Manchin Questions Army, Navy, Air Force Under Secretaries on Military Recruitment Efforts

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, questioned witnesses on ongoing military recruitment strategies and the steps West Virginia and Appalachia can take to support the efforts. The witnesses were the Honorable Gabriel Camarillo, Under Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Erik Raven, Under Secretary of the Navy, and the Honorable Kristyn Jones, Performing the Duties of Under Secretary of the Air Force.

 

“I come from the state of West Virginia and we have a high percentage of people who serve in the military. On the Vietnam Wall, we have more names per capita than any other state…We are ready to answer the call for our country,” Senator Manchin said in part. “I understand that for recruiting numbers, the Marines are the only ones hitting their target…Appalachia has been a fertile ground for the military, all 13 Appalachian states. What can we do to help? If it’s education, if it’s ROTC, what is the greatest thing we can do to help you?”