I want them to comment on the manpower, personnel, and cost implications of these recommendations, and most importantly, I've asked the services to study the impact that the panel's recommendations would have on force readiness and effectiveness. Before you hear from Senator Kassebaum, I indeed want to express my deep and sincere appreciation to her. We have served many years together on Capitol Hill in the Senate, and she certainly was one of the most respected members in the Senate, remains one today, and is an effective voice in many different areas. I also want to express my deep appreciation to all the panel members and the supporting staff. It's clear from the panel's report that Senator Kassebaum shares my determination to make sure that military training is fair, demanding, and effective.
Good training makes for a strong force.
Senator Kassebaum also shares my conviction that women are critical to today's military. Before turning to Senator Kassebaum, I'd like to entertain any questions, briefly, that you might have. Mr. Secretary, you called this a good report. First of all, I indicated it is a good report. It does reflect the hard work that these distinguished panel members have put into this process.