[MILITARY REPORTS]

Department of Defense News Briefing with Secretary Hagel and Gen. Dempsey from the Pentagon

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:55:00 GMT

<table width="700" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> You are subscribed to News Transcripts for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. <div class="rss_item" style="margin-bottom: 2em;"> <div class="rss_title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5241">Department of Defense News Briefing with Secretary Hagel and Gen. Dempsey from the Pentagon</a></div> <div class="rss_pub_date" style="font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; color: #666666; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">05/17/2013 05:30 PM CDT</div> </div> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="left" valign="top">Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin E. Dempsey</td> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="right" valign="top">May 17, 2013 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <div align="center" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Department of Defense News Briefing with Secretary Hagel and Gen. Dempsey from the Pentagon</div> <div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000;">             SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CHUCK HAGEL: Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. I'm sorry we had to move this one day, but nonetheless, it's been a slow news week for you. I know you've been looking for something to do and to report on.              Let me begin by making an announcement regarding a nomination that the president is going to make, and that is a change of command for our forces in Korea. General Curt Scaparrotti is going to be nominated by the president to replace General J.D. Thurman in Korea. And we're very proud of that announcement; I know the president is. And General Dempsey may want to address that in a little more detail, since he's worked very closely with General Scaparrotti. We'll have more to say about that announcement as we go on and as the president makes his formal nomination.              But let me just note a couple of things about General J.D. Thurman. He has done a tremendous job for our country, for our forces of that region. He has credibility. The confidence that people have in him everywhere is really pretty special. He's been there, as you all know, at a very uncertain time. And his steady, wise leadership has really counted, so I wanted to note that, and, as I said, we'll have more to say about both those -- those generals at the appropriate time.              Yesterday, as you all know, I participated in a meeting with the prime minister of Turkey, with the president, vice president, Secretary Kerry, and others. Long meeting, very productive meeting, good meeting. If you want to talk about any of that, I'd be glad to respond to any of the questions you have.              This morning, General Dempsey and I hosted the Turkish minister of defense and foreign minister for about an hour-and-a-half, and we talked about many -- certainly the regional issues and followed up on a number of points that were made in the meeting with the Turkish prime minister and President Obama yesterday and would be glad to respond to any of those questions.              This afternoon, after this news conference, I -- I will host the French minister of defense. And we will spend a considerable amount of time talking about different mutual interests in NATO and certainly what we're doing together in a number of areas. And so if you want to pursue any of that, I'd be glad to respond.              Before I ask General Dempsey for his comments and we take your questions, just a couple of updates on the sexual assault issue. You all know that General Dempsey and I met with the president, the vice president yesterday, as well as our senior enlisted and officer leadership in the U.S. military. I thought it was a very important, productive meeting.              It was important because it gave the president an opportunity to ask questions directly, and get the sense of this huge problem, serious problem in our military, ask questions of the military leadership.              The military leaders in that room answered and responded and, at the president's invitation, gave I thought very honest evaluations of what they thought about the issue and clearly articulated what we're all going to do, and are doing, to address it.              It was also important for our leadership, our military leadership, to hear from the president on this. The president was very constructive. He was very clear. There wasn't anybody in that room who wasn't disappointed and embarrassed and didn't recognize that we've in many ways failed.              But we all have committed to turn this around, and we're going to fix the problem. As the president said in his comments after that meeting, there's no silver bullet. This is going to take all of us.              The problem will be solved here, in this institution, and we will -- we will fix it and we will do everything we need to do to fix it. There's not a military leader who was in that room who's not completely committed to that. These are men who -- and women in our services who have devoted their lives to this institution and to the men and women who serve this country. So no one understands the depth of this more or more concerned or more committed to fix it than -- than those people in that room with -- with the president. And I will be glad to respond to any particular questions on that.              This morning, I had the first meeting with the congressionally mandated sexual review panel that was mandated in the FY [fiscal year] 13 National Defense Authorization Act, which I think you're generally familiar with. I noted a few days ago that I had selected the final five panelists. It's a nine-panel review board, four selected by the Congress, five selected by me. We had about an hour-long telephonic meeting this morning to go over what the expectations were, what the president's expectations were, what -- what my expectations are, what the Congress's expectations are.              And I think we've -- you've all seen the membership, they're all highly respected, highly regarded, experienced men and women who understand cultures, society, command, and I think it's an exceptionally well-balanced group of men and women who we look to, to help us. And they are charged with reviewing everything we're doing and then coming up with recommendations to the Congress and to me and to our military leadership on what we need to do to fix it, how can we fix it. And they will have their first meeting physically impaneled -- most likely it'll be in this building -- next month. We're putting that together. So if you want to get into any of that here in a minute, I'll be glad to.              Also, I wanted to note that this afternoon, after the meeting with the French minister of defense, I will hold my first weekly review and progress meeting on the sexual assault directives that I started about a month-and-a-half ago. It's not good enough to say we have a zero-tolerance policy. We do, but what's that mean? How does that translate into changing anything?              And I want to know -- and I'll get weekly briefs. They will be on my schedule, in my office. I'll chair the meeting. What are we doing? What did we do? How do we continue to break through this? It's just not good enough for people to walk out of my office and say, "Well, we're doing it." I want to know how it's being done, and I want to know everything about it. Who's being held accountable?              And I just signed off on a directive here today on another part of this, and that is the recertification and the review and the retraining of everyone associated with the United States military who has any responsibility for any sexual abuse offices, sexual protection offices, in any way dealing with this program across the board. It will be standardized in all the services.              And all our military recruiters, every military recruiter, regardless of the service, will undergo this. We've got timeframes on it. You will all be given, I think, copies of the directive here after the conference, so you'll see exactly what I said. But that was signed off on today.              There will be more of these directives. There will be more action. You know a number of the things that I've done, we've done.              And I might add, because I ask General Dempsey for his comments, this wasn't done just independent of everybody else. I've spent a tremendous amount of time with the chiefs on this, the secretaries. Chairman Dempsey has led on this.              This problem can't be fixed by the secretary of defense alone. I can direct it. I can hold people accountable. And I will. The president's held me accountable for it. And there's not one of these people in leadership today that wants this to be their legacy. And so we will continue to work this, and we'll work it hard. It is as big a priority as I have, for obvious reasons.              Our force structure is the core of who we are. It's the fabric of our system. No matter how many new technologies we employ and how much the quality of our technology and our weaponry gives us an edge -- and it does -- no matter how much money we have, it won't work unless your people make it work. And so it has to be at the center of our focus of leadership and our priorities.              So with that, let me ask General Dempsey for his comments and then we'll open it up.              GENERAL MARTIN DEMPSEY:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I can think of no finer officer to be promoted to general and to take command of U.S. Forces Korea than Mike Scaparrotti. Scap's an exceptionally competent leader with the moral character to match. Like our current commander, General J.D. Thurman, he's extraordinary well-suited to sustaining our strong alliance with the Republic of Korea.              Scap's quiet confidence has delivered success throughout his career, whether as deputy commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan or, most recently and currently, as the director of the Joint Staff. As my director, he has helped advance my priorities to include our urgent work to eliminate sexual harassment and sexual assault from our ranks.              As I've said before, the risks inherent to military service must not include the risk of sexual assault. It betrays the trust on which our profession is founded. It's a crime that demands accountability and consequences.              And as you know, the Joint Chiefs have spent the better part of the last year implementing a campaign focused on prevention, investigation, accountability, advocacy and assessment. The additional actions recently directed by Secretary Hagel will strengthen those efforts.              The emphasis on prevention is especially important. As the president made clear to us yesterday, we can and must do more to change a culture that has become too complacent. Now's the time for us to recommit ourselves to our profession. Now's the time for character to be valued as much, if not more than competence. Now's the time for moral courage at every level. There can be no bystanders.              I remember my early years in the Army when racial issues and drug abuse tore at the fabric of our service. The Army was broken. With moral leadership and a recommitment to professionalism, we changed that course, we restored trust in the ranks, and trust among -- between us and the American people.              Today the joint force is not broken. In fact, it's remarkably resilient, something I spoke to last week when I was presenting the commencement address at Arizona State University. But we have a serious problem that we must solve, aggressive sexual behavior that rips at the bond of trust that binds us together.              We need -- actually, we must change course. Every single member of the joint force in every unit at every level must be alert to the problem and be part of the solution. Working together, we can and will restore faith in ourselves and the trust and faith of the American people. Thank you.              SEC. HAGEL: Bob?              Q: Mr. Secretary, you mentioned that the president said yesterday after your meeting that there is no silver bullet to fixing this problem, but what is your best bullet? And also, do you think that -- is there any reason to believe that alcohol use and/or abuse is part of this equation and there needs to be more attention to that?              And I've got a question, also, of the chairman. You were quoted the other day as saying that you see a connection between this problem and the effects of being at war for more than a decade. I wonder if you can elaborate on that. And also, with the war winding down, does that suggest in any way that this problem would wind down with it?              SEC. HAGEL: On your question regarding the use of alcohol, yes, alcohol does play a very big factor in sexual assault, not every case, but in many cases. And I don't have all of the demographics and all the metrics on this, but there's no question it does. That is a part of this, but -- and it can be used as an excuse, but it is -- it's part of the larger context of, why is this happening.              To your bigger question, what are our best bullets, well, as the president said yesterday, and I've said, and certainly our leadership, both at the enlisted and the office corps level, has said that this is -- and you've heard it -- this is cultural, this is an accountability issue. It's sometimes a structural issue. Are we going far enough up and down the chain of command?              There are so many dimensions to this that I don't think you can come at it in one simple way. You know, I -- I get a lot of advice on this, and I listen to everybody. Well, why don't you just fire some people? Well, yeah, we could do that. And, you know, who are you going to fire?              Now, the people who have been charged, they, as you all know, are moved out of their billets and the responsibility until they have due process. Where we can find people who have actually perpetrated these crimes and we prosecute, and so on, yes, we get rid of them. And -- but there's no simple way to come at this.              And so, you've got to come at in -- I think from the entire framework of starting with, why is this happening? And try to understand that. And there are a lot of dimensions to that. And the chiefs got into that with the president yesterday. Then you get into the reporting process.              Now, when you look at the -- those numbers that are essentially spiking, and I -- and I suspect they're going to continue to rise on the reporting, as Vice President Biden reminded us yesterday, there is a glimmer of hope in that. There's no good news in this, but there's a glimmer of hope, because in many cases -- and we're going back in and trying to understand this better and asking a lot of questions -- is at least there some new confidence being built out there and developed that, when people come forward and report something, that they have some assurance that, first of all, the victim will be treated fairly and -- and that there will be something done about it.              Then -- then you have the victim's rights here. The protection of those victims, what does a victim think about and expect if they -- before they come forward? Will they be treated fairly? That's part of it.              Then you -- then you've got to look at the prosecutorial side. Then you look at the penalty side. You look at all those pieces, and you can't take just one or two or three of them and -- and fix just one or two. It's -- it's everything.              That's why the panel, the outside independent review panel, is so important here, because as you all know, I think the last count I got this morning, there are 10 pieces of legislation in the House and the Senate that change components of -- of all this reporting and the structure and who's accountable and some of it -- even taking it out of the military command structure. And we're going to have to do something. We will do something. We're working with everybody.              But whatever we do, we want to make sure it's right, because there are consequences to whatever we do. And that's why the panel is so important. It was congressionally mandated. And we need to see what they come up with, and we're listening to everybody. We're talking to everybody. We're talking to other militaries, by the way, from around the world and -- and see what they think. The president noted that yesterday, and I told him that we were talking to different militaries around the world. How are they dealing with this? And what kind of command structure have they changed and what works? So I think it's all of those things, Bob. It isn't just one or two things.              General?              GEN. DEMPSEY: Bob, at some level, this is actually a continuum of -- of a challenge we've had. You know, you were around in the mid-'90s when we had -- within a space of about 18 months in the mid-'90s we had Tailhook, Aberdeen, and a military academy scandal.              And then I think, you know, we went to war and maybe some of that was masked. And you asked, do I think that there's an effect of 10 years of war? Yeah, instinctively, I do. And we've been looking at what that might be.              And, you know, you might -- you might argue that we've become a little too forgiving because, you know, if a perpetrator shows up at a court martial with a rack of ribbons and has four deployments and a Purple Heart, you know, there is certainly the risk that we might -- we might be a little too forgiving of that particular crime.              So we're looking for game-changers, really. And some of these congressional proposals could be game-changers. And so we want to make sure, as the secretary said, that as we take a look at the -- the proposals, that we understand how they fit together and, more importantly, how -- what are the second- and third-order effects?              Because, look, in our system, we give a commander life-and-death decision-making authority. I can't imagine going forward to solve this issue without commanders involved.              Q: Well, can I follow on that? Because if you listen to the women in the military who are sexually assaulted, they say the best thing that you can do to change this is to take this out of the commanders' hands, put this in civilian courts. They are afraid to talk to their commanders, because they know the men who are assaulting them. Are you considering at all changing that? And where do you all stand on that move?              And then I do have another question on Syria. We -- we've learned that Assad is being provided with anti-ship cruise missiles and that the Russians are putting a dozen or so extra ships in the Med off Tartus. Do you consider this a provocative act designed to sort of push the U.S. out of involvement in Syria?              SEC. HAGEL: Well, I'll start on your first question. We're looking at everything. And we are listening to victims carefully, closely. And I addressed this in my -- in my first answer to -- to Bob's question about the rights of victims and what goes through their minds before they come forward. And are they afraid? Are they intimidated? Obviously, yes, yes, yes, on all those questions.              So we're looking at everything. We're not taking anything off the table. And we want to understand all that's best. So that -- that's what I've said, that's where I come down.              As to your Syrian questions, just a couple of general responses. One of the reasons -- one of the primary reasons that Secretary Kerry went to Moscow to meet with President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov was to talk about all of these issues and try to find some common ground that the Russians and the U.S. can come to, some intersection of interests, because we all have interest in the Middle East. What's happening there, everybody knows, is very, very dangerous.              And what we don't want to see happen, the Russians don't want to see happen, is for Syria to erupt to the point where we -- we may well find a regional war in the Middle East.              So we continue to work with the Russians on their interests and everything we can do to convince the powers that are involved in the region to be careful with escalation of military options and -- and equipment. We'll continue to work through that. So this is complicated, and I think I would leave my answer that way. And if General Dempsey wants to add anything...              GEN. DEMPSEY: Well, just on Syria, I mean, you know, it's at the very least an unfortunate decision that will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering. So as -- it's ill-timed and very unfortunate.              Q: Mr. Secretary...              (CROSSTALK)              Q: You're talking about which -- which missiles, the anti-ship...              GEN. DEMPSEY: The ship -- the ship missiles.              Q: So they have made clear, the Russians, that they're going to keep delivering missiles in accordance with arms sales they made years ago. How does that change -- and particularly I'm thinking about the S-300 air defense system -- how does that change your thinking about arming the rebels? And how does that complicate your planning for all of the military contingencies that you're planning for?              SEC. HAGEL: Well, we plan for every military contingency, as you know, and every option. As General Dempsey said, the escalation of weaponry in the Middle East is dangerous, and we are working with our partners in that area, as well as other countries, to make sure that whatever influence we have, that that doesn't continue.              General Dempsey made it very clear that, on the specific areas of the missiles, whatever else is involved with the Russians, does not help. It makes it more dangerous.              And I think, to summarize my thoughts on this, is that we continue to keep every option open, as the president has said. We are already doing a lot in Syria on the humanitarian side, on the non-lethal side. We are continuing to try to bring some consensus with all the different countries involved, the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries, others. A lot of the conversation with Prime Minister Erdogan yesterday and this morning and their entire delegation was about this issue.              And certainly my opinion that to -- to de-escalate, to find some common ground to assure that Syria doesn't disintegrate and the Middle East erupt into a regional war, we continue to obviously keep every option open and what further action we may take, but also working with the other players here.              GEN. DEMPSEY: Just on the -- on the shore-to-ship missile capability and the -- and the SA-300 system, there are more capable systems. The SA-300, for example, higher altitude, longer range, multiple tracking capability. It pushes the standoff distance a little more, increases risk, but not impossible to overcome. What I'm really worried about is that Assad will decide that, since he's got these systems, he's somehow safer and/or more prone to a miscalculation. So, you know, again, an unfortunate decision.              SEC. HAGEL: Yes.              Q: Yeah (inaudible) from Al Jazeera English television. One hundred days since the hunger strike began in Guantanamo, 102 detainees currently on -- making this protest. And I wondered, can you fill us in on what the department has done, what the overall military has done to try to address some of their concerns, to try -- what -- what is being done to try to end this hunger strike?              SEC. HAGEL: Well, first, we have a responsibility, an ethical responsibility, to assure the health and well-being of every detainee. And certainly, we're doing everything we can to do that.              As you know, President Obama noted a couple weeks ago that he is going to come back -- and he's in the process of that now -- to find some resolution to Guantanamo. And I think our role, the military's role there, is being handled with -- with as much responsibility as we should and need to with our detainees.              And so I think -- I'll ask General Dempsey if he's got any other thoughts, but we're doing everything we can to protect those detainees. And we do need a resolution to this. The president has said that, and he's working toward it.              GEN. DEMPSEY: The only thing I'd add is that, you know, the United States military guards Guantanamo, and our responsibility is clear. That is the -- the safe -- the well-being of the prisoners, the safety of both them and the guards, and that's our job. That's what we're doing. The rest of this is really policy decisions.              SEC. HAGEL: Okay.              Q: You talked a little bit earlier about looking at the various congressional proposals on sexual assault. Just to -- to follow up on Justin's, do you at this point support Senator Gillibrand's legislation to take sexual assault and battery cases out and put them in the hands of a prosecutor, as opposed to the chain of command? And what do you think about some of the new proposals by Senator Blumenthal about creating a victims compensation fund? Could that encourage people to come forward?              SEC. HAGEL: Well, I've spoken to all of those senators a number of times, as many of our leaders have, on their proposals. We're working with their staffs on all their proposals. We're talking to all the members of Congress, both in the House and the Senate. And I've got two more conversations this afternoon on their proposals.              We are -- and I appreciate this -- we all do -- accommodating House and Senate members and working with them on what we think is workable, giving them our best assessment. They are listening, and they are giving us that opportunity. We are not taking any position on any bill, that this is our favorite bill or this is not our favorite bill. We're looking for components of all the legislation that we think make sense.              But I also would say that -- going back to what I noted earlier about the congressionally mandated panel, I would hope that we -- we would have some time here, everyone would have some time, to listen to what the panel comes back with. This was a congressionally mandated panel and give them some time here to go in and really assess the problem. Why do we have the problem? How can we prevent the problem? What should we be doing better? It may well end up those recommendations are exactly what -- one or two are the same way that Congress have been -- have proposed in their bill. So we're looking at all of it and working with all of them.              GEN. DEMPSEY: Yeah, I'm actually in receipt of a letter from Senator Levin and Senator Inhofe, Senate Armed Services Committee, asking me to provide my military advice on the specifics of those bills. And I'll -- I will communicate with them before I communicate with you.              SEC. HAGEL: Barbara?              Q: Mr. Secretary, you've talked a lot about the concept of accountability, but this isn't a new problem in the military. This has been going on for military women for some time. So what -- what's your philosophy, your decision-making about accountability? When do you hold someone accountable?              And with respect to both of you, the Joint Chiefs, as an organization, they -- they're in charge of training, and they know this problem's been going on for many years now. When do you hold somebody accountable on the senior level for -- I'll be very quick -- not getting the job done as you would if there was a major accident and lives were lost, if it was drugs, racism, attacks against gays in the military?              Very quick follow-up for General Dempsey on Syria. Should this -- given what you've said about your fear of a wider war, do -- do you recommend the Syrians be stopped militarily, if they have to be, from getting the S-300?              SEC. HAGEL: I think, when you come at this, as you noted, specifically focus on accountability. And I have. You're exactly right. I have felt -- by the way, it isn't just applicable to this issue. It's everything in life. If you don't have accountability, you don't have much. In fact, our Constitution, our country, our government was founded on accountability. It's why we have three coequal branches of government.              And what we're looking at in every way, many of the directives that I've given this week, two weeks ago, back a month-and-a-half ago, were focused -- if not every one of them -- on some element of accountability of every chain of command.              The division commander is in charge of that command. Regardless if there's a brigade commander, battalion commander, company commander, that connection has to work all the way up and down the line. We are looking at how we can do that better. We are -- one of the reasons we're going back and we're re-certifying everybody that I talked about earlier, the directive I gave -- formally gave today, announced a couple of days ago, is -- is to go back into that chain of command, go back into that accountability. The president talked about it. It is an essential component that somehow has been lacking or broken down. I don't know. But it is -- is a central part of how we fix the problem. There are other pieces, too.              Q: But the accountability (OFF-MIC) United States military on the issue of sexual assaults against military women and men, seems to me that is more than just -- I mean, that's an extraordinary thing for a secretary of defense to acknowledge. If accountability is lacking, what do you do about it?              SEC. HAGEL: Well, I responded in the -- in the general sense of your question of accountability. The accountability of any institution, especially the discipline of the military -- and I'll let General Dempsey, who's devoted 39 years of his life to this, understands it far better than I do -- if any component of that breaks down, if it's lacking anywhere, there's going to be a problem.              Of course there's accountability in the military, or we wouldn't have a military. The chairman couldn't make decisions and the combatant commanders couldn't give orders. And if there wasn't accountability in the chain of command, things wouldn't happen. Of course there's accountability.              I was referring to the specific area of what's broken down in sexual assault, starting with reporting, starting with reporting, and the follow-through of that. And of course, we -- that -- that's a key part of anything to get to a resolution, how do you fix it?              Starting with some of the questions about victims saying -- and rightfully so -- that they didn't feel their commanders were accountable enough to be able to come forward and -- and register a complaint, file a complaint, because they thought they would be subject to many things, which is true, which has happened, and then also having no confidence that anything would be done about their complaint. So that's what I was referring to. And that needs to be addressed, as well as all the components of this.              GEN. DEMPSEY: You want the Syrian question?              Q: (OFF-MIC)              GEN. DEMPSEY: Yeah. Well, first of all, they don't have these weapons systems. Syria doesn't have control of them.              Q: (OFF-MIC)              GEN. DEMPSEY: Right. Right. If they have control of them, there -- there are several -- there are several capabilities that Syria has not used or potentially has not used responsibly, chemicals, long-range rockets, and missiles, and high-end air defense. And so the things that are in their control, we have options to deal with that. We -- we do not have options in any way to prevent the delivery of them.              Q: (OFF-MIC) delivery to Syria militarily?  GEN. DEMPSEY: I -- I didn't say that. I didn't say we couldn't. I said we do not have options to prevent the delivery of any military sales to the Syrians.              GEORGE LITTLE: Last question.              SEC. HAGEL: Yes?              Q: Actually, on -- on Syria, can you just both update us on -- you mentioned the humanitarian aid the U.S. has provided -- has there been any change in thinking on providing any lethal weapons to the -- the rebels since the last time we asked you?              And then also, General Dempsey, could you just clarify, earlier you were talking about -- to Bob's question about the war and any -- any impact that may have on sexual assaults. And you said that the military may have become a little bit too forgiving when they see someone walking in with all these awards and whatnot. Have you -- have you seen specific instances of that happening? I mean, presumably you have a lot more clarity on individual cases than we do. Are we seeing that as a problem?              GEN. DEMPSEY: You want me to go first?              SEC. HAGEL: Yeah.              GEN. DEMPSEY: You know, you never -- you -- you don't know what a panel -- what turns a panel as it deliberates. I mean, that's -- you know, you're not afforded the opportunity to go back and scrutinize it.              But what I am suggesting is that, after 10 years of war, there is the potential that we should examine whether -- whether we've become a little bit too forgiving, not just of -- of -- of sexual harassment, sexual assault, but of other forms of misconduct, as well.              So if you're -- what you're hearing me expressing is that -- is the commitment to try to gain a deeper understanding of what we're dealing with and -- and an instinct that suggests that 10 years of war might be a factor.              SEC. HAGEL: On your question, the answer is we -- we continue to look at every option, and we will. We have to. Every option is on the table.              MR. LITTLE: Thank you, everyone.              SEC. HAGEL: Thank you very much. Thank you. </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div id="mail_footer"> <a href='http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDOD-7b789f?reqfrom=share' target='_blank'><img width='83' height='16' alt='Bookmark and Share' style='border:0' src='https://public.govdelivery.com/images/share_this.gif?1278100473'/></a>   U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/">http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/</a> Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx">http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx</a> or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your <a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1">User Profile Page</a>. 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NATO's weekly update

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:30:00 GMT

<table width="563" border="0" style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;font-size:100%;" > <td colspan="3" width="563" height="113"><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-r/"><img src="https://i1.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/header_0.jpg" alt="NATO's weekly update" width="563" height="113" border="0" align="top"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="padding-bottom:10px;" > <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td><h1 style="font-size:1.2em;font-weight:lighter;line-height:1.1em;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:0em;margin-right:0em;margin-left:0em;" >NATO Secretary General welcomes new Supreme Allied Commander Europe</h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-y/"><img src="https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/20130513_130513-sg-saceur_rdax_276x184_1.jpg" width="276" height="184" border="0" alt=""></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="font-size:0.750em;" >United States Air Force General Philip Mark Breedlove took over command of NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) from Admiral James Stavridis during a handover ceremony in Mons, Belgium on Monday ( 13 May 2013). "I am honoured to be here today for this handover ceremony to thank Admiral Stavridis for his outstanding contribution to transatlantic security and to welcome our new Supreme Allied Commander, General Breedlove, to the Alliance," said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who attended the ceremony. <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-j/">More...</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/dotted-_line_2.gif" width="340" height="1" style="margin-top:10px;" ></td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td><h2 style="font-size:1.1em;font-weight:lighter;padding-top:7px;color:#333;" >More stories</h2></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="font-size:0.750em;" > <ul style="list-style-type:disc;list-style-position:outside;list-style-image:url(https://i4.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/list-item_3.gif);padding-top:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;margin-right:0em;margin-left:0em;" > <li style="padding-top:0em;padding-bottom:0.6em;padding-right:0em;padding-left:0em;" ><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-t/">Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the elections in Pakistan</a></li> <li style="padding-top:0em;padding-bottom:0.6em;padding-right:0em;padding-left:0em;" ><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-i/">NATO Secretary General condemns attacks in Turkey</a></li> <li style="padding-top:0em;padding-bottom:0.6em;padding-right:0em;padding-left:0em;" ><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-d/">NATO experts and industry leaders discuss counter-terrorism</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/dotted-_line_2.gif" width="340" height="1" style="margin-top:6px;" ></td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td><h2 style="font-size:1.1em;font-weight:lighter;padding-top:7px;color:#333;" >NATO in pictures</h2></td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-h/"><img src="https://i5.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/20130514_130514c-011_rdax_128x85_4.jpg" width="128" height="85" alt="" style="border-width:2px;border-style:solid;border-color:#d0d0d0;margin-left:23px;margin-right:23px;" ></a><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-k/"><img src="https://i6.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/20130514_130513a-008_rdax_128x91_5.jpg" width="128" height="85" alt="" style="border-width:2px;border-style:solid;border-color:#d0d0d0;" ></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img src="https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/dotted-_line_2.gif" width="340" height="1" style="margin-top:10px;" ></td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2"><h2 style="font-size:1.1em;font-weight:lighter;padding-top:7px;margin-bottom:0em;color:#333;" >NATO Review: NATO's 'neutral' European partners: valuable contributors or free riders?</h2></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="128"><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-u/"><img src="https://i7.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/review_6.jpg" width="130" height="81" hspace="10" vspace="4" border="0"></a></td> <td valign="top" style="font-size:0.750em;" >When the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact collapsed, five European states – Austria, Sweden, Finland, Ireland and Switzerland – decided, each for their own reasons, to remain "neutral." They nonetheless could not avoid questions about the place they should take in a new post-Cold War international system, including their relationship to NATO. <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okjddyk-mahtklkk-o/">More...</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><img src="https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/AA/AEA/AC6/172356/csimport/dotted-_line_2.gif" width="340" height="1" style="margin-top:10px;" ></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="21"></td> <td width="202" valign="top"> <table width="202" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="right" style="font-size:0.6em;color:#999;padding-top:5px;padding-bottom:8px;" > <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-tw-okjddyk-mahtklkk-s/"><img src="https://img.createsend1.com/img/social/tweet.png" border="0" title="Share via Twitter" alt="Tweet Button" width="55" height="20" /></a> <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-fb-okjddyk-mahtklkk-g/" rel="cs_facebox"><img src="https://img.createsend1.com/img/social/fblike.png" 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NATO Press Release - North Atlantic Council to attend NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Luxembourg, 17 May 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:30:00 GMT

Department of Defense Press Briefing with Maj. Gen. Thomas from the Pentagon

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:05:00 GMT

<table width="700" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> You are subscribed to News Transcripts for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. <div class="rss_item" style="margin-bottom: 2em;"> <div class="rss_title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5240">Department of Defense Press Briefing with Maj. Gen. Thomas from the Pentagon</a></div> <div class="rss_pub_date" style="font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; color: #666666; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">05/15/2013 02:49 PM CDT</div> </div> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="left" valign="top">Presenter: Commanding General of the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan/NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan Army Maj. Gen. Tony Thomas</td> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="right" valign="top">May 15, 2013 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <div align="center" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Department of Defense Press Briefing with Maj. Gen. Thomas from the Pentagon</div> <div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000;">             CMDR Bill Speaks: Good morning here in the briefing room and good evening in Kabul, Afghanistan. I'd like to welcome Major General Tony Thomas to the Pentagon Briefing Room. Major General Thomas is the commanding general of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan, NATO Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan, the first division- level special operations command since combat operations began in 2001.              Major General Thomas has spent 22 of his 33 years of service in special operations units, including nine years in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Major General Thomas has spent a portion of every year since 2001 in Afghanistan, except for the year he served as the assistant division commander for 1st Armored Division in Iraq. Additionally, he served on the Joint Staff as deputy director for special operations.              Major General Thomas was recently nominated for promotion to Lieutenant General and assignment as the associate director of the Central Intelligence Agency for military affairs in Washington, D.C. This is Major General Thomas' first time here with us in the Pentagon Briefing Room. He will provide brief opening remarks and take your questions.              And with that, sir, I'll turn it over to you.              MAJOR GENERAL TONY THOMAS: Good morning. Thanks for the introduction and the opportunity to speak with you today. I look forward to answering your questions.              First, I'd like to provide a brief summary of our special operations organization, our recent accomplishments, and our way ahead. A year-and-a-half ago, the SOCOM commander, Admiral McRaven, was asked to build an overarching headquarters to provide unity of command to the eclectic formations of special operations forces operating here in Afghanistan. That request resulted in the creation of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan, or SOJTF-A. Some of you know us by our alternate and later forming title of the NATO Special Operations Component Command.              The reality was, we began as a unilateral U.S. initiative with the hope of gaining NATO approval to become a sanctioned NATO command element. That occurred much faster than we expected, approximately three months after our formation.              What the command entails is roughly 13,000 special operators and support personnel from every special operations organization in the United States inventory, special forces, Rangers, SEALs, and Marine special operations. Our Army and Air Force special operations elements are formed in a unified command, as well, consisting of roughly 200 aircraft, ranging from fixed-wing lift assets to rotary-wing lift and attack platforms, as well as organic unmanned ISR [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] such as Predators and Reapers.              A significant portion of our force is comprised of 25 NATO and partner nations. It's worth noting that two of our component members, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, have been stalwart partners in this effort for many years. Our mission set spans the entire spectrum of special operations, from direct -- in a counterterrorist and a counterinsurgency environment, ranging from direct action to capacity- building. The latter entails not only operations with our Afghan SOF partners, who are 14,000 strong, but also the creation and transition of Afghan local police, currently numbering over 22,000 and authorized to grow to 30,000.              We have roughly 61 teams conducting village stability operations, alternately known as Afghan local police, as well as 50 similar teams partnered with corresponding Afghan security elements.              Our Afghan special operations partners are an impressive array of 14,000 army, special police, and National Directorate of Security partners who conduct dozens of operations every day across the length and breadth of Afghanistan. They include nine commando kandaks, or battalions, akin to our U.S. Army Ranger battalions, who conduct high-end combat operations, 11 specialized night raid elements, who are partnered with our strike elements, 19 provincial response companies -- you should think of them as SWAT-like elements who work directly for their local provincial leadership -- several exceptionally well-trained national special police units who have been mentored by the United Kingdom, Norwegians, and others for many years, as well as specially trained urban combat or counterterrorist elements.              These organizations have been exceedingly busy over this past year, playing an integral role in the security of Afghanistan, especially the major population centers of Kabul and Kandahar. Afghan NDS units, with allied partners, have conducted over 60 high-profile arrest operations over the past six months in Kabul alone, including the spectacular interdiction of a 12,000-kilogram truck bomb on the outskirts of the city, which resulted in five enemy killed in action and two captured.              It is even more noteworthy to acknowledge that almost all of the intelligence tips for these operations originated from Afghan-developed information. With this past month, we were able to interdict a 3,000-kilogram truck bomb in the far-off province of Farah, based on exceptional intelligence provided by the Afghan intelligence organization.              Our commandos have been prominent in various high-profile successful operations throughout the country over the recent past, in Badakhshan, Faryab, Farah, Logar, Kunar, and Nangarhar. All in all, these are very competent tactical formations. Our focus over this next year-and-a-half is to enhance their higher operational level capability, specifically intelligence-gathering and target development, as well as command-and-control and, very importantly, logistics.              The other major effort is to reinforce the Afghan security process regarding cross-ministerial coordination and information-sharing. It is worth noting that all of our special operations, to include the successful hostage rescue of our American citizen, Dr. Joseph, this past year, which was resulted in the tragic death of one of our SEAL operators, Chief Petty Officer Nick Checque, are accompanied by Afghan partner forces and in accordance with Afghan law. There are no unilateral coalition-SOF maneuver operations on the ground.              One of the more extraordinary phenomenon over the last year has been the evolution of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) program. It is essential to emphasize that this program was designed to be temporary, with the purpose of providing time and space to constitute the uniformed Afghan army and police formations. The program has since gone viral, in a good way, based upon two key developments, the first being that Afghan political and security officials have embraced it as the best form of local security for many of the more troubled districts. ALP are performing as good or better than the army or police in contact with the enemy on almost every occasion, which stands to reason. They have been specially selected and trained locally to defend their turf.              The second measure of the success of this program comes from an unlikely source of endorsement, the enemy. The Taliban have openly targeted the ALP as their most dire threat, and their Ulema council recently identified it as the formation which must be eliminated if the Taliban is to return to control in Afghanistan.              The growing success of this program in some of the most highly contested districts in Afghanistan is one of the strongest indications, in conjunction with some of the spontaneous anti-Taliban uprisings, of the shift of the people against the insurgents and towards their government. Over this past year, we have been asked to develop a program of record for the ALP, and they have become an integral part of the Ministry of Interior, who literally owns and operates almost 60 percent of the program to date and will have responsibility for the entire program by this time next year.              In summary, Afghan special operations forces and the Afghan local police play distinctly different, but critical roles in the security of Afghanistan. Especially as we enter into this -- into this historic year of Afghan lead in security operations, they are demonstrating every day their desire and capability to defeat the insurgency.              This has not come without significant sacrifice on the part of both our Afghan partners and us. We have lost 53 of our cherished teammates over the past 11 months. However, their sacrifice has steeled our resolve to win, and we win through our Afghan security partners, in the successful transition of security, in the successful political transition through their sovereign political process, and in the neutralization of the terrorist threat that brought us here in the beginning.              I'll now be glad to answer or take any of your questions.              Q: Hi, general. This is Courtney Kube from NBC News. Two questions. First, how many of the commando kandaks and night-time strike teams, Afghan strike teams, how many of those are operating completely independently of any NATO support?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Courtney, the majority of the operations at both the commandos and the night-strike elements conduct are partnered. However, and especially recently, and specific formations like the Fifth Commando Kandak up in the north, where we've have some unrest in Badakhshan and Faryab, are operating on their own.              In Farah, the Fourth Commando Kandak operated unilaterally -- in fact, they lost three of their commandos against that horrific attack against the Farah courthouse in early April. So I would -- I would estimate right now, those high-end units, the commandos and the night-raid elements, which -- which really have embraced a harder task, are operating probably about the 15 percent to 20 percent independent, as in without us, rate, but growing over time. They're growing greater independence every day.              Q: And if I could also ask you, general, just to look forward a little bit to where you see the role of the special operations task force going forward from now until the end of combat operations, the end of 2014, and then potentially beyond -- I know it's difficult to ask you to look into a crystal ball -- and nobody likes to do that, especially in a briefing room, but if you could give us sort of a rough idea of where you see the special ops going forward in Afghanistan?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Sure, I'd be glad to. Really, in phase, over the next two years and then beyond, in this critical fighting year of 2013, we are endeavoring to be as partnered as closely as possible with our Afghan special operations partners as possible, so that's, on any given basis, 19 provincial response companies that have a special forces team, either NATO and/or us, in some cases. In many cases, we're -- for instance, our U.S. teams are paired with Romanians. We're paired with others in our NATO formation.              In some cases, NATO units are by themselves, Lithuanians, Poles, et cetera, but we're paired at all those provincial response companies. We're prepared with the commandos. And we're compared with some of the night elements, as well as the special police elements. We'll stay tactically partnered with them through this year.             In '14, what we're looking to do is try to bring up a level to the operational level of command-and-control, where they will go out independently on the ground, and we'll endeavor to conduct mission preparation for them, intelligence preparation, target preparation, et cetera, as well as providing enablers, things that they don't have in their inventory yet, such as fires, fire support, and ISR.              If, in the '14 and beyond timeframe -- and obviously dependent on a bilateral security agreement and other negotiations ongoing -- we look to continue to enhance their capabilities for their own organic capabilities. For instance, this year, we will provide them with ISR platforms, fixed-wing ISR platforms, so that they'll be able to replace us in kind over time, but that'll take some training that will probably extend past the '14 timeframe, just in the interest of integrating those new tools into their formation. Over.              Q: Will those ISR platforms be armed?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: No, the ISR platforms are not supposed to be armed. They are just going to be fixed-wing platforms with a full-motion video capability. We are looking to arm some of the special mission wing helicopters that the Afghans will have in their inventory. They're intended to have 30 Mi-17s, both an armed and a lift variety, and they'll be getting them in over the next couple of years, as well.              CMDR SPEAKS: Gopal?              Q: Hi, Gopal Ratnam, reporter with Bloomberg News here in Washington. Just picking up on the previous question, you said there are a couple of kandaks that are operating independently right now. Could you talk about what the goal is for your team by the end of next year? How many of these battalions do you see operating independently? And I have a follow-up.              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Very good. Actually, my hope is that they're all operating independently by this time next year. If we're good, if we're really good at what we do, and they demonstrate the necessary proficiency, we'll be able to step away over time and concentrate at their higher headquarters level, which has been built after the tactical units. We've had commando kandaks and company-level formations for quite a while. Right now, we're building the brigade in the division headquarters, so that'll be our necessary focus over time, and I hope that their demonstrated proficiency will allow us to move up -- up to that level.              Q: And if I may follow up, so the ISR platforms, is that something that you will continue to provide them, even after they are considered independent? Or is that something that you consider as part of their independence, they take over that role, as well?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Again, they're intended -- they will receive a very capable platform by the end of this year. They'll start receiving the initial platforms, their PC-12 platform, which, in fact, we fly in some of our formations.              The challenge will be to grow their pilots over time to integrate that ISR capability. But over -- by the end of '14, they should have a substantial capability on their own, and at that point, it'll depend on the nature of the fight, and their demonstrated proficiency on whether or not they'll still need our ISR support directly to their formation.              Q: Hi, General. Jon Harper with the Asahi Shimbun. How many American special operators do you think will be needed in Afghanistan post-2014?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: That, again, is pretty hard to answer right now in terms of -- because it's contingent on a couple factors. Really, it depends on what they need. I think you know that most of the discussions now are absolutely cognizant of the requirements of the sovereign country of Afghanistan, so with an eye towards what they need as a sovereign nation, what they desire to have here, we're prepared to provide as much as special operations force training and equipping as they need, but the numbers are varied right now, depending on, you know, the state of security at the time and truly their stated requirements.              Q: From your perspective, where do you see intelligence gathering of the Afghans, as you referred in your opening remarks, which is very important for any operations there, do they meet your standards?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: I'm sorry. Can you get closer to the mike and repeat that question one more time?              Q: As of -- referred to in your opening remarks, where do you see from your perspective intelligence gathering of the Afghans for these -- any kind of these military operations they have been successful with?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: That's a great question. Obviously, we are a very technically inclined intelligence formation, in terms of the intelligence preparation for our operations. We are providing a capacity, a technical capability to the Afghans over the next couple years in terms of airborne ISR. But it'll be adequate to the task. It won't be as extensive as what we have, but nor do I think they'll need that.              Where they have a form of intelligence that we can never hope to replicate and which is playing a huge role right now is in their human intelligence. And that stands to reason. They live here. They know the locals. They know the locals throughout the country. And they're able to provide us a form of intelligence and a quality of intelligence that, while overtime we've tried to conduct human operations or human intelligence operations, we pale in terms of what they've -- what they're able to do just innately.              So I think once they are able to marry both the technical tools that we'll give them overtime with their innate human capability, I think they'll be more than capable to understand the threat in their country and then address it accordingly.              Q: General, Carlo Muñoz with the Hill. I just wanted to follow up on that point. There's been some criticism coming from President Karzai and others about some of the joint U.S.-NDS teams that are working in country, as far as those teams, what they're doing, and Kabul sort of being left out of the loop. What I wanted to ask you is, what has been the coordination been like between NDS U.S. counterparts and Kabul? And do you see any -- any challenges in that?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: It's combat, so there's always challenges, but I would tell you that all the operations that my formation conducts are actually pre-briefed to a confederation of NDS, ANA, and MOI officials. They literally have the up-down vote on whether we go out the door. And, in fact, now they have a sarenwal, or an Afghan prosecutor, who provides us with the necessary warrants before we launch in an operation.              So all our -- of our operations are coordinated ahead of time with the government of Afghanistan, and we've not suffered in that regard lately, but, as you know, the coordination is a constant challenge, and we look to, you know, continue to enhance our performance every day.              Q: Hi, sir. Tony Capaccio with Bloomberg News. Back in 2009 and 2010, when the surge -- our surge happened in Afghanistan, General McChrystal and General Petraeus talked about the huge level of U.S. commando raids, basically, in the surge. It was like a 10-year high. At the time, they talked about U.S. special mission units conducting almost -- almost nightly raids to go after Taliban and Al Qaida.              Fast forward to this year. To what extent do U.S. special mission units now still conduct unilateral actions? Or are pretty much all the actions in partnership with Afghan equivalent units?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: To be direct -- and that's why I handled it in my preamble -- there are no unilateral operations. When we conducted a hostage rescue, the highest-end operation that we do, for Dr. Joseph, when we successfully rescued him several months ago, we had Afghan special operations forces on the ground with us. We don't do any unilateral ground operations in special operations anymore.              Q: General McChrystal, as you know, set up that unique fusion center or fusion cell construct to bring together intelligence, anti-drug operations, FBI, Justice Department people to work with your special operations people in a fusion cell, to move quickly. To what extent is that construct still in place today? And to what extent will the Afghans inherit that construct after -- after 2014?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Yeah, that -- that was a tremendous organization, a tremendous process that he set up. I should know; I was his operations officer and his chief of staff for four years. I don't claim any of the credit for it, but I was certainly part of the experiment.              And, of course, imitation being the finest form of flattery, we've tried to replicate that, not only in our formation, but I dare say you see it in our general purpose forces, as well. We are all a lot better at fusing intelligence and operations at the speed of war, at the speed of necessity, so I think you see it across the board. It's really almost indoctrinated, although I don't think doctrine has kept up with what's developed, but I assume it will in time.              Q: Can Afghan commando forces, though, inherit that construct, that structure, and set up their own fusion cells, if they haven't already?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS:  They're working on it. Arguably, while we've made them very good tactically, we have not -- and truthfully, we haven't had the opportunity to focus on their higher level, because above battalion level, they didn't exist. So right now, we're focused, right this minute, at the battalion level. And we are -- we have created two brigades on top of four battalion -- commando battalions each. We're literally just forming them right now, so that'll be our next focus level.              And at the same time, we're developing this Afghan division, this Afghan army special operations division, which will own all their ISR, it'll own all their helicopters, it'll own all their armored ground -- armored mobility vehicles, so it'll be quite a capable organization, but it's just in its formative stages right now, and that's what we're focused on.              Q: Can you talk a little bit about -- paint a picture of what it will look like for the Afghan special forces in the future without coalition firepower and without coalition enablers and resupply and airpower? How are they going to be able to operate? There are going to be obviously pretty serious constraints compared to what they can do now with all the support you can give them. Could you give us an idea of how effective they'll be without that?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Yeah, they're actually already starting to explore that territory now. And I think, as you know, because of a particular event, there was some concern about coalition providing close air support to Afghan ground forces. We went through a period where the definition of where and how we could apply it was not clear. That's since been clarified by some of the episodes, some of the events up in Badakhshan in the far northeast of this country and other places, where our air-to-ground coordination procedures, with less and less coalition presence in their formation -- and therefore, you know, kind of harder to -- to discern where their -- where their friendly front line is, has been challenged, but we've refined those processes.              And they're really coming to grips with the fact that, over time -- and it's hopefully not any time in the very near future, but over time, they will have to use their own organic Howitzers, their own organic attack helicopters as a replacement for what we currently provide to them. But they're coming to grip with that, and I think eventually they'll transition to that new development.              Q: Can I follow up? Can you -- is there an example where they've used their own helicopters in a night or a day raid, where the helicopters were used to provide fire power -- fire support?              Yeah, they have not used them in a fire support capacity yet, although they do have a capability that's in training right now. They have absolutely used their special mission wing, the one that works with me, night-vision capable Mi-17 crews, to include Afghan crews, on a number of occasions and done so quite successfully, supporting both the police and the army, so it has really been a remarkable development.              In fact, their aviation capability eclipses many of the other organizations, many other nations we work with around the world. It's a capability that's developed in quite a hurry, but they're demonstrating greater capacity every day.              Q: Hi, good morning, general. I'm Paul Shinkman with U.S. News and World Report. Thank you for doing this. Just a follow-up to the question about tempo. Are special operations troops still conducting nightly raids? And what kind of toll is the tempo taking on your special operations troops?              And, secondly, I'd be interested to get an update on security in Wardak province. That was heralded as an example of what it's going to look like for coalition troops to withdraw and turn over security to the Afghans. How is that going so far? And do you agree that that's going to be an example of how it's going to look like in the next couple of years?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Right. To the first part of your question, the tempo is still relentless. The difference is, it's less us and more our Afghan partners who've picked up the brunt and the tempo, which is a good thing, as we've -- as we work ourselves out of a job, as we work them into a very capable role. The tempo -- the overall tempo against the enemy is still pretty extraordinary.              Over the last year, our statistics indicate that we're -- we, with our Afghan partners -- were able to remove about 10,000 insurgents from -- you know, from the -- from the security situation. It makes about over 3,000 killed and about 6,000 detained. And those were all with Afghan partner forces, so a pretty relentless tempo and certainly one that doesn't give the enemy any respite.              For the situation in Wardak, as you know, we were the subject of several allegations about special operations -- lack of professionalism. In fact, some pretty egregious claims were made about us. All of them were investigated pretty extensively. None were found to be substantiated.              However, what we did suffer from is that we were in Wardak almost by ourselves. We had several special operations teams with Afghan component, with Afghan partners, in the form of Afghan local police and on occasion Afghan commandos, but we were not integrated into any sort of Afghan security construct. There was no overarching Afghan security official in charge, and we suffered from that. And, in fact, you have to give the enemy credit for their -- their capability, in terms of information operations. We had done very, very well kinetically, decisively against them, but they were able to generate the rumors and the allegations against us.              The adjustment that General Dunford made was to offer to President Karzai the early opportunity to substitute Afghans special operations forces for us. It was before we had intended to do it, but we did that two months ago, and it's holding just fine, in a very contentious area, if you're familiar with Wardak. So arguably a little bit before -- before the intended time, but a good demonstration of what the Afghans will be able to do over time and -- and, really, afford General Dunford the opportunity to discuss with President Karzai our intent, the plan to transition all of our security lead to the Afghans over this next year.              CMDR SPEAKS: Chris?              Q: Thanks, general. This is Chris Carroll from Stars and Stripes. I have a two-parter. First one is following up on Dan's question. Did I understand you correctly that you said in certain instances, in Badakhshan, the possibility of coalition air support is now coming back on the table, you're doing more of this?              And the second part, switching over to Wardak, in the Nerkh district, can you kind of give me the sort of situation with the ALP there, what their status is now? Has -- yeah. Thanks.              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: I can, yeah. Okay. In the first situation, in Badakhshan, we literally had a situation -- and those of you who are familiar with the terrain and the geography of Afghanistan, you can't find a more remote place in northeastern Afghanistan. And so the Afghan army, the Afghan police, and eventually our Afghan commandos, our partners, were thrown into the breach to deal with that situation.              The employment of the commandos actually gave us the opportunity, our partner coalition, our special operations, to go out and accompany and actually integrate themselves into that formation. And at the point where we were able to do that, we then were able to bring in our close air support in support of Afghans.              The real focus -- and this is a focus -- it's the ethos of everything we're about -- is to avoid civilian casualties. We train to that exacting standard, so it's a standard in training and it's our absolute exacting standard in combat, and so the real definition for the application of close air support for the Afghans now and in the future is with an eye to avoiding civilian casualties. And I think with that very distinct line, that we'll be able to successfully support them in almost every endeavor. So, again, we're refining those procedures all the time.              Again, back in -- in Wardak, in Nerkh district specifically, that's where the majority of the allegations were oriented. None were found to be substantiated. And that is where we substituted an Afghan special forces, which we've kind of designed in our own image and likeness, albeit a little bit bigger capability, they've been introduced in place of our special forces team there and are doing very well.              They have inherited kind of a mixed composition of Afghan local police. And, truthfully, I don't think we were as wary and as attuned to the political lines in that particularly contentious district. It's very political, some -- politics that almost to this day kind of befuddle me, but we were not as discerning as we probably should have been in terms of the appropriate composition to defend their own people, and that's what the Afghan team is attempting to -- to rectify now as they go forward.              Q: Follow on Badakhshan. In Badakhshan, where the close air support took place, was this out in the countryside? Or was it in a populated area?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: No, it's in the country, in very mountainous, you know, very picturesque, high mountain country, in around some hamlets, so it still presents the same -- the same challenges that it always has, but I think we are much more conscientious, we and our Afghan partners, about how we maneuver in and around built-up areas and how you avoid becoming decisively engaged, where you -- where you then are required to use close air support to extricate yourself. I think we're all a lot smarter about that. That's really been the proximate cause of most of the mishaps that I've been aware of, where maneuver units get bogged down and decisively engaged in -- in built-up areas. And, again, we've improved in that regard.              In this case, the enemy was out around these built-up areas, made themselves available and vulnerable to close air support, and we were able to apply it.              Q: It's David Alexander from Reuters. You talked a little bit about the relentless tempo. I wonder if you could tell us a little bit about what you're seeing in terms of Taliban activity? And is the tempo -- is it different, changed? And is the tempo from special ops as a result of the activity you're seeing or...              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: I think they absolutely have adjusted their tactics. As some of you know, as you've monitoring over this last couple weeks, the Taliban are starting to come out. You know, their pronouncements of the beginning of fighting season about two, three weeks ago, really, were not followed up by any extensive operations, but they're slowly starting to manifest themselves.              The tactics changes you see -- they are not presenting themselves in large formations. They've conducted a couple spectacular IED -- in the case of one up in Musa Qala recently, where they attacked the Georgian compound, spectacular VBIED breaching a wall followed by suicide operators, they are also absolutely trying to seed IEDs on the main thoroughfares which are indiscriminate. They're targeting our people, but they're also killing innocent Afghan civilians, as -- as has happened here recently.              But I see the big change is that we don't find large platoon size or greater formation for the Taliban anymore, because I think they know that they'll lose in large numbers, so they've adjusted that. It's a little more challenging, in terms of our ability to adjust to smaller -- to small organizations, the kind that hide in and around the civilian population, but it's the nature of what the Taliban have had to resort to, and, obviously, we'll have to demonstrate the same flexibility.              Q: General, it's Luis Martinez with ABC News. Can I ask you about what your command's role is going to be after 2014? What -- will there be a shift in emphasis? What exactly will your operators be doing?              And also, the Afghan national army as a whole seems to suffer from attrition and retention problems. How does that manifest itself in the commando kandaks, if at all?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: No. No, good question. As you might imagine, it's kind of our special experience, is the folks we are working with categorize as special operations forces are a pretty proud bunch. They don't want to be coddled. They do think that they are all the right stuff, in terms of the warrior capabilities to be the special operations forces for their country.              So while we have developed them over time, you can see a natural inclination to want to do it by themselves. The humorous thing is to watch our folks not want to cut away from this -- from these units that they've grown -- that they've developed from seed corn all the way up to their -- to the great capability now. But it's much like letting your kid go off to college or putting them on training wheels and letting them run.              We are not suffering similar attrition or, as we prefer to look at it, retention challenges with the commandos and with other formations. But again, here again, we're lucky. We've been working with them for a while. They are on a cycle which has a built-in break, so it's a great, amber, red cycle, where green, combat is on the schedule, they are going into operation and they know that they'll have, you know, a -- they'll be applied in the hardest possible scenarios. But on the other cycles, they'll have a chance to recoup, take leave. They'll also have a chance to train as they come back into green cycle.              And I know that others are attempting to apply that same cycle to the rest of the force. That's been the great challenge for the rest of the Afghan security forces, is they're almost in a relentless combat cycle, and it's breeding some of the retention challenges. But we are -- we are looking to fix that over time, and, again, the special operations example is applicable to the rest of the force. We just need to bring that into line.             Q: But if I could follow up, sir, post-2014, what actually will your command be doing? Will you be -- not be going out on missions, partnered missions? What exactly will the role of special ops command be?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Our intent -- and, again, I don't think they'll need us out on missions by that point. I hope that they're that good. I hope the security situation is conducive to that, where they don't need the assistance, as well. I do think that they will continue to need assistance at that operational level. You know, look at our -- look at our experience. It took us years to get to the level of proficiency that we've achieved now, and we're just creating these higher headquarters for them time now.              So I do think that they'll need some assistance there. I think they'll want some assistance, to be able to do operational-level command and control, to be able to do the logistics to sustain their force, to do special functions, like the special aviation function I talked about, to integrate ISR, that they're -- they haven't even received yet, to do combined arms, with their armored ground mobility vehicles, as well, so I believe our focus will be at both that command-and-control level, the operational command-and-control, and at an institutional training level to -- you know, to keep developing their capability so that it is self-sustaining over time.              CMDR SPEAKS: Last question, Carlo?              Q: General, it's Carlo Muñoz again with the Hill. I just wanted to follow up on your comment about the night-raid units. When that authority was sort of handed over to Afghan -- to Afghan officials, kind of to put through the various checks and balances to make sure the raids, you know, wouldn't cause any collateral damage or things of that nature, what I wanted to ask you is, under that sort of oversight and guidance, has there been an issue with raids either being held up or delayed or not getting the green light, particularly on like time-sensitive-type targets, or has that not been an issue?              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: None at all. The Afghans have actually shown a remarkable agility to the speed that we were accustomed to doing missions, even with the integration of a lawyer in the process. Now, what it's caused us to do is be more forthcoming as we do target development, so that they know we are looking at this individual. And when I say "we," it's we, us. As I mentioned earlier, they have -- they have an up-down vote. They've used it very rarely, but they have to give us the Okay before we go out the door.              And -- but -- but what it has caused us to do is give them the information more forcefully ahead of time so they can digest where we, the team, with our Afghan partners, may be intending an operation, allow them to do the preparatory efforts. And where they're really, really valuable is the post-operation. They're able to call to the local -- local leaders and be able to really put the operation kind of into, you know, kind of an acceptable after-state in terms of the information -- the story that's out there.              We were suffering for a long time with very successful operations, but the enemy beat us to the punch in terms of the information that was provided afterwards, usually wrong, misleading, but we didn't have a counterpunch. We didn't -- we weren't even playing in that arena.              Now it's an even more effective effort, because it's Afghans calling out to the particular area, calling provincial governors, calling core commanders and saying who they are, identifying who they are, in terms of the coordination element, and relating to them exactly what's transpired in their -- in their particular area, so that they're most informed after the fact.              CMDR SPEAKS: Okay, with that, sir, we'll turn it over to you for any closing remarks.              MAJ. GEN. THOMAS: Well, I'm just, again, thankful for the opportunity to speak with you today. There's a, you know, kind of an extraordinary trend or shift in terms of how this environment has played out over the last 11 months that we've been here. When I first got here, the mantra was, we aren't winning, but we're leaving anyway. And that was something we were fighting against, that we didn't seem to be on a positive trend line. The end was -- the time was coming in terms of the end of the ISAF mission.              Over this last year, and, really, shored up by the performance of our Afghan security forces, and the very positive reaction from the people and -- you know, as a -- as a -- kind of a counterinsurgency student, you know, we talk often about the people being the center of gravity. The people are voting in large numbers here. They're tired of the Taliban. They've shucked off -- they're shucking off the oppression from that particular formation. You can tell, they do not want it come back in, whether it's -- you know, in the forms of the benefits of standard of living that they're enjoying now, the education that -- as most of you have read, eight million students in school now that didn't exist, you know, as recently as six to seven years ago, they have really stood up in terms of what they are determined to be their future. So it's really -- really putting a positive trend on -- in terms of the security developments.              Now, we are still looking for the government of Afghanistan to then deliver the rest of the goods of government that the people expect now. In fact, everywhere I go, they'll tell me, we're now -- security is good, we're now ready for jobs, we're now ready for education, we're now ready to advance. And that's what we're hoping is the next critical phase, as Afghanistan moves forward.              But, again, thanks for the opportunity to talk with you here today. Continued success to all of you.              CMDR SPEAKS: Thank you, sir. </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div id="mail_footer"> <a href='http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDOD-7b1a41?reqfrom=share' target='_blank'><img width='83' height='16' alt='Bookmark and Share' style='border:0' src='https://public.govdelivery.com/images/share_this.gif?1278100473'/></a>   U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/">http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/</a> Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx">http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx</a> or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your <a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1">User Profile Page</a>. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail <a href="mailto:support@govdelivery.com">support@govdelivery.com</a>. </div> <div id="tagline"> Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense </div> </td> </tr> </table>

NATO Press Release - Defence Ministers' Meetings - Brussels, 4-5 June 2013

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:10:00 GMT

<a name="top" style="color:#0099CC;" ></a> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="center"><table width="580" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td height="77" colspan="2"><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-i/" style="color:#0099CC;" ><img src="https://i3.createsend1.com/ti/r/50/016/408/230240/img/header.jpg" alt="NATO" width="580" height="77" border="0" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" class="header"><h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#999999;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;padding-top:5px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:0;padding-left:5px;" > Wednesday, 15 May 2013 Press Release (2013) 056 </h4></td> <td style="text-align:right;padding-top:5px;" ><a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-tw-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-r/" style="color:#0099CC;" > <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-fb-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-m/" rel="cs_facebox" style="color:#0099CC;" ><img src="https://img.createsend1.com/img/social/fblike.png" border="0" title="Like this on Facebook" alt="Facebook Like Button" width="51" height="20" /></a></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="20" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left" valign="top" class="mainbar"> <h1 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;font-size:24px;font-weight:normal;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:6px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > Defence Ministers' Meetings - Brussels, 4-5 June 2013 </h1> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >General</h4> <ol style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Meetings of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defence Ministers will be held at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 June 2013. All information about these meetings will be made available via the NATO website. This media advisory marks the opening of the online accreditation website (see below). </li> <li>The meetings will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. </li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Programme and pools</h4> <ol start="3" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>The definitive programme will be handed to media representatives upon accreditation. It will include restricted access by selected visual media to the opening of Council meetings and the official portrait, unrestricted access to press conferences and information about the retransmission of media events to the press working area and TV/Radio editing booths. Information about individual ministers’ media programmes should be sought directly from the national Delegation(s) concerned. A list of NATO Delegation press officers is available from the Press & Media Section and upon accreditation. </li> <li>Press conferences are in principle media events open to all accredited media. The initial remarks of the various NATO meetings as well as the Secretary General’s press conference(s) will be broadcast live on the internal closed-circuit television system and can be viewed in the press working area. Audiovisual media representatives who wish to cover the initial remarks from inside the Council room may make a written request for a pool card to the e-mail address given at the end of this advisory. No confirmation will be sent. Pool cards for restricted-access events will be given to a small number of cameramen and photographers drawn from among those who submit an accreditation request on time; these will be distributed at the Media Centre information counter starting at 09:00 a.m. on 04 June 2013. </li> <li>When a media representative accepts a NATO pool position it is with the strict understanding, in accordance with international practice, that the act of accepting the accreditation to be in a NATO pool implies explicit and unconditional agreement by that media representative that he/she will share immediately and upon request with other media accredited to the NATO event all information collected, and/or all material produced, while in that pool. It also implies explicit agreement that the media representative will share the material with no impediment from their own news organization, at no charge to other journalists and with no restriction on the use of the material for legitimate news purposes. </li> <li>Media representatives can only accept the pool accreditation if they have the explicit backing of their employer to all of the conditions on providing pool material as the basis of accepting the pool position. </li> <li>In turn, media organisations seeking pool photo materials should first contact the Wire service photo agency of which they are a member or client. Media representatives and the news organizations that employ them who accept any material from a pool accept it with the explicit and strict understanding that it must be identified as pool material any time it is used, that it can be used only for legitimate news purposes and that the receiving party has no right to sell pool material or otherwise profit from it. </li> <li>The NATO photographers and cameramen will post the audiovisual sequences of all the media events on the NATO website; the sequences can also be obtained from the TV & Radio Unit (see the contact details below) and/or the NATO Internet Television Channel. </li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accreditation and security checks </h4> <ol start="9" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Journalists in possession of a valid 2013 NATO permanent media pass do not need to request accreditation. </li> <li>Media representatives not in possession of a valid 2013 NATO permanent media pass who wish to cover the meeting must apply for accreditation. Applications for accreditation can only be made on-line via internet, by clicking on the following link: <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-d/" style="color:#0099CC;" >https://my.hq.nato.int/</a>. </li> <li>Applications for accreditation must be submitted on line no later than 12h00 on Friday 31 May 2013. Requests received after that date are likely to be delayed or refused. Media representatives who have submitted the request for accreditation via the internet are encouraged to bring a print-out of the request confirmation. Late applications will not be taken into consideration for pool access. </li> <li>The usual NATO accreditation procedures shall be applicable to this meeting. The accreditation process requires media representatives using the system for the first time to create a user name and password and to provide a digital picture (3.5 x 4.5 cm passport-type photograph in JPEG format). Media representatives who reside in Belgium are also invited to enter their Belgian press card number and issuing authority (Belgian Interior Ministry or Ministry of Foreign Affairs) into the online interface of the accreditation request. </li> <li>Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person at the Media Accreditation Office upon presentation of an ID card or passport and a valid national press pass (or accreditation letter from a recognized media organization). Media representatives will be given their accreditation at the main entrance of NATO Headquarters. Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and security personnel may ask to see another form of ID at any time. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site and are advised to arrive with sufficient lead time to clear security checks.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Media facilities</h4> <ol start="14" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Twelve TV editing booths and eight radio editing booths (each with an ISDN line, Internet access and a telephone) will be made available to representatives from those media. Contact the TV & Radio Unit (see contact details below) to reserve one of the booths, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. </li> <li>Journalists, wire services and photo agencies using bulky equipment are urged to bring it to the Media Centre as of Monday 3 June afternoon. </li> <li>NATO also makes available one TV and one radio studio when they are not in use by senior NATO officials. These facilities are usually booked via delegations press officers wishing to accept interview requests from media organisations.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Opening hours</h4> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="bottom" width="225" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > </td> <td valign="bottom" width="303" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accreditation Office</td> <td valign="bottom" width="356" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Media Centre</td></tr> <tr> <td width="225" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Monday 3 June</td> <td width="303" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >15h00 – 17h00</td> <td width="356" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >15h00 – 20h00</td></tr> <tr> <td width="225" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Tuesday 4 June</td> <td width="303" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >09h00 – 19h30</td> <td width="356" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >09h00 to close of business</td></tr> <tr> <td width="225" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Wednesday 5 June</td> <td width="303" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >07h00 – Last Event</td> <td width="356" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >07h00 to close of business</td></tr></tbody></table> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Parking </h4> <ol start="17" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Media representatives are informed that they will not be allowed to park their vehicles inside the NATO compound. They may, however, park in the west car park outside the main entrance. Uplink vans may park in a special section of the east car park, or on car park H, upon request.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Access to the NATO area </h4> <ol start="18" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>You should be aware that major road works are ongoing in front of NATO HQ on Boulevard Leopold III. This will likely cause disruption to traffic in the vicinity of NATO HQ. All arrivals and departures to/from NATO, as well as to/from Brussels airport, will be affected. Additional information on the proposed works can be obtained via the following communications channels : <ul style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Website Beliris: http://www.beliris.be/fr/LeopoldIII/LeopoldIII.cfm. This site presents the project, the various phases of the works involved and the phases of deviations and traffic flow. </li> <li>A call number (numéro vert) : 0800/94001 </li> <li>Traffic info : Touring Mobilis : Call number 1234 </li> <li>Portail Bruxelles Mobilité : <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-h/" style="color:#0099CC;" >http://www.bruxellesmobilite.irisnet.be/</a> </li> <li>Belgian Federal Policy website : <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-p/" style="color:#0099CC;" >http://www.inforoutes.be/</a></li></ul></li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Contact points</h4> <table border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Overall Coordination</td> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mr Damien Arnaud </td> <td valign="top" width="293" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 50 41 <a href="mailto:arnaud.damien@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >arnaud.damien@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accreditation</td> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mr Thomas Bellanger</td> <td valign="top" width="293" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 14 31 Fax: +32 (0)2 707 13 99 <a href="mailto:bellanger.thomas@hq.nato..int" style="color:#0099CC;" >bellanger.thomas@hq.nato..int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Requests for pool cards</td> <td valign="top" width="472" colspan="2" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >By e-mail only: <a href="mailto:bellanger.thomas@hq.nato..int" style="color:#0099CC;" >bellanger.thomas@hq.nato..int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >TV/radio arrangements on site</td> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mr Serge Bosmans </td> <td valign="top" width="293" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 50 03 <a href="mailto:Bosmans.serge@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >Bosmans.serge@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mr Eric Morel</td> <td width="293" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 12 87 <a href="mailto:Morel.eric@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >Morel.eric@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="180" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >NATO TV & Video on demand</td> <td valign="top" width="180" align="right" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > </td> <td valign="top" width="293" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" ><a href="mailto:content@natochannel.tv" style="color:#0099CC;" >content@natochannel.tv</a> +32 (0)2 707 12 27 </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="top" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:6px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:#d5d5d5;" ><a href="#top" style="font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;font-size:10px;font-weight:normal;color:#0099CC;" >back to top</a> <h1 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;font-size:24px;font-weight:normal;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:6px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > Réunions des ministres de la Défense - Bruxelles, les 4 et 5 juin 2013 </h1> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Généralités</h4> <ol style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Le Conseil de l'Atlantique Nord (« le Conseil ») se réunira au niveau des ministres de la Défense les mardi 4 et mercredi 5 juin 2013 au siège de l'OTAN. Toutes les informations concernant les réunions seront publiées sur le site web de l’OTAN. La présente note aux médias marque l’ouverture du site web d’accréditation en ligne (voir ci‑après).</li> <li>Les réunions seront présidées par le secrétaire général de l'OTAN, M. Anders Fogh Rasmussen.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Programme et pools</h4> <ol start="3" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Le programme définitif sera communiqué aux représentants des médias au moment de leur accréditation. Il prévoira notamment un accès restreint pour certains représentants des médias visuels à l’ouverture des réunions du Conseil et au portrait officiel ainsi qu'un accès libre aux conférences de presse, et il donnera des informations sur la retransmission des événements médias vers la zone de travail de la presse et les cabines de montage pour la télévision et la radio. Les demandes d’informations concernant les activités individuelles des ministres avec les médias seront à adresser directement aux délégations concernées. Une liste des attachés de presse des délégations auprès de l’OTAN peut être obtenue auprès de la Section Presse & Médias, et sera remise au moment de l’accréditation.</li> <li>Les conférences de presse sont en principe ouvertes à tous les représentants des médias accrédités. Les observations liminaires des différentes réunions OTAN et de la/des conférence(s) de presse du secrétaire général seront retransmises en direct sur le système de télévision en circuit fermé et pourront être regardées dans la zone de travail de la presse. Les représentants des médias audiovisuels qui souhaitent couvrir les observations liminaires depuis l’intérieur de la salle du Conseil peuvent adresser par écrit une demande de carte de pool à l’adresse de courrier électronique indiquée à la fin de la présente note. Aucune confirmation ne sera envoyée. Des cartes de pool pour les événements à accès restreint seront remises à un petit nombre de vidéographes et de photographes choisis parmi ceux qui auront soumis à temps une demande d'accréditation ; elles seront délivrées au comptoir d'information du Centre des médias à partir du 4 juin 2013 à 9 heures.</li> <li>Lorsqu’un représentant des médias accepte une place au sein d'un pool OTAN, il s'engage explicitement et inconditionnellement, conformément aux usages internationaux, à partager immédiatement et sur demande avec les autres représentants de médias accrédités pour l’événement OTAN toutes les informations recueillies et/ou tous les documents enregistrés dans le cadre de ce pool. Cela implique aussi que les représentants des médias s’engagent explicitement à partager gratuitement les informations avec d’autres journalistes, sans aucune entrave de la part de leur agence de presse et sans restriction concernant l’utilisation de ces éléments dans un but légitime d’information.</li> <li>Les représentants des médias ne peuvent accepter une accréditation pour un pool que s’ils ont obtenu l’accord exprès de leur employeur sur toutes les conditions concernant la communication des documents enregistrés dans le cadre du pool.</li> <li>De même, les médias souhaitant obtenir des clichés pris par les pools doivent d’abord contacter l’agence de presse/l’agence photographique dont ils sont membres ou clients. Les représentants des médias ‑ et les agences de presse qui les emploient – qui acceptent des documents d’un pool le font à la condition expresse et impérative que ces documents devront être identifiés comme tels lors de toute utilisation, qu’ils pourront être utilisés uniquement dans un but légitime d’information, et que la partie destinataire n'a aucun droit de vendre ces documents ou d'en tirer profit de quelque manière que ce soit.</li> <li>Les photographes et les cameramen de l’OTAN posteront les séquences audiovisuelles de tous les événements médias sur le site web de l’OTAN ; ces séquences pourront également être obtenues auprès de l’Unité Radio & Télévision (voir coordonnées ci‑après) et/ou sur NATO Channel.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accréditation et contrôles de sécurité </h4> <ol start="9" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Les journalistes en possession d’un laissez‑passer de presse OTAN permanent valide pour 2013 n’ont pas besoin de demander une accréditation.</li> <li>Les représentants des médias qui ne sont pas en possession d’un laissez‑passer de presse OTAN permanent valide pour 2013 et qui souhaitent couvrir la réunion doivent demander une accréditation. Les demandes d'accréditation peuvent être introduites uniquement en ligne, par l'Internet, en cliquant sur le lien suivant : https://my.hq.nato.int/.</li> <li>Les demandes d’accréditation devront être soumises en ligne pour le vendredi 31 mai 2013 à 12h00 au plus tard. Les demandes reçues après cette date risquent d'être traitées avec retard ou d’être refusées. Les représentants des médias qui auront soumis leur demande d'accréditation par l'intermédiaire de l'internet devront présenter une copie imprimée de la confirmation de cette demande. Les demandes tardives ne seront pas prises en compte pour l'accès aux pools.</li> <li>Les procédures d’accréditation OTAN habituelles seront d’application pour cette réunion. Le processus d'accréditation exige que les représentants des médias qui utilisent le système pour la première fois créent un nom d'utilisateur et un mot de passe et qu'ils fournissent une photographie numérique (photographie de type passeport, de 3,5 x 4,5 cm, en format JPEG). Les représentants des médias résidant en Belgique sont également invités à indiquer leur numéro de carte de presse belge et le nom de l’autorité émettrice (ministère belge de l’Intérieur ou des Affaires étrangères) sur le formulaire en ligne de demande d’accréditation.</li> <li>Les laissez‑passer de presse ne seront pas envoyés aux intéressés ; ceux‑ci devront les retirer en personne au Bureau d’accréditation des médias, sur présentation d’une carte d’identité ou d’un passeport et d’une carte de presse en règle (ou d’une lettre d’accréditation d’un média reconnu). Les représentants des médias recevront leur accréditation à l’entrée principale du siège de l’OTAN. Les laissez‑passer devront être portés en permanence de manière visible, et le personnel de sécurité pourra à tout moment demander que lui soit présentée une autre pièce d’identité. Les représentants des médias sont informés que le personnel de sécurité examinera et pourra tester le matériel et les objets personnels apportés sur le site, et sont donc invités à se présenter suffisamment à l’avance pour passer les contrôles de sécurité.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Installations médias</h4> <ol start="14" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Douze cabines de montage pour la télévision et huit cabines de montage pour la radio (équipées chacune d’une ligne RNIS, d’un accès internet et d’un téléphone) seront mises à la disposition des représentants de ces médias. Pour réserver une cabine, prière de contacter l’Unité Radio & Télévision (voir cordonnées ci‑après) ; les cabines seront attribuées en fonction de l’ordre d’arrivée.</li> <li>Les journalistes, les agences de presse et les agences photographiques utilisant des matériels encombrants sont instamment priés de les amener au Centre des médias à partir du lundi 3 juin dans l'après‑midi.</li> <li>L’OTAN mettra également à disposition un studio de télévision et un studio de radio lorsque ceux‑ci ne seront pas utilisés par des hauts responsables de l'OTAN. La réservation de ces installations se fait généralement par l’intermédiaire des attachés de presse des délégations disposées à accepter des demandes d’interview des médias.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > Heures d’ouverture</h4> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="bottom" width="180" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > </td> <td valign="bottom" width="198" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Bureau d'accréditation</td> <td valign="bottom" width="265" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Centre des médias</td></tr> <tr> <td width="180" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Lundi 3 juin </td> <td width="198" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >15h00 – 17h00 </td> <td width="265" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >15h00 – 20h00 </td></tr> <tr> <td width="180" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mardi 4 juin </td> <td width="198" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >9h00 – 19h30 </td> <td width="265" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >9h00 – fin des opérations </td></tr> <tr> <td width="180" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Mercredi 5 juin </td> <td width="198" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >7h00 – dernier événement </td> <td width="265" nowrap style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p align="center" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >7h00 – fin des opérations </td></tr></tbody></table> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Stationnement</h4> <ol start="17" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>Les représentants des médias sont informés qu’ils ne seront pas autorisés à stationner leurs véhicules à l’intérieur du site de l’OTAN ; ils pourront en revanche utiliser le parking « ouest » situé à l’extérieur, près de l’entrée principale. Les camions utilisés pour la transmission par satellite pourront stationner sur une section spéciale du parking 'est', ou sur le parking H, sur demande.</li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accès à la zone de l’OTAN </h4> <ol start="18" style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>On notera que d’importants travaux routiers sont en cours devant le siège de l’OTAN, sur le boulevard Léopold III. Cela provoquera certainement des embarras de circulation dans les environs du Siège. Toutes les arrivées et tous les départs à/depuis l’OTAN, ainsi qu’à destination/en provenance de l'aéroport de Bruxelles, seront affectés. De plus amples informations sur les projets de travaux peuvent être obtenues auprès des sources suivantes : <ul style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;" > <li>sur le site web Beliris : http://www.beliris.be/fr/LeopoldIII/LeopoldIII.cfm. Ce site présente le projet, les différentes phases des travaux prévus et les phases de déviation du trafic routier. </li> <li>au numéro vert 0800/94001 </li> <li>Info‑traffic : Touring Mobilis : 1234 </li> <li>sur le portail de Bruxelles Mobilité : http://www.bruxellesmobilite.irisnet.be/ </li> <li>sur le site web de la police fédérale belge : http://www.inforoutes.be/ </li></ul></li></ol> <h4 style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;color:#00438A;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:4px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Points de contact</h4> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="246" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Coordination générale</td> <td valign="top" width="189" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >M. Damien Arnaud</td> <td width="246" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Tél. : +32 (0)2 707 50 41 <a href="mailto:arnaud.damien@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >arnaud.damien@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="246" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Accréditations</td> <td valign="top" width="189" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >M. Thomas Bellanger</td> <td valign="top" width="246" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Tél. : +32 2 707 14 31 Fax : +32 2 707 13 99 <a href="mailto:bellanger.thomas@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >bellanger.thomas@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="246" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Demandes de cartes de pool</td> <td valign="top" width="435" colspan="2" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Par mail uniquement, à l'adresse bellanger.thomas@hq.nato.int</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width="246" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Dispositions TV/radio sur le site</td> <td valign="top" width="189" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >M. Serge Bosmans </td> <td valign="top" width="246" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Tél. : +32 2 707 50 03 <a href="mailto:bosmans.serge@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >bosmans.serge@hq.nato.int</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >M. Eric Morel</td> <td valign="top" width="246" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Tél. : +32 2 707 12 87 <a href="mailto:morel.eric@hq.nato.int" style="color:#0099CC;" >morel.eric@hq.nato.int</a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="246" align="left" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >TV OTAN et vidéo à la demande </td> <td valign="top" width="189" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > </td> <td valign="top" width="246" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" > <p style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" ><a href="mailto:content@natochannel.tv" style="color:#0099CC;" >content@natochannel.tv</a> +32 2 707 12 27 </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="top" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0;margin-left:0;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;color:#333333;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:6px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:#d5d5d5;" ><a href="#top" style="font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;font-size:10px;font-weight:normal;color:#0099CC;" >back to top</a> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="footer" align="center" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;font-weight:normal;color:#666666;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-right:0;padding-left:0;" >Follow the NATO Press on <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-l-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-x/" style="color:#0099CC;" ><img src="https://i4.createsend1.com/ti/r/50/016/408/230240/img/twitter_logo.jpg" width="59" height="16" border="0" align="top" /></a> If you do not want to receive any more messages, please <a href="http://nato.createsend1.com/t/r-u-okrjrdy-mahtklkk-y/" style="color:#0099CC;" >click here</a> to leave this list, or set your <a href="http://nato.updatemyprofile.com/r-okrjrdy-652E395A-mahtklkk-j" style="color:#0099CC;" >preferences</a> . 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Department of Defense Background Briefing on Civilian Furloughs from the Pentagon

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:50:00 GMT

<table width="700" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> You are subscribed to News Transcripts for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. <div class="rss_item" style="margin-bottom: 2em;"> <div class="rss_title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5239">Department of Defense Background Briefing on Civilian Furloughs from the Pentagon</a></div> <div class="rss_pub_date" style="font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; color: #666666; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">05/14/2013 08:38 PM CDT</div> </div> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="left" valign="top">Presenter: Senior Defense Officials</td> <td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;" align="right" valign="top">May 14, 2013 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <hr size="1" noshade="noshade" /> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <div align="center" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Department of Defense Background Briefing on Civilian Furloughs from the Pentagon</div> <div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000;">             MODERATOR:  So thank you for joining us this afternoon.              As you know, the secretary has made a decision with respect to furloughs, which he announced just about an hour ago.  But we thought that you may have some additional questions about how the department came to this decision and how the furloughs will be implemented.              And so, we wanted to give you an opportunity to be able to talk to some of our senior subject matter experts on this.              It is a background briefing, so we have provided the bona fides for each of our senior officials here, but I guess for question purposes, we have senior official one and senior official two, if you want to direct it to a particular individual, or you can ask for either one of them to answer it.              Obviously, by their titles there, they come -- they have different expertises within the department.               And our plan is we -- you -- I think most of you have gotten the secretary's statement on this, and probably watched what he said to the department employees.  So it's our plan, really, just to get right into questions and take care of the business that you need to take care of and then get out of here.              So, with that, Lita why don't you start us off then, and we'll go to Courtney and then to Tony, and we'll see where we go from there.              Q:  Senior Defense Official Number One, the secretary alluded to this briefly during this town hall, about next -- this fiscal year 14.  Can you clear up a little bit about, there's a 1 percent raise for civilians, apparently, in that, but would sequestration -- how -- what does the outlook for next year look like, considering sequestration and --              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I wish I knew.  I honestly don't.  There's a wide range of possibilities.  We could get a budget agreement, a broad one, in which case I think we'd have a decent shot at appropriation near the president's budget level.              Both the House and Senate budget resolutions, these things they set -- you're familiar with them -- were at the president's level for fiscal 14.              At the other extreme, I guess the process could stay broken and we could end up on a continuing resolution at the sequester levels.              As far as the pay raise, sequester, doesn't -- you can't actually affect raises per se in sequestration.  So if Congress were to approve that 1 percent raise, people would get it.  Whether they will or not, I don't know.  We proposed a raise of 1 percent for both military and civilian in fiscal year 14, but we also proposed a 0.5 percent raise in 13 and that's not going to happen.              Q:  Would you -- (inaudible) -- two things.  First off, do you know the total number yet of how many civilians this will include, with all the exemptions that are now included?  And then, can you give us a sense of the decision-making behind making this an across-the-board furlough for all civilians despite the fact that several of the services said that they may not have to, that they could find the money?               It seems -- I'm not -- I'm certainly not a budget expert, but it seems like it's relatively unprecedented to say, "Well, you know, Navy and Marine Corps, you don't have to do this, but we're going to make you do it anyway."  And so can you tell us a little bit about the decision-making, please?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Sure.  There's about 800,000 paid -- civilians paid by the Department of Defense.  About 120,000 will be exempt, so it's not really across the board.  There are some categories of exemptions.  And I should add, there are some issues yet to be resolved with regard to intelligence personnel that could increase that 120,000, but right now it's about 15 percent.              In terms of the decision, and specifically like the Navy and some agencies, in any organization this broad, this complex, you're going to have organizations with differing budgetary situations.  And some may have been in a situation where they could do less furloughs.              It was our judgment that we wanted to minimize adverse effects on mission across the entire department.  And so what we will do to the extent we're permitted by law is, except for those who are excepted, we will furlough the remainder of our civilians and then move money around to try to minimize adverse effects on readiness.  And we will do probably some of that in this reprogramming that hasn't made it up to the Hill yet, but I hope will soon.  And we may look at other options as well.              Q:  I don't understand what -- when you say "minimize adverse effects on readiness," how does increasing the number of civilians to be furloughed minimize -- the impact -- (inaudible)?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, if we -- if the Navy has the funds, say, to avoid furloughs, and now they furlough, we may be able to move some money into the other services that have more problems.  And the Army and the Navy definitely need to furlough, and they're the ones that have made the big cuts in training and readiness -- the Army, Navy.  The Air Force, I should say, has stopped flying in 12 squadrons.  Army has canceled its combat training rotation for the most part, et cetera.              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- money that would, if they were furloughing civilians in the Navy and Marine Corps, some of that money that will be saved from the furloughs will now go to the Army -- (inaudible)?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Right, or we may just end up doing a little less for the Navy, and the reprogramming is probably the way we do it.              Q:  Can you reconcile the figures on total number of civilians?  From the podium a number of times, officials have stated that it's about 750,000 who would be eligible.  You just said 800,000.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  The 800,000 includes foreign national employees.  There are about 50,000 of them.  So it depends -- foreign national employees are in the 800,000, so the 750,000 would exclude foreign national employees.              Q:  But for purposes of clear reporting, it's 750,000 minus about 120,000.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  No, actually it's 800,000 minus 120,000 because we've exempted the foreign national employees.  You're looking at me -- so if it's 750,000, it would be less 70,000, if I'm doing the math right.              So, all right?              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- really a figure of 750,000 -- (inaudible).              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  And, you know, you can define it in lots of different ways.  And you could logically exclude foreign nationals.  They're not U.S. citizens, obviously.  But they are -- some of them are paid by the department and so we normally include them in our totals.              Q:  I have a second question.  The appropriations bill requests a report to Congress in section 807 -- 8007, laying out the effects of sequestration for baseline purposes, for reprogramming purposes.  Where does that stand?  And will that spell out for the industry who cares how their particular programs will be cut by sequestration?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, it should.  I mean, we need to do -- (inaudible) -- 14 -- I think I've got that right -- Senior Defense Official One isn't entirely sure of this answer so I'll get back to you if I'm wrong.  But I believe that it's the baseline report that we do before.  And it's almost done.  You can imagine that it is a little trickier to do this year, but it is almost done.              And if I'm wrong about that, give me a chance to work through -- (inaudible) -- and I'll correct it.              Q:  Thank you.              MODERATOR:  Let's -- let's finish the first row before we move to the second row.  So we'll go to Luis and then we'll go over here, and then we'll hit the second row.  I think we'll get everybody that has questions.              Q:  So just to clarify, every single service is now gonna have furloughs?  And were the levels of civilians adjusted within each one?  I mean, which one comes off getting better?               SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, I don't know the answer to that, actually.  Yes, they'll all have some furloughs for sure.  I don't know who would have the highest percentage exemptions.  It -- it -- I'm just not sure.  I need to check that.              We didn't really think about it in those terms, frankly.              Q:  But the Navy proposal was basically we can do without the furloughs.  Now they will have to carry out these furloughs, that's right?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Correct.  Now we are excluding their shipyard workers.  These are the people that work in public shipyards and do nuclear maintenance.  And we did that for mission reasons.  It's a very long planning process.  And there're -- there're -- a very long period for maintenance.  Very little ability to catch up, and we're dealing with submarines and carriers, which are small in number but high in value.  And so on mission grounds we decided that we would exempt shipyard workers.              MODERATOR:  Go over here to the right.              Q:  Thanks.  I want to make sure that I understand the numbers correctly.  When I added up the table that's in this memo, comes out to about 68,000 workers.  That includes 11,000 DODEA [Department of Defense Education Activity] employees.  Are they considered exemptions or are they semi exempt, or --              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  They are considered semi exempt.  There was a group of DODEA employees that will be exempt, and then the teachers and the faculty will be furloughed for a total of five days at the beginning of next school year.              Our commitment to -- to our service men and women who have children in these schools is that they will get a accredited school year.  Summer school will be held, and then the beginning of next school year we will work with five furlough days.                Q:  So follow-up.  -- (inaudible) -- out of the 68,000 -- that was my rough calculation -- and the 50,000 foreign nationals, is that where you get the 120,000 --              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Sounds about right to me.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Adds up.  I haven't done that calculation either, although the nice gentleman who did all these numbers is in -- (inaudible).  So he gave me the 120,000 and I think it's right.               MODERATOR:  -- (inaudible) -- on the first row?  If not we'll move -- let's just go from my right to left.  So go ahead.              Q:  Senior Defense Official Two -- I guess, either of you -- you just mentioned five furlough days, as I understand it, for teachers.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  For DODEA.              Q:  Right.              Aside from the number of people to be furloughed, are -- is -- are the -- is the length of time of each particular furlough different or is it the same?  And if it's different, what's the range of difference -- you know, one day to 14 days to -- I mean, do you know the parameters?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  The -- the going in proposition is that the majority of our employees who will be furloughed will be furloughed up to 11 days.  And that's what the secretary's letter said.  DODEA is a special category because of having very specific rules for educating and making sure that they have an accredited school year.               They're, I think -- I need your clarification on this.  I think PFPA [Pentagon Force Protection Agency], the Pentagon police, might be furloughed a little differently --              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I'm not sure.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah.  So I can get back to you on that.  But the going-in proposition is 11 days.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, for the great majority here at 11.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, for 11.              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- said up to 11 days.  Does that mean it might be one day or two days?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  No, I think that -- what I'm saying is that right now our employees will be furloughed for 11 days.               SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Remember, Secretary Hagel did say that if we can and our budget permits, at the end of the year we may stop a bit early.  And, therefore, the up to 11.  It could be a little bit less than 11.               Q:  What's DODEA?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I'm sorry.  The Department of Defense Education Activity.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Come on, speak Pentagon. (Laughter.)              (CROSSTALK)              Q:   -- eight years here.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Eight years.  Well, I don't know.              If it makes you feel better, I forget them.              Q:  Will you guys be providing any help with some of your furloughed employees, in terms of financial management, understanding how to prepare for this?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We have a whole system of financial management that they -- that the employees can certainly work through.  And, in fact, it was just recently that we had a very large financial management fair here in the Pentagon for them.              But there are resources on how to manage your money that are provided through our department.              Q:  But nothing special to this furlough situation?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  No, it's not -- whatever we have will certainly take care of that financial management arena.              Q:  I have a couple questions.  One, first for second Senior Defense Official Two.  What's the anticipated impact on the department's operations because of these furloughs?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, I think that the anticipated impact is -- can clearly be the morale of our employees.  I will tell you that we value every single civilian employee that -- that works in the Department of Defense.  And 86 percent of them work outside of the National Capital Region, and they all add value to the mission that we do as a total force.  And they're clearly part of that total force.              But when an individual loses 20 percent of their pay, which, that's what will happen when we furlough, that has to impact them, clearly, financially and clearly morale-wise.              I believe that they will continue to perform in an admirable manner.  But I'm sure that there will be some morale impact.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I'd like to add to that.  I mean, these people aren't doing PowerPoint slides in the Pentagon.  I mean, they're mostly outside of the Pentagon.  As (inaudible) said, they fix our ships, our tanks, our planes.  They staff our hospitals.  They're teachers in our schools.               Eighty percent of the financial managers in the department are civilians.  And it's probably similar to that for contracting.              We're going to have problems in terms of getting money obligated, in close-out, personnel staffs to handle furloughs.  We're going to delay maintenance.  I think we will seriously adversely affect the productivity in almost all areas -- support areas of the Department of Defense.              This is a -- it's not something we wanted to do.              I hope -- I hope that's clear from the secretary's memo, but I'd like to underscore it.              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- the 20 percent figure that you just cited?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  What?              Q:  20 percent of their pay?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, if they're furloughed one day a week every week, that's 20 percent of their paycheck.              Q:  How does that tie in with the 11 days?  I'm sorry.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  One day a week, it will begin on July 8th.  And so one day a week, they'll lose 20 percent of their pay -- of their weekly pay, right.              Q:  I understand that, but I thought you said 11 furlough days for the entire fiscal year.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Sure.  And during those -- during those weeks when they're furloughed, each week they'll lose 20 percent.              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  It's not the whole year.              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, right.              (CROSSTALK)              Q:  And do you anticipate any impact -- are you seeing any impact on attrition?  I mean, are people retiring, voluntarily separating, at this point?  Do you anticipate any?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Right now, we don't see a major impact on that, of people retiring.  I'm sure that people will retire, but we haven't seen a push towards that.                        SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I might give you an anecdotal.  We had one individual that left my organization and said it was because of this, but I think he would have retired at some point fairly soon.  So I wouldn't extrapolate; 7.8 percent unemployment, or whatever it is right now, does create an environment where there aren't a lot of jobs out there.              Q:  Can you go back to what happens on the beginning of October, assuming you have a straight CR [continuing resolution] that -- then we just end sequester.  What's the anticipated impact on DOD's budget?  And what are you doing at this point to prepare for it?  Is there a possibility furloughs could continue in FY [fiscal year] 14?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, in terms -- it would be about a $52 billion cut below our request if we remain at sequester levels.  So it will be serious.  Secretary Hagel has directed the strategic choices and management review, the SCMR as we call it, and it is looking at the kinds of choices we will have to make.              As Secretary Hagel said today, we can't rule out furloughs, but we're sure going to do our darndest to avoid them.  And this time, we will have more time to prepare and we are thinking actively about how, if we have to, we would accommodate that.  So, as I said, I think we'll do everything we can to avoid them.              Q:  And lastly, on the shipyard exemption, I'm already hearing complaints that these are politically motivated; that members of Congress who represent those shipyards were very vocal in defense of them.  How do you respond to that?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, there will be lots of members of Congress who will oppose other ones, too.  But it was based on mission grounds.  I mean, we're talking about overhauls that -- that last months, sometimes more than a year.  They are planned well in advance.  Had we delayed them, we would have -- we have very little ability to make it up.  These are highly technical.  We're talking about nuclear safety.  All these workers do nuclear maintenance.  So that we -- we couldn't just bring in other people to make it up when we had more funds.  They wouldn't have the training.              And so we were really talking about seriously adversely affecting our ability to deploy carriers and submarines.  And we made a decision that that was too serious an adverse effect on mission.               (CROSSTALK)              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- follow up on one of those last ones, actually.  (inaudible) -- the thinking that furloughs are some potential possibility in 14.  Is that a change?  Because a senior defense official, who may or may not be in this room, has said before that you just would not do them in 14.  You'd probably do RIFs [reductions in force] or other kinds of -- (inaudible).              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, that was probably senior defense official one, speaking with his heart, not necessarily his head.  I sure hope we don't, personally, but I understand we can't know the future fully.  But I'll underscore what Secretary Hagel said just a few minutes ago.  We're going to do our darndest to avoid it.              Q:  Then quickly on the safety of life and property exemptions, the Department of Navy has far and away the most in that category -- 7,500.  Nobody else is even close.  The next closest is 900 in the Air Force and there's a big gap behind them.  Why are there so many in the DON [Department of Navy]?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We've got a lot of -- I think there were shipyard issues.  I'm trying to remember now.  This is a couple months ago we did this.              I believe there were in -- in nuclear safety and ship issues, but I'd -- I think I better get back to you with a better answer because I'm not -- I'm not tracking fully.  Let me get back to you.              Q:  Let's go here and then we'll work the third and fourth row.              Q:  I just have one question.  Are there -- there are rules against civilian employees working other jobs, like, let's say they wanted to work one day a week.  Aren't there -- can you describe what those rules are or --              (CROSSTALK)              Q:   -- if you're still working for the government, so even though they're off that day, they're still under those rules, right?  So what's the --              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  They are still government employees. Absolutely.  Even though that they are furloughed for that one day.  And OPM [Office of Personnel Management] has specific rules in place, and they are the Web site about what they are.              There is -- there is a -- a waiver, if you will, for additional employment, that the employee would need to follow, should they want to -- to go through that process.              Q:  -- (inaudible) --              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I would have get back to you.  But it -- we follow -- they are not DOD [Department of Defense] rules, they are OPM rules.              MODERATOR:  You guys in the back of the room.  I saw a few hands.  Go ahead.              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- the memo, but when do the letters go out?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  They go out between the 28th of May and the 5th of June.              Q:  And those receiving them have seven days to reply.  Does that mean that they can -- they can make an argument, you know, don't -- don't furlough me, furlough somebody else?  What?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  They can respond.  First, they can respond to the designated -- their designated official in that seven days with justification of why they should be potentially in the exempt category.              The designated official will review all of that justification and make a decision.              Q:  Who sends the letters?  Who signs the letters?  Who do they go out from?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  It's a designated official, which is a lower level, I'll use the term "commander."  They're not all commanders.              Q:  Can you just  -- can you describe, what do the letters actually say?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  The letters are very specific.  They say that you will be -- we're proposing a furlough for X amount of days, starting at X -- at a certain time, which would be on 8 July.  And they're addressed to each individual employee.              So it's not a -- it's a -- it's a template letter.  But each individual employee gets their own specific letter.              MODERATOR:  Let's go over here and then back and then back.              Q:  When it comes to the actual choosing of a day, do the employees get some say in what day they get off?  And at the same time, as you -- you as an agency, I mean, can we expect that 20 percent of the 680,000 will be gone on any given day, starting July 8th?              Like how are you -- how are you managing having enough people that are on?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  For example, let me give you an example of commissaries.  Commissaries more than likely will be closed one day a week.  They will, more than likely, select one day throughout all the commissary system.  And they will do that because that is -- everybody will know when that day is.  They can plan their shopping around that particular day.  And they could limit the deliveries on that particular day.              So that would be a reason that commissaries would close on one particular day.              The hospitals, the school systems, potentially the depots, will be judged by their personal supervisor on which day several employees could potentially be furloughed.  So we won't close a hospital.  We won't close the depot.  We'll keep things running, but the day will be negotiated by the individual super -- or designated official.               Q:  How much money do you think you're going to save if you keep all 11 days -- furlough 11 days?  How much money is that?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  $1.8 billion for the 11 days, with the exceptions that we're planning now.              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yes, "billion" with a "b."              Q:  Secretary Hagel left open the possibility of reducing this further.  What would have to happen to make that happen this year, short of sequestration being averted?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, first, no large, unanticipated costs would be very nice.  The United States Congress approving the majority, if not all of the reprogramming that I hope we'll send to them within a few days.  And then we're going to just have to put our heads together and try to scoop up every dollar we can toward the end.              I mean, it's a decentralized organization and we deal, especially with operations and maintenance dollars, and those are the major ones affected here.  And so our commands pass it out to their bases.  They're executing it.  We're going to have to work closely with them toward the end of the year to see where they are and whether or not we can make this happen.              But I'm counting on the incentives.  After all, they're the employers of many of these civilians, so I'm hoping, and I think they will work with us and we'll see what we can do.              Q:  You mentioned that the requirement to have all the services implement some level of furlough is to achieve larger savings.  How do you prioritize the distribution of those savings?  In other words, is it readiness?  How do you prioritize?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, first I want to make clear that the overall goal is to minimize adverse effects on missions.  And I state it that way because we are devastating the readiness of this military right now, but we want to minimize that.               Subject to meeting that goal, consistency and fairness was something we considered.  So as those decisions were made, you know, if a service has more readiness problems than another one, we might -- we probably wouldn't take money from them.  We'd just reprogram money less into their -- their particular account.  And I think you'll see some of that as we send this reprogramming forward.              So the goal is to meet that mission, minimizing adverse effects, particularly readiness.  We've already made the cuts we believe we can.  In facilities maintenance, we've essentially stopped it except for safety of life and property.  We've cut back on base operating costs.  We have hiring freezes, not across the board, but many of them are in effect.              I mean, we've done a lot of those tasks.  It's really now down to training and maintenance.  It's actually more maintenance at the moment.  We've made about as many training cuts as we can and still meet needs in Afghanistan and deployments.  So we're really now down to further cuts would come out of maintenance, which buys us problems in fiscal 14.  It means we won't have the weapons systems ready to deploy.              So, we'll use the criteria minimizing those aspects.              (CROSSTALK)              MODERATOR:  -- (inaudible) -- want to make sure everyone that had a question, had a chance to ask them.  We'll see if we've got a few more -- (inaudible).              Q:  Thanks.  (inaudible) -- the employees who get furloughed -- (inaudible) -- write a letter stating why they shouldn't be furloughed.  Is financial hardship a reason that they might be considered?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  No, it's truly not, unfortunately.  You know, this is a very, very tough decision, and we understand that it will create financial hardships across the board.  But that is not the -- a  sure reason for -- for exempting from furlough.              Q:  So what would be some of the reasons that would?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Boy, I really -- you know, at the top of my head -- I don't know -- (inaudible) -- if you can help me out here, but I really can't -- can't think of a -- of a reason right now.              I think the individual supervisor -- or the individual designated official would have to review what the employee submits to -- to weigh that against what he or she needs to do mission-wise in order to accomplish that mission.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  And I suppose there could be a circumstance that where a person had a mission-critical aspect that we just couldn't recognize from -- from here, and that -- that a local commander might take that into account.                        And, indeed, if you read the memo, they have some very small authority to do some furlough exemptions on their own.               Let me just say, Senior Defense Official One would like to say, this conversation is kind of bloodless.  And I understand we're trying to answer your questions.  But I want to repeat what you may have heard me say before, this is one of the most distasteful tasks I've had in more than 30 years of government service.              I mean, we are -- we depend on these people to -- to do all the things I mentioned before.  And many of them work for me -- not many of them, but a small numbers work for me.  And I -- I just -- I find it very distasteful.  I mean, I just want to -- Senior Official One would like to be on record as not being bloodless.                        And now, I'll go back to being the -- (inaudible). (Laughter.)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  But Senior Official Two would echo what you said, that it's a -- it's a very painful process.  And it -- it wasn't made lightly; it was made with a lot of pain and anguish.              MODERATOR:  All right.  -- (inaudible) --  Let's take a couple real quick ones, if we have --              Q:  Just a quick question.  You mentioned at the beginning some possible, down-the-road changes, something at DIA.  Is that -- (inaudible) -- intelligence, or --              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We need to work out with the national intelligence folks exactly what furloughs the people funded by the national intelligence program, if any, have been.  And they were not included in the 120,000 estimate.              Q:  Right.  I thought -- I guess I thought I'd seen something where those in the MIP [Military Intelligence Program] group would have furloughs and those in NIP [National Intelligence Program] would not.  Is that --              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  What the memo says is those in NIP, N-I-P, would be determined by the director of national intelligence.  And I don't know -- I mean I think he's -- he's made pretty clear where he's heading, but I don't know if he's formally said it.  And I thought, heck, ask them, so that we can adjust our numbers.              Q:  Okay.  So that's the part you're saying is not sure.  But anyone -- are there exemptions in -- within the military?              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  I don't think there are more.  I mean, there may be a few of these onesies and twosies.  And, you know, as they go back out and -- I don't -- but I don't think there are going to be large changes.              I mean, we want to give -- we don't want to run this with a 6,000-mile screwdriver if we can avoid it.  We really want our commanders to have some latitude.  But we will -- I also don't expect them to come back and say I want 5,000 more exemptions.  So there better be a heck of a good reason.              (CROSSTALK)              Q:  -- (inaudible) -- at one point -- (inaudible) -- a lot of the members of Congress and public are going to say, "Why the hell don't you cut out an F-35 or a littoral combat ship or ground combat vehicle, hardware instead of people?"              This is not a lot of money for this department.  It's kind of staggeringly low amount.  And yet it's causing all this pain -- (inaudible).  And I empathize with that.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, first, we wouldn't have the authority to do that, Tony, I mean, because this sequestration is by account.  And so, I have to get it out of the O&M [Operations and Management ]account.              And I could only reprogram, but I'm using every dime -- almost every dime in transfer authority I have, so I wouldn't be able to take anymore out of investment.              And, second, I mean the problem is we've already made so many cuts.  We've cut out almost all facilities maintenance.  We've stopped flying at 12 combat-coded squadrons.  We've cut out all training rotations, except for deploying units at -- at Irwin and Polk.              We've done -- and -- and a whole lot of otherextras. I read our weekly report and it just -- dozens of exercises we're stopping.  We've stopped most ceremonial everything pretty much.              (CROSSTALK)               SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  So we've already done all these things.  If we were gonna get that $1.8 billion -- I know it doesn't sound like much -- in a three-month period or even the six that we have left, we would have had to go after more maintenance or further shutdowns of units.  And I think Secretary Hagel decided, and I believe it was the right decision, that that isn't something we ought to do -- would go too far.              Q:  (off mic) this is -- (inaudible) -- didn't have discretion to cut across from different accounts.  You had to --              (CROSSTALK)              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Well, it certainly didn't help.  I mean, I would have preferred to have more transfer authority.  We asked for it, and it just didn't happen and it's not going to happen.  So it certainly didn't help.               Q:  The number of days -- said 11.  All things being perfect toward the end of the year, whether there're any fluctuations -- (inaudible) -- can the number fluctuate above 11 or you're only talking about fluctuations below --              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  No.              (CROSSTALK)               SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Below.              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  It's up to 11.              Q:  So eleven is the top line --               SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Right.              Q:  Thanks.              MODERATOR:  The last question today.                Q:  And to follow up on Tony's question about the relatively small amount of money comparatively -- compared to the amount of the sequester, is there -- I was talking to one union official who saw this as a politically driven decision; that DOD hopes that now people on the Hill will respond by canceling the sequester or mitigating the impact.  Do you help with that?  And is -- was that a motive?              SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  That doesn't seem like it's gonna happen to me.  I mean, I'd sure like them to, but I'm not anticipating it.              And, you know, I can tell you, it was not politically motivated.  I was in on these meetings.  We were saying, "All right, what are we gonna do? How much more maintenance are we gonna cut?  What are we gonna cut?  Are we gonna go after aviation maintenance?  Are we gonna start cutting base ops by closing airfields?"              And we just felt that those steps which we would have had to take to get that $1.8 billion, given everything else we've done, would have had serious adverse affects on our mission, and that's why we made this decision.              MODERATOR:  Okay, I want to thank you all for coming today.  We have taken a couple of questions.  The press office will have the answers to the taken questions this afternoon.  So -- (inaudible) -- right here as well as -- (inaudible) -- are tag-teaming this in the press office.  So on the taken questions if you want to check back with them they'll have them for you.                        Thanks very much.  </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div id="mail_footer"> <a href='http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDOD-7af8da?reqfrom=share' target='_blank'><img width='83' height='16' alt='Bookmark and Share' style='border:0' src='https://public.govdelivery.com/images/share_this.gif?1278100473'/></a>   U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/">http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/</a> Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx">http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx</a> or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your <a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1">User Profile Page</a>. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail <a href="mailto:support@govdelivery.com">support@govdelivery.com</a>. </div> <div id="tagline"> Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense </div> </td> </tr> </table>

Remarks by Secretary Hagel at the Town Hall Meeting with Department of Defense Personnel, Alexandria, Virginia

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:30:00 GMT

NATO Press Release - Visit to NATO by the Minister of Defence of Albania

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Department of Defense News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Wiercinski from the Pentagon

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:45:00 GMT

<table width="700" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td>   You are subscribed to News Transcripts for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.<a name="ri8221251"></a> <div class="rss_item" style="margin-bottom: 2em;"> <div class="rss_title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5237">Department of Defense News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Wiercinski from the Pentagon</a></div> <div class="rss_pub_date" style="font-size: 90%; font-style: italic; color: #666666; margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">05/13/2013 08:34 PM CDT</div> <div class="rss_description" style="margin: 0 0 0.3em; padding: 0;">  <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" border="0" bgcolor="FFFFFF"> <tr><td colspan="2" height="2"><hr size="1" noshade /></td></tr> <tr> <td> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td valign="Top" align="Left" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Presenter: Lieutenant General Francis J. Wiercinski, Army Pacific Commander</td> <td valign="Top" align="Right" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">May 13, 2013 </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2"><hr size="1" noshade /></td></tr> </table>  <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" border="0" bgcolor="FFFFFF"> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <div align="center" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Department of Defense News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Wiercinski from the Pentagon </div> <div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000;"> STAFF: I'm pleased to introduce Lieutenant General Frank Wiercinski, the U.S. Army Pacific commanding general. This is the general's first time in the Pentagon press briefing room. He'll make very brief opening remarks and then we'll open up the floor to questions. I'll ask that when you ask our question, please state your name and your affiliation. We have scheduled about 30 minutes for this press conference. Thank you. LIEUTENANT GENERAL WIERCINSKI: As retirement begins to loom and I start finding myself doing "this is the last thing I'm doing; this is the last press briefing I'm doing." And this is probably the last time I'll be in the Pentagon. Next time you see me, I'll be in civilian clothes following that service member walking backwards, but I'm glad to be here today for you. Now, the U.S. Army traces its lineage in the Asia-Pacific to 1898, when soldiers transitioned through Hawaii en route to the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Today, approximately 79,000 soldiers are stationed throughout out the Asia-Pacific region. They're supporting efforts to prevent conflict, to shape the stability of the security environment, and to win our nation's wars. Since 2001, more than 150,000 of these soldiers have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of combat operations in those countries. The forward-basing of these combat-proven soldiers in the Republic of Korea, Japan, along with soldiers based in Hawaii, Washington state and Alaska, is a visible sign of our nation's rebalance to the Asia Pacific and of our Army's continuing commitment to ensure regional security and stability. U.S. Army Pacific is the decisive theater land-force power in the Asia-Pacific region. Responsible for covering half the globe, it includes 36 countries. USAPAC's area of responsibility in support of U.S. Pacific Command encompasses 16 time zones and covers 9,000 miles, from the coast of California to the Maldives, or as we sometimes describe it, from Hollywood to Bollywood. Likewise, this region contains three of the world's largest economies, its four most-populous countries, and seven of the 10 largest armies in the world. Five of our seven treaty allies are located in Pacific Command. We in the United States Army deal in the human domain -- the land and human domain. With 60 percent of the world's population and 62 percent of the world's economy, and growing daily. Although most of the geography of the region is dominated by vast expanses of water, people live and work on the land. And, therefore, the Army will always have a key role to play ensuring lasting regional stability as a vital member of our joint team. Annually, our soldiers participate in 24 large-scale exercises with 14 of the region's 36 countries. When you include all of our activities, we are participating in 191 engagements with 34 countries. These efforts directly support national policy objectives and focus on developing multinational teams capable of supporting operations ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to exercising mutual defense agreements with our five regional treaty allies. Major exercises with the Republic of Korea, the Philippine armed forces, the Royal Thai armed forces, the Australian Defense Force, Indonesia, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and the Indian army, help build trust and confidence between America's Army in the Pacific and these partners and allies. Additionally, America's Army in the Pacific participated in a series of successful disaster management engagement exercises with the People's Republic of China, the People's Liberation Army. Last November's exchange in China included a tabletop exercise for the first time designed by the PLA [People's Liberation Army]. Teams from U.S. Army-Pacific and the PLA worked through problems of how they would approach an earthquake disaster occurring in a third country. This is an example of the type of land-domain activity that only land forces can provide. It supports our national leadership's intent to build habits of cooperation and mutual trust with the Chinese army wherever possible. Quite simply, the Army recognizes that the United States and China have much more to gain from cooperation than from separation, and we're finding ways to work together. Additionally, overcoming the tyranny of distance characteristic of this theater, the Army in the Pacific provides robust enabler support to our other joint services, including logistical and signal support as well as theater ballistic missile defense. These are in addition to an Eighth Field Army in Korea, First Corps, based on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea, the 25th Infantry Division, stationed in Hawaii, along with nine brigade combat teams, two aviation -- combat aviation brigades, and 11 multifunctional brigades. These resources all provide considerable operational depth and resiliency to the Pacific Command. Rebalance to the Pacific has further contributed to our existing efforts in the region. The change of the Army Pacific Command to a four-star headquarters is a significant sign of the contribution of the rebalance in the region. It's been 40 years since a four-star Army general has been in command. This July, Richardson Hall, the home of U.S. Army-Pacific, and the headquarters and -- ironically, once known during World War II as the Pineapple Pentagon -- will be home to a four-star general once again. This year we welcomed the first allied general officer into our command as the deputy commanding general for operations. Major General Rick Burr from the Australian army is the first allied general to hold this position in the PACOM area of operations. Major General Burr's presence in our headquarters symbolizes the rebalance in our longstanding alliance and celebrated relationship with Australia. And we're honored to have him on the team. The way ahead for America's Army in the Pacific is marked by change. With the eventual impacts of the current fiscal environment yet unclear, it's raising the demand for limited resources throughout the region, and the constant threat of natural disaster. USARPAC will face these significant complex challenges and meet them head-on. Today's message to our partners, allies and friends throughout the region is that America's Army in the Pacific stands ready as a partner to continue to provide assured security, and stability for all. And with that, I'm proud to take your questions. Yes, ma'am? Q: Stephanie Gaskell with Politico. Could you talk a little bit about some of the budget cuts and -- and how you're mitigating some cuts, how it's affecting you, if you've shifted things around, if there's things that you need that you don't have, or, you know, whatever your budget concerns are? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, clearly, the sequestration has provided -- given us limitations. There are certainly things that we cannot touch and that we must ensure that are obviously resourced the highest. All of the -- our operations on the Korean peninsula, for example, and all of the enabling forces that will respond should anything occur on the Korean peninsula are fenced. What that does is, it raises the amounts of decrement to the other units that don't particularly fall under those categories and some of our units will begin to feel the -- the effects of that sequestration here in about June, July time frame. We're hoping to be able to work through those for the remainder of the fiscal year. We've been able to fence our engagements throughout our theater of operations, and our allies and our partners for which we have exercises and engagement, those will continue to move forward and I think we've been able to do a good job with that. Q: What are the -- excuse me -- Richard Sisk, Military.com. Can you describe some of these effects that you consider might be coming other than -- other than... LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Sure. Q: ... with U.S. Forces Korea? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, the people are there. The equipment is there. It's the ability now to utilize that equipment, to maintain that equipment to standards that is where we'll feel the most heat. Our ability to train with that equipment to fuel our vehicles, to fuel our aircraft, that is where we will feel some of the impacts of this in some of our units. We want to make sure that the maintenance of our equipment, although we're not going to be able to raise it to the highest standard we want, we want to make sure that we're keeping our equipment to a standard, obviously safe and operational so that when things return to a normal state we can bring them back up to the highest level quickly, and not fall over that edge where we cannot bring it back. Q: Why did you reference June and July as when you'll feel the most heat? What sort of converges -- converges at that point? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: That's when the budgets for these types of equipment start to run out. And, depending on the training levels of each one of those units, it will matter. And, some of them fall in the June time frame, some of them will fall in the July time frame. What we're trying to do now is mitigate that, and ensure that we're maintaining qualified crews, both flight crews, striker crews, individual units, weapons proficiency, individual units' tactical proficiency so that we can make it through tot he end of the fiscal year. Yes, sir? Q: Kevin Barron from Foreign Policy. So does all of the sequester or what's to come affect your ability to do military diplomacy type of activities or face to face interactions with the other nations in the region? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: That's the part I've been able to fence. Because, I believe that's one of our primary missions, and literally my primary mission in -- in the theater. I place so much emphasis on engagement and open communication and partnering with our allies, friends and partners that we have been able to do that and we've been able to fence that. It might not be at the highest level we can, but we've been able to save everything that we have promised. And, in this business, with relationship building, is building trust. And, that's the part that I want to make sure we hold on to, especially, and the part that we maintain with our allies. Q: So, kind of a similar topic. The idea of these regionally aligned brigades that's been talked about at least in this building. Tell me what you think of that versus how the -- the Guard has its own, you know, foreign area specialist (inaudible) work overseas as well? Is that something you're looking forward to? Or has that become more complicating? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: No, it's actually -- it's actually a great concept for us. What is does is, it ensures the PACOM commander always has the same number of Army forces available to him in theater, regardless of who may be called out to do something. Right now, our chief of staff of the Army, General Odierno, has been able to fence the units of the Pacific from further deployments to -- to Afghanistan. Will that be able to hold? We hope so, but if not, and one unit has to be pulled out, regional aligned brigades allows us now to focus another brigade, perhaps in the mainland, back into our AOR so that the PACOM commander always has that. The National Guard has a state sponsorship program with several of our units it's very -- with several of our country partner nations. It's very strong. In fact, on several occasions when I go to a -- a country and speak with their chief of army, one of the first things they talk about is their state partnership. We're very proud of that. And I think -- I believe our National Guard forces are also very proud of it. So, I think that's a strength. I think that's a combat multiplier and we're going to continue to leverage that. Q: You think both happens, so it's not an either/or? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: That's correct. Yes, sir? Q: Carlo Munoz with The Hill. You mentioned a few things that have been sort of fenced off -- I mean, kind of within the Pacific A.O. What I wanted to ask you, is do you -- do you anticipate any of those fences sort of coming down or being adjusted as the Defense Department does this sort of strategic look at the way -- at the way forward for -- for your -- for this command and others across the world? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: I do not. I feel that we will always prioritize our soldiers going into harm's way and our soldiers being deployed. And then our next priority right behind that is to fence Korea and our commitment there in that alliance. I cannot -- never see a point of time where we would come off of that. We -- we may suffer in other training venues and we may have to adjust to other ways of doing business with units who aren't fenced for that, but those specifically I can guarantee you will be fenced. Yes, sir? Q: General, Paul Shinkman with U.S. News and World Report. There has been a lot of discussion about the Arctic in recent weeks. It seems to be mostly a naval and Air Force discussion, but the White House came out with their strategy on Friday. I wonder what part the Army is going to play in that sort of burgeoning field? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, we've had -- our U.S. Army Alaska also having been fenced most recently, has an entire striker brigade combat team. It has the only airborne brigade in the theater for the PACOM commander. And those -- both of those units are fenced. Specifically what they do in the Arctic, I have not been able or have not been given direction from that policy statement as of yet and really can't address that. But they are always there and they are always training in that environment. They also train with many of our partner nations that have the same typical type of environments, once again getting back to that regional alignment that we had just talked about. So, they're partnering with northern Hokkaido in Japan. They're partnering with Nepal. They're partnering with India. They're partnering with the southern island in New Zealand -- you know, all of the places where their tactics, techniques and procedures are the same. And we -- we will continue to do that and be prepared. But to answer your specific question on the Arctic, I don't have an answer for that. Yes, ma'am? Q: Yes, ongoing military exercise in South Korea right now, and North Korea announced it's strongly threatening U.S. in South Korea. How do you respond on this? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: I've seen this for 34 years -- cyclical provocation with the grandfather, the father and now the son. It's -- it's nothing that I wouldn't -- have not expected. However, I would think that this time it was a tenuous situation. For the first time, we deployed theater ballistic missile defense to Guam in protection of the homeland. They have a demonstrated capability to place a missile into space. We've seen that. They have a purported testing of nuclear weapons systems. And we take that very seriously. But it appears the rhetoric has died down in recent days and we're hoping that that cycle of provocation has come to its end-point for this -- this cycle. Q: This exercise until 2015 and OPCON transfer of wartime operation commander continue these exercises, should they? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: The exercises will continue just as they are now. General Thurman is committed on the peninsula, with General Jung, the chairman of the South Korean forces. And they are working straightforward, no change to our exercise plans. Yes, ma'am? Yes, sir? Q: General, I'm Carl Osgood with Executive Intelligence Review. Could you talk a little bit more about your engagement with China? Because I know that one thing that the Chinese see with this re-posturing, they see high-end U.S. combat forces moving closer to China. How do you explain that to them so that they don't see it as a provocation? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: I can talk to you from an Army standpoint. We engage with our treaties' allies and friends -- five treaty allies in the Asia-Pacific -- South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and Australia. We are going to meet our commitments with our treaty allies. We also have partners, neighbors and friends that we engage with on a routine basis throughout the entire area of operation, particularly all 28 nations that have military forces. I believe that the Army is -- is extremely well-suited to conduct continuous engagement with the Chinese because our army-to-army forces are literally at this point not a threat to each other. Our engagements with disaster management exercises, military medicine, engineering projects, these are all peacekeeping operations. These are all excellent opportunities for us to begin mil-to-mil discussions. And I can only hope that those will continue in the future. I believe that with the four-star headquarters coming to U.S. Army- Pacific, that will only increase the opportunity for increased visits. And I see us with a way ahead, as we move forward. Yes, sir? Q: Hi, general. Jon Harper with the Asahi Shinbun. LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Yeah. Q: In light of all the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, do you think that the 2015 OPCON transfer should be reconsidered, and maybe push that back a few years? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: That's a decision for both of our governments to make. And really not in my lane. Yes, sir? Q: Hi. My name is Mathieu Rabechault with AFP. I was wondering if you had started this kind of military diplomatic engagements with countries like Indonesia or Burma. LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, thank you for asking that question. Yes. As a matter of fact, I was invited by the State Department, and the first U.S. military general officer in Burma in 25 years. And I was part of a human rights dialogue with the State Department. I found it a great step. There's much to be done, and our countries are working very closely, particularly the State Department and the -- and the White House, in developing policy forward on that. We are prepared to execute what we are told. But from what I saw, it was a first step. And hopefully it will continue in some small way, as we are given more authority to do that. Indonesia, we are very proud of the building and budding relationship that we're having army to army with Indonesia. In fact, in two months time, we'll be conducting Exercise Garuda Shield with the Indonesian land forces in Indonesia. Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division will be part of Garuda Shield. There will be an airborne operation, a combined airborne operation. And that -- that relationship is really developing well and I'm very proud of it. Q: To be clear, as of now with Burma, there is not decision yet to pursue with the human rights engagements... LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: I have not been given any further direction to move forward at this time. That's correct. Yes, sir? Q: Luis Martinez of ABC News. You mentioned this engagement with Indonesia. As the drawdown in Afghanistan continues, are you seeing more opportunities where you can engage forces that would have been deployed to Afghanistan, like, say, the 82nd? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Absolutely. Q: Can you talk about how that's ramping up and what you envision over the next couple years? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Yes. That's a -- that's a great question. As our soldiers come off of a deployment cycle -- and, as you know, at one point in time there in the Asia-Pacific, we either had soldiers coming back in refit, reset, soldiers downrange in combat operations, or soldiers preparing to go. And the -- and the Pacific commander did not have his Army element in the Pacific. He has that now. With our 1st Corps at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord now focused solely on the Pacific region, with our 25th Infantry Division now focused solely back into -- in the Asia-Pacific region, we now have -- and the PACOM commander has -- his Army forces available for engagement and exercise in multiple locations throughout the Asia Pacific, things that we have not been able to do in the past 11 years. I'm very excited about those opportunities. Q: And what additional -- I mean are you seeing additional things now that may not have been open before? Are partner nations reaching out to you, saying, well you have these -- you have this capability now, can we engage? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Absolutely, matter of fact, I just came from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where we had a contingent of Indian army, both Paras and Gurkhas, training with the 82nd Airborne Division. Last year we were in Jaipur, in India, training with our Strykers in India. We're seeing more military exercises, as we discussed, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines. And, of course, our tremendous continued relationship and exercises with South Korea and Japan. Q: I'd like to ask about the headquarters plus-up. How much -- how significant is the -- is that gonna be in terms of personnel? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, as I'm very fond of saying, it's not what we're getting, it's what we're getting back. We've had these forces, but for the last 11 years they haven't been there. So the 79,000 figure that I gave you are the number of soldiers that we'll have in the Asia-Pacific AOR for use by the PACOM commander. Q: A follow-up to my earlier question. General Dempsey, when he was in Beijing was very praiseworthy of the Chinese -- the PLA response to the earthquake in Sichuan province. Is this something that U.S. Army Pacific is looking at to see what lessons could be drawn from what they did? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Absolutely. You know, we learn lessons from every type of operation that occurs, and whatever we can learn, trading of tactics, techniques, procedures and however we can build better coordination and synchronization and understand each other and the way that we operate before something happens, the better prepared we are to save life, property, you know, those initial 72 hours, 100 hours are critical. And, if you've never worked together, if you don't understand the way each operates or the coordinations involved, you're wasting time. That's why we train with so many different countries, that's why we try to learn as much as we can. It's -- it's a great opportunity. Yes, ma'am? Q: Hi, Jennifer Hlad from Stars and Stripes. With the Pacific rebalance, some of the services are doing increased rotational deployments, but it's -- as far as I understand, it seems like the Army is actually doing more like permanent -- I mean, permanent -- but, basing of troops versus rotational deployments. Is that true? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Actually, what we're trying to do now in Korea is work towards a rotational... Q: Okay. LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: ... force structure. We've always had individual replacements in Korea. If -- if you think about that, that's -- it - that's hard to manage, and it's hard to continuously train to a high standards, because you're constantly moving leadership out, you're constantly breaking up teams. If we can get to rotational units to Korea, they train together for an entire period of time, they deploy together and they're train and they stay together. And, then they redeploy out as they're -- as they're replaced, as units. I think that is something that we are working very hard to move towards. It increases not only our efficiency, but also our training readiness and high standards. Q: This ongoing exercise I'm talking about, who is leading these exercises? Is U.S. military leading or South Korean military is leading these exercises? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Well, OPCON transfer is coming in the future. I'm -- I'm not sure about the actual date, but right now it's -- it's -- you have General Thurman, who is the CFC [Combined Forces Command] commander on the U.S. side, and you had General Jung, the chairman of the South Korean forces on the Korean side. And -- and I've watched both of those gentlemen in multiple exercises over the past two years exercise command and control. Any other questions? Ladies and gentlemen oh, sir? Q: One last one. If you could possibly project a little bit. The whole rebalance, Pacific pivot, questions raised about whether the -- whether the world situation will allow, and we keep getting drawn back to the Mid-East; and also on whether the resources will be there, sequester continuing. Even before sequester came into place there were a lot of think-tanks coming out with stuff about whether or not we could really pull this off. You've talked about some of the limitations already, you know, on your maintenance, other than what's fenced off in Korea, how do you see this going forward, the Army's -- the Army's position in this and the future? Is this really going to happen? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: I am very positive about it. It's a hypothetical. You know, I -- I can't think about the future, but what I've seen in the past two years is we have walked the talk. General Odierno made promises to the Pacific commander and he has made good on those. First Corps, as I mentioned, 1st Corps is back. The 25th Infantry Division is back. All of their brigade combat teams are off the deployment charts to the Middle East. Yes, we are in sequestration and yes we are a part of that, but I'm still seeing the resources to continue engagement, to continue exercises in each and every one of those countries. And we've been able to -- to fence those. You know, the three big things to me, that have stood out in -- in these two years about this rebalance that are extremely visible and extremely game changing are, the return of the forces to the PACOM commander as we discussed, the addition of an Australian deputy commanding general to the headquarters of U.S. Army Pacific; and raising the level of U.S. Army Pacific from a three-star to a four- star headquarters. That is a major change. And that is a commitment across the globe of -- of rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. And I think is very, very strong. Yes, sir? Q: (inaudible) Japanese News Agency. Facing the North Korean missile threat, do you have any plans to bolster missile defense against North Korea? More flexible a Patriot battalion into the Korean peninsula? Or more strengthened coordination with the South Koreans? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: We are constantly in coordination -- South Korea, Japan, the United States and all of our services. Theater ballistic missile defense is integrated. It's not only the Army. It's the Navy, the Air Force, combined forces of South Korea, Japan and the United States. I've already mentioned, for the first time ever, a THAAD battery deployed to Guam for the first time ever. That's a big change. But you're still seeing that integrated and synchronized defense. I believe that that will continue, if not get stronger. To get into the specifics of that, I can't really enter that discussion right now. Yes, sir? Q: That question just reminded me -- are there going to be additional THAAD deployments throughout the PACOM region in years to come? Or is this just a one-off? LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Right now, we have the one THAAD deployment to Guam. That's the only one I'm aware of right now. Q: (OFF-MIKE) LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: There is no time limit on it right now. It's conditions-based. STAFF: We stuck to the 30 minutes time just perfectly. (Laughter.) LT. GEN. WIERCINSKI: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your insightful questions. Thank you very much. </div> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" /></tr></table></div> </div>  <div id="mail_footer"> <a href='http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDOD-7acb72?reqfrom=share' target='_blank'><img width='83' height='16' alt='Bookmark and Share' style='border:0' src='https://public.govdelivery.com/images/share_this.gif?1278100473'/></a>U.S. Department of Defense  Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)  On the Web: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/">http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/</a>  Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132  Public Contact: <a href="http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx">http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx</a> or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1   Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your <a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1">User Profile Page</a>. 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NATO Press Release - Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the elections in Pakistan

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:50:00 GMT

NATO Press Release - NATO Secretary General condemns attacks in Turkey

Sat, 11 May 2013 15:45:00 GMT