Photos

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with U.S. Military Academy cadets at the annual Army-Navy football game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Dec. 11, 2021.

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hollyanne Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III participate in a wreath-laying ceremony as part of the 68th National Veterans Day Observance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Nov. 11, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with soldiers during a visit to Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Oct. 20, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III participates in a news briefing with Georgian Minister of Defense Juansher Burchuladze in Tbilisi, Georgia, Oct. 18, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visits Fort Wainwright, Alaska, July 24, 2021.

President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, render honors during the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 31, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III provides remarks during a virtual meeting with the leadership of 26 different military and veteran service organizations at the Pentagon, May 5, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III listens to a question during a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels, April 14, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III participates in a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels, April 14, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz at the Ministry of Defense in HaKirya, Israel, April 11, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stand at attention as an Israeli army band plays the "Star Spangled Banner" during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in HaKirya, Israel, April 11, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III stands at attention as two U.S. Marines salute after Austin placed a wreath at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, April 12, 2021. Also called the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, Yad Vashem is dedicated to remembering the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust and working to ensure it can never happen again.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough in Washington, D.C, March 29, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 21, 2021.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III arrives in New Delhi, India, March 19, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III burns incense to honor the fallen while attending a ceremony with South Korean Minister of National Defense Suh Wook at Seoul National Cemetery in South Korea, March 18, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi at Japan’s Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, March 16, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III exchanges greetings with Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, upon arriving at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 15, 2021.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III greets military personnel at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, March 14, 2021.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III greets Navy Adm. Philip S. Davidson, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, March 14, 2021.