The Future of National Defense and the United States Military Ten Years After 9/11: Perspectives of Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey

This hearing is part of our ongoing series to evaluate lessons learned since 9/11, and to apply those lessons to decisions we will soon be making about the future of our Force. As our series draws to a close, we have received perspectives of former military leaders from each of the Services, former chairmen of the Armed Services Committee, as well as outside experts. Today we will change direction as we look to the viewpoints of our sitting Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As I continue to emphasize our successes in the Global War on Terror and in Iraq and Afghanistan, we appear to be lulling our Nation into a false confidence of a September 10th mindset. Too many appear to believe that we can maintain a solid defense that is driven by budget choices, not strategic ones.