John M. McHugh

“One only has to look at the performance of the economy to understand how it shapes the perspective of America's youth about military service.”

“Unlike then, the mail stream of today has diminished by such things as e-mails and faxes and cell phones and text messages, largely electronic means of communication that replace mail.”

“With nearly all students leaving public high school having taken some vocational education, this bill continues to provide communities with the funding necessary to give students an edge on career training.”

“We have closely monitored the ups and downs of recruiting and retention trends for many years and have been quick to sound the alarm when challenges came into view.”

“We also very importantly recommend continued growth in the Army and the Marine Corps end strength.”

“We have already seen evidence that, notwithstanding the addition of substantial resources, we are experiencing great stress in recruiting and not inconsequential retention problems.”

“Throughout the history of our young nation, we have seen our military go bravely into battle, armed with courage and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.”

“We are particularly interested in the mental health programs and policies that support our troops and their families before, during, and after deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“As one of the voices of rural New Yorkers in Congress, I am committed to supporting efforts such as these that will make a real impact in people's lives.”