For those who leave the force due to the restructuring, the reserve transition program will ensure that they are treated fairly and with respect for their service. I am committed to making only those reductions and adjustments to our reserve forces that will balance our priorities of ensuring mission readiness and taking care of our people. The forces being restructured now will be prepared to conduct a broad range of missions, including many new ones, as the United States moves into the 21st century. This six-month cruise is a routine deployment scheduled several months in advance. The crews have spent the past 18 months training and preparing for the deployment.
Training allows the crew to gain proficiency in ship operations, ensuring operational readiness.
The training also involves numerous certifications, exercises and inspections in supply, personnel administration, navigation, engineering and combat systems. This comprehensive, congressionally-directed survey effort is designed to learn how beneficiaries view their health, as well as their use, access to and satisfaction with health care services. This survey, the third of its kind, will promote the comparison of DOD healthcare and the health of its beneficiaries to national yardsticks of health status and satisfaction. With further iterations, DOD will be able to follow the trends of key statistics as part of a comprehensive effort to improve the delivery of care. Individuals have been selected at random to voluntarily participate in one of two studies.