1 00:00:01,540 --> 00:00:02,762 afternoon , everybody 2 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:12,280 Okay , a couple of things at the top 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,910 here at the request of the Indonesian 4 00:00:15,910 --> 00:00:18,130 government , we are sending airborne 5 00:00:18,130 --> 00:00:19,963 assets to include a Navy P eight 6 00:00:19,963 --> 00:00:22,440 Poseidon Maritime patrol aircraft to 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,551 assist in the search of their missing 8 00:00:24,551 --> 00:00:27,210 submarine . Secretary Austin spoke to 9 00:00:27,210 --> 00:00:29,266 the Minister of Defense of Indonesia 10 00:00:29,266 --> 00:00:32,420 today , uh to uh make sure he knew that 11 00:00:32,420 --> 00:00:34,476 this aircraft was coming and also to 12 00:00:34,476 --> 00:00:36,642 make an offer for any other additional 13 00:00:36,642 --> 00:00:38,364 support or assistance that the 14 00:00:38,364 --> 00:00:40,309 Indonesian government might have . 15 00:00:40,540 --> 00:00:42,373 Indonesia is a good friend and a 16 00:00:42,373 --> 00:00:44,540 strategic partner . We were all deeply 17 00:00:44,540 --> 00:00:46,762 saddened to see the reports about their 18 00:00:46,762 --> 00:00:48,707 submarine and our thoughts and our 19 00:00:48,707 --> 00:00:51,040 prayers are with the Indonesian sailors , 20 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:53,451 the Indonesian Navy and of course all 21 00:00:53,451 --> 00:00:56,040 their families . Also today , I think 22 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,830 you saw , we uh let you all know that 23 00:00:58,830 --> 00:01:01,890 Secretary Austin is hosting uh all the 24 00:01:01,890 --> 00:01:03,668 military leaders for the Senior 25 00:01:03,668 --> 00:01:05,612 leadership conference . We do this 26 00:01:05,612 --> 00:01:07,668 every six months or so . This is his 27 00:01:07,668 --> 00:01:10,120 first one as Secretary of Defense . Uh 28 00:01:10,130 --> 00:01:12,800 The chairman is obviously um hosting 29 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,022 right along with him . All the Military 30 00:01:15,022 --> 00:01:16,967 Service Chiefs and Secretaries and 31 00:01:16,967 --> 00:01:19,133 secretaries . The combatant commanders 32 00:01:19,133 --> 00:01:22,660 were participating . The president was 33 00:01:22,660 --> 00:01:24,882 due to speak to them , I believe that's 34 00:01:24,882 --> 00:01:27,050 happening right now . Uh That was the 35 00:01:27,060 --> 00:01:29,060 schedule , I'll let the White House 36 00:01:29,060 --> 00:01:31,060 speak to that . Uh And Secretary of 37 00:01:31,060 --> 00:01:33,227 State Blinken will also be joining for 38 00:01:33,230 --> 00:01:35,174 uh one of the last sessions of the 39 00:01:35,174 --> 00:01:37,490 afternoon . Uh They've had a robust set 40 00:01:37,490 --> 00:01:39,710 of discussions , everything from an 41 00:01:39,710 --> 00:01:42,130 update on the china task Force , the 42 00:01:42,140 --> 00:01:44,140 National Defense strategy crafting 43 00:01:44,140 --> 00:01:47,780 process and how that's going . Uh the 44 00:01:47,790 --> 00:01:50,570 retrograde in Afghanistan . Uh They got 45 00:01:50,570 --> 00:01:52,737 an update from General Mackenzie about 46 00:01:52,737 --> 00:01:54,903 that . Certainly our efforts to combat 47 00:01:54,903 --> 00:01:57,014 covid 19 both inside the force and to 48 00:01:57,014 --> 00:01:59,070 support the american people , sexual 49 00:01:59,070 --> 00:02:01,740 harassment , extremism and uh session 50 00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:03,851 this afternoon is going to be devoted 51 00:02:03,851 --> 00:02:05,518 to revitalizing alliances and 52 00:02:05,518 --> 00:02:07,629 partnerships and uh Secretary Blinken 53 00:02:07,629 --> 00:02:09,851 will be assisting in that discussion as 54 00:02:09,851 --> 00:02:12,380 well . A couple of personnel 55 00:02:12,380 --> 00:02:15,710 announcements . We're pleased that Mr 56 00:02:15,710 --> 00:02:18,070 Jaime Pinkham has been appointed to the 57 00:02:18,070 --> 00:02:20,237 position of Principal Deputy Assistant 58 00:02:20,237 --> 00:02:22,459 Secretary of the Army for Civil Works . 59 00:02:22,459 --> 00:02:24,570 That was happened on the 19th of this 60 00:02:24,570 --> 00:02:26,792 month . Uh And he's also serving as the 61 00:02:26,792 --> 00:02:29,070 acting assistant secretary of the Army . 62 00:02:29,070 --> 00:02:31,940 Uh sorry , he's also serving as acting 63 00:02:31,940 --> 00:02:33,940 assistant Secretary of the Army for 64 00:02:33,940 --> 00:02:36,051 Civil War . That's a tongue twister . 65 00:02:36,051 --> 00:02:37,773 He will be establishing policy 66 00:02:37,773 --> 00:02:39,940 direction and providing supervision of 67 00:02:39,940 --> 00:02:41,996 the Department of the Army functions 68 00:02:41,996 --> 00:02:44,162 relating to all aspects of the U . S . 69 00:02:44,162 --> 00:02:46,162 Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works 70 00:02:46,162 --> 00:02:48,273 program . I think , you know , he's a 71 00:02:48,273 --> 00:02:50,218 citizen of the NEZ perce tribe and 72 00:02:50,218 --> 00:02:52,440 spent much of his career in the pacific 73 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:51,770 Northwest , advocating for tribal 74 00:02:51,770 --> 00:02:54,080 sovereignty , self determination uh and 75 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,302 treaty rights . We're delighted to have 76 00:02:56,302 --> 00:02:58,469 him on board . In fact , we on boarded 77 00:02:58,469 --> 00:03:00,920 100 and two non career officials and 78 00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:03,880 political appointees thus far too , of 79 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:05,769 course , presidentially appointed 80 00:03:05,769 --> 00:03:07,880 Senate confirmed that's the secretary 81 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,102 and the deputy secretary for a total of 82 00:03:10,102 --> 00:03:13,870 104 individuals so far . So we're still 83 00:03:13,870 --> 00:03:16,010 working at this . Finally , the 84 00:03:16,010 --> 00:03:17,954 secretary has designated Air Force 85 00:03:17,954 --> 00:03:20,121 Major General Sherri L . McCandless as 86 00:03:20,121 --> 00:03:22,232 the interim commanding general of the 87 00:03:22,232 --> 00:03:24,454 District of Columbia National Guard , a 88 00:03:24,454 --> 00:03:26,343 position that she will fill until 89 00:03:26,343 --> 00:03:28,510 President biden appoints a successor . 90 00:03:28,510 --> 00:03:30,510 She will replace Army Major General 91 00:03:30,510 --> 00:03:32,510 William Walker , who is expected to 92 00:03:32,510 --> 00:03:34,677 depart the position tomorrow to become 93 00:03:34,677 --> 00:03:36,788 the Sergeant of arms Sergeant at arms 94 00:03:36,788 --> 00:03:38,177 for the U . S . House of 95 00:03:38,177 --> 00:03:39,954 Representatives . Major General 96 00:03:39,954 --> 00:03:41,843 Mccandles currently serves as the 97 00:03:41,843 --> 00:03:41,500 director of the National Guard Bureau , 98 00:03:41,510 --> 00:03:43,510 Office of Legislative Liaison . And 99 00:03:43,510 --> 00:03:45,621 again , we appreciate her willingness 100 00:03:45,621 --> 00:03:47,720 to take on this duty in an interim 101 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,720 capacity and for her willingness to 102 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,664 continue to serve the country . So 103 00:03:51,664 --> 00:03:53,664 we're grateful for that . That take 104 00:03:53,664 --> 00:03:55,776 questions lead to john , can you give 105 00:03:55,776 --> 00:03:58,670 us some sense of the additional forces 106 00:03:58,670 --> 00:04:02,290 going into Afghanistan at this point ? 107 00:04:03,340 --> 00:04:07,030 What you expect and whether this the 108 00:04:07,030 --> 00:04:09,940 addition of bombers and some additional 109 00:04:09,950 --> 00:04:13,430 troops , is this a first trench ? Is do 110 00:04:13,430 --> 00:04:16,760 you expect more and then any 111 00:04:17,140 --> 00:04:21,060 sense that you have right now about um 112 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,200 any expectation or any sense that the 113 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,440 Taliban is indeed making preparations 114 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,662 for any attacks or anything like that . 115 00:04:29,662 --> 00:04:31,829 Anything you're seeing on the ground ? 116 00:04:31,829 --> 00:04:33,884 Well , Secretary has been clear . We 117 00:04:33,884 --> 00:04:36,107 have to assume um it would be foolhardy 118 00:04:36,107 --> 00:04:38,410 and imprudent not to assume that there 119 00:04:38,410 --> 00:04:40,466 could be resistance in opposition to 120 00:04:40,466 --> 00:04:42,688 the drawdown by the taliban given there 121 00:04:42,688 --> 00:04:46,520 uh their staunch rhetoric . So in 122 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,380 light of that , and because as you 123 00:04:49,380 --> 00:04:51,602 heard , the Secretary say , we're going 124 00:04:51,602 --> 00:04:53,491 to make this a safe , orderly and 125 00:04:53,491 --> 00:04:55,602 deliberate , responsible withdrawal . 126 00:04:55,602 --> 00:04:57,491 Uh we're force protection is at a 127 00:04:57,491 --> 00:04:59,590 premium . He has approved some 128 00:04:59,590 --> 00:05:01,534 additional measures today . He has 129 00:05:01,534 --> 00:05:03,868 approved the extension of the U . S . S . 130 00:05:03,868 --> 00:05:05,868 Eisenhower to remain in the central 131 00:05:05,868 --> 00:05:07,923 command area of responsibility for a 132 00:05:07,923 --> 00:05:10,360 period of time . And he has approved 133 00:05:10,370 --> 00:05:13,990 uh the addition of some 134 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,100 uh some long range bombers uh to be 135 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:19,360 deployed to the region , um 136 00:05:20,940 --> 00:05:24,730 two of those B 50 137 00:05:24,730 --> 00:05:26,786 twos have arrived in the region . Uh 138 00:05:26,786 --> 00:05:28,841 I'm not going to get ahead of future 139 00:05:28,841 --> 00:05:30,952 possible deployments . Uh but I think 140 00:05:30,952 --> 00:05:32,952 it's reasonable to assume , as I've 141 00:05:32,952 --> 00:05:35,170 said before , um that there could be a 142 00:05:35,180 --> 00:05:37,291 temporary additional force protection 143 00:05:37,291 --> 00:05:39,291 measures and enablers that we would 144 00:05:39,291 --> 00:05:41,347 require to make sure again that this 145 00:05:41,347 --> 00:05:44,180 drawdown go smoothly and safely for our 146 00:05:44,180 --> 00:05:46,013 men and women . I'm not going to 147 00:05:46,013 --> 00:05:48,040 speculate about future timelines or 148 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,320 future assets when we have things that 149 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,810 we can speak to . We will . And again , 150 00:05:53,810 --> 00:05:55,977 I think you can understand operational 151 00:05:55,977 --> 00:05:58,088 security reasons we don't want to get 152 00:05:58,088 --> 00:06:00,143 ahead of that . Can you just give us 153 00:06:00,143 --> 00:06:02,088 even a little update on removal of 154 00:06:02,088 --> 00:06:04,088 equipment and other assets , assets 155 00:06:04,088 --> 00:06:06,610 from Afghanistan ? Will the pentagon be 156 00:06:06,610 --> 00:06:09,800 able to , to give us any sense of 157 00:06:09,810 --> 00:06:12,230 what's being turned over to the afghans 158 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,930 versus what's already showing up at 159 00:06:14,940 --> 00:06:18,510 bazaars , frankly . So the General 160 00:06:18,510 --> 00:06:21,460 Miller and General Mackenzie , um , uh , 161 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,160 they already had A retrograde plan in 162 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,080 place because under the previous 163 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:29,710 administration , they had uh they there 164 00:06:29,710 --> 00:06:31,877 had been an agreement to be out by May 165 00:06:31,877 --> 00:06:34,050 one . They're revising those plans now 166 00:06:34,050 --> 00:06:37,740 and expect to fully uh present all that 167 00:06:37,750 --> 00:06:40,240 to the secretary in coming days . So 168 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,296 I'm not going to get ahead of that . 169 00:06:42,296 --> 00:06:44,462 But I think you can understand that as 170 00:06:44,462 --> 00:06:46,296 part of that plan clearly , um , 171 00:06:46,296 --> 00:06:48,970 there's going to be uh measures that 172 00:06:48,970 --> 00:06:50,748 have to be taking place for the 173 00:06:50,748 --> 00:06:52,860 retrograde of equipment and systems 174 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,210 uh and so rolling stock as we call it . 175 00:06:57,220 --> 00:07:00,590 Um Some of that will be brought back 176 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,980 shipped , cleaned , inspected and 177 00:07:02,980 --> 00:07:05,147 brought back to the United States . Uh 178 00:07:05,147 --> 00:07:07,313 Some of it will be inspected , cleaned 179 00:07:07,313 --> 00:07:09,520 and deployed elsewhere in the region . 180 00:07:09,530 --> 00:07:12,660 Uh Some of it will be um 181 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,710 provided to our afghan partners uh if 182 00:07:15,710 --> 00:07:17,821 it makes sense and some of it will be 183 00:07:17,821 --> 00:07:20,050 destroyed . Uh I know they're working 184 00:07:20,050 --> 00:07:22,161 through the each is of that right now 185 00:07:22,161 --> 00:07:24,750 about exactly what as we call it . 186 00:07:24,750 --> 00:07:27,520 Rolling stock is going to be uh metered 187 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,250 out in along those four lines . I just 188 00:07:30,250 --> 00:07:32,250 don't have that with me today and I 189 00:07:32,250 --> 00:07:34,361 wouldn't be able to provide it anyway 190 00:07:34,361 --> 00:07:36,250 again because as I said , General 191 00:07:36,250 --> 00:07:38,083 Mackenzie and General Miller are 192 00:07:38,083 --> 00:07:40,306 refining their adjusting their plan now 193 00:07:40,306 --> 00:07:42,028 based on President Biden's new 194 00:07:42,028 --> 00:07:44,250 direction uh And then don't submit that 195 00:07:44,250 --> 00:07:46,472 to the secretary for his approval later 196 00:07:46,472 --> 00:07:49,510 on . Yeah Abraham , could you give us 197 00:07:49,510 --> 00:07:51,800 any kind of update about the Russia's 198 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,856 announcement that it's going to pull 199 00:07:53,856 --> 00:07:55,800 back its troops from the Ukrainian 200 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,744 border ? But the fact that some of 201 00:07:57,744 --> 00:07:59,633 those are going to stay along the 202 00:07:59,633 --> 00:08:01,522 border that there's some uh units 203 00:08:01,522 --> 00:08:03,411 deployed in Crimea . What kind of 204 00:08:03,411 --> 00:08:05,633 statement could the D . O . D . Provide 205 00:08:05,633 --> 00:08:07,744 about all of those actions if they're 206 00:08:07,744 --> 00:08:09,744 happening if they're not ? Thanks . 207 00:08:09,744 --> 00:08:11,856 Well I try to make it a point Abraham 208 00:08:11,856 --> 00:08:14,022 not to speak for other militaries . So 209 00:08:14,022 --> 00:08:16,133 some of your questions are far better 210 00:08:16,133 --> 00:08:17,856 put to Moscow than they are to 211 00:08:17,856 --> 00:08:19,911 Washington D . C . To the pentagon . 212 00:08:19,911 --> 00:08:23,720 We've seen the Russian comments about 213 00:08:23,730 --> 00:08:25,960 how they're ending the exercises and 214 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,310 they're going to redeploy . Um It's too 215 00:08:28,310 --> 00:08:30,650 soon to tell with any specificity right 216 00:08:30,650 --> 00:08:34,190 now , friday afternoon , um , how much 217 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,730 we can take that at face value . So 218 00:08:36,740 --> 00:08:38,962 what I would tell you is we're watching 219 00:08:38,962 --> 00:08:41,018 this very , very closely and again , 220 00:08:41,018 --> 00:08:43,018 continue to call on Russia to cease 221 00:08:43,018 --> 00:08:44,907 their provocations to respect the 222 00:08:44,907 --> 00:08:47,129 territorial integrity of Ukraine and to 223 00:08:47,129 --> 00:08:49,296 not contribute to activities that only 224 00:08:49,296 --> 00:08:52,170 make the stability along the border 225 00:08:52,170 --> 00:08:54,170 with Ukraine and in occupied Crimea 226 00:08:54,170 --> 00:08:56,380 less stable than it already is . But 227 00:08:56,390 --> 00:08:59,390 again , those are great questions for 228 00:08:59,390 --> 00:09:01,668 my counterpart in the Russian military , 229 00:09:01,668 --> 00:09:04,130 and I think that individual is a far 230 00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:05,908 better position to answer those 231 00:09:05,908 --> 00:09:08,074 questions with better specificity that 232 00:09:08,074 --> 00:09:10,352 could follow up to that if I made john . 233 00:09:10,352 --> 00:09:12,297 Um , are there any continued talks 234 00:09:12,297 --> 00:09:14,352 between the Secretary or D . O . D . 235 00:09:14,352 --> 00:09:16,670 And is their counterparts in Ukraine 236 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:18,402 about providing any additional 237 00:09:18,402 --> 00:09:20,624 assistance ? I'm sorry , there are more 238 00:09:20,624 --> 00:09:22,513 talks between between D O D . And 239 00:09:22,513 --> 00:09:24,950 Ukrainian military . I don't have any 240 00:09:24,950 --> 00:09:27,006 other conversations to read out , at 241 00:09:27,006 --> 00:09:29,061 least not from the Secretary's level 242 00:09:29,061 --> 00:09:32,330 with respect to Ukraine . I know of no 243 00:09:32,340 --> 00:09:34,284 additional conversations that have 244 00:09:34,284 --> 00:09:36,390 happened with respect to the Russian 245 00:09:36,390 --> 00:09:38,612 presence there . Thank you . Yeah , let 246 00:09:38,612 --> 00:09:40,446 me go back to the phone , Jeff . 247 00:09:40,446 --> 00:09:42,860 Showgirl . Uh , thank you . What 248 00:09:42,870 --> 00:09:44,926 evidence does the pentagon have that 249 00:09:44,926 --> 00:09:47,037 you that us troops have been targeted 250 00:09:47,037 --> 00:09:50,330 with direct energy weapons , Jeff ? 251 00:09:50,340 --> 00:09:54,270 I what I would say is nothing is more 252 00:09:54,270 --> 00:09:56,270 important to us than the health and 253 00:09:56,270 --> 00:09:58,660 well being of our of our men and women . 254 00:09:58,660 --> 00:10:01,210 The Secretary has made that clear . Um , 255 00:10:01,210 --> 00:10:03,600 and I'm not prepared to speak to this 256 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,160 issue from the podium today , Megan . 257 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:09,618 I just want to confirm that the 258 00:10:09,618 --> 00:10:11,784 Secretary is giving the services until 259 00:10:11,784 --> 00:10:13,840 the end of May to get back to him on 260 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,840 the Independent Review Commission's 261 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:17,840 findings . Is that correct ? That's 262 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:19,951 correct . And is there anyone else in 263 00:10:19,951 --> 00:10:22,062 OSD or in the services other than the 264 00:10:22,062 --> 00:10:25,190 Chiefs and the Secretary whose feedback 265 00:10:25,190 --> 00:10:27,412 he's going to solicit ? I have no doubt 266 00:10:27,412 --> 00:10:29,560 that he will be uh soliciting the 267 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:32,610 feedback of his of his own policy 268 00:10:32,610 --> 00:10:34,832 experts , particularly in the Office of 269 00:10:34,832 --> 00:10:36,943 Personnel and readiness . But again , 270 00:10:36,943 --> 00:10:40,090 he's uh uh he has accepted he has 271 00:10:40,330 --> 00:10:42,950 received some some initial 272 00:10:42,950 --> 00:10:45,180 recommendations from the Independent 273 00:10:45,180 --> 00:10:48,090 Review Commission and he has asked the 274 00:10:48,090 --> 00:10:50,090 services to take a look at them and 275 00:10:50,090 --> 00:10:52,770 give him their honest , candid feedback 276 00:10:52,770 --> 00:10:54,826 about it . And what is the next step 277 00:10:54,826 --> 00:10:56,770 for the Review Commission ? What's 278 00:10:56,770 --> 00:10:58,992 their next project or this ? Was that ? 279 00:10:58,992 --> 00:11:01,103 I can't speak with specificity . It's 280 00:11:01,103 --> 00:11:03,159 an independent Review Commission . I 281 00:11:03,159 --> 00:11:05,270 don't speak for them and I don't want 282 00:11:05,270 --> 00:11:04,650 to get into the habit of doing that . 283 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,960 Um I think when you , when we saw Lynn 284 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,071 Rosenthal appear earlier , she talked 285 00:11:10,071 --> 00:11:12,182 about the different lines of effort . 286 00:11:12,182 --> 00:11:14,071 There are four of them . Um , and 287 00:11:14,071 --> 00:11:16,470 they're on a 90 day timeline . So these 288 00:11:16,470 --> 00:11:19,350 lines of efforts are lines of effort 289 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,638 are happening sort of at the same time , 290 00:11:21,638 --> 00:11:23,749 but on different tracks . And again , 291 00:11:23,749 --> 00:11:26,230 that's all I know . Uh other than I 292 00:11:26,230 --> 00:11:28,286 know she's committed and the team is 293 00:11:28,286 --> 00:11:30,286 committed to wrapping up their work 294 00:11:30,286 --> 00:11:32,341 within that 90 days . But I just I'd 295 00:11:32,341 --> 00:11:34,230 have to point you to her for more 296 00:11:34,230 --> 00:11:37,140 specificity about that . Sure , thanks . 297 00:11:37,150 --> 00:11:39,760 Um So when the secretary received 298 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,760 recommendations , can you give us a 299 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,720 sense of what he thought about 300 00:11:43,730 --> 00:11:47,650 separating the review the judiciary 301 00:11:47,650 --> 00:11:50,350 punishment process away from the chain 302 00:11:50,350 --> 00:11:52,350 of command ? I'm not gonna get into 303 00:11:52,350 --> 00:11:53,739 specifics about what the 304 00:11:53,739 --> 00:11:55,906 recommendations were . I've seen press 305 00:11:55,906 --> 00:11:58,017 reporting . I'm not going to get into 306 00:11:58,017 --> 00:11:59,906 the specifics . These are initial 307 00:11:59,906 --> 00:12:02,072 recommendations . Um And the secretary 308 00:12:02,072 --> 00:12:04,520 was grateful for the work that the IRC 309 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:06,687 has already done . He was grateful for 310 00:12:06,687 --> 00:12:08,687 the time that they took to sit down 311 00:12:08,687 --> 00:12:10,810 with him and walk them through these 312 00:12:10,820 --> 00:12:13,042 initial recommendations . And I want to 313 00:12:13,042 --> 00:12:14,764 stress again these are initial 314 00:12:14,764 --> 00:12:16,876 recommendations . There may be others 315 00:12:16,876 --> 00:12:18,653 in that line of effort , uh the 316 00:12:18,653 --> 00:12:20,820 accountability line of effort . But uh 317 00:12:20,820 --> 00:12:22,710 but I won't characterize the 318 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,480 conversation beyond that . Um I think 319 00:12:25,490 --> 00:12:28,750 by dint of the fact that he has ask the 320 00:12:28,750 --> 00:12:30,850 secretaries of the services and the 321 00:12:30,850 --> 00:12:33,760 Chiefs and the chairman and he'll ask 322 00:12:33,770 --> 00:12:37,100 his policy experts to take some time to 323 00:12:37,100 --> 00:12:39,480 go look at these recommendations and 324 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,190 give him feedback . That you can assume 325 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,790 that uh that one outcome of the meeting 326 00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:46,957 was that he wants to keep an open mind 327 00:12:46,957 --> 00:12:49,068 about these . Can you give us a sense 328 00:12:49,068 --> 00:12:51,290 if the secretaries come back and say we 329 00:12:51,290 --> 00:12:53,512 don't we want to keep this in the chain 330 00:12:53,512 --> 00:12:55,512 of command ? Has ? Secretary Austin 331 00:12:55,512 --> 00:12:57,623 kind of already thought about whether 332 00:12:57,623 --> 00:12:59,623 he thinks this should remain in the 333 00:12:59,623 --> 00:13:01,401 chamber of command or not . The 334 00:13:01,401 --> 00:13:03,068 Secretary is grateful for the 335 00:13:03,068 --> 00:13:05,290 recommendations . He wants them to , he 336 00:13:05,290 --> 00:13:07,457 wants the services to have a chance to 337 00:13:07,457 --> 00:13:09,734 look at them and give him his feedback . 338 00:13:09,734 --> 00:13:11,846 He obviously will be taking all those 339 00:13:11,846 --> 00:13:13,790 inputs seriously as he weighs next 340 00:13:13,790 --> 00:13:16,012 steps , but I'm simply not going to get 341 00:13:16,012 --> 00:13:18,179 ahead of uh decisions . He hasn't made 342 00:13:18,179 --> 00:13:20,401 recommendations , he hasn't received or 343 00:13:20,401 --> 00:13:22,346 what the next step is gonna be . I 344 00:13:22,346 --> 00:13:24,640 think we all need to remember That this 345 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,180 is a 90 day process where only 30 days 346 00:13:27,180 --> 00:13:29,013 into it . They've only made some 347 00:13:29,013 --> 00:13:31,180 initial recommendations . Um and , you 348 00:13:31,180 --> 00:13:33,069 know , we've got a long way to go 349 00:13:33,069 --> 00:13:35,170 between now and when they complete 350 00:13:35,170 --> 00:13:37,281 their work . And there's an awful lot 351 00:13:37,281 --> 00:13:39,900 of issues . I know everybody's focused 352 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:42,070 on this one . There's a lot of there's 353 00:13:42,070 --> 00:13:43,903 three other lines of effort that 354 00:13:43,903 --> 00:13:46,014 they're working on . So there's a lot 355 00:13:46,014 --> 00:13:48,126 of other issues to try to tackle this 356 00:13:48,126 --> 00:13:47,930 problem . The last thing I'd say on 357 00:13:47,930 --> 00:13:51,520 this is just the , uh again , without 358 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,130 getting into any detail , but hopefully 359 00:13:54,130 --> 00:13:56,400 this conveys to you how seriously the 360 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:58,400 Secretary is taking this particular 361 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,456 issue . And it was an issue that was 362 00:14:00,456 --> 00:14:00,390 discussed today during the Senior 363 00:14:00,390 --> 00:14:02,770 Leaders conference with the Chiefs and 364 00:14:02,770 --> 00:14:04,992 the combatant commanders . The issue of 365 00:14:04,992 --> 00:14:07,214 sexual assault and harassment , not not 366 00:14:07,214 --> 00:14:09,548 these recommendations specifically . Uh , 367 00:14:09,548 --> 00:14:11,770 but it's an indication , I think of how 368 00:14:11,770 --> 00:14:13,992 important this is to him , trying to to 369 00:14:13,992 --> 00:14:16,214 get at solutions that can work . And he 370 00:14:16,214 --> 00:14:18,381 wants to as MS Rosenthal said , and as 371 00:14:18,381 --> 00:14:20,437 I've said , he wants to keep an open 372 00:14:20,437 --> 00:14:22,381 mind about the possibilities of of 373 00:14:22,381 --> 00:14:22,260 actually trying to make a difference . 374 00:14:23,140 --> 00:14:25,570 Yes , ma'am . Um two questions first of 375 00:14:25,570 --> 00:14:27,792 all , to follow up on Afghanistan , Can 376 00:14:27,792 --> 00:14:29,903 you just talk a little bit more about 377 00:14:29,903 --> 00:14:32,181 why specifically the bombers were sent ? 378 00:14:32,181 --> 00:14:34,480 Is that deterrence ? Is it to attack 379 00:14:34,490 --> 00:14:36,434 the taliban ? What was what is the 380 00:14:36,434 --> 00:14:38,490 purpose of that ? I think I answered 381 00:14:38,490 --> 00:14:40,712 that question when I answered leaders , 382 00:14:40,712 --> 00:14:42,879 I mean , we want to make this a safe , 383 00:14:42,879 --> 00:14:45,101 orderly and deliberate drawdown . We've 384 00:14:45,101 --> 00:14:47,268 made it clear that force protection is 385 00:14:47,268 --> 00:14:49,490 going to be a priority . As we begin to 386 00:14:49,490 --> 00:14:51,657 move all our military personnel out of 387 00:14:51,657 --> 00:14:53,823 Afghanistan . And that means given the 388 00:14:53,823 --> 00:14:53,560 commander on the ground , General 389 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,320 Miller options options to make sure 390 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,990 that our forces and our troops and 391 00:14:58,990 --> 00:15:01,046 those of our allies are protected as 392 00:15:01,046 --> 00:15:02,990 they move out of the country . And 393 00:15:03,140 --> 00:15:06,470 things like bombers provide you options . 394 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:08,640 Things like strike aircraft off an 395 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:10,862 aircraft carrier provides you options , 396 00:15:10,862 --> 00:15:13,084 options are important in a mission like 397 00:15:13,084 --> 00:15:15,140 this . And what about special forces 398 00:15:15,140 --> 00:15:17,140 troops for security protection with 399 00:15:17,140 --> 00:15:19,140 navigational troops going in ? As I 400 00:15:19,140 --> 00:15:21,251 said earlier , it's entirely possible 401 00:15:21,251 --> 00:15:23,990 that there will be a temporary increase 402 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,290 of some ground forces and enablers , 403 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:29,300 not just for force protection , but 404 00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:31,300 also for logistical and engineering 405 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:33,189 support that will have to go into 406 00:15:33,189 --> 00:15:35,300 Afghanistan to help us make sure this 407 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:37,356 drawdown gets done on the timeline . 408 00:15:37,356 --> 00:15:39,467 And in a safe , orderly way . I'm not 409 00:15:39,467 --> 00:15:39,210 going to speak to any greater 410 00:15:39,210 --> 00:15:42,970 specificity on other potential 411 00:15:42,970 --> 00:15:45,280 enabling functions than that . But it's 412 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,502 certainly possible that more will go on 413 00:15:47,502 --> 00:15:49,502 a different subject on the directed 414 00:15:49,502 --> 00:15:51,669 energy attacks . Can you say , Are you 415 00:15:51,669 --> 00:15:53,960 concerned by the possibility of these 416 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:55,904 kind of directed energy attacks on 417 00:15:55,904 --> 00:15:57,904 troops in the field ? Well , look , 418 00:15:57,904 --> 00:16:01,250 we're we're always concerned about 419 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,930 um the health and safety of our men and 420 00:16:04,930 --> 00:16:07,220 women wherever they are and whatever 421 00:16:07,220 --> 00:16:09,750 mission they're doing . Um And as I 422 00:16:09,750 --> 00:16:12,750 said before the secretary uh uh takes 423 00:16:12,750 --> 00:16:14,950 that very seriously . I'm not simply 424 00:16:14,950 --> 00:16:17,330 not going to uh speak to this 425 00:16:17,330 --> 00:16:19,497 particular issue . I've seen it in the 426 00:16:19,497 --> 00:16:21,608 press . I'm just not going to be able 427 00:16:21,608 --> 00:16:23,774 to speak to it today except to uh make 428 00:16:23,774 --> 00:16:26,260 it clear that that that that we take 429 00:16:26,940 --> 00:16:28,940 the health and safety of our people 430 00:16:28,940 --> 00:16:31,040 very very seriously . And we want to 431 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,870 know um if and when 432 00:16:34,870 --> 00:16:36,981 that health and safety is put at risk 433 00:16:36,981 --> 00:16:38,926 we want to we want to make sure we 434 00:16:38,926 --> 00:16:41,148 better understand why that's so and how 435 00:16:41,148 --> 00:16:45,050 that came to be okay uh dan Siegel 436 00:16:45,050 --> 00:16:48,280 in all right . Yes . So um during the 437 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,500 campaign , joe biden promised that he 438 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:53,220 wanted all felony crimes committed 439 00:16:53,220 --> 00:16:55,220 within D . O . D . To be handled by 440 00:16:55,220 --> 00:16:57,109 independent legal core . Not just 441 00:16:57,109 --> 00:16:59,860 sexual assault but crimes like child 442 00:16:59,860 --> 00:17:02,740 abuse and murder if Lynn Rosenthal's 443 00:17:02,750 --> 00:17:04,861 charter . And her recognition is only 444 00:17:04,861 --> 00:17:07,490 that sexual assault be handled by in 445 00:17:07,490 --> 00:17:09,657 the independent chain . What about the 446 00:17:09,657 --> 00:17:11,768 other crimes ? Is that something that 447 00:17:11,940 --> 00:17:13,996 Secretary Austin is also considering 448 00:17:13,996 --> 00:17:16,450 moving from the chain of command ? The 449 00:17:16,460 --> 00:17:18,380 Independent Review Commission is 450 00:17:18,380 --> 00:17:20,740 designed to make recommendations about 451 00:17:20,750 --> 00:17:23,370 sexual assault , sexual harassment . Um 452 00:17:23,510 --> 00:17:25,732 and I'm not going to speak for them and 453 00:17:25,732 --> 00:17:28,240 for their specific uh initial 454 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,820 recommendations . Uh uh The 455 00:17:31,830 --> 00:17:35,040 secretary wants to make sure that we 456 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,262 look at this thoughtfully and carefully 457 00:17:37,262 --> 00:17:40,730 but urgently . That's why we have a 90 458 00:17:40,730 --> 00:17:43,880 day limit on this on this , On this 459 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,102 commission . It was a night it was a 90 460 00:17:46,102 --> 00:17:48,269 day limit that was established by then 461 00:17:48,269 --> 00:17:50,047 candidate biden and and now our 462 00:17:50,047 --> 00:17:52,158 commander in chief . And we're taking 463 00:17:52,158 --> 00:17:54,158 that seriously . So again , I don I 464 00:17:54,158 --> 00:17:53,870 don't want to get ahead of of the 465 00:17:53,870 --> 00:17:55,926 process here . He wants to make sure 466 00:17:55,926 --> 00:17:58,092 that we keep an open mind that we find 467 00:17:58,092 --> 00:18:00,259 creative solutions that will work . Uh 468 00:18:00,259 --> 00:18:02,370 and that's what he's asked the ICC to 469 00:18:02,370 --> 00:18:04,592 to do . And and and that's in there and 470 00:18:04,592 --> 00:18:06,648 they're hard at work at that to me , 471 00:18:06,648 --> 00:18:08,537 right . But if their charges just 472 00:18:08,537 --> 00:18:11,630 sexual assault yet advocates who want 473 00:18:11,630 --> 00:18:13,970 reform in this area also want all 474 00:18:13,970 --> 00:18:16,030 felony crimes to be considered by 475 00:18:16,030 --> 00:18:19,270 independent legal authorities . 476 00:18:20,140 --> 00:18:22,710 Is that being considered anywhere or or 477 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:26,490 within the O di dan ? I don't have . 478 00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:29,180 I'm not aware of another effort to look 479 00:18:29,180 --> 00:18:31,180 at that . And the IRC is focused on 480 00:18:31,180 --> 00:18:33,402 sexual assault , sexual harassment . Um 481 00:18:33,402 --> 00:18:35,970 if they have used regarding other types 482 00:18:35,980 --> 00:18:39,250 of crimes , I'm sure the secretary 483 00:18:39,250 --> 00:18:41,361 would welcome their views , but their 484 00:18:41,361 --> 00:18:43,361 work is primarily devoted to sexual 485 00:18:43,361 --> 00:18:45,361 assault , sexual harassment . Yes , 486 00:18:45,361 --> 00:18:47,680 thank you . Um the I would like to go 487 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,690 back to Afghanistan . I understand that 488 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:54,430 all the U . S . Contractors are going 489 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,620 to come back . But are you considering 490 00:18:57,630 --> 00:19:00,850 uh leaving some foreign contractors 491 00:19:00,850 --> 00:19:03,410 that would be from other nationalities ? 492 00:19:03,420 --> 00:19:06,730 Uh Yeah let them stay 493 00:19:06,740 --> 00:19:10,400 with us funding right now . The plan is 494 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,750 to remove all U . S . Contractors from 495 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,210 Afghanistan . But as I have said , we 496 00:19:16,210 --> 00:19:20,200 understand that uh that for things like 497 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,990 aircraft maintenance , the Afghan Air 498 00:19:22,990 --> 00:19:25,212 Force , the Afghan government relies on 499 00:19:25,212 --> 00:19:27,740 a lot of contract support . Um And as 500 00:19:27,740 --> 00:19:29,740 we've also said , we're going to be 501 00:19:29,740 --> 00:19:31,518 looking at ways we can continue 502 00:19:31,518 --> 00:19:33,351 financial support for the Afghan 503 00:19:33,351 --> 00:19:35,518 National Defence and Security Forces . 504 00:19:35,518 --> 00:19:37,684 So we're still working our way through 505 00:19:37,684 --> 00:19:40,020 this what the contractual relationships 506 00:19:40,020 --> 00:19:42,076 might look like . And of course it's 507 00:19:42,076 --> 00:19:44,810 not just up to us , it's not even just 508 00:19:44,810 --> 00:19:46,921 up to the Afghan government , it's up 509 00:19:46,921 --> 00:19:50,220 to these companies who uh for whom 510 00:19:50,220 --> 00:19:52,220 these contractors work . You know , 511 00:19:52,220 --> 00:19:55,900 they have an equity in this , so I 512 00:19:55,910 --> 00:19:58,290 can't give you a specific answer today . 513 00:19:58,290 --> 00:20:00,290 Sophie that lays this out for you , 514 00:20:00,290 --> 00:20:03,160 except that plan , in terms of drawdown , 515 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:04,827 the plan does include U . S . 516 00:20:04,827 --> 00:20:07,480 Contractors . What future contractual 517 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:09,620 relationships will look like going 518 00:20:09,620 --> 00:20:11,731 forward in Afghanistan is still being 519 00:20:11,731 --> 00:20:13,898 discussed and decided and I just don't 520 00:20:13,898 --> 00:20:16,064 have a final outcome for you on that . 521 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,780 Uh uh Ellie looks like 522 00:20:19,790 --> 00:20:22,670 cbs oh 523 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,970 hi thank you . Um with the Sexual 524 00:20:26,970 --> 00:20:29,081 Assault Commission at the end of it , 525 00:20:29,340 --> 00:20:31,062 would any recommendations that 526 00:20:31,062 --> 00:20:33,284 Secretary Austin decides to take action 527 00:20:33,284 --> 00:20:35,229 on ? Would they need congressional 528 00:20:35,229 --> 00:20:38,570 approval ? Well , again , not uh 529 00:20:38,580 --> 00:20:39,969 there's there's a lot of 530 00:20:39,969 --> 00:20:42,247 recommendations he hasn't received yet . 531 00:20:42,247 --> 00:20:44,413 We only have a small number of initial 532 00:20:44,413 --> 00:20:47,600 ones . Um So I can't I don't know how 533 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,900 to answer that question because we 534 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:52,011 don't know what the whole universe of 535 00:20:52,011 --> 00:20:54,011 recommendations are going to be and 536 00:20:54,011 --> 00:20:56,067 what they're gonna look like . I can 537 00:20:56,067 --> 00:20:57,678 see a possibility where some 538 00:20:57,678 --> 00:20:59,844 recommendations would need legislative 539 00:20:59,844 --> 00:21:02,067 support . Sure . Uh , and maybe there's 540 00:21:02,067 --> 00:21:04,178 others that that won't , that will be 541 00:21:04,178 --> 00:21:06,500 within his authority to uh , to make 542 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:08,667 the change . But again , that's a very 543 00:21:08,667 --> 00:21:10,611 speculative question given that we 544 00:21:10,611 --> 00:21:12,860 don't have but a small number of only 545 00:21:12,860 --> 00:21:15,082 initial recommendations from the IRC at 546 00:21:15,082 --> 00:21:19,020 this point here in the room . 547 00:21:19,030 --> 00:21:22,760 Uh , Danny , thank you very much . I 548 00:21:23,970 --> 00:21:27,130 like something different on the vaccine 549 00:21:27,140 --> 00:21:30,980 issues . We are now at war 550 00:21:30,990 --> 00:21:34,610 with coronavirus operating from 551 00:21:34,620 --> 00:21:38,260 china . So is the United States 552 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,320 managing the vaccine cov vaccine as 553 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:43,860 a warm material ? 554 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,160 Are we just so I understand you said 555 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,740 we're at war with the vaccine , Your 556 00:21:51,740 --> 00:21:54,780 coronavirus infections using us using 557 00:21:54,780 --> 00:21:58,160 for this for a warm material . 558 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:00,951 Are we considering the vaccine of war 559 00:22:00,951 --> 00:22:03,900 material ? Yes , I don't I mean , I'm 560 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:06,200 not a lawyer , jenny . I don't think 561 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,810 that we're considering it as a piece of 562 00:22:08,810 --> 00:22:10,588 war material . It's obviously a 563 00:22:10,588 --> 00:22:12,980 precious commodity . It's a precious 564 00:22:12,980 --> 00:22:15,270 commodity . Um , and 565 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,250 uh the entire government is working 566 00:22:19,250 --> 00:22:21,740 hard to produce these to get them into 567 00:22:21,740 --> 00:22:23,710 the arms of as many americans as 568 00:22:23,710 --> 00:22:26,430 possible , including um our personnel 569 00:22:26,430 --> 00:22:29,700 overseas . But I'm I'm not aware that 570 00:22:29,710 --> 00:22:31,540 it's met some sort of technical 571 00:22:31,540 --> 00:22:34,200 definition for war material . Our 572 00:22:34,210 --> 00:22:37,690 alliance is currently struggling with 573 00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:41,590 vaccine shortage . You know , is the 574 00:22:41,590 --> 00:22:44,550 United States willing to support 575 00:22:44,940 --> 00:22:47,730 vaccine to South Korea . That's a 576 00:22:47,730 --> 00:22:49,841 question really for our colleagues at 577 00:22:49,841 --> 00:22:52,063 the White House to answer , Not not for 578 00:22:52,063 --> 00:22:55,690 the pentagon . I appreciate uh how 579 00:22:55,690 --> 00:22:57,880 you're coming at me on this one . But 580 00:22:57,890 --> 00:23:01,860 look , Our focus here at all I can 581 00:23:01,860 --> 00:23:03,860 speak for is the Defense Department 582 00:23:03,860 --> 00:23:05,460 because alliance because 583 00:23:05,470 --> 00:23:08,650 28,500 584 00:23:09,210 --> 00:23:11,870 soldiers leaving , I mean staying the 585 00:23:12,260 --> 00:23:14,720 way that I'm aware of that South Korea 586 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,350 is an ally . Our focus is on really two 587 00:23:18,350 --> 00:23:21,280 things . One is supporting efforts by 588 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:25,060 fema and the states to support 589 00:23:25,060 --> 00:23:26,838 their efforts to help vaccinate 590 00:23:26,838 --> 00:23:29,004 americans were doing that . You know , 591 00:23:29,004 --> 00:23:31,850 there's I think more than 30 teams now 592 00:23:31,850 --> 00:23:34,150 supporting uh fema vaccination sites 593 00:23:34,150 --> 00:23:37,200 across the country . Um and of course 594 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,144 we've got , I think , I think it's 595 00:23:39,150 --> 00:23:41,700 30,000 or so national guardsmen and 596 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:43,811 women who have been out there already 597 00:23:43,811 --> 00:23:45,811 supporting state efforts . So we're 598 00:23:45,811 --> 00:23:47,811 helping to get shots in the arms of 599 00:23:47,811 --> 00:23:50,033 Americans were also working hard to get 600 00:23:50,033 --> 00:23:52,089 shots in the arms of our troops . We 601 00:23:52,089 --> 00:23:51,720 had a briefing here just a couple of 602 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,776 days ago about that . Um We've got a 603 00:23:53,776 --> 00:23:55,831 lot more work to do and that's where 604 00:23:55,831 --> 00:23:57,887 our focus is right now , decisions . 605 00:23:57,887 --> 00:24:00,053 But I know you weren't gonna like this 606 00:24:00,053 --> 00:24:02,164 answer . But it's the truth decisions 607 00:24:02,164 --> 00:24:04,276 about other populations getting these 608 00:24:04,276 --> 00:24:07,130 vaccines is not for the pentagon to not 609 00:24:07,130 --> 00:24:09,460 for us to make . President biden 610 00:24:09,470 --> 00:24:12,830 mentioned yesterday . He said that if 611 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,430 left over vaccines , you know , they're 612 00:24:15,430 --> 00:24:17,740 going to give priority to the court 613 00:24:17,750 --> 00:24:21,140 members first . So south Korea is not 614 00:24:21,140 --> 00:24:24,140 remember called . So what about you 615 00:24:24,140 --> 00:24:28,050 know about I think you're beating up on 616 00:24:28,050 --> 00:24:31,740 the wrong spokesperson . Uh no , this 617 00:24:31,740 --> 00:24:33,740 this is really a question of better 618 00:24:33,740 --> 00:24:35,684 place to my colleague at the White 619 00:24:35,684 --> 00:24:37,684 House than to hear . I mean , we're 620 00:24:37,684 --> 00:24:39,640 very mindful of our security 621 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:41,990 commitments in our uh in the treaties 622 00:24:41,990 --> 00:24:44,180 that we observe . Five of our seven 623 00:24:44,190 --> 00:24:46,450 alliances and treaties or treaty 624 00:24:46,450 --> 00:24:48,840 alliances are in that part of the world . 625 00:24:48,850 --> 00:24:52,290 Uh Secretary visited Soul on his very 626 00:24:52,290 --> 00:24:54,457 first trip overseas . I mean , we take 627 00:24:54,457 --> 00:24:56,570 seriously our our commitments to two 628 00:24:56,570 --> 00:24:59,010 South Korea , uh , into our and to our 629 00:24:59,010 --> 00:25:01,177 allies and partners there . But as for 630 00:25:01,177 --> 00:25:03,288 this particular issue , that is not a 631 00:25:03,288 --> 00:25:05,510 question that the pentagon can answer . 632 00:25:06,140 --> 00:25:08,510 Okay , thank you . I ask you to your 633 00:25:08,510 --> 00:25:11,450 views , but I'm not allowed to have 634 00:25:11,460 --> 00:25:15,190 views . All right , thank you . 635 00:25:16,340 --> 00:25:18,860 Uh we Hudson aviation week . 636 00:25:20,940 --> 00:25:22,950 Thanks very answering my question . 637 00:25:24,140 --> 00:25:26,880 Okay , good one less to worry about 638 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,110 then . Yes sir . Thank you . Yesterday , 639 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:32,020 the Japanese self Defense Forces 640 00:25:32,030 --> 00:25:35,270 announced Japan and the United States 641 00:25:35,270 --> 00:25:37,670 and France would conduct the first 642 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,640 trilateral military exercise in Japan 643 00:25:40,650 --> 00:25:43,760 next month . The how significant is it 644 00:25:43,770 --> 00:25:46,820 for european countries to get more 645 00:25:46,830 --> 00:25:50,270 involved in military exercises in the 646 00:25:50,270 --> 00:25:52,530 in the plastic region as the United 647 00:25:52,530 --> 00:25:55,540 States is competing against china . Do 648 00:25:55,540 --> 00:25:58,680 you think the Europeans participation 649 00:25:58,690 --> 00:26:00,810 would make the US deterrence more 650 00:26:00,810 --> 00:26:03,210 robust ? Thank you . I don't have any 651 00:26:03,210 --> 00:26:05,210 specific details I think on on that 652 00:26:05,210 --> 00:26:08,200 particular exercise . Um just check to 653 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,760 make sure , um 654 00:26:12,940 --> 00:26:14,996 yeah , I don't have , I don't have a 655 00:26:14,996 --> 00:26:16,990 deep detail on what the exercises 656 00:26:16,990 --> 00:26:19,101 you're talking about . So just let me 657 00:26:19,101 --> 00:26:22,470 just broadly speaking , we welcome the 658 00:26:22,470 --> 00:26:25,380 participation of uh our european 659 00:26:25,380 --> 00:26:28,300 partners uh in multilateral exercises 660 00:26:28,300 --> 00:26:31,010 in that part of the world . Uh We think 661 00:26:31,010 --> 00:26:34,060 that's important and as the secretary 662 00:26:34,540 --> 00:26:36,390 has said many times we have to 663 00:26:36,390 --> 00:26:38,001 revitalize our alliances and 664 00:26:38,001 --> 00:26:39,890 partnerships . Not everybody is a 665 00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:41,779 treaty ally , but we have lots of 666 00:26:41,779 --> 00:26:44,001 partners and friends around the world . 667 00:26:44,001 --> 00:26:45,890 This is a great advantage for the 668 00:26:45,890 --> 00:26:47,779 United States , that nations like 669 00:26:47,779 --> 00:26:49,834 Russia and China don't have partners 670 00:26:49,834 --> 00:26:52,057 and friends that are willing to improve 671 00:26:52,057 --> 00:26:54,279 our interoperability uh to increase our 672 00:26:54,279 --> 00:26:56,740 capability to to sharpen our skills uh 673 00:26:56,750 --> 00:26:58,990 in the air , on ground and and at sea . 674 00:26:58,990 --> 00:27:00,768 And so without speaking to this 675 00:27:00,768 --> 00:27:02,970 exercise in particular . Uh Again , I 676 00:27:02,970 --> 00:27:05,130 would say we we welcome the 677 00:27:05,140 --> 00:27:08,600 participation of our our all our allies 678 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,870 and partners in multilateral efforts to 679 00:27:10,870 --> 00:27:13,270 improve our military readiness . What ? 680 00:27:13,740 --> 00:27:17,660 Yeah , uh thanks 681 00:27:17,660 --> 00:27:19,549 for doing this . If the CDC gives 682 00:27:19,549 --> 00:27:21,716 approval for johnson and johnson to be 683 00:27:21,716 --> 00:27:23,660 reused again ? Well , the pentagon 684 00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:25,382 follows suit or or or the duty 685 00:27:25,382 --> 00:27:28,270 continued with Madonna rollout on in 686 00:27:28,270 --> 00:27:31,250 bases overseas . I would suspect that 687 00:27:31,260 --> 00:27:33,690 once the johnson vaccine is approved 688 00:27:33,690 --> 00:27:35,990 again for use , uh you would see it 689 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,222 back into the mix , but we're obviously 690 00:27:38,222 --> 00:27:40,556 not going to move faster than the C . D . 691 00:27:40,556 --> 00:27:44,470 C . Of the F . D . A . Yeah , back to 692 00:27:44,470 --> 00:27:47,340 Indonesia for the role of the assets 693 00:27:47,340 --> 00:27:49,396 heading over there right now , the P 694 00:27:49,396 --> 00:27:51,618 eight and any other potential assets is 695 00:27:51,618 --> 00:27:53,784 that search and recovery ? Is that our 696 00:27:53,784 --> 00:27:55,840 search and rescue ? Is that becoming 697 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,673 more of a recovery effort ? Just 698 00:27:57,673 --> 00:27:59,729 because of the timeline here , since 699 00:27:59,729 --> 00:27:59,440 the sun went missing , I'm not going to 700 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,220 characterize the mission itself . 701 00:28:02,220 --> 00:28:04,053 That's really for the Indonesian 702 00:28:04,053 --> 00:28:06,340 government to speak to the A P eight is 703 00:28:06,340 --> 00:28:09,800 a maritime patrol aircraft , uh , which 704 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,800 is designed uh , to look for 705 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,467 things , right , particularly 706 00:28:15,467 --> 00:28:18,410 submarines . Uh , so it's it's a 707 00:28:18,420 --> 00:28:21,120 sophisticated uh , platform that that 708 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:24,570 could be helpful in um , in 709 00:28:24,580 --> 00:28:26,780 leading the Indonesian government to a 710 00:28:26,780 --> 00:28:29,620 better idea of the location . Um , uh , 711 00:28:29,630 --> 00:28:31,741 and as for other assets . Again , the 712 00:28:31,741 --> 00:28:33,852 secretary offered additional help . I 713 00:28:33,852 --> 00:28:36,019 know of no other requests right now by 714 00:28:36,019 --> 00:28:38,130 the Indonesian government . For other 715 00:28:38,130 --> 00:28:40,130 help that could exist either on the 716 00:28:40,130 --> 00:28:42,297 surface or subsurface . Certainly , we 717 00:28:42,297 --> 00:28:44,408 have lots of capability , but I won't 718 00:28:44,408 --> 00:28:46,574 characterize what kind of mission this 719 00:28:46,574 --> 00:28:48,630 is . We're just leaning in . We just 720 00:28:48,630 --> 00:28:50,797 want them to know that , uh , that our 721 00:28:50,797 --> 00:28:52,963 thoughts and prayers are with them and 722 00:28:52,963 --> 00:28:55,297 and the families that are affected . Um , 723 00:28:55,297 --> 00:28:57,186 and that if we can help at all in 724 00:28:57,186 --> 00:28:59,241 locating the submarine , that that's 725 00:28:59,241 --> 00:29:02,020 that's our focus right now . Yeah . Uh 726 00:29:02,030 --> 00:29:03,641 Gordon Wall Street Journal . 727 00:29:05,740 --> 00:29:07,796 Uh no . The answers to the questions 728 00:29:07,796 --> 00:29:09,740 have been so effective as as far I 729 00:29:09,740 --> 00:29:11,629 yield back my time I passed on my 730 00:29:11,629 --> 00:29:15,170 question . Mm that's a first 731 00:29:16,140 --> 00:29:19,750 Alex with box . Hi john happy 732 00:29:19,750 --> 00:29:22,850 friday . We've been , I just wanted to 733 00:29:22,850 --> 00:29:24,961 know we know that the U . S . Support 734 00:29:24,961 --> 00:29:28,400 uh in Saudi Arabia for is defensive in 735 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,622 the war in Yemen . But we still have no 736 00:29:30,622 --> 00:29:32,789 direct answer as to whether or not the 737 00:29:32,789 --> 00:29:34,900 US providing maintenance or refueling 738 00:29:34,900 --> 00:29:37,067 or logistic support to the Saudi Royal 739 00:29:37,067 --> 00:29:39,233 Air Force . Can you confirm that verse 740 00:29:39,233 --> 00:29:41,344 and you let us know if that is indeed 741 00:29:41,344 --> 00:29:40,920 happening right now ? I'm gonna have to 742 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,087 take that question Alex , I don't have 743 00:29:43,087 --> 00:29:45,430 that level of detail . Uh so I'm gonna 744 00:29:45,430 --> 00:29:47,708 have to get back to you on that . Okay . 745 00:29:47,708 --> 00:29:49,763 The only reason to know as a special 746 00:29:49,763 --> 00:29:51,874 envoy tim lender king said he was out 747 00:29:51,874 --> 00:29:53,874 of the loop from the pentagon as to 748 00:29:53,874 --> 00:29:56,097 whether or not that was happening . And 749 00:29:56,097 --> 00:29:58,319 so we were hoping to inform him as well 750 00:29:58,319 --> 00:30:00,486 as us on that . I'm sure it was really 751 00:30:00,486 --> 00:30:02,652 more to inform you than than him . But 752 00:30:02,652 --> 00:30:04,874 I take the point I'll take the question 753 00:30:04,874 --> 00:30:07,041 and I don't know how much detail we're 754 00:30:07,041 --> 00:30:09,263 gonna be able to provide . Um We'll see 755 00:30:09,263 --> 00:30:11,430 what we can do to help you Tara follow 756 00:30:11,430 --> 00:30:14,620 up on the missing submarine . Could you 757 00:30:14,620 --> 00:30:17,780 walk us through what type of support 758 00:30:17,780 --> 00:30:19,613 the U . S . Could provide if the 759 00:30:19,613 --> 00:30:21,724 submarine is located to help bring it 760 00:30:21,724 --> 00:30:23,724 to the surface . If it does need to 761 00:30:23,724 --> 00:30:25,613 help surfacing what our ships are 762 00:30:25,613 --> 00:30:27,836 capable of or how we could help in that 763 00:30:27,836 --> 00:30:30,058 manner that again , I don't want to get 764 00:30:30,058 --> 00:30:32,310 ahead here on the the operation . It's 765 00:30:32,310 --> 00:30:35,630 right now to help the Indonesians find 766 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,660 uh where it is . That that's that's 767 00:30:38,660 --> 00:30:41,140 where we are right now . Um So , I I 768 00:30:41,150 --> 00:30:43,700 really would be reticent to speculate 769 00:30:43,700 --> 00:30:45,922 about what might happen in the future . 770 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:48,300 Um But just broadly speaking , 771 00:30:48,310 --> 00:30:52,300 the so much 772 00:30:52,300 --> 00:30:54,630 depends on if you're going after an 773 00:30:54,630 --> 00:30:56,741 object underwater or whatever it is , 774 00:30:56,741 --> 00:31:00,100 um the condition it's in , um and and 775 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:02,800 how deep it is , and also what the , 776 00:31:02,810 --> 00:31:06,530 you know , what the bottom is like , uh 777 00:31:06,540 --> 00:31:09,010 what the currents are are like . I mean , 778 00:31:09,010 --> 00:31:11,740 there's a lot to take in . And um , you 779 00:31:11,740 --> 00:31:15,580 know , raising um something from uh 780 00:31:15,590 --> 00:31:17,312 from the bottom of the city is 781 00:31:17,312 --> 00:31:20,680 dangerous , painstaking work . Um uh We 782 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:22,680 have some capabilities to assist in 783 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:24,847 that , but again , a lot of it depends 784 00:31:24,847 --> 00:31:26,791 on so many factors that um it just 785 00:31:26,791 --> 00:31:28,847 wouldn't be prudent for me to try to 786 00:31:28,847 --> 00:31:30,958 get too far ahead of the process here 787 00:31:30,958 --> 00:31:33,069 right now . We want to help them find 788 00:31:33,069 --> 00:31:34,902 this submarine and we want to do 789 00:31:34,902 --> 00:31:37,124 whatever we can , whatever they need us 790 00:31:37,124 --> 00:31:39,180 to do or would like us to do to help 791 00:31:39,180 --> 00:31:41,402 them find it . Okay . And second on the 792 00:31:41,402 --> 00:31:43,402 retrograde , um , when , you know , 793 00:31:43,402 --> 00:31:45,402 mine rollers and m wraps were first 794 00:31:45,402 --> 00:31:47,513 brought into Afghanistan because they 795 00:31:47,513 --> 00:31:49,736 were considered sensitive equipment . A 796 00:31:49,736 --> 00:31:51,958 lot of that was sent along , you know , 797 00:31:51,958 --> 00:31:54,013 specific routes that were guarded or 798 00:31:54,013 --> 00:31:56,069 they were flown in . Um What sort of 799 00:31:56,069 --> 00:31:58,820 estimates are being made for our all of 800 00:31:58,830 --> 00:32:00,950 like the M raps and those types of 801 00:32:00,950 --> 00:32:03,117 vehicles going to have to be flown out 802 00:32:03,117 --> 00:32:05,283 or they're going to go over the land . 803 00:32:05,283 --> 00:32:07,506 Um , and any sort of cost estimates you 804 00:32:07,506 --> 00:32:10,470 guys are generating the rolling stock . 805 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,536 I just , I like that phrase . So I'm 806 00:32:12,536 --> 00:32:14,591 just going to keep using it . That , 807 00:32:14,591 --> 00:32:16,313 that we would be removing from 808 00:32:16,313 --> 00:32:18,560 Afghanistan would largely be done by 809 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,260 aircraft , by cargo aircraft , U . S . 810 00:32:22,270 --> 00:32:25,410 Air Force , uh , uh , assets . 811 00:32:25,420 --> 00:32:28,430 That's that's my understanding as it 812 00:32:28,430 --> 00:32:30,652 stands right now and again , some of it 813 00:32:30,652 --> 00:32:32,374 will stay , some of it will be 814 00:32:32,374 --> 00:32:35,420 destroyed . But the vehicles and uh , 815 00:32:35,430 --> 00:32:37,541 and the equipment that is going to be 816 00:32:37,541 --> 00:32:39,670 uh taken out will be taken out by air 817 00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:42,029 and as you know , that's the most 818 00:32:42,029 --> 00:32:44,580 expensive way to transport any military 819 00:32:44,580 --> 00:32:47,130 equipment . Is the pentagon doing cost 820 00:32:47,130 --> 00:32:49,297 estimates for how much it will cost to 821 00:32:49,297 --> 00:32:51,352 get everything out by the deadline ? 822 00:32:51,352 --> 00:32:53,130 Certainly , I mean , there's no 823 00:32:53,130 --> 00:32:55,297 question that we're going to be taking 824 00:32:55,297 --> 00:32:57,463 a look at what this is going to cost . 825 00:32:57,463 --> 00:32:59,630 Uh , that's always a factor . Whenever 826 00:32:59,630 --> 00:33:01,686 you conduct an operational mission , 827 00:33:01,686 --> 00:33:03,741 there's a financial cost of that . I 828 00:33:03,741 --> 00:33:05,797 don't have that figure for you right 829 00:33:05,797 --> 00:33:07,797 now . Again , General Mackenzie and 830 00:33:07,797 --> 00:33:09,741 General Mueller are refining their 831 00:33:09,741 --> 00:33:11,852 plans and they'll present all that to 832 00:33:11,852 --> 00:33:11,270 the secretary in due course . I don't 833 00:33:11,270 --> 00:33:13,381 think it will take very long for them 834 00:33:13,381 --> 00:33:15,381 to do that because they had already 835 00:33:15,381 --> 00:33:17,270 been doing planning , preliminary 836 00:33:17,270 --> 00:33:19,381 planning for this . Um , but so yes , 837 00:33:19,381 --> 00:33:21,548 there will be a financial cost to it . 838 00:33:21,548 --> 00:33:23,659 I I don't know what that will be . Uh 839 00:33:23,659 --> 00:33:26,870 the I want to stress again that this is 840 00:33:26,870 --> 00:33:28,981 about a safe , orderly and deliberate 841 00:33:29,340 --> 00:33:32,680 draw down . And given the unique nature 842 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:34,624 of Afghanistan on the planet , the 843 00:33:34,624 --> 00:33:38,350 geography airlift is the most effective 844 00:33:38,350 --> 00:33:42,310 way to remove the personnel 845 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,542 and to remove the physical assets , the 846 00:33:44,542 --> 00:33:46,709 equipment that we have there that that 847 00:33:46,709 --> 00:33:50,200 we do intend to leave with . Okay , uh 848 00:33:50,210 --> 00:33:53,380 Jared monitor . Hi , john , I just 849 00:33:53,380 --> 00:33:55,547 wanted to follow up on Alex's question 850 00:33:55,547 --> 00:33:58,940 about us support for uh Saudi 851 00:33:58,950 --> 00:34:01,300 uh , coalition . I I had asked this to 852 00:34:01,300 --> 00:34:03,356 General Mackenzie . I just wanted to 853 00:34:03,356 --> 00:34:05,189 reiterate the importance of this 854 00:34:05,189 --> 00:34:07,411 question . I know , I know . Uh Special 855 00:34:07,411 --> 00:34:09,578 envoy linder king and Alex are not the 856 00:34:09,578 --> 00:34:11,744 only people wondering about this . But 857 00:34:11,744 --> 00:34:13,856 if we could get details on on whether 858 00:34:13,856 --> 00:34:15,967 or not that there is a logistical and 859 00:34:15,967 --> 00:34:15,750 maintenance support for the Royal Saudi 860 00:34:15,750 --> 00:34:17,861 Air Force , that'll be really great . 861 00:34:17,861 --> 00:34:19,972 Thanks . Yes , as I said , we'll take 862 00:34:19,972 --> 00:34:22,950 the question . Okay . Uh jen is that 863 00:34:22,950 --> 00:34:26,320 you um you see what I'm sorry about 864 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,880 that . Uh john do you have any updated 865 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,900 stats on the number of covid vaccine 866 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:35,410 shots that have gone into military arms ? 867 00:34:35,410 --> 00:34:38,960 And how many are left ? And any 868 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,620 stats on vaccine ? Hesitancy in the 869 00:34:41,630 --> 00:34:43,797 military are amongst military family . 870 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:46,670 Um So 871 00:34:48,940 --> 00:34:51,360 we have all those numbers online now . 872 00:34:52,540 --> 00:34:55,960 Um But as of today , 873 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,860 85 of the vaccines received by D . O . 874 00:34:59,860 --> 00:35:02,960 D . have been administered . Um 875 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:05,800 Total doses delivered inside the 876 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,760 Defense Department 3,365,000 877 00:35:10,140 --> 00:35:13,910 100 . Uh Total 878 00:35:13,910 --> 00:35:15,850 Doses administered two million 879 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:19,670 668,000 dang it . 880 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:21,440 Okay 881 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:25,550 2,668,618 882 00:35:25,940 --> 00:35:29,710 um Of those jen initial dose you know 883 00:35:29,710 --> 00:35:32,870 for for for people that are taken 884 00:35:32,870 --> 00:35:34,550 either Pfizer or Moderna . 885 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,830 uh 1,647,030 . 886 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:42,530 Our initial doses Um 2nd 887 00:35:42,530 --> 00:35:46,330 doses totaled 958,027 888 00:35:46,340 --> 00:35:49,010 for those getting the Johnson vaccine 889 00:35:49,010 --> 00:35:51,121 or who have gotten it thus far ? It's 890 00:35:51,121 --> 00:35:54,610 63,561 . I can get all these numbers 891 00:35:54,610 --> 00:35:57,610 for you if you want them . But as a as 892 00:35:57,610 --> 00:36:00,120 we rolled out on Wednesday we're now by 893 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,287 even by services were able to give you 894 00:36:02,287 --> 00:36:04,287 a running tally that we're gonna be 895 00:36:04,287 --> 00:36:06,398 updating three days a week online and 896 00:36:06,398 --> 00:36:08,509 that's based on an automated system . 897 00:36:08,509 --> 00:36:10,731 One of you asked , well why couldn't we 898 00:36:10,731 --> 00:36:12,898 break it down by reserves and guards ? 899 00:36:12,898 --> 00:36:15,009 And the reason why is because this is 900 00:36:15,009 --> 00:36:17,231 an automated system now that we're that 901 00:36:17,231 --> 00:36:19,287 we got online and going doesn't mean 902 00:36:19,287 --> 00:36:18,980 that you can't break it down by reserve 903 00:36:18,980 --> 00:36:20,980 and guard but you have to go to the 904 00:36:20,980 --> 00:36:23,091 services for that . What we're trying 905 00:36:23,091 --> 00:36:25,258 to do at the D . O . D . Level is this 906 00:36:25,258 --> 00:36:27,369 is an automated updating three days a 907 00:36:27,369 --> 00:36:29,424 week and it's using the the advanced 908 00:36:29,424 --> 00:36:31,369 system electronic health system in 909 00:36:31,369 --> 00:36:33,591 general , would you say what percentage 910 00:36:33,591 --> 00:36:35,758 of the force has been vaccinate ? Uh I 911 00:36:35,758 --> 00:36:38,520 don't have that on hand . Uh I'd have 912 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:40,920 to I'd have to go look at uh I mean , 913 00:36:40,930 --> 00:36:43,400 you know , we have to go look at it but 914 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,170 remember also jen 915 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,650 that It's the percent you have to not 916 00:36:50,650 --> 00:36:52,594 not every now everybody's eligible 917 00:36:52,594 --> 00:36:54,206 right now , as of the 19th , 918 00:36:54,206 --> 00:36:56,610 everybody's eligible but not everybody 919 00:36:56,620 --> 00:36:58,787 has quote unquote been offered it . In 920 00:36:58,787 --> 00:37:01,009 other words not everybody has scheduled 921 00:37:01,009 --> 00:37:04,540 their chance to come in . Um So we 922 00:37:04,550 --> 00:37:07,090 just worked through basically through 923 00:37:07,090 --> 00:37:09,310 Tier one and Tier one being the force 924 00:37:09,310 --> 00:37:11,990 most of the forces now in Tier one C or 925 00:37:11,990 --> 00:37:14,690 tier two , which is now everybody but 926 00:37:14,690 --> 00:37:17,350 that just started come the 19th . So 927 00:37:17,350 --> 00:37:20,250 the denominator is bigger obviously 928 00:37:20,250 --> 00:37:22,472 than the numerator right now as we work 929 00:37:22,472 --> 00:37:24,639 our way through . So when you say what 930 00:37:24,639 --> 00:37:26,806 percentage of the force , we could try 931 00:37:26,806 --> 00:37:28,694 to do that math . But you need to 932 00:37:28,694 --> 00:37:30,750 caveat it by understanding that it's 933 00:37:30,750 --> 00:37:33,690 only you know , it's only a subset of 934 00:37:33,690 --> 00:37:35,690 the whole force that have even been 935 00:37:35,690 --> 00:37:38,023 offered the chance to have it right now . 936 00:37:38,430 --> 00:37:40,960 Then offered do you have any statistics 937 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,530 on the vaccine ? Hesitancy ? I don't , 938 00:37:43,530 --> 00:37:46,070 as I said , we've said this before , 939 00:37:46,070 --> 00:37:48,330 we're not tracking as you call it 940 00:37:48,330 --> 00:37:51,770 vaccine . Hesitancy . Um , at the OsD 941 00:37:51,770 --> 00:37:54,740 level , that's the services might be 942 00:37:54,740 --> 00:37:56,962 able to give you a better sense of what 943 00:37:56,962 --> 00:37:59,184 they're seeing at their levels are down 944 00:37:59,184 --> 00:38:01,073 on local levels . Uh , and that's 945 00:38:01,073 --> 00:38:00,700 that's okay if they want to speak to 946 00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:02,756 that . But we're not tracking that . 947 00:38:02,756 --> 00:38:04,978 What we're , what we're trying to do is 948 00:38:04,978 --> 00:38:07,144 give you the whole numbers of how many 949 00:38:07,144 --> 00:38:09,144 people are getting it . And again , 950 00:38:09,144 --> 00:38:11,367 who's getting the first ? Who's getting 951 00:38:11,367 --> 00:38:13,256 the second as we continue to move 952 00:38:13,256 --> 00:38:15,533 through the tears . Yeah . Yes , ma'am . 953 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,980 Um , There's an Arleigh burke class 954 00:38:19,820 --> 00:38:21,542 guided missile destroyer being 955 00:38:21,542 --> 00:38:23,709 commissioned tomorrow . And Pascagoula 956 00:38:23,709 --> 00:38:25,709 Mississippi . Does it have a crew ? 957 00:38:25,709 --> 00:38:27,764 What can you talk a little bit about 958 00:38:27,764 --> 00:38:29,987 what the next steps are ? Does it go on 959 00:38:29,987 --> 00:38:32,209 a shakedown voyage ? What happens after 960 00:38:32,209 --> 00:38:35,840 commissioning ? And uh , yeah . 961 00:38:36,620 --> 00:38:38,453 So I referred to the Navy on the 962 00:38:38,453 --> 00:38:42,040 specifics . I'm not uh , I'm not 963 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:44,207 disputing that there's a commissioning 964 00:38:44,207 --> 00:38:46,429 as you said Commissioner or christening 965 00:38:46,429 --> 00:38:48,670 christmas name sir . Um , I'd point you 966 00:38:48,670 --> 00:38:50,837 to the Navy for more detail about what 967 00:38:50,837 --> 00:38:53,059 vessels being christened . I don't have 968 00:38:53,059 --> 00:38:55,140 that in this big , huge book today , 969 00:38:55,150 --> 00:38:58,430 but I can tell you that just because I 970 00:38:58,430 --> 00:39:00,486 have a little bit of experience with 971 00:39:00,486 --> 00:39:02,208 the Navy , that when a ship is 972 00:39:02,208 --> 00:39:04,319 christened , it does have a crew . It 973 00:39:04,319 --> 00:39:06,374 has a pre commissioning crew already 974 00:39:06,374 --> 00:39:08,597 assigned to it , including a commanding 975 00:39:08,597 --> 00:39:10,263 officer and executive officer 976 00:39:10,263 --> 00:39:12,860 leadership team , um , that uh , that 977 00:39:12,860 --> 00:39:14,749 work right alongside the shipyard 978 00:39:14,749 --> 00:39:17,340 workers too , um , to get that ship 979 00:39:17,340 --> 00:39:19,600 ready for her eventual commissioning 980 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,030 and use in the , in the fleet . Now at 981 00:39:22,030 --> 00:39:24,030 the christening level , you may not 982 00:39:24,030 --> 00:39:26,197 have all the crew assigned that you'll 983 00:39:26,197 --> 00:39:28,308 eventually have . Uh but certainly by 984 00:39:28,308 --> 00:39:30,600 the time this ship is commission , 985 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:32,910 she'll have a full up ready crew . The 986 00:39:32,910 --> 00:39:35,021 crew not only is helping the ship get 987 00:39:35,021 --> 00:39:37,188 ready , they're helping themselves get 988 00:39:37,188 --> 00:39:39,354 ready , uh building out the structures 989 00:39:39,354 --> 00:39:41,354 the organization , making sure that 990 00:39:41,354 --> 00:39:41,150 they're all trained for the jobs that 991 00:39:41,150 --> 00:39:43,317 they have to do to to put that ship to 992 00:39:43,317 --> 00:39:45,317 see into fighter . But I'm afraid I 993 00:39:45,317 --> 00:39:47,483 don't have much more detail on on that 994 00:39:47,483 --> 00:39:49,706 particular christening . The Navy would 995 00:39:49,706 --> 00:39:52,240 be , I'm sure delighted to brag about 996 00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:54,940 their newest destroyer for you . Okay , 997 00:39:54,950 --> 00:39:58,480 we got one more . Thank you . 998 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:00,809 Yesterday . General Mackenzie was 999 00:40:00,809 --> 00:40:02,920 talking about diplomats going out and 1000 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:05,142 try and figure out what the part of the 1001 00:40:05,142 --> 00:40:05,130 possible is in terms of basing 1002 00:40:05,130 --> 00:40:07,130 agreements for the counterterrorism 1003 00:40:07,130 --> 00:40:09,352 mission without U . S . Troops being in 1004 00:40:09,352 --> 00:40:11,297 Afghanistan ? The State Department 1005 00:40:11,297 --> 00:40:12,963 earlier said it was a virtual 1006 00:40:12,963 --> 00:40:14,963 conference with several key Central 1007 00:40:14,963 --> 00:40:17,960 Asian nations . Did they discover what 1008 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,100 might be possible ? And did they pave 1009 00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:22,850 the way for future or set up any future 1010 00:40:22,860 --> 00:40:24,940 discussions between the Defense 1011 00:40:24,940 --> 00:40:26,662 Department and those countries 1012 00:40:26,662 --> 00:40:28,718 militaries about basing agreements ? 1013 00:40:28,718 --> 00:40:30,940 Any progress ? I'd have to point you to 1014 00:40:30,940 --> 00:40:33,107 the State Department for details about 1015 00:40:33,107 --> 00:40:35,510 the those kinds of discussions . I 1016 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:37,353 can't go any further really than 1017 00:40:37,353 --> 00:40:39,520 General Mackenzie did . Certainly . Um 1018 00:40:39,710 --> 00:40:42,490 uh we would support diplomatic efforts 1019 00:40:42,490 --> 00:40:44,712 to explore those kinds of opportunities 1020 00:40:44,712 --> 00:40:48,070 uh for the kinds of 1021 00:40:48,070 --> 00:40:50,292 counterterrorism capabilities that that 1022 00:40:50,292 --> 00:40:52,348 we'd like to have in the region ? Uh 1023 00:40:52,348 --> 00:40:54,403 But as you've also heard , Secretary 1024 00:40:54,403 --> 00:40:56,640 Austin say said in brussels , we have 1025 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,800 already robust over the horizon 1026 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:00,856 counterterrorism capabilities at our 1027 00:41:00,856 --> 00:41:03,100 disposal uh and uh and you know , we 1028 00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:05,450 intend to do whatever we need to do uh 1029 00:41:05,460 --> 00:41:08,640 to make sure that a terrorist attack on 1030 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:10,720 our homeland can emanate again from 1031 00:41:10,720 --> 00:41:13,900 Afghanistan ? Pick up ? Can you say 1032 00:41:13,900 --> 00:41:16,210 anything about the F 35 program ? Is 1033 00:41:16,220 --> 00:41:18,570 have you notified Turkey about their 1034 00:41:18,580 --> 00:41:20,802 removal from the program ? I don't have 1035 00:41:20,802 --> 00:41:22,969 an update for you on that today . I'll 1036 00:41:22,969 --> 00:41:25,136 take that question . All right . Thank 1037 00:41:25,136 --> 00:41:27,880 you . Yeah . 1038 00:41:29,910 --> 00:41:32,240 And you you want the glasses back on , 1039 00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:32,510 huh ?