC subdivision tasked to train
    military prosecutors and assist in the prosecution of complex cases.
    TCAP is located in Washington DC, staffed with highly experienced trial
    attorneys, and provides assistance world-wide. The military classes
    typically last 1 to 2 weeks. Army prosecutors also train with outside
    agencies as well, such as the National District Attorney's Association
    (NDAA) in order to maximize training opportunities.
        Army prosecutors are called Trial Counsel (TC) and within the first
    6 months, typically less, attend the multi-week Basic Trial Advocacy
    Course. Following that there are a number of other classes offered
    focusing on a variety of topics to include prosecuting domestic
    violence, maximizing the use of experts and prosecuting child abuse. In
    sexual assault cases, Special Victim Prosecutors (SVPs) lead the
    prosecution effort with the assistance of the TC. SVPs have prior trial
    experience, and are specialized prosecutors who provide subject matter
    expertise in sexual offense investigations and prosecutions based on
    their prior experience and training, and often have offices within
    their local installation United States Army Criminal Investigation
    Command (CID) building. SVPs are individually selected and approved at
    the highest level of the JAGC. Each SVP goes through 2 weeks of the
    Sexual Assault Trial Advocacy Training (SATAC), followed by a one-week
    SVP Course. Each SVP also conducts 2 weeks at the NDAA's Career
    Prosecutor Course, and 2 weeks of on-the-job-training; typically with
    another SVP or with a special victim branch of a large civilian DA
    office.
        Supporting the TCs are often Senior Trial Counsel (STC) normally
    selected after a prior successful assignment as a TC. The Chief of
    Military Justice (COJ) provides oversight over the TCs, as well as the
    other military justice personnel, and is the individual responsible for
    the post trial process and providing completed products to the Staff
    Judge Advocate (SJA) for review with the commanding general (CG).
        Staff Judge Advocates (SJAs) advise General Courts-Martial
    Convening Authorities. SJAs have trial experience as a prosecutor,
    defense counsel or both, and have years of prior experience supervising
    military justice.
        At various points in their career, a military justice practitioner
    would attend many of the below courses, either as a prosecutor, defense
    counsel, or senior JA (* are mandatory courses):
        JA Officer Basic Course*
        Trial Counsel Conference*
        Basic Trial Advocacy Course*
        Intermediate Trial Advocacy Course*
        Defense Counsel 101*
        Defense Counsel 201*
        Military Institute for Prevention of Sexual Violence
        Cornerhouse Training
        Advanced Trial Communications
        Defense of the Damned
        Capital Litigation Courses
        NCMEC Course
        USACIL Course on Experts
        Military Justice Managers Course
        TCAP/DDCAP Experts Symposium
        Conference on Crimes Against Women
        Sexual Assault Trial Advocacy Course
        JA Graduate Course*
        NDAA's Career Prosecutor Course*
        Internship at local DA's Office for SVPs*
        Military Judges Course
        Staff Judge Advocate Course*
        Best Practices for SJAs Course*
        Vice Admiral Burke. Senior Trial Counsel (STV), Special Victim
    Investigation and Prosecution (SVIP)-trained trial counsel, and other
    trained and experienced judge advocates, are heavily involved in the
    military justice process from the earliest investigative stages through
    final disposition. Navy trial counsel and Staff Judge Advocates (SJA)
    are continuously trained to stay current with emerging legal issues.
    Navy continues to evolve training and litigation practices in response
    to the increasingly complex nature of military justice cases. The core
    of Navy's military justice experience is our Military Justice
    Litigation Career Track (MJLCT), established in 2007 to develop a cadre
    of professional criminal litigators. The MJLCT is for judge advocates
    with demonstrated military justice knowledge, experience, and advocacy
    skills. Entry into the MJLCT is through a competitive selection board.
    The MJLCT combines continued education, training, and courtroom
    experience with oversight by and access to senior and seasoned
    litigation mentors to help judge advocates develop the skills needed to
    become highly-capable trial lawyers and judges. Generally, Military
    Justice Litigation Qualified (MJLQ) officers are detailed to fill
    billets specifically designated as career track assignments, which
    include certain trial counsel, defense counsel, victim's legal counsel,
    appellate counsel, and trial and appellate judge billets. These
    officers possess the skills, experience, and temperament necessary to
    mentor and train non-MJLQ officers who may also be assigned to these
    billets. At the close of fiscal year 2017, there were 79 MJLQ officers
    but, over the next 2 fiscal years, the community will grow by 6 to 8
    officers to meet increased demand. All judge advocates complete the
    Naval Justice School's Basic Lawyer Course (BLC), which provides
    training in military justice and trial advocacy skills, and includes a
    capstone exercise during which students prosecute or defend in a mock
    sexual assault trial. Students participate from the investigative
    stages through a fully contested court-martial. This model of
    experiential learning serves to provide First-Tour Judge Advocates
    (FTJAs) with the foundational skills to support the military justice
    mission. Upon graduation, FTJAs report to a Region Legal Service Office
    (RLSO) to complete rotations in three core practice areas--Military
    Justice (one year), Legal Assistance (6 months), and Command Services
    (6 months). FTJAs must demonstrate proficiency by meeting professional
    development standards designed and tailored for each core practice area
    before moving on to the next rotation. In limited circumstances,
    following prerequisite training, FTJAs may petition to be detailed to a
    court-martial under the supervision of a more senior lead counsel. The
    commanding officer may detail FTJAs who have demonstrated the necessary
    skills and aptitude. Upon completion of this 2-year training cycle,
    FTJAs can be assigned to a Trial Department to serve as ``core trial
    counsel;'' under continued intense supervision and mentoring. Core
    trial counsel, having previously completed a litigation tour, compete
    for selection into Navy's specialized Military Justice Litigation
    Career Track (MJLCT). Within 6 months of reporting to a RLSO, a core
    trial counsel returns to the Naval Justice School's Basic Trial
    Advocacy course, if they have not previously attended, which focuses
    primarily on courtroom advocacy through student participation and
    competitive skills-based drills. The course includes a sexual assault
    case study, coupled with practical exercises, to maximize participation
    and enhance advocacy skills. Within the first year of reporting, the
    core trial counsel attends at least one SVIP course--facilitated by the
    Naval Justice School, other Service schools, or a civilian prosecutor
    organization (e.g., the National District Attorney's Association). Core
    trial counsel also attend one-of-two courses at the Federal Law
    Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) focused on investigating adult
    sexual assaults or family crimes. At FLETC, trial counsel train side-
    by-side with Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents on the unique
    requirements of investigating and prosecuting special victim crimes.
    These courses focus on investigating and prosecuting adult sexual
    assault, domestic violence, and child abuse and exploitation. Naval
    Justice School also offers a Litigating Complex Cases course every 2
    years, which focuses on forensics and medical evidence associated with
    special victim crimes. The Litigation Training Coordination Council
    (LTCC) is a dual-service, inter-disciplinary group chaired by the
    Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Justice and the Chief
    Judge of the Department of the Navy. The LTCC--composed of members of
    the Naval Justice School, the Trial Counsel Assistance Program (TCAP),
    the Defense Counsel Assistance Program, the Office of the Judge
    Advocate General Criminal Law Division, and an adult learning expert--
    meets at least once each quarter to ensure all military justice
    training is current, relevant, and properly budgeted and prioritized.
    RLSO Trial Departments are led by a STC, who must be an MJLQ officer,
    and a lieutenant commander-select, or above. In fleet concentration
    areas, STCs serve in the grade of commander (O-5). STC provide proven
    courtroom experience; personally conducting, adjudicating, or
    overseeing litigation in all Navy courts-martial, to include sexual
    assault and other complex cases. Upon reporting, STC complete a one-
    week special victims investigation course and participate in additional
    specialized training such as Litigating Complex Cases, Navy Mobile
    Training Team training, or other online special victims offense or
    litigation training. Each core trial counsel and FTJA works under the
    direct supervision of the STC, who reports to an executive officer (O-5
    judge advocate), and a commanding officer (O-6 judge advocate). TCAP
    provides additional guidance, litigation support, advice, and training,
    to RLSO Trial Counsel. Commanding officers may request TCAP to assist
    in courts-martial, to include detailing TCAP counsel to serve as lead
    or assistant trial counsel in complex cases, or to provide mentorship
    and supervision to less experienced trial counsel. TCAP serves as
    Navy's primary litigation resource to trial counsel and trial
    paralegals prosecuting criminal offenses under the Uniform Code of
    Military Justice. TCAP's director is a judge advocate with prior
    experience as a military judge and STC, designated by the MJLQ board as
    an ``expert'' MJLQ officer. The deputy director is a senior civilian
    career prosecutor and prior executive with the National District
    Attorney's Association. The assistant director has experience as both
    trial counsel and defense counsel, and is designated by the MJLQ board
    as a ``specialist'' MJLQ officer. TCAP also employs the services of a
    Highly Qualified Expert to advise on prosecuting a range of special
    victim crimes matters. TCAP visits each RLSO annually to conduct 3 days
    of targeted training related to special victim crimes and trial
    advocacy strategies. Topics include strategic charging of adult sexual
    assaults, child forensic interviews, working with victims, sentencing
    strategies, the Victim Witness Assistance Program, and prosecuting
    computer crimes related to child exploitation. Additionally, TCAP
    identifies special victim crime webinars for core trial counsels'
    continuing legal education. TCAP's goal is for core trial counsel to
    receive over 75 hours of specific SVIP training within their first year
    of reporting to a Trial Department. Staff Judge Advocates (SJA) provide
    advice to convening authorities on military justice matters. The rank,
    experience, and training of the SJA vary with seniority of the
    convening authority. SJAs advising non-flag officer clients, at a
    minimum, have completed the FTJA program and received training in the
    core practice areas prior to assuming their SJA assignment. In
    preparation for assignment as an SJA, judge advocates generally attend
    the Naval Justice School's SJA Course which includes review of military
    justice matters associated with the SJA practice, including evidentiary
    issues, post-trial processing, the Victim and Witness Assistance
    Program, and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program. SJAs
    are typically lieutenants or lieutenant commanders. SJAs advising flag-
    officer clients, are typically lieutenant commanders or higher. They
    generally attend the Naval Justice School's Advanced SJA course and
    receive advanced training in handling officer misconduct, the Victim
    Witness Assistance Program, and the Sexual Assault Prevention and
    Response Program. The course includes panel discussions and small group
    sessions based on specific areas of practice. Course facilitators
    include current or former senior SJAs from the Department of the Navy
    Secretariat, Chief of Naval Operations staff, component commands, fleet
    commands, and other flag officer commands.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. See the attached documents, as Appendix
    B, Attachments 1 to 5, starting on page 149. Attachments 1 to 4 have
    already been provided to members of Congress, to include another
    request for information submitted to DOD by Senator Gillibrand.
    Attachment 5 generally describes Air Force judge advocate training.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Trial counsel, i.e., prosecutors, hold
    juris doctor degrees, are licensed to practice law in at least one
    state, and designated as judge advocates having graduated from Naval
    Justice School and certified by the Judge Advocate General to prosecute
    or defend military justice cases under Article 27, UCMJ. Trial counsel
    perform their duties under the supervision of Senior Trial Counsel
    (STC), Regional Trial Counsel (RTC), and the Officer in Charge, Legal
    Services Support Section. The STCs are ordinarily majors (O-4), and the
    RTCs are ordinarily lieutenant colonels (O-5). Both normally have
    advanced degrees (LL.M.) in criminal justice. The staff judge advocate
    (SJA) is the primary legal advisor to a commander and provides advice
    on military justice matters throughout the military justice process.
    SJAs will have previously served in trial billets and are ordinarily
    lieutenant colonels (O-5) and colonels (O-6).

        15. Senator Gillibrand. Lieutenant General Seamands, Vice Admiral
    Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General Rocco, how
    many prosecutors do you have that are trained in special victim
    capabilities and when do they typically become involved in a case?
        Lieutenant General Seamands. There are currently authorizations for
    23 Special Victim Prosecutors with 26 currently assigned. Additionally,
    there are over 200 trial counsel and 30 to 40 senior trial counsel, all
    of whom have various levels of training in handling special victim
    cases.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Yes, a Special Victim Investigation and
    Prosecution (SVIP)-trained prosecutor is assigned in every Special
    Victim Crimes (SVC) case, either as lead counsel, assistant counsel, or
    supervisory counsel. Assignment occurs within the first 24 to 48 hours
    of report of the SVC to the Region Legal Service Office (RLSO). The
    Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is required to notify the
    local RLSO within 24 hours of the report of a SVC, and within 48 hours,
    the NCIS Case Agent is required to collaborate with a SVIP-trained
    Trial Counsel.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Air Force Instruction 51-201,
    Administration of Military Justice, requires each installation Staff
    Judge Advocate to designate an investigative support team composed of a
    judge advocate and paralegal who will work with the Air Force Office of
    Special Investigations (AFOSI) case agent in all investigations
    involving an unrestricted report of adult sexual assault, domestic
    violence involving sexual assault and/or aggravated assault with
    grievous bodily harm, and child abuse involving sexual assault and/or
    aggravated assault with grievous bodily harm.
        In cases involving sexual assault, AFOSI notifies the installation
    Staff Judge Advocate's office upon starting substantive criminal
    investigation into an allegation under the Uniform Code of Military
    Justice. The Staff Judge Advocate will then designate an attorney to
    provide initial counsel to the case agent on the new investigation.
    This designation will occur as early as practicable in the
    investigative process to ensure proper legal support to the
    investigation. The attorney designated to assist the investigator will
    assist in investigative plan development, case development, and conduct
    a ``hot wash'' at the conclusion of any prosecution.
        Beyond the investigative support team described in the preceding
    paragraphs, there are 11 Special Victim's Unit--Senior Trial Counsel
    (SVU-STC) in the Government Trial and Appellate Counsel Division. In
    cases involving sexual assault, these SVU-STCs are detailed as early as
    possible to provide full-spectrum litigation support including
    evidence/charging reviews, pretrial interviewing of victims/witnesses,
    case preparation, and service as lead counsel in the court-martial.
    These SVU-STCs are involved with the case as soon as they are
    requested, very often before the preferral stage of the process. For
    sexual assault cases, charges must be reviewed by a SVU-STC prior to
    preferral.
        Also, see the attached documents. Attachments 1 to 4 (Appendix B,
    page 149) have already been provided to members of Congress, to include
    another request for information submitted to DOD by Senator Gillibrand.
    Attachment 5 (Appendix B, page 153) generally describes Air Force judge
    advocate training.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The Regional Trial Counsel (RTC) will
    employ the Complex Trial Team (CTT) to deliver Special Victim
    Investigation and Prosecution (SVIP) capabilities through a task
    organized combination of prosecutors, highly qualified experts (HQEs),
    victim witness assistance personnel, investigators, administrative
    support, and paralegal support from across the region. The CTT will
    work in conjunction with the victim, victim support providers, the
    command, and NCIS to deliver a comprehensive investigation and, when
    appropriate, prosecution. The Marine Corps has approximately fifty (50)
    SVIP Trial Counsel. Qualification of SVIP Trial Counsel is based on the
    following requirements: (1) be a certified as a General Court-Martial
    Trial Counsel; (2) demonstrate to the Legal Services Support Section
    Officer in Charge's (OIC) satisfaction that the trial counsel possesses
    the requisite expertise, experience, education, innate ability, and
    disposition to competently prosecute special victim cases; (3)
    prosecute a contested special or general court-martial in a special
    victim case as an assistant trial counsel; (4) attend an intermediate
    level trial advocacy training course for the prosecution of special
    victims cases (e.g., Trial Counsel Assistance Program Prosecuting
    Special Victim Cases Course); and (5) receive recommendations, in
    writing, from the Senior Trial Counsel (STC), RTC, and, when
    applicable, Legal Services Support Team OIC. Trial counsel become
    involved almost immediately in certain complex cases. As required by
    DODI 5505.19 w/ CH 2 of 23 March 2017, in certain sexual assault and
    domestic violence cases, the trial counsel are notified within 24 hours
    of the report of an offense by NCIS. Trial counsel are consulted within
    48 hours of such a report and then consulted again at least once a
    month by the NCIS special agents assigned to the case. These
    consultations may involve investigative plans, searches for electronic
    evidence, or a review of the evidence gathered to-date. As a case nears
    the completion of the investigation stage, particularly in sexual
    assault and domestic violence cases, the trial counsel drafts a case
    analysis memorandum (CAM), analyzing the evidentiary strengths and
    weaknesses of the case. The trial counsel's supervising attorneys--the
    STC and RTC--working with a civilian HQE, review the CAM for
    completeness. Once the CAM is approved, it is submitted to the SJA to
    inform the advice the SJA provides to the commander responsible for the
    case.

        16. Senator Gillibrand. Lieutenant General Seamands, Vice Admiral
    Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General Rocco, do you
    have a prosecutor trained in special victim capabilities assigned to
    each case as either the primary counsel or the assistant counsel? When
    does that assignment occur?
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Army assigns a Special Victim
    Prosecutor to each case from the outset when the criminal investigators
    learn about it. Their involvement in each case varies based on the
    complexity of the case and the capability of the trial counsel(s) who
    are also assigned to it, but they typically try contested cases as a
    first or second chair.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Yes, a Special Victim Investigation and
    Prosecution (SVIP)-trained prosecutor is assigned in every Special
    Victim Crimes (SVC) case, either as lead counsel, assistant counsel, or
    supervisory counsel. Assignment occurs within the first 24 to 48 hours
    of report of the SVC to the Region Legal Service Office (RLSO). The
    Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is required to notify the
    local RLSO within 24 hours of the report of a SVC, and within 48 hours,
    the NCIS Case Agent is required to collaborate with a SVIP-trained
    Trial Counsel.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. AFI 51-201, Administration of Military
    Justice, requires that a judge advocate designated as a member of the
    special victim investigation and prosecution capability (SVIP) is
    assigned to every prosecution involving an unrestricted report of
    sexual assault as soon as practicable upon notification of the
    allegation. Every judge advocate who is designated as a member of the
    SVIP must have completed the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
    Program training requirements listed in DODI 6495.02, Enclosure 10, to
    include annual training and responder training requirements.
    Additionally, all judge advocates must complete the judge advocate
    training requirements detailed in Enclosure 10, paragraph 7, of the
    DODI 6495.02.
        Senior Trial Counsel (STC) are assigned in all cases where the
    command's staff judge advocate requests Senior Trial Counsel detailing.
    Typically, they are assigned to the case early in the process, very
    often before the preferral stage of the process. For sexual assault
    cases, charges must be reviewed by a Senior Trial Counsel prior to
    preferral. In 2017, Senior Trial Counsels were detailed as lead counsel
    in 91 percent of general courts-martial across the Air Force.
        Also, see the attached documents. Attachments 1 to 4 (Appendix B,
    page 149) have already been provided to members of Congress, to include
    another request for information submitted to DOD by Senator Gillibrand.
    Attachment 5 (Appendix B, page 153) generally describes Air Force judge
    advocate training.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Yes. Trial counsel become involved almost
    immediately in certain complex cases. As required by DODI 5505.19 w/ CH
    2 of 23 March 2017, in certain sexual assault and domestic violence
    cases, the trial counsel are notified within 24 hours of the report of
    an offense by NCIS. Trial counsel are consulted within 48 hours of such
    a report and then consulted again at least once a month by the NCIS
    special agents assigned to the case. These consultations may involve
    investigative plans, searches for electronic evidence, or a review of
    the evidence gathered to-date. Marine Corps Bulletin (MCBUL) 5800
    (Military Justice Requirements and Implementation Guidance) dated 25
    May 2017 defines ``special victim cases'' as those cases involving
    alleged violations of Articles 118, 119, 119a, 120, 120a, 120b, 125
    (with a child or forcible), 128 (domestic violence involving aggravated
    assault or child abuse), 134 (child pornography or assault with intent
    to commit the previously listed articles), or 80 (attempts to commit
    the previously listed articles) of the UCMJ. All special victim cases
    will be tried by a Complex Trial Team (CTT) member. The Regional Trial
    Counsel (RTC) will employ the CTT to deliver Special Victim
    Investigation and Prosecution (SVIP) capabilities through a task-
    organized combination of prosecutors, highly qualified experts (HQEs),
    victim witness assistance personnel, investigators, administrative
    support, and paralegal support from across the region. The CTT will
    work in conjunction with the victim, victim support providers, the
    command, and NCIS to deliver a comprehensive investigation and, when
    appropriate, prosecution. Normally, a trial counsel is ``detailed,'' or
    assigned, upon receipt by the Legal Services Support Section of a
    commander's formal Request for Legal Services. However, in a special
    victim case, SVIP trial counsel may be detailed upon the CTT's receipt
    of notification of such an allegation.
                   intimate partner violence and child abuse
        17. Senator Gillibrand. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General
    Seamands, Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant
    General Rocco, in the last fiscal year, please detail changes to policy
    you have instituted or prevention efforts you have initiated to reduce
    the incidence of intimate partner violence and child abuse?
        Secretary Wilkie. In the past fiscal year, in addition to ongoing
    prevention and oversight efforts, the Department revised Family
    Advocacy Program (FAP) policy and program standards to incorporate
    changes to reporting procedures for allegations of child abuse and
    neglect in military families and homes in accordance with ``Talia's
    Law,'' Public Law 114-328, section 575, and section 20341 of title 34,
    United States Code. The Department also updated its policy guidance on
    addressing domestic abuse and intimate partner violence to include the
    requirement to share any active Military Protective Order with civilian
    law enforcement. We are also in the process of adding the requirement
    for FAP clinicians to use the evidence-based Intimate Partner Physical
    Injury Risk Assessment Tool to evaluate risk of future intimate partner
    violence and physical injury. In collaboration with the Services, the
    Department developed and launched two major public awareness campaigns
    on how to detect warning signs of domestic and intimate partner abuse,
    prevent child abuse/neglect, and promote healthy relationships.
    Further, we offer service provider training specific to the
    identification of and response to child abuse and neglect and domestic
    and intimate partner abuse.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Army recently sent guidance to
    installations to incorporate Talia's Law (Public Law 114-328, section
    575) into training pertaining to domestic violence and child abuse.
    Additionally, we continue to offer annual Family Advocacy Program
    leader training where staff receive the latest public law, policy,
    prevention, and treatment updates.
        In fiscal year 2017, the Army continued to offer Family life skills
    programs to soldiers and family members to promote healthy
    relationships and reduce and prevent domestic violence and child abuse.
    Army clinicians provide state-of-the-art, evidenced-based treatment,
    which includes cognitive-behavioral, trauma-informed therapy for
    Families, couples, individuals, and groups to prevent, reduce, and
    treat domestic violence and child abuse.
        Vice Admiral Burke. This past year Navy rolled out the High Risk
    for Violence--Coordinated Community Response (HRV-CCR) program, which
    formalizes and standardizes procedures for monitoring risk in child and
    spouse abuse cases. HRV-CCR is activated when there is a threat of
    immediate and serious harm to sailors, family members, or intimate
    partners. HRV-CCR provides a coordinated community response to reduce
    family violence, by protecting and assisting actual or alleged victims
    of domestic or child abuse. We are also piloting the One Love
    prevention model, which focuses on promoting healthy relationships and
    recognizing the signs of escalating violence in relationships. This
    program provides young people with the tools to create a movement that
    decreases risk factors and increases protective resources.
        Lieutenant General Grosso.
        1)  All Air Force clinicians were trained in evidence-based
    interventions that meet the DOD clinical treatment requirements for
    male and female offenders, Change Step (for male offenders) and VISTA
    (for female offenders) respectively.
        2)  Implementation of DOD enterprise-wide Shaken Baby Syndrome/
    Abusive Head Trauma prevention program (Period of PURPLE* Crying)
    continues across the Air Force Medical Service with the Air Force
    Family Advocacy Program (FAP) overseeing training for new staff at all
    clinics providing services to expectant families and families with
    young infants.
            *The letters in PURPLE stand for Peak of crying, Unexpected,
    Resists soothing, Pain-like face, Long lasting, and Evening.
        3)  Air Force Family Advocacy Program providers, outreach managers,
    and victim advocates have a high rate of enrollment within the DOD
    funded National Child Traumatic Stress Network Academy of online and
    webinar training including foundational knowledge, alternatives for
    families-cognitive behavioral therapy, 12 core concepts on childhood
    trauma, and the protective factors framework-military.
        4)  Air Force Instruction (AFI) 40-301, Family Advocacy Program,
    Interim Change 1, was published 12 October 2017, which specifically:
             Outlined Family Advocacy Program prevention programs
    and services
             Clarified New Parent Support Program (NPSP) screening
    and referral requirements
             Required Family Advocacy Program treatment
    recommendation of Change Step men's group therapy for adult male
    domestic abuser
             Required use of the Intimate Partner Physical Injury
    Risk Assessment Tool in domestic abuse assessments
             Required use of the Incident Severity Scale for all
    criteria meeting incidents
             Required a Commander's Critical Information
    Requirement for high interest adult sexual assault case situations
             Required using the Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate as a
    Family Advocacy Program first responder whenever possible for prompt
    support to adult victims and non-offending caregivers of child victims
             Clarified guidance for managing child safety and
    utilizing emergency placement care in overseas locations
        5)  Family Advocacy Program Prevention, in partnership with
    research consultants, developed and piloted Skills, Strengths,
    Techniques, and Resources (SSTaR) at selected installations. The
    program targets both decreased likelihood of a new incident, and
    support of alleged offenders in first steps toward readiness for
    change. Training of Family Advocacy Program prevention staff on the
    SSTaR intervention was completed and the program implemented in 2017.
        6)  Training of prevention outreach managers on new evidence-based
    couple communication (PREP 8.0).
        7)  Strength in Home--Reviewed evidence-based program targeting
    veterans and military couples on impact of trauma on couple
    relationships; program supports relationship and prevention of partner
    violence. Program implementation scheduled for 2018.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The Marines Corps initiated the joint
    Safe Sleep Campaign with the Department of the Navy in fiscal year
    2017; the campaign launched November 2017. This campaign targets child
    abuse and neglect prevention to expectant parents and parents with
    children under one year of age who are most at risk for accidental
    death due to unsafe sleep practices.

        18. Senator Gillibrand. Secretary Wilkie, Lieutenant General
    Seamands, Vice Admiral Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant
    General Rocco, does every servicemember receive training on recognizing
    the signs of child abuse?
        Secretary Wilkie. Family Advocacy Program (FAP) policy requires
    that training on the prevention of, and response to, child abuse and
    neglect and domestic abuse must be provided to commanders and non-
    commissioned officers who are senior enlisted advisors. Military
    Departments implementing FAP policies are permitted to include
    additional training requirements for a broader population beyond
    commanders and senior enlisted advisors, but current DOD policy does
    not require all members to receive training on recognizing the signs of
    child abuse.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. Yes, the Army requires commanders to
    schedule time for soldiers to attend annual awareness briefings
    presented by Family Advocacy personnel on the dynamics of domestic
    violence and child abuse, prevention, and treatment services. The Army
    also requires commanders to be familiar with rehabilitative,
    administrative, and disciplinary processes and procedures related to
    domestic violence and child abuse, and receive mandatory briefings
    designed for unit commanders within 45 days of assuming command.
        Vice Admiral Burke. No, however domestic and child abuse prevention
    training is delivered to the appropriate audience at a periodicity
    determined by the local command. There is no minimum periodicity
    associated with this topic, but commands are encouraged to judiciously
    exercise this flexibility to ensure the right people receive the
    training when appropriate. FAP training includes information on
    policies and procedures, definitions of domestic and child abuse,
    mandatory reporting, the impact on families, and personal
    responsibility. To support this requirement, the Navy has developed a
    domestic violence mobile device application.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. Every airmen is made aware of mandatory
    reporting of domestic violence during Newcomer's Orientation and
    Commander's Calls (as requested). Chains of command are trained by the
    Family Advocacy Program prevention staff to ensure active duty
    personnel are aware of Air Force and joint-base equivalent service
    policy, state law, signs, and reporting protocol on both domestic and
    intimate partner abuse and child maltreatment. In addition, the
    following training and active duty and family awareness activities are
    conducted:
          Frontline supervisors of service members and first
    sergeants training
          Briefing of installation personnel at Commander's Calls
          Information Papers, Posters, Flyers disseminated/posted
          Installation websites and social media
          Special Emphasis Month Training and Installation
    Promotion and Awareness Events (October, Domestic Abuse Prevention),
    (February, Dating Violence Prevention), (April, Child Abuse and Neglect
    Prevention)
          Articles in Base News Publication
        Population training including parenting, New Dads, and prevention
    of Shaken Baby
        Lieutenant General Rocco. Yes. The Marine Corps provides training
    to all marines on child abuse/neglect and domestic abuse through the
    Unit Marine Awareness and Prevention Integrated Training (UMAPIT).
    UMAPIT is required annual training for all marines.

        19. Senator Gillibrand. Lieutenant General Seamands, Vice Admiral
    Burke, Lieutenant General Grosso, and Lieutenant General Rocco, Talia's
    law (Public Law 114-328, section 575) mandates reporting of suspected
    child abuse and neglect in military families to FAP by any individual
    within the chain of command of the member, in addition to more
    traditional mandated reporters such as child care providers and law
    enforcement professionals. Individuals within the chain of command
    could range from an E4 lower level unit supervisor up to an O10
    combatant commander. Describe the training your service is providing to
    these members of the chain of command to comply with this law. Please
    provide a copy of any presentation used in such trainings.
        Lieutenant General Seamands. The Army sent guidance to
    installations to incorporate Talia's Law in training pertaining to
    domestic violence and child abuse. As an example, I am including a copy
    of Fort Hood's briefing presentation on Talia's Law.
        Army policy requires installation Family Advocacy Program managers
    to brief each unit commander and his or her senior enlisted adviser on
    the Family Advocacy Program within 45 days prior to or following
    assumption of command. The briefing includes policies and procedures,
    reporting requirements, available prevention and treatment services,
    and commander responsibilities for identifying, reporting, and
    participating in prevention and treatment efforts.
        Vice Admiral Burke. Navy policy requires DON personnel to report
    any incident or suspected incident of child abuse involving persons
    eligible for FAP services to the local FAP. Navy FAP conducts training
    activities to inform commanders, senior enlisted advisors, and
    servicemembers. The Navy FAP Educators Resource Guide (see attached
    Module 1) provides FAP educators and other prevention staff with a
    standardized curriculum that includes current laws, policies,
    procedures and processes.
        Lieutenant General Grosso. The public law is being incorporated
    into AFI 40-301, Family Advocacy Program, Interim Change 2, which is
    currently in draft.
        Members of the chain of command trained on mandated reporting
    annually are:
          Wing Commanders, Vice Wing Commanders, Group Commanders,
    and Command Chief Master Sergeants receive Senior Leader briefings
          New Air Force squadron commanders and first sergeants and
    joint-based equivalent leader's deskside at the squadron or service
    equivalent unit within 90 days of assumed command
          Air Force squadron commanders and first sergeants and
    joint-base equivalent leader additional in-depth annual training
    linking domestic abuse impact to mission readiness
          Frontline Supervisors within squadrons and joint-base
    equivalent units, geographically separated units, Guard and Reserve;
    and offer training or provide information to chaplains and tenant
    units.
        An example copy of the presentation used in the training is
    attached (Please see Attachment 6, starting on page ----). Note:
    Statistical Data are updated for each installation.
        Lieutenant General Rocco. The Marine Corps published MARADMIN 547/
    17 on 4 October 2017 to inform all marines and respective personnel of
    the new legislation, reporting requirements, and where to report. The
    MARADMIN is attached. The reporting updates are included in the current
    draft update to Marine Corps Order for the Family Advocacy Program
    1754.11A. Training contents are also in the process of being updated to
    include Unit Marine Awareness and Prevention Integrated Training, New
    Commander 90 Day Training, annual training for Child Youth Program
    staff, and Family Advocacy Staff Training courses.
                            nondeployability policy
        20. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, as you mentioned in your
    testimony, the Department released its new policy on non-deployability
    this week. The policy is very short and leaves many questions
    unanswered. How is DOD instructing the services regarding how to brief
    this new policy to personnel to standardize the tone and spirit of the
    policy?
        Secretary Wilkie. While the policy memo is relatively succinct, we
    are drafting a DOD Instruction in coordination with the Military
    Departments, to ensure consistent policy implementation across the
    Department. This instruction will provide greater detail regarding the
    retention of non-deployable servicemembers, which will clarify many
    areas of concern, including the ability to appeal a determination and
    the establishment of a special category for our servicemembers who were
    wounded in action. I expect this instruction to be published by no
    later than October 2018.

        21. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, please provide, in detail, the
    categories of non-deployability and the number of servicemembers who
    fall into each category. For example, of the estimated 286,000 troops
    that are non-deployable, how many are in that status due to benign
    medical delinquency such as dental or routine immunizations, how many
    are receiving treatment for serious conditions such as cancer, how many
    are receiving mental health treatment, how many are pregnant or
    postpartum, how many are getting medical treatment that has a finite
    period and whether that period is expected to be less than or more than
    12 months, etc.
        Secretary Wilkie. Of the 286,000, nearly one-third simply need to
    complete annual periodic health assessments or dental screening and
    another third consists of servicemembers with temporary profiles that
    limit full duty for routine conditions such as sprained ankles and
    knees. These Service men and women are expected back to full duty. Of
    the remaining population, some are pregnant or in a post-partum status
    and others will process through the Disability Evaluation System. Due
    to National Security considerations, we are not able to provide more
    specific breakouts for the record, but I or my staff would be happy to
    brief you in person.

        22. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, for communities in which DOD
    has invested significant money and training in (such as pilots or those
    with nuclear capabilities), has DOD assessed the danger in losing these
    essential assets in a time when they are in short supply?
        Secretary Wilkie. The Secretaries of the Military Departments
    retain the authority to grant waivers to servicemembers and will
    consider the needs of the Services. The Secretaries of the Military
    Departments will review all waiver requests on a case-by-case basis.

        23. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, have you done an assessment of
    the cost of training that has already been invested in the non-
    deployable servicemembers and the cost of training new servicemembers
    in their place?
        Secretary Wilkie. No. Each non-deployable servicemember decreases
    the readiness and lethality of the force. That is why the Secretaries
    of the Military Departments will weigh the needs of each Service when
    making the retention decision.

        24. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, please identify which Military
    Occupational Specialties require a servicemember to be worldwide
    deployable and which do not.
        Secretary Wilkie. Regardless of their Military Occupational
    Specialties, all servicemembers are expected to be worldwide
    deployable; it will be up to the Secretaries of the Military
    Departments to review individual cases and make a determination on
    retention of that individual.

        25. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, since these wars began, DOD and
    the services have worked hard to eliminate stigma attached to seeking
    medical treatment, including mental health assistance. How will DOD
    ensure that this policy does not create a chilling effect, causing
    military personnel to refrain from seeking the medical and mental
    health treatment they need for fear of being determined medically non-
    deployable under the policy, thereby threatening their careers and the
    livelihood of their families?
        Secretary Wilkie. The Department is committed to ensuring the
    health and well-being of all servicemembers and that does not change
    with this policy. It is in everyone's best interest to ensure our men
    and women seek and receive medical treatment as quickly as possible to
    ensure proper treatment and timely recovery.

        26. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Wilkie, are servicemembers who are
    restricted to certain assignments due to their participation in the
    Exceptional Family Member Program subject to the mandates of this
    policy? If so, will this policy create a similar chilling effect on
    that population, encouraging military families not to seek the
    specialized care their family member needs for fear of being
    discharged?
        Secretary Wilkie. Participants in the Exceptional Family Member
    program, and being thus potentially restricted to certain assignments
    when accompanied by dependent family members, does no impact a
    servicemember's deployability and does not put them at risk of
    separation under this policy.

                                   Appendix A

    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                   APPENDIX B
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                   APPENDIX C

        [The prepared statement of The National Association of
    Chain Drug Stores follows:]

      Prepared Statement by The National Association of Chain Drug Stores
                                  introduction
        The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) thanks the
    Subcommittee for the opportunity to submit a statement for the hearing
    on ``Military and Civilian Personnel Programs and Military Family
    Readiness.'' NACDS and the chain pharmacy industry are committed to
    partnering with Congress, the Department of Defense (DOD), and other
    healthcare providers to improve the quality and affordability of
    healthcare services for our Nation's military heroes, retirees, and
    their families.
        NACDS represents traditional drug stores, supermarkets and mass
    merchants with pharmacies. Chains operate 40,000 pharmacies, and NACDS'
    more than 100 chain member companies include regional chains, with a
    minimum of four stores, and national companies. Chains employ more than
    3 million individuals, including 152,000 pharmacists. They fill over 3
    billion prescriptions yearly, and help patients use medicines correctly
    and safely, while offering innovative services that improve patient
    health and healthcare affordability. NACDS members also include more
    than 900 supplier partners and over 70 international members
    representing 20 countries. Please visit nacds.org.
        As the face of neighborhood healthcare, community pharmacies and
    pharmacists provide access to prescription medications and over-the-
    counter products, as well as cost-effective health services such as
    immunizations and disease screenings. Through personal interactions
    with patients, face-to-face consultations and convenient access to
    preventive care services, local pharmacists are helping to shape the
    healthcare delivery system of tomorrow--in partnership with doctors,
    nurses, and others. As policies to control spending in the TRICARE
    program are considered, NACDS urges Congress to protect patient health
    and preserve access to local pharmacies.
     implement common sense policies to restore access and reduce costs in
                          the tricare pharmacy program
        Currently, the Department of Defense (DOD) pays more for acquiring
    certain prescription medications when they are dispensed in the retail
    pharmacy setting as opposed to mail order facilities and military
    treatment facilities (MTF). This disparity in acquisition cost has led
    to misguided policies that steer patients to use mail order or MTFs to
    obtain their prescriptions, instead of their local, trusted pharmacy.
    These policies include:
          increasing copayments on an almost annual basis,
    including in the most recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
    \1\, and
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018--Sec.
    702: Modifications of Cost Sharing Requirements for the TRICARE
    Pharmacy Benefits Program and Treatment of Certain Pharmaceutical
    Agents.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          requiring beneficiaries to obtain non-generic maintenance
    medications at an MTF or through mail order. \2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015--Sec.
    702: Modifications of Cost-Sharing and Other Requirements for the
    TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        These policies restrict patient access and have had the unintended
    consequence of reducing medication adherence and shifting costs to
    other federal programs. Failure to take medications as prescribed costs
    the U.S. health system $290 billion annually, or 13 percent of total
    health expenditures. \3\ It has been established that higher copayments
    cause some chronically ill beneficiaries to stop taking their
    medications, resulting in more doctor visits and hospitalizations. In
    2012, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report which
    revised its methodology for scoring proposals related to prescription
    drug use and found that for each one percent increase in the number of
    prescriptions filled by beneficiaries there is a corresponding decrease
    in overall medical spending. \4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ New England Healthcare Institute. ``Thinking outside the
    pillbox: a system-wide approach to improving patient medication
    adherence for chronic disease.'' New England Health Care Institute
    (2009).
        \4\ Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Offsetting Effects of
    Prescription Drug Use on Medicare's Spending for Medical Services,
    November 2013(https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/112th-congress-
    2011-2012/reports/MedicalOffsets_One-col.pdf)
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In the TRICARE program, the costs are generally shifted to the
    Medicare program. For example, in reviewing the Senate version of the
    Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA, the CBO found that copay increases would result
    in an increase of over $1 billion in other federal spending for medical
    services, particularly in Medicare. \5\ The CBO stated:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ Congressional Budget Office. Cost Estimate: S. 1376 National
    Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. June 3, 2015 (https://
    www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/costestimate/
    s13761.pdf)
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Thus, while the higher copayments may deter some beneficiaries from
    filling prescriptions they no longer need or use, those higher
    copayments also could cause some chronically ill beneficiaries to stop
    taking their medications, resulting in more doctor visits and
    hospitalizations. As a result, CBO estimates that the $4.9 billion in
    direct pharmacy savings would be offset by a $1.1 billion increase in
    other federal spending for medical services (mostly from Medicare). \6\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ Ibid.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        CBO found similar results for the Senate version of the Fiscal Year
    2017 NDAA, which again included pharmacy copay increases. \7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Congressional Budget Office. Cost Estimate: S. 2943 National
    Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. June 10, 2016 (https://
    www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/costestimate/
    s2943.pdf)
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Eliminating the current purchasing cost disparity would eliminate
    the need for DOD to steer patients to either an MTF or mail order. This
    would provide cost savings to DOD in the form of reduced purchasing
    costs and lower administrative costs. Currently, DOD pays a much higher
    dispensing fee for medications dispensed through mail order. Moreover,
    this would minimize cost shifts to the Medicare program. Most
    importantly, this would benefit TRICARE beneficiaries through:
          more choice in obtaining prescription medications,
          improved access to pharmacist care (for many, distant
    MTFs may not be a viable option), and
          greater stability with less pressure for continued
    increases in cost sharing/copays.
        To implement this cost-saving change, and consistent with the
    commitment made by the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
    and Readiness, \8\ we ask members of the Committee to urge DOD to
    convene a working group that includes key stakeholders from the DOD,
    the pharmaceutical manufacturing community, and the retail pharmacy
    industry. The purpose of the working group would be to design a program
    that allows TRICARE beneficiaries and their family members to access
    brand maintenance medications at retail pharmacies, as they presently
    may at military treatment facilities and through mail order, while
    enabling the government to realize cost parity, and where feasible,
    opportunities for cost savings.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ December 20, 2017 letter from Admiral Kurta to Senator Rounds,
    committing to convene and chair a working group of stakeholders to
    ``explore opportunities to achieve the stated goal of maximizing point-
    of-service options for TRICARE beneficiaries and their families while
    generating cost-saving opportunities for the government.''
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        To maximize the impact of the working group, we ask that it would
    convene no later than March 2018 and present its findings no later than
    6 months after convening, with an interim status briefing being
    provided to the Armed Services Committees 3 months after first
    convening.
                                   conclusion
        Thank you for the opportunity to share our views. We look forward
    to working with you on policies that control costs and preserve access
    to local pharmacies.

                                     [all]