Before I provide my opening remarks, I ask that we remember our fallen service members across the Joint Force, who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They will always be remembered.
Chairman McConnell, Ranking Member Coons, esteemed members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the strength of your locally-based, globally-engaged National Guard.
I thank our 54 Adjutants General and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines – who is with me today - for their counsel.
Moreover, I want to thank you, Congress, for your support that underpins everything we do, ensuring a stronger and more secure tomorrow.
It is an honor to represent 435,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard. Today, nearly 44,000 Guardsmen are engaged worldwide—securing our homeland and supporting every Combatant Commander around the globe.
Your National Guard has had a remarkable year, defined by the scale and simultaneity of our operations. We are powered by our core advantage: the Citizen-Soldier. They combine the warrior ethos and civilian-acquired skills, creating an organization that is as innovative, as it is lethal a force that is community-based and engaged worldwide.
Defending the homeland is the Department of War’s number one priority. This is the National Guard’s foundational mission. Our dual mission—serving as the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force while also serving as a military first responder in domestic crises—This is a challenge we proudly accept.
Without hesitation, during Operations MIDNIGHT HAMMER and EPIC FURY, National Guard crews delivered decisive blows to Iran in lockstep with our Joint partners.
Your National Guard is an indispensable return on investment for America. We represent 20% of the Joint Force, yet we operate on less than 4% of the Department’s budget.
Our decisive capabilities are only possible if our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen train with modernized equipment, fully interoperable with the Joint Force. To sustain strategic dominance, we must modernize concurrently with our Services to aggressively out-pace and overmatch tomorrow’s threats with robust investments for today.
This year, I remain laser-focused on sharpening our warfighting edge, to increase our Guard’s readiness and bolster our capabilities and our core missions for Homeland, Warfighting, and Partnerships.
When we serve our citizens in a State Active Duty status // current policy sends those reimbursement funds back to the Treasury. We ask for your support in restoring those State Active Duty funds that get spent back to our readiness and back to our formations.
Our warfighters are our most critical asset, and to support their service we must enact duty status reform and compensate equal work with equal pay and benefits.
In closing, I want to again thank this committee for your unwavering support. Let us pray and continue to support our warfighters in harm’s way. Let us stand by them and their families and we are thankful for their service.
We will always keep our promise to our Nation and to our citizens to be Always Ready, Always There.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
CNGB SAC-D Testimony
Mr. Chairman [00:12:01] Thank you very much, General Gooden. I'm now turning to the panel, beginning with General Nordhus. And I'd like for each of you to limit your remarks to about three minutes. It would give us a maximum chance for Q&A. And General, would you like to lead off?
Nordhaus [00:12:21] Thank you, and before I provide my opening remarks, I ask that we remember our fallen service members across the Joint Force who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They will always be remembered. Chairman McConnell, ranking member Coons, esteemed members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the strength of your locally-based, globally-engaged National Guard. I thank our 54 Adjutants General and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, who is with me today, for their counsel. Moreover, I want to thank you, Congress, for your support that underpins everything we do, ensuring a stronger and more secure tomorrow. It's an honor to represent 435,000 soldiers and airmen of the National Guard. Today, nearly 44,000 guardsmen are engaged worldwide, securing our homeland and supporting every combat commander around the globe. Your National Guard has had a remarkable year defined by the scale and simultaneity of our operations. We are powered by our core advantage, the citizen-soldier. They combine the warrior ethos and civilian-acquired skills, creating an organization that is as innovative as it is lethal, a force that is community-based and engaged worldwide. Defending the homeland is the Department of War's number one priority. This is the National Guard's foundational mission, or dual mission, serving as the primary combat reserve of the Army and the Air Force, while also serving as a military first responder in domestic crises. This is a challenge we proudly accept. Without hesitation during Operation Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury, National Guard crews deliver decisive blows to Iran and lockstep with our joint force partners. Your National Guard is an indispensable return on investment for America. We represent 20% of the joint force, yet we operate on less than 4% of the department's budget. Our decisive capabilities are only possible if our citizens, soldiers, and airmen. Trained with modernized equipment, fully interoperable with the joint force. To sustain strategic dominance, we must modernize concurrently with our services to aggressively outpace and overmatch tomorrow's threats with robust investments for today. This year, I remain laser-focused on sharpening our warfighting edge to increase our guards' readiness and bolster our capabilities and our core missions for homeland warfighting and partnerships. When we serve our citizens in a state active duty status, current policy sends those reimbursement funds back to the treasury. We ask for your support in restoring those state active-duty funds that get spent back to our readiness and back to our formations. Our war fighters are our most critical asset and to support their service, we must enact duty status reform and compensate equal work with equal pay and benefits. In closing, I want to again thank this committee for your unwavering support. Let us pray and continue to support our war fighters in harm's way. Let us stand by them and their families, and we are thankful for their service. We will always keep our promise to our nation and to our citizens to be always ready and always there. Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Mr. Chairman [00:28:02] What are you doing to make sure the Guard and Reserve is best postured to adopt the lessons learned from Ukraine?
Nordhaus [00:30:23] Chairman, to start off with, just last month, I went down to Indiana at Camp Atterbury, where they're working with T-REX. And T-Rex stands for Technology Readiness Experimentation and Exercise. And so some of the drones that you've seen Admiral Cooper use over in Sancom have been built through that incredible partnership. I recently passed on the tag of Indiana to the tag North Dakota to make sure that they're taking a look at how we're doing that and how we are testing and bringing that capability to the next level. The National Guard is incredible at building innovative individuals and new capabilities, and we look forward to working with the department, the joint staff, GIATA 401, and the Joint Interagency Task Force on how to get to the next level of drones. UAS's encounter UAS systems.
Nordhaus [00:39:18] Thanks, Ranking Member Coons. Senator, the C-130 is just a great aircraft all the way across the board for moving tactical airlift and things across not only the battlefield but across the homeland in response. The C-130J adds another pallet position, enabling it to extend range and carry equipment, people, and capabilities to where they need to go. So we appreciate the incredible funding of the C-130s from Congress. We have MOB-12 that we will push out shortly. So there's three units left with the H models and then Arkansas, which has the training and then the LCs up in New York. So we appreciated Congress's support on the C130s.
Coons [00:42:22] Mr. Chairman, if I could ask General Nordhaus to answer the question as well, then we'll move on.
Nordhaus [00:42:27] I'm Senator Coons. As we work with the training that we do across the border statutory requirements, we continue to get after that across the 54. We are seeking reimbursement from the Department of War, and they're working with MOUs with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. So we continue work to get after our training and make sure that our soldiers and airmen are always ready and always there. And we'll continue to work with the department on those reimbursements.
Coons [00:42:54] I look forward to hearing back from you about those reimbursements. I think it's important that you have the equipment, the training, the resources you need to carry out your core mission and that there be reimbursement for unexpected and additional missions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hoeven [00:43:11] Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to all of you for being here and for the incredible work that you and all the members of our Department of War are doing. It's unbelievable. We're behind you 100 percent, and we appreciate you so much. All of you. General Nordhaus, two quick items right off the top. One is we've got an air guard unit now that actually works in the missile fields with the Monroe Air Force Base, security police, great operation, ongoing. Working with the active duty on a full-time basis. Incredible example of how you guys are in the fight every day. Want to commend you on that and emphasize it. And the other is our Jamestown readiness, our Jametown facility for the 817th Combat Engineers. They've been operating out of the Civic Center there for a long time. A facility for them has to be a priority. They're often deployed unit, you know that. Just want to hear your thoughts as far as supporting that.
Nordhaus [00:44:06] All right. Senator Hoeven, thank you for the question and for the support. It's my understanding it's currently in design. Expected 35% designed by August, and we'll continue to work with Congress and with the Army National Guard on funding it.
Hoeven [00:44:22] Thank you, sir. You referenced the T-REX program, and as you know, our Army Guard base, Camp Graft in North Dakota, is a T-Rex site, and we're looking forward to exercises there in August. We've already emphasized the importance of drone warfare. We have been at all things UAS and counter-UAS now in our state for over 20 years. And so talk to me about what can be accomplished at that T-rex site, then I'm going to ask our reserve members the same thing. Because this is a DoD designation and this drone effort is DoD-wide, or Department of War-wide. So, your thoughts and the other members' thoughts on what can be accomplished with these T-Rex sites for drones and counter-drones.
Nordhaus [00:45:05] Thanks, Senator. When I went to Atterbury, I got to see and talk with 15 people from industry as they integrate each of the pieces and parts and capabilities into drones, along with about 100 of our guardsmen who are bringing the capabilities and understanding the impacts from the Ukraine conflict and then across the board for counter-UAS and UAS systems. So each of the defense industrial-based experts, day. Really appreciated how this T-Rex is going because they can fail fast, they can then go back, make adjustments to whatever their system is and then integrate it with all the other players to make sure those drones or drone systems are top of the notch. So our Department of Defense can take a look at what capabilities they bring and then buy the right systems, best in breed.
Hoeven [00:45:56] Thank you, sir. Let's go to the Corps and then just down the line. What can we do on these T-Rex sites for the Corps?
Baldwin [00:51:13] Thank you. My next question is for you, General Nordhaus. Given that members of the National Guard do not receive full and premium-free TRICARE benefits, like their active duty counterparts, guardsmen can struggle to pay for medical care necessary to keep themselves ready for combat. Can you describe some of the medical readiness challenges that are faced by the National Guard. And how that impacts your ability to deploy.
Nordhaus [00:51:48] Senator Baldwin, thanks for the question. All of our National Guardsmen, all 435,000, are ready to go. Always ready, always there means something. And so, as we look at their medical care, as traditional soldiers and airmen, they don't get, you know, that full-time tricare. And so what we see is that probably the largest section of readiness comes in dental health. And so, when we send soldiers to an MFGI MOB station, they don't return. Or get returned to the unit because they're not ready, or they're trained, is because they are not dental ready, right? And so dental readiness is readiness for our National Guard. And so I think that's very critical. As we look across all of our healthcare, look forward to working with Congress on incremental approaches to this so that all of members can have the healthcare they need to be always ready and always there.
Baldwin [00:52:39] Thank you. Given how much our military relies on our guardsmen and reservists for operations, it seems clear that we need to take further action to get the reserve component better access to health insurance and health care. What can Congress do to help? And do you think it would improve readiness to expand TRICARE access, including dental, to the reserve components?
Nordhaus [00:53:07] Any healthcare is great for the National Guard. We look forward to working with Congress, but I'd also like to open it up to the other reserve chiefs.
Capito [00:57:43] Thank you. Thank you for recounting that story, because if you hadn’t, I was going to remind you of that. Thank You. So General Nordhaus, thank you for your visit and our exchange in my office just recently. There's been a lot of talk about drone warfare and there's the Admiral talked a little bit about, well all of you did, about the innovation that comes from the war fighter, the ones that are in the theater and there is a lot of soldier-inspired innovation that goes on that they bring from their own maybe jobs that they have outside of the reserves. And I would say the Ridge Runner Irregular Warfare Exercise Laboratory, which is hosted by our West Virginia National Guard, provides some of that. General, how is the National Guard harnessing that innovation from citizen soldiers to address the new age of warfare? Could you give us a couple of examples?
Nordhaus [00:58:35] Senator Capito, thank you also for highlighting our soldier and airmen. As we look at Ridge Runner, I'll be there tomorrow, so I'm excited to see that. As we looked at innovation, our guardsmen work out an industry and they bring all that innovation and technology on the cyber side. They bring those skill sets. As we'll look at taking innovation out at the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Test Center. They take innovation and are taking the Ingrid dollars that we get and are getting 80% of the capabilities at 20% of that cost, because they're innovating those tools and systems in as we go across. I do appreciate the discussion on the UASs, and one of the things that we continue to do is innovate with how we can protect and defend our bases. On the National Guard, Air National Guard, and Army National Guard side, we're often operating in a Title 32 status. Which doesn't have the same protection and benefits as Title X. So we look forward to working with Congress on those authorities so that when we're operating for counter UAS within our defenses also that we have the right authorities.
Capito [00:59:44] Thank you, thank you all very much.
Mr. Chairman [00:59:48] Okay, Senator Sheehan, followed by Moran, Bozeman, and Murkowski.
Shaheen [01:00:00] Presenting our National Guard, which are the men and women of the Guard are critical not just to the national security of this country, but to our individual states, and all of us appreciate that. So thank you. And let me start by agreeing with Senators McConnell and Coons and their comments about Ukraine. I hope we are doing everything possible to learn from what is happening in the war in Ukraine and how it's affecting the future of war. I also, General Nordhaus, appreciated your comments about dental care. I don't know why the policies of the government and sadly my home state of New Hampshire have failed to recognize that the mouth is part of our health care and it should be treated as such. General Nordhouse, thank you for visiting New Hampshire. It's the home of the 157th Air Refueling Wing and as. I'm sure you were told often when you were there, it's the only KC-46 wing in the country to reach initial operating capacity. And you won't be surprised to learn that I am concerned about the logistic composite model study at Pease and ultimately I understand that that study has revealed that the wing needs more maintenance billets than are currently there permanently. I understand the General Peer Act. Had a very good meeting with our TAG, and he talked about the importance of maintaining the temporary billlets until they can become permanent. But can I get your commitment that the 157th is gonna receive those maintenance billet supports that they need as determined by General Perak and the LCOM study?
Nordhaus [01:01:49] Senator Shaheen, first off, thank you for the visit. Last year, I planned on visiting and flying the KC-46 just prior to Epic Fury, but that's been delayed; I'll be up there to fly the KC-46. I have spoken with Jerome Michelades and Jerome Pirak over the last day to make sure that this is going in the right direction. I know that the LCOM study added 10 positions, so we will make sure those go in. We're also added the 29 temporary AGRs to make sure that we're moving in the right direction. But we're also continuing that work with the Air Force and KC-46s as a whole as that platform is so capable and credible going forward. We do also appreciate that what's authorized on the AGR's because that full-time resource is so critical that it's also appropriated as well so that we can have those AGR so that we can push not only at the 157th, but across the National Guard, both Army and Air, AGR and our full-time resources are critical because they build the readiness for our guardsmen to come in on the, not only the weekends, but when they come in on their drill status to be always ready and always there.
Shaheen [01:03:01] Well, thank you, and thank you for helping to make that argument, which the subcommittee will have to take up when we get to that point in the appropriations process. I also want to ask you about the remote vision system, which we know has been an ongoing problem with the KC-46. What we're hearing is that Boeing hopes to integrate the revised RVS 2.0 system into the new builds beginning in 2027. But they don't have a timeline for retrofitting KC-46s that are already in service. So can you talk about your understanding with respect to that? And do you expect to advocate for that? And perhaps General Healy might wanna weigh in on that as well.
Nordhaus [01:03:49] Senator, so I've flown the F-16 for 23 years and the F35 for a little bit of time, and air refueling is the most critical thing. And you're seeing it play out in Epic Fury, where the National Guard has a very large percentage of tankers, both KC-135s and the KC46 over there, and so we have to be able to do that back and forth. So certainly I'll be very focused with the Air Force and working with General Healy to make sure the systems that come on board that we can have the best. Systems capable for our airmen that are out there flying those mission sets, and I've never completed a combat mission without refueling either before, after, or both.
Shaheen [01:04:30] And so again, I know that Boeing's talking about getting the new remote vision systems into the planes after 27, but how are you talking to them about what's gonna happen with those already in service? Modernization of that force needs to take place quickly. And I'm asking you, General Nordhaus, about recapitalization plans. Particularly for our air guard, National Guard refueling wings.
Nordhaus [01:06:30] Senator Moran, thanks for the question. As we look at the National Guard, we're in the fight every day. And so when we look what we're doing over in Epic Fury, we are 30% of the operational air force and we're over 30% over in epic fury right now. So critical capability, like you said, that we need for our nation and for our joint force. We know that we have MOBE 9 getting ready to go out for all the KC 135. Wings to be able to apply for the next KC-46 fielding. As you know, that process is run through the Air Force corporate process. It's transparent, repeatable, and defendable, and we'll make sure that all wings compete fairly for that. And we look forward to MOB 9 being pushed out when those planes come on board. What's the time frame you expect, General? I don't have the exact timeframe right now, but I believe it's in the 2030 to early 2030s. But we need to modernize the rest of the fleet as well. So 14 of our 17 KC-135 wings are flying those KC135s and they were built in the 60s and the 70s. And so they need to be modernized as well
Moran [01:07:47] General, this sounds like an aside. It's more than an aside, when I learned of the difficulties that tankers were having in theater a few weeks ago, I immediately thought of Kansas and Kansas families, both guard and active duty. And I would just highlight for you all, I had insufficient capability at that time to learn. About what planes and what units and whether the National Guard or the state of Kansas was involved in those accidents. And I couldn't get an answer either in state or in Washington, D.C. And I think that's an error that needs to be corrected for the future. There was just no information for days. And I learned finally mostly from the public press as to what units and National Guard. Members were involved. I'd just welcome your help in making certain that in the case of Epic Fury and future engagements that we have the capability of learning what's going on for the information of family members back home.
Nordhaus [01:08:59] Absolutely Senator, we'll take that on and as each week right now I'm currently speaking with all 54 adjutants generals every Monday and Thursday and so we'll continue to work that and make sure that we get timely information to you.
Moran [01:09:11] Thank you very much. I'm getting interested again and engaging in this issue of duty status reform. I'd welcome any support that you'd like to make this morning for our efforts to address this issue. How can this process be streamlined to provide guard and reserve with the efficacy it needs and response and missions? And how do we make sure that our guard members and their families know what they're entitled to, under what status.
Nordhaus [01:09:44] Senator, I'm going to speak very quickly because I know my other reserve chiefs are very focused on this as well, but duty status reform is critical. It simplifies over 30 statuses down to nine and then into four categories. It helps guarantee parity with equal pay and benefits for service members serving side by side. It speeds mobility. It increases National Guard readiness and reduces air, and then it creates less frustration for our service members and their families and it provides the health care that they need on time.
Healy [01:10:16] Sir, I just added onto it. This is clearly and simply a retention issue. Make it easy for our members to serve. We've been working and looking at duty status reforms since I was a Lieutenant Colonel. So that's 20 years we've been looking at this. We finally got some options and opportunities coming up through the House side. So we gladly welcome anything on the Senate side to coordinate with that.
Moran [01:10:37] We intend to lead on this issue and would inform my colleagues of the value of their support and we welcome their input on how best we can write legislation that gets duty reform accomplished. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman [01:10:53] I can show them around, show them both.
Bozeman [01:10:57] Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Senator Coons, for having this important hearing and we appreciate you all so very much and your service to our country. I also would echo Senator Moran's concern about duty status reform. I've visited with several of you about this and know how important it is. General Nordhaus, Congress funded the National Guard to purchase gray eagles and fiscal year 23 and 26. We understand these platforms are still pending a basing decision. Can you explain the tactical advantage of the National Guard having the UAIS program?
Nordhaus [01:11:42] Thanks, Senator Bozeman, and it was a pleasure visiting Ebbingfield in Arkansas about a week ago. You have a terrific adjutant general in general, Chad Bridges. Thank you to Congress for three sets of great eagles. The first one has been identified to be bedded down in Arizona. There are two units to be stationed. As we look at the National Guard, the Army National Guard out of the Army's 18 divisions, eight of those divisions are in the Army National Guard. And so we need to be interoperable, plug and play. And so as those divisions go down range to plug back in for a division that's coming out, it needs to have those ISR platforms. And so the Gray Eagle provides one of those platforms, platform agnostic though. And so ISR capability, like we're seeing being used over in Iran right now in the MQ-9, is critical to the war fight. And so it's critical to our divisions that, our divisions are. Plug and play into the Army other divisions.
Hoeven [01:12:44] Very good. Do you have any idea when the basing decision will be made?
Nordhaus [01:12:49] I don't have a specific, we'll have to get back to you, but it'll be in the, hopefully in the coming year.
Bozeman [01:16:15] General Nordhaus, can you very quickly, we talked about this in the office, the importance of the state partnership program. Can you explain very quickly the importance of funding the partnership program?
Nordhaus [01:16:29] Senator Bozeman, thank you very much. So the National Guard has 116 partnerships globally. It started in 1993 with 13, and now we're at 116 around the globe. The combat commanders love it for the capability that it provides. The nations that we partner with love it because it's building partner capacity. It's building burden sharing. We learn as much from them as they do from us. And as we continue to grow this program, we need the supporting funding so that we can have the bilateral affairs officers, we can do key leader engagement and we can continue the robust exercises and partnerships with the nations globally.
Murkowski [01:17:13] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Gentlemen, thank you for being here. Thank you for your leadership. I want to start off my questioning focused on the combat search and rescue and personnel recovery. I think we all recognize that this is an essential capability that has to be maintained. And it's also one of these niche areas where pretty amazing what we see in this capacity. It was reported in the FY27 Program Objective Memorandum that cuts to the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Enterprise, particularly the planned elimination of the HC-130J Combat King II fleet, were proposed. I have received a commitment in person from General Wilsbach that he will not cut the HC 130Js. The budget appears to reflect that. But in fairness, the fact that it was even up for consideration was concerning. So, General Nordhaus, the National Guard has, of course, rescue components in Alaska, but also in Kentucky, Oregon, New York, California, and General Healy. The Air Force Reserve has these rescue components in Oregon, Arizona, and Florida. I am assuming that you would agree that cuts to these missions would, would. Severely impair our, not only our operational abilities, but I'm worried about the signals that it would send to our forces if we were to make these cuts, and I just would like some reinforcement from the two of you this morning as to the imperative for the combat search and rescue mission.
Nordhaus [01:19:04] Senator Murkowski, it is a pleasure to visit clear Eielson and Jaber over the last 18 months. Thank you. I know the criticality of the search and rescue mission as a previous CFAC, where you're looking at airmen hundreds of miles off the coast of Alaska to intercept adversary aircraft or to be able to search and rescue, or what we just saw was an epic fury where we had to go in and retrieve. Two down airmen, search and rescue aircraft are critical. Gerald Wilsbach and I are close. We're both committed on the C-130 rescue up in Alaska, and there's no plan in the president's budget to divest.
Murkowski [01:20:11] Very good, thank you, gentlemen. I want to ask about the costs that are being incurred in the ongoing operation Epic Fury. We anticipate seeing a relatively large supplemental coming before us. And so trying to understand what it is that is being incurred, in terms of the costs. I think, General Nordhaus, you just mentioned that perhaps that the Guard and the Reserve are 30 percent of the capability in Operation Epic Fury currently.
Nordhaus [01:20:52] Is that correct? On the Air National Guard side, as far as the air component, the Air National Guard is at least over 30% of those forces.
Murkowski [01:21:01] So let me ask you that, because that is considerable in terms of the Air Guard's contribution. I don't know if it's possible for you all, each of you, to share with the committee your component's contribution to Operation Epic Fury and the cost for engagement to date. My interest in this is... I want to make sure that the cost will be fully captured in the supplemental request because I worry that some of it may be absorbed into the baseline budget in ways that could degrade your readiness for years to come. So, General Nordhaus, if you want to start with that.
Nordhaus [01:21:52] Thanks, Senator. And I'll also say our Army National Guard is doing amazing work over there as well. So we are capturing that data right now, and we're pulling that in. We're working with the Department of War, and will provide the data and funding to the committee as appropriate.
Murkowski [01:22:09] Do you share my concern that some of this may be absorbed into the baseline? I just want us to know what it is that we should be looking for here.
Nordhaus [01:22:21] Senator, I don't have specifics on that, but certainly all of our aircraft and army formations and guardsmen downrange, as we bring that equipment back, we need to make sure we capture all the costs so that we can build that readiness back up and rebuild the military as we continue to do.
Murkowski [01:22:39] Fair enough, I appreciate that, and we'll look forward to further information, but I truly appreciate the efforts of all of our services in this operation as we're moving forward, so thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman [01:22:58] I'm going to skip a possible next round and turn to my colleagues in advance.
Coons [01:23:03] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one quick concluding question for me, if I might, and then an observation. On the state partnership program, which Senator Bozeman also asked, we added $26 million above the president's budget request last year to improve training and exercise and expand these partnerships. General Nordhaus, I think if I heard you right, from 13, today there's 116, we've heard from several combatant commanders in our recent. Hearings just how much they value them. Can we work together in the year ahead to expand their scope, their reach, and their striking cost-effectiveness?
Nordhaus [01:23:44] Ranking member Coons, Senator, absolutely, and what we see is we today, another partner will go out to the 54 to possibly to partner with, and we'll go through our normal process. But as we look to each of the combat commands is just incredible capability. 60% of the globe is partnered with the state at less than 1% of that theater security cooperation budget. It's a force exponential that our Countries, every country I meet with, they go on and on about it. When I was over in Finland, Sweden, and Norway with the adjutant generals from each of those, you could see the immense amount of pride and connectivity. One of the chiefs of defense said that they had been partnered with one of our states, not officially through a state partnership program for 50 years, but in the last three years where they were partnered, it was game-changing was his term. About how it helped them with their capability. And we're learning from their military readiness and ours how we're growing together.
Coons [01:24:52] Outside of my state's 30-year partnership with Trinidad and Tobago, the very first time I was really educated on it was in Ukraine in 2016. I got to visit with the then-new leader of the Ukrainian National Guard, and as they were transitioning from a Soviet Warsaw Pact-style military to a more NATO-style military, the routine deployments, training, and joint exercises. That emphasize not just military doctrine, but also civilian control of the military, transparency and accountability, anti-corruption efforts, local investments. The leaders I met with who were Ukrainian, Ukrainian military leaders, said that their partnership with guardsmen from California over the years had made a transformational difference. I've since seen and heard the same thing in Latvia, in Lithuania, in Nigeria, in Djibouti, I mean, in a dozen places around the world. Let me just close with an observation you made at the outset. 20% of the joint force, 4% of budget. I think you said, General, 30% for three. Unbelievable value for the dollar and reinforcing the values that founded us as a republic. You do incredible things with very modest amounts of money. The least we could do is to honor that service and sacrifice by investing you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for letting me go on a few more minutes. And thank you for your service.
Mr. Chairman [01:26:17] Thank you, Senator Coons. I want to thank all of our witnesses. Thank you for your service and your testimony today. Members of the subcommittee will have a week to submit additional questions for the record. Senators may submit additional written questions and we ask each of you if you get some of those to respond within 30 days of receiving them. Subcommittee now stands in recess, subject to call of the chair.