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Today in DOD

April 16, 2018
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Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis hosts an enhanced honor cordon welcoming Albania Defense Minister Olta Xhacka to the Pentagon at 12:30 p.m. EDT on the steps of the River Entrance. All journalists desiring to cover the cordon must obtain a wristband from security screening. Journalists without a Pentagon facility access card must go through security screening at the base of the River Entrance Pedestrian Bridge, and will be escorted to the cordon from there. Security screening will begin at approximately 11:50 a.m. EDT; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Journalists with a Pentagon facility access card, and whom have entered the building prior to 11:30 a.m. EDT, may go through security screening at the River Entrance to obtain their wristband. All journalists wishing to cover the honor cordon, including those with a Pentagon facility access card, must be in place no later than 12:15 p.m. EDT. 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 honor cordon, must undergo security screening. Please call 703-697-5131 with any questions.
       
Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. have no public or media events on their schedules.
       
Senate Armed Services Committee hearings at 9:30 a.m. EDT will examine the nominations of Navy Adm. Philip S. Davidson for reappointment to the grade of admiral, and to be commander, U.S. Pacific Command; and Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy for reappointment to the grade of general, and to be commander, U.S. Northern Command, and commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command, SD-G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia.
       
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Robert S. Karem testifies at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S. policy in Yemen at 10 a.m. EDT, SD-419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia. The hearing will also be streamed live on www.defense.gov/live
       
National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Charles D. Luckey, Air Force Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, Navy Reserve Chief Vice Adm. Luke M. McCollum, and Marine Corps Forces Reserve Commander Lt. Gen. Rex C. McMillian, testify at 10 a.m. EDT at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing to review the fiscal 2019 funding request and budget justification for the National Guard and Reserve, Room 192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia. The hearing will also be streamed live on www.defense.gov/live.
       
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Dr. Michael D. Griffin, and Defense Innovation Board Chairman Dr. Eric Schmidt, testify at 10 a.m. EDT at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on promoting the Department of Defense's culture of innovation, 2118 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia.
       
Army Col. Ryan S. Dillon, spokesman, Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), briefs the media by video at 10:30 a.m. EDT in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973), to provide an update on operations. Both U.S. and foreign journalists without a Pentagon building pass must contact 703-697-5131 a minimum of one hour before their arrival.  Plan on being escorted from the River Entrance Pedestrian Bridge or the Pentagon Metro Entrance Facility only.  Please arrive no later than 45 minutes before the briefing; have proof of affiliation and photo identification.  Please call 703-697-5131 for escort into the building. The briefing will also be streamed live on www.defense.gov/live.
       
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition James F. Geurts; Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Systems (OPNAV N9) Vice Adm. William R. Merz; and Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration Lt. Gen. Robert S. Walsh, testify at 2:30 p.m. EDT at a Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee hearing on Navy shipbuilding programs, Room SR-232A, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia.
       

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John C. Rood; Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, commander, U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command; Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel A. Greaves, director, Missile Defense Agency; and Army Lt. Gen. James H. Dickinson, commander, Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Forces Strategic Command, and Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, testify at 3:30 p.m. EDT at a House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2019 budget request for missile defense and missile defeat programs, 2118 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, District of Columbia. The briefing will also be streamed live on www.defense.gov/live.