    [Senate Hearing 119-294]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                          S. Hrg. 119-294

                   THE NOMINATION OF MR. DANIEL P. DRISCOLL
                           TO BE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                JANUARY 30, 2025

                                   __________

             Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                    Available via: http: // www.govinfo.gov

                                    __________

                       U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    62-891 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2026
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES

                    ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman

     DEB FISCHER, Nebraska			JACK REED, Rhode Island
     TOM COTTON, Arkansas			JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
     MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota		KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
     JONI ERNST, Iowa			RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
     DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska			MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
     KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota		TIM KAINE, Virginia
     RICK SCOTT, Florida			ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine
     TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama		ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
     MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma	        GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
     TED BUDD, North Carolina		TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
     ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri			JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
     JIM BANKS, INDIANA			MARK KELLY, Arizona
     TIM SHEEHY, MONTANA                  	ELISSA SLOTKIN, MICHIGAN

     		   John P. Keast, Staff Director
     		Elizabeth L. King, Minority Staff Director

                                      (ii)

                                C O N T E N T S
    _________________________________________________________________

                                january 30, 2025

                                                                       Page

    The Nomination of Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll to be Secretary of the       1
      Army.

                               Members Statements

    Wicker, Senator Roger............................................     1

    Reed, Senator Jack...............................................     3

                               Witness Statements

    Driscoll, Daniel P., to be Secretary of the Army.................     8

      Advance Policy Questions.......................................    44

      Questions for the Record.......................................    65

      Nomination Reference and Report................................    96

      Biographical Sketch............................................    96

      Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire......................    97

      Signature Page.................................................   102

                                     (iii)

      THE NOMINATION OF MR. DANIEL P. DRISCOLL TO BE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY

                                  ----------

                           THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025

                                  United States Senate,
                                   Committee on Armed Services,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m. in room
    SD-G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Roger Wicker
    (Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
        Committee Members present: Senators Wicker, Fischer, Ernst,
    Sullivan, Cramer, Scott, Tuberville, Budd, Schmitt, Banks,
    Reed, Shaheen, Gillibrand, Hirono, Kaine, Warren, Peters,
    Duckworth, Rosen, and Slotkin.

               OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR ROGER WICKER

        Chairman Wicker. The hearing will come to order. We thank
    the witnesses for being here, and those in attendance.
        Certainly, all of us are concerned and saddened by the
    tragedy which occurred near Reagan National Airport last night,
    and I ask that the committee observe a moment of silence before
    we begin the hearing.
        [Pause.]
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much.
        The Committee on Armed Services has convened this hearing
    to consider the pending nomination of Mr. Dan Driscoll to be
    the 26th Secretary of the Army. In support of Operation Iraqi
    Freedom, Mr. Driscoll served our country in Iraq, spending 4
    years with the Army. So we thank him and the entire Driscoll
    family: his wife, Dr. Cassie Driscoll, and their two children,
    Daniel and Lila, who could not be with us today, for their
    willingness to serve this country again, by accepting this new
    assignment.
        After his Military Service, Mr. Driscoll received his law
    degree from Yale and has worked in private equity and venture
    capital, all the while he has retained many ties to his former
    service.
        The Army faces a complex array of challenges. Recruitment
    and retention improved last year, but the Army still has more
    than 10,000 fewer recruits than it did in 2023. Since the
    beginning of the Biden administration, the service is down
    36,000 soldiers. On top of that, the Army is not taking full
    advantage of opportunities to nurture interest in Military
    Service. Almost 300 high schools sit on a waiting list to get
    their own Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC)
    unit. These units mean more than potential individual recruits.
    They represent communities where the Department of Defense
    (DOD) can put down roots, developing the Army of leaders for
    tomorrow, as well as excellent citizens for our entire society.
        As the service catches up on recruitment, it must also
    ensure that those who do enlist are equipped for the mission.
    The nature of large-scale combat operations is changing. The
    world sees this every week in Ukraine. To be ready for
    potential combat in the Western Pacific, the Army must expedite
    modernization efforts.
        On top of recruitment and modernization projects, the next
    Secretary of the Army must address the servicemember quality of
    life issues that afflict this, the largest service. In the
    fiscal year 2025 budget, the Army increased funding for
    barracks maintenance problems, but the effects of decades of
    neglect cannot be fixed overnight. The Army has a facility
    backlog of more than $100 billion. I offered an amendment which
    passed the most recent NDAA [National Defense Authorization
    Act], requiring all of the services to adopt minimum annual
    facility sustainment levels. My colleagues and I need to see
    evidence that this change has been embraced within the service.
        I believe Mr. Driscoll's record, his Army service, his
    legal background, and financial experience have prepared him to
    handle the myriad responsibilities of Army Secretary. If he is
    confirmed, Mr. Driscoll will face the challenges I have already
    outlined.
        He will be handed a budget that has not kept pace with
    inflation. He will also take the helm at a time of increasing
    danger around the world.
        The Army is playing a largely quiet but crucial role in the
    Western Pacific. It is deepening partnerships with our allies
    and partners in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the service is
    helping us maintain deterrence against the Chinese Communist
    Party, and it ensures that our South Korean allies are postured
    to prevent North Korean aggression.
        Soldiers from across the United States remain stationed in
    Europe. Their presence helps deter Russia and helps assure our
    NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] allies.
        In the Middle East, the Army continues to play a lead role
    in combating Iranian aggression.
        Clearly, the Army's work has been instrumental in these
    theaters. It must choose to remain relevant in today's complex
    threat environment. The Army should accelerate its
    transformation efforts and focus on new portions of the defense
    industrial base. It should expand its work on small unmanned
    aerial systems, or UAS, and counter-UAS. I say that even as I
    recognize and appreciate the chief of staff of the Army's focus
    in this area.
        In the Western Pacific theater, the Army's contribution to
    sensing and shooting remains in its infancy. The service has
    the chance to realize its key logistics role for the joint
    force in contested areas, but it can do so with significant
    investment and focus.
        So I look forward to this hearing on how Mr. Driscoll will
    work to change the culture around the issues I have listed, as
    well as other pressing matters.
        I now recognize my friend, the Ranking Member of the
    Committee, Senator Jack Reed for any opening remarks he may
    offer.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR JACK REED

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much.
    Before I begin I want to take a moment to express my profound
    sorrow for those involved in the crash at National Airport last
    evening. This is a tragedy beyond words, and my thoughts are
    with the families both on board both aircraft as well as the
    entire Army community. I am grateful to the hundreds of brave
    first responders who worked throughout the night, and this
    Committee will do everything we can to assist, and I thank the
    Chairman for recognizing it with a moment of silence. Thank
    you, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Driscoll, welcome to this morning's hearing. We were
    expecting to see Cassie and Daniel and Lila, but they are
    working or otherwise occupied, but give them our greeting,
    please.
        Let me take this opportunity to also thank you for your
    military service. Mr. Driscoll is a third-generation soldier.
    He follows his father, who served in the infantry during
    Vietnam, and his grandfather, who was a decoder during World
    War II. The Committee is grateful to your family's military
    service and for your willingness to continue serving your
    country.
        Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed as the Secretary of the Army you
    will oversee the manning, training, and equipping functions of
    the United States Army. This is no small task. The Army is in
    the midst of a generational modernization effort, currently
    overhauling many of its major weapon systems. Simultaneously,
    the Army is seeking to transform the structure and organization
    of its brigade combat teams, equipping them with cutting-edge
    technology in order to be more mobile and lethal. The service
    is experimenting with rapidly evolving technology such as
    unmanned system, drone defenses, and communications
    technologies, among other.
        However, the Army continues to face a multiyear trend of
    flat budgets, which has forced Army leaders to fund the highest
    priority programs by reducing procurement of modern
    capabilities. With a smaller and more continental base force,
    maintaining readiness must be one of your top priorities. The
    Army has continuous deployment requirements around the globe,
    to include supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion,
    defending our interests and allies in the Middle East, and
    maintaining a forward presence in the Indo-Pacific.
        I am concerned that the Administration's orders to
    significantly increase military support to domestic law
    enforcement, particularly on the southwest border, will harm
    the Army's readiness. This is a role for DHS [Department of
    Homeland Security], and I am a consistent supporter of a big
    increase in DHS budget in the appropriations process as part of
    a bipartisan border bill. That is the way to address the
    border. In my personal engagements with commanders at all
    levels, they have made clear that fully readying their
    formations requires extensive time, training, and opportunities
    to innovate, and border missions will not build these
    warfighting skills.
        Mr. Driscoll, I would like to know how would you plan to
    ensure soldiers' time, training, and capabilities are not spent
    on the border, rather than on readiness issues.
        Of course, the Army's success also depends on its soldiers
    and civilians. Recently the Army has been challenged to meet
    recruiting goals. The Army has worked hard to improve its
    recruiting activities, and it has enjoyed success with new
    programs like the Future Soldier Preparatory Course. But it
    should continue to improve efforts to reach all who are willing
    and qualified to serve.
        Mr. Driscoll, in your advanced policy questions you State
    your intention to, quote, ``review the Army recruiting strategy
    to ensure it effectively conveys a strong value proposition to
    young people across the Nation.'' In addition to the Army's
    strategy, I am concerned that comments from the Secretary of
    Defense about women in combat and the President's Executive
    Order banning transgender troops may have a chilling effect on
    recruiting, and I am interested in your thoughts on this issue.
        During our meeting early this month we discussed the
    importance of maintaining a professional and apolitical Army. I
    am also concerned by reports that the Administration may
    implement a so-called ``warrior board'' to screen senior
    military officers for supposed unfitness to lead. This raises
    the chilling possibility that the Administration may fire
    officers who are deemed to have the wrong political views or
    have served effectively in military assignments that are
    disagreeable to President Trump. In fact, we have already seen
    this happen with Admiral Linda Fagan, who was unceremoniously
    fired from her position as the Commandant of the Coast Guard,
    and I am troubled that this firing was not based on her
    performance.
        Furthermore, I am alarmed that this week Secretary Hegseth
    stripped retired Army General Mark Milley, former Chairman of
    the Joint Chiefs and former Chief of Staff of the Army, of the
    protective security detail that he had because of credible
    security threats from Iran, and revoked General Milley's
    security clearance. Secretary Hegseth has also directed the
    Defense Department's acting inspector general--acting because
    the inspector general was fired Monday--to look into the facts
    and circumstances surrounding General Milley's conduct, so the
    Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his
    military grade review determination.
        President Trump seems to be fulfilling his longtime threat
    to fire military leaders as a political loyalty test. I would
    point out, however, that our servicemembers swear an oath to
    the Constitution rather than a party or a leader. This is what
    makes our Army the finest in the world.
        Mr. Driscoll, I am interested in your view on military
    officers' obligation to provide their best military advice,
    even if that advice contradicts the views of a political
    appointee. I would also like to hear your thoughts on how
    military officers can be expected to provide their best
    military advice if they are subject to loyalty screens or purge
    boards and whether you think we are moving members to military
    for the views or positions will have a chilling effect within
    the military ranks.
        Mr. Driscoll, you face complex challenges and will require
    all of your skills. Thank you for your willingness to continue
    your service and lead the Army at this very critical time, and
    I look forward to your testimony.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Reed. Before
    Mr. Driscoll makes his opening remarks he will be introduced by
    two of our distinguished colleagues, first Senator Mullin and
    then Senator Blumenthal.
        Senator Mullin, you are recognized.
        Senator Mullin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I will say,
    you guys are much more intimidating from this side. I do not
    think I have ever really been intimidated by you all until I am
    looking at you now, so this is really scary.
        I am so privileged and pleased to be able to introduce my
    good friend, Dan Driscoll. You know, we got to know each other,
    and it has been quite an honor, because I will say, right off
    the bat, what you see is what you get. I think everybody
    sitting up here has had the opportunity to sit down personally
    with him, and his personality, no matter what we were dealing
    with, no matter what pressure was facing us, was the same
    personality you received 24/7. I do not care if I was talking
    to him at 3 in the morning, 4 in the morning, 5 in the morning,
    or at 11 at night, which we did multiple times, he always this
    same type of personality, which is exactly what we need in our
    Army today.
        We need consistency. We need a leader that our warfighters
    and those that are supporting our warfighters can rally behind.
    We need someone that brings positive attention to the real
    challenges that the Army is facing. As has been pointed out by
    our Ranking Member Reed, he is also the third generation in the
    family that has served, proudly and honorably, in the Army, and
    currently has a nephew that is stationed in Korea. He is
    heavily invested in it.
        So I want to go through and read what he has accomplished,
    because it honestly makes me sometimes feel intimidated by
    sitting beside him when you start thinking about it.
        First of all, he graduated in 3 years at UNC Chapel Hill
    with the highest distinction. I am still trying to figure out
    how to graduate from college. He used his 9/11 G.I. Bill to
    attend Yale Law School, worked at Yale's Veteran Legal Service
    Clinic. He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in North
    Carolina's 11th District in 2020. He lost, but I want to show
    that he was willing to serve, and when that happened it just
    got him more involved in public service.
        He did not go away. He still stayed involved, which
    sometimes defeat shows the biggest character, and that is when
    we first started getting to know each other, and his character
    shined true in that. He was not upset, he was not bitter, and
    we all know individuals that have lost elections that get very
    bitter. Instead, he dug down and still wanted to know how he
    could be involved in public service. It spoke highly of his
    character.
        He worked at the 100 watt investment firm, was chief
    operating officer at a $200 million venture capital fund, a
    member of the North Carolina State Bar Rotary Club, VFW Post
    1137, and the IAVA [Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America].
        Just to go through some of the stuff he did in the
    military, basic service training at Fort Jackson, OCS
    commissioned to U.S. Army as an armor officer. Completed Army
    Ranger School, stationed at Fort Drum New York with the 10th
    Mountain Light Infantry Division as a Cavalry Scout Platoon
    Leader. Deployed in 2009 to Baghdad, Iraq, in support of
    Operation Freedom, earned the rank of first lieutenant.
        Awards include the Army Accommodation Medal, Combat Action
    Badge, Ranger Tab, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq
    Campaign Medal and a Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism
    Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service
    Ribbon.
        I think the things if you ask him that he is most proud
    about is his wife and his two kids though. His personal life is
    something that guides him each day, and I know this personally
    because we have had deep conversations about our family and
    about how we balance the work life and how it can be done.
        We have had conversations about how you center your life
    and make sure your priorities are right because I believe
    wholeheartedly if your priorities are straight with God,
    family, and everything else, that everything else you will be
    highly successful at. This is why Dan has been highly
    successful in everything that he has put his hands upon.
        For us to have someone like himself that is willing to step
    away from his family for a short period of time, because you
    all know the challenges that he is going to face, to be willing
    to still serve when he does not have to is exactly what we
    need. We need a selfless server that is going to be willing to
    take on the task of the United States Army, and as Secretary of
    Army, we have got a winner here.
        So I really hope that all my colleagues, that this could
    possibly be a unanimous support of someone that is exactly what
    the United States needs today. With that, I will yield back.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Mullin.
        Senator Blumenthal, I do not know about you, but I did not
    know until this morning that Senator Mullin could be
    intimidated, so this is a revelation to us. You are now
    recognized.
        Senator Blumenthal. Thanks, Mr. Chairman, and I join
    Senator Mullin in observing how impressive this panel looks
    from this vantage point. More impressive without us being up
    there, I may say.
        I want to join my colleagues in expressing my deep
    heartbreak at the tragic loss on American Airlines Flight 5342
    and the soldiers lost on PAT25. My heart goes out to the
    families, especially of the servicemen who were lost. My heart
    breaks for their loved ones, and I want to thank the first
    responders for swiftly delivering their critical assistance at
    the scene.
        As we await further updates, I hope that we will all pledge
    to redouble our efforts to ensure that the Federal agencies
    that make the Nation's skies safe, the FAA [Federal Aviation
    Administration], the NTSB [National Transportation Safety
    Board], the DOT [Department Of Transportation] and others, have
    the tools, the funding, the resources, support from the
    Congress to prevent future tragedies like this one. We all fly
    in and out of that airport, and I must say I often look out the
    window, as perhaps you do, with planes taking off and landing
    and wondering how this dangerous dance is done safely day in
    and day out. But we have to invest in the technology as well as
    the people to make it safe.
        I have the great honor to introduce Dan Driscoll, and I
    want to thank his family, his wife Cassie, son Daniel and
    daughter Lila. We all know that families serve along with
    public officials, especially in our military and Department of
    Defense (DOD). I join the Chairman and the Ranking Member in
    observing that the Army stands at a pivotal juncture. Ongoing
    global conflicts and nascent threats demand that the Army
    remains the strongest, best fighting land force in the world,
    and that we assure that they never have a fair fight, that they
    always have superiority in every space and sphere.
        This nomination comes at a time when leadership and
    accountability in the Department of Defense require the highest
    standards of integrity, judgment, and capability. The next
    Secretary of the Army will be faced with training and equipping
    that land force in a way that reflects our Nation's values and
    commitments.
        Now, this introduction is personal for me. As many of you
    know, Dan Driscoll was a classmate of the Vice President at
    Yale Law School, also my alma mater. He came to know, at Yale
    Law School, Jake Sullivan, who has just finished serving as
    National Security Advisor for President Biden, and Matt
    Blumenthal, my son, who is a United States Marine Corps veteran
    of Afghanistan.
        Once Dan's nomination became public, I quickly heard from
    both Jake and Matt. Both shared stories of their friendship
    with Dan and recounted his strong intellect, his powerful work
    ethic, and his willingness to find solutions to difficult
    problems based on the facts, whatever those solutions might be.
    As a lawyer, we follow the facts and the law, and that is what
    Dan Driscoll will do as Secretary of the Army. hey assured me
    that he is a person willing to listen, to learn, and to work in
    a bipartisan way to put our soldiers first.
        I am confident that his prior service in the Army will
    serve him well, and he will remember that the Army's strength
    comes not just from its technological prowess but from the
    Americans who proudly wear the uniform he once wore.
        I spoke to Dan a number of times in the course of his
    preparing for his appearance here today, and those
    conversations convinced me that he is willing to work on the
    basis of collegiality, be transparent and open with this panel,
    with the Congress and our colleagues. I welcome this
    opportunity to introduce him perhaps as a sign of not just the
    collegiality but the bipartisanship that has characterized this
    Committee so clearly and consistently.
        So I am proud to introduce him today, and I hope that my
    colleagues will ask him tough questions, because he has
    indicated to me that he is not only confident in his ability to
    serve, but also in his ability to learn and do it with an open
    mind and a willingness to listen to Members of this Committee
    when we have views that he has to hear.
        I thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield the floor.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal, and to both
    Senator Blumenthal and Senator Mullin, I do not want either of
    you to feel anxious. So if you would like to return to your
    seats up here, you may do so.
        Mr. Driscoll, you are now recognized for your opening
    statement. We appreciate you being here.

      STATEMENT OF DANIEL P. DRISCOLL, TO BE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY

        Mr. Driscoll. Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed,
    distinguished Members of the Committee, good morning. Thank you
    for the opportunity to appear before you today as the nominee
    to serve as Secretary of the United States Army. It is an honor
    to be considered for this role. To Senator Mullin and Senator
    Blumenthal, I am sincerely thankful for the introductions, and
    I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me
    by President Trump.
        Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in last
    night's tragedy, which occurred a few miles away from this
    hearing room. If confirmed, I commit to working with this
    Committee to ensure that this never happens again.
        Returning to my prepared remarks, I would like to begin by
    acknowledging my family who could not join me here because of
    the rescheduled hearing, but I know are watching. To my wife
    Cassie, who manages to keep us afloat despite being an
    accomplished surgeon, and children, Daniel and Lila, it is your
    unwavering support that has made my service possible, and I
    will be forever grateful. I also want to thank the men and
    women of the United States Army, past and present, whose
    courage and dedication inspire all of us every day.
        My commitment to this role is rooted in my family's long
    lineage of military service. My grandfather served in the Army
    during World War II as a decoder. My father served as an
    infantryman in Vietnam. I served as a cavalry scout in support
    of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and, in as much as you can trust
    the plans of an 8-year-old, my son, Daniel plans to join too.
        We are a family that is grateful to have had the privilege
    of wearing the uniform of the United States Army. We are a
    family that understands the gravity of leading soldiers in and
    out of combat. We are a family that has chosen for generations
    to serve alongside our brothers and sisters in arms.
        I joined the Army as a middle-class public school kid from
    the mountains of North Carolina. The values and experiences I
    gained through military service molded me into the man I am
    today, and they opened up ways for opportunities I could
    scarcely have imagined when I enlisted. In my experience, the
    transformative power of military service is open to those who
    are willing and able to shoulder the task.
        During my time in the Army, I was fortunate to serve and
    deploy to combat alongside soldiers who represent the very best
    of America. The American soldier's professionalism, ingenuity,
    and dedication are unmatched. Whether in garrison at Fort Drum,
    New York, on the training grounds of Yuma, Arizona, or on the
    battlefield in Baghdad, Iraq, I saw firsthand the immense
    sacrifices they and their families make to uphold the freedoms
    we hold dear. The world is changing rapidly, and we must ensure
    the Army is prepared to operate in new, complex, and contested
    environments. From advancing our capabilities in multi-domain
    operations to cutting-edge technologies, my sacred duty to our
    Army is to ensure our soldiers have the world's finest
    training, equipment, and leadership to accomplish any mission,
    and to be as lethal a force as it can be.
        If confirmed, I intend to be the soldiers' Secretary of the
    Army. This is why I believe President Trump has nominated me.
    America's soldiers and their families will be my mission.
        Last, I recognize the importance of working closely with
    Congress, and in particular with this Committee. Chairman
    Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and Members of the Committee, it
    is the honor of my life to be given the opportunity to earn
    your trust and continue my service to our great nation. I look
    forward to responding to your questions and discussing how we
    can work together to support the soldiers, civilians, and
    families who make up the United States Army. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll follows:]

                     Prepared Statement by Mr. Dan Driscoll
        Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, distinguished Members of the
    Committee, good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before
    you today as the nominee to serve as Secretary of the United States
    Army. It is an honor to be considered for this role. To Senator Mullin
    and Senator Blumenthal, I'm sincerely thankful for the introductions. I
    am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me by
    President Trump.
        I would like to begin by acknowledging my family who have joined me
    here today. To my wife, Cassie, who manages to keep us afloat despite
    being an accomplished surgeon, and children, Daniel and Lila--your
    unwavering support has made my service possible, and I will be forever
    grateful. I also want to thank the men and women of the United States
    Army, past and present, whose courage and dedication inspire all of us
    every day.
        My commitment to this role is rooted in my family's long lineage of
    military service. My grandfather served in the Army during World War II
    as a decoder. My father served during Vietnam as an infantryman. I
    served as a cavalry scout in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In as
    much as you can trust the plans of an 8-year old, my son, Daniel is
    planning to join the Army too.
        We are a family that is grateful to have had the privilege of
    wearing the uniform of the United States Army. We are a family that
    understands the gravity of leading soldiers in, and out of combat. We
    are a family that has chosen to serve alongside our brothers and
    sisters in Arms for generations.
        I joined the Army as a middle class public school kid from the
    mountains of North Carolina. The values and experiences I gained
    through military service molded me into the man I am today and opened
    the way for opportunities I could scarcely have imagined when I
    enlisted. In my experience, the transformative power of military
    service is open to all those who are willing and able to shoulder the
    task.
        If confirmed, I will continue my family's lineage of service. I
    will be accountable to the President, the Congress, and the American
    people for the judicious and effective use of an approximately $200
    billion budget and leadership of over a million soldiers and civilians.
        Most important, I intend to be the soldiers' Secretary of the Army,
    not of the Generals or of the Bureaucracy. It is the American Soldier
    to whom our national defense and prosperity are entrusted. This is why
    I believe President Trump has nominated me. These are serious
    obligations that I will enter into with humility and determination.
        During my time in the Army, I was fortunate to serve, and deploy to
    combat, alongside soldiers who represent the very best of America. The
    American soldier's professionalism, ingenuity, and dedication are
    unmatched. Whether in garrison at Fort Drum, NY, on the training
    grounds of Yuma, Arizona or on the battlefield in Baghdad, Iraq, I saw
    firsthand the immense sacrifices they and their families make to uphold
    the freedoms we hold dear. This service and sacrifice by soldiers is
    what will drive my commitment to ensuring the Army has the resources,
    leadership, and support it needs to remain the world's premier land
    force. I also saw firsthand how the decisions their leaders made
    affected the lives of our soldiers, many times decisions which just
    didn't make sense. We must do better, and we will do better for our
    soldiers.
        The Army's purpose is simple. To protect and advance our national
    interests by deterring our adversaries. If deterrence fails, to win
    wars with overwhelming dominance. If confirmed, I will prioritize the
    readiness and modernization of the service to realize that purpose. The
    world is changing rapidly, and we must ensure the Army is prepared to
    operate in new, complex and contested environments. From advancing our
    capabilities in multi-domain operations to cutting-edge technologies,
    my sacred duty to our Army is to ensure our soldiers have the world's
    finest training, equipment, and leadership to accomplish any mission,
    and to be as lethal a force as it can be.
        One of my top priorities will be reinvigorating the defense
    industrial base. New battlefields are teaching us important lessons.
    These conflicts have demonstrated that the innovation, production, and
    fielding of some of our new weapons and capabilities must be done in
    weeks and months rather than years or decades. I believe our Nations'
    innovators and their companies stand ready for this challenge. We must
    empower them and hold them accountable for achieving these new goals as
    it is our warfighters who will ultimately pay the price.
        If confirmed, America's soldiers will be my mission. Recruitment
    and retention challenges demand innovative solutions and a renewed
    focus on quality of life for our troops and their families. The Army
    has a rich history filled with American heroes in both war and peace.
    With the Army's 250th anniversary this year, we have a unique
    opportunity to tell those stories to a generation of future soldiers,
    who may not yet know that service is their path.
        On retention, I want to take a moment to thank this Committee for
    passing the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA. Your hard work to improve the pay,
    housing and access to childcare is appreciated by our soldiers and
    their families. We ask so much of them, and you have helped us take an
    important step in supporting them. If confirmed, your efforts will have
    made my job easier and I will strive to ensure you see a return on that
    investment through increased retention of our most capable personnel
    who will comprise the Army's future leaders.
        Last, I recognize the importance of working closely with Congress
    and in particular with this Committee. Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member
    Reed, and Members of the Committee, it is the honor of my life to be
    given the opportunity to earn your trust and continue my service to our
    great Nation. I look forward to responding to your questions and
    discussing how we can work together to support the soldiers, civilians,
    and families who make up the United States Army. Thank you.

        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Mr. Driscoll. Before
    I begin my questions, there are a few routine questions which
    we ask all civilian nominees that appear before this Committee,
    so if you would answer these questions. Have you adhered to
    applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of
    interest?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Have you assumed any duties or taken any
    actions that would appear to presume the outcome of the
    confirmation process?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
        Chairman Wicker. Exercising our legislative and oversight
    responsibilities makes it important that this Committee, its
    subcommittees, and other appropriate committees of Congress
    receive testimony, briefings, reports, records and other
    information from the executive branch on a timely basis. Do you
    agree, if confirmed, to appear and testify before this
    Committee when requested?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Do you agree to provide records, documents
    and electronic communications in a timely manner when requested
    by this Committee, its subcommittees, or other appropriate
    Committees of Congress and to consult with the requester
    regarding the basis for any good faith delay or denial in
    providing such records?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Will you ensure that your staff complies
    with deadlines established by this Committee for the production
    of reports, records and other information including timely
    responding to hearing questions for the record?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Will you cooperate in providing witnesses
    and briefers and response to congressional requests?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Will those witnesses and briefers be
    protected from reprisal for their testimony or briefings?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very, very much. Let me begin
    then my line of questioning by getting back to something I
    mentioned in my opening statement, and that is Junior ROTC.
    This Committee is serious about building Junior ROTC. It is a
    matter of scholarly study that Junior ROTC, whether Army or the
    other branches, is a citizenship builder. Students who
    volunteer for Junior ROTC, and they only take volunteers. They
    have better attendance records, they have higher graduation
    records, they attend post-secondary education at a higher rate,
    and in general, they are better students. This is without
    question based on peer-reviewed studies.
        We have increased the minimum number of Junior ROTC units
    by 200 in our legislation, yet there are today only 15 more
    units across the DOD than there were 2 years ago.
        Now, as Chairman of this Committee, and I think I speak for
    the Committee, we intend for the statute to be followed. This
    is not a ceiling that we have created. It is a floor, and we
    intend for the Department of Defense and the Department of the
    Army to follow the statute as passed by the House and Senate
    and signed by the President of the United States. So it
    troubles me that only 15 units across the country have actually
    been opened in spite of our statute.
        Meanwhile, there are 300 schools around the country that
    are on a waiting list. If you ask a principal, any principal in
    any State of the Union, would they like a Junior ROTC, they say
    yes. If you ask the school board or the superintendent, they
    say, ``We would love to have a Junior ROTC.'' This is a winner.
    The data are clear and a RAND Corporation study supports this.
        So Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, how would you plan to
    improve the situation that I have described and to reduce the
    Army Junior ROTC waiting list?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I appreciate the question, and thank
    you for taking the time in your office to dive into this with
    me. This is actually a personal issue. My nephew, who is now
    stationed in Korea, did JROTC in Lexington, Virginia. It was
    one of the most powerful experiences in his life, and I think
    that this is a topic that requires focus from the top. I
    commit, if confirmed, to looking at this, working with the
    team, because these are the kind of lineages and relationships
    and chains that we can build into communities that can get us
    not just one future soldier but get us generations of soldiers.
    So I would love to work with your office, if confirmed.
        Chairman Wicker. Even those who do not go into military
    service are better citizens. So I appreciate that. So how are
    we going to tackle the overall issue of Army recruiting?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think we have an incredible opportunity
    this year, Senator. It is the 250th anniversary of the Army.
    The Army has an incredible history that can be told of the men
    and women that have served and the amazing deeds they have done
    both in and out of uniform. This year, we can take that
    momentum and build a backlog and a pipeline of soldiers that
    can hopefully fill up for the next couple of years. The Army
    has been actually taking some reasonably good steps, it seems
    from the outside. The Future Soldier Corps out of Fort Jackson
    that has been helping with ASVAB [Armed Services Vocational
    Aptitude Battery] prep and a lot of the physical fitness prep
    seems to be working.
        If confirmed, I would want to look and see if that can be
    scaled even further. There are a lot of technology tools that
    have been integrated into the recruiting process. Some of them
    have had great benefits. Some of them like digitizing young
    people's medical records have had unintended consequences where
    now we are starting to find all sorts of things we would not
    have been able to see before. I think we need to take a deep
    dive on what are those unintended consequences to some of the
    things we are doing and try to create pathways and mechanisms
    for more waivers or whatever it is to continue to strengthen
    the Army's recruiting pipeline.
        Chairman Wicker. I agree with that. Thank you very much.
    Senator Reed, you are recognized.
        Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr.
    Driscoll, you bring integrity, intelligence, and the experience
    as a young officer leading soldiers, which is the greatest
    privilege an American can have, so thank you for that.
        In one of your advanced policy questions you said that the
    current promotion system does not necessarily select senior
    officers for their institutional knowledge or strategic acumen,
    which are increasingly desirable. Could you elaborate on that?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think contrasting my experience in
    the military with my experience in the private sector, the
    private sector does recruiting a little bit differently where
    it is often the best woman or a man for the job. Time in a
    specific role is less correlated with promotion, and there are
    all sorts of things that would be a larger mosaic of traits
    that you would look at. I think the Army could take a similar
    view of promotion and mechanize it.
        Senator Reed. How would you describe the current sort of
    metric for promotion in the Army? My assumption is that it is
    principally based on performance and merit.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, my understanding is that is a
    component of it with a heavy weighting toward time in service
    or time in your role.
        Senator Reed. Now, will you look at this promotion system
    with the idea you are making appropriate changes?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, Senator.
        Senator Reed. Thank you. In the acquisition process we
    have, as you suggest in your answers, barriers to doing
    business from your perspective and particularly those in the
    1980's that were designed to ensure fair competition. Could you
    generally describe these barriers and what you think you can do
    to eliminate them?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think the first thing we need to
    do is improve the Army as a customer. The current model the
    Army uses to acquire things rewards entities that are enormous.
    The big five primes are the case study in who can currently
    survive such a hard relationship with a customer. The Army's
    ability to project what it is going to need in the future
    limits the ability for companies to buildup the infrastructure
    to provide that support and to price things knowing how long
    the Army will remain in its life. I think that a hard focus on
    improving the Army's ability to project what it needs and
    empowering the defense base to expand from, call it, 5 to 7 to
    25 to 50 would be powerful first steps.
        Senator Reed. One of the issues that you will face is the
    apparent increased deployments to the border for immigration
    activities. Back in June 2020, before the Appropriations
    Committee, General Hokanson, who is the previous commander of
    the National Guard, said, and I will quote, ``As I have
    expressed within the building as well, there is no military
    training value for what we do. This is a law enforcement
    mission under the Department of Homeland Security.'' He also
    emphasizes stress on families of such missions.
        What is your assessment of the training value and
    consequently the readiness status of the forces?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think border security is national
    security. We have had soldiers at the border for a number of
    years. I think the Army stands ready to execute on any mission
    from the President of the United States and Secretary of
    Defense up to and including helping to secure our border.
        Senator Reed. But is there a cost in terms of readiness?
    Readiness to conduct military operations against a military
    opponent, not an immigrant?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think the Army has a long 249-year history,
    Senator, of balancing multiple objectives, and if this is
    important to our commander in chief the Army will execute on
    it.
        Senator Reed. I guess the question would be how do you
    account then for General Hokanson's observation after serving
    as the Commander of the National Guard and looking closely at
    many National Guard deployments?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think, Senator, the burden borne by our
    National Guard is something when I was in, when we deployed,
    the stress on their families is incredible. They were doing
    many deployments back to back. They have to manage jobs outside
    of their military roles. I think it adds a stress level that a
    lot of times is forgotten or just set aside by leaders.
        My commitment to this Committee is, if confirmed, I would
    want to, anytime we work with National Guard, make sure we are
    considering and taking into account this stress on their jobs
    back home and on their families.
        Senator Reed. Well, thank you very, very much, Mr. Driscoll
    and thank you for your family's service.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Reed. Senator Fischer.
        Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome, Mr.
    Driscoll. It is good to see you. Thank you for your service and
    really the sacrifice, service, commitment of your family as
    well.
        The last several years from the war in Ukraine and the
    United States response to Iranian and Houthi attacks in the
    Middle East, it really has demonstrated just how quickly
    munitions are expended in modern conflicts. If confirmed, will
    you commit to reviewing our current stockpile requirements for
    Army munitions to ensure our stockpiles are right-sized for
    modern conflicts, especially for potential conflicts that would
    last more than a few weeks?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator, and this is a topic that
    you and I have talked about. I think what we have learned in
    Ukraine and with some of the other conflicts is it is no longer
    sufficient to buildup a munition supply, put it on the shelf
    over 20 years, and hope that we guessed the right amount that
    we or our allies or our friends would need. We have got to have
    an industrial base that is able to scale with us. I thank the
    Committee for this work on 155 munitions and getting it going
    again, but we have to do more, and if confirmed, I would want
    to work with this Committee and your office, Senator, to do a
    deep dive on this.
        Senator Fischer. Since the cold war, we have, I think, seen
    this pattern of feast and famine. When there is conflict, the
    first couple years we boost up production and then we let it
    slide, and I do not believe we can continue to have that kind
    of pattern there. You said you would work with Congress, that
    you would work with the Committee on that.
        Just what do you think, off the top of your head, since we
    had the discussion, what do you believe is a path forward that
    you would suggest to this Committee? Do we have the necessary
    resources available to be able to accomplish that currently, do
    you think?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, to the resource question, I would
    need to take a deeper dive once briefed, if confirmed, to what
    we could do. I think the United States has an incredible
    history of agile and innovative manufacturing. It has decayed
    as a nation over the last couple of decades, but it is still
    there. The American people will be with us if we include them.
    I think if you look at the private sector and the innovation
    loop, we do have some case studies of being able to create
    things with soldiers, having coders with them in the field, and
    actually updating products and getting it back to the
    manufacturing floor with a much tighter innovation loop. I
    think we can do that working together and it could make an
    incredible difference.
        Senator Fischer. Do we have the authorities to be able to
    accomplish that now, or do you think that you would need more
    authority to be able to move us quickly forward?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think we do have the authorities, Senator.
        Senator Fischer. Thank you. Mr. Driscoll, small drones and
    the UAS, they are undoubtedly going to play a key role in
    future conflicts, but where do you see opportunities to expand
    the Army's use of those drones and unmanned systems?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think, Senator, and it was incredibly great
    talking to you about this, it has changed how warfare has
    fought. When I did armor school, the way we have designed much
    of our equipment, our tanks in particular, our tanks are built
    to receive fire from the front or indirect fire from the top.
    They are not built to receive it from the rear or the back
    corners. So there are soft spots all over our tanks, which are
    some of our most dependable fighting machines, that very cheap
    drones rigged with very cheap explosives can exploit. I think
    we saw this with the Russian invasion in Ukraine, that a lot of
    the way that we have thought about how to fight will have to
    change because of drones, both large and small with swarms. We
    can no longer shoot $4 million missiles to take down a $400
    drone. That just simple math does not add up. We are going to
    have to find solutions, whether it is directed energy or
    whatever it is, that can have a cost-effective way to provide
    security.
        Senator Fischer. You answered my second part of the
    question on how we are going to make sure it is cost-effective
    because right now it is not.
        Okay, recruiting. We see tremendous challenges with
    recruiting in the Army across all services. What is your
    current assessment right now of the Army's recruiting
    challenges, and how would you address them?
        Mr. Driscoll. My sense is for the last 3 or 4 years, we
    have missed our goals. I believe even the goals we hit from the
    outside, it seems as if the Army lowered their goals. The best
    analogy that I heard is the Army threw the dart at the
    dartboard and then drew the bullseye around where the dart
    landed. That is not a great way to staff an army. We have the
    fewest number of Active Duty soldiers that we have had since
    World War II right now. Conflict is erupting around the world.
        I think there is a story to tell of the United States Army
    that young people want to hear, and I think we have complicated
    that story a bit over the last couple of years. I actually do
    not think it is throwing more money at the problem. I think it
    is nice to get things like the GI Bill, I got to use the GI
    Bill but I did not enlist for that. I enlisted because I wanted
    to go serve my country, and I think young people stand by ready
    for us to tell that story again in a compelling way. If
    confirmed, I look forward to working with you to tell that
    story.
        Senator Fischer. Thank you. I look forward to working with
    you.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Fischer. Senator
    Shaheen.
        Senator Shaheen. Mr. Driscoll, congratulations on your
    nomination. Thank you for your past service and for the
    willingness of you and your family to continue to serve this
    country.
        I want to start by expressing my condolences, as the Chair
    and Ranking Member, on the loss of lives last night, those
    members of the military who were lost as well as everyone lost
    in that air tragedy.
        According to the Army's fiscal year 2024 accident or mishap
    assessment that was just released this month, 2024 had the most
    Class A flight mishap rates per 100,000 hours since 2007. So
    what will your strategy be to try and keep training flights out
    of harm's way?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, to echo your remarks, it is an
    absolute tragedy. I have seen the same thing I believe you are
    on television. So it is an accident that seems to be
    preventable from what we can tell today. That should not
    happen. I think a focus from the top-down on a culture of
    safety. There are appropriate times to take risk and there are
    inappropriate times to take risk. I do not know the details
    around this one. But after doing it, if confirmed, and working
    with this committee to figure out the facts, I think we might
    need to look at where is an appropriate time to take training
    risk and it may not be near an airport like Reagan.
        Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. As I am sure you know,
    historically the Secretary of the Army has unique Homeland
    defense responsibilities and it is especially critical in times
    of crises. So at the direction of the Army Secretary, you could
    direct that the National Guard be available to coordinate with
    civilian authorities on airspace. Is this something that you
    will be willing to consider and to work with civilian
    authorities?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you. I want to followup on your
    conversation with Senator Fischer because, as you know, most of
    the capabilities that we have provided to Ukraine come from
    Army stock or Army programs, Abrams tanks, anti-air and anti-
    armor weapons, long-range strike and guided multiple rocket
    launchers. The National Security Supplemental that Congress
    passed last year is providing real relief to the U.S.
    industrial base, including in New Hampshire where we have a
    significant defense industrial base.
        If confirmed, will you ensure that Army stockpiles can meet
    our national security requirements and will you include in your
    budget and supplemental requests to Congress enough funding to
    replenish the defense industrial base?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, as I told your colleague, I think
    this is one of the great problems facing our time in getting
    our munition and getting our magazines back up to where they
    need to be. I think we need to use this moment to figure out
    how do we create sustainable, scalable solutions so that if in
    the future we need to tap back into those stockpiles, how do we
    get them to scale even faster?
        I commit to working with your office to both get us to
    where we need to be to replace what we have used in Ukraine, or
    to what we have had our friends using in Ukraine. But then also
    to get lessons learned from that, that we can record, so that
    we are ready to go if we need to for a threat like China.
        Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. One of the things we
    talked about when we met in my office was some of the
    challenges, those exact challenges. One of the companies I
    mentioned was L3 and their development of ENVG-Bs, the night
    vision goggles that have been so important to the Army. You
    talked about improving the Army's ability to project what it
    needs over the long term. One of the challenges that we have
    had with the ENVG-Bs is that the Army budget requests have been
    up and down over the years. They have not been consistent
    despite positive feedback from our warfighters.
        How will we commit to dealing with that kind of budget
    inconsistency and how will you address it? What kinds of
    things, strategies are you thinking to address it?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think this is the perfect kind of
    topic where, if confirmed, working with this committee to find
    solutions for funding. This is a problem that includes a lot of
    different parties, and I think a level of transparency and
    inclusion and planning will be helpful. As the Army does things
    like IVAS [Integrated Visual Augmentation System], it may be
    expanding away from some of the previous technologies that it
    used. I think we have to keep our eye on what has worked in the
    past and keep a hybrid of maintaining and refurbishing some of
    the old technologies to kind of smooth out the transition to
    the new ones, and I look forward to working with your office on
    these kinds of topics, if confirmed.
        Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you very much. As you point
    out, we are not going to be able to replenish the stockpiles
    that we are losing if we do not have a strategy for how to deal
    with this long-term and ensure that our companies that are so
    critical to that replenishment are engaged in that
    conversation.
        So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you for that excellent point,
    Senator Shaheen. Senator Sullivan.
        Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Driscoll,
    congratulations. I appreciated our meeting. I look forward to
    supporting you, in spite of your Yale law degree, which I think
    generally is disqualifying, but I will overlook that this time.
        Ten years ago I was in this position. I was a brand new
    U.S. Senator, been here for a month, and the Obama
    administration announced, as part of its gutting of our U.S.
    Military, they were going to cut 40,000 Active Duty Army troops
    including the 425 at JBER [Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson] in
    Alaska, the only airborne brigade combat team in the entire
    Indo-Pacific, strategic national security suicide in my view. I
    was a brand new Senator. I fought that with everything I had. I
    put a hold on the Chief of Staff of the Army's confirmation. I
    put a hold on the Secretary of the Army's confirmation for
    several weeks until we got the Army to see the light, okay?
    Obama ended up cutting 35,000 troops, and he kept the 425 in
    Alaska, 5,000 airborne army troopers, which became the
    cornerstone of the 11th Airborne Division, as we built up the
    Army in Alaska.
        Are you aware that the Army now has two Active Duty
    airborne divisions?
        Mr. Driscoll. I am, Senator.
        Senator Sullivan. The 82d, which we all love, but the 11th
    Airborne Division, which is in Alaska, the Arctic Angels. Are
    you aware of that?
        Mr. Driscoll. I am, Senator.
        Senator Sullivan. Great. So imagine my surprise, there have
    been some recent articles in the paper saying certain leaders
    in policy roles in the Trump Pentagon have passed ideas in the
    debate about shifting resources to the Indo-Pacific, which I
    support, but passed ideas on how we can do that.
        One was a report, an idea from a report from 2021, that
    would deactivate four striker brigade combat teams, 6 infantry
    brigade combat teams, two National Guard aviation brigades,
    more than 10 percent of the Army's Active Duty combat power. If
    this idea ever saw its head in the Pentagon from a non-Senate-
    confirmed DAS [Deputy Assistant Secretary], I need your
    commitment to me and this Committee right now that you would
    kill it.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I commit, if confirmed, to fight as
    hard as I can for the Army. As I said to your colleague, the
    Army is at its lowest staffing since World War II.
        Senator Sullivan. Right, and do you think cutting 12
    brigade combat teams worth of combat power is a good idea?
        Mr. Driscoll. Without knowing the specifics Senator, no.
        Senator Sullivan. Well, come on. Just I need your answer to
    say no.
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
        Senator Sullivan. Do you think cutting 12 brigade combats--
    this is Obama 2.0, right? Do you think cutting 12 brigade
    combat teams from the Army would implement President Trump and
    Secretary Hegseth's policies of peace through strength?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
        Senator Sullivan. No, it would not. Do you think it would
    deter Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin if this idea, and maybe
    this idea has been discarded by this DAS who is there right
    now, cutting 12 brigade combat teams would help with
    deterrence?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
        Senator Sullivan. I do not think so either. Well, thank you
    on that, because very disturbing when I read that, and I am
    glad you agree with me that we are not doing Obama 2.0. We are
    doing Reagan and Trump 1-2.0, peace through strength, and ideas
    of gutting the Army's act of duty force, that is what I fought
    when I came here. If there is anyone who is trying to do that,
    we will fight it. I will fight it.
        Okay, let me go to another question. In addition to the
    11th Airborne Division in Alaska, we have the 49th Missile
    Defense Battalion at Fort Greeley. A lot of people do not know
    this but the cornerstone of missile defense for America is in
    Alaska, and it is led by the U.S. Army. The President put out
    his Iron Dome Executive Order recently for layered missile
    defense. I fully support that.
        Will you work with me and this Committee, Senator Cramer,
    we are going to be introducing legislation to bolster what the
    President's trying to do, but a lot of it will involve the
    Army. A lot of people do not know that. The 49th Missile
    Defense Battalion at Fort Greeley, they like to call themselves
    the 300 protecting the 300 million, because they protect the
    whole country. Will you commit to working with this Committee
    and me on bolstering our missile defenses, particularly as it
    relates to Fort Greeley and our brave soldiers who are doing a
    great job defending our Nation, and come to Alaska with me to
    see them in the 11th Airborne Division?
        Mr. Driscoll. It would be an honor, Senator. As we talked
    about in your office, I was stationed with 10th Mountain
    Division in Fort Drum, New York.
        Senator Sullivan. Where there are no mountains.
        Mr. Driscoll. When you get there you assume 10th Mountain
    Division would have mountains around and I think the highest
    elevation on the entire base is 50 feet. So I would be honored,
    Senator.
        Chairman Wicker. Great, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Driscoll.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much. Senator Warren.
        Senator Warren. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Congratulations on
    your nomination, Mr. Driscoll.
        What I would like to do is continue the conversation that
    we started in my office. The Army buys a lot of stuff, from
    tanks to helicopters. They buy a lot of stuff from big defense
    contractors. But those giant companies often sneak restrictions
    into the contracts. They hog up the software rights or the
    technical data all to prevent servicemembers from being able to
    repair their own equipment.
        So today I would like to talk through an example so we can
    see the difference it makes when the Army is not hamstrung by
    right-to-repair restrictions. Last year the Army needed a new
    cover for a safety clip, but the contractor told the Army they
    could not have it for months and the safety clips would cost
    $20 a pop. Now thankfully, the Army had managed to keep right-
    to-repair restrictions out of this contract and was able to 3D
    print the part in less than an hour for a total cost of 16
    cents.
        Now, Mr. Driscoll, does being able to get the parts we need
    in hours, maybe minutes instead of months, and for nickels
    instead of dollars, help U.S. readiness and national security?
        Mr. Driscoll. Unequivocally, Senator.
        Senator Warren. Good. When right-to-repair restrictions are
    in place, it is bigger profits for giant defense contractors,
    but also higher prices for DOD and longer wait times for
    servicemembers who need to get their equipment repaired so they
    are ready to go. Chairman Wicker has an Acquisition Reform
    Agenda which calls for a complete review of data rights across
    the Department of Defense. I think that is exactly right
    because it would help put the Army fully in command of the
    equipment that it has paid so much for.
        Mr. Driscoll, let me ask you, if confirmed, will you work
    with this Committee to identify more opportunities where the
    Army can save money and time by making their own parts and
    fixing their own equipment?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, unequivocally, Senator.
        Senator Warren. Would you like to expand on that at all?
        Mr. Driscoll. This type of innovation that is happening in
    the private sector at scale in a lot of ways seems to have not
    trickled into the Army as much. If we think about engagement
    with a peer like China, being able to repair our parts in areas
    around the world will be crucial to that. If we are having 6-
    month delays in CONUS [Continental United States] and paying
    100x the rate, that is not scalable in an actual conflict. So I
    am totally supportive, Senator.
        Senator Warren. Good.
        Chairman Wicker. That was a very good answer, Mr. Driscoll.
        Senator Warren. It was an excellent answer. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Right-to-repair restrictions have truly gotten out of
    control and they threaten our national security. In some cases,
    the Army cannot even write its own training manual without a
    sign-off from the contractor. My Service Member Right-to-Repair
    Act would help fix this problem.
        But a root cause of this defense contractor profiteering is
    the revolving door between senior Pentagon officials and big
    defense contractors. Last year I released a report that found
    700 instances of top-20 DOD contractors hiring former high-
    ranking officials. Do you think this is a problem, Mr.
    Driscoll?
        Mr. Driscoll. I do, Senator.
        Senator Warren. When government officials cash in on their
    public service by lobbying, advising, or serving as board
    members and executives for the companies that they used to
    regulate, it undermines public officials' integrity and it
    casts doubt on the fairness of government contracting, and it
    costs DOD a lot of money. We owe it to our taxpayers and we owe
    it to our men and women in uniform to fix this broken system. I
    look forward to working with you on this, Mr. Driscoll.
        Mr. Driscoll. Thank you, Senator.
        Senator Warren. Thank you, I yield back.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Warren. Senator Cramer.
        Senator Cramer. Thank you, Chairman, and Senator Reed, and
    thank you Mr. Driscoll for your service and your willingness to
    step in the gap again in this important position.
        I am going to, first of all, thanks for all your answers to
    the previous questions, particularly on acquisition reform. It
    is a high priority for the chairman. It is a high priority for
    all of us, and quite honestly, I worry less about witnesses'
    answers to questions and promises that come from people at the
    Pentagon than I do the culture. To me, that is the big thing
    that all the policies in the world, in fact, I appreciated you
    answering earlier to the question that I think it was Senator
    Fischer asked when you said you have some of the authorities
    already that you need. We just have to go faster, and the Army
    does it quite well by the way. But just know that I am on the
    encouragement side. Go faster, as I have said from this roster
    many, many times to witnesses.
        If people go faster and innovate more and encourage
    innovation, particularly from smaller companies, I promise not
    to be the person that sits up here and says, ``I got you,''
    when something bad happens, but I promise you I will be your
    worst nightmare if you fail to go fast because you are worried
    about your backside and some DOD lawyer or leader that does not
    have the guts to do what needs to be done to keep up with the
    pace of China. Having said all that, great answers.
        I am going to go a whole different direction and talk to
    you about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A number of us,
    including the Chairman, Senator Sullivan, and at least the
    three of us and maybe a couple of others up here, are also on
    the Environment and Public Works Committee so we have
    jurisdiction over the Corps of Engineers in two committees. In
    the last Congress, in the Water Resources Development Act
    (WRDA), that was signed into law December 2022, I authored some
    bipartisan language with Senator Merkley requiring the Army
    Corps to establish the Western Water Cooperative Committee.
    Now, the Corps hates advisory committees, but this was a
    committee of Western states, at the encouragement of Western
    states, every Governor from Washington State to California to
    the Dakotas and in between supported it, and every attorney
    general. In other words, a pretty diverse group of leaders in
    this country, supported this Western Water Cooperative
    Committee. It was to be implemented no later than 90 days after
    enactment.
        So here we are more than 2 years later, after it has been
    authorized and fully funded, it still has not been stood up.
    Now, that is not your fault. But Senator Merkley and I sent the
    Corps a letter in October of last year asking for an update.
    After a whole bunch of back and forth leading up to this
    hearing, I finally got a little bit of clarity the other day on
    the process--process, by the way, is a word I am growing to
    hate; process is what DOD officials use to kill good people and
    good ideas. Just my opinion. Thanks for listening. But I
    finally have a bit of clarity on the process and what the
    Army's working through.
        Yesterday I was told that the committee's charter currently
    sits before the DOD's Advisory Committee Management Office,
    really, and will be approved within 30 days. It is a law. It
    has been approved by the only people that matter, the people in
    Congress and the President of the United States. So 30 days to
    approve something that they are required to do by law seems a
    little outrageous to me, but I am going to be generous today.
        After that, quote, ``30 days,'' which we will see--I will
    believe it when I see it--it goes back to the Army for action,
    okay? Now that does not give me a lot of solace because I have
    history. Again, it is a law. It has been a law for over 2
    years.
        Now I know you are not in your role yet, Mr. Driscoll, and
    I did not plan on using my time on this topic necessarily, but
    my colleagues have done a great job on the priorities of the
    day. Can I get your commitment that it does not have to take 30
    days to get something going that is been the law for over 2
    years, that DOD officials, who do not like this idea, have just
    tried to kill by stalling? Do I have your commitment to get to
    it and get it done in quick order?
        Mr. Driscoll. Unequivocally, Senator. and just to
    highlight, I hope it is illustrative and I would hold myself
    accountable to this next statement, having two of your
    colleagues here from each side, I intend to, if confirmed, work
    with this Committee and follow the law. I would absolutely
    commit to looking into that.
        Senator Cramer. Thank you. I yield.
        Chairman Wicker. Senator Cramer, thank you for your
    question, which is well taken and applies to the issue that I
    rose about the increased floor of junior ROTC units, for which
    there are 300 applications and only 15 have been created in
    response to a statute passed by the Congress and signed by the
    President of the United States.
        Senator Kaine, you are next.
        Senator Kaine. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr.
    Driscoll. Congratulations on your nomination.
        Thanks to all my colleagues who offered thoughts about the
    crash, the three soldiers from Belvoir, we do not have their
    identities yet, but that is something I know the Army family
    feels and this region feels, all my colleagues do actually,
    because all my colleagues have staffers who work in this area
    and we are all kind of awaiting with dread the manifest and the
    passenger list of those who died.
        Here is a topic that this Committee has really grappled
    with, and I will say that none of us are happy with it in a
    bipartisan basis, and that is the efforts of our DOD to figure
    out strategies to counter UAS incursions into our bases. A
    well-publicized one occurred at the Langley base in Hampton,
    Virginia, but there have been other sightings, New Jersey and
    other bases have been subject to these. Langley as an example,
    the incursions occurred over a period of 17 days in December
    2023, and we are 14 months later and we still have not been
    given good answers about what, in fact, happened. I think we
    are really frustrated by this because if it was just a 1-day
    thing, well maybe you could not track it, could not figure it
    out, but if it happened for 17 days and we still do not have
    answers, that is problematic.
        The reason I raised this with you, Mr. Driscoll, is that
    the Army has been tasked with being the DOD's executive agent
    on this topic. All the stakeholders are at the table, but the
    Army is tasked with being the lead in countering small UASs.
    The Army is charged with leading and directing relevant
    doctrine requirements, materiel training standards and
    capabilities to establish joint solutions, not just Army
    solutions, but joint solutions for addressing current and
    future emerging small UAS threats.
        Should you be confirmed, what will you do to ensure
    coordination between the services in developing a joint counter
    small UAS doctrine?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think these drone incursions
    highlight kind of a core problem with how we have thought of
    our Nation's defense. We have not thought about it in a while,
    and I got to speak with your colleague kind of in-depth about
    this specific incursion and it seems to be the buck falls
    between a lot of different agencies and no one is empowered to
    act quickly. That is at scale even when it continues to show up
    day after day, night after night.
        I think a lot of the first steps are building a network of
    communication and identifying an SOP [Standard Operating
    Procedure] for how do you engage with these things? Who owns
    what? Who is calling and what is an acceptable timeframe for
    this kind of communication to occur? That would just be the
    people side of the thing.
        Then from a technology side, I think if you look at a lot
    of the tools like directed energy, we need to empower our
    agencies to protect our Homeland from these types of incursions
    so that we can shoot them down and learn from specifically who
    sent it, what was it doing, what was it collecting? My
    understanding of this situation in particular is we just do not
    know, and that is not good enough for the American people.
        Senator Kaine. Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. I know that Senator
    Fischer asked you some questions about recruiting when I was at
    another hearing, but I want to come back to it. I am on the
    Health, Education, Labor, Pension Committee too so workforce
    issues economy-wide in the military, in the civilian space are
    very important to me.
        What innovative approaches have you either seen in the Army
    or do you foresee trying so that we can have the size of the
    force that we need to defend this country?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, from what I have heard of the Future
    Soldier Program out of Fort Jackson, which is actually where I
    did basic training, it is working really well. It is helping
    future soldiers prep for the ASVAB, which, in and of itself,
    might have some complications of how valuable is a test when
    you are prepping everybody for it.
        But the fitness side of things is obviously helping. Those
    soldiers are doing really well in basic training. Those are the
    types of solutions that I think are going well.
        If you look at things like waivers, I had mentioned to your
    colleague, I think we need to relook at the waiver process.
    Currently, the physicians in charge of giving waivers, their
    incentive structure, as I understand it, is they are punished
    when somebody they waive does not make it to basic training,
    but there is no feedback loop to reward them for somebody that
    needed a waiver, that got through basic training. So I think we
    need to start to look at things like that, which could have
    some pretty meaningful impacts on the pipeline.
        Senator Kaine. Finally, one last question. At his
    confirmation hearing before us 8 years ago, Former SECDEF
    General Mattis noted, and I quote, ``If you don't fund the
    State Department fully then I need to buy more ammunition.'' He
    was talking about the fact that you needed a whole-of-
    government approach to promote national security. Do you agree
    with that sentiment?
        Mr. Driscoll. Unequivocally.
        Senator Kaine. That is why I am really, really troubled by
    the Trump order pausing all foreign assistance. I think when an
    order goes out pausing foreign assistance to other nations,
    except for arms transfers to Israel and Egypt. China and our
    adversaries hear that and then they rub their hands together,
    because they are not pausing. They look at us pausing as an
    opening for them to build deeper and deeper ties into the
    hearts and minds of nations that should be our allies. I am
    glad you agree with what General Mattis said, and I hope we
    might move forward in budgets and in policy to express that as
    a bipartisan priority. Thank you very much.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Kaine. Senator Kaine,
    do you recall which Member of the Committee asked that question
    of General Mattis?
        Senator Kaine. I am going to guess it was the Senator from
    Mississippi.
        Chairman Wicker. You are absolutely correct. You got it
    right the first time. Senator Tuberville.
        Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for
    being here. Thanks for your service.
        I want to echo the thoughts about what happened last night
    here in our home territory. It is devastating. It just so
    happens to coincide a little bit, not that it has anything to
    do with this, but Fort Novosel in my State of Alabama we train
    all the vertical lift Army pilots, as you well know.
        My first question for several weeks has been, I want to get
    your thoughts on what you think about the new curriculum for
    flight school that the Army has proposed. This affects all the
    pilots in the Army, and I want to get your commitment to
    continue an open dialog about the Army's intent on how best to
    leverage existing resources. You know, we are cutting back on
    sorties. We are not putting the money in training like we used
    to, that we need to do. We are undertrained in some areas.
        So I would like to get your thoughts on the curriculum and
    your thoughts about the future of vertical lift, especially
    with the new vertical lift that the Army is purchasing for the
    future fights that we might have.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, to your comment on what occurred
    last night, I think we are all collectively going to have to
    take a deep dive----
        Senator Tuberville. Oh yes.
        Mr. Driscoll.--and figure out what occurred there. The
    early indicators, from what I have seen on television--I have
    no other access to information--is that it might have been a
    training exercise gone wrong, that had catastrophic outcomes.
    So we are going to have to work together to make sure that
    never occurs again, or at least to mitigate the odds that it
    could ever occur again.
        Then specifically to future vertical flight, if you look at
    the contested airspace with our peer, China, and what we will
    have to do, our vertical assets are going to have to be able to
    get further and faster with lower signature than they do today.
    That being said, if you look at FARA, the push for the Army, it
    is early in its development, it is incredibly expensive, and we
    are likely going to have to work with the Blackhawks and the
    Chinooks and the assets that we have today.
        If confirmed, I would want to get briefed on this and do a
    deep dive with the team to figure out how are we going to
    position ourselves and what training do we need for the next 1
    day to 5 years until we can get to a better state.
        Senator Tuberville. Thank you. I want to discuss an issue
    that affects many of our installations, including mine in
    Huntsville Redstone Arsenal. The issue is military
    construction, MILCON, as we know it. We need to move fast and
    the traditional military construction process is far too slow.
    Back at Redstone Arsenal, there are two warehouses as we speak
    that are being constructed, one for military by the Corps of
    Engineers and one by the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation].
    These warehouses are roughly the same size, regarding to the
    size, but the FBI has got a huge amount of bells and whistles,
    more than the military warehouse.
        The military warehouse is going to cost almost $56 million
    and it is going to take 48 months, 4 years, to build this,
    where the FBI facility is going to cost $40 million and take
    only basically a year and a half. We have got a problem. How on
    the earth does this make any sense?
        The Army is currently running a repair-by-replacement pilot
    program that is being tested at a couple of installations to
    demolish older barracks and replace them with new modern
    facilities. The key part of this program is that it is using
    operations and maintenance dollars versus traditional MILCON
    dollars. Are you familiar with this?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I had the opportunity to talk with
    you about it in your office. This is the type of thing that
    makes my blood boil on behalf of soldiers. The Army has a
    limited budget to begin with. We have to be good stewards of
    the American taxpayers' dollars, and when we are not, it is
    both the taxpayer and the soldier, and these soldiers are my
    friends. It is my friends that live in these barracks and raise
    their families there, and we need to stretch these dollars as
    far as we can.
        Senator Tuberville. Yes, and the other small point I want
    to bring up, we talked about recruiting, I will not get into
    that. The new recruit in the Army makes $25,000 a year before
    taxes. We just gave a raise, but we cannot expect to attract
    the best and the brightest young men and women in the military
    unless we do something else, we got to continue. I know we give
    them a lot of perks at the end of the day, but we have got to
    understand $25,000, I mean, most of them can make that in a 2-
    months time in some kind of big tech or whatever. So just keep
    that in mind as you get into recruiting. We have got to start
    taking care of these young men and women if we are going to
    build the fighting force that we need. Thank you.
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, Senator.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Tuberville. Senator
    Slotkin.
        Senator Slotkin. Sorry, apologies. I am not used to going
    anything but last, Chairman, so shocked me. Thank you for being
    here and congratulations on your nomination, as I said when we
    met.
        I was glad to hear so many people talking about the
    collision that happened last night, you will have an important
    role in that investigation, if confirmed. It does sound like it
    is a training mission, but it is just important that we lead a
    thorough process. people across the country are mourning
    watching that, and everyone on this panel here flies in and out
    of there. I mean, it is hard not to think about it, so thank
    you for your attention to that.
        I think the thing we talked about in my office is I am a
    Democrat who won on the same ballot as Donald Trump. I
    absolutely understand that Donald Trump has the right to
    nominate his own people, put forward his own policies. I have
    seen that now in many transitions, Democrat and Republican. But
    the thing that I keep coming back to is the core constitutional
    responsibility. You will swear an oath to the Constitution, not
    to any one President. Many of us have worked alongside or in
    the military for a long time and care deeply about it remaining
    apolitical. We are seeing now Active Duty military Army being
    sent to the border, being sent on missions right now to support
    DHS, but according to our Constitution, the U.S. military
    Active Duty cannot perform law enforcement roles.
        When you were trained in the military, were you trained on
    basic law enforcement techniques?
        Mr. Driscoll. I was not, Senator.
        Senator Slotkin. Can we agree that searching a building in
    Iraq or Afghanistan when you are in a combat zone as an Army
    officer is fundamentally different than performing those kinds
    of search and activities inside the United States with American
    citizens?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, this is not meant to be evasive. I
    have never been trained on it, and so I could not answer what
    would be different about it from my training.
        Senator Slotkin. Yes, I think the issue is not just the
    Constitution, although that should be enough. I am deeply
    concerned that Active Duty troops are going to be forced into
    law enforcement roles, and we are already hearing stories that
    really, really touch right on the line. They are not properly
    trained. There is going to be an incident. Someone is going to
    get hurt. There is going to be some sort of blow-up, and
    suddenly we are going to have a community deeply, deeply angry
    at uniformed military who were just told to go and drive those
    DHS vehicles, clear that building, perform support to
    something.
        So I have to ask you again that if the U.S. was asked,
    Active Duty, was asked to do something that contravenes the
    Constitution, can you say clearly that you will push back on
    anyone, whether it is the Secretary of Defense or the Commander
    In Chief, and stand up on behalf of the Army instead of just
    doing whatever you are told?
        Mr. Driscoll. Just to answer the beginning part of the
    question, Senator, I reject the premise that the President or
    Secretary of Defense would ask for an order like that.
        Senator Slotkin. Fine.
        Mr. Driscoll. But I will always follow the law.
        Senator Slotkin. Okay. I mean, your predecessor, Secretary
    of the Army, Secretary Esper, had this exact thing that he
    wrote about in his book. The 82d Airborne, Army, was asked to
    come in and cleanup peaceful protests in Washington DC. So I
    reject your rejection that this is theoretical, that this is
    hypothetical. It is not, and a nominee and confirmed Secretary
    under Trump, I know they have removed his portrait, but I just
    have to say this is not a hypothetical. So we are counting on
    you to protect the integrity of a non-political military that
    is not trained in law enforcement roles.
        Next, do you support revoking the pension that comes with
    anyone who is honorably discharged from the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is hard to deal on a hypothetical,
    Senator.
        Senator Slotkin. It is not hypothetical. There is now focus
    on Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and I
    know there is lots of controversy around Mark Milley, but you
    cannot debate that he served many more years than anyone on
    this panel. Can you tell me that you support the seemingly
    political reprisal of removing someone's pension when they have
    already been honorably discharged?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, without knowing the specific
    details, I do support the President's right to execute law for
    order.
        Senator Slotkin. Because you see the pattern this starts.
    So then another Administration comes in and suddenly people who
    supported Donald Trump are having their pensions removed. You
    can see how this politicizes the institution that should be
    apolitical, and for the January 6th guys and all these folks,
    there was not a question about their pensions, and I have deep
    concerns about it. I know my time is up and I yield back.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much. Senator Ernst, you
    are next.
        Senator Ernst. Yes, thank you Mr. Chairman, and I will also
    add my condolences to the families who lost loved ones near DCA
    last night.
        Good morning, Mr. Driscoll, and thank you for your
    testimony today and for being with us, and I appreciate the
    time you took to meet with me in my office and just dive into
    everything Army. Very important to me obviously, my time in
    service, my family's time in service, and your time in service,
    so thank you.
        Once confirmed, you will be facing a challenging path
    ahead, and you have already talked a little bit about
    recruiting. I will add some thoughts to that. We also have to
    buildupon the current modernization efforts, and of course we
    have very complex geopolitical landscapes out there.
        So I am going to start with recruitment and I just want to
    give you some of my thoughts on this. Recruiting remains a
    really critical issue for the Armed Forces. Army is on track to
    meet its recruiting goals for the second consecutive year. That
    is an encouraging sign. We have to maintain the momentum.
        But a key concern that is been brought to my attention is
    ensuring our recruiters have meaningful access to schools, to
    be able to get into high schools and talk to young men and
    women. I plan to introduce my SERVE Act to enhance military
    recruiters' access to schools and mandate regular visits to
    improve information sharing with the students and their
    administrators, and I would love to work with you on this
    particular issue, once confirmed.
        Additionally, the military has faced challenges reaching
    potential recruits via social media, and we have seen a recent
    flurry of activities when it comes to Meta and regarding
    reports that U.S. Army posts were being shadow-banned or
    removed for alleged violations. I did send a letter to Meta
    about this last month.
        So Mr. Driscoll, given the challenges, do you commit to
    working with us on these recruiting challenges, on making sure
    that we are able to spread our good message to young men and
    women?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator, it would be an honor, if
    confirmed.
        Senator Ernst. Thank you. So very briefly, I am also the
    chair of the DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] caucus
    in the U.S. Senate, and Iowans sent me here to make them
    squeal. I have made it my mission to find ways to identify
    waste, fraud, eliminate it, get more efficient, more
    accountable to our taxpayers. The Department of Defense, and,
    of course, our great Army should not be exempt from this
    effort.
        So Mr. Driscoll, can I count on your commitment to
    collaborate on strategies for reducing waste in the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator, and as I told your
    colleague earlier, the dollars are limited, as they should be,
    and we are beholden to this committee and the Congress for how
    to use those dollars. But then once the dollars come to us, it
    is our responsibility to use them as effectively as we possibly
    can, and it would be an honor to work with you on that, if
    confirmed.
        Senator Ernst. Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. Another
    one of my top priorities remains addressing traumatic brain
    injuries (TBI), within our services, and last year I
    successfully passed comprehensive TBI legislation, and I intend
    to build on that progress in the upcoming NDAA cycle. So can I
    get your commitment to collaborate with the Defense Health
    Agency Army, SOF [Special Operations Forces], and acquisition
    personnel to prioritize TBI initiatives and further enhance our
    Army's immediate and long-term health and safety?
        Mr. Driscoll. This issue, Senator, is deeply personal. When
    we were deployed, we had mortars and IEDs [improvised explosive
    device]. You never know how that impacts a soldier, but I know
    when we got back, a lot of our guys struggled with a lot of
    issues. So I would be honored to do anything I possibly can to
    lend a hand here. So if confirmed, absolutely, yes.
        Senator Ernst. Excellent. No, I appreciate that. Thank you,
    and I think both of us have had many friends that have been
    impacted by TBI. It is very, very important to them and their
    families.
        Force structure, as well. I have limited time, but I do
    chair the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities,
    and I prioritize the Special Operations Community and the
    critical enablers that they provide. In recent years, the Army
    implemented force reductions within SOF. Despite these cuts,
    SOCOM [Special Operations Command] has testified last year that
    the demand for Special Operations Forces remain high.
        So Mr. Driscoll, will I get your commitment to work with me
    to make sure that we are addressing these cuts and how we can
    continue to provide for our special operations community so
    that they may further support our conventional forces?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator. Our special operators
    are force multipliers. If you look at the threats ahead, we
    have a pacing threat in China, but that certainly does not mean
    that other threats would not take advantage of us being in
    engagement with China. Special Forces are incredibly well
    suited to both lend a hand in that fight, and also, with all of
    our innovation, they are innovation laboratories that can test
    things more quickly, they can learn and get their procurement
    lessons and actual lessons learned to the larger force. So I am
    incredibly supportive, Senator.
        Senator Ernst. Well, thank you, Mr. Driscoll. Mr. Chair, I
    was going to ask him to sing the Army song, but I will submit
    that for the record.
        Chairman Wicker. Your time is expired, regrettably,
    Senator, but thank you for your questions. Senator Gillibrand.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. I know
    you served your Active Duty tour with the Army at Fort Drum.
    Climb to glory. A little over a year ago, Fort Drum was
    selected to host the Army's second multi-domain task force
    (MDTF). If confirmed, your tenure as Secretary will align with
    the Army's target for the full MDTF implementation by fiscal
    year 2028. What challenges do you see in this timeline, and do
    you believe the split structure of the second MDTF between
    Germany and Fort Drum is sustainable? Can the structure be
    leveraged in other theaters such as the Pacific?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I have not been specifically briefed
    on that unit and its bifurcation of location, but the
    multidomain rollout across the Army is the future of warfare.
    If you think of things like cyber and space, how war has been
    fought up until this point will no longer look the same. Those
    issues require networked abilities that in near real time or
    real time allow for a communication across a lot of assets and
    sensing tools and human beings. I look forward to both learning
    more, working with your office and specifically returning to
    Fort Drum, if confirmed.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you. A recurring challenge that
    you and I talked about in our meeting for the military has been
    the recruitment and retention of skilled cyber operators, both
    military and civilian. As of November, the military reported
    about 28,000 unfilled military and civilian cyber roles. To
    help address this, I created the Cyber Service Academy
    Scholarship Program and secured language in the most recent
    NDAA to study the advisability of a cyber military service.
    Army Cyber is the largest of our cyber service components,
    placing a significant portion of this burden on you. How will
    you approach the cyber personnel challenge, and how do you see
    things like the Cyber Service Academy supporting your efforts?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, very sincerely, thank you for your
    work on this. We are going to have to figure out and work
    together to create unique pathways for the cyber experts among
    us to be the most lethal cyber person or soldier. That pathway
    may look very different from going to ranger school and ending
    up in ranger battalion. We need to work with the feeders and
    the pipelines in the civilian sector to empower those
    candidates who want to join the Army, those future soldiers, to
    come in, and I think pathways, like what you were describing,
    are incredibly valuable.
        Senator Gillibrand. You will need a capable and qualified
    principal cyber advisor, but that role has been vacant for
    nearly 6 months. Will you commit to me to quickly fill that
    role if you are confirmed?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, that would be, if confirmed, one of
    the roles I would be most excited to fill. I do not know what
    has led to the delay in filling it, so I cannot speak to that.
    But I can commit to very early on trying to prioritize that
    because, as stated earlier, with the way that multidomain is
    going and our wars are going to be fought in the future, that
    will be a critical role.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you. One of the issues that this
    Committee has spent at least a decade working on is the scourge
    of sexual assault in the military. We put in place bipartisan
    reforms that had the support of 65 Senators. It was
    overwhelmingly supported. The reforms are geared toward more
    transparency, more accountability, more training, and having
    the decisionmaker of whether a crime has been committed be
    given to a trained military prosecutor who is not in the chain
    of command, who arguably has more precise and applicable
    training to reach better decisions.
        Are you aware of these reforms and do you commit to me that
    you will do everything to make sure these reforms are fully
    implemented so that our military can be a functioning place for
    everyone to work and that certain people are not unfortunately
    disregarded or devalued because of the system in place?
        Mr. Driscoll. Very sincerely, Senator, I thank you and your
    colleagues for the work on this. I mentioned in my opening
    statement that my 8-year-old son is planning to join the Army.
    It is hard to know if my 6-year-old daughter wants to join. My
    wife and I have been nudging her that way, as much as you can
    nudge a 6-year-old. I want her to join an Army that the sky is
    the limit, the standards of excellence are hard, but she is
    able to achieve them, she faces absolutely zero instances of
    sexual harassment during her time in. It would be an absolute
    honor, Senator, to work with you in this Committee to, from the
    top, ensure we are both rolling out the law and setting a
    culture where that is not tolerated in any way.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you. With my last 20 seconds, you
    mentioned in the questions you gave to the committee that you
    wanted to appoint a high-level position dedicated to ensuring a
    focus on ending sexual assault in the military. Do you have any
    thoughts about what your thinking is there or what you would do
    for that position?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I would want to work with you in
    your office and with your colleague, Senator Ernst. I know you
    have done a deep dive on this. I want to commit publicly to
    commit the resources, the time, the energy, and the focus to
    scorching it from the United States Army, and I think that that
    could be a powerful first step.
        Senator Gillibrand. Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Gillibrand. Senator
    Scott.
        Senator Scott. Good morning, Mr. Driscoll. Congratulations
    on your nomination, and thanks for your willingness to do this.
    I think I told you my father was one of 3,000 people who did
    all four combat jumps with the 82d Airborne in the Second World
    War. He was crazy. After that, he fought in the Battle of the
    Bulge. My whole childhood he told me the Germans were horrible,
    the food was horrible, and the foxholes was horrible, so after
    high school I joined the Navy, which, the food was not bad, but
    no Germans, no foxholes.
        So first, tell me what is your experience in the Army, and
    thank you for your service as calvary scout platoon leader.
    What lessons did you learn that is going to make you a better
    Secretary of the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, Secretary Hegseth mentioned it in
    his hearing that the dust on the boots model, I had not thought
    of that in a long time. But the experiences of being able to
    think through when a decision from the top comes down, how does
    it actually impact the soldier. I can think back to our COP
    [combat outpost] outside Baghdad, Iraq, that had 40 of us, and
    we had these amazing vehicles, which I think probably this
    Committee had a lot of help in getting these MRAPs [mine-
    resistant ambush protected] out. When our soldiers first
    deployed, the bottom of these Humvees was thin and it basically
    perfectly absorbed a blast. These MRAPs were created, which
    saved a lot of lives. But one of the problems with the MRAPs is
    they were very heavy, very tall, and very prone to roll over.
        I can remember for the entire 9 or 10 months we were at the
    COP, every couple of weeks you would send a soldier out there,
    they would startup the MRAP, turn it on and run the engine for
    a couple of minutes and then turn it back off, and then the
    process would repeat itself. It was not for any sort of
    malintention, and the actions by those creating it were for
    good purposes, which is fundamentally the MRAP did not work in
    a lot of areas in Iraq because it is muddy, dusty roads that
    just cannot support a lot of weight.
        I think those types of experiences of saying this may be
    the right answer some of the time, but what is it actually
    going to look like for the actual soldier on the ground where
    we need this? I think that that will be a very impactful, or I
    hope if confirmed, that will be a very impactful vision.
        Senator Scott. I became Governor of Florida in January
    2011. I had no earthly idea that the Army Corps of Engineers
    was going to control every bit of development in my State. You
    could not do anything at their ports, you could not do anything
    in our rivers, there was so much the Army Corps of Engineers
    controlled. My experience is it is just an absolute black hole.
    They are wonderful people, but you could never get an answer--
    never get an answer about their timeline, never get an answer
    about why they make the decisions. It was just an absolute
    black hole. It has been consistent for my 8 years as Governor
    and my 6 years up here.
        I do not know if you have spent any time with the Army
    Corps of Engineers, wonderful people, but for anybody that
    wants to get anything accomplished in their State, it is just a
    pain in the royal butt. Have you thought about what you would
    do to change that?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, one of the amazing parts of the Army
    is that it does touch so many different parts of both our
    countrymen's lives and the lives of those abroad. When I talked
    to your colleague, Senator Warren, one of the things we had
    talked about is, is it possible to do something like an NPS
    score, which is a net promoter score. It is pretty common in
    business. If you went to a Chick-fil-A, you might get a
    questionnaire afterwards, zero to 10, how likely would you be
    to refer this to a friend? If we could start to do those in our
    communities where our bases are, either abroad or in our
    communities locally, I think what we would start to find is
    there are some low-hanging areas that when our soldiers are
    touching those in our civilian population, there are probably
    ways that we can just be more responsive.
        I would love, if confirmed, to work with this Committee to
    try to figure out what low-hanging fruit exists to make the
    Army a better co-inhabitant of the world and our country.
        Senator Scott. In your private life, have you had to
    recruit employees? Have you recruited people to work with you,
    try to find how to work with people?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have, Senator.
        Senator Scott. So why do you think the Army has such a
    horrible experience trying to recruit people?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think that from my experience as a third-
    generation soldier, what my grandfather would say he joined
    for, and we all joined during times of war. I think if you
    asked us, it would have been, we would have said the reason we
    joined is we did not want to miss the opportunity to serve our
    country when it needed us. I think that very specific story is
    what a lot of soldiers, women and men, would say is the reason
    that they joined.
        I think we have oftentimes lost focus on that and started
    to focus on things like the benefits, which are all important
    and they are very valuable reasons to join, but I think for
    many of America's youth, it is the purpose of getting to serve
    this amazing nation. So, if confirmed, I would love to work
    with this Committee to clarify that story and tell it more
    broadly.
        Senator Scott. Thanks. You will do a great job.
        Mr. Driscoll. Thank you, Senator.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. You have made
    that point repeatedly during this hearing, and I think it is
    got quite a bit of validity. Senator Rosen.
        Senator Rosen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member
    Reed, for holding this hearing. Mr. Driscoll, I would like to
    thank you for your service, your willingness to serve again,
    and for being here with us today.
        I will take a moment of privilege, like the rest of my
    colleagues and all Americans, today our heart is broken by the
    events at DCA last night, and I just want to offer my deepest
    condolences to the families, to the fellow soldiers, to all of
    those who were lost. I want to thank our first responders for
    their immediate action, running to the scene in the dark of
    night, in the iciest of waters, to try to save lives. Thank
    you.
        Now I am going to turn to my home State of Nevada and talk
    a little bit about Hawthorne Army Depot. Mr. Driscoll, Nevada's
    Hawthorne Army Depot is the world's largest ammunition depot
    and demilitarization facility, depot stores and demilitarized
    munitions and ensures that munitions readiness for all of DOD.
        Despite its size and crucial role that Hawthorne plays,
    again, the only one in the country, it is in need of continued
    infrastructure upgrades. Investing more in our munitions depots
    has only become more important in light of our need to ramp up
    munitions productions, both to arm Ukraine against Russian
    aggression and backfill our own stockpiles for just a few
    examples.
        In recent years, Army's posture hearings, the Secretary and
    Chief of Staff of the Army made commitments to me to consider
    new investments in Hawthorne, and I am happy that the Army is
    doing so.
        Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, can I have your commitment to
    include Hawthorne in Army's future years defense planning or
    unfunded priority list so that Congress can fund these crucial
    and critical investments to ensure our munitions' readiness?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, our munitions readiness, as I was
    referencing to your colleagues, is absolutely one of the
    primary challenges facing us as a Nation, as we face the threat
    of a peer like China. I absolutely commit to, if confirmed,
    taking a deep dive and look at this topic----
        Senator Rosen. I invite you to come to Hawthorne and see
    what they are doing there. How is that?
        Mr. Driscoll. It would be an honor, ma'am.
        Senator Rosen. Thank you. I want to move now to women in
    combat because prior to women being able to serve in combat
    arms, cultural support teams, largely from the Army Reserve,
    embedded with Special Operations Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan
    to engage with female populations. They fill critical gaps,
    significantly expanding operation and intelligence collection
    capabilities.
        However, in so many cases, their military records do not
    reflect that they served in combat despite accompanying SOF on
    raids and sustaining injuries, some even dying. This is because
    their Reserve units who oversaw them administratively were not
    there to document their service in combat. So in some
    instances, these women have no record of ever having left the
    base despite having done so as a job requirement.
        As a result, they have all struggled to prove to the VA
    that their injuries are service-related, they are combat-
    connected, and since women have only been able to serve in
    combat arms in the last decade.
        So, if confirmed, will you commit to performing a review of
    these combat veterans, these women who embed overseas, to help
    us collect this important cultural intelligence Army records?
    We must have them be accurate. These women come home and they
    are denied their disability claims because the lack of
    documentation. They really need to receive the care and the
    benefits, their families as well, and the recognition that they
    deserve. It is the least that we owe to our women in uniform.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, we have a sacred duty to care for
    our soldiers, and from my experience deploying, some of the
    most competent, heroic people I deployed with were women. They
    served incredibly important jobs, with bomb-sniffing dogs,
    searching out IEDs. They were right beside us every step of the
    way. So I absolutely commit to working with your office to make
    sure that that population is not forgotten and gets the care
    and respect that they deserve.
        Senator Rosen. Thank you. I am proud to serve with some
    women who showed their valor in times of need as well.
        I just have another moment, so we will submit this for the
    record, but it is about cyber workforce development. It has
    been touched on here, the fiscal year 2024 NDAA, and did
    include my bipartisan legislation authorizing the Army to
    create a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve to provide CYBERCOM
    with qualified civilian personnel for surge capacity in times
    of need, to ensure the U.S. Government has the cyber talent
    needed to respond to malicious activities, secure DOD's
    information and systems. We are trying so many ways to really
    buildup that force.
        I will take the answer off the record, but I would like to
    speak with you about the implementation of the Civilian Cyber
    Reserve Corps and have your commitment to see this through as
    we know cyberattacks are on the rise.
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, it would be an honor to speak
    about that, Senator.
        Senator Rosen. Thank you.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Rosen. Senator Banks.
        Senator Banks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Driscoll,
    welcome and congratulations on your important nomination. You
    bring a unique background in business and private equity, and
    one of the biggest things that we have to accomplish in this
    moment is innovation at the Pentagon. I wonder if you could
    talk about your background and how that uniquely helps you help
    us create better innovation in our national security.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, after attending law school on the GI
    Bill, I was fortunate enough to spend time as a CEO [Chief
    Executive Officer] at a venture capital firm where, for a
    couple of years, I got to spend time working with and learning
    and seeing how some of our country's most amazing innovators
    are building their businesses. Some of the lessons that they
    have learned in the private space over the last 10 to 20 years
    I think are ripe for transferal to the United States Army.
    Creating a feedback loop and a learning loop that gets lessons
    learned from the actual soldiers in the field back into the
    manufacturers or the software developers occurs in the private
    space frequently, and I think it is a little bit less frequent
    in the Army.
        There are examples of this, I think, working wonderfully in
    the Army, like the IVAS system as I understand it. It is kind
    of a shining beacon of effective development, and so what I am
    hoping to do, if confirmed, Senator, is work with this
    Committee and the Army's existing leaders to figure out where
    can we tighten the innovation loop and get the learnings from
    the field, and the learnings from our friends in places like
    Ukraine. I mean, that battlefield is ripe with lessons around
    drones and cyber and how can we get those lessons into our
    procurement processes and on the manufacturing floor as quickly
    as possible.
        Senator Banks. Part of working in venture capital and when
    it comes to innovation is thinking outside of the box, and we
    have a major crisis in the military right now, especially with
    the United States Army, with a historic recruitment crisis. I
    know you have already covered this, but give us more specific
    ideas that we can use new technologies and innovation to
    recruit the best and brightest of the next generation to serve
    our country.
        Mr. Driscoll. I think if you look, Senator, there are a lot
    of tools used by some of our larger corporations in the country
    to recruit at scale but give a very individualized and
    personalized experience. What I have heard with the recruiting
    processes, they are looking at all sorts of different ways of
    creating a specialty where a recruiter, if you are an
    incredible recruiter, perhaps that can be how you serve your
    country for your entire time in uniform. Things like that, that
    mimic the expertise that can be developed in the private
    sector. Applying those best lessons and processes to the Army I
    think will continue to unlock what has seemed to be, no doubt,
    a lot because of the work of this Committee, forward momentum
    in recruiting in the Army right now.
        Senator Banks. Secretary Hegseth has talked at length about
    restoring the meritocracy to our military, and I happen to
    believe that the recruitment crisis faced in the military today
    has a lot to do with taking merit out of the military. Young
    men and women say, why would I join the military if it is no
    longer the great meritocracy that it used to be? So I think
    restoring that would be important to the Army.
        On that note, last year the Army argued that affirmative
    action at our service academies was, quote, ``critical to
    mission success and national security.'' When I asked Secretary
    of the Army Wormuth last year in the House Armed Services
    Committee, where I previously served, whether the Supreme Court
    harmed national security when it banned affirmative action at
    schools with ROTC programs, she admitted she was, quote, ``a
    little puzzled'' why affirmative action at West Point was not
    also banned.
        Mr. Driscoll, do racial admission preferences at service
    academies like West Point help our national security?
        Mr. Driscoll. I do not believe so.
        Senator Banks. You would support efforts, as Secretary
    Hegseth has talked about as well, to end affirmative action at
    our service academies, especially at West Point?
        Mr. Driscoll. I think one of the most amazing parts of my
    time in service is the Army, in my experience, was an
    incredible meritocracy. I cannot remember a single time being
    in where anyone thought that this system was against them. When
    I have told our kids, Daniel and Lila, about what we hope that
    they will do after high school, I have told my daughter it
    would be the proudest day of my life, and I do not think she
    understands the nuance of what I am saying, to pin a ranger tab
    on her if she can complete ranger school, with the incredibly
    difficult standards being the exact same as when I went
    through.
        I think that those standards and excellence that the
    Secretary of Defense has talked about are important. It is what
    makes our Army great. It is what has made our Army the greatest
    land fighting force in the last 249 years on the Planet Earth,
    and I hope that we are able to hold those standards going
    forward.
        Senator Banks. You bring a lot to the table. I am excited
    to work with you to make the Army as strong as it can possibly
    be, fix the recruitment crisis, and modernize the Army for the
    future. Thank you for agreeing to serve our country. You have
    my full support.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Banks. Mr.
    Driscoll, I have said that the United States military is the
    greatest civil rights organization in the history of the world.
    What do you think about that?
        Mr. Driscoll. My experience, Senator, is the exact same.
        Chairman Wicker. Yes. Having served in the Air Force, that
    has been my experience and so I do appreciate that. Senator
    Peters.
        Senator Peters. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Driscoll,
    congratulations on your nomination to serve as the Secretary of
    the Army, and I want to thank you for your service to our
    Nation as well as thank you for the time that we spent in my
    office earlier. We addressed a number of concerns and I think
    we had a very fruitful discussion, so I appreciate that.
        As you know, senior officials and combatant commands have
    testified before this Committee on the severe threat that is
    posed by PRC [People's Republic of China]-sponsored cyber
    actors. The threat is evidenced by the Salt Typhoon, the recent
    infiltration of U.S. telecommunication companies that left
    civilians, servicemembers, and installations vulnerable to
    these attacks. The attack is part of a broader pattern of PRC
    cyber aggression targeting United States infrastructure across
    the country.
        The U.S. Army plays a critical role in deterring these
    threats through defensive cyber operations, through
    intelligence, integration with U.S. Cyber Command, as well, to
    protect us.
        So my question for you, sir, is do you agree with the
    Army's current cyber strategy?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I think the cyber threat to this
    country--I was actually beside one of our elected officials
    when we found out our phones were hacked, and I was reflecting
    with them that all that we do to protect our information and
    keep it classified, if things like our Verizon cell phone
    network are going to be compromised, we have to think through a
    lot of the ways that we have designed our information
    protection systems.
        I think cyber with the changes occurring with quantum
    computing, the changes with generative AI [artificial
    intelligence], these are fundamentally going to alter how
    soldiers fight wars, how information is exchanged on the
    battlefield, how we prepare, and then the kind of gray zone
    activities that our peers like China are able to do through
    cyber are scary.
        I have not received a formal brief, but my understanding is
    that the Army actually is taking steps in the right direction.
    I look forward to learning more and working with your office,
    as I know this is close to your heart, to make the Army as
    effective as I can both on offense and defense in cyber.
        Senator Peters. So specifically about the strategy because
    certainly we are in total agreement with the statement that you
    made. But as far as the strategy that the Army is using now,
    what is your assessment and would you change anything to
    support operations with what you know of the strategy now?
        Mr. Driscoll. My understanding now, Senator, is that our
    offensive capabilities are perhaps not where they should be,
    and I think our adversaries are being much more aggressive with
    us than we are with them. I would want to take a deep look at
    that.
        Senator Peters. The intelligence systems play a pivotal
    role in informing commanders' decisions, and the adoption of AI
    is changing that dramatically. Question to you is about the AI
    implementation strategy that the Army currently has. Do you
    have any changes or do you believe the Army is adequately
    evaluating this threat and adapting accordingly?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, my understanding of how AI
    implementation is occurring is that it is siloed right now. I
    think that this is the type of work that should occur across
    the different services. Our lessons learned for the Army will
    apply to the Air Force and apply the Navy. So I think we need
    to be focusing on this AI threat, because the speed and the
    pace of the growth here is unbelievable. I do not know if you
    read the article about the Chinese startup that basically was
    able to, I think it was between 4 and $10 million, 1/10000th of
    the cost, or 1/1000th of the cost of what some of our American
    companies were able to develop, 6 months trailing. The pacing
    and the timeline on this, is not going to allow us to be slow,
    and so we are going to need to be at the front curve of it.
        Senator Peters. So that leads the question that how do we
    stay at that front curve, because you are right, things are
    changing dramatically. Traditionally in the Army or any of the
    services, innovation has not moved as quickly as it has in the
    civilian side, and civilian side innovations are only
    accelerating, including our adversaries, as you mentioned.
        How would you engage with small businesses and other
    innovators to shake up the procurement process and make sure we
    are on the forefront of AI development, for example?
        Mr. Driscoll. I am optimistic, Senator. I think from what I
    have seen since being the President's nominee we have had a lot
    of interest from Silicon Valley and other places in the country
    for innovators at small companies, medium companies, and some
    of the big ones that want to get in the game on behalf of our
    country. I think having very deliberate conversations with them
    about how do we get into their R&D [research and development]
    pipeline, how do we partner with them early on, so as they are
    training these models, the Army as I understand it today is
    getting access to these models once they go public. China and
    our other threats are also getting access to those models.
    There is no reason that, from my understanding, we could not be
    getting access earlier, and so instead of having a 6-month
    lead, perhaps there are ways we could have a 9- or 12-month
    lead on these things.
        I think those conversations could be important and I would
    look forward to working with your office to have them.
        Senator Peters. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Peters. Senator
    Duckworth.
        Senator Duckworth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, like
    everyone else, am praying for all the family members and
    thinking about the crew of the Black Hawk and all the people
    that we lost last night. I would like to caution that before we
    start calling it a training accident that we have better idea
    of what exactly happened, because a training accident has very
    specific definitions, so please be careful about that. It tends
    to then start to blame the pilots and frankly, our military
    pilots are some of the best trained in the world.
        Earlier this week the Trump administration imposed a
    funding freeze on all Federal grants and loans. Even though the
    OMB [Office of Management and Budget] memo was rescinded
    yesterday, the freeze has not been rescinded. Mr. Driscoll,
    what is your position on the legality of that funding freeze?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, before answering your question, I
    very sincerely, last night I was sitting watching what occurred
    on TV with a friend from 10th Mountain who was the downed
    chopper, one of the platoons that had to deal with that in
    Afghanistan, and watching this struggle and heartbreak as he
    had to relive those moments. We actually reflected in the
    moment. I want to take a quick moment to say, very sincerely,
    thank you for your service. I know it is an immense sacrifice.
    Soldier to soldier, I am sorry for what you had go through.
        To your question, the legality of--would you mind repeating
    it?
        Senator Duckworth. Was the order from President Trump, his
    current order to pause all grant funding, legal?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I have not been able to take a good
    deep enough look to know whether it was legal or not, but I
    would not believe that the President would issue an illegal
    order.
        Senator Duckworth. You do not believe that the President of
    the United States can issue an illegal order?
        Mr. Driscoll. I do not believe President Trump would do
    that, Senator.
        Senator Duckworth. Okay. That leads me to my next question.
    If President Trump directed you to do something illegal, would
    you refuse to obey?
        Mr. Driscoll. I reject the premise of the question,
    Senator, that he would, but I would only follow lawful orders.
        Senator Duckworth. Constitutional ones?
        Mr. Driscoll. Constitutional ones.
        Senator Duckworth. Okay. If confirmed, will you commit to
    disbursing all obligated grant funding from the Department of
    the Army on time and without delay?
        Mr. Driscoll. I would follow all lawful requirements of my
    job if confirmed, Senator.
        Senator Duckworth. Okay. I would like to followup on our
    meeting last week. To be candid, you performed very poorly in
    your conversation with me. I asked you, for example, how many
    personnel are in a division and you told me 3,500. You just
    recently, when I came, were answering my colleague from
    Alaska's questions about brigade combat teams. How many
    personnel are in an average brigade combat team?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I imagine the purpose of this
    question is to get to my qualifications as a leader.
        Senator Duckworth. No, no. I want you to answer the
    question.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator----
        Senator Duckworth. What is the--do you not know? If you do
    not know, that is okay.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I assume----
        Senator Duckworth. Answer my question. How many personnel
    are in a--because you have performed very well today and I have
    been impressed because it looks like you actually did some
    homework. But you spoke with conviction about the number of
    brigade combat teams that the Army needs to be effective. Can
    you tell me how many soldiers are in a brigade combat team on
    average?
        Mr. Driscoll. 3,500.
        Senator Duckworth. Great. Thank you. See, I would have been
    so much easier, but I know you are filibustering. I get it.
    What is FM 3-0?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I believe all of these questions are
    going to be----
        Senator Duckworth. What is FM 3-0?
        Mr. Driscoll. I actually was reading it last night,
    Senator.
        Senator Duckworth. Excellent.
        Mr. Driscoll. It is the Army's Training Manual.
        Senator Duckworth. Operations.
        Mr. Driscoll. Operations Manual.
        Senator Duckworth. Fantastic. I am glad you are doing your
    homework. See, this is working because you are doing your
    homework, which you did not do because you could not name a
    country in Africa where we have troops, when I asked you.
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I believe----
        Senator Duckworth. What are your views on force posture
    generally and the components and elements of force posture as
    well as your understanding of the Army's current force posture?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I believe that the President of the
    United States chose me specifically because of my experience
    set that your colleagues----
        Senator Duckworth. You are not answering. Does that mean
    that you do not have an opinion on the Army's current force
    posture? It is my job to advise and consent on the nominees
    that the President puts forward. Just because a President puts
    forward a nominee does not mean that person is automatically
    qualified to do the job.
        My question to you is, sir, as someone who will become
    Secretary of Army, if confirmed, what is your current opinion
    of the Army's force posture and can you describe the elements
    of that force posture?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely. Senator, and to your Africa
    comment, West Africa and Horn of Africa. I did study after you
    asked me that question, so I am grateful for the question.
        Senator Duckworth. Answer my question on force posture.
        Mr. Driscoll. We need to be prepared, Senator, for a threat
    from China, a peer that we have not----
        Senator Duckworth. I am not asking you about near-peer
    threats. I am asking you about the force posture.
        Mr. Driscoll. We need our forces postured all over the
    world to respond----
        Senator Duckworth. What are the components of the force
    posture?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I believe that the question----
        Senator Duckworth. The answer is military disposition,
    strength, and condition and readiness of the military. It is in
    FM 3-0 Operations which you were reading last night. Can you
    outline for me the key capabilities that the Army is supposed
    to provide the combatant command?
        Chairman Wicker. Senator, you can ask that question for the
    record. Your time has expired.
        Senator Duckworth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Rescued by the
    Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Senator Budd.
        Senator Budd. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Duckworth. I am sorry, Mr. Chairman. Can I add FM
    3-0, the Army's Operations Manual, for the record? Include in
    the record?
        Chairman Wicker. Well, without objection.
        Senator Duckworth. Thank you.
        Chairman Wicker. But let me ask you this. How many pages
    does that consist of?
        Senator Duckworth. It is quite a few pages actually, but it
    is a basic reading for anybody who has gone through the
    officer's basic course, which I believe you have completed.
    Have you not, Mr. Driscoll?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, it is 350 pages approximately.
        Senator Duckworth. There you go.
        Chairman Wicker. So you really do want us to go to the
    expense of reprinting something that is widely available? Could
    we just refer to it?
        Senator Duckworth. That is acceptable to me, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. All right, thank you very much. Senator
    Budd.
        Senator Budd. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, and again,
    welcome, Mr. Driscoll. It is good to see you. As a fellow North
    Carolinian, I know, and as you are someone who served in the
    Army, I know our hearts are broken with the recent flight, with
    the aircrew, the Black Hawk. Having a family of Army aviation
    and Army aviators, my hearts are especially broken.
        You know, I want to congratulate you as a friend. It has
    been good to know you for several years, and this is a great
    role that you have been nominated to. I am proud to see someone
    born and raised in North Carolina, particularly western North
    Carolina, to serve in this role. So many from the Army were
    serving there in days following recent Hurricane Helene.
        Mr. Driscoll, in your advanced policy questions, you
    identify recruiting as one of the most significant challenges
    facing the Army. So if confirmed, how would you recommend the
    Army fix this recruiting challenge?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I had mentioned to your colleagues a
    couple of things that the Army has done really well as it seems
    from the outside.
        Senator Budd. Right.
        Mr. Driscoll. The Future Soldier training course at Fort
    Jackson where I did basic training that prepares soldiers to
    take their ASVAB test and get more prepared from their fitness,
    get more fit before they go to basic training, has seemed to
    pay dividends. That type of thing, that type of innovation I
    think could be spread farther around the country to continue to
    increase the pipeline of the population that is qualified.
        But more specifically, I think telling this story of the
    United States Army with its 250th anniversary coming up this
    summer is an incredible time through our JRTCs, through our
    communities across the country, to buildup the pipeline of
    freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school who
    can join. This is the year to tell the story of the women and
    the men in uniform who have done amazing things on behalf of
    our country and who I think would say, like me, had their lives
    changed by this experience.
        So Senator, I look forward to working with you and this
    committee, if confirmed, to make this year the Army's best
    recruiting year in history.
        Senator Budd. I look forward to that as well. Thank you.
        As you know, special operations forces, and I think you
    spoke about this with some of my colleagues prior to me, but
    they are essential in responding to irregular warfare. North
    Carolina is home, and for the purpose of this morning, maybe we
    will call it Fort Bragg, and special operations forces, special
    operations are now playing a larger role in the cyber and the
    space domains. Yet the Army recently decided to cut significant
    number of Army special operations forces.
        So in your advanced policy questions, you State that Army
    special forces play a critical role in supporting the joint
    force and accomplishing the objectives of the National Defense
    Strategy. Do you believe that SOF is still relevant today?
        Mr. Driscoll. Wholeheartedly, Senator. Just from my
    qualitative experience, the special operators that I was
    fortunate enough to serve alongside of were some of the most
    incredible soldiers that I ever saw. They were innovation
    laboratories, testing out all sorts of new things, from new
    weapons to backpacks to whatever it was. A lot of the lessons
    that they learned, even if it was not formal, trickled down to
    the larger force. So, Senator, I think unequivocally on a go-
    forward basis, they are a crucial force multiplier for our
    Army.
        Senator Budd. Well, thank you. In my recent visits there to
    Fort Liberty, Fort Bragg, I have seen the same thing continuing
    today and I know you will see that very soon, if confirmed.
        As you work to address recruiting more broadly, what
    strategies will you pursue to increase the pool of recruits so
    that they are eligible and have qualifications to serve in Army
    special operations forces positions?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, my understanding, which I had
    covered with one of your colleagues, was one of the problems
    with what we have done by digitizing medical records is
    accidentally we have taken people who have broken arms but have
    been an ultra-marathoner or who have had an inhaler prescribed
    when they were 13 and a day. These were the types of things
    that for 249 years, or 244 of those years, just would have
    never come up. Either you would not have remembered to put it
    down or your recruiter would told you it was not relevant.
    Right now it is blocking a lot of possible soldiers who I
    believe would be incredible future soldiers.
        So I think taking a deep dive on the incentive structure
    for how we do waivers and maybe working with this Committee to
    look back at--should some of these things, should flat feet
    still be preventative of joining? I do not have an opinion on
    the matter, but I think it is worth a fresh look.
        Senator Budd. Thank you, and again, I appreciate your
    willingness to serve our country and I wish you the best.
        Mr. Driscoll. Thank you, Senator.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much. Mr. Driscoll, before
    I recognize Senator Hirono, I want to make sure I get this
    straight. As a Mississippi young man, I joined the Air Force
    and was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in
    Goldsboro, North Carolina. You would agree, would you not, that
    eastern North Carolina barbecue is far superior to Lexington-
    type of barbecue?
        Senator Budd. I would ask you not to answer the question,
    sir.
        Mr. Driscoll. So as someone from western North Carolina,
    Senator, my heart bleeds the thick, ketchup-based barbecue that
    I grew up with, but I can concede that Lexington barbecue is
    exceptional.
        Chairman Wicker. Well, there is no accounting for taste,
    but a pretty good answer. Senator Hirono.
        Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I did want to take
    a moment to extend my condolences to all those affected by the
    tragic accident last night near Reagan National Airport and the
    brave Army soldiers on board the helicopter.
        Mr. Driscoll, I ask the following two initial questions of
    all nominees who come before any of the committees on which I
    sit to ensure the fitness of the nominees. Since you became a
    legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual
    favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or
    assault of a sexual nature?
        Mr. Driscoll. Never.
        Senator Hirono. Have you ever faced discipline or entered
    into a settlement relating to this kind of conduct?
        Mr. Driscoll. Never.
        Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, several of the critical
    training areas that the Army uses in Hawaii are leased from the
    State, including Pohakuloa, and the leases are set to expire in
    2029. These leases are vital to ensuring military forces can
    adequately train in the Pacific. However, the land involved
    also holds cultural significance to the Native Hawaiian
    community.
        How do you plan to approach these important lease
    renegotiations, and will you commit to engaging in good faith
    with State officials and the community to ensure that the
    leases are negotiated in a way that is fair to the State, the
    people of Hawaii, and the military?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, this is an incredibly important
    issue, not just in Hawaii, but in all the places we engage with
    the community and sign leases. I would absolutely commit to
    wanting to work with your office and then to engage with
    community members to ensure the Army is being its best neighbor
    that it can be.
        Earlier in the hearing I was referencing with your
    colleague, Senator Warren and I were chatting about this, both
    kind of abroad how the Army exists in its footprint, but then
    specifically domestically, how the Army and its soldiers and
    the civilians that work on the bases engage with the community
    and the youth in that community is directly correlated to who
    gets a taste of what the Army has to offer and who gets to see
    what a life in the Army can do for them. I think it is both the
    right thing to do and the selfish thing to do to be the best
    neighbors we can be.
        Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, I want to particularly
    emphasize how important these negotiations are and how they are
    conducted because the military of late has been criticized for
    what happened at Red Hill basically involving the Navy. But as
    far as the community is concerned, what happens to one service
    is something that impacts all of the other services. So it is
    really critical that you engage with the community.
        So going to modernizing DOD infrastructure is one of my top
    priorities, and the Army has a deep backlog of maintenance and
    modernization for its facilities. Sadly, for example, in
    Hawaii, 50 percent of Army facilities are classified as failing
    or failed, and the cost to repair or replace them is over $5
    billion. This is just involving Hawaii.
        So we need to have a functioning infrastructure critical to
    military readiness. How are you planning to address the Army's
    infrastructure issue in Hawaii and in the greater Indo-Pacific?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, I have had many friends stationed in
    Hawaii, and though the experience has been good, I think that
    they might echo that some of the maintenance issues exist. We
    owe a duty to our soldiers and their families. My daughter, my
    6-year-old Lila is named after my E6's daughter, Lila. She
    lives on a military----
        Senator Hirono. So Mr. Driscoll, my time is running out. So
    what I am getting from you is that there is a commitment to
    deal with the lagging infrastructure throughout the military
    and the Army, so I will certainly be holding you to that,
    should you be confirmed.
        Let me get to mass deportations. President Trump has
    already ordered thousands of additional Army soldiers to the
    southern border. Experts have said deporting over 11 million
    people--these are the people who are undocumented--will require
    tens of thousands of personnel, hundreds of billions of
    dollars, and years to complete.
        The Army is the primary military service who would be
    called upon to support a mass deportation order. What impact
    would deploying tens of thousands of troops have on Army
    readiness?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, my understanding from the outside is
    that the Army stands by and stands ready to support the
    President's mission to defend the border----
        Senator Hirono. Well, if you have to deploy 10,000 people
    or more from the Army to do that, I would say that it is going
    to impact Army readiness for the other purposes for which the
    Army is stood up. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Hirono. Senator
    Schmitt.
        Senator Schmitt. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I agree.
    Actually, Joe Biden letting in 15 million people here
    necessitating the mass deportations is a problem. But Bill
    Clinton deported 12 million people. Barack Obama deported 8
    million people. So deportations, they may have been suspended
    over the last 4 years, but is exactly what people voted for.
    They are tired of the lawlessness.
        But for you, thanks for being here and thanks for your
    willingness to serve. As you know, I am very supportive of your
    nomination. I think you are going to do a great job, and I
    think you are going to provide a great perspective for what the
    Army really needs. I think your energy and your attitude and
    the way you explain why you served and I think a way forward to
    improve recruiting is actually, I have not heard that before.
    You hear it from soldiers and you hear it from people who are
    actually serving, but for somebody that is serving in your
    capacity I think it is a great way to sort of frame the
    importance of the recruitment challenges that we have and how
    we get beyond it.
        I do want to ask about Fort Leonard Wood. We talked about
    it. In Missouri, we are really blessed to have Fort Leonard
    Wood in our State. It is pretty uniquely situated in that it is
    in a rural setting with the Mark Twain Forest, you have got a
    lot of room. I think that maneuverability that you get and the
    versatility that you get, including from other branches in law
    enforcement, to train there is a pretty unique asset. So just a
    couple of questions on that.
        There has been some talk, and I mentioned this to you, not
    really from the Army, but from the Defense Health Agency, there
    is a hospital there that is really important, not just to the
    base, but to the community there. There has been some
    discussion about downgrading that to some sort of health
    clinic. Will you commit to working with me to make sure that
    that does not happen? I think they have sort of backtracked
    from that, but that would be devastating for the Fort Leonard
    Wood community. Is that something we can work on?
        Mr. Driscoll. Senator, it would be an honor to work with
    your office, and as somebody who grew up in the mountains of
    North Carolina, and my wife is a physician, access to health
    care is a real thing. If you take that access away, it can
    completely change how a community is able to function. So this
    is an important issue and I would look forward to working with
    you, if confirmed.
        Senator Schmitt. Can you talk a little bit about the
    benefits of having a sort of centrally located base like that
    at Fort Leonard Wood? You have got all the real eState you
    need. There have been significant upgrades made, hundreds of
    millions of dollars pumped into the new housing there, so for
    the long term, it is a great place for us to kind of stage
    operations. A lot of people get their early training there. But
    why that is important to the Army to have a base like that?
        Mr. Driscoll. My understanding, Senator, of your
    description, and if confirmed I would be honored to visit it
    with you, is the base can scale for future needs that we just
    do not know about. In a lot of areas, the bases are constrained
    by what is around them. This base seems to have the ability
    that if we needed it in 1 day, 1 year, or 10 years to scale for
    things. We do not quite know what we need. We do not know where
    our soldiers need to be positioned. We do not know what testing
    requirements will be. Fort Leonard Wood seems like an amazing
    place to be able to expand.
        Senator Schmitt. Well, the folks back home would be happy
    to hear that you want to come by, and Missouri barbecue is the
    best in the country, so we will make sure you get some of that.
    My Texas friends and Carolina friends may disagree, but they
    are wrong. They are wrong.
        I want to ask, we talked a little bit in my office and
    others may have touched on this too, but clearly our chief
    adversary is China, and so the Army is reorienting itself a
    little bit for this challenge. Can you talk about how you see
    it, and some things that if you were just talking to somebody
    on the street about what the Army's traditionally done and what
    it is going to need to do in the future to prepare for what
    could potentially be this struggle, of course, for the 21st
    century?
        Mr. Driscoll. Absolutely, Senator. My time being deployed,
    and I think my friends who deployed to Afghanistan and my
    experience in Iraq, most of the movements were squad level
    movements. So you would have, call it, 15 to 25 men and women
    doing most actions. The logistics, getting things in and out of
    the countries was less contested. If you needed water or fuel,
    you could get it from the continental United States to those
    theaters quickly and relatively easily.
        An engagement with a peer like China will be a completely
    and totally different thing than I have seen in my time on the
    Planet Earth. Everything can be contested. It is a peer
    adversary who will do everything they can to defeat us. This
    requires, let's call it a pre-war time footing for us as an
    Army and us as a people to get ourselves ready to engage in a
    conflict that could fundamentally alter our future way of life
    if we are not ready for it.
        Senator Schmitt. Thank you, and as you know, I support you
    and I think you are going to do a great job. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Schmitt. Thank you, Mr.
    Driscoll. We appreciate your answers to the questions today and
    we appreciate your willingness to serve, and we will now close
    the hearing.
        For the information of our Members, questions for the
    record will be due to the Committee within two business days of
    the conclusion of this hearing. With that, if there are no
    objection, we are adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:47 a.m., the Committee adjourned.]

                                    ------

        [Prepared questions submitted to Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll by
    Chairman Wicker prior to the hearing with answers supplied
    follow:]

                            Questions and Responses
              duties and responsibilities as secretary of the army
        Question. What is your understanding of the duties and functions of
    the Secretary of the Army?
        Answer. The Secretary of the Army is the senior official and head
    of the Department of the Army, with authority and responsibility for
    conducting all affairs of the Department of the Army, subject to the
    authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense (10
    U.S.C. Sec. 7013). The Secretary of the Army is solely responsible for
    the functions of Acquisition, Audit, Comptroller, Information
    Management, Inspector General, Legislative Affairs, Public Affairs and
    Research and Development (10 U.S.C. Sec. 7014).
        The Secretary of the Army is also responsible for the supervision
    and control of Army intelligence activities as well as any other
    activities as may be prescribed by law, the President, or the Secretary
    of Defense.
        Question. What background and experience do you possess that render
    you highly qualified to perform these duties and responsibilities?
        Answer. I was honored to first experience the Department of the
    Army through the lens of a young Armor officer, deploying to Iraq from
    2009-2010, which was an ideal way to understand the needs and
    perspectives of the Army's soldiers, the sacrifices required of them
    and their families, and the institutional culture that makes our Army
    the finest in the world. After being honorably discharged from the
    Army, I attended Yale Law School on the Post-9/11 GI Bill and graduated
    in 2014. I then began a career in finance working at an investment bank
    and then co-founded a venture studio where we partnered to launch and
    grow small and medium businesses in my home State of North Carolina. I
    began working as a Chief Operations Officer at a venture capital fund
    and worked as a Chief Strategy Officer at a healthcare business. My
    experience working with innovators in the private sector has given me a
    crucial lens to apply to the current challenges facing the Army.
        If confirmed, I would serve as the soldier's Secretary of the Army,
    as opposed to that the bureaucrats. I would spend every day focused on
    our soldiers and their families knowing the immense sacrifices they and
    their families make to uphold the freedoms we hold dear. If confirmed,
    my duty would be to ensure our soldiers have the world's finest
    training, equipment, and leadership to accomplish any mission, and to
    make the Army the most lethal force possible.
        Question. In particular, what management and leadership experience
    do you possess that you would apply to your service as Secretary of the
    Army, if confirmed?
        Answer. My background as an Army Armor officer was invaluable in
    preparing me to lead the Army. From leading soldiers in garrison at
    Fort Drum, NY to the training fields of Yuma, Arizona to the
    battlefield in Baghdad, Iraq, I have learned that every decision
    requires putting the soldier first. I know from first-hand experience
    the challenges soldiers face every day. My time serving as a cavalry
    scout with the 10th Mountain Division is the most formative leadership
    experience that I have had. If confirmed, I will always remember that
    it is the soldiers on the ground that will feel the consequences of
    their leaders' decisions. I intend to be the soldiers' Secretary of the
    Army.
        Since leaving the Army, I have led teams in private sector roles
    across several industries. In each role, it was critical to have a team
    of experts who could bring their own experiences and leadership styles
    to the roles and, if confirmed, I would build a similar team of experts
    for the Army.
        If confirmed, I look forward to leading from the front, working
    closely with Army senior leaders and staff to lead an Army focused on
    mission effectiveness that takes care of its people, soldiers,
    civilians, and their families.
        Question. To the extent that the functions of the Army overlap with
    those of other DOD entities, what would be your approach, if confirmed,
    to consolidating and reducing unnecessary duplication?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will eagerly coordinate with the Department
    in identifying and eliminating unnecessary duplication. I will
    prioritize ensuring that the right element is in the lead on each task
    rather than focusing on territoriality. Our resources are finite, and
    the tasks and the responsibilities of the Department and the Army are
    large, so there is no room for waste.
        Question. If confirmed, what duties and responsibilities would you
    assign to the Under Secretary of the Army?
        Answer. The Under Secretary of the Army performs such duties and
    exercises such powers as prescribed by the Secretary of the Army, and
    Army General Order No. 2024-01 specifies that the Under Secretary is
    the Secretary's senior civilian assistant and principal adviser on
    matters related to the management and operation of the Army.
    Accordingly, the Under Secretary is entrusted with the task of
    communicating and advocating for Army policies, plans, and programs to
    external audiences, including Congress, the American people, and
    foreign governments. The Under Secretary is also designated as the
    position of Chief Management Officer of the Army, serving as the
    Secretary's principal adviser on the effective and efficient
    organization of the Army's business operations and initiatives for the
    business transformation of the Army. If confirmed, I would continue to
    assign the Under Secretary of the Army those duties and
    responsibilities and would rely on them as a key member of the team.
        Question. If confirmed, over which members and organizations of the
    Army would you direct the Chief of Staff of the Army to exercise
    supervision and what would be the scope of such supervision? What other
    duties would you assign to the Chief of Staff of the Army?
        Answer. The Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) is the senior military
    advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the senior Army military
    officer. The CSA presides over the Army Staff, communicates Army Staff
    plans and recommendations to the Secretary of the Army, and advises the
    Secretary of the Army on those plans and recommendations. In addition
    to the advisor role, the CSA is responsible for ensuring the effective
    and efficient functioning of Army organizations and commands in
    executing their statutory missions and assisting the Secretary of the
    Army in performing acquisition-related functions. The CSA also performs
    the duties prescribed for him as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
    (10 U.S.C. Sec.  151). Additionally, multiple units report directly to
    the CSA, including the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, the U.S.
    Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Army Military District of
    Washington, and the U.S. Army War College.
        If confirmed, I would assign the above responsibilities and
    supervisory roles to the CSA.
        Question. If confirmed, what innovative ideas would you consider
    providing to the Secretary of Defense regarding the organization and
    operations of the Department of the Army?
        Answer. If confirmed, I would consider providing recommendations to
    the Secretary of Defense concerning accelerating promotions for
    exceptionally meritorious individuals and broadening opportunities for
    non-traditional career pathways to ensure the Army attracts and retains
    the best talent. I would base any such recommendations on a thorough
    review of the Army's current policies and procedures.
                             conflicts of interest
        Question. Federal ethics laws, like 10 U.S.C. Sec. 208, prohibit
    government employees from participating in matters where they, or
    certain family members or organizations with which they have certain
    relationships, have a financial interest.
        Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to disclose any
    potential conflicts of interest, including investments, business ties,
    family relationships, or other connections that could be perceived as
    influencing your decisionmaking?
        Answer. Yes, I agree.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, that
    if a conflict of interest arises, you will recuse yourself from
    participating in any relevant decisions regarding that specific matter?
        Answer. Yes, I agree.
        Question. Do you commit, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    decisionmaking on the merits and exclusively in the public interest,
    without regard to private gain or personal benefit?
        Answer. Yes, I do.
                        civilian control of the military
        Question. In its report, Providing for the Common Defense, the
    National Defense Strategy Commission cautioned, ``there is an imbalance
    in civil-military relations on critical issues of strategy development
    and implementation. Civilian voices appear muted on issues at the
    center of U.S. defense and national security policy.''
        If confirmed, specifically what would you do to ensure that your
    tenure as Secretary of the Army epitomizes the fundamental requirement
    for civilian control of the Armed Forces embedded in the U.S.
    Constitution and other laws?
        Answer. I am fully committed to the requirements in the U.S.
    Constitution and other laws enshrining civilian control of America's
    Armed Forces. If confirmed, I would bring that commitment to my role as
    Secretary of the Army, fulfilling my legal obligations to control and
    oversee all affairs of the Army.
                                     budget
        Question. If confirmed, by what standards would you measure the
    adequacy of funding for the Army?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will measure the adequacy of funding for
    the Army by the Army's ability to meet the requirements laid out in the
    NDS and the priorities of the Secretary of Defense. As a critical part
    of the Joint Force, the Army must be capable of defeating military
    aggression that threatens U.S. vital interests.
        Question. How will you ensure the Army is appropriately resourced
    to simultaneously modernize, grow readiness, and take care of its
    people?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of Defense to
    ensure that the Army has sufficient resources to address each of its
    priorities and will ensure that any resource constraints are
    communicated clearly and early to Congress.
        Question. Section 222a of title 10, U.S. Code, provides that not
    later than 10 days after the President's submission of the defense
    budget to Congress, each Service Chief must submit to the congressional
    defense committees a report that lists, in order of priority, the
    unfunded priorities of his or her armed force.
        If confirmed, do you agree to support the Chief of Staff of the
    Army in providing his/her unfunded priorities list to Congress in a
    timely manner?
        Answer. Yes, if confirmed, I will support the Army Chief of Staff
    in meeting the statutory requirement by providing an Unfunded
    Requirements (UFR) list to Congress within 10 days of the submission of
    the President's defense budget to Congress.
                        major challenges and priorities
        Question. What would you see as your highest priorities for the
    near-term and long-term future of the Army?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will initially focus on advancing the
    Army's current priorities: Warfighting, Delivering Combat-Ready
    Formations, Continuous Transformation and Strengthening the Profession.
    I will also carefully review and validate those priorities and consider
    any necessary changes.
        Question. What do you consider to be the most significant
    challenges you would face, if confirmed as Secretary of the Army?
        Answer. If confirmed, I expect that one of my most significant
    challenges would be ensuring the Army recruits qualified candidates in
    sufficient numbers. As the Army's end-strength and veteran population
    declines, fewer young people are closely connected to a soldier or
    veteran, meaning becoming a soldier may seem foreign to them.
        A second significant challenge I would anticipate is continuing the
    substantial task of modernizing the force to maintain overmatch against
    near-peer adversaries.
        Question. What plans do you have for addressing each of these
    challenges, if confirmed?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will strive to ensure that the Army
    presents a compelling message concerning the benefit of service both to
    our Nation and to those that serve, and that the message is presented
    across every region and eligible demographic. Young people want to
    understand the value proposition of what is presented to them, and it
    would be my job to ensure that the Army offers them a strong value.
        To continue the modernization of the Army while maintaining a high
    level of readiness, I would communicate frequently and transparently
    with all stakeholders, including the Office of the Secretary of
    Defense, the Assistant Secretary of the Army Acquisition, Logistics and
    Technology, and Army Futures Command, ensuring that operational demands
    do not overwhelm the Army's ability to prepare for the future fight. I
    will also prioritize ensuring that Army modernization programs remain
    on time and on budget.
                           national defense strategy
        Question. The 2022 NDS outlines that the United States faces a
    rising China, an aggressive Russia, and the continued threat from rogue
    regimes and global terrorism. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the NDS
    Commission testified in July 2024 that China, Russia, Iran, and North
    Korea have formed an ``axis of aggressors'', supporting each other's
    military aggression and illegal wars.
        What is your assessment of the military threat posed by the
    People's Republic of China?
        Answer. The 2018 and 2022 National Defense Strategies each
    identified China as the Department of Defense's pacing threat, and I
    share that assessment. Xi Jinping has openly expressed his intention to
    annex Taiwan to mainland China, told his armed forces to be prepared to
    use force to achieve such an outcome by 2027, and invested heavily in
    military capabilities required for such a campaign. If he were to
    succeed in achieving that goal, that would profoundly negatively impact
    future U.S. trade, military alliances, and influence around the world.
        Question. What is your assessment of the military threat posed by
    Russia?
        Answer. The 2018 and 2022 National Defense Strategies each found
    that Russia presents a significant conventional, gray zone, and
    strategic threat to the United States and Europe and acts as a
    destabilizing force in several other regions globally. Even constrained
    by the international sanction's regime in place since 2014, Russia has
    successfully fielded and maintained capable military forces, delivered
    novel strategic capabilities, and increased production of key platforms
    and materiel.
        Outside the constraints of the New START Treaty, Russia has
    substantially built up its tactical nuclear arsenal, threatening its
    neighbors in Europe and Asia. Russia's ability to operate extra-
    regionally using mercenaries and proxies has been strained but is not
    insignificant.
        Question. What is your assessment of the military threat posed by
    collusion among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea?
        Answer. Recent actions taken by China, Russia, Iran, and North
    Korea in Ukraine and elsewhere suggest a cooperative approach to
    undermine U.S. influence and its alliances around the world. Near peer
    competitors may view rogue states as distractions that they can use to
    draw the attention and resources of the United States and its allies
    away from their own military buildup or coercive activities.
        Technology transfer and materiel sales have allowed these countries
    to circumvent or alleviate the costs imposed upon them by sanctions.
    And there is the potential that military conflict spurred by any one of
    these actors could be used as an opportunity for another actor to
    engage in aggression if they believe U.S. forces are tied down. It is a
    foundational principle of strategy that one's adversaries should be
    divided.
        Question. Are there significant opportunities that, in your view,
    the Army has been unable to leverage, or has leveraged only in part,
    since the NDS was published in 2022? If so, how would you correct this
    situation, if confirmed?
        Answer. With the 2022 National Defense Strategy identifying China
    as the Department of Defense's pacing threat and finding that Russia
    presents a significant conventional, gray zone, and strategic threat to
    the United States, I would approach my evaluation of any additional
    needed capabilities, if confirmed, with this in mind. Following this
    evaluation, I would make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on
    any potential additional resources or authorities the Department of the
    Army might need.
        Question. What do you perceive to be the Army's role in competing
    with and countering China?
        Answer. The Army remains an essential force for asserting American
    power in the Indo-Pacific. The vast majority of Chiefs of Defense in
    the Indo-Pacific have an army background, and many of them have
    attended professional military education courses in the USA. The Army
    regularly participates in exercises across the region, continually
    strengthening our bonds with Indo-Pacific allies and partners.
        The Army's communications, logistics, security, air defense, cyber,
    and sensing and strike capabilities will be extremely important in any
    Pacific conflict. Moreover, the ground combat capabilities that the
    Army maintains may be important as well. We all have a vision of what
    warfare in the Indo-Pacific looks like, but our pre-conceived notions
    of future war are rarely accurate.
        Question. Do you believe the Army must maintain the ability to
    conduct large-scale ground combat operations, to deter major-power
    competitors such as Russia?
        Answer. Yes, the Army must always have the ability to conduct
    large-scale ground combat operations, and all operations across the
    continuum of conflict.
        Question. Is the Army adequately sized, structured, and resourced
    to implement the current strategy and the associated operational plans?
    Please explain your answer.
        Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Army, Joint Staff, and
    OSD to evaluate the Army's current strategy and determine if the force
    is sized, structured, and resourced to satisfy operational plans.
        Question. What are your primary lessons learned from observing
    operations in Ukraine and the Middle East that the Army must consider
    in its modernization efforts?
        Answer. Small-unmanned aerial systems, counter-unmanned aerial
    system technologies, and the revitalization of electronic warfare are
    reshaping modern battlefields. Access to air power at scale is changing
    tactics, techniques, and procedures. The Army must adopt this
    technology, and the techniques developed in the Russo-Ukraine conflict
    quickly.
        Question. Does the Army have the requisite analytic capabilities
    and tools to support you, if confirmed, in evaluating the Army's force
    structure and sizing strategies to ensure that it can and will generate
    forces that are manned, trained, and equipped to execute current plans
    and strategies? Please explain your answer.
        Answer. If confirmed, I will evaluate our current processes and
    capabilities for shaping army structure and size and modify them
    accordingly to ensure that the Army can generate forces to execute our
    current plans and strategies.
        Question. If confirmed, how will you address any gaps or shortfalls
    in the Army's ability to meet the demands placed on it by the
    operational plans that implement the current strategy?
        Answer. I will work with the Army Staff to identify potential
    mitigations to any revealed gaps or shortfalls in the Army's ability to
    enact operational plans, while we account for long-term deficiencies
    that these mitigations create.
        Question. If confirmed, what changes or adjustments would you make
    in the Army's implementation of the current strategy?
        Answer. If confirmed, one of my first acts as Secretary of the Army
    will be to conduct a complete review of the Army's current strategy and
    revise it accordingly.
        Question. How would you characterize your familiarity with the
    civilian leaders of the Armies of other nations and multi-national and
    international land power-focused consultative forums? If confirmed, on
    which leaders and forums would you focus your engagement with a view to
    advancing the interests of the Army?
        Answer. Relationships with foreign military leaders are essential
    to maintain interoperability with our allies and partners. The timing
    and frequency of my engagements with foreign leaders and at land-power
    forums will be driven by priorities identified in our national military
    strategy.
        The Army is the lead Service for overseeing the development of the
    components that compromise the Integrated Air and Missile Defense of
    Guam system. However, rather than embrace this effort so critical to
    U.S. operations in a contingency in the Western Pacific, the Army has
    assumed a much lesser role than that required by a Joint Program
    Executive Office who should manage the timing and integration of the
    multi-service air and missile defense weapons systems, contributing to
    continued delays in the overall effort.
        Question. If confirmed as Secretary, what steps will you take to
    ensure the Army better executes its responsibilities for the defense of
    Guam and expedites the fielding of air and missile defense capabilities
    on the island?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will evaluate current Army resource
    contributions against the integrated air and missile defense plan and
    work with my counterparts in the other services to ensure we work
    together to provide for the defense of Guam.
                                  end strength
        Question. Is the Army's current end strength sufficient to meet
    national security objectives and execute the associated operational
    plans? If not, what end strength do you believe is necessary? Please
    explain your answer.
        Answer. I think that the decline in Army end strength in recent
    years is due to recruiting challenges rather than a conclusion that the
    Army required fewer soldiers to meet its national security objectives.
    This has occurred during an era of increasing security challenges.
    Therefore, it is likely that the Army's current end strength is
    insufficient to accomplish its mission. I will need additional data,
    including wargame outputs, analysis, and opinions from senior leaders,
    before I can verify that conclusion or make recommendations on the
    total Army end strength that is required.
        If confirmed, I will assess end strength levels in concert with the
    OSD staff, the Joint Staff and the Army Staff against appropriate
    defense planning scenarios. Any growth in the Army's end strength
    should have the full support of Congress. I would only ask for that
    support after reviewing service plans for force structure,
    modernization, training, and logistical requirements in line with an
    updated National Defense Strategy.
                              recruiting/retention
        Question. The 2024 National Defense Strategy Commission stated that
    ``The DOD workforce and the all-volunteer force provide an unmatched
    advantage. However, recruiting failures have shrunk the force and raise
    serious questions about the all-volunteer force in peacetime, let alone
    in major combat.'' In addition, DOD studies indicate that only about 23
    percent of today's youth population is eligible for military service,
    and only a fraction of those who meet military accession standards are
    interested in serving.
        If confirmed, how would you ensure the Army maintains sufficiently
    high recruitment and retention standards?
        Answer. Maintaining appropriate standards is a critical component
    of Army readiness. If confirmed, I will review the Army's current
    recruitment and retention standards and solicit input from all levels
    of the Army to ensure that the right standards are in place. I will
    also empower Army leaders to hold recruits and soldiers to those
    standards, ensuring that the Army does not enlist soldiers unprepared
    to succeed and does not reenlist soldiers who have not maintained
    standards.
        Question. If required to choose between maintaining high
    recruitment and retention standards and achieving authorized end
    strength levels, which would be more important, in your view?
        Answer. Standards are important. If confirmed, I would not support
    lowering recruitment or retention standards to meet end strength goals.
    Unprepared or unqualified soldiers hinder the mission, and accessing or
    retaining the wrong people is not an effective method of achieving
    metrics.
        Question. What impact do current medical and other qualifications
    for enlistment in the Army have on the number of individuals eligible
    for military service? If confirmed, what changes to such
    qualifications, if any, would you recommend to increase the number of
    individuals eligible for service without degrading the quality of
    recruits?
        Answer. The low percentage of American eligible and interested in
    serving in the Army is greatly concerning. If confirmed, I will review
    the Army's current enlistment qualifications to ensure they are the
    right standards and not unnecessarily eliminating qualified individuals
    from consideration. If we are enforcing standards irrelevant to an
    individual's ability to serve effectively, I would recommend changing
    those standards.
        Question. Rather than relying solely on ever-higher compensation
    for a shrinking pool of volunteers, what creative steps would you take,
    if confirmed, to expand the pool of eligible recruits and improve Army
    recruiting?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will consider all non-monetary options of
    expanding the pool of eligible recruits and improving Army recruiting,
    including alternative career routes, sabbaticals, desired duty station
    assignment, increased direct commissions for certain specialties, and
    others. I will also review the Army recruiting strategy to ensure it
    effectively conveys a strong value proposition to young people across
    the Nation.
        Question. What do you consider to be key to the Army's future
    success in retaining the best qualified personnel for continued service
    in positions of greater responsibility and leadership in the Army?
        Answer. The best qualified soldiers are likely to have strong
    alternative employment options, including monetarily, so the Army must
    compete in other areas to retain them. I believe that soldiers are
    inclined to remain in the Army when they and their families have been
    treated well, when they have been given chances to develop and succeed,
    and when they feel like they are using their abilities to make
    meaningful contributions to high-performing teams. Providing our
    soldiers with strong quality of life, maximizing dwell time and
    predictability of assignments, providing them with new challenges, and
    ensuring capable and responsive chains of command will best position
    the Army to compete for talent.
        Question. What steps, if any, should be taken to ensure that
    current operational requirements and tempo do not adversely impact the
    overall recruiting, retention, readiness, and morale of soldiers?
        Answer. Every time that the Army sends a unit on a training
    exercise, overseas rotation, or deployment, it must assess the holistic
    impact on the readiness of that unit and other units. Operational
    requirements must be balanced against the long-term health and
    readiness of the force.
        Question. In your view, do current recruiting standards--
    particularly DOD-wide criteria for tier-one recruits--accurately
    predict recruit attrition and/or future success in the Army?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review the data concerning the level
    to which current recruiting standards accurately predict recruitment
    attrition and/or future success in the Army. If I determine that the
    current standards are not an accurate predictor, I will advocate for
    appropriate changes.
        Question. Do you believe that current military entrance testing
    methods unnecessarily restrict the pool of eligible recruits, for
    example, by penalizing prospective recruits for whom English is not
    their native language?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review current military entrance
    testing methods. I will conduct that review before determining whether
    current entrance testing methods unnecessarily restrict the pool of
    eligible recruits. If I conclude that any current entrance testing
    methods are unfair, I will advocate appropriate changes.
                               reserve components
        Question. In a historic shift since 9/11, Reserve components of the
    Army continue to serve more routinely as a part-time workforce for the
    Department of the Army in support of ongoing training and operational
    requirements. This requires continuous review of how the Army funds,
    develops, equips and compensates members of the Army Reserve and Army
    National Guard.
        In your view, what is the appropriate relationship between the
    Active Army and the Army Reserve and Army National Guard?
        Answer. The Active Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard are
    all critical components of the Total Force. The roles that each
    component plays in an operation are dictated by circumstances,
    capabilities, and the timing of events. The Reserve components provide
    the Active Force with supplemental and unique capabilities and can
    provide relief to stressed formations in the Active component. However,
    the Army must always be cautious about overstressing Reserve components
    units in turn.
        Question. What is your vision for the roles and missions of the
    Army Reserve components? If confirmed, what new objectives would you
    seek to achieve with respect to the Army Reserve components'
    organization, force structure, end strength, and readiness?
        Answer. Reserve components provide depth and expertise and
    skillsets that are often unavailable in the Active Army. If confirmed,
    I will evaluate how the Army employs, schedules, alerts, and mobilizes
    the Reserve components to support operations across the globe.
        Additionally, I will review the balance of capabilities between
    Reserve components and the Active Army during the annual Total Army
    Analysis Process.
        Question. Are you concerned that continued reliance on Army Reserve
    components to execute operational missions--both at home and around the
    globe--is adversely affecting the ability to meet their recruiting and
    retention missions? Why or why not?
        Answer. Excessive operational tempo can harm recruiting and
    retention. I would need to view additional data before I can assess if
    or how the current operational tempo of the Reserve components is
    affecting their recruitment or retention.
        As both an operational Reserve and a part-time workforce, members
    of the Army Reserve components are subject to many requirements by both
    the Active Force and the Reserves. In many cases, reservists are
    required to do more work than they have time for, given the part-time
    nature of their service, Army limits on compensation, and competing
    personal and professional priorities.
        Question. In this world of limited resources, what are the most
    important activities for members of the Army Reserve component to
    engage in?
        Answer. The primary task of all Army Reserve units and individuals
    is to maintain readiness. Army Reserve units should strive to gain and
    maintain proficiency in their mission essential tasks and individuals
    should strive to be proficient in their assigned duties and mission-
    occupational specialty.
        Question. In what areas should the Army take acceptable risks in
    the training and readiness of Reserve Forces?
        Answer. The Army should evaluate the quantity of mandatory training
    not required by law that Reserve component forces are required to
    complete annually.
        Question. In your view, does the Army offer adequate career
    management to members of the Reserve components?
        Answer. The Army offers career development models to Reserve
    component soldiers. However, they receive less formal guidance than
    many of their Active Duty peers. At present, Reserve and Active career
    models are very similar. If confirmed, I will ask the Chief of the Army
    Reserve and the Chief of the Army National Guard to evaluate if we
    should make changes to Reserve component career models and professional
    military education requirements.
        Question. In your view, are any legislative reforms necessary to
    facilitate easier transitions for members of all components between
    Active and Reserve status?
        Answer. If confirmed, I would support making transitions between
    Active and Reserve status in the Army more seamless. I will need to
    study the issue more to determine if legislative reforms are necessary
    to ease transitions between components.
                             non-deployable issues
        Question. Do you agree that soldiers who are non-deployable for
    more than 12 consecutive months should be subject either to separation
    from the Army or referral into the Disability Evaluation System?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure that soldiers who are non-
    deployable for more than 12 consecutive months will receive an
    individualized review that weighs whether their continued service is in
    the Nation's best interest. If not, they should be considered for
    separation from service or referral into the Disability Evaluation
    System as appropriate.
        Question. In your view, under what circumstances might the
    retention of a soldier who has been non-deployable for more than 12
    months be ``in the best interest of the Army''?
        Answer. The determination of whether retaining a soldier who has
    been non-deployable for more than 12 months is in the best interest of
    the Army is an individualized review that should consider factors
    including the likelihood of the soldier swiftly returning to deployable
    status and the soldier's unique skills and qualifications.
                             army talent management
        Question. In your judgment, how effective is the Army at
    identifying, promoting, and rewarding top performers?
        Answer. I believe that the Army generally does a good job
    identifying and promoting top talent in our enlisted and junior officer
    ranks, particularly during tactical assignments. However, the current
    promotion system does not necessarily select senior officers for their
    institutional knowledge or strategic acumen, which are increasingly
    desirable as officers progress.
        I believe that the Army struggles to reward talent and retain
    talent, in part, because of the inflexible nature of its time-based
    compensation and promotion system. Exemplary leaders can only expect to
    be promoted one to 2 years more quickly than a peer of average
    performance. That's a very different dynamic than the private sector.
        Question. Similarly, how effective is the Army at identifying and
    removing underperforming or counterproductive servicemembers?
        Answer. I believe that the Army's current evaluation system is
    generally effective at identifying unperforming or counterproductive
    soldiers. The Army's ability to remove or exclude underperforming
    servicemembers is significantly constrained by the health and size of
    an officer's or non-commissioned officer's career field and rank. When
    the Army has a surplus of soldiers of a specific rank, promotion rates
    are lower. When recruiting and retention are challenging, promotion
    rates are higher. For example, in 2005, during the surge in Iraq, 97
    percent of eligible Army Captains were promoted to Major. Historically,
    that percentage was closer to 80 percent.
        Question. In your view, what should be done to improve Army talent
    management, both in the Active and Reserve components?
        Answer. The Army should work with the Department of Defense and
    Congress to continue to refine elements of the Defense Officer
    Personnel Management Act to make promotion schedules more flexible. It
    should also make better use of its direct commissioning programs to
    introduce different perspectives into the force.
        I also believe that the Army should ease the process for soldiers
    to transfer between Reserve and Active service. Permitting soldiers to
    more easily transition between Active Duty and Reserve components will
    improve access to talent across the breadth of the total force and
    introduce flexibility in military service in a manner that improves
    retention.
        As the Army fights for talent, it must continue to improve its
    efforts to place the right person in the right place to maximize the
    contributions of each soldier to the mission of restoring lethality and
    deterrence to the Army and our country.
                               suicide prevention
        Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to prevent
    suicides in the Active Army, the Army Reserve, and the Army National
    Guard, and in the families of soldiers across all components?
        Answer. Even one suicide among the force is too many. If confirmed,
    I will make suicide prevention a high priority, striving to ensure that
    all soldiers and their families have access to the resources necessary
    to foster their physical, mental and spiritual well-being, and that
    their leaders encourage them to take advantage of those resources.
         sexual harassment and assault prevention and response programs
        Question. Do you believe the policies, programs, resources, and
    training that DOD and the Military Services have put in place to
    prevent and respond to sexual assault, and to protect service members
    who report sexual assault from retaliation, are working? If not, what
    else must be done?
        Answer. There is no place in the Military for sexual assault or
    sexual harassment. Sexual assault is a crime within and outside of the
    Army. It destroys unit cohesion and readiness and deters both men and
    women from serving. Congress, the Department of Defense, and the Army
    have taken a series of helpful actions to reduce the incidence of
    sexual assault in the military, but more must be done.
        If confirmed, I will continue to refine policies and programs
    implemented over the last 4 years to reduce the incidence of sexual
    assault and improve support to victims. I anticipate ensuring high-
    level focus on this issue; including appointing a high-level position
    dedicated to ensuring a focus on ending sexual assault in the military.
    Every soldier deserves the opportunity to serve their nation without
    fear of harassment or assault. If the worst happens, the process of
    justice must be fair and swift, perpetrators must be brought to
    justice, and victims must have access to the services they need and are
    ensured the ability to continue their service without sanction or
    setback to themselves or their careers.
        Question. If confirmed, what would you do to increase focus on the
    prevention of sexual assaults?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review the Army's existing efforts to
    prevent sexual assault. I will personally express the importance of
    focusing on that prevention and instruct Army leaders at all levels to
    do the same with their soldiers.
        Question. What is your view of the necessity of affording a victim
    both restricted and unrestricted options to report sexual harassment?
        Answer. Offering restricted and unrestricted reporting options to
    victims of sexual harassment increases the likelihood that victims will
    feel comfortable and safe enough to report that harassment. Reporting
    sexual harassment is a necessary step to effectively address that
    wrongful conduct. If confirmed, I would support offering both types of
    reporting options.
               domestic violence and child abuse in army families
        Question. What is your understanding of the extent of domestic
    violence and child abuse in the Army, and, if confirmed, what actions
    would you take to address these issues?
        Answer. Any domestic violence and child abuse in the Army is
    unacceptable. If confirmed, I will review the current rates of both
    domestic violence and child abuse in the Army, ensure that the Army
    holds perpetrators accountable and assists victims, and that victims
    are familiar with and have access to a range of reporting options and
    resources. I will also ensure that Army leaders at all levels
    prioritize that effort.
            services provided to service members and their families
        Question. If confirmed, how would you support increased employment
    opportunities for military spouses and other family members?
        Answer. Army families make many sacrifices, and they deserve the
    Nation's support. Army spouses' careers are frequently disrupted by
    their spouse's training exercises, reassignments, and deployments. If
    confirmed, I will review existing Army programs and policies in place
    to support employment opportunities for spouses and other family
    members and work with the Secretary of Defense, Congress, and State and
    local governments to ensure that Army programs and policies continue to
    grow meaningful employment opportunities for Army family members.
        If confirmed, what specifically would you do to establish
    accountability in the Army for sustaining the high-quality housing that
    soldier and their families deserve?
        Answer. Army families and servicemembers deserve high-quality
    housing. If confirmed, I will evaluate the current performance of
    housing providers and empower garrison commanders to hold these
    providers accountable.
        Question. If confirmed, what specifically would you do to establish
    accountability in Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI)
    ``contractors,'' particularly given that, in most cases, they have
    public-private partnership agreements with the Army that extend for as
    long as 50 years?
        Answer. I will work with the Army Installation Management Command
    to evaluate the performance of each MHPI contractor, and to determine
    what authorities the Department can leverage to improve performance. If
    necessary, I will request additional authorities from Congress.
                                 army readiness
        Question. How would you assess the current readiness of the Army--
    across the domains of materiel and equipment, personnel, and training--
    to execute the National Defense Strategy and Combatant Commanders'
    associated operational plans?
        Answer. The U.S. Army continues to be the most professional land
    force in the world. However, I worry about the ability of the country's
    industrial base to provide sufficient military stocks to fully support
    our warfighters.
        Additionally, our technological edge is shrinking. The Army needs
    to accelerate its modernization and better prepare our forces for the
    advances in drone and autonomous warfare the world has witnessed in
    Ukraine.
        Question. In your view, what are the priority missions for which
    current and future Army forces should be trained and ready in the
    context of day-to-day activities, as well as for contingencies?
        Answer. Prioritization for training and readiness will be driven by
    the National Defense Strategy and National Military Strategy. If
    confirmed, I will work with the Army Staff to align our training and
    readiness against defense planning scenarios identified by the
    Department.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you oversee compliance by the
    Army with readiness goals and timelines?
        Answer. If confirmed, I would work with my staff to evaluate and
    revise the existing governance structure within the Army to ensure that
    the organization establishes metrics and regularly reviews progress
    toward our readiness goals.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you prioritize maintaining
    readiness in the near term, with modernizing the Army to ensure future
    readiness?
        Answer. Prior to supporting a deployment or rotation, I will
    require the Army Staff to holistically assess the impact of that
    deployment on the readiness of the impacted unit or stock, future
    readiness, and impact on the career field of soldiers impacted by that
    deployment. In the case of transferring arms or military stocks to
    another country, I will require the Army Staff to provide information
    on the capacity of our industrial base to replace the item, and the
    time and money required.
                                   munitions
        Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure the
    Army has sufficient inventories of munitions to meet combatant
    commanders' needs?
        Answer. Maintaining a sufficient inventory of critical munitions is
    essential to keeping the Army ready for conflict, supporting allies and
    partners, and deterring adversaries from hostile action. If confirmed,
    I will direct the Army Staff to work with OSD Policy, the Joint staff,
    and OSD A&S, to verify munitions requirements, and suggest mitigations
    to overcome shortfalls in the short-, medium-, and long-term.
        Question. Is the ammunition industrial base, including the Army's
    organic ammunition plants, capable of supporting current and future
    munitions requirements, in your view?
        Answer. While I have not received briefings from the Army on its
    organic industrial base modernization plan, I suspect that there will
    be more to do to meet current and future munitions requirements. If
    confirmed, implementing and revising this modernization plan will be a
    top priority for my office and the ASA (ATL).
        Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to reduce
    single points of failure and foreign material supplier dependencies in
    the ammunition industrial base?
        Answer. The Army needs to be able to quickly scale production of
    critical munitions while protecting its supply base. It is increasingly
    important to reduce single points of failure and foreign dependencies
    in our ammunition industrial base. If confirmed, I will work to make
    sure that plans to reduce foreign dependencies and single points of
    failure are included in OIB modernization plans.
        Question. Based on your experience, what are some of the lessons
    from the past 4 years of increasing 155mm artillery shell production
    that we should ensure get institutionalized in the Army to improve
    future industrial mobilization efforts (for munitions or other areas)?
        Answer. The U.S. Military must question many of the assumptions it
    made during the ``peace dividend'' era about the need for flexibility
    in defense production. From what I have observed, the Army has learned
    that it needs to regularly invest in its organic industrial base,
    nurture component suppliers domestically, and understand the time
    required to procure long-lead items necessary to scale manufacturing.
        Question. Based on your experience, how should the Army be
    factoring in the needs of foreign partners and allies into over
    munitions forecasting in order to improve the long-term production
    stability of the industrial base?
        Answer. Forecasting future needs for the U.S. military is extremely
    challenging, and adding in foreign partners and allies adds another
    layer of friction. I am skeptical that the Department can successfully
    forecast these requirements in a dynamic, geopolitical environment.
    Accordingly, it must make acquisition strategies and industrial base
    investments in equipment and munitions that allow for expansion and
    contraction in demand based on a range of demand that can be expected
    from allies and partners. The Department needs modular production
    facilities, and a cold and warm capacity that can be turned on and off
    to meet need.
        Question. The Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA required the Department of
    Defense to establish a pilot program to incorporate the explosive CL-20
    into existing munitions. Is the Army considering executing any
    activities under this pilot in order to improve the explosive yield or
    operational envelope of any of its munitions?
        Answer. I have not had the opportunity to receive a brief on this
    pilot program but will request one if confirmed.
        Question. Regardless of whether the Army is doing anything under
    this pilot program, how is the Army considering incorporation of new
    energetic materials, like CL-20, or new manufacturing processes for
    energetics, like biomanufacturing, into existing munitions to increase
    explosive effects or operational envelope of its weapons?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will investigate Army exploration of new
    energetic materials and manufacturing processes. I have not had the
    appropriate briefs to respond adequately to this question.
                               special operations
        Question. What is your assessment of the role and importance of
    Army Special Operations Forces in supporting the Joint Force and the
    objectives of the National Defense Strategy?
        Answer. Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) play a critical role
    in supporting the Joint Force and accomplishing the objectives of the
    National Defense Strategy. The Joint Force has heavily relied on ARSOF
    for many years, particularly in the role of building partner capacity,
    and I anticipate that trend to continue in the future.
                               operational energy
        Question. If confirmed, how would you lead the Army in harnessing
    innovations in operational energy and linking them with emerging joint
    operational concepts in order to reduce contested logistics
    vulnerabilities for warfighters?
        Answer. Reducing the footprint of the Joint Force in expeditionary
    operations is vital to increasing the survivability of forward-deployed
    forces and reducing strain on sustainers. If confirmed, I plan to
    continue to support investments in technologies that reduce energy
    waste and provide accessible energy to the warfighter.
        Question. In what specific areas, if any, do you believe the Army
    needs to improve the incorporation of energy considerations and
    alternative energy resources into the strategic planning processes?
        Answer. Not just the Army, but the Joint Force needs to consider
    energy consumption and utilization in all operational plans, supplied
    by a variety of sources, to include alternative sources not used today.
    Unlike conflicts of the past thirty years, adversaries have an
    increased capability to interdict our lines of supply. Units must
    prepare to self-sustain during interruptions in shipments of fuel.
        Question. How can Army acquisition systems better address
    requirements related to the use of energy in military platforms to
    decrease risks to warfighters? In your view, how can energy
    supportability that reduces contested logistics vulnerabilities become
    a key performance parameter in the requirements process?
        Answer. To better address energy demands in system requirements,
    the Army should consider both its capacity to transport and receive
    energy in expeditionary environments, and overall energy requirements
    of units by echelon. These can then form a baseline to develop
    individual energy-based requirements for the development of different
    weapons and equipment sets.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you prioritize energy resilience,
    including acquiring and deploying sustainable and renewable energy
    assets, to support mission critical functions, and address known
    vulnerabilities?
        Answer. Energy resilience is installation resilience. Army
    installations, both CONUS and OCONUS must be increasingly prepared to
    provide for their energy needs without outside support. If confirmed, I
    will require the ASA (IE&E) to evaluate our current plans to increase
    installation energy resilience and continue the Army's progress in
    making our installations more resilient.
        Question. Given that the Army has been charged with Contested
    Logistics for the Joint Force, how do you believe operational energy
    can and should be used to support this effort?
        Answer. Developing new concepts for generating energy in a deployed
    and contested environment will greatly enable the Joint Force to reduce
    the quantity of tankers required to sustain it and increase the
    survivability of expeditionary formations.
                                  environment
        Question. If confirmed, how would you further efforts to address
    PFAS contamination at Army installations?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will fully support the Army's efforts to
    address PFAS contamination at Army installations and will review the
    sufficiency of those efforts. The health of our soldiers and their
    families, Army civilians, and the communities surrounding our
    installations must remain an Army priority.
              readiness and resource impacts from extreme weather
        Question. How would you assess the readiness and resource impacts
    on the Army from recent extreme weather events?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review the readiness and resource
    impacts on the Army from recent extreme weather events, prioritize
    resources needed to address those impacts, and seek to mitigate the
    risks of future such events.
        Question. Based on these readiness and resource impacts, do you
    believe it necessary to use more resilient designs in Army
    infrastructure? How can the Army better use existing authorities on
    extreme weather mitigation granted by Congress in the last few NDAAs?
        Answer. Army infrastructure design should contemplate the full
    range of potential weather events to ensure resiliency. If confirmed, I
    will review the Army's existing use of authorities on extreme weather
    mitigation and explore the benefits of greater use of those
    authorities.
                                     audit
        Question. If confirmed, what specific actions will you take or
    direct to enable the Army to achieve a clean financial audit in the
    most expedited fashion?
        Answer. I understand that the Army has continued to make progress
    on achieving a clean financial audit, but that there is more to do. I
    have been informed that the Army is investing in tools and revising
    processes, but I do not know the implementation status of these
    efforts. If confirmed, I commit to using my authority as the Secretary
    of the Army to continue to push toward achieving a clean audit,
    reforming business processes, and implementing technological systems to
    ensure the Army's fiscal health and transparency.
        Question. What are the benefits to Army missions and effectiveness
    of achieving and maintaining a clean audit?
        Answer. In my opinion, a clean audit will provide the awareness
    necessary to ensure that every dollar appropriated to the U.S. Army
    goes to its best use. We can only make the greatest strides in reducing
    waste and improving allocation of funds without full financial
    transparency and accountability.
        Question. How will you hold Army leaders and organizations
    responsible and accountable for making the necessary investments and
    changes to correct findings and material weaknesses identified in the
    audit process?
        Answer. A successful audit will showcase options to make Army
    funding, equipping, and sustainment practices more efficient and
    productive. If confirmed, I will hold Army Leaders accountable for
    making progress toward a clean audit. I will expect results from the
    ASA (FM&C) and Senior Army Leaders. I will require them to create
    metrics for progress toward financial accountability and hold those
    responsible who fail to meet them.
        Question. Based on your experience, how do you see improved data
    from Army financial management IT systems that support audit help Army
    decisionmaking and readiness?
        Answer. In general, improvements in financial management IT systems
    offer opportunities to reduce manual inputs and clerical errors,
    automate accounting of equipment and funding expenditures, and ease
    burdens that deter individuals across the Army from correctly following
    accounting procedures.
        Question. As the Army continues down the path to a clean audit,
    there are still lessons that can be gleaned beyond the end goal of a
    clean audit opinion. Based on your experience, how do you anticipate
    operationalizing any intermediate lessons from audit into the Army's
    overall management reform objectives?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will evaluate the Army's current process
    for disseminating lessons learned and circulating them through the
    force. If these processes and procedures are insufficient, I will task
    the ASA (F&MC) and other Army Leaders to revise them to ensure we are
    operationalizing lessons learned as we unveil them.
                      army-related defense industrial base
        Question. What is your assessment of the systems and processes for
    identifying, evaluating, and managing risk in the Army's organic,
    commercial, and defense industrial base, including the munitions
    industrial base?
        Answer. While I suspect these systems and processes have matured
    because of U.S. support to Ukraine since 2022, I have not received a
    brief on their maturation. If confirmed, I will receive the appropriate
    briefs to make an assessment.
        Question. What do you see as the levers to motivate the defense
    industrial base, to include munitions manufacturers, to make additional
    capital investment (for facilities and tooling), as well as research
    and development investments to increase the capacity of the defense
    industrial base?
        Answer. First, we need to create a long-term ``demand signal'' that
    justifies capital expenditures in production lines. Part of this demand
    signal must come from allies and partners and we must streamline
    foreign military sales processes to facilitate this outcome. Second,
    the Department of the Army should work with industry to incentivize the
    design of modular factories, capable of rapid prototyping and short-run
    production without large losses in efficiency. Advances in automation,
    artificial intelligence, and mechatronics have made this increasingly
    possible, and the Department of the Army should lead in its
    development.
        Question. How should Army acquisition leaders consider impacts on
    the industrial base when addressing requirements for recapitalization
    or modernization of major defense weapons systems and munitions, and
    life cycle costs of such systems?
        Answer. Acquisition leaders must consider both immediate and
    potential demand for major weapon systems and munitions as they
    formulate acquisition plans. An ability to scale capacity, or at least
    calculations concerning cost and time to scale that capacity should
    accompany acquisition strategies.
        Question. How would you seek to ensure the Army engages with the
    broadest industrial base possible, including traditional contractors,
    nontraditional contractors, and small businesses?
        Answer. If confirmed, I would work with the Army's acquisition
    workforce and leaders to remove as many barriers as possible to doing
    business with the U.S. Army. The U.S. Army needs to be a better
    customer. Many of the actions that the U.S. Government took in the
    1980's to ensure fair competition have now become barriers to entry.
        Question. If confirmed, what changes, if any, would you pursue in
    systems and processes to ensure that risk in the Army-relevant sectors
    of the defense industrial base is adequately managed to enable the
    development, production, and sustainment of technically superior,
    reliable, and affordable weapons systems and munitions?
        Answer. I will need to review existing processes before I can make
    informed changes to the way the Army manages its portion of the defense
    industrial base. If confirmed, the status and management of the defense
    industrial base will be one of the first issues that I engage on.
                            equipping/modernization
        Question. What is your assessment of the Army's past modernization
    record and current efforts?
        Answer. I am aware that the Army has had difficulties in the past
    modernizing in a timely and efficient way, and getting that process is
    key for the Army's future success. Rapid technological development by
    our adversaries highlights the need for the Army to innovate quickly
    based on lessons learned from current battlefields.
        The establishment of Army Futures Command has helped streamline and
    focus the Army's modernization efforts. If confirmed, I will work
    closely with the Under Secretary, the Assistant Secretaries, and other
    stakeholders to ensure that the Army stays on time and on budget in
    executing its current modernization priorities.
        Question. Based on your experience, how would you structure the
    Army to conduct better tradeoff analysis so that programmatic
    investments are not stove-piped and can be assessed against the impact
    of various alternatives?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Army leadership team to
    evaluate current and projected investments across the department to
    better understand these priorities. The review process will allow me an
    opportunity to evaluate all priority programs and identify any
    adjustments that need to be made to increase their effectiveness.
        Question. What is your assessment of the sufficiency of the Army
    acquisition workforce across both civilian and military personnel, both
    in the number and the level of experience of those personnel? What do
    you see as the pros and cons of civilian versus military acquisition
    professionals?
        Answer. The army acquisition workforce consists of over 30,000
    professionals of various professional specialties charged with ensuring
    the delivery of critical warfighting capabilities to our service
    members in uniform. This workforce consists of a blend of civilians,
    officers, and non-commissioned officers which provides it with a unique
    blend of critical institutional knowledge with the career civilian
    cadre and the soldier specific knowledge to deliver the best
    capabilities to our formations. If confirmed, I will evaluate the
    effectiveness and size of our acquisition workforce to ensure we are
    properly postured to deliver world-class capabilities to our soldiers.
        Question. How has Army Futures Command (AFC) contributed to
    improving Army modernization programs over previous Army efforts? What
    role do you expect the Command to play going forward? In your view, how
    has the establishment of AFC modified Army Secretariat roles in Army
    modernization efforts?
        Answer. Army Futures Command (AFC) plays a key role in Army
    modernization. I am aware that prior to AFC's establishment, program
    proponents developed requirements not always fully aligned with the
    Army's modernization needs. Today, AFC's process includes inputs from a
    variety of stakeholders, including soldiers, to ensure the Army will
    get the capability it needs.
        Going forward, I expect AFC to continue to lead in implementing the
    Army's modernization strategy and defining the future operating
    environment. AFC's role will be key in ensuring that the Army is
    equipped to fight and win on future battlefields.
        Question. If modernization is fundamental to future readiness, how
    you would frame future readiness requirements, if confirmed? What key
    capabilities must the Army possess for multi-domain operations?
        Answer. The Army must modernize to ensure its future readiness, and
    building toward a multi-domain operations-ready force by 2035 is an
    important part of Army modernization efforts. At the same time, the
    Army must maintain a State of readiness sufficiently to meet current
    and emerging missions. If confirmed, I will work closely with AFC, the
    Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition,
    Logistics and Technology, and other stakeholders to clearly define the
    Army's future readiness requirements and work closely with Congress to
    ensure the Army invests in support of those priorities.
        If confirmed, I will review the Army's current plan for conducting
    Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), including relevant capabilities
    currently available and those in development, as well as those of our
    near peer competitors, to determine what, if any, additional
    capabilities are required.
        Question. Do you believe the Army's modernization priorities should
    be modified? If so, and if confirmed, how would you propose to modify
    them?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will assess the Army's current
    modernization priorities of long-range precision fires, next generation
    combat vehicles, future vertical lift, the network, air and missile
    defense, and soldier lethality, to confirm that they are in line the
    National Defense Strategy and the priorities established by the
    President and the Secretary of Defense. If I determine that they must
    be modified, I will work closely with all stakeholders and Congress to
    do so.
        Question. Do you see utility in the Army conducting more joint
    program development? In what systems or categories of systems do you
    perceive the most potential and benefit in joint development?
        Answer. If confirmed, I would support joint program development
    wherever doing so would save time or money, increase effectiveness or
    interoperability, or accomplish a combination of those factors.
                                  acquisition
        Question. Civilian oversight of the acquisition system has been a
    cornerstone of the post-World War II acquisition system.
        What are your personal views on the principle of civilian control
    of the defense acquisition system?
        Answer. I believe that civilian control of defense acquisition is
    required by U.S. Code, but that does not preclude military leaders from
    playing a very substantial role in the process.
        Congress has expanded and refined the acquisition-related functions
    of the Chief of Staff of the Army and the other Service Chiefs.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you synchronize your acquisition
    responsibilities with those of the Chief of Staff of the Army and the
    Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and
    Technology?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will clearly lay out responsibilities for
    acquisition in a revised general order for the Headquarters, Department
    of the Army.
        Question. If confirmed, what role would you assign to the Chief of
    Staff of Army for improving the prioritization of requirements and
    program funding?
        Answer. The Chief of Staff of the Army serves as the senior
    military advisor to the Secretary of the Army. His or her advice will
    play a crucial role in shaping Army requirements and programmatic
    objectives as the overseer of the Army Staff.
        Question. Congress has authorized a range of authorities, including
    the Middle Tier of Acquisition, rapid acquisition authority, and the
    software acquisition pathway, to tailor the acquisition process to
    enable the rapid delivery of new capabilities.
        In your view, what benefit has the Department of the Army derived
    from its utilization of Middle Tier of Acquisition?
        Answer. Middle Tier Acquisition authority offers a pathway for the
    Army to rapidly prototype or rapidly field capabilities in under 5
    years. Use of this pathway can save the Department time and money as it
    develops and fields new technology, particularly when requirements are
    not fully mature.
        The Army has used this authority to accelerate programs like the
    XM30 combat vehicle, the Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increment 3
    (M-SHORAD Inc 3), and Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2
    (IFPC Inc 2) among others.
        Question. In your view, what benefit has the Department of the Army
    derived from its utilization of the rapid acquisition authority?
        Answer. Rapid acquisition authority provides the Department of Army
    a pathway to quickly meet operational needs through material solutions.
    The Army used this authority to rapidly acquire coyote interceptors for
    counter-unmanned aerial systems missions and protect U.S. forces
    overseas.
        Question. How will you ensure that rapid acquisition pathways are
    not inundated with bureaucratic processes?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will instruct the ASA (ALT) to create an
    incentive structure that rewards outcomes and calculated risk-taking,
    not compliance with procedures. Success is the creation of a
    capability, not completion of a checklist.
        Question. How will you seek to balance the need to rapidly acquire
    and field innovative systems while ensuring acquisition programs stay
    on budget and schedule?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will hold program offices accountable for
    their failures to stay on budget and on schedule. Second, I will
    require requirements developers and acquisition officials to more
    carefully evaluate when the Army can purchase a fully developed,
    commercial or non-commercial and satisfy requirements with minimal
    acquisition risk, and when we must mature technology and develop an
    organic capability. Purchasing a fully developed system lowers
    development costs and delivery time. Some capabilities must be bespoke,
    but the Army can save time and money by buying as many non-commercial
    and commercial products as possible that meet warfighter needs.
        Question. This Committee has been a strong supporter of Army
    Futures Command and its focus on future readiness for competition with
    near-peers.
        What is your view on Army Futures Command use of directed
    requirements?
        Answer. Army Futures Command has played a critical role in shaping
    the current Army modernization. Without AFC, and its cross-functional
    team approach, the Army would be much further behind in its six
    modernization priorities.
        Directed requirements provide the Army with an expedited means to
    acquire operationally critical capabilities. They are necessary to
    allow the Army to adapt to the stunning changes in warfare that we are
    witnessing in Russo-Ukraine, and the leaps in capability showcased by
    America's competitors.
        Question. What is your view on the Cross-Functional Teams and how
    they are coordinating Army Futures Command and the Assistant Secretary
    of the Army for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics?
        Answer. Cross-functional teams provide acquisition programs with
    diverse talent sets that help the teams avoid pitfalls and siloed
    perspectives. From what I have been told, coordination between ASA
    (ALT) and AFC is going well.
                                  requirements
        Question. The Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act
    required the Joint Staff to take a clean-sheet approach to the
    requirements process and the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense
    Authorization Act required the Secretary of Defense to establish an
    advisory panel on reforming the requirements process.
        What recommendations would you make to the requirements process to
    make it more adaptive to changes in threats and technologies?
        Answer. The current process of constructing requirements has many
    faults. It takes too long to develop requirements, requirements are
    often developed without sufficient interaction with warfighters or
    acquisition professionals, and in many cases, requirements are overly
    difficult to achieve for industry or from a technological maturation
    perspective.
        Any revision to the requirements process needs to make it faster,
    more iterative, and less rigid. In many situations, requirements take
    so long to build, that they fall behind the current State of technology
    before they reach production. In others, requirements are so exacting
    that industry can only meet them at great costs, which are then passed
    onto the Army.
        Any new requirements process must provide requirements developers,
    warfighters, and acquisition officials near constant opportunities for
    interaction, and be more agile in nature.
        Question. What role do you see for the Joint Staff versus the
    military services in the requirements process?
        Answer. The Joint Staff oversees the development of requirements
    that span the military services. Services oversee the development of
    requirements that fall within their Title 10 responsibilities.
                              test and evaluation
        Question. Are you satisfied with Army test and evaluation
    capabilities? In which areas, if any, do you believe the Army should be
    developing new test and evaluation capabilities?
        Answer. I need additional information on current Army test and
    evaluation capabilities before I can assess them. If confirmed, I will
    gather the necessary perspectives and information to assess Army Test
    and Evaluation Command.
        Question. Do you believe that current Army test and evaluation
    facilities, personnel and technical test apparatuses are up to par for
    what is needed for the modernization challenges of the Army now and in
    the near future?
        Answer. I require additional information before I can answer this
    question.
        Question. Do you believe the Army should exploit non-developmental
    or commercial off-the-shelf solutions to meet Army requirements? Would
    this put capabilities into the hands of soldier more quickly, in your
    view?
        Answer. Yes. Wherever possible, and as required by Federal
    Acquisition Regulations, the Army should purchase non-development and
    COTS solutions to meet requirements. Some capabilities require the Army
    to undertake independent development, but many of the Army's most
    pressing needs: small-unmanned aerial systems, counter-unmanned aerial
    systems, electronic warfare systems, and communications gear have
    already been developed.
        Question. What do you see as the operational test and evaluation
    needs for such non-developmental or commercial items to ensure they can
    still meet the technical requirements and human factors needs of
    environments often more complex and demanding than commercial settings?
        Answer. It depends on the operational need. Some commercial
    products and non-development items should move immediately into the
    field without testing or with minimal testing because the Army
    currently has no existing capability. In other situations, the Army can
    thoroughly test non-developmental and commercial items because the
    operational need is less dire.
        Question. How should Army test and evaluation capabilities support
    software and other efforts that require rapid iteration between
    developments?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will evaluate the Army's ability to test
    and evaluate software and other efforts that require rapid iteration.
        Question. The Army is responsible for the maintenance and operation
    of the garrison supporting U.S. assets on the Kwajalein Atoll,
    including the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site--a
    capability essential to the modernization of the Nation's nuclear
    deterrent and many other weapon systems. However, the Army has not
    adequately budgeted for these facilities resulting in the poor
    maintenance of the garrison which supports a critical test range
    utilized on a daily basis by the Department.
        If confirmed, what steps will you take as Secretary to revitalize
    this facility and improve the welfare of those stationed there?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current Army budgeting and
    plans for revitalization of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense
    Test Site and will prioritize improving the welfare of all soldiers
    stationed on Kwajalein Atoll.
                                   innovation
        Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to support the
    Army's in-house innovation enterprise at its labs and engineering
    centers?
        Answer. In-house innovation by Army labs and engineering centers
    can bring great capabilities and cutting-edge technology to the force,
    but support for any innovation center or lab must be conditional on the
    outputs of that organization. If confirmed, I commit to reinforcing
    success across the Army's innovation enterprise, and reforming aspects
    of that enterprise that need modification to meet the Army's needs.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you make use of the Small
    Business Innovation Research program to fund cutting edge research,
    diversify the Army's industrial base, and transition capabilities to
    Program Executive Offices?
        Answer. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program
    allows the Army to offer opportunities to non-traditional contractors
    to work with the Department; while simultaneously helping it access
    developing technologies. One of the criticisms of SBIRs is the poor
    record of transitioning promising pilots and prototypes developed under
    a SBIR into a full program of record or capability. If confirmed, I
    will work with a consortium of small businesses and our acquisition
    community to identify ways that we can improve SBIR outcomes.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure that Army labs and
    test ranges have sufficient military construction and equipment funding
    to maintain world class research and testing infrastructure to maintain
    our military technology advantage, which is making significant
    investments in this type of infrastructure?
        Answer. I have not been briefed on current military construction
    and equipment funding deficits for our labs and test ranges. If
    confirmed, I will work with the ASA (IE&E) to confirm that the Army is
    allocating sufficient capital to these investments.
        Question. If confirmed, how would you assess whether the Army has
    sufficient investment in science and technology programs, especially
    those that are creating new capabilities and possibilities for new
    concepts of operations beyond current requirements?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will work through Army Futures Command to
    ensure that the Army not only has enough investment in science and
    technology programs, but that these investments are going to the most
    impactful capabilities. Technology enables tactics. One of the surest
    ways to develop a warfighting advantage is to harness new technology
    and adopt tactics that suit it in a coherent manner faster than an
    adversary.
        Question. Based on your experience, are there enduring technology
    areas that might not be considered emerging (for example, energetic
    materials, or corrosion control) that Army should remain focused on as
    categories outside of the modernization priorities? How should the Army
    make investment decisions to balance the needs between these emerging
    and enduring technology areas?
        Answer. The Army should continuously reexamine its prioritization
    of technology areas to invest its resources in the areas with the
    largest payoff for the organization. If confirmed, I will continually
    evaluate these choices as part of the POM and look to organizations
    like AFC to make sure that we are balancing our investments between
    ``today'' and ``tomorrow.''
        Question. If confirmed, how would you facilitate and accelerate the
    transition across the so-called Valley of Death from development to
    production and from the lab into the soldier's hands.
        Answer. The Army cannot afford to invest capital in the research
    and development of capabilities, only to repeatedly abandon them
    because they lack a champion. As a service, the Army should attempt to
    reduce the number of programs that fall into the ``valley of death,''
    by linking warfighters, acquisition officials, requirements developers,
    and researchers with a program in its infancy. Research and development
    projects should discontinue because they lack maturity or usefulness,
    not because of programmatics or a poor hand-off between champions of
    different phases of development.
        Question. In your view, where does the Army struggle most with
    technology transition and why?
        Answer. I think this issue is worthy of further study before
    response. I will require additional briefs about the causes of failure
    and rates of failure of various programs before answering.
        Question. What is your view of programs such as the Army Technology
    Maturation Initiative (TMI)? Do ``6.4'' efforts such as TMI serve
    important objectives related to transition?
        Answer. Programs like the Army Technology Maturation Initiative
    provide opportunities to continue developing technologies that are
    close, but not quite ripe for transition into an acquisition program.
    If confirmed, I would evaluate the outcomes that the TMI has achieved
    and determine how the program should be modified or reinforced going
    forward.
                                     cyber
        Question. In September 2023, DOD released its 2023 Cyber Strategy.
    The strategy charges DOD to persistently engage malicious cyber actors
    and other malign threats to U.S. interests in cyberspace.
        In your view, how well postured is the Army to meet the goals
    outlined in the 2023 DOD Cyber Strategy? What actions do you think need
    to be taken in the Army to address any gaps with the 2023 DOD Cyber
    Strategy?
        Answer. The Army's role in defending the Nation from cyberspace
    attacks continues to evolve. If confirmed, I will review the Army's
    current cyber posture and ability to meet the goals outlined in the
    2023 DOD Cyber Strategy as well as the Army's coordination efforts with
    the Department of Defense and Federal, State and local law enforcement
    agencies to address cyber threats.
        Question. If confirmed, what would you do to improve military and
    civilian cybersecurity career paths?
        Answer. The Army needs cyber warriors. If confirmed, I will review
    the current career pathways and professional development opportunities
    for our cyber warriors, both in and out of uniform, and seek to ensure
    that we are giving them the right training and growth opportunities to
    address current and future cyber threats.
        Question. In what ways could Army cyber forces be better leveraged
    to address tactical cyber effects at a theater warfighting level? Are
    there things that Army could do to ensure that cyber is better
    integrated at a tactical level with other kinetic and non-kinetic
    capabilities?
        Answer. I expect cyber integration at every level of warfighting to
    continue to increase going forward, and the Army must address that
    need. If confirmed, I will assess the Army's current use of cyber
    effects at every level of warfighting and work to ensure that we
    provide the right capabilities to our soldiers.
        Question. Section 1657 of the fiscal year 2020 NDAA directed each
    Military Department to appoint an independent Principal Cyber Advisor
    (PCA) to act as the principal advisor to the Secretary concerned on all
    cyber matters affecting that Department.
        What do you see as the role of this position? If confirmed, how
    would you personally plan to utilize the Army PCA within your
    leadership structure?
        Answer. Cyber considerations are critically important to the Army.
    If confirmed, I would gladly rely on the Principal Cyber Advisor (PCA)
    to inform me and other Army senior leaders of all cyber matters
    affecting the Army and rely heavily on their judgment. The PCA should
    be in a lead role in conducting periodic reviews of the Army cyber
    posture and analyzing the risks and benefits of cyber-related
    decisions.
        Question. If confirmed as Secretary of the Army, how would you best
    utilize the PCA to improve cybersecurity and otherwise ensure that the
    Army maintains decisive advantage in the Cyber domain?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will use the PCA as the focal point for all
    synchronization and coordination of cybersecurity matters and the
    Army's liaison to the DOD and the interagency on such matters.
                              technical workforce
        Question. A significant challenge facing the Army today is a
    shortage of highly skilled data scientists, computer programmers,
    cyber, and other scientific, technical and engineering talent,
    especially those needed to work at Army institutions outside of the
    defense laboratories and technical centers (which currently benefit
    from specific workforce authorities available to Army labs).
        If confirmed, what actions would you take to increase the
    recruiting and retention of scientists, engineers, software coders, and
    in other technical positions across the Army's enterprise?
        Answer. Recruiting, developing and retaining talented personnel in
    the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is critical
    to the success of the Army. If confirmed, I will review the Army's
    current efforts in that area, reprioritize as needed, and work with
    Congress for any legislative support that may be needed to ensure the
    Army has a deep reservoir of STEM talent.
        Question. If confirmed, what specifically would you do to provide
    Army organizations with the civilian workforce management tools they
    need to shape their science, technology, data, cyber, and engineering
    workforces, especially for those organizations that need this kind of
    technical expertise but are not inherently scientific or research
    organizations?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will be fully committed to ensuring that
    Army organizations have the right civilian workforce management tools
    to leverage their technology, data, cyber, and engineering personnel. I
    will solicit input from those organizations directly concerning their
    needs and allocate resources appropriately to support their missions.
        army intelligence, counterintelligence, and sensitive activities
        Question. If confirmed, what role would you establish for yourself
    in the decisions on and oversight of Army intelligence,
    counterintelligence, and sensitive activities?
        Answer. I am aware that the current Army policy places the
    Secretary of the Army as the head of oversight of the Army
    intelligence, counterintelligence, and sensitive activities, and, if
    confirmed, I intend to maintain that policy.
                                army cemeteries
        Question. What is your understanding of the role of the Secretary
    of the Army in the management and oversight of Arlington National
    Cemetery (ANC)?
        Answer. The Secretary of the Army oversees Arlington National
    Cemetery through the Office of Army cemeteries.
        Question. What factors would you consider in granting or denying a
    request for exception to established ANC interment or inurnment
    policies?
        Answer. As Secretary, I would examine applicable law, Federal
    regulations, and past precedent before evaluating a request for an
    exception to policy.
        Question. What progress has the Army made in executing plans and
    programs for the expansion of ANC?
        Answer. I have not been briefed on Arlington Cemetery's Southern
    Expansion Project. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on ANC, to
    include current capacity challenges and the expansion.
        Question. If confirmed, how will you ensure that the progress the
    Army has made in re-establishing an enduring caisson capability at
    Arlington National Cemetery and in support of State funeral
    requirements, to include ongoing consultation from world-class
    equestrian experts, persists?
        Answer. I understand that the Army has had difficulty maintaining
    the health of horses in the caisson platoon within the Old Guard. If
    confirmed, I will assess the reforms that the Military District of
    Washington and the Old Guard have made over the past 2 years and
    determine if additional measures are required.
                      u.s. army corps of engineers (usace)
        Question. What do you perceive to be the appropriate role for the
    Secretary of the Army in the management and oversight of USACE?
        Answer. I believe the Secretary of the Army has the responsibility
    to fully oversee both the military and Civil Works programs of the
    USACE. On the military side of the USACE the Secretary under his or her
    authority to man, train and equip the Army has the responsibility to
    ensure that all facilities constructed by the USACE are built to the
    highest standards and the lowest cost to the taxpayer. As the statutory
    authority for all Civil Works projects the Secretary has the
    responsibility to ensure that these projects are constructed in
    accordance with the project authorization enhances the public interest
    and is constructed in the most cost-efficient manner.
        Question. Based on your experience, how can the Army better
    leverage the unique public works authorities of USACE?
        Answer. In my view the Army can leverage the extraordinary
    experience and expertise of the USACE's public works program to enhance
    national goals such as border security, assist in disaster relief and
    enhance the overall safety and quality of life of all Americans while
    providing valuable experience to the Army's Engineer Corps that will
    help us win on the battlefield as well.
                   district of columbia national guard (dcng)
        Question. What is your understanding of the role and authority of
    the Secretary of the Army with respect to the DCNG?
        Answer. I understand that the President, by executive order,
    authorized and directed the Secretary of Defense to supervise,
    administer, and control the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG)
    while it is in a militia status. The Secretary of Defense directed the
    Secretary of the Army to perform the supervision, administration, and
    control of the DCNG.
        Question. What is the role of the Secretary of the Army with
    respect to National Guard from other States in a Title 32 status who
    are called in to augment the DCNG?
        Answer. The Secretary of the Army is responsible for supervising,
    administering and controlling the DCNG while it is in a militia status.
    With respect to State National Guard members augmenting the DCNG, I
    understand that they take directions from the Federal entity that
    requested their support, and not from the Secretary of the Army. While
    the President or the Secretary of Defense may request that a Governor
    order National Guard personnel member to perform training or other
    duties, there is no role for the Secretary of the Army unless the
    Secretary of Defense delegates the authority to coordinate tasks. Pre-
    established Memorandums of Agreement or Understanding between the
    States and the District of Columbia guide how personnel and units may
    augment the DCNG. If the Guardsmen perform duties within their home
    State for their State, they remain under the command and control of
    their respective Governors.
        Question. In your view, should the role of the Secretary of the
    Army with respect to the DCNG be changed? If so, what changes would you
    advocate, if confirmed?
        Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of Defense,
    the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau,
    and other stakeholders to review existing authorities to determine what
    changes, if any, should be made to the role of the Secretary of the
    Army with respect to the DCNG.
                          the army civilian workforce
        Question. In your judgment, what is the biggest challenge facing
    the Army in effectively and efficiently managing its civilian
    workforce?
        Answer. Effectively and efficiently managing a civilian workforce
    is inherently challenging. If confirmed, I will review the Army's
    current civilian workforce best practices, including recruiting hiring,
    training, promotion, and compensation, to ensure that the Army
    attracts, develops and retains skilled civilian professionals across
    the workforce.
        Question. Would there be value, in your view, to establishing a
    unified DOD civilian workforce, as opposed to separate civilian
    workforces segregated by DOD component? Please explain your answer.
        Answer. If confirmed, I will review the advantages and
    disadvantages of establishing a unified DOD civilian workforce, and
    work in concert with the Secretary of Defense, my counterparts, and
    other stakeholders to determine the feasibility and desirability of
    pursuing such a course of action. congressional Oversight
        In order to exercise legislative and oversight responsibilities, it
    is important that this Committee, its subcommittees, and other
    appropriate committees of Congress receive timely testimony, briefings,
    reports, records--including documents and electronic communications,
    and other information from the executive branch.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, and on
    request, to appear and testify before this Committee, its
    subcommittees, and other appropriate committees of Congress? Please
    answer with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    provide this Committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate committees
    of Congress, and their respective staffs such witnesses and briefers,
    briefings, reports, records--including documents and electronic
    communications, and other information, as may be requested of you, and
    to do so in a timely manner? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    consult with this Committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate
    committees of Congress, and their respective staffs, regarding your
    basis for any delay or denial in providing testimony, briefings,
    reports, records--including documents and electronic communications,
    and other information requested of you? Please answer with a simple yes
    or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    keep this Committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate committees of
    Congress, and their respective staffs apprised of new information that
    materially impacts the accuracy of testimony, briefings, reports,
    records--including documents and electronic communications, and other
    information you or your organization previously provided? Please answer
    with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, and on
    request, to provide this Committee and its subcommittees with records
    and other information within their oversight jurisdiction, even absent
    a formal Committee request? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    respond timely to letters to, and/or inquiries and other requests of
    you or your organization from individual Senators who are members of
    this Committee? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
        Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
    ensure that you and other members of your organization protect from
    retaliation any military member, Federal employee, or contractor
    employee who testifies before, or communicates with this Committee, its
    subcommittees, and any other appropriate committee of Congress? Please
    answer with a simple yes or no.
        Answer. Yes.
                                     ______

        [Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Roger F. Wicker
                             army aviation training
        1. Senator Wicker. Mr. Driscoll, what is your view of the Army's
    current aviation training system?
        Mr. Driscoll. I believe the Army is focused on training and
    producing a safe, skilled, competent aviator from Flight School, who is
    able to quickly integrate into the operational force and apply basic
    learned flight skills to the warfighting formations. I also believe
    there may be more cost-effective platforms to train on while
    simultaneously producing a more highly trained aviator and that is
    something I would like to take a deeper dive into.

        2. Senator Wicker. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that the Army
    should invest further in virtual training to augment existing training?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I firmly believe virtual training is one
    essential component of a modern and effective training program. This is
    particularly important as the Army executes aviation training within
    environments that will replicate large-scale combat operations.

        3. Senator Wicker. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, do you commit to
    providing an update on the Army's aviation training plan?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, one of my priorities will be to assess the
    current state of aviation training followed by an updated aviation
    training plan.
                                   __________
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Tom Cotton
                              army force structure
        4. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, during your confirmation hearing
    you told Senator Sullivan that cutting 12 brigade combat teams (BCTs)
    would not implement President Trump's policy of peace through strength
    nor would it deter Xi and Putin. Can you elaborate on why cutting 12
    BCTs would be harmful to U.S. national security?
        Mr. Driscoll. Cutting BCTs would signal weakness to our adversaries
    and a diminished capacity to deny the territorial desires of Xi and
    Putin. The essence of BCTs is to seize and hold key terrain as a
    central and decisive part of COCOMs' termination objectives. The
    presence of the Army's combat credible forces and demonstrating our
    ability to deliver and sustain them globally, has the inherent
    deterrent effects we need in competition and in support of the
    President's national security policy.
        Maintaining the lethal and robust capabilities and capacity of
    ground maneuver forces is central to deterring Xi and Putin's
    territorial, hegemonic ambitions against our friends and allies across
    the world. As critical components of our joint force, ground maneuver
    formations complement the inherent capabilities of our naval, air, and
    space forces and together present an interlocking set of dilemmas to
    our adversaries. BCTs also complement and multiply the Army's
    additional contributions to the JF which includes air defense and other
    types of protection, long range fires, and deep sensing capabilities,
    our allies' ground forces, forming the core of combined, multinational
    formations.

        5. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, this hare-brained idea of cutting
    12 Army BCTs comes from a 2023 report published by The Marathon
    Initiative. The report is authored by a current department official,
    Austin Dahmer, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategy and Force
    Development. Specifically, the Marathon Initiative report recommends
    deactivating four Stryker BCTs (2 Active component and 2 National Guard
    component), 6 infantry BCTs (1 Active component and 5 National Guard
    component), and 2 National Guard aviation brigades. If confirmed, would
    you commit to opposing this proposal and advocating to maintain funding
    for these BCTs and aviation brigades?
        Mr. Driscoll. Maintaining a depth of lethal capability across the
    Total Force is central to deterring, and if necessary, defeating our
    adversaries. Strategies that rely solely on a `quick win' through
    exquisite precision are inherently fragile; retaining the Army's
    capacity and capability signals a national resolve that cannot be
    waited out by our adversaries. Maintaining and modernizing the Army
    against the pacing threat of the PRC creates operational level options
    and depth for the joint force commander as well as strategic ones for
    national leadership; cutting the Army precludes those options. This
    does not mean that our Army will not adapt its force structure to
    evolving threats, technology, and operational concepts; there is
    ongoing, rigorous analysis being done by Army Futures Command and
    others across the force that are building the evidence on how we must,
    as a component of the joint force, transform to meet the challenges of
    the future. Importantly, this does not mean that we gut the Army;
    rather, if confirmed I will seek to maintain the funding associated
    with these BCTs and aviation brigades, across the Total Force, while
    modernizing and adapting them to the threats and demands that lay
    ahead.

        6. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, will you further commit to
    opposing equally ill-advised ideas to gut the Army force structure?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes; the varied demands on the Army will require a
    force that is organized, trained, and equipped to be lethal, flexible,
    and integrated with the joint force to present our adversaries with a
    coherent set of dilemmas to deter and if necessary, defeat our
    adversaries. History has shown that the Army is called upon for the
    full range of military operations; gutting force structure will signal
    weakness to our adversaries, constrain the options for our state and
    national responses to emergencies in the Homeland, and limit the
    flexibility of our joint force. Additionally, gutting the Army force
    structure would degrade key combat capabilities at echelon. The lack of
    depth would add pressure to our rotational missions which enable
    credible deterrence across the globe and further complicate our ability
    to maintain strategic readiness across the Joint Force.

        7. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, should the Army maintain a strong
    force presence in United States European Command (EUCOM), and if so,
    why is this important? If not, why not?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support the President's and
    Secretary of Defense's policies and prioritize Army resources and
    personnel in line with those policies. Current Operational Plans for
    Europe require a baseline of in-place forces to support follow-on force
    flow into theater during a time of war/conflict. These in-place forces
    also provide the President and Secretary of Defense options to respond
    during a time of crisis/conflict in Europe.

        8. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, Russia and China have committed to
    a ``no limits'' partnership and are increasingly cooperating on
    military exercises and training. As it contemplates an invasion of
    Taiwan, China is also watching how the United States responds to
    aggression and maintains its commitments to allies in Europe. Given
    this connection between United States interests in Europe and those in
    the Pacific, why would it be dangerous for the United States to abandon
    its current force structure in Europe?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support the President and the
    Secretary of Defense's operational plans for Europe and prioritize Army
    resource and polices in line with those plans.

        9. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, would you be
    comfortable accepting major cuts to the Army based on the assumption
    that the United States will not need ground forces in a future war in
    the Pacific? Why or why not?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army and ground forces will be needed in a future
    war in the Pacific, in particular protection, fires, sustainment, long
    range sensing and other capabilities the JF must have to achieve OBJSs.
    Achieving positional advantage increases options and decision space for
    Joint commanders and the National Command Authority.

        10. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, advocates for cutting Army
    capabilities tend to minimize the critical roles the Army would play in
    a Taiwan-conflict scenario. These include air defense, long range fires
    from the Philippines, base defense, security assistance and training
    for allies and partners, attack aviation, and advice and assistance to
    the Taiwanese military. Can you explain your vision for the role of the
    Army in a Taiwan-conflict scenario?
        Mr. Driscoll. As part of the Combined/Joint force, Army forces
    provide positional advantage. The Army attacks, defends, seizes,
    destroys enemy forces, holds, and stabilizes key terrain to provide
    endurance in important locations to allow the JF to achieve its OBJs.
    As your question conveys, Army forces will provide key capabilities
    including air defense and other types of protection, long range fires,
    and deep sensing to the Joint Force. Security Force Assistance Brigades
    train, advise, and assist our allies and partners to improve their
    warfighting readiness and integrate with the Joint Force. Army forces
    are critical to intra-theater resupply operations to sustain the Joint
    Force during a conflict and decisive kinetic and non-kinetic effects.
                                     israel
        11. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, President Trump has committed to
    support our ally Israel's fight against the same terrorists that hold
    Americans hostage and kill American soldiers. If confirmed, would you
    commit to executing President Trump's vision and advocate for the Army
    continuing to partner with Israel to advance our common interests?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I would commit to working to
    ensure that my staff faithfully implement the policies outlined by
    President Trump including his support for a strong US-Israel
    relationship.

        12. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, would you ensure
    that none of your staff try to undermine President Trump's support for
    a strong United States-Israel relationship by slowing weapons
    deliveries or blocking training programs?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I would commit to working to
    prevent my staff from undermining President Trump's support for a
    strong United States-Israel relationship.
                            army combat fitness test
        13. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, do you agree that physical
    fitness standards for Army combat military occupation specialties
    should be gender-neutral?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I agree that physical fitness standards for Army
    Close Combat Force military occupation specialties should be gender-
    neutral.

        14. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, do you agree that these gender-
    neutral standards should also be higher for combat than non-combat
    military occupation specialties?
        Mr. Driscoll. I agree that physical fitness standards for Army
    Close Combat Force military occupation specialties should be higher
    than for non-Close Combat Force military occupation specialties.

        15. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, do you commit to
    implement promptly such gender-neutral and higher standards for combat
    military occupational specialties?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I agree to follow the guidance of
    the Secretary of Defense regarding the implementation of physical
    fitness standards for Army Close Combat Force military occupational
    specialties.
                     integrated virtual augmentation system
        16. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, the Army's Integrated Virtual
    Augmentation System (IVAS) has cost the Army millions of dollars thus
    far but has failed to perform. It is bulky, can still make soldiers
    nauseous, and may slow them down or disrupt their normal vision of the
    battlefield. In last year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),
    I sponsored a provision to cut about $200 million in procurement funds
    for IVAS. If confirmed, do you plan to maintain these cuts to this
    failed program? If not, please explain.
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the current
    status and future development of the IVAS program.
                                    arsenals
        17. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, while the Army has begun to
    modernize its organic industrial base, it is still not fully using its
    arsenals and ammunition plants. Arsenals, including the one in Pine
    Bluff, Arkansas, are struggling for modernization funds and additional
    work. If confirmed, how do you plan to utilize existing Army arsenals
    and ammunition plants to expand desperately needed production capacity?
        Mr. Driscoll. Increasing the production capacity at Army Ammunition
    Plants is a top Army priority. If confirmed, I look forward to
    reviewing the Army's 2025 Army Ammunition Plant Modernization, which
    I'm told will be submitted to Congress by the end of March. In that
    plan the Army will address how it will balance investments across the
    multiple Army Ammunition Plants to maximize production capabilities of
    all munitions.
                                   recruiting
        18. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, the Army suffered through record
    low recruiting numbers under former Secretary of the Army Christine
    Wormuth. The Army only met its recruiting goal for fiscal year 2024
    because it lowered its goal by 10,000 recruits to 55,000 recruits,
    which was the Army's lowest goal in at least 20 years. Do you think
    former Secretary Wormuth's focus on climate change and combating racism
    and extremism (which were two of her six stated Army objectives) were
    helpful or hurtful to the Army's recruiting effort?
        Mr. Driscoll. I believe that anything not focused on soldier
    lethality is hurtful to the Army's recruiting mission.

        19. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, would you commit to
    prioritizing the Army's lethality over politicized objectives like
    climate change and combating extremism?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I would commit to prioritizing the Army's focus
    on lethality in its training.
                                    caisson
        20. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, former Secretary Wormuth paused
    caisson platoon funerals at Arlington National Cemetery for nearly 2
    years, leaving dozens of families to bury their loved ones without the
    earned honor of the caisson. Last year, this Committee voted
    unanimously for the Army to resume funerals with the horses it has
    available. If confirmed, do you commit to resuming caisson funerals
    immediately at Arlington National Cemetery, at least on a limited
    basis?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Army meets the
    requirements outlined in Section 1088 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National
    Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to safely return caisson operations at
    Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). The Army recognizes the significance
    of caisson funerals in honoring our Nation's fallen and is dedicated to
    reintegrating this capability safely and sustainably. I will work to
    coordinate the return of caisson operations, ensuring clear
    communication with families regarding caisson availability.

        21. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, horses have pulled wagons since
    the dawn of time, yet the Army under Secretary Wormuth needlessly threw
    up all kinds of bureaucratic obstacles to caisson funerals at Arlington
    National Cemetery, in particular by delaying the purchase of more
    horses needed to conduct the maximum number of funerals per week and
    new land for those horses. If confirmed, do you commit to making these
    purchases an immediate priority?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Army establishes
    a sustainable and effective program to support caisson operations at
    Arlington National Cemetery. The Army has taken deliberate steps to
    procure well-trained and fit horses capable of performing this critical
    mission, as exemplified by the successful execution of President
    Carter's State funeral. The quality of horses remains paramount. I will
    make their acquisition an immediate priority to ensure we have the
    necessary equine capability to sustain this tradition with the dignity
    and excellence it demands. If confirmed, I will remain engaged in
    overseeing these efforts and will keep Congress informed of our
    progress.
                            next-generation howitzer
        22. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, the Army is on its fourth attempt
    for a new self-propelled howitzer. A 2023 Army study determined the
    Next-Generation Howitzer (NGH) should focus on more autonomous
    artillery systems with greater range and improved mobility. In addition
    to these requirements, the request for information to industry focused
    on high maturity systems that minimize or eliminate development times.
    Do you believe this procurement strategy of purchasing established
    systems has merit?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army recently completed market research through
    multiple Self-Propelled Howitzer Performance Demonstrations and
    determined that mature and available Self-Propelled Howitzers exist in
    the marketplace with the ability to deliver by 2030. Each of the
    demonstrated systems provided increased lethality and range over
    existing U.S. Army capabilities.

        23. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, should this procurement method be
    applied to other immediate Army needs?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Self-Propelled Howitzer Performance
    Demonstrations that the Army conducted with industry will help inform
    requirements, assess vendors, understand capabilities in the
    marketplace, and support a competitive system assessment in the fiscal
    year 2026. If confirmed, I will encourage the Army to partner with
    industry in this manner when it makes sense, in order to bring critical
    capabilities to the warfighter faster.
                       commercial off-the-shelf solutions
        24. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, how do you plan to encourage the
    use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions to meet immediate Army
    needs, while maintaining flexibility for future upgrades?
        Mr. Driscoll. The use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions
    can significantly reduce development timelines and lower life-cycle
    costs. I will encourage a preference for COTS solutions when available
    and continue to encourage the Department to expand use of a Modular
    Open Systems Approach (MOSA). The use of MOSA when developing systems
    enables maximum flexibility and fosters stronger competition for
    considering future system upgrades. MOSA supports continued competition
    when upgrading systems and subsystems and can prevent ``vendor lock''.
    It also better allows incremental improvement and innovation to occur
    throughout a system's life cycle.
                       changing incentives for big primes
        25. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, how can you change the incentives
    for big primes to be more willing to partner with non-traditional
    defense companies who are working on the most advanced emerging
    technology?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is my understanding that the Army is undertaking
    several initiatives to incentivize prime companies and integrators to
    accelerate adoption of innovation into our programs by partnering with
    small businesses and nontraditional companies. If confirmed, I will
    encourage and maximize the use of these incentives, where appropriate,
    and will work with our industry partners to ensure the Army is
    leveraging the most productive incentives for primes to partner with
    innovative small and non-traditional companies.
                  artificial intelligence and machine learning
        26. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, how would you
    strengthen the Army's competitive advantage in the field of Artificial
    Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning with respect to title 50
    authorities and strategic sensing and targeting capabilities?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I would pursue a multi-faceted
    approach, focusing on enhancing warfighting capabilities and increasing
    lethality as the foundation to and focus for our efforts. This means
    developing and deploying advanced sensors that leverage AI and ML to
    detect and track targets in real-time, enabling more accurate and
    effective targeting, implementing AI and ML-enabled target recognition
    to reduce the risk of misidentification and enhance targeting accuracy,
    and moving us from descriptive analytics to predictive analytics.
        I believe that this approach will strengthen the Army's competitive
    advantage in AI and ML and will enable us to maintain our position as a
    leader in the development and deployment of these critical
    technologies. I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure that the
    Army remains at the forefront of AI and ML innovation, and I look
    forward to the opportunity to lead this effort.

        27. Senator Cotton. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, how would you plan
    to ensure that leading edge AI capabilities continue to be prioritized
    in the Army's Multi-Domain Intelligence (MDI) program and others like
    Project Linchpin?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will continue to prioritize
    integrating leading edge artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into
    our programs and formations to address complex problems and prepare for
    current and future operating environments. For example, the Army's Next
    Generation Command and Control effort is leveraging AI and machine
    learning (ML)--in an open and modular, multi-vendor approach--to
    rapidly organize and manage operational data in support of commanders'
    decisions.
        In the Army's Multi-Domain Intelligence (MDI) program, Army
    Intelligence Data Platform (AIDP) sets the Army's intelligence data
    foundation and modernizes the analytic tools and services to assess
    intelligence data using a built-in AI/ML capability. The Army is
    working on applications of Generative AI within the AIDP to enhance
    operations, intelligence analysis, PED, administrative activities, and
    cybersecurity. The Army will publish an AI Strategy and implementation
    orders to establish AI Governance prioritizing and monitoring
    operationalization of AI capabilities that will provide the greatest
    impact on our warfighting capabilities.
                                   __________
                 Questions Submitted by Senator Michael Rounds
                         diagnostic testing technology
        28. Senator Rounds. Mr. Driscoll, almost 3 years ago the Department
    of Defense estimated that the inability to detect and isolate
    electronic faults resulted in over 383,000 non-mission capable days
    each year and over $5.5 billion in non-value-added sustainment costs.
    In response to this readiness and sustainment challenge, the Office of
    the Secretary of Defense (OSD) proposed funding for the purchase of a
    readily available, effective, and proven technology to address this
    issue. The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) fully supports this
    technology, and the fiscal year 2024 defense appropriation included
    $35.2 million for it. My concern is that under the previous
    administration, the Army has, instead of acquiring this readily
    available, proven, and extremely cost-effective technology despite its
    powerful support from OSD and SASC, decided to continue to only study
    the issue. If confirmed, would you commit to following up with me on
    this technology?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes. If confirmed, I am committed to communicating
    with the Committee regarding the adoption and application of technology
    to improve the Army's electronic fault detection capability.
                                   __________
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Joni K. Ernst
                      counterintelligence army authorities
        29. Senator Ernst. Mr. Driscoll, I led an effort in the National
    Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to expand the Army's
    counterintelligence authorities, which has proven effective in
    combating foreign and domestic terrorism. Can I get your commitment to
    ensuring that the necessary signatures and approvals are put in place
    to address and close those critical gaps as quickly as possible?
        Mr. Driscoll. I appreciate your efforts in expanding Army's
    counterintelligence authorities. It is my understanding that the
    National Defense Authorization Act authorizes certain civilian special
    agents of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command to execute and serve
    warrants and make arrests for investigating national security crimes.
    These authorities enable Army Counterintelligence agents to more
    effectively counter, neutralize, and exploit foreign intelligence,
    international terrorism, and counterintelligence related insider
    threats to the Army, Department of Defense, and the Nation.
        I also understand that these authorities can only be exercised in
    accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Secretary of the Army and
    approved by the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General. If
    confirmed, I commit to ensuring the necessary approvals are in place as
    quickly as possible for lawfully exercising these counterintelligence
    authorities.
                             critical capabilities
        30. Senator Ernst. Mr. Driscoll, to take and hold land, the Army
    relies on multiple capabilities. What capabilities do you see as vital
    for the Army to achieve the objective of taking and holding land in
    future conflicts?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army will continue to provide lethality to the
    Joint Force through combat credible formations that seize and control
    land. To achieve this, Army Soldiers remain the most important
    capability, organized into fighting squads, platoons, companies, and
    battalions. Our close combat combined arms teams are essential to seize
    and secure key terrain as part of Joint Forceable Entry capabilities.
    The Army provides the Joint Force protected and survivable long-range
    fires; air, ground, and maritime capable Human-Machine Integrated
    Formations; long range and persistent sensing capability; Formation
    Based Layered Defense of critical capabilities (ships, aircraft,
    sustainment, ground-based fires, etc.); and command and control through
    Next Generation Command and Control (C2).

        31. Senator Ernst. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe the Army will
    continue to have to provide that important capability in future wars?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes--so long as people continue to live on land, the
    ability to take and hold land remains decisive.
                                 army vehicles
        32. Senator Ernst. Mr. Driscoll, do you view vehicle and mobile
    firing platforms such as Abrams tanks and Strykers to be a critical
    capability in taking or holding land?
        Mr. Driscoll. Armored forces will remain relevant in any future
    fight, including in the Pacific. They provide mobility, protection, and
    firepower essential for seizing and holding terrain, especially in
    urban environments. Armored forces are able to operate in contested
    environments because the Army uses combined arms tactics and layered
    protection capabilities like adaptive vehicle protection systems,
    counter-UAS, electronic warfare, air and missile defense.
                                   __________
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Dan Sullivan
                       suicide in 11th airborne division
        33. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, for several years now, the 11th
    Airborne Division based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and
    Ft. Wainwright, Alaska has dealt with a large number of servicemember
    suicides. The number of suicides in the 11th Airborne (or its
    predecessor units) averaged between 6 and 8 suicides a year between
    2019 and 2022 with a large spike in 2021 to 17 suicides (some of the
    highest rates in the Army). Although suicide numbers have somewhat
    improved thanks to efforts by the 11th Airborne Division and Congress,
    the need for continuous emphasis on suicide prevention, particularly in
    Alaska, is important. A U.S. Army Public Health Center Behavioral and
    Social Health Outcomes Program report from 2019 entitled Assessment of
    Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes at Fort Wainwright, AK (March--
    Sept 2019) found that (among other things) improving aging domicile
    infrastructure like barracks, providing for indoor community centers,
    improving behavior health staffing, and focus on holistic soldier
    health could help decrease suicides. While we've implemented many of
    the above changes since 2019, more can be done to stamp out the scourge
    of suicide at these bases. Will you commit to reviewing the findings of
    the technical report referenced above and ensure that 11th Airborne
    gets the resources that it needs to combat the scourge of suicide with
    the goal of reducing such incidents to zero annually?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will direct the Army to review the
    technical report referenced above and work to ensure that the 11th
    Airborne Division has the necessary resources to combat the scourge of
    suicide.

        34. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, former commander of 11th
    Airborne Division, Lieutenant General Brian Eifler, USA, stated that
    making Alaska a volunteer-heavy unit would hopefully help improve the
    quality of life for soldiers who move there. As of last year, this
    program does seem to show positive results. Will you commit to
    reviewing the volunteer program for PCS [permanent change of station]
    moves to Alaska and continuing to build on that success?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will direct the Army to review the
    volunteer program for PCS moves to Alaska and advocate for any
    expansion of that program where necessary.
              unleashing alaska's extraordinary resource potential
        35. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, during his term, President
    Biden passed 70 executive orders that restricted Alaska's ability to
    extract its own natural resources despite an acute need for them on
    both commercial and national security grounds. These executive orders
    have slowed down or completely hindered resource extraction and
    critical infrastructure projects important not just to the State but to
    the Nation as a whole. On the first day of his presidency, January 20,
    2025, President Trump signed an executive order entitled Unleashing
    Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential. The order in part reads as
    follows:
        ``Section 3 Specific Agency Actions
        a. The heads of all executive departments and agencies, including
    but not limited to the Secretary of the Interior; the Secretary of
    Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
    Atmosphere; and the Secretary of the Army acting through the Assistant
    Secretary of the Army for Public Works, shall exercise all lawful
    authority and discretion available to them and take all necessary steps
    to:
        (i) rescind, revoke, revise, amend, defer, or grant exemptions from
    any and all regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any
    other similar agency actions that are inconsistent with the policy set
    forth in section 2 of this order, including but not limited to agency
    actions promulgated, issued, or adopted between January 20, 2021, and
    January 20, 2025; and
        (ii) prioritize the development of Alaska's LNG [liquefied natural
    gas] potential, including the permitting of all necessary pipeline and
    export infrastructure related to the Alaska LNG Project, giving due
    consideration to the economic and national security benefits associated
    with such development . . .
        Section 3(d) in addition to the actions outlined in subsection (a)
    of this section, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the
    Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall render all
    assistance requested by the Governor of Alaska to facilitate the
    clearing and maintenance of transportation infrastructure, consistent
    with applicable law. All such requests for assistance shall be
    transmitted to the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Interior, and
    Assistant to the President for Economic Policy for approval prior to
    initiation.
        Section 3(e) the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works,
    under the direction of the Secretary of the Army, shall immediately
    review, revise, or rescind any agency action that may in any way
    hinder, slow or otherwise delay any critical project in the State of
    Alaska.''
        Will you commit fully to the intent of the President's executive
    order referenced above where the Department of the Army and the U.S
    Army Corps of Engineers will play a vital role?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I will ensure that the Department
    of the Army supports development of all energy sources and complies
    with the President's Executive Order to enable regulatory reform
    actions in compliance with current law.
                    expedited military construction on bases
        36. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, the pace of military
    construction in Alaska is often slow, weighed down by burdensome
    environmental regulations and the harsh Arctic environment which allows
    for a short building season. Can I get your commitment to review
    regulations (including environmental regulations) that govern military
    construction and identify where Congress or DOD could speed up the
    building process for military construction by cutting red tape or
    passing legislation?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I will strongly support reviewing
    and streamlining regulations that govern military construction to
    ensure that our Nation's defense capabilities are not hindered by
    unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. The unique challenges posed by
    Alaska's harsh Arctic environment and short building season demand a
    more efficient and adaptable approach to military construction. I would
    commit to identify areas where regulations, including environmental
    regulations, can be revised, or updated to strike a better balance
    between protecting the environment and facilitating the timely
    completion of critical military construction projects. This may involve
    exploring opportunities to simplify permitting processes, reducing
    paperwork burdens, and implementing more flexible and responsive
    regulatory and statutory frameworks. If confirmed, I will work with
    Congress, the Department of Defense, and others to help pass
    legislation or implement regulatory reforms that will help speed up the
    military construction process.
                                missile defense
        37. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, Billy Mitchell, the Father of
    the U.S. Air Force once said, ``I believe . . . whoever controls Alaska
    controls the world. I think it is the most strategic place in the
    world.'' No other State but Alaska is strategically located to provide
    such a high level of Homeland defense. At Fort Greely, the 49th Missile
    Defense Battalion provide our Nation's first line of defense, tasked to
    defend against the threat of an intercontinental ballistic missile
    attack and command 40 of the Nation's 44 ballistic missile interceptors
    and receive data from the nearby Long Range Discrimination Radar. Fort
    Greely will soon house the new Next Generation Interceptor (NGI)
    missiles, but the program for this system has stalled due to high cost
    overruns and manufacturing delays. The NGI will be an essential part of
    our national ballistic missile system. Will you commit to reviewing the
    NGI program, if confirmed, and keep Congress informed of what resources
    are required to field the missile on time?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Army continues
    close coordination with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to keep
    Congress informed of the resources required to field the Next
    Generation Interceptor (NGI).

        38. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, Alaska is strategic not only
    for its geographic location but also because of its concentration of
    over 100 fifth generation fighters (the highest concentration in the
    world) as well as it being home to the 11th Airborne Division, the
    Nation's preeminent Arctic combat unit. If a war occurred in the U.S.
    Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR), forces
    in Alaska would almost certainly be part of that fight and therefore
    would also be potentially targeted in their home bases. Do you believe
    that President Trump's ``Iron Dome for America'' should include Alaska
    as a critical site to be defended from missile attack given the facts
    stated above?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will direct the Army to contribute to
    the Secretary of Defense's efforts pursuant to the President's Iron
    Dome for America executive order, including a focus on the role that
    the 11th Airborne Division serves in those plans.

        39. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, the Army controls a number of
    capabilities that are or will be used for multi-layered missile defense
    including the ``Iron Dome for America.'' Two such capabilities are the
    Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system and the Patriot
    system, both of which have proven highly effective in combat within the
    last year. Currently the Army has only seven THAAD batteries worldwide
    with a demonstrated need for more, while the Patriot system continues
    to be the subject of continued upgrades. Will you commit to reviewing
    both programs and reporting back to Congress what is needed to expedite
    fielding of these systems and their munitions?
        Mr. Driscoll. As the President highlighted in the recently released
    Executive Order, The Iron Dome for America, ``The threat of attack by
    ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial
    attacks, remains the most catastrophic threat facing the United
    States.'' I take this threat very seriously and if confirmed, I will
    review both the THAAD and Patriot programs and report back to Congress
    on ways to expedite fielding of these systems and their munitions.
     strategic opportunities in alaska for multi-domain task force basing
                             and additional troops
        40. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, Billy Mitchell, the Father of
    the U.S. Air Force once said, ``I believe . . . whoever controls Alaska
    controls the world. I think it is the most strategic place in the
    world.'' Alaska's geostrategic positioning has only strengthened in
    recent years as the Arctic has become more navigable and thus important
    for adversaries like Russia and China to control. The U.S. Army's
    Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) concept lends itself well to Alaska's
    geostrategic position. The Army's 3d MDTF took advantage of Alaska's
    premiere training areas in both 2023 and 2024 as it took part in
    Northern Edge 23 as well as in a snap airlift deployment to Shemya
    Island to counter Russian and Chinese Forces taking part in OKEAN 24
    last September. In the Army's January 2021 strategy document, Regaining
    Arctic Dominance: The U.S. Army in the Arctic, the Army's senior
    leaders including Secretary Ryan McCarthy and General James McConville,
    USA, committed to defending Arctic interests and stated that they would
    ``field a Multi-Domain Task Force-enabled division.'' The Biden
    administration did stage training events in Alaska for MDTF, but so
    far, the Army has not followed up on its strategy document committing
    to basing a MDTF in 11th Airborne Headquarters. A MDTF in Alaska would
    bring joint fires, cyber, space, and intelligence operations to the
    Arctic and future basing opportunities in the Aleutian Islands combined
    with U.S. Army airlift assets could extend the reach of several of
    these capabilities to deter adversary aggression in the region. Do you
    believe that a MDTF is still needed in Alaska as your predecessors did
    and will you commit to reviewing the January 2021 strategy document and
    explaining what resources are needed to fulfill this requirement?
        Mr. Driscoll. I will commit to reviewing the strategy documents
    specifically related to the Arctic and ensuring we have resources
    aligned to requirements.
               american military presence on the korean peninsula
        41. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, during your hearing, you
    mentioned your family's military service on the Korean Peninsula. As
    you know, the American military's presence on the Korean Peninsula has
    helped keep the peace there since 1953. For many years, the clearest
    sign of that commitment is a bottom line presence of 28,500 American
    troops as well as a robust schedule of combined United States-Republic
    of Korea (ROK) exercises that ensures we are ready to ``fight tonight''
    to maintain the peace. In demonstration of South Korea's own commitment
    to the alliance, it paid 90 percent of the $11 billion cost of building
    a new base for U.S. Forces at Camp Humphries. Do you recognize the
    value of the United States-Korean alliance and the U.S. Army's
    continuing presence on the Korean peninsula to our allies in Seoul?
        Mr. Driscoll. The recent provocative actions of Kim Jong-Un and his
    regime demonstrate the threat we face every day. I see the value of the
    United States-Korean Alliance. Alliances such as this are something our
    enemies do not have, and it is our source of strength.

        42. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un have
    both long sought to dislodge the United States military from the Korean
    Peninsula. Do you believe that removing large numbers of United States
    Army personnel from the Korean Peninsula is a good idea from the
    standpoint of strategic deterrence?
        Mr. Driscoll. We continue to adjust our force posture and
    capabilities on the Korean Peninsula to enhance our ability and
    readiness to respond to provocation. The Army is prioritizing strategic
    deterrence while continuing to modernize the force. Ongoing and future
    Army modernization efforts have increased lethality and capability of
    units with minor adjustments to personnel strengths on the peninsula.
                defense industrial base and defense acquisition
        43. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, a few months ago, members of
    the Senate Armed Services Committee received a briefing on counter-
    unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS). Although more needs to be done to
    field these systems quickly, I was impressed by the Army's approach to
    budget agility because it echoes some of the findings of last year's
    Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform
    Commission Report that called for budget consolidation and flexible
    spending within capabilities portfolios. Will you commit to continuing
    to push the results of this attempted line item consolidation to
    Congress so we can work solutions during NDAA season across programs
    and portfolios?
        Mr. Driscoll. I believe that the recommendations provided in the
    PPBE Reform Commission Report could help get new capabilities into the
    hands of Soldiers faster. If confirmed, I will further the Army's
    efforts to accomplish budget line consolidation.

        44. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, over the last 2 years, DOD and
    the Army have worked hard to increase production of 155mm artillery
    shells to support the requirements of our own forces and supporting the
    war effort in Ukraine. While production numbers for 155mm artillery are
    up, there are concerns about critical munitions production shortfalls
    in other areas like the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Further,
    multiple think tanks like the Center for Strategic and International
    Studies believe that we will run out of certain critical munitions if
    we do not ramp up industrial base production now. Will you commit to
    doing a full review of Army critical munition supply chains from
    critical minerals all the way to production and report back to Congress
    what is needed to shore up those supply chains?
        Mr. Driscoll. I share your concerns about potential vulnerabilities
    within the Army critical munition supply chain, and, if confirmed, I
    look forward to learning more about ongoing analysis and mitigation
    strategies in this area. I also commit to conducting a review of the
    Army's critical munition supply chains and report back on what could
    strengthen our resilience.

        45. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, how do you plan to work with
    DOD leadership to assess ways to speed up the acquisition process?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Department must fully embrace the acquisition,
    requirements and resourcing reforms provided by Congress in recent
    years to help accelerate acquisition outcomes. Current efforts by the
    Army's lead fielding organization, Assistant Secretary of the Army
    (Acquisition, Logistics, and Training), Army Futures Command, the
    Defense Innovation Community of Entities as well as partnerships with
    the Defense Innovation Unit are identifying opportunities to accelerate
    technology delivery. Additionally, the Army has identified
    opportunities to accelerate acquisition through improvements to the
    Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process and
    continued streamlining of acquisition statutes. I will further
    encourage the Department to maximize the use of flexible acquisition
    authorities to streamline processes and enable more rapid acquisition
    outcomes.

        46. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, what do you think we should be
    doing differently?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Department can improve communication with
    industry, lower barriers to entry, and be a better customer in order to
    do business with a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional
    firms. Engaging with a broader pool of firms will increase competition,
    attract new and innovative ideas, and potentially lower costs for the
    Department. One of my goals will be to expand the defense industrial
    base by attracting new partners.

        47. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, will you commit to reviewing
    the Army's ``cost plus'' model versus ``firm fixed price'' model for
    software acquisitions and ensure that we are adopting the best
    commercial practices so we aren't missing out on better technology at a
    potentially cheaper price?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I am committed to reviewing the Army's use of
    the cost-plus and firm-fixed-price models for software acquisitions to
    ensure we are adopting best commercial practices. The Army should
    evaluate which approach provides the best value, innovation, and cost
    efficiency while maintaining agility and security in software
    procurement. If confirmed, my goal is to ensure the Army is leveraging
    the most advanced, cost-effective technologies without unnecessary
    financial risk.

        48. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, I noticed the Army is readying
    an expensive Army Data Platform (ADP 2.0) procurement that appears
    redundant to the Army Vantage program at a potentially higher cost.
    Will you commit to informing this Committee during our posture hearings
    in the spring what you are doing to reduce redundancy in programs like
    this one?
        Mr. Driscoll. I commit to reducing redundancy and providing the
    best capability for our Soldiers. The Army needs to be flexible and
    agile in our ability to meet the Nation's needs, maintain a competitive
    environment, and spend every taxpayer dollar wisely. If confirmed, I
    will inform this Committee on this issue.
                 recruiting and building warrior ethos culture
        49. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, outside of incentivizing
    recruiters and growing basic-training prep programs, how else does the
    U.S. Army plan to address its recruiting challenges?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will continue to support the Army's
    significant changes in how it trains and supports Recruiters with
    facilities, technology and process innovation. As I understand, Army
    has multiple innovative experiments underway focused on reengineering
    the business process and is adopting a new AI-assisted, industry
    leading software system to support Recruiters.

        50. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, what are you going to do to
    counterbalance this expected drop of eligible recruits in 2026?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, my first step to counterbalancing the
    effects of a drop in eligible recruits in the near future is to
    continue the momentum in enlistment production that has steadily
    increased over the last 2 years. I will continue to support the efforts
    to market and recruit from older, more educated markets while still
    allowing opportunities for those that benefit from additional math,
    reading and physical training in our Future Soldier Prep Course, which
    is currently showing a 93 percent graduation rate. Finally, the
    continued investment on improved recruiter training and incentives,
    such as merit based and productivity promotions, the use of supporting
    technologies, and innovative approaches to changing our business
    processes will prove effective.

        51. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, Secretary of Defense Peter
    Hegseth, has made it his mission to place special emphasis on the
    warrior ethos and building lethality in the fighting force during his
    tenure. What changes do you think the Army could make now to better
    inculcate the warrior ethos and lethality in new recruits, junior
    enlisted, and junior officers?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is my understanding the US Army Training and
    Doctrine Command already plays a critical role in fostering the warrior
    ethos and enhancing lethality across all levels of the force. If
    confirmed, I look forward to working with TRADOC and diving deeper into
    their efforts to conduct comprehensive evaluations of the Army Training
    Enterprise and identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency and
    effectiveness.
                 maintaining high standards of physical fitness
        52. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, your predecessor promised the
    Senate Armed Services Committee that she was going to institute a
    gender-neutral standard across the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT): she
    was not successful. Will you commit to revisiting this issue and, at a
    minimum, determining a gender-neutral standard for infantry and armor
    units and their battalion-level and below attachments?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I agree to revisiting the issue of a
    gender-neutral ACFT standard and to following the guidance of the
    Secretary of Defense regarding the implementation of physical fitness
    standards for combat military occupational specialties.
                               mapping in alaska
        53. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Driscoll, late in the last Congress, our
    Chairman, Senator Wicker, released ``Restoring Freedom's Forge:
    American Innovation Unleashed.'' The report and accompanying
    legislation outline critical reforms that DOD and Congress must enact
    to position defense budgeting and acquisition for the 21st century.
        Senator Wicker reported a recurring problem with conflicts of
    interest. The report reads in part:
        Sometimes, DOD labs simultaneously support program office
    acquisitions and offer products that compete with industry. When
    Government standards and reference architectures are overly prescribed,
    they can become a back door to sole-sourced solutions created by
    government-supported labs, universities, and federally funded research
    and development centers. The regulator becomes the supplier. Lab
    personnel generate program requirements, provide technical assistance
    to the program and contracting team, and serve as members of source
    selection evaluation boards. Rather than buying and configuring an off-
    the-shelf product that has millions or even billions of dollars
    invested, DOD labs will convince the program offices to redevelop the
    solution.
        I share the Chairman's concern regarding conflicts of interest. For
    example, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a nationwide
    coastal mapping program run out of one of the Corps districts in the
    Lower 48. I'm concerned the district may be using commercially
    available LIDAR [Light Detection and Ranging] for coastal mapping tasks
    awarded outside the normal competitive process which can create
    disincentives for industry to invest in state-of-the-art mapping
    technology.
        I am concerned that the Corps is not fully engaged with the Alaska
    Mapping Executive Committee (AMEC), which coordinates mapping in Alaska
    among the State and Federal stakeholders. Despite congressional
    instructions to coordinate the Corps' mapping with AMEC, is often slow
    in sharing updated shoreline mapping with the organization.
        If you are confirmed, will you commit to reviewing the Alaska
    Coastal Mapping Program's working relationship with USACE including
    internal sole-source contracts and the Corps' participation in the
    Alaska Geospatial Council?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I will review the contracting
    processes by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Coastal Mapping
    Program, and relationship with mapping entities in Alaska. It is my
    understanding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers currently utilizes
    competitive contracted services for LIDAR and coastal mapping and
    already participates in several Alaskan working groups.
                                   __________
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Kevin Cramer
                      western water cooperative committee
        54. Senator Cramer. Mr. Driscoll, thank you for your
    ``unequivocal'' commitment to establish the Western Water Cooperative
    Committee during the hearing today. As I outlined during your
    nomination hearing, the Water Resources Development Act WRDA of 2022
    required the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to set up this
    Committee within 90 days of enactment. Yet more than 2 years later, we
    are still waiting for the Committee to launch despite it being
    authorized and fully funded by Congress. I'm aware the Committee's
    charter sits before the Department of Defense (DOD), and is expected to
    be approved within 30 days before moving back to the Army. Once the
    charter is approved and sent back to the Army, can I also get your
    commitment to see this through to completion?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I commit to continuing to work
    proactively with the Department of Defense to gain approval of the
    Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) charter for the Western Water
    Cooperative Committee. I appreciate that the Congress provided both
    authority and funding for this effort and will continue to seek to
    convene this Committee as soon as practicable.

        55. Senator Cramer. Mr. Driscoll, too often the Army Corps is
    overlooked by the Army and progress is then slow or unaccountable. As
    you work to establish the Western Water Cooperative Committee, will you
    commit to keeping my office informed on progress and provide
    information needed to get it to completion?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed, I will commit to continuing to
    work through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to
    focus on the Western Water Cooperative Committee and will endeavor to
    ensure you and your staff receive regular updates as the Committee is
    established.
                                   __________
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
                          defense acquisition process
        56. Senator Budd. Mr. Driscoll, you have robust experience working
    with innovators in the private sector. What do you view as the priority
    in addressing innovation and acquisition challenges impacting the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. In my view, we need to ensure the Science and
    Technology, Acquisition, Resourcing and Requirements communities are
    fully aligned so that innovative new technologies are able to
    transition into fielded capabilities. We also need to ensure we are
    fully tapping into private sector innovation beyond just the
    traditional defense industry. If confirmed, I will look at ways to
    fully leverage existing programs, such as the xTech competitions and
    Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), partnerships with the
    Defense Innovation Unit, and flexible acquisition models such as
    Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) via Other Transactions (OT)
    authorityto accomplish this.
                        counter-unmanned aerial systems
        57. Senator Budd. Mr. Driscoll, last year, the Army released a
    white paper titled ``Army Force Structure Transformation'' which
    outlines an array of new capabilities and structural changes needed to
    deploy defenses from unmanned aerial systems and other air threats. How
    do you view the Army's role in protecting the joint force from unmanned
    systems, and how would you rate its preparedness to do so today?
        Mr. Driscoll. All Services have a role to play in countering the
    unmanned aerial systems threat. My understanding is that the Army has
    and continues to invest heavily in Counter-small UAS (C-sUAS)
    equipment, training, force structure, and tactics, techniques, and
    procedures. Additionally, the Army is currently fielding C-sUAS
    equipment sets to Divisions and multiple other formations.
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army has made progress in the C-sUAS mission area
    and continues to pace the threat. With that said, I believe this threat
    is persistent and evolving with advances in hardware and software that
    have enhanced speed and range while making drones more autonomous, more
    easily proliferated, and deadlier. We must partner with the other
    Services, Combatant Commands, the interagency community, industry, and
    academia to continue to outpace the small UAS threat.
                      joint deployment warfighting complex
        58. Senator Budd. Mr. Driscoll, the XVIII Airborne Corps is working
    to consolidate their headquarters into a new and modern facility called
    the Joint Deployment Warfighting Complex (JDWC). This consolidation is
    a top priority from an operational and readiness perspective. If
    confirmed, do you commit to keeping this Committee updated on this
    project?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed as Secretary, I will review the
    prioritization of this project and ensure the Army keeps the Committee
    updated on its status.
                            artificial intelligence
        59. Senator Budd. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, how would you plan to
    ensure that leading edge AI capabilities continue to be prioritized in
    Army intelligence programs, such as Project Maven?
        Mr. Driscoll. First, I would work closely with the Army's
    intelligence community to identify and prioritize AI-enabled
    initiatives that can provide the greatest impact on our warfighting
    capabilities. This would include investing in advanced machine learning
    algorithms, automated target recognition, natural language processing,
    and computer vision, among other technologies.
        Second, I would foster strong partnerships with industry, academia,
    and other government agencies to leverage their expertise and stay
    abreast of the latest advancements in AI research and development. This
    would include collaborating with leading tech companies, universities,
    and research institutions to identify and adapt emerging AI
    technologies for military applications.
        Third, I would ensure that the Army's AI development and deployment
    efforts are guided by a clear and comprehensive strategy that aligns
    with our national security objectives. This would involve working
    closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff,
    and other stakeholders to develop and implement a unified AI strategy
    that prioritizes Army intelligence programs, avoids duplication of
    effort, and maximizes the effectiveness of cutting-edge AI.
        Fourth, I would prioritize investment in AI talent and workforce
    development, recognizing that our ability to leverage AI effectively
    depends on having a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. This would
    include providing training and education programs for our soldiers and
    civilians, as well as recruiting and retaining top AI talent from
    industry and academia.
        Finally, I would ensure that the Army's AI development and
    deployment efforts are characterized by a culture of innovation,
    experimentation, and continuous learning. This would involve
    encouraging a mindset of experimentation and calculated risk-taking, as
    well as providing the necessary resources and authorities to support
    rapid prototyping and fielding of new AI capabilities.
                                   __________
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
       department of the army criminal investigation division, criminal
        investigation laboratory, and forensics exploitation department
        60. Senator Reed. Mr. Driscoll, the U.S. Department of the Army
    Criminal Investigation Division (DACID), Criminal Investigation
    Laboratory (USACIL), and Forensics Exploitation Department (FXD)
    provide forensic analysis support to the Department of Defense for
    investigations and prosecution of military sexual assault and for
    investigations, prosecution, and targeting of foreign enemies and
    terrorists operating overseas and here in America. These labs partner
    with the Department of Justice, Interpol, and other law enforcement
    agencies and allow military forces around the world to fully target and
    prosecute threats to the United States and keep our military forces
    safe. The FXD provides critical weapon system analysis and profiling to
    identify and interrupt the supply chain of weapons system components,
    trace the signatures of threat systems across borders, and inform force
    protection equipment and tactics, techniques and procedures that
    increase our lethality as a military force.
        For the first time in 2023 military sexual assault and sexual
    harassment declined. This was the result of increased congressional
    budget investment and a focus on policy within the Department by the
    Secretary of Defense. If there is one place that America's sons and
    daughters should be safe from sexual assault and harassment it should
    be among the men and women in the U.S. Military. Currently the USACIL
    only received a portion of its requested funding for operations in
    fiscal year 2026.
        What does this mean for the continued prosecution of sexual assault
    within the DOD?
        Mr. Driscoll. I want to commit the resources, the time, the energy,
    and the focus to eliminate sexual assault and sexual harassment from
    the United States Army. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing the
    investments for the USACIL and the other components, given their
    important role in the justice process.

        61. Senator Reed. Mr. Driscoll, the Joint Staff and the Army
    validated formal and enduring requirements for DACID FXD 12 years ago.
    The Army, through numerous formal documents, and intensive study and
    labor, analyzing years of operational success, has addressed and
    validated the requirement for DACID: the Forensic Exploitation
    Laboratories (FXL) Capability Production Document (CPD) addresses the
    capability gaps identified in the Forensics Support Across the Range of
    Military Operations (ROMO) Initial Capabilities Development (ICD)
    Functional Solutions Analysis (FSA) dated 31 January 2010; the Cost
    Analysis Requirements Description (CARD) # 15011 approved 11 Feb 13;
    the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 13-447 Defense Forensics
    ``Additional Planning and Oversight Needed to establish an Enduring
    Expeditionary Forensic Capability'' dated June 2013; the Training and
    Doctrine Command (TRADOC) tasking order (TASKORD) IN131352 Capabilities
    Development for Rapid Transition (CDRT) 15 dated 17 July 2013 and
    supports a Milestone C decision.
        Currently, the Army continues to fund the majority of the DACID FXD
    capability through an ad hoc, year to year, funding approach overseen
    by a rapid response office within the Army that was created to fund
    emerging requirements for the Army. Funding decisions in this office do
    not require approval or prioritization by the Deputy Chief of Staff of
    the Army, G-3/5/7, the Provost Marshal General, or the Director of CID.
    DACID FXD has continuously operated expeditionary labs for almost 18
    years, and today they operate and support counter-unmanned aircraft
    systems, maritime interdictions, other threat weapons system
    acquisition and analysis, and Homeland security. The Army will finally
    consider formal approval of the FXD requirement in the POM [Program
    Objectives Memorandum] 28.
        When will the Army's FXD Capability Development Document, that
    began Army TRADOC staffing in 2016, be approved by the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. I do not have a definitive answer as to when the
    FXD's CDD will be finalized, but I will look into this action and its
    relative prioritization with all other competing requirements. I will
    ensure CID is effectively managing FXD's resource requirements to
    ensure the success of FXD's critical mission.

        62. Senator Reed. Mr. Driscoll, how will the Army ensure USACIL and
    DACID FXD get their full funding requirement in POM 28 (fiscal years
    2028-2032)?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I intend to review the Army's entire
    Program, to include USACIL and DACID FXD. Based on the needs of the
    Army, I will seek to balance limited resources across the most critical
    requirements.

        63. Senator Reed. Mr. Driscoll, how will the Army ensure DACID FXD
    funding is bridged until POM 28?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I intend to review these efforts within
    the context of the overall Program and make resourcing decisions in the
    best interests of the Army beginning in Fiscal Year 2025.
                                   __________
                 Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
                              allies and partners
        64. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, our strong network of allies and
    partners in the Indo-Pacific is one of our greatest advantages and a
    key part of our National Defense Strategy. Maintaining these important
    relationships requires adequate Service-level budgeting for joint and
    multilateral exercises and training, which bolsters military readiness
    and deterrence. Given the constrained fiscal environment, how do you
    plan to prioritize Army campaign funding for multilateral exercises and
    training in the Indo-Pacific?
        Mr. Driscoll. Exercises and training are a critical aspect of
    building interoperability with and improving the capabilities of Allies
    and partners. Army Senior Leaders through USARPAC prioritizes exercises
    through Operation Pathways by integrating new capabilities and
    formations, which exercise in key locations to deter and be more
    responsive if required. Allies and partners continue to demonstrate
    great interest in U.S. joint and multinational exercises due to the
    high value of training offered. Many allies and partners cover the
    costs of their own participation in these exercises, in accordance with
    law and guidance provided by the Department. Their participation and
    enduring contribution to campaigning maximizes the impact of U.S.
    training dollars.
                                  recruitment
        65. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, the Army is experiencing the most
    challenging recruiting landscape in a generation, consistently missing
    recruiting targets until just last year. We now have a Secretary of
    Defense who has made disparaging comments about women in combat and
    across the military. How many soldiers are female?
        Mr. Driscoll. As of 31 December 2024, the Army Active component has
    71,828 female soldiers, which represents approximately 16 percent of
    the Army Active component.

        66. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, how many women in the Army serve
    in combat roles?
        Mr. Driscoll. As of 31 December 2024, there are 3,785 women serving
    in combat roles.

        67. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, if these soldiers are isolated
    and disrespected by the senior civilian in charge of DOD, what impact
    do you think this will have on retention and recruitment, especially
    for the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army continues to focus its recruiting and
    retention efforts on ``Quality over Quantity,'' recruiting and
    retaining qualified individuals based on merit to serve. If confirmed,
    I will ensure that the Army continues to recruit and retain high
    quality personnel. These Soldiers will be tactically and technically
    trained, ready to fight and win our Nation's wars.

        68. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, how do you plan to ensure the
    Army adequately meets its recruiting goals?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, my plan to ensure the Army adequately
    meets its recruiting goals is to look at lessons learned, continue
    initiatives that are effective, and support the Army's Recruiting
    Enterprise Transformation. I plan to provide Recruiters the best
    marketing and technology support available, reengineering business
    processes to improve effectiveness, and constantly reviewing
    performance in every aspect, discarding dated and restrictive policies,
    expanding programs that are working, and continuing to seek the best
    talent in the right markets.

        69. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, in 2023, 6.8 percent of Active
    Duty women and 1.3 percent of Active Duty men indicated experiencing
    unwanted sexual contact. In the same year, 523 servicemembers died by
    suicide, an increase from the previous year (493). What steps will you
    take to improve quality of life and resources for soldiers to address
    the continued problems of sexual violence and suicide?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will fully support and provide
    oversight for implementation of the approved recommendations from the
    DOD Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military and
    the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee
    findings.
                     modernization-sustainment and training
        70. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, in 2024, the GAO reported that
    the Army is rapidly fielding new types of weapon systems and equipment
    to deploying units even before fully completing the doctrine, training,
    personnel, and facilities requirements that are needed to best operate
    and sustain the equipment. Recognizing there is value to putting new
    weapon systems in soldiers' hands as early as possible, what steps will
    you take as Secretary of the Army to ensure that necessary training,
    sustainment, and other planning elements are also rapidly developed and
    implemented?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will review which programs are worth
    investing in. Scaling them to the entire Army using Deliberate
    Transformation is necessary to capture DOTMLPFP fully burdened cost and
    ensure we deliver sustainable solutions. The ability to provide and
    incorporate iterative soldier feedback enables the Army to spend money
    where it makes the biggest difference to increasing lethality and
    warfighting.
                          rapid acquisition processes
        71. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, the Army has faced criticism for
    being slow to deliver new capabilities to soldiers. What reforms would
    you implement to streamline acquisition processes and deliver critical
    capabilities faster, particularly for the Indo-Pacific area of
    responsibility?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army must continue to avoid a ``one-size-fits-
    all'' approach to acquisition. If confirmed, I will encourage the Army
    to tailor acquisition approaches based on the capability being acquired
    by using novel acquisition authorities provided by Congress. Flexible
    acquisition pathways, such as the use of Other Transaction authority,
    enable rapid development and deployment of new capabilities and allow
    iterative upgrades to improve new capabilities.

        72. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, the private sector often outpaces
    Government research and development processes in developing and
    fielding cutting-edge technologies. How will you ensure that the Army
    prioritizes partnerships with private companies, particularly small
    businesses and non-traditional companies, to rapidly integrate existing
    commercial technologies into the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army recognizes the private sector's ability to
    rapidly innovate and is committed to strengthening partnerships with
    small businesses and non-traditional defense companies to accelerate
    the integration of cutting-edge commercial technologies. If confirmed,
    I will focus on eliminating barriers, leveraging agile procurement
    strategies, and fostering collaborative innovation to maintain
    technological overmatch.
                              protecting civilians
        73. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, the U.S. Army has indicated that
    it plans to eliminate the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence--the
    DOD office that protects civilians in war zones and mitigate civilian
    harm. This office grew out of an initiative begun by former Secretary
    of Defense James Mattis, who ordered a study into how U.S. airstrikes
    had killed Iraqi civilians. If the U.S. Army plans to take steps to
    eliminate this congressionally mandated office, how will the U.S. Army
    be held accountable and adequately trained for reducing civilian harm
    in conflict?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received a briefing on the Civilian
    Protection Center of Excellence. I strongly support all efforts to
    mitigate civilian harm, including through the U.S. Department of
    Defense Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) effort. If
    confirmed, I will request a briefing and work with the Senate Armed
    Services Committee to ensure Soldiers are adequately trained for
    reducing civilian harm in conflict.
                         scaling emerging technologies
        74. Senator Hirono. Mr. Driscoll, the Pentagon often struggles to
    transition promising prototypes into large-scale programs. What
    barriers do you see preventing the rapid fielding of ground autonomous
    systems for the Army, and how would you address them to ensure we can
    operate at scale?
        Mr. Driscoll. Large scale fielding of autonomous ground systems
    operating alongside Soldiers presents a complex challenge. It is my
    understanding that existing ground autonomous systems are currently not
    mature enough to operate along with Soldier formations without
    requiring significant oversight by Soldiers. If confirmed, I will
    advocate for both further maturation of the systems themselves, along
    with continued Soldier experimentation, to validate the effectiveness
    and safety of the systems.
                                   __________
                Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
                                     ethics
        75. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, please provide a list of all your
    clients at In Witness Advisory LLC.
        Mr. Driscoll. I have provided all relevant information in
    compliance with the Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure
    and SASC Questionnaire processes.

        76. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, will you commit to
    recuse yourself for 4 years from all particular matters that have a
    direct and predictable effect on your former clients at In Witness
    Advisory LLC?
        Mr. Driscoll. My Ethics Agreement and existing laws and policies
    will require me, if confirmed and appointed, to recuse myself for a
    period of 1 year from participating personally and substantially in any
    particular matter involving specific parties in which I know that a
    former client is a party or represents a party, unless I am first
    authorized to participate by the appropriate ethics official. I will
    ensure that I have a robust screening process in place to help
    implement these recusals.

        77. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, please provide a list of any
    clients and any companies purchased by or advised by Flex Capital
    Management LLC.
        Mr. Driscoll. I have provided all relevant information in
    compliance with the Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure
    and SASC Questionnaire processes.

        78. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, will you commit to
    recuse yourself for 4 years from all particular matters that have a
    direct and predictable effect on the clients of and companies purchased
    or advised by Flex Capital Management?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will comply with existing laws and
    regulations.

        79. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed, will you
    commit to not seeking any employment with or compensation from a
    defense contractor, including through serving on a board, as a
    consultant, or as a lobbyist, for 4 years after leaving DOD?
        Mr. Driscoll. I will abide by the extensive post-government
    employment ethics rules required by Federal law and policy. These
    provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions relating to acceptance
    of compensation from defense contractors, as well as communicating back
    to the Federal Government on behalf of any future employers and
    clients. I believe that these existing rules are appropriate and
    sufficient to protect the public interest. If confirmed, I will carry
    out the responsibilities of my office honorably, and I will seek any
    post-government employment in full compliance with the applicable
    ethics rules.

        80. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed, will you
    commit to not engaging in any lobbying activities, including ``behind-
    the-scenes'' lobbying, focused on DOD or any of its components for 4
    years after leaving DOD?
        Mr. Driscoll. I will abide by the extensive post-government
    employment ethics rules required by Federal law and policy. These
    provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions relating to acceptance
    of compensation from defense contractors, as well as communicating back
    to the Federal Government on behalf of any future employers and
    clients. I believe that these existing rules are appropriate and
    sufficient to protect the public interest. If confirmed, I will carry
    out the responsibilities of my office honorably, and I will seek any
    post-government employment in full compliance with the applicable
    ethics rules.

        81. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, during your nomination process,
    did anyone on the Trump campaign, transition team, or other closely
    related entity approach you about your loyalty to President Trump?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        82. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you were approached about your
    loyalty to President Trump, did you sign a loyalty pledge or other
    similar oath? If so, please provide a copy of the text of that pledge
    or oath.
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        83. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you were approached about your
    loyalty to President Trump, did you make any verbal representations of
    loyalty? If so, please describe this representation.
        Mr. Driscoll. I was never approached.

        84. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, in November 2024, the New York
    Times and other news outlets reported that Boris Epshteyn, a top
    adviser to President Trump, allegedly requested payment from
    prospective political appointees to promote their candidacies for top
    positions within the Administration. Did you discuss the possibility of
    joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn at any time?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        85. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you did discuss the
    possibility of joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn, did Mr.
    Epshteyn seek payment from you for promoting your candidacy for a
    position within the Administration?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        86. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, at any time, did lawyers for
    President Trump or members of President Trump's team approach you
    regarding Mr. Epshteyn and the allegations cited above? If so, please
    explain the information that they provided you, including copies of
    documents, what was discussed during any calls, and any other
    information pertaining to this interaction.
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
                    congressional oversight and transparency
        87. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of the
    role of the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Army
    Inspector General?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received a briefing on the role of the DOD
    Inspector General and the Army Inspector General. If confirmed, I will
    request a briefing.

        88. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you ensure your staff
    complies with any Inspector General deadlines established for requested
    communications, providing witnesses, providing documents, and that
    those witnesses will be protected from reprisal for their testimony?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I am committed to meeting all legal
    requirements from the Inspector General.

        89. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are not able to comply
    with any Inspector General requests and deadlines, will you notify the
    Republican and Democratic members of the Committee regarding the basis
    for any good faith delay or denial?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I am committed to meeting all legal
    requirements from the Inspector General and provide any legally
    required notice to Members of the Committee.

        90. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as Secretary
    of the Army, will you commit to refusing to follow illegal orders from
    any individual, including the President?
        Mr. Driscoll. I reject the premise of the question that the
    President would issue an illegal order. I would only follow legal
    orders.

        91. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you commit to testify before
    Congress if you are called upon by Congress to provide a deposition or
    if you are issued a subpoena?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I am committed to meeting all legal requirements
    from Congress.

        92. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you commit to providing
    information or documents to Congress if you are requested to do so or
    issued a subpoena?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I am committed to meeting all legal requirements
    from Congress.

        93. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you commit to following
    current DOD precedent for responding to information requests,
    briefings, and other inquiries from Congress, including the Senate and
    House Armed Services Committees and their minority members?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I am committed to meeting all legal requirements
    from the Senate and House Armed Services Committees.

        94. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, will you commit to
    posting your official calendar monthly?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I am committed to meeting all legal
    disclosure requirements.

        95. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you think the Army has an
    over-classification problem and if so, can you commit to providing this
    Committee an estimate of the number or percentage of Army documents
    that are overclassified?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not yet received a briefing. If confirmed, I
    will review the Army's current classification system.

        96. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, to the best of your knowledge,
    are Army components identifying records for proactive posting in
    compliance with the Freedom of Information Act? And if not, how would
    you ensure that they do so to comply with public records law?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing on the Army's
    current Freedom of Information Act compliance. If confirmed, I will
    review.

        97. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, do you think the
    Army should pursue strategic technology to support automated
    declassification?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will review the Army's current
    declassification technology system.
                                  project 2025
        98. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you discussed Project 2025
    with any officials associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump
    transition team, or other members of the Trump administration? If so,
    please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
    you discussed it.
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        99. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you discussed Project 2025
    with any officials associated with the Heritage Foundation? If so,
    please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
    you discussed it.
        Mr. Driscoll. No.
                               foreign influence
        100. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you received any payment
    from a foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government
    within the past 5 years?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        101. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you communicated with any
    foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
    the past 5 years?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, all such communications have been disclosed in
    conjunction with my clearance background check and Senate briefing.

        102. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, please disclose any
    communications or payments you have had with representatives of any
    foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
    the past 5 years and describe the nature of the communication.
        Mr. Driscoll. I have received no such payments. All such
    communications have been disclosed in conjunction with my clearance
    background check and Senate briefing.
                         sexual assault and harassment
        103. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, the most recent DOD statistics
    found that about 29,000 Active Duty troops--which accounts for 6.8
    percent of female servicemembers and 1.3 percent of male
    servicemembers--experienced unwanted sexual contact in 2023. A Brown
    University study estimates that the actual rates are two to four times
    higher. How do you plan to address and reduce sexual assault and sexual
    harassment in the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. Sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in
    the Army. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing on the current state
    of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Army and support ongoing
    efforts to eliminate these problems.

        104. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how do you plan to support and
    protect Army servicemembers, civilians, grantees, and contractors who
    come forward with reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment?
        Mr. Driscoll. Sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in
    the Army. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing on the current state
    of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Army and support ongoing
    efforts to eliminate these problems.
                                   agreements
        105. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you, in any professional or
    personal capacity, signed or agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement,
    confidentiality agreement, confidential disclosure agreement,
    proprietary information agreement, non-disparagement agreement, and/or
    secrecy agreement and for what reasons did you do so?
        Mr. Driscoll. As is standard practice for many businesses, I have
    signed agreements related to my previous employers of record. All such
    employment have been disclosed in conjunction with my clearance
    background check.

        106. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you, in any professional or
    personal capacity, agreed to pay, paid, or receive payment or services
    in conjunction with any of the aforementioned instances?
        Mr. Driscoll. As is standard practice for many businesses, I have
    signed agreements related to my previous employers of record and
    received compensation from those employers.

        107. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you have in any professional
    or personal capacity, agreed to pay, paid, or receive payment or
    services in conjunction with any of the aforementioned instances,
    please provide a breakdown of the amount(s) agreed to pay, paid, or
    received and an explanation of services rendered and include a timeline
    of when any of these agreements, payments, or services rendered
    occurred.
        Mr. Driscoll. As is standard practice for many businesses, I have
    signed agreements related to my previous employers of record and
    received compensation from those employers.
                   retaliation and protecting whistleblowers
        108. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that
    servicemembers, civilians, grantees, and contractors should be
    protected from any form of retaliation for coming forward about an
    illegal order, sexual assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or
    any other concern that they wish to raise?
        Mr. Driscoll. I believe that all whistleblower laws should be
    followed.

        109. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, have you ever retaliated against
    any individual for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
    assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
    that they wish to raise?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        110. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to protecting whistleblowers and
    how will you do so?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all laws related to
    whistleblowers.
                     domestic deployments of u.s. military
        111. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, in which circumstances do you
    believe that the Insurrection Act should be used?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Insurrection Act is a lawful authority of the
    President of the United States given to him by the Congress. Its lawful
    uses are spelled out in statute.

        112. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that the
    Insurrection Act should be used only as a ``last resort?''
        Mr. Driscoll. Invocation of the Insurrection Act is a lawful
    prerogative of the President of the United States and not that of the
    Secretary of Army. The authority to use the Act is spelled out in U.S.
    Code.

        113. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that military
    forces should be deployed to respond to civil unrest only in situations
    where State and local authorities are overwhelmed?
        Mr. Driscoll. Military forces, be they National Guard or
    occasionally Active Duty Forces, have in our country historically been
    employed to respond to civil unrest when the capacity and capabilities
    of civil authorities have been stretched to the limit and there is a
    complete or near complete breakdown of law and order.

        114. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that the parties
    best positioned to determine whether State and local authorities are
    overwhelmed are those authorities? If not, why not?
        Mr. Driscoll. That State and local authorities are overwhelmed will
    often be clear to the general public merely by the scale of violence
    and/or disorder. Further, State or local authorities may not be in a
    position to convey that they are overwhelmed.

        115. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, would you support
    using the military for immigration enforcement, including for mass
    deportations, despite the military's lack of relevant training and the
    harm it would almost certainly do to military readiness?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support and execute all lawful
    direction and guidance from the President of the United States and the
    Secretary of Defense.
                            impoundment control act
        116. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, on January 27, 2025, President
    Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo calling for
    all Federal financial assistance programs (excluding ``assistance
    provided directly to individuals'') to be suspended. Do you agree with
    OMB's decision to issue this memo?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support and execute all lawful
    direction and guidance from the President of the United States and the
    Secretary of Defense.

        117. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that the
    Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Army has the legal
    authority to block the disbursement of funds appropriated by Congress?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing on the disbursement
    of funds appropriated by Congress. If confirmed, I will request a
    briefing on the Army's requirements to follow all applicable laws.

        118. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    the Impoundment Control Act?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing on the Impoundment
    Control Act. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the Army's
    requirements to follow all applicable laws.

        119. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you commit to following the
    Impoundment Control Act?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all laws.

        120. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you commit notifying the
    Senate and House Armed Services Committees, including the majority and
    minority, if you are asked not to follow the Impoundment Control Act or
    not to expend the money that Congress appropriates or authorizes?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all applicable laws.

        121. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, the Constitution's Spending
    Clause (Art. I, Sec.  8, cl. 1) and Appropriations Clause (Art. I,
    Sec.  9, cl. 7) give Congress, not the Executive, power of the purse.
    The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld this power. Do you believe
    that impoundments are constitutional?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support and execute all lawful
    direction and guidance from the President of the United States and the
    Secretary of Defense.

        122. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, the funding levels in
    appropriations bills passed into law are not targets or ceilings;
    instead, they are amounts the executive branch must spend, unless
    stated otherwise. Congress could--if it wanted the President to have
    discretion--write those amounts as ceilings. Do you agree?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will support and execute all lawful
    direction and guidance from the President of the United States and the
    Secretary of Defense.

        123. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    the requirements for DOD to obligate funding that Congress authorizes
    and appropriates, in accordance with the time period that Congress
    deems it to do so?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing on the requirements
    and timelines for the Army to obligate funding that Congress authorizes
    and appropriates. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the Army's
    requirements and ensure the Army follows all applicable laws.

        124. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you commit to expending the
    money that Congress appropriates and authorizes?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all applicable laws.

        125. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you commit to following and
    implementing the annual National Defense Authorization Act passed into
    law?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all applicable laws.
                                 civilian harm
        126. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you agree that one difference
    between the United States and its potential adversaries is the greater
    value that the U.S. Government puts on protecting human life and
    liberty at home and abroad?
        Mr. Driscoll. I'm supportive of the U.S. DOD CHMR effort.

        127. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    title 10 U.S.C. 184, which established the Civilian Protection Center
    of Excellence?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received a briefing on the Civilian
    Protection Center of Excellence. If confirmed, I will request a
    briefing.

        128. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, the U.S. military has spent many
    years working to improve its ability to prevent and mitigate civilian
    harm without sacrificing lethality--including through the development
    of the DOD Instruction on Civilian Harm under the first Trump
    administration, which I commend. These efforts received bipartisan
    support from Congress and grew out of a recognition from the U.S.
    military itself that, after over 2 decades of U.S. wars, warfighters
    needed better tools and trustworthy systems to prevent civilian harm,
    uphold U.S. values, and prevent the moral injury and psychological
    trauma that too often comes with deadly mistakes. The Army has played a
    critical role in these efforts by serving as the joint proponent for
    civilian harm mitigation and response (CHMR) and housing the Civilian
    Protection Center of Excellence (CPCOE), which provides direct support
    to operational combatant commands on civilian harm issues. The CPCOE
    has also been enshrined in U.S. law via the James M. Inhofe National
    Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. If confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to continued Army leadership on
    civilian harm issues, including housing and resourcing the CPCOE?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I commit to following all relevant laws
    and DOD issuances relating to civilian harm mitigation and response.

        129. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what do you understand to be
    your roles and responsibilities regarding civilian harm mitigation and
    response?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received a briefing on the Secretary of
    the Army's specific roles and responsibilities regarding civilian harm
    mitigation. If confirmed, I will request a briefing.

        130. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what do you understand to be the
    importance of mitigating civilian harm in military operations?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I am committed to meeting all legal and
    regulatory requirements with respect to reporting on Department of
    Defense efforts to mitigate civilian harm.

        131. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed, will you
    commit to supporting and protecting the Civilian Protection Center of
    Excellence?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I commit to following all relevant laws
    relating to the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence.

        132. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, according to press reports the
    Army is drafting proposals to defund and potentially disestablish the
    Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, what do you understand to be
    the Army's authority to do so?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing relating to the
    Civilian Protection Center of Excellence. If confirmed, I will request
    a briefing and will follow all relevant funding laws and DOD issuances
    relating to civilian harm mitigation and response.

        133. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if one of the options is to move
    the office to another Service, how will you oversee the transition?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing relating to the
    Civilian Protection Center of Excellence. If confirmed, I will request
    a briefing and will follow all relevant laws and DOD issuances relating
    to civilian harm mitigation and response.

        134. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if the Civilian Protection
    Center of Excellence is moved out of the Army, how will you oversee the
    Army's compliance with title 10 U.S.C. 184 and the Civilian Harm
    Mitigation Response and Action Plan (CHMR-AP)?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefing relating to the
    Civilian Protection Center of Excellence. If confirmed, I will request
    a briefing and will follow all relevant compliance laws and DOD
    issuances relating to civilian harm mitigation and response.

        135. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, how will you prevent and mitigate civilian harm?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the DOD
    CHMR program, including the role of the Army in that program, and will
    advocate for a culture that strives to improve its civilian harm
    mitigation and response processes.

        136. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to supporting and implementing
    the CHMR-AP?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will follow all relevant laws and DOD
    issuances relating to civilian harm mitigation and response.

        137. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe that our troops
    are at higher risk for retribution as the number of civilian deaths
    from U.S. military operations or U.S.-led military operations
    increases?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes.
                               blast overpressure
        138. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to protecting servicemembers
    from blast overpressure and increase their options for seeking care
    after being exposed?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers
    suffering from service-related injuries. If confirmed, I will request a
    briefing on the current options for care for Soldiers suffering from
    blast overpressure and continue ongoing efforts that support mitigating
    blast overpressure while maintaining the operational and training
    standards of the Army.

        139. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, what steps will you take to protect
    servicemembers from blast overpressure and increase their options for
    seeking care after being exposed?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers
    suffering from service-related injuries. If confirmed, I will request a
    briefing on the current options for care for Soldiers suffering from
    blast overpressure and, where necessary, work with this Committee to
    advocate for increased mitigation and care options where appropriate.

        140. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how do you plan to work with the
    Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that servicemembers,
    veterans, and their families are aware of the risks of blast
    overpressure and traumatic brain injury?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers
    suffering from service-related injuries. If confirmed, I will work with
    the Department of Veterans Affairs, where necessary, to care for
    Soldiers suffering from blast overpressure.

        141. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you support establishing logs
    for soldiers on blast overpressure exposure and traumatic brain injury?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the
    current system for monitoring blast overpressure exposure and traumatic
    brain injury and ongoing efforts to further improve tracking such
    exposure.

        142. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you support requiring
    neurocognitive assessments of soldiers annually, before they begin
    training to establish a baseline, and before they leave the military to
    determine when their change in cognitive health over time?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the
    current system for neurocognitive assessment for soldiers.

        143. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, how will you address the links between blast
    overpressure exposure and increased risks of suicide?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on any
    current links between blast overpressure exposure and increased risks
    of suicide. The Army should work, from the top down, to prevent all
    suicides.

        144. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, it appears that U.S. Army Green
    Beret Master Sergeant Matthew Livelsberger, who died by suicide in a
    cybertruck explosion on January 1, 2025, may have had a history of
    traumatic brain injury. What do you understand to be the consequences
    and long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure and brain injury
    on servicemembers?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on any
    current links between blast overpressure exposure and increased risks
    of suicide. The Army should work, from the top down, to prevent all
    suicides.

        145. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you support addressing the
    risks of blast overpressure to servicemembers through the swift
    implementation of sections 721 through section 725 of the Fiscal Year
    2025 NDAA?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the
    current state of implementation of sections 721 through section 725 of
    the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA and follow all applicable laws.

        146. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, which occupational specialties
    do you understand to be at the highest risk for blast overpressure
    exposure in the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on the
    current understanding of which occupational specialties have the
    highest risk for blast overpressure exposure.
                                right-to-repair
        147. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe giving the Army
    access to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment
    could advance the Army's readiness?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I believe that it could help advance the Army's
    readiness. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the current state of
    the Army's right-to-repair.

        148. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe giving the Army
    access to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment
    could help reduce the Army's repair and sustainment costs?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, I believe that it could help reduce the Army's
    repair and sustainment costs. If confirmed, I will request a brief on
    the current state of the Army's right-to-repair to better understand
    the scale of impact on repair and sustainment costs.

        149. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how will you ensure soldiers who
    are stationed abroad can timely and cost-effectively repair equipment
    that is damaged, especially in a contested logistics environment?
        Mr. Driscoll. Technological innovations may exist that can improve
    equipment repairs. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the current
    state of the Army's repair systems with a focus on repairs in a
    contested logistics environment.

        150. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to including right-to-repair/
    technical data rights clauses in acquisition contracts that the Army
    enters into?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the current
    state of the Army's right-to-repair and advocate for contracting
    language that can strengthen the Army.

        151. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to ensuring contractors deliver
    technical data rights to the Army when their contract requires or
    allows it?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the current
    state of the Army's technical data rights and advocate for data rights
    that can strengthen the Army.

        152. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed as
    Secretary of the Army, will you commit to understanding the cost of not
    having the right-to-repair/technical data rights for the Army's
    equipment through an assessment, the results of which you would make
    public for review by Congress and the Department of Government
    Efficiency?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the current
    state of the Army's right-to-repair/technical data rights and publicly
    advocate for areas that can significantly strengthen the Army.
                          naming of confederate bases
        153. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, the Fiscal Year 2021 NDAA
    established a commission to rename Federal bases and other military
    property named after Confederate figures. The Naming Commission
    recommended new names for military installations and other property
    named after Confederate soldiers. The Commission received bipartisan
    support and worked with local communities to make these
    recommendations, which the Department of Defense accepted. Section 1749
    of the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA also prohibits the Department of Defense
    from naming a new asset or renaming an old asset in reference to the
    Confederacy. Do you support keeping the names of military property
    designated by the Naming Commission?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will request a brief on the Naming
    Commissions findings to better understand its recommendations.
                                army contracting
        154. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, reporting on January 27, 2025,
    indicated that Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth was ``halting all new
    Army contract awards as well as solicitations for new programs'' and
    that this pause ``could last as little as 10 days but could potentially
    continue for months.'' The Army has since claimed that there is an
    ongoing review but ``contracting activities continue to move forward.''
    Do you support a pause in new Army contract awards and solicitations
    for new programs?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on the Army's
    current contracting positions. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing
    to better understand the current state of the contract awards and
    solicitations for new programs.

        155. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you support a pause, how long
    of a pause do you support and under what conditions?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing to better
    understand the current state of the contract awards and solicitations
    for new programs.

        156. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you support a pause, what do
    you estimate to be the cost of such a halt in contracting?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing to better
    understand the current state of the contract awards and solicitations
    and any possible cost implications.

        157. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what do you understand to be the
    ramifications of a pause in new Army contract awards and solicitations
    for new programs, including both on the programmatic side and industry
    side?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing to better
    understand the current state of the contract awards and solicitations
    and any possible ramifications.

        158. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what do you understand to be the
    cost, including a dollar amount; effect on reputation; and time lost
    that would result from a pause in new Army contract awards and
    solicitations for new programs?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing to better
    understand the current state of the contract awards and solicitations
    and any possible cost implications.

        159. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what do you understand to be the
    effect of a pause on new Army contracts awards and solicitations for
    new programs on the ability of the Army to expend the money that has
    been authorized and appropriated by Congress in a timely manner?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing to better
    understand which funds have been authorized and appropriated by
    Congress.

        160. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, in the past, the Army has called
    for a ``Night Court'' process to consider retention, elimination, or
    modification of weapons systems programs. Do you support this process
    and how should the Army work to identify and prevent potential overlap
    and duplication in its programs?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on Army
    contracting, but I am very supportive of identifying and preventing
    unnecessary overlap and duplication in Army programs. If confirmed, I
    will receive a briefing to better understand the current state of the
    contract awards and solicitations for new programs.
                 junior reserve officer training corps reforms
        161. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, there are several reforms in the
    Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA to better protect Junior Reserve Officer Training
    Corps (JROTC) students from sexual misconduct by instructors and forced
    enrollment after extensive reporting about these issues. Do you support
    the swift and full implementation of sections 552, 555, and 556 of the
    Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA?
        Mr. Driscoll. All forms of sexual assault and sexual harassment
    should be purged from the JROTC. I have not received any briefings on
    sexual misconduct in JROTC, but if confirmed, I will receive a briefing
    and work to reinforce a culture of zero tolerance.

        162. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    the responsibility of the Army and Department of Defense to coordinate
    with the Department of Education on reports of sexual misconduct by
    JROTC instructors?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on the reporting
    requirements of sexual misconduct in JROTC, but if confirmed, I will
    receive a briefing and follow all applicable reporting laws.

        163. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    the responsibility of the Army and Department of Defense to hold
    schools accountable if they do not report an allegation of JROTC
    instructor misconduct to the Military Service point of contract within
    1 business day?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on the reporting
    requirements of sexual misconduct in JROTC, but if confirmed, I will
    receive a briefing and strive to ensure all schools follow applicable
    reporting laws.

        164. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, if you are confirmed, what is
    your plan to ensure that JROTC Army students, parents, and others feel
    they can come forward to the Army to report an allegation?
        Mr. Driscoll. All forms of sexual assault and sexual harassment
    should be purged from the Army and JROTC and students, parents, and
    others should feel that they can come forward with any allegations. I
    have not received any briefings on sexual misconduct in JROTC, but if
    confirmed, I will receive a briefing and review the current reporting
    model.

        165. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you support climate surveys
    of JROTC Army students to better understand concerns about and
    incidences of sexual assault and harassment in the JROTC programs?
        Mr. Driscoll. All forms of sexual assault and sexual harassment
    should be purged from the Army and JROTC. I have not received any
    briefings on sexual misconduct in JROTC, but if confirmed, I will
    receive a briefing and work with this Committee to collect data that
    can help reduce the risk of sexual assault and harassment in the JROTC
    programs.
               military health system genesis recruitment delays
        166. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, what is your understanding of
    the impact of Military Health System (MHS) Genesis on increasing
    recruitment delays by flagging long-healed or manageable injuries of
    recruits and requiring them to get a waiver to serve?
        Mr. Driscoll. Any barrier that is unnecessarily harming recruiting
    should be reviewed and, where possible, removed. If confirmed, I will
    receive a briefing on the MHS Genesis and its impact on recruiting.

        167. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, there are several reforms in the
    Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA intended to address the recruitment delays caused
    by MHS Genesis. Do you support the full and swift implementation of
    section 738 and section 740?
        Mr. Driscoll. Any applicable law that helps to remove recruiting
    barriers should be implemented as quickly as practicable. If confirmed,
    I will receive a briefing on sections 738 and section 740 of the Fiscal
    Year 2025 NDAA.
                                    housing
        168. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how will you address the
    affordability and supply issues within the military housing market?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I intend to review the current state of
    military housing and oversight mechanisms for both on-and off-base
    housing, and work with this Committee to take care of our Soldiers who
    reside housing in and around Army installations.

        169. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you believe it is acceptable
    for servicemembers and their families to live in hazardous housing
    conditions?
        Mr. Driscoll. No.

        170. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do hazardous housing conditions
    like dangerous mold, lead-based paint, and rodent and insect
    infestations violate DOD's existing housing agreements with private
    companies?
        Mr. Driscoll. While I have not received any briefings on the
    current state of Army housing, I will work with this Committee to take
    care of our Soldiers who reside in Army housing. The situation
    described is unacceptable.

        171. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, as Secretary of the Army, how
    would you guarantee the habitability of servicemember's housing?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers and
    their families. I have not received any briefings on the Army housing,
    but I will work with this Committee to take care of our Soldiers who
    reside in Army housing.

        172. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how would you address the
    quality concerns in the military housing inventory?
        Mr. Driscoll. Our soldiers and their families deserve the best
    quality housing the Army can provide them. If confirmed, I intend to
    review the current state of Army housing and oversight mechanisms, and
    work with this Committee to take care of our military personnel who
    reside in military housing.

        173. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how should the Department of the
    Army strengthen its oversight of the private military housing market?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I intend to review the current state of
    military housing and oversight mechanisms, and work with this Committee
    to take care of our soldiers who reside in Army housing.

        174. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how would you guarantee the
    implementation and enforcement of the Military Housing Privatization
    Initiative (MHPI) Tenant Bill of Rights?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on the MHPI Tenant
    Bill of Rights. If confirmed, I will receive a briefing on it and work
    through the Army's oversight processes and with this Committee to
    protect our soldiers and their families.

        175. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how would you ensure MHPI
    accountability given the recent invocation of the Federal enclave
    doctrine to strip military families of their day in court?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on the MHPI
    accountability impacts from the invocation of Federal enclave doctrine.
    If confirmed, I will receive a briefing on it and work with this
    Committee to protect our soldiers and their families.

        176. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you agree to provide a
    comprehensive overview of which military housing projects are subject
    to the Federal enclave doctrine?
        Mr. Driscoll. I have not received any briefings on which current
    Army housing projects are subject to the Federal enclave doctrine and
    work with this Committee to protect our soldiers and their families.

        177. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, how would you ensure that
    landlords do not take advantage of Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
    rates, including through the use of software like RealPage or collusive
    rent-setting?
        Mr. Driscoll. Soldiers should not be taken advantage of by their
    landlords. I have not received any briefings on how software may impact
    rent-setting. If confirmed, I will request a briefing and work with
    this Committee to protect our soldiers and their families.

        178. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you commit to ensuring no one
    is retaliated against for submitting complaints to the DOD Housing
    Feedback System (DHFS)?
        I commit to ensuring all retaliation laws are followed.

        179. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, do you think families should be
    forced to sign nondisclosure agreements in order to get housing
    deficiencies addressed?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers'
    families. I commit to working with this Committee to protect them. I
    have not received any briefings on forced non-disclosure agreements in
    the Army housing process. If confirmed, I will request a briefing on it
    and advocate for our soldiers' families.

        180. Senator Warren. Mr. Driscoll, will you seek to bar MHPI
    landlords from requiring that families sign nondisclosure agreements in
    order to get housing deficiencies addressed?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is our sacred duty to care for our soldiers'
    families. I commit to working with this Committee to protect them. I
    have not received any briefings on non-disclosure agreement
    requirements from MHPI landlords. If confirmed, I will request a
    briefing on it and advocate for our soldiers' families.
                                   __________
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Jacky Rosen
                          cyber workforce development
        181. Senator Rosen. Mr. Driscoll, the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA
    included my bipartisan legislation authorizing the Army to create a
    Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve to provide U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM)
    with qualified civilian personnel for surge capacity to ensure the U.S.
    Government has the cyber talent needed to respond to malicious activity
    and secure DOD's information and its systems. Understanding you are not
    yet confirmed, what do you know of the status of the implementation
    plan for the civilian cyber reserve?
        Mr. Driscoll. To generate combat power in cyberspace, the Army has
    a responsibility to build the best bench of superior cyber personnel
    across both the uniformed and civilian workforce. If confirmed, I look
    forward to learning more about this assessment and I commit to
    providing an informed status update.

        182. Senator Rosen. Mr. Driscoll, if confirmed, can I have your
    commitment to see this through?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I commit to continuing the Army's work
    to explore a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve, and to providing the
    Congress briefings on these efforts, as required by law.
                                   __________
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Mark Kelly
                      innovation and modernization efforts
        183. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, Army modernization, across every
    domain, is a top priority. Given the increasingly complex and
    competitive global environment, the Army's ability to innovate is
    critical for ensuring the United States stays ahead of adversaries. How
    do you plan to address the challenges in developing and fielding new
    technologies?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army needs to ensure a focus on integration, not
    just innovation, to enable technology insertion across the
    modernization enterprise including tight alignment across the full
    lifecycle of an effort. We also must also expand integration of private
    sector innovation beyond just the traditional defense primes and foster
    teaming arrangements. If confirmed, I will review existing policies and
    practices to explore how to better leverage existing tools or develop
    new ones to ensure the Army is a lethal force and maintains it
    competitive edge over adversaries.

        184. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, what are your thoughts on
    incentivizing major defense contractors to collaborate more with small
    and non-traditional defense companies?
        Mr. Driscoll. Encouraging major defense contractors to collaborate
    with small and non-traditional defense companies is essential for
    fostering innovation, competition, and supply chain resilience. By
    leveraging the agility of small businesses alongside the scale of prime
    contractors, we can accelerate technology adoption, reduce costs, and
    enhance warfighter capabilities more effectively.

        185. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, Russia has recently fielded
    electronic warfare systems during the war in Ukraine. Do you believe
    current Army systems and infrastructure is sufficient to perform
    against our adversaries in a contested environment where we are
    encountering electronic warfare?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I look forward to working closely
    within the department to review Army systems and infrastructure to
    ensure it is sufficient to perform against our adversaries in a
    contested environment.
                              indo-pacific region
        186. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, the Indo-Pacific region entails a
    huge array of challenges, everything from vast distances to the
    continental United States industrial and military base, to
    disaggregated islands that require a novel campaign approach not seen
    in contemporary conflicts. There are some within the Department of
    Defense that feel the conventional Army is solely a logistics apparatus
    to support the Joint Force in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). If
    confirmed, what steps will you take to ensure the Army maintains
    relevancy across all warfighting functions in INDOPACOM?
        Mr. Driscoll. In the Indo-Pacific, the Army provides critical
    formations and capabilities to the joint force across all warfighting
    functions. If confirmed I will ensure the Army continues to work
    closely with the joint force--commanders in theater, the Joint Staff,
    as well as our sister services--to ensure that our capabilities,
    formations, posture, training, and capacity reflect what is needed
    across all warfighting functions in the Indo-Pacific region.

        187. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, while we can acknowledge Ukraine
    is a vastly different operating environment then INDOPACOM, there are
    distinct lessons learned that we can tease out. How do you plan on
    directing the Department to take lessons learned from Ukraine and
    operationalize them in the more complex terrain that is the Indo-
    Pacific?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is my understanding the U.S. Army Training and
    Doctrine Command collects and disseminates clear and focused lessons
    learned from current conflicts--including the war in Ukraine. The Army,
    with feedback from Army Commands, already uses the lessons learned to
    determine the requirements to adopt changes that would affect how the
    U.S. Army trains, equips, and organizes in preparation for combat
    operations to include the Indo-Pacific. The lessons and observations
    drawn from the war in Ukraine have certainly informed their approach to
    doctrine development, Initial Military Training, unit training, and
    system procurement. These lessons are theater agnostic and must
    continue to be integrated into doctrine, organizations, training
    strategies, exercises, leader development and education programs.
                   recruitment goals and improving retention
        188.Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, the Department of the Army's
    fiscal year 2024 recruitment goal was 55,000 recruits. Under you
    predecessor, Secretary Wormuth's leadership, the Army recruited 55,300
    new recruits, meeting that goal. What steps will you take, if
    confirmed, to continue and improve upon the Army's recent efforts to
    boost recruitment?
        Mr. Driscoll. The goal for fiscal year 2025 is 61,000 recruits,
    with an additional 10,000 entry pool to enter fiscal year 2026, and the
    Army is already ahead of pace to achieve this goal. If confirmed, I
    plan to expand our efforts by leveraging industry-leading technology
    and AI initiatives, while grounding our strategy in robust training for
    our recruiters. I will also assess the positioning of our recruiting
    force on the ground to ensure we are making the most effective use of
    our facilities. I also plan to leverage JROTC programs.

        189. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, retention is equally important,
    you yourself, are a third-generation soldier and by your testimony,
    plan on encouraging your children to serve. What specific strategies
    will you implement to ensure that newly recruited soldiers stay in
    service for the long term, and how do you plan to improve overall
    retention rates across the Army?
        Mr. Driscoll. Yes, if confirmed I will prioritize ensuring soldiers
    feel supported, valued, and motivated to stay in service. The Army will
    continue to provide world-class training and equip our warriors with
    leading-edge technology to enhance readiness and performance for any
    global challenge our country faces. Key strategies for retention will
    include personalized career development plans, clear pathways for
    advancement, and competitive pay and benefits. In addition to retention
    bonuses, we will continue to offer non-monetary incentives like
    stabilization and station of choice to show soldiers they are valued.
        I will also focus on career flexibility, allowing soldiers to
    explore different roles, which increases satisfaction and engagement.
    We must retain the right skills to stay competitive in the global
    landscape, especially for warfighting. This means ongoing investment in
    professional development to equip soldiers with the skills needed for
    modern warfare. Finally, we will strengthen transition programs to
    ensure soldiers are well-prepared for post-service careers, enhancing
    retention and long-term commitment to the Army.
                                 warrior board
        190. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, President Trump has proposed a
    plan to remove generals and career civil servants in the Department of
    Defense if the proposed ``warrior board,'' tasked with reviewing these
    individuals, determines they are disloyal to the Administration. How do
    you think the purging of highly experienced military officers will
    impact the Department of the Army's ability to meet its operational
    goals?
        Mr. Driscoll. The Administration and I share the view that the Army
    should be a merit-based organization that promotes only the most
    qualified and highest-performing men and women to senior leadership
    positions. If confirmed, I intend to pursue that aim.

        191. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, are you concerned that subjecting
    military leaders and civil servants to this review might pull their
    attention away from their operational goals by encouraging them to
    focus more on political appeasement than on fulfilling their
    professional duties?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will continue the administration's
    efforts to build and maintain an Army where professional advancement is
    based on merit, performance, and credentials. The Army has a long and
    proud tradition of non-partisanship, and if confirmed, I will
    strengthen that tradition. It is my intent for evaluations to be based
    on the successful accomplishment of professional duties and other
    performance-based metrics, thus ensuring only the most talented advance
    and work to increase the operational capacity and lethality of the
    Army.
                                 army aviation
        192. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, with the Army's cancellation of
    the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, would you agree that we
    still require that capability, and thus need to continue the
    procurement of reliable manned attack aviation, such as the AH-64
    Apache?
        Mr. Driscoll. If confirmed, I will review the aviation portfolio in
    detail to better understand the Army's requirements to support the
    National Defense Strategy.

        193. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, as part of the Aviation Branch's
    rebalance last February, the cancellation of Future Attack
    Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) allowed the shift of funding to procure
    both more UH-60Ms and CH-47 Block IIs. However, the cancellation of the
    Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade by Secretary Wormuth in September 2021
    left a gap in the Block II Chinook's envisioned performance that could
    be realized with a more powerful upgraded engine. What is the Army's
    plan to move forward with Chinook Engine Enhancement program that
    Congress helped fund in fiscal year 2022, fiscal year 2023 and fiscal
    year 2024 and realize the full capability of this airframe with the
    integration of a more powerful engine that contributes to improved
    operational capabilities and cost savings?
        Mr. Driscoll. It is my understanding that the Army is executing the
    additional funding provided by Congress for the Chinook Engine
    Enhancement program by conducting engine enhancement studies with those
    resources. The current engine in the Chinook meets threshold
    requirements for the Chinook Block II.

        194. Senator Kelly. Mr. Driscoll, how will you work to improve the
    Army's contracting processes to ensure timely delivery of capabilities
    to United States and allied warfighters? For example, the Germans
    finalized a procurement for 60 CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the
    United States nearly 2 years ago (July 2023) and the Army still has not
    initiated a contract with the manufacturer (Boeing) to build them. At a
    time when we need to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base to
    respond to global threats, the Army must become more agile and
    adaptable.
        Mr. Driscoll. The Army has made improvements to the Army's
    contracting processes to ensure timely delivery of capabilities to U.S.
    and allied warfighters. Our allies and foreign partnerships are crucial
    to enhancing our industrial base and the Army plans to continue to
    explore ways to improve the contracting processes both domestically and
    internationally.
                                     ______

        [The nomination reference of Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll
    follows:]
    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
                                     ______

        [The biographical sketch of Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll, which
    was transmitted to the Committee at the time the nomination was
    referred, follows:]
                   Biographical Sketch of Daniel P. Driscoll
        Raised in Boone, North Carolina, Dan spent much of his childhood in
    a log cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. Dan attended Appalachian
    Christian School and Watauga High School.
        While a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, and with America in the middle
    of the War on Terror, Dan forwent the typical college experience to
    commission as an Armor officer in the U.S. Army. Dan graduated With
    Highest Distinction in 3 years. While most of his classmates were
    enjoying Carolina basketball games, Dan was graduating from basic
    training and officer candidate school and preparing to deploy for war.
        After completing U.S. Army Ranger School, Dan was stationed at Fort
    Drum, NY, with the 10th Mountain Light Infantry Division where he
    served as a Cavalry Scout platoon leader. In 2009, Dan was deployed
    with his unit to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
        After returning from combat, Dan enrolled at Yale Law School on the
    post-9/11 GI Bill. During his time at law school, Dan worked at Yale's
    Veterans Legal Services Clinic, providing free legal counsel to
    veterans. While at Yale, Dan received the Joseph A. Chubb Faculty Prize
    for excellence in legal draftsmanship and the Elliott Goldstein
    Scholarship for excellence in the field of corporate law.
        Since graduating, Dan has worked in investment banking, private
    equity, and as the Chief Operating Officer at $200M venture capital
    fund. He most recently has been serving as Senior Advisor to Vice
    President-Elect JD Vance. He is a member of the North Carolina State
    Bar, Rotary Club, VFW Post 1134 and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of
    America (IAVA).
        Dan is married to his high school sweetheart, Dr. Cassie Driscoll,
    a plastic surgeon. They have two kids, Daniel Jr. and Lila and are
    members of Reynolda Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.
                                     ______

        [The Committee on Armed Services requires all individuals
    nominated from civilian life by the President to positions
    requiring the advice and consent of the Senate to complete a
    form that details the biographical, financial, and other
    information of the nominee. The form executed by Mr. Daniel P.
    Driscoll in connection with his nomination follows:]
    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
                                     ______

        [The nominee responded to Parts B-F of the Committee
    questionnaire. The text of the questionnaire is set forth in
    the Appendix to this volume. The nominee's answers to Parts B-F
    are contained in the Committee's executive files.]

                                    ------

       [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                    ------

        [The nomination of Mr. Daniel P. Driscoll was reported to
    the Senate by Chairman Wicker on February 11, 2025, with the
    recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. The nomination
    was confirmed by the Senate on February 25, 2025.]

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