Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts an honor cordon to welcome French Minister of Defense Alain Juppe to the Pentagon today at 9:30 a.m. EST.  The cordon will be held on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance. At the conclusion of their meeting, Secretary Gates and Minister Juppe will sign a statement of principles for US DOD-French MOD space partnership.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the Pentagon River Parking 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 has no public or media events on his schedule.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen will make remarks at 6:45 p.m. EST at the National Defense Industry Associations' 22nd Annual Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Symposium Awards Banquet in the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road NW, Washington, D.C. Media must register at the NDIA desk and present press credentials to obtain a symposium badge.

Army Col. Willard Burleson, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and Army Col. Daniel Williams, commander of Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, will brief the media live from Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan at 11:00 a.m. EST in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973) to provide an update on current operations.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the River Entrance only.  Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.  Please call 703-697-5131 for escort into the building.