I see it firsthand on the ships, squadrons, and bases I visit. It is a tremendous privilege to lead these men and women. And, I truly enjoy visiting our troops and telling of their remarkable accomplishments to audiences around the world. Running the Navy family also means that we must address the full range of personnel issues. As I briefed the Committee earlier this month, the Navy Department certainly has sailed some choppy seas in this particular arena.
Gender relations are a good example.
While we are out front on identifying and addressing the issues, there are still some rough spots. Together with this Committee, I am intimately involved in the delicate balance between operational requirements, quality of life for our people, and fiscal constraints. It is a difficult problem and one which has no easy solution. The quarterly reports on the number of steaming days and flying hours I receive give some sense of how ready we are. We must ensure that the emphasis on the moral aspects of our people remains strong and clear throughout the Navy Department.