CHAIRMAN HUNTER OPENING STATEMENT

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HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

DUNCAN HUNTER – CHAIRMAN

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Josh Holly (202) 225-2539

June 21, 2005

CHAIRMAN HUNTER OPENING STATEMENT

Full Committee Hearing on the Status of United States Marine Corps HMMWV

Underbody Armor Kits in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Washington, D.C. -- This morning the committee continues its review of the status of Marine

Corps tactical vehicle armoring. Specifically, we will receive testimony on Headquarters Marine

Corps’ and Marine Corps Systems Command’s actions to fulfill urgent force protection needs

identified by our Marines serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, in the fielding of HMMWV

underbody armor protection kits.

I would like to welcome back two distinguished officers, representing the United States

Marine Corps: General William L. Nyland, Assistant Commandant, and Major General (select)

William D. Catto. Gentlemen, thank you for your service to the nation. It is good to see you again.

When, in order to provide for a more secure America, this nation sends its young men and

women into harm’s way, the Members of this committee are entrusted by the American people to

provide those young men and women the necessary systems and equipment so they can be

successful in accomplishing their mission at anytime, anywhere in the world, and return home

safely. In meeting our responsibilities, this committee and Congress must continue to exercise the

required oversight of Department of Defense and the military services acquisition activities to make

sure that what we all agree needs to be provided to our service men and women, is not only in fact

being provided to them, but is done so in a timely manner.

Early in the global war on terrorism, this committee established force protection and

specifically the adequacy of tactical wheeled vehicle protection as a major area of interest, concern

and high priority. This is our second hearing on this issue in less than two months.

The terrorists in Iraq continue to adapt to our tactics and force protection initiatives and

continue to use deadly improvised explosive devices to attack our troops – averaging about 30

attacks a day. Until we have a better solution, adding armor to our military vehicles in theater must

be expeditiously accomplished to protect our personnel from this continuously evolving threat.

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We’re here today to discuss the Marine Corps acquisition system’s actions in meeting the

urgent need to fulfill add-on armor requirements for tactical vehicles in Iraq – specifically HMMWV

underbody armor protection kits.

In February our staff met with senior Office of the Secretary of Defense officials and the

Marine Corps regarding a substantive technical proposal for tactical vehicle underbody armor put

forth by a Gunny Sergeant serving in Iraq. In April, after no action resulted from that meeting, I met

with General Nyland to discuss the continuing threat to Marines in Iraq from mines and IEDs. We

agreed that the availability of steel in Kuwait could be used to satisfy the urgent need to fabricate

and field 650 HMMWV underbody armor kits to the II Marine Expeditionary Force Forward. We

met on April 21, 2005. The contract for the underbody armor kit was signed yesterday. I

understand that deliveries of the underbody armor kits will begin in three weeks and “the job will be

completed in eight weeks.”

So, the question is, given the availability of the material necessary to meet the armoring

requirement, on-hand in Kuwait in April, is four months a realistic time-frame in satisfying the

requirement? We don’t think it is. This hearing is not about the incredible commitment and

professionalism being demonstrated by our Marines on a daily basis in Iraq. This hearing is about

instilling the same sense of urgency, commitment and professionalism back here in Washington

within our acquisition community as our Marines demonstrate everyday in Iraq.

I know the Marine Corps is capable of moving out and getting a job done when it makes up

its mind to do so. Before the deployment of the First Marine Expeditionary Force to Iraq, the Corps

outfitted over three thousand vehicles with first generation armor within three months. That is what

I view as the standard of performance the Corps has established and we applaud the Corps on that

effort.

This is why we find it perplexing that it should take at least four months to begin fielding 650

underbody armor kits when the material was in theater to begin with. With lives on the line

everyday in Iraq, there is no reason for less than a daily, all out effort here at home to provide the

force protection required for our men and women in Iraq.

General Nyland, General Catto, we look forward to hearing your assessment of the

underbody armor kit situation and any suggestions you may have for enhancing the acquisition

process – particularly the timeliness of meeting requirements. Our troops deserve nothing less.

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