Mr. Welch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for conducting this hearing.
There are, I think, two issues. One is the treatment of the family of the fallen soldier. My impression and experience here so far in Congress is that the military takes very, very seriously its obligation to the soldier and to the family members to try to provide them with as much information as possible, understanding the desperate need that a mom and a dad have, a brother and a sister, to know as much as they possibly can about the circumstances of their loved one's death. And we have been through that here with you, and I don't think I will go onto that enormously.
I think there is a second issue that has been raised, and it is whether the pressure on the administration to give good news versus bad news about its initial decision to go to war at times causes the information to be emphasizing the good instead of the bad, and, at its worst, to actually distort what the facts are.
What is significant about this war, in contrast to any other in our history, is that the sacrifice associated with the war has been borne entirely by the men and women and their families of an all-volunteer military. It is the first war where we have had multiple tax cuts. It is the first war where we have paid for it by going off budget. It is the first significant war where it has been an all-volunteer force, and there has been no draft requiring middle-class or well-to-do families to be part of it, whether they wished to or not.
And the question I have, and I am going to direct this initially to General Myers, is this. General, in contrast to Vietnam, which was a war that was going on when I was in college, every time there was a fallen soldier whose remains were returned to Burlington, VT, or Springfield, MA, or Chico, CA, the local press was there. It was a solemn occasion. It was sad, but it was real. And it conveyed to that local community the awesome price that this war was inflicting on the lives of their neighbors.
It is my understanding that the Pentagon policy in this war is to deny access to the press upon the return, the official return of the soldier's remains. And can you advise me whether I am correct on that?
General Myers. My understanding is that the policy for the folks returning through Dover, that there is no press there. It is a policy in respect for the families. Other than that, you are absolutely right. And I think, by the way, that is appropriate. I don't think it is appropriate to hide the fact that the men and women in this country are dying in the defense of this country. And we should never do that, because people need to understand the sacrifice. And as you pointed, out too few people understand that.
I might just add it is not the military; there are Ambassadors, foreign service officers, a lot of American civilians and third-country nationals that share this risk with us in Afghanistan and are killed, as well in Iraq.
Mr. Welch. This policy was changed. In the past the press has been allowed to document the arrival of our returning fallen soldiers. Correct?
General Myers. I can't tell you. I do not recall if it was changed.
Mr. Welch. I mean you are my age or older.
General Myers. Right. Yeah. It must have been somewhere along the line, if you recall it that way. I was overseas for most of the sixties when Vietnam was going on and part of that process, so I don't remember what was happening back home frankly.
Mr. Welch. Secretary Rumsfeld, could I ask you to comment? What would be the rationale for the Pentagon denying access to a respectful press to document the return of the remains of a fallen soldier?
Mr. Rumsfeld. I think you would have to ask the Department of Defense Public Affairs people, but my recollection is the same as General Myers'; that the policy at Dover is that the press does not cover that arrival, but that it is up -- I thought it was up to the families to determine the extent to which the press would or would not be involved in the actual memorial services or burial services, and that -- it leaves it to the families to make those decisions.
Mr. Welch. But the official return in the custody of military personnel of a casket --
Mr. Rumsfeld. They remain in the custody of the military personnel until they reach the family.
Mr. Welch. But it is different the way this is handled in this war, Iraq and Afghanistan, than it was, for instance, in Vietnam.
Mr. Rumsfeld. I don't know that. I accept your comment but I just --
Mr. Welch. General Abizaid.
General Abizaid. Sir, I don't know what the policies are on returning soldiers. I do know that since I have been retired, the press certainly covers those services that take place in northern Nevada and eastern California, and they always do so in a most respectful way.
Mr. Welch. And the soldiers when they return initially, they arrive at Dover?
General Abizaid. Most remains go through Dover, yes, sir.
Mr. Welch. And no press is allowed to document their return?
General Abizaid. I don't know. I think it would be best for me not to answer. I don't know.
Mr. Welch. All right. I waive the balance of my time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Lynch [presiding]. The gentleman yields. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Idaho.