 Chairman Rowe, Senator Tester, and members of committees. It's an honor to appear before you today, together with the membership and leadership of DAV. My name is Dave Riley. I'm a veteran of both the Army and the Coast Guard, where I served as a helicopter rescue swimmer. In 1997, while taking a rare vacation with my family, I started feeling extremely ill and quickly lapsed into a coma. When I awoke nearly a month later, I was devastated to find both my arms and legs had been amputated as a result of a devastating infection. As I lay in my hospital bed, I felt despair. I couldn't imagine how the rest of my life would have any value or happiness. But one of the first visitors to my bedside was a DAV service officer. He not only helped me file for my VA health care and benefits, but welcomed me into a community of fellow veterans who, like me, had been far more normal. Thanks to the love of my wife and family, the support of my fellow Coast Guardsmen, and the services of DAV, I began my long road to recovery. Mr. Chairman, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of World War I. Over the past century, 625,000 Americans sacrificed their lives defending our country, and another 1.2 million were wounded in combat. And millions more have had their lives forever changed with permanent disabilities. It was for these people that the DAV was formed after World War I to ensure that our nation keeps the promises of all those who wear the uniform. Foremost among these promises is access to high quality health care. As someone who relies on the VA health care system, I have seen its strengths and weaknesses. But despite the existing problems and the need for reform, I know that the VA is an essential resource that millions of veterans, particularly disabled veterans, choose and rely on. Since the waiting list scandal of 2014, a national debate has taken place about how to reform the VA. By the end of 2016, virtually all major stakeholders had agreed to a common long-term solution. Rather than just giving a veteran a choice card, the real solution is to create an integrated network of both VA and community providers to ensure that veterans have access to care whenever and wherever they need it. However, despite this agreement, there are still some promoting an unrealistic vision of choice. They say choice will allow veterans to select their own doctors, but many doctors don't accept choice payment rates. They say choice will lead to a better quality health care, but VA regularly provides equal or better care than the private sector according to independent experts. They say choice will expand access. However, if too many veterans leave VA, it be forced to close facilities, resulting in less choice for disabled veterans who rely on their local VA for care. Further, economists say that expanding choice would cost between $5 and $35 billion in just the first year and as much as $2 trillion over 10 years. Mr. Chairman, rather than continuing to debate the false promise of unlimited choice, it's time for Congress to get behind the plan to create an integrated network that keeps VA as a coordinator and primary provider of care and uses the best of private care to fill the gaps. That's real choice. Another critical DAV priority and an issue very personal to me is honoring and supporting caregivers of seriously disabled veterans. When I was in a coma, all the hard decisions fell to my wife. I can't imagine the stress Yvonne felt when she was consulted about the need to amputate my arms and legs. The decision was easy enough because there was no other choice if I were to survive. But even before I knew what challenges I would face, she knew the burdens that lie ahead. When I needed her most, she was there for me and she has continued to support me through every challenge since. She and all caregivers are truly unsung American heroes. Unfortunately, VA's caregiver assistance program is limited to veterans injured or made ill after 9-11, leaving untold thousands of family caregivers like my wife behind. Mr. Chairman, we call on Congress to correct this inequity by extending assistance to all seriously disabled veterans of all eras. Yvonne is humbled about the sacrifices that she endures daily to ensure my quality of life, but she will be the first to tell you that serving as a caregiver does not get easier with age. Yvonne has been my source of strengthening inspiration all these years, especially in my darkest moments. Her ability to rise up as my caregiver and best friend has made every accomplishment in my life possible. She has selflessly dedicated in herself in unconditional love and compassion for three decades. For Yvonne and caregivers like her, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude and I would like to take a moment to recognize her for her dedication throughout the years. Another continuing priority for DAV is ensuring women veterans have equal access to VA health care and benefits. In 2015, DAV released a special report on their needs. We found that women are frequently not recognized for their wartime service and that there are serious gaps in federal programs to aid their transition. We urge Congress to enact legislation this year to close the gaps in VA programs to meet the unique needs of women veterans. Another major priority for 2017 is enactment of appeals modernization legislation. While there has been significant progress in addressing the claims backlog, the backlog of appeals has risen steadily. Last year, VA and the veterans community reached consensus on a framework to reform and modernize the appeals process. We call on these committees to make enactment of appeals modernization legislation a high priority this year. Mr. Chairman, while much of our focus in Washington is on advocacy, DAV's core mission around the country involves providing direct services to veterans, and prominently through our national service program. DAV has a core of nearly 300 national and transition service officers that accredits thousands of trapter, department and county service officers who provide free assistance to veterans and their families seeking their earned benefits. DAV has a fleet of 10 mobile service offices that traveled nearly 100,000 miles last year helping over 15,000 veterans. Over 13,000 DAV and DAV auxiliary volunteers provided 1.6 million volunteer hours saving taxpayers at least $38 million. Last year, DAV's national transportation network provided 670,000 veterans with rides to VA medical appointments and donated 112 vans to VA. Over the lifetime of the program, DAV has donated more than 3200 vehicles to VA for this purpose at a cost of over $73 million. Like everything else DAV provides, these services are provided at no cost to veterans. Our national employment program will sponsor 127 career fairs this year reaching 40,000 veterans and spouses which we expect will lead at least to 15,000 job offers. Finally, our DAV charitable service trust continues to support nonprofit organizations helping America's ill and injured veterans with close to $100 million in grants given out since its inception. Mr. Chairman, when it comes to serving our veterans, DAV is like my beloved Coast Guard. We are Semper Paritis always ready when we are most needed. I feel I'm continuing my mission as a rescue swimmer saving lives and ensuring no one is left behind. In conclusion, we are fortunate that so many men and women continue to put themselves in harm's way to protect the freedoms we cherish. Sadly, many will be wounded, many will die, and many will be disabled for life. That's why they will continue to be in need for a strong VA and in organizations like DAV to support them when they return home. In his novel, A Farewell to Arms, set during World War I, Ernest Hemingway wrote, The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. I know what it means to be broken and I know what it means to be lifted up and truly supported. It's a blessing that the very illness that took my limbs and almost took me also made my life richer in ways I never imagined. Mr. Chairman, it's a great honor to serve as DAV's national commander. I'm truly humbled to be in this room full of heroes who served and those who care for. May God bless and watch over all our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen serving in harm's way around the world. May God bless the DAV and all those who serve their fellow veterans. And may God bless the United States of America.