On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter will depart Washington for travel to three U.S. military bases to meet with military leadership to discuss ongoing national security issues and thank U.S. personnel. He will also take part in the U.S. Southern Command change of command.
Secretary Carter travels first to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, where he will deliver a speech to the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters and 2nd Brigade Combat Team preparing to deploy to Iraq later this year to participate in the counter-ISIL campaign. Press interested in attending the event should contact U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chevelle Thomas,
chevelle.thomas2.mil@mail.mil or 270-798-9962.
On Thursday, he will visit the headquarters of U.S. Southern Command in Miami, Florida, to participate in the change of command ceremony between outgoing commander U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly and his successor, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Kurt W. Tidd. U.S. Southern Command is one of the nation's six geographically-focused unified commands with responsibility for U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
Following the change of command ceremony, Secretary Carter will travel to U.S. Central Command, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, where he will meet with leadership including U.S. Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, to discuss the counter-ISIL campaign. He will hold a press conference, where he will discuss his meetings and take questions. Press interested in attending the event should contact U.S. Army Maj. Andrew Aranda,
andrew.m.aranda.mil@mail.mil or 813-529-0218.