Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III will welcome his counterpart, Antti Kaikkonen, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Finland, to the Pentagon in an enhanced honor cordon ceremony at 1:30 p.m. EST, on Wednesday, Mar. 9, 2022.
All journalists desiring to cover the arrival ceremony must obtain a wristband from security screening. Journalists without a Pentagon access badge must go through security screening at the base of the River Entrance Pedestrian Bridge, and will be escorted to the arrival ceremony from there.
Security screening will begin at approximately 12:40 p.m. EST; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Security screening at this location will close promptly at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Once security screening has been initiated at the base of the bridge, all journalists entering the building via the bridge for any reason, including those with a Pentagon facility access card not covering the arrival ceremony, must undergo security screening.
Journalists with a Pentagon access badge, and whom have entered the building prior to 12:40 p.m. EST, may go through security screening at the River Entrance to obtain their wristband; please obtain your wristband at the River Entrance by 1:10 p.m. EST.
All journalists wishing to cover the arrival ceremony, including those with a Pentagon access badge, must be in place no later than 1:15 p.m. EST.