Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, September 20, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts an honor cordon to welcome Ecuador’s Minister of Defense Javier Ponce Cevallos to the Pentagon today at 1:30 p.m. EDT.  The cordon will be held on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the River Entrance only.  Plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.  Please call 703-697-5131 for escort to the cordon.

Secretary Gates also hosts an honor cordon to welcome Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak to the Pentagon today at 3 p.m. EDT.  The cordon will be held on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the River Entrance only.  Plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.  Please call 703-697-5131 for escort to the cordon.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn hosts DoD’s Combined Federal Campaign Kick-Off at 11:30 a.m. EDT the Pentagon Conference Center.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, along with Charlie Huebner, chief of U.S. Paralympics and USO President Sloan Gibson, will give brief remarks during the Warrior Game press event in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973).  Media should contact Erich Langer, Army Warrior Transition Command, at 703-201-7638 for more information.