Now I've told him that even though he goes over there, he still works for us, meaning the Congress of the United States. I said, "Don't think that you're over there like some of these folks that come in and they say, 'Well, my predecessor will have to deal with that' or 'I'm not familiar with it."" We have all heard the same story. But he does have unique experience, and I think the Army is in a position where they really need someone like him.

I congratulate and compliment the other two nominees. I heard the Chairman say he was going to support them, and I assume that if the Chairman and Senator Levin support him, this thing will be done. But the country is gaining. Now, Greg Dahlberg says he is going to come back to the committee. He has a little room that he shares with eight people. When he goes over to the Army, I don't have to say, he'll have a plush office, if he goes, if he's approved by the Senate, and he'll have a car to drive him around, Senator. I don't think he'll be back.

Senator LEVIN. I think I'd quit there, while you are ahead. [Laughter]

Mr. MURTHA. But I want to say how much I have appreciated my relationship with both of you. Mr. Chairman, I remember one time I went down to Newport News. None of the Members from the House showed up, and you had to break away from an important engagement out of town, and you flew back in order to make sure that I was aware of some of the things that were going on in Newport News.

I'll never forget your dedication. I remember your long years as the Secretary of the Navy, and even when you were the Bicentennial Commission, how well you did those things. So I appreciate our relationship, the work that we've done together. Of course, Senator Levin's brother keeps me abreast of everything that goes on in the Senate with Senator Levin.

But Greg Dahlberg will be a real asset to the Army; there's no question in my mind about it. It will be a loss for us, it will be hard to replace him, but I believe that these 7 months are going to be a key, whoever is elected next time, and whether he stays on or not, to get the Army in a position so they can transform themselves; they have been trying for 10 years and they haven't gotten there yet. They're too heavy, they couldn't get into Kosovo; I don't have to reiterate the problems that they have.

I think he will be very helpful in that regard with his ingenious ability to come up with solutions to very difficult problems.

Chairman WARNER. We thank you very much. I wonder if you would do me the courtesy as you exit, which you will do now to go into the back room and I'll ask Senator Levin to take over the hearing while I speak with you on another matter for a moment.

Mr. MURTHA. Yes.

Chairman WARNER. The committee asked each of our witnesses to answer a series of advance policy questions. They have responded to those questions, and without objection, I will make the make the questions and the responses a part of the record.

Mr. Rostker, if you have any opening remarks, we will give you the opportunity to address the committee now; and Mr. Dahlberg and Madelyn, we will then afford each of you that opportunity.

Senator Levin and I have also reviewed other security issues relating to your nominations, which are always done with each nomination. For the benefit of the balance of the committee, in my judgment and your judgment those meet the tests of this committee. Would you take the chair for me?

Senator LEVIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

First, if there are any opening statements, Mr. Dahlberg, why don't we start with you.

STATEMENT OF GREGORY R. DAHLBERG

Mr. DAHLBERG. Thank you, Senator.

I have an opening statement prepared, which I would ask your leave to be placed in the record, and I can summarize very quickly. Mr. DAHLBERG. It's a great honor to be here today to be the President's nominee to be Under Secretary of the Army, and particularly to be before this committee which, my tenure, 20 years on the Hill, its reputation is known far and wide for its expertise and its fairness and its real dedication, both the staff and the Members, to look at the National security needs of this country and to do it in a dispassionate and bipartisan manner; and to do it in a very expert way.

I think that it has been a model for how we should all proceed in national security matters in the Congress. I know our committee in the House tries to emulate the style and the substance of this committee.

My first impressions of the Army really stem from my early days in Minnesota shoveling snow, of all things. My father served in World War II with the Army, and I used to wear his Army boots to actually go out and shovel the snow in the 1950s. He was very close to his Army boots, and I didn't quite know why until later in life when I read about the Battle of the Bulge and heard about the terrible conditions that they faced there, particularly with their clothing; and also later learned that he used those boots to tromp through the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and he ended up in Berlin with those boots, and they were very important to him.

I think that all the things that have been said about those boots were true; they were not very good in cold weather, they were wet and damp and they were thin; and you could see some of the problems early on that the soldiers had with those.

In my career, fast-forward to Korea with Congressman Murtha, where we have spent close to 10 years out in the field. He's been more or less my mentor and my teacher as he's taken me to many places far and wide to look at the troops and the needs and the facilities; and I remember fully well, early on, being near Camp Casey with the troops eating MRES out in the field tent in the middle of the winter, and the first question the Congressman had was about their boots.

We made some progress; I graphically could see with those, although as in most cases, they're not perfect, and we still have a ways to go.

I have been pleased and proud to be a small part of the effort in the 1990s to help, in our way, of ensuring that the downsizing that we have had since the end of the Cold War has been done in a different manner than all the downsizing that has happened in

World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, where we have ended up with hollow armies, in particular.

I know, under the leadership in the Capitol on both sides and in the military and in the presidential administrations, there has been a determination not to let that happen again. I think the Army of today is a testament to the fact that even though it has been cut by over a third in the last 10 years, it is still the most powerful, the most well-led, well-trained, well-equipped army in the world today.

I think as we have traveled far and wide; Persian Gulf, Middle East, Kosovo, Bosnia, Korea, it is clear our troops are impressive. Foreign military leaders respect our Army like no other, and this is a testament to what's happened, I think, in the last 10 years. The job of the Under Secretary, as I see it, and if confirmed, I would intend to keep my eyes on the future. The role now is one of transforming the Army to meet the threats of the future, to meet the requirements of the future. It's a big job. I strongly endorse and commend Secretary Caldera and General Shinseki, and Secretary Cohen, for embarking on this transformation late in the game of an administration that's necessary. There needs to be much more discussion, articulation, and development of the idea and the plan in concert with the Congress in particular as we proceed.

I look forward to working on that with vigor and really taking the Army to the next level for the 21st Century. I think we can do it; I think we've got the people in place; I think we've got the will in place; and I look forward to trying to make that happen. [The prepared statement of Mr. Dahlberg follows:]

PREPARED STATEMENT BY GREGORY R. DAHLBERG

Mr. Chairman, Senator Levin, and distinguished members of this committee, I am deeply honored to appear before you today as the President's nominee to be Under Secretary of the Army.

As Minority Staff Director of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I have had the pleasure of working with members of your committee staff on occasion as well as attending meetings hosted by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where you, Mr. Chairman, and Senator Levin and Senator Thurmond have participated with great effect. I have long admired the professionalism and care with which the members of this committee and its staff have carried out the nation's business. The country has benefited greatly from this.

Mr. Chairman, I thought I would briefly impart to you and to the committee my overall impressions of today's Army-how it performs; and what, in my view, needs to be emphasized for the future.

My first impressions of the United States Army come from my father who served in World War II. He was a classic example of the kind of men and women described so well in Tom Brokaw's book, The Greatest Generation. He was a poor kid from Minneapolis, Minnesota, used to hard knocks from the Great Depression. After completing high school he did his duty and ended up fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. Later, my mother tells me he was one of the first American soldiers to enter the Bergen-Belsen death camp, although he never told us kids about it. After the war, the Gl Bill financed his college education and a new life. Although he rarely talked about his war experiences, we always knew he was proud of his Army service, and deeply proud of his country. I would like to think that some of that rubbed off on

me.

My impressions of today's Army are largely gathered from what I have seen over the last 6 years. During this time it has been my privilege to accompany Congressman Jack Murtha and other senior members of the House Appropriations Committee on many inspection trips to review our military forces and facilities around the world. I have talked to soldiers of nearly all ranks and in all services as they performed their duties at Ft. Hood, Ft. Benning, the National Training Center, Ft. Jackson, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and overseas in Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea, the

Persian Gulf, the Middle East, Japan, Turkey, Haiti, Colombia and many other places. In the course of these visits, I also have been fortunate to participate in discussions with a wide range of foreign military leaders, foreign heads of state, foreign government officials, U.S. diplomats, intelligence officials, military family members, and others.

These visits have left me with a simple, but very lasting impression about today's United States Army. That is, our US Army is clearly the best-trained, best led, bestmotivated, best-equipped, most respected and most powerful Army in the world today.

Our Army is impressive; not just to us, but to every military organization that comes into contact with it. I think it is safe to say that very few, if any, potential military adversaries in the world today have any desire to engage the US Army in a direct full scale conflict. It is a force that by its strength and power deters aggressive behavior.

Mr. Chairman, that to me is a real "peace dividend', and worth every penny of the investment we have made in it.

But the professional excellence of today's Army didn't happen overnight. It came with the commitment, dedication and sweat of a host of people within the military, the various presidential administrations, and on Capitol Hill, who demonstrated the determination to maintain a world class fighting force during the downsizing after the end of the Cold War.

It is a real tribute to all who were part of it, including the members of this committee, for showing the determination to avoid a repeat of America's military downsizing experiences that produced "hollow armies" after World War II, after the Korean War, and after Vietnam. The end result after the Cold War has been to cut the force by over one-third, without losing the muscle. To be sure, there have been many challenges associated with a downsizing of this magnitude, but the bottom line is that we have retained the most powerful fighting force in the world today. But this job is never done-if we rest on our accomplishments, we will surely lose ground. As I see it, the main job of the senior Army leadership, which I would hope to join, is to keep its eyes forward to ensure that the Army continues to improve on its shortcomings and continues to meet future threats.

I commend Secretary Caldera, General Shinseki, and Secretary Cohen for understanding this and beginning the process of transforming the Army to ensure its dominance well into the future. If confirmed, I look forward to joining this team and continuing the process of refining the transformation plan and fully engaging with Congress to achieve a plan that all can stand behind and strongly support.

If I am confirmed to be Under Secretary of the Army, this Committee can expect the following principles to guide me as we work on Army transformation and other important Army priorities:

(1) the first and most fundamental mission of the United States Army is to fight and win the nation's next war-it must always be a force capable of sustained, lethal combat;

(2) the power and effectiveness of the United States Army lies in the quality of its soldiers their spirit, their initiative, their training, their leadership, their moral fiber;

(3) we have a Total Army consisting of active and reserve components— both components must receive care and attention;

(4) the Army is first and foremost a "people" force requiring attention to military families and quality of life-"mission first, people always"; and

(5) Congress has a central role and possesses invaluable experience that should be taken full advantage of as we proceed with charting the Army's future course.

In short, Mr. Chairman, the wise maxim repeated often by Secretary William Perry: "take care of the soldiers and they will take care of you" makes a great deal of sense to me.

Last Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the guidance, friendship, and advice that I have greatly benefited from over these many years working for Congressman Jack Murtha. He deeply cares about the men and women in the armed forces and has a wide breadth of understanding of our military traditions. Presidents, national security advisors, defense secretaries, service secretaries, commanders in the field, and many others all seek his counsel on national security matters. I am greatly honored that he would take the time to introduce me before this committee.

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the chance to testify today. I thank you for your consideration and the committee's consideration of my nomination.

Senator LEVIN. Thank you, Mr. Dahlberg.

Senator Bingaman.

STATEMENT OF SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN

Senator BINGAMAN. Mr. Chairman, let me just make a short statement before I have to leave. I congratulate all the nominees and particular Madelyn Creedon for her new position. The Department's gain is our loss, clearly in this case, and I wish her well. This is a tough job she is taking on, and I know she knows that. I congratulate the other two nominees as well. I do have another hearing that I have to be at, but I am sure they will answer all questions extremely well. Thank you.

Senator LEVIN. Thank you, Senator Bingaman.
Secretary Rostker.

STATEMENT OF HON. BERNARD D. ROSTKER

Secretary ROSTKER. Mr. Chairman, I have a statement that I would ask to be placed in the record, and I would like to also summarize it.

Secretary ROSTKER. I truly am honored to come before you and the Committee as the President's nominee to be the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and I thank the President and Secretary Cohen for the trust and confidence they have shown in me.

If confirmed, I look forward to working with the Congress, Deputy Secretary Rudy DeLeon, and Secretary Cohen, as well as the civilian and military leadership of the Department to help the Department of Defense as we move into a new century and truly a new millennium.

As you noted, this is the fourth time that I have had the honor to come before this Committee, and I've always enjoyed the support and encouragement of the committee. I would just note that it was 20 years ago, exactly 20 years ago, that you and Senator Warner provided the support for the reinstatement of registration and the revitalization of the Selective Service System, and I had the honor to be the Director of Selective Service at the time.

I have known that all through the years you and the Chairman have been there as strong supporters for my efforts in support of the National defense; and I'd include in that, the additional duty that I have undertaken for the last 3 years as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses.

In the advance questions, the committee asked what the challenges are to be for the future, and I highlighted a number of areas that can only be met by the Department and the Committee working together. First, we clearly must continue to ensure that we are ready for all possible military actions any place in the world. Total force integration is truly the cornerstone of our readiness.

The truly remarkable performance of the Guard and Reserve Forces, not only during the Gulf War but since Desert Storm, has sustained our ability to effectively deploy our forces any place in the world. With all of the services, we have never been more integrated, and are not finished building a single, indivisible force of people in uniform, active and Reserves, as well as our civilian work force and those who support us in the private sector. Truly today when we go to war, we all go to war.