Pentagon Press Secretary Holds an Off-Camera Press Briefing

 April 6, 2021

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby

---

PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. KIRBY: Sorry -- I'm sorry. Now you know I'm late. I'm very late today. I apologize. Thank you. 

I don't have anything to open with, so we'll start with Bob.

Q: Yes, thanks, John.

I wanted to ask you about this shooting this morning at -- in Maryland. The Navy has put out a statement saying that Navy sailors were involved in some way, and I'm wondering whether you've gotten any word since then about whether the Navy sailors did the shooting, or were they victims of the shooting, or both.

MR. KIRBY: We still don't have all the facts right now, Bob.

I've seen the -- the Navy's statements. I certainly would refer you to them to speak to this.

But information is still coming in. It's still very early, and as you all know early reports tend to have to be modified. So I'm very reticent to speak to this incident with -- in any granularity right now until we simply know more.

Q: So you don't know how many Navy people -- personnel were involved?

MR. KIRBY: I don't, Bob, no.

Q: Okay.

MR. KIRBY: All I know is what -- you know, the Navy has confirmed sailors being involved, but I don't have much more than that.

Q: All right, thanks.

MR. KIRBY: Sorry.

Here in the room. Meghann?

Q: Great. I have an extremism follow-up question as you guys are working next steps.

You, kind of, alluded last week, I think, that there would be some sort of definition -- a more firmed-up definition coming, and I was wondering what sort of resources or organizations you guys would be looking towards to start crafting that -- that definition.

MR. KIRBY: So, we're still working through what next steps are going to be, Meghann. I don't have any specific details for you. The secretary does expect to get updated this week by the service chiefs about their stand-downs, and as I said before, that will inform whatever we do going forward.

I can't commit to you today that there'll be some sort of a specific definition, but clearly, the idea of what is extremist ideology is something that we were all discussing over the last 60 days. I know that will be part of the discussion with the secretary. So I -- I'm not able to promise a specific definition, or promise one by a specific date, but -- but by the end of the week, the secretary expects to -- to be able to hear from the service chiefs, and then we'll go forward from there.

Yeah.

On the phone, Caitlin, Stars & Stripes.

Q: Hi. My question was already asked. Thanks.

MR. KIRBY: All righty. Jeff, Task & Purpose.

Q: Thank you. 

Following up on Bob's question, do you have any information on the -- the people who were wounded in the attack, what their medical status is? And I'm seeing reports that the alleged shooter is dead. Can you -- do you have any information about that?

MR. KIRBY: I -- I'm sorry, Jeff. I don't.

Literally, this is all unfolding as -- as we're sitting here talking. It's one of the reasons why I was late, was I was trying to get as much visibility on -- on it as I could. But it is literally unfolding as we sit here and speak, and so I just don't have any more detail than that.

I am sure that we will -- once there's more information, we'll be working with local law enforcement, clearly, and I -- I'm sure more facts will come to light as we get a little distance between the incident and the ability to share more details.

Q: Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: Yes, sir.

In the room. Yeah, Abraham?

Q: Could you give us an update as to whether there's site visits from HHS, any more requests from HHS? And also, troop buildup from Russia on the Ukraine border -- anything, any new information there?

MR. KIRBY: No, nothing -- nothing new with respect to what's going on on the border with -- with Russian and Ukraine. There -- I don't -- I -- I honestly can't remember the last time we talked about the unaccompanied minors, so I -- I don't -- I can't remember if I --

(CROSSTALK)

MR. KIRBY: -- told you guys this. There was a site visit in Fort Benning late last week, but we have no request for assistance from HHS to use Fort Benning. That's the only new development. I can't remember if I actually mentioned that to you before, but that's the only new development that I'm -- that I'm tracking right now.

I understand there's -- again, I would refer you to HHS, but I understand there's just under a thousand children at Bliss, but that's really all I have for -- for you right now. I know of no other -- I know of no new requests for assistance with respect to this.

Q: How do they usually come in?

MR. KIRBY: How do they usually --

Q: How do they transmit them to you, and what's the process?

MR. KIRBY: They usually -- they're transmitted in a -- in a -- in a letter, a request for assistance, a formal document that is sent over by HHS to the department.

Q: Okay. Thanks a lot, John.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah. But no -- other than the Fort Benning site visit, and that was the 31st of March, I don't have anything new.

Jeff Seldin, VOA?

Q: Thanks very much for doing this.

I'm wondering if you could give us an update on the -- the Pentagon's view of this situation with ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The SDF just completed a -- a crackdown in al-Hol, and the -- the Iraqi Security Forces released information on more than -- almost 80 operations in just the first quarter of this year, killing 33 fighters and arresting more than 70. How -- how much of a dent are the operations by the SDF and -- and the Iraqi forces making against ISIS? And how much more is there to go on this?

Also curious if you have any assessment on -- on Mozambique, where I understand AFRICOM has a -- a training team there that's been working with Mozambican forces; that they went in before the terrorists hit Palma.

MR. KIRBY: There's a lot there.

As you know, late last week, Syrian Democratic Forces did conclude a -- a -- an operation to degrade and disrupt ISIS activities at -- at the al-Hol camp. In total, more than 125 people were detained by the SDF, and we certainly congratulate them on a successful operation, and we'll continue to support them in the mission to defeat ISIS. And as we've said before, the operation was intended to remove ISIS elements from al-Hol, where we know that they continually try to subsist and to recruit.

As we've said before, ISIS remains a threat, and -- and that's still the case today. It is a much-diminished threat to the region, certainly, to the world than it was back in 2014. The coalition worked mightily over the last several years to degrade and to diminish their ability to resource themselves, train themselves, recruit and to conduct operations, but they are still a threat.

And our mission in Iraq, at the invitation of the Iraqi government, is to continue to help Iraqi Security Forces enable their missions against ISIS. And we are continuing to -- in Syria to partner with Syrian Democratic Forces to the same end.

But this was an SDF operation, again counter-ISIS operations continue and our support to that mission continues.

I'm sorry, you had another one and I --

Q: Mozambique.

MR. KIRBY: Mozambique -- thanks, Jim.

I don't have any updates on Mozambique. You are correct, there was a -- there was a joint exercise -- a training program that was an enduring training program to allow -- to -- to improve the counterterrorism capability of Mozambique troops. In this case, I think it was particularly for their marines. It's a -- but it's a training evolution supported by our special operators.

That -- that training continues. I know of no potential involvement by the United States military in the -- in the political struggles that are going on in -- in Mozambique and certainly know of no request for support in that regard. It's a -- it's a -- it's a training program to improve their counterterrorism capabilities.

In the room. Yes, Dan.

Q: Has Ukraine asked for any specific assistance from the U.S. military, given the threat posed by Russia and Russia's actions recently?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not aware of any specific requests for capabilities with respect to this. As you know, Dan, we do support Ukraine with both non-lethal and lethal items to allow them to better defend themselves. But I know of nothing specific with respect to this.

We continue to stand, as I said yesterday, for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine. And continue to call on Russia -- not to conduct provocations and not to increase tensions.

Rebecca? Okay --

Q: Hi, this is Caitlin Kenney again. Sorry, I have a question --

-- if I could say something.

MR. KIRBY: Sure. Go ahead.

Q: Thank you. Sorry.

The Navy just sent out another statement. They said that they confirmed that -- that the active shooter was a Navy hospital corpsman and he's now deceased. And they're going to keep updating us. Do you have any response or comment on that?

MR. KIRBY: I sure don't, Caitlin. I mean, you're getting information that I'm not getting. So I'm not in a position to comment one way or the other. I'm certain the Navy has given you the -- the -- the latest information that they have.

And again, we -- we're going to be careful here in terms of how much we offer while -- obviously an active event is ongoing and an investigation is just getting started. But I -- you -- you actually have better information than me. I -- I can't comment on that.

Mike?

Q: Do you know -- is -- is the DOD investigating the shooting or is the incident being investigated by the local authorities, or is the Navy or the Army or the FBI or do you know?

MR. KIRBY: I don't know, I don't know, Mike.

Q: Okay.

MR. KIRBY: I don't know. I mean, all this literally is just unfolding.

Paul Handley, AFP?

Q: Hi, had to get that unmute off. Two geopolitical questions. 

One is, I'm trying to go -- get back to Ukraine and see, do you have any information on whether Russian troop movements have slowed, have they reversed, or continued to increase presence on Ukraine's border?

MR. KIRBY: We're -- I'm going to be careful not to get into intelligence assessments here with great specificity. We continue to see Russian forces arrayed along the border with Ukraine in Crimea specifically, so more towards the -- the southeast. And we're monitoring that very, very closely, but I don't want to get into specific assessments of -- of exactly what -- what we're seeing in terms of numbers of forces.

And again, the intent is not completely clear, and I believe our State Department colleagues yesterday called on Russia to -- to make their intentions known. So I -- it's also difficult for us to speak to intent right now. It is concerning and we continue to monitor it.

Abraham?

Q: Second question, the Roosevelt Group has moved into the South China Sea. Can you say whether they plan to move closely at all to the Whitsun Reef, where -- where Chinese fishing vessels, that have sort of mounted an occupation and -- and Philippine vessels are currently headed toward that area of economic zone of interest.

Will the Roosevelt Carrier Group go there or do anything with the Philippine navy?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to speak to potential future operations.

We continue to sail, operate, and fly in international airspace and seaspace in accordance with international law. But I -- I won't preview future ships' schedules in that or any other part of the world.

Q: To follow up on things you just mentioned, when you said "in Crimea," did you -- do you mean that Russia's troops are militarizing in Crimea, which they view as their own? Or -- or building up along the border?

(CROSSTALK)

MR. KIRBY: I'm just telling you what the geography is.

Q: So could you clarify, could you just say that again?

MR. KIRBY: I don't know what I need to say again, Abraham.

Q: Ukraine in Crimea specifically, that's the area that you said --

(CROSSTALK)

MR. KIRBY: We have seen them build up forces along the -- the southeast, including in Crimea.

Q: Okay, very good.

And then for the Mozambique comments, I wondered if you could say about these forces that are doing counterterrorism training, AFRICOM, special forces that are doing counterterrorism training. Could you elaborate at all how the terrorist group in Mozambique is a threat to the U.S. homeland?

MR. KIRBY: Abraham, I think you're -- ah, I think you're confusing the situation.

So we have U.S. special operators are -- they're doing -- they're conducting what we call a JCET. It is -- stands for Joint Combined Exchange Training and it's a program that they began -- two months training program began March 15th to work with Mozambican marines to support Mozambique's efforts to promote stability and prevent the spread of terrorism in Mozambique.

So this is a training exercise to help improve their capability against threats inside their country, okay?

Q: Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah. Phil Stewart, Reuters?

Q: Hey, John.

Real quick, the Ukrainian President today called on NATO to lay out a path for Ukraine to join the alliance. Just wondering what -- what kind of reaction you have to that and -- and -- and what are your thoughts about having a NATO member in Ukraine, the prospect of that possibility?

MR. KIRBY: I -- I don't have a comment on that today, Phil.

Jennifer White?

Q: I was wondering, what's the Pentagon's reaction to China conducting naval exercises near Taiwan and that these may become regular exercises? How does the Pentagon characterize this activity?

Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: We -- we're aware that they're conducting these exercises and we're -- we're monitoring them, I think as you might expect. I -- I -- I would let the Chinese speak to -- to intent. Nothing has changed about our support for the One China policy and -- and for our continued efforts across many administrations to provide defense articles and items to allow -- or to -- to help foster Taiwan's self defense capabilities. But we're going to obviously -- we watch the region very closely.

In here, anybody? Okay, last one to Paul Shinkman, U.S. News.

Q: Yeah, hi, John.

Going back to Crimea, the Kremlin this morning has some -- well, I'll let you characterize them -- some statements about why it's concerned about Ukraine. It says that President Putin particularly values the security of Russian passport -- passport holders in the Donbass and in Ukraine, that Kiev needs to exercise better control over its forces in Eastern Ukraine that it believes are provocateurs, and it also criticized the discussions about joining NATO.

So I'd -- I'd be interested to get your -- your response to that and can you give us a sense, are -- are you concerned about an increase in violence here, or do you see this as more sort of Russia trying to exert pressure over Ukraine for some other purpose?

MR. KIRBY: As we said, the -- the intent's not perfectly clear and we call on Russia to make their intentions more clear as to what they're doing with these array of forces along the border and we continue to call for the ceasefires that were called for by the Minsk Agreement and -- and for -- for all sides to -- to abide by -- by Minsk and -- and to -- and -- and to bring the temperature down that the -- and to de-escalate.

Q: Do you -- do you believe that there are any Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine, across the -- in the Donbass?

MR. KIRBY: I don't have an operational picture of -- of that to -- to speak to right now and -- and again, I try to avoid, if I can, speaking to specific operations here, particularly operations of a -- of another military.

What's important is that the -- the tensions and the -- to de-escalate the tensions along that border, for -- for all sides to comply with the Minsk Agreement and, as I said at the outset, for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine to be respected by Russia.

Q: (Inaudible) it's ever confirmed if there were Russian forces in the Donbass? I know that Putin has said that there were in, like, 2015 or so.

MR. KIRBY: I don't have the history here for you today.

Q: Thanks.

MR. KIRBY: Jim?

Q: Just a -- to dig in on that a little bit, there's reports of the Russians having exercises in the Arctic, there's also reports of the Russians doing things out in the far east, and in addition to that, is it -- you know that Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, I don't -- aren't they -- don't they have to report when they're going to be doing these -- these exercises?

I'm -- I'm just a little bit unclear on that. I know when the United States does exercises, they notify the Russians or -- or all nations in the region on -- on the exercise and the purpose of the exercise. Has anything like that happened with these series of exercises --

MR. KIRBY: Well, I -- if --

Q: -- that the Russians are doing?

MR. KIRBY: If they -- if I think by dint of the fact that we're asking for and we -- and we want clarification on what they're doing, it's safe to say that they did not notify of exercises. I don't know what the process is, Jim, I'd have to go back and look and see what it's -- the expectations are on this. I -- I just don't know. But because we're not quite sure and we're being honest that we're not quite sure, I think it's safe to say that they didn't file some sort of notification of an exercise.

Look, there's one other thing I wanted to mention, just to clarify, I got a question yesterday on the landmine policy and we gave a response back which was accurate and -- and factual, but there's some context I want to add to it: that we are analyzing Secretary Esper's decision, his policy of January of 2020. We're analyzing the process by which that decision was made, to continue to espouse conventional landmine use. And when we complete that analysis of that decision, then we'll be able to have a better idea of whether or not further review of our landmine policy is warranted.

I just wanted to make that clear.

Okay, thanks, everybody.

Medical Support

 

Airmen transport a COVID-19 patient onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., to take the patient to San Antonio Military Medical Center, Texas, March 31, 2021. The patient was in severe respiratory distress and was hooked up to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system, which aids the body in breathing.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing

 April 5, 2021

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby

---

PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. MR. KIRBY: Afternoon, everybody.

Q: Hello, afternoon.

MR. KIRBY: Hope everybody had a good weekend. Just a couple of things off the top. I think, you know, that today is Gold Star Spouses Day, and I know many of you know some Gold Star spouses and the sacrifice that they and their family have -- have undergone in these last 20 years of war, particularly, and on behalf of the department, the Secretary just wants to recognize the -- the sacrifice that Gold Star spouses have endured, continue to endure, the grief that they still suffer and -- and the -- the resilience that so many of them have shown in the face of -- of tragedy. So it's a -- it's a good -- it's a good day to stop and think about what these families have done for our country and what they continue to do for the country.

Speaking of what families do for the country, April's also the -- designated as the month of the military child, underscoring the important role that military children pay -- play in our Armed Forces community. So we're -- we're grateful, as well, for all that our military children do every day to -- to make our families whole and to contribute in their own way to stability and security and happiness in the military home and we're grateful for all of the moves and all of the time away from mom and/or dad that they -- that they have to endure and we're grateful, as well, for them.

So with that, let's take -- take questions. I don't think I've got Bob or Lita on the phone, so Jen, we'll go with you first.

Q: I have two questions, John. I'd like to follow up on the Fort Sill sexual assault investigation that the Army's carrying out. There were reports that up to 22 soldiers have been suspended. Is that accurate? And some are calling this Fort Hood 2.0. Is that an accurate description? Are you concerned that there's a kind of sexual assault environment down at Fort Sill that could've led to such a -- a serious case?

MR. KIRBY: Well I can tell you the Secretary has been kept informed about the -- the -- the investigative efforts at Fort Sill. We obviously won't say anything from this podium that will get ahead of that investigation. So I'm not in a position to confirm specific actions that the Army has taken. 

The Secretary knows that the Army and Army leadership is taking this incident seriously, and as I said, he's -- he's being kept apprised, but it would be really imprudent for us to -- to talk to any specifics about the case being evaluated, as well as jumping ahead and speculating as to where this investigation is going to go and what it might portend or what it might say, you know, more broadly about Fort Sill.

The only other thing that I would add is that -- that he knows -- the Secretary knows that Army leadership is providing the necessary support to the victim and to the victim's family.

Q: And separately, there have been new reports about Russian activities in the Arctic, including some satellite imagery that show new bases, testing of weapons. How seriously concerned is the Pentagon about -- have you seen any tests of hypersonic weapons or what are the dangers of the kind of unregulated testing that's taking place? How concerned are you about Russia's activities in the Arctic?

MR. KIRBY: Without getting into specific intelligence assessments, obviously we're monitoring it very closely. No -- nobody wants to see the Arctic as a region become militarized. We obviously recognize that the region is key terrain, that's vital to our own homeland defense and -- and is a potential strategic corridor between the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the -- and the homeland, which would make it vulnerable to expanded competition, if you will.

We're committed to protecting our U.S. national security interests in the Arctic by upholding a rules-based order in the region, particularly through our network of Arctic allies and partners who share the same deep, mutual interest that we do, in exactly that order. 

But I won't talk to specifics in terms of how we assess what's going on there. 

Q: You can't say whether Russia has broken any treaties there? 

MR. KIRBY: I think I've gone about as far as I'm going to be able to go today. Obviously we're watching this. And, as I said before, we have national security interests there that we know we're going to -- that we need to protect and defend. And as I said, nobody is interested in seeing the Arctic become militarized. 

On the phone, Idrees? 

Q: Thanks, John. If I could ask about the National Guard troops on Capitol Hill. It does appear that the incident on Friday was sort of a lone wolf rather than, you know, some sort coordinated right-wing attack. Given what happened on Friday, do you anticipate a change in the Guard mission on the Capitol, or you should expect all troops to, you know, actually be removed around mid-May? 

MR. KIRBY: Well, there's an investigation ongoing and certainly we're not going to get ahead of that. I don't have any changes to the mission of the National Guard troops that are on Capitol Hill to announce to you -- to announce or speak to today. 

And, again, we, as the secretary said on Friday, certainly extend our condolences to the family of the officer who was killed. And, again, it's a reminder of how important our law enforcement people are, our personnel are. And we're grateful for the support that the National Guard is still able to provide and was able to provide that day. 

But as for specific outcomes that might come of this in terms of National Guard mission, we're just not there yet. 

Tom? 

Q: John, you said the secretary would be meeting with the chiefs this week now that the stand-down is over to get their sense of what they heard, what's coming up from the services. Do we expect any readout from his meeting with the chiefs? And also, what are the next steps here, if any? 

MR. KIRBY: So the meeting hasn't happened, you're right. The secretary does expect this week to meet with the service secretaries and service chiefs, as he does normally. But what we expect, at least a topic of conversation in this meeting, will be to get their feedback on how they conducted the stand-down, what they learned, the experiences that they -- that they can pass on to him, and whatever lessons they might want to offer. 

I won't get ahead of the secretary's decision space here. I'm sure that what he hears from the services will help inform whatever decision he makes going forward. You also asked will there be a readout. I fully expect that I will be providing some sense of how that meeting went and just in broad terms what the secretary learned. 

Q: OK. 

MR. KIRBY: Terace? 

Q: Yes, sir. They just asked the question about the National Guard, there being any changes. But my question is not as far as the Guard goes but as far as the fencing around the Capitol, has there been any word on any changes? Are they going to put more fencing up after the incident that happened or is there no changes to that as well?  

MR. KIRBY: I'd refer you to the Capitol Police for that question, Terace, that's not a question for the National Guard or for the Pentagon, but for Capitol Police. 

Barb? 

Q: On Afghanistan, so we now know a few days ago there was another Taliban attack that that they claimed credit for at FOB Chapman, which is a well-known location, since the CIA lost so many people there. And there were in fact U.S. personnel at Chapman when the indirect fire attack occurred. 

Where does this leave -- thoughts about whether it's even possible to trust the Taliban since this is only the latest in an apparent series of attacks against bases where U.S. troops are. But in terms of this one alone, you're trying to negotiate, you're less than 30 days out, and they conduct another attack against a base where U.S. personnel are. Where does this leave the interest level in trying to negotiate with them and trying to even think about getting out by May 1st? 

MR. KIRBY: I certainly won't speak for our negotiators and for the diplomats at the State Department. They -- that process still continues. We still want to see negotiated settlement to the end of this war. And it's clear to us here at the Department of Defense that our colleagues at the State Department and our negotiators are taking this seriously. And they continue to try to press for a diplomatic solution. 

I think clearly, as the president himself has indicated, it's going to be tough to meet May 1st as a deadline for the complete withdrawal, logistically just tough to make. That said, the review is ongoing. The president hasn't made a decision one way or the other about force levels in Afghanistan or missions in Afghanistan. And as the secretary himself said when we were Kabul just a couple of weeks ago that he is confident that whatever the decision is, if that decision involves a withdrawal, that General Miller and General McKenzie will be able to do so in a safe, orderly, and effective way. 

Q: Let me follow up on two points. Still, the Taliban are now openly attacking bases where U.S. personnel are located. Does that concern you? And you also just said there hasn't been a decision on missions. Is the actual...

MR. KIRBY: On follow on our future missions. I mean, they're still conducting the mission that they've been assigned now. 

Q: Well, are you -- is that mission open to being rethought in this process of some other mission in Afghanistan and what you are doing now? 

MR. KIRBY: I won't get ahead of the secretary's decision-making. 

Q: And how concerned are you now, given what happened at Chapman just a few days ago, while these negotiations are going on, that they're continuing to attack bases where U.S. personnel are located? 

MR. KIRBY: Obviously we all think the violence is too high. And the secretary has said that himself. And clearly this -- the attack on the on Forward Operating Base Chapman is of concern. And I want to correct my last entry, I said I wasn't going to get ahead of the secretary's decision-making. I meant to say the president's decision-making. The president gets to make this decision. That was my bad.

Yes, ma'am. In the back. 

Q: I have two questions. First, do you have concerns regarding the situation in Jordan, the stability of the kingdom? And also, did you reach out to any of the Jordanian officials? 

The second question, I understand that there is no decision about the troop levels in Iraq, but can you please update us on when or where we are in the process? Did the secretary present his recommendations yet to the president? Is the president now like that -- he needs to make the decision? Where are we in this process? 

MR. KIRBY: As for the president's decision-making process, I would prefer you to my colleagues at the White House to speak to that. And I certainly am not going to make it a habit of speaking here publicly about the secretary's counsel or advice to the commander-in-chief. That's just not something we're going to publicly speak to. 

There's still a review ongoing. The president hasn't made a final decision about troop posture in Afghanistan. We are still very much executing to the mission that we had been assigned and what our troops are still there executing. And if and when that changes then that we'll adjust. I won't get ahead of that process. 

On Jordan, obviously, we're watching the situation closely. It's really a question better put to the State Department. The U.S. government has been in touch with Jordanian officials.

We have a very strong military-to-military relationship with the kingdom. We obviously -- our focus is on making sure that that relationship and our shared security interest in the region remain foremost in our minds. 

Okay, Abraham?

Q: Yes, thanks, John. Two questions. One, Southern Command announced the movement of some detainees at Gitmo to consolidate. So I wanted to ask if the secretary has any update regarding the NSC process, evaluating how that -- how Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility might be closed. DOD presumably has a role in that.

Can you describe what DOD has been doing for the past two months regarding that process? And then separately, can you talk at all about the Russian troop buildup on the Ukraine border? Has there been any determination made as to if that is training, if that is offensive, do you have anything new to report on that?

MR. KIRBY: On Gitmo, the secretary fully supports President Biden's desire to close the facility -- to close the detention facility there. The -- the -- the thinking behind that, the process of reviewing, how to do that is -- is one being led by the National Security Council and by the White House. And so, the secretary is -- provides his views in his council, and I won't get ahead of that process over there. But clearly, the secretary agrees that it's long past time to close that detention facility.

Your second question, I knew I'd -- oh, Russia/Ukraine, right? Russia/Ukraine. I don't have any additional assessments to talk to today. As you know, we're not going to speak about intelligence matters. The secretary, as you know, was in touch with the minister of defense of Ukraine, and he pledged in that call, and we pledged publicly, to standing up and supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and calling on Russia to respect that territorial integrity.

Q: I got a couple of quick follow-ups. Is the secretary -- is the Department of Defense sharing intelligence with Ukraine to assist them in that process?

MR. KIRBY: I won't talk about intelligence issues from the podium.

Q: And then on Gitmo, presumably, DOD is doing something on that review, or is this fully handled by NSC?

MR. KIRBY: No, no, no. Of course, we have a role to play, as I said, and we're a participant in that discussion. There's no question about it, but I simply won't get ahead of our colleagues at the White House in terms of how that process is ongoing.

Q: Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: Okay. Peter Loewe?

Q: Hi, John. Thanks very much. There was a question about an hour ago in the State Department briefing about rejoining the Ottawa Treaty and landmine ban. And while that would be a question for the administration, the State Department did say specifically on the use of landmines, we would refer you to the Department of Defense. So I'm following up on that and wondering what is the current Department of Defense landmine use policy. And why does the department need/use them? Thanks.

MR. KIRBY: Let me get back to you, Peter. I'm going to take that question. I wasn't aware that that question had been raised earlier today at the State Department. And rather than try to wing it here, I'm going to take that question, and we'll get -- we'll get you an answer back.

Q: Thanks very much.

MR. KIRBY: You bet. Jared?

Q: Hi, John. Thanks for doing this. We've seen reports in the -- in the White House that said that the strategic dialogue with Iraq will -- is supposed to be commencing this week. Have any department officials spoken with Iraqi officials ahead of the talks? And is the presence of 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq on the table for these discussions?

MR. KIRBY: We routinely talk to our counterparts in Iraq, as you know, because we do have 2,500 or so troops there that are in a counter-ISIS mission in -- which requires a deep partnership with our Iraqi Security Force partners. I'm not aware of any specific conversations that have occurred here from the Department with respect to this strategic dialogue. It is really a process that is being handled by our State Department colleagues.

But again, we share the Iraqi goal of having a security force that's capable of defending Iraq's own sovereignty and denying terrorist groups the use of Iraq as a base for operations. The coalition continues to support partner forces in Iraq and in Syria with advising air support, provision of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and conditions-based equipment divestment. 

Though ISIS is, by orders of magnitude, not the organization with the capability they once were, they are still a threat, and we are still on the ground in Iraq assisting and advising our Iraqi partners at their invitation to be there. 

Pierre?

Q: How should we see the movement of the carrier Eisenhower going to the CENTCOM area? And part of it seems that they are joining or thinking of joining the fight against ISIS ?

MR. KIRBY: You saw that over the weekend, the USS Eisenhower and her associated Strike Group ships and aircraft formally enter into the Fifth Fleet, the Central Command -- Navy Central Command area of operations, and they're there to support a myriad of tasking that General McKenzie might have for them there. And I won't get into the specifics of what that tasking might be over time, but it's a multi-mission set of capabilities that a carrier strike group brings. It also brings great flexibility. 

Yes?

Q: Thank you. I want to ask you about North Korea policy review (inaudible) North Korea policy review.

MR. KIRBY: Yes.

Q: Last week (Inaudible) advisors of the United States, Japan, South Korea has (inaudible) to complete the review. In the joint statement mentioned, they agreed to work together to enhance the deterrence on their Korean Peninsula. Do you expect (inaudible) capabilities after actually finishing this review?

MR. KIRBY: Well, the review's ongoing, and so, it'd be premature to speak to specific outcomes of that. Obviously, we're all committed to the denuclearization of North Korea and to security and stability on the Peninsula. We always take a look in any normal year about the degree to which, the frequency with which and the scope of military training across -- around the world, but certainly there on the Peninsula as well, to make sure that we're as ready as possible to deter and, if deterrence fails, to defeat any threat.

We take our commitments to the alliance that we have with the Republic of Korea very, very seriously. And I -- I just won't get ahead of a review that isn't complete yet. But we're all committed. And I think you saw, coming out of Annapolis that our counterparts in Japan and South Korea share that same commitment.

Q: Thanks.

MR. KIRBY: Jared?

Q: Hi, John. I don't have a second question.

MR. KIRBY: Oh, did I already ask you? Tom?

Q: Hey, John. Thank you very much. I have two questions today. The first one comes from one of my superiors and one of my -- one of my hosts in a station in Wisconsin in regards the stand down. He asked me to ask you if you have to remind people to follow their oath, doesn't that tell you the scope of the problem?

MR. KIRBY: Okay, and your second question?

Q: Second question is a more broad one, no regard to any specific incident at the moment. As a formal officer -- I'm speaking to you -- and thinking of your conversations with your colleagues, what is your reaction to when an order or directive is issued and is ignored, flaunted, or not obeyed?

MR. KIRBY: Those are two very interesting questions, Tom. I think -- and we've said this before, extremism in the ranks is sadly not a new problem and, to some degree, there's been elements in the ranks since the Civil War.

And what happened in early January, as I've said before, was something of a wake-up call for all of us here in the Pentagon given that there was a population of veterans and at least one reserve officer that we know of that participated in an attack on the Capitol while Congress was in session, conducting the people's business.

And so it would be responsible for us not to take that seriously. And as for the oath -- well first of all, to you other question about what does it say about the scope, we do not understand the full scope of the problem.

That's one of the things we're trying to get our arms around is how deep and how broad and how menacing the problem might be inside the ranks. We think it's probably less than what the headlines might suggest and more than what we're comfortable with. 

But as the secretary said, even a small number can have an outsized effect on morale and cohesion and certainly the behavior that this kind of ideology could espouse could have a direct impact on good order and discipline, as well as the safety of our teammates.

We make no apologies for taking time over the last couple of months to pause and consider the oath that we take and asking during the stand-down for people to reconsider that oath isn't an indication that the vast majority aren't, quite the contrary. 

In fact, the secretary has made that very clear; 99.9% he says served with honor and dignity and character and respect that oath, but that doesn't make it wrong -- doesn't mean it's wrong to take a moment out and read it again, revisit it. 

There's some great active verbs in that oath and maybe just focusing on some of those verbs is a good thing. It's a healthy thing. Many of us -- and I'm no longer in uniform, but certainly over the course of my military career I had to take that oath many, many times.

And every time, even when I attended a promotion ceremony, where I wasn't the guy being promoted, when it was being given to the individual being honored, I still took a moment to just think about those words and what they mean.

It's a promise to the American people and it's a promise to support and defend the founding document and there is absolutely nothing wrong, in fact there's everything right, about taking a few moments out and reconsidering it. And the fact that we did this during the stand-down and we asked people to reconsider it, isn't an indication of a lack of faith or trust in them, it's quite the contrary.

It was a chance to restore -- not restore -- to revisit that faith in confidence. And then, I'm sorry, your second question was more personal about me. What was it?

Q: Well it was about you and other officers, you know, when you give an order or give a directive and that order is ignored or flaunted by the -- by the troops or those in the ranks, what is the reaction of the officer corps or an officer?

MR. KIRBY: I mean, that's a question that I don't think, you know, I have anywhere near the requisite time here today to talk about, Tom. I mean, the -- one of the foundations of military services is the importance of the chain of command and the duty that all of us have, when I was in uniform, to obey lawful orders given by your chain of command.

And when those orders aren't obeyed, there are repercussions for that, some more serious than others given the order, given the circumstances. But there is certainly repercussions for that. It's, again, lawful orders being obeyed and promptly and effectively is one of the hallmarks of military service.

It's one of the things that makes us so effective on the battlefield and effective off the battlefield. It's something that we all take seriously.

Q: Thanks a lot.

MR. KIRBY: Dan?

Q: You mentioned veterans being involved in the January 6th event. Has the department been in discussion with either veterans groups or the Department of Veterans Affairs to try and get at that aspect of the problem, since obviously you don't have authority over former service members?

MR. KIRBY: We don't, you're right. We don't have authority over veterans. I know that the -- Secretary Austin and Secretary McDonough have had a conversation about this general problem. I would refer you to the VA for their thoughts on this. But we do have purview while individuals are still in the ranks, and one of the things that we're looking at is what are we doing to help prepare them for the transition to civilian life.

And -- we know that some of these groups are actively recruiting veterans because they know they have leadership skills, they have weapons training, they are good organizers. And so, we're asking ourselves what we doing to better make sure that as we prepare for future veterans that they're able to make that transition in an informed, educated way about who and what is waiting for them on the other side. 

Barb?

Q: Can I just ask a quick question about hypersonic, well-known the Air Force is about successes first, hypersonic Air-launched missile. And you've seen the Russians and the Chinese devote a lot of their funding to developing hypersonics. How important are hypersonics, that go five times the speed of sound, for the U.S. military?

MR. KIRBY: It's an important capability that, as you rightly pointed out Barbara, that we are involved in exploring and resourcing and better understanding the research and development side of this. 

So again, I won't get into specifics here, other than to say we're mindful of the importance of this capability and we're also mindful of the pursuit of this capability by other nation-states that would -- that would potentially challenge our national security interests. Okay, thanks everybody.

U.S. Calling on Russia to Lower Tensions With Ukraine, DOD Official Says

 April 6, 2021 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

The United States is calling on Russia to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and not provoke or increase tensions, said the Pentagon press secretary.

John F. Kirby spoke to reporters at the Pentagon today about Ukraine and a number of other places.

It's difficult to speak about Russian intent, Kirby said, noting that they have a troop buildup in Crimea and in other areas on the border of the two nations to the southeast.

The U.S. is continuing to monitor the situation there, he said, adding that the U.S. has provided Ukraine with non-lethal and lethal items that allow them to better defend themselves.

"We continue to call for the ceasefires that were called for by the Minsk Agreement, and then … to bring the temperature down, to de-escalate," Kirby said.

Syria and Iraq

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria remains a threat in Iraq and Syria, albeit a much diminished threat from its peak in 2014, Kirby said.

Kirby noted that the Syrian Democratic Forces have successfully executed a series of operations to arrest or kill ISIS fighters, particularly in the al-Hawl area of northeastern Syria, where more than 125 were detained by the SDF. "We certainly congratulate them on a successful operation, and we'll continue to support them in the mission to defeat ISIS."

Kirby added that the U.S. also supports Iraq in its efforts to degrade and eradicate ISIS.

Mozambique

U.S. special operations forces have been training Mozambique Marines, Kirby said, noting that the purpose of the training is to improve that nation's counterterrorism capability.

The training program, which is called joint combined exchange training, began March 15 and will last for two months, he said.

China and Taiwan

The U.S. is monitoring Chinese naval exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan, Kirby said.

Nothing has changed with regard to U.S. support for the so-called "One China Policy," he said. The U.S. continues to provide Taiwan with self-defense capabilities.

Military Spouses Worldwide to Join Online for DOD's Annual Virtual Symposium

 April 6, 2021 | BY TERRI MOON CRONK , DOD News

This year's Virtual Military Spouse Symposium — scheduled for April 27-29 — is geared for male and female spouses to learn about career development and well-being, whether they're students or veteran careerists, Military OneSource's director for military community support programs said.

Lee Kelley said the symposiums, which began five years ago with a focus on education and careers, have always been interspersed with issues surrounding well-being that speak to the holistic needs of military spouses.

"We want to provide sessions to military spouses that are going to recharge them, inspire them, and give them the tools that they need as they take steps [toward their goals]," she said. "We want to give them an opportunity to engage virtually — not only with our subject matter experts — but with military spouses themselves and create that community space for a few days that's solely set aside for military spouses."

A worldwide endeavor, Kelley said 3,500 spouses from 15 nations attended last year. It's for military spouses at any stage of their military life, she added.

Employment guidance will focus on federal and private-sector jobs, including "portable" careers that can go from one duty station to another, such as home-based businesses. The symposium will also highlight how military spouses can access career opportunities through the Defense Department's Military Spouse Employment Partnership, which includes more than 500 companies and corporations, Kelley said.

The symposium's first two days will focus on sessions about career development and well-being; a relationship summit follows on the last day.

The relationship summit is a time for military spouses to focus solely on intimate-partner relationships and will begin with a discussion by Army Gen. Michael X. Garrett, commanding general of the Army Forces Command, and his wife about their experiences in the military, the challenges they've faced, and the resources they have accessed along the way, Kelley said.

A new segment will address finding one's passion, she said, adding that military spouses can expect an opportunity for self-reflection.

"I think they will enjoy some of the tools that are introduced in the Find Your Passion session," Kelley said. "The great thing about the resources of the Department of Defense is some of our career assessments are really geared toward helping military spouses recognize skill sets they might not even have known they have … [It's] really a chance to engage online with a community around the information tools, resources and ideas that will, hopefully, empower military spouses to find what's going to be most fulfilling to them."

Trends in writing resumes also will be among the featured topics and will include the latest information and strategies regarding resumes and tangible strategies for updating a resume and ensuring that it reflects a job applicant's strengths in a way that will be beneficial.

Additionally, Kelley said the symposium's chat pod always provides an opportunity to share experiences with other spouses.

"You see military spouses connecting with each other from around the world with shared interests, having had shared experiences. Every morning, when we start the symposium, we ask military spouses where they're joining us from, and it is remarkable to see military spouses from all over the country and all over the world and then to see other spouses engaging, saying, 'Oh, I just came from Ramstein,' or 'I'm heading there next month.' You see those connections being made," she added.

"If you're a military spouse, we want to see you there," Kelley said of the symposium. "If you're a military spouse, we want you to join us online April 27 to 29. We want you to be a part of this online community. Join the thousands of spouses who have taken part in the symposium in years past. No matter what country you are joining from, we want you there with us lending your voice to the discussion and the ideas." 

To register for the Virtual Military Spouse Symposium, click here.

DOD Hosts Fifth Annual Virtual Military Spouse Symposium

 April 6, 2021

---

The Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program will host the fifth annual Virtual Military Spouse Symposium on April 27-29.

The free symposium is an important annual event for connecting military spouses to a professional community, resources and skills for career development. The multiday, online event is designed to educate new and experienced military spouses about specific resources and best practices for maximizing their unique potential. 

This year’s theme is “Reflect, Explore, Act,” and will include two days of online sessions dedicated to career development and a final day focused around relationships and work-life balance.

During the symposium, military spouses can explore self-care with the help of DOD’s Military OneSource program, learn about being your own boss and creating your unique brand, understanding and mastering the federal job search and learning how to maximize the job interview.

“We encourage military spouses from across the globe to take advantage of this powerful community and set of resources during this year’s Virtual Military Spouse Symposium,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia “Patty” Montes Barron. “In addition to education and employment resources, this year we will feature a relationship summit focused on key strategies to support intimate partner relationships. Spouses will have an opportunity to connect with each other and with our presenters as we focus on skill-building and managing work-life balance to improve relationships overall.”

All military spouses are welcome to attend the Virtual Military Spouse Symposium no matter what phase of career they’re in – from a first-time job seeker to an experienced professional.

Registration is now open.

For more information, call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 to speak with a SECO career coach, start a live chat and visit https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/spousesymposium to register for the event.  

About Military Community and Family Policy 

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our guardians of country, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These Department of Defense services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.

About Spouse Education and Career Opportunities  

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. The DOD established the SECO program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering free, comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections. This program also offers free career coaching services six days a week.

About Military OneSource

Military OneSource is a DOD-funded program that is both a call center and a website providing comprehensive information, resources and assistance on every aspect of military life. Service members and the families of active duty, National Guard, and reserve (regardless of activation status), Coast Guard members when activated for the Navy, DOD expeditionary civilians, and survivors are eligible for Military OneSource services, which are available worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week, free to the user.

Sports Heroes Who Served: Soldier Sets Sights on Competing in Tokyo Olympics

 April 6, 2021 | BY Joseph Lacdan, Army News Service

Sports Heroes Who Served is a series that highlights the accomplishments of athletes who served in the U.S. military.

A day after Samantha Schultz learned she had been just points from realizing an Olympic dream, she went on a long jog alone through the streets of Moscow.

On a spring morning in 2016, lost in her thoughts, she pondered what she could have done better while competing against the world's best at the World Modern Pentathlon Championships in Moscow — a test of athletic skill in fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, laser-pistol shooting and running.

She had won a national championship in 2015, and her performances had been peaking. At Moscow, she finished behind USA teammate Isabella Isaksen — just one place shy of qualifying for an Olympic bid.

Although she lacked sleep and her muscles still ached from the grueling contests, she put on headphones and her running shoes. With music blaring, Schultz ran to a town square in the middle of the Russian metropolis.

''I kind of knew at that moment that essentially, I'd failed,'' said Schultz, now a 28-year-old sergeant in the Army's World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP. ''I just needed to be by myself. I was just trying to clear my head and … figure out what am I going to do next?''

For years she had trained herself to do more; to run an extra mile or to do more repetitions — reps — when her body told her no.

But when the time came to prove herself in the event that posed her most daunting challenge — fencing — she fell short. She only managed five victories, the second-lowest total among finishers in the field. In the modern pentathlon, competitors have 60 seconds to score points by landing hits on their opponents' bodies.

''Not only do you have to observe what they're doing, you have to change and adapt,'' Schultz said. ''With the timing, the distance, the technique, there's so many aspects to it; so many moving pieces.''

Pentathletes liken fencing to a physical game of chess. Competitors must battle with up to 36 opponents. It exacts a mental and physical toll, and it is an emotional rollercoaster.

When she learned she had been named an Olympic alternate for the 2016 Games, the regret sunk deeper; still, she cheered on fellow teammates in Rio de Janeiro.

Before traveling to the games on the Brazilian coastline, Schultz had been in a deep funk and even considered walking away from the sport, but she still managed to win her third national title a month later.

Seeing the closing ceremonies of the 2016 Games reignited her desire to compete.

When Schultz returned to Colorado Springs, Colorado, she spent time away from her rigorous training, which requires athletes to be in impeccable shape to weather the stresses that come from competing in the pentathlon's diverse range of events.

In the pentathlon, athletes must swim freestyle for 200 meters, perform 15 jumps in an equestrian show, duel competitors in fencing and finally complete a combined event that involves pistol shooting and a 3,200-meter run.

Schultz was skilled at nearly all the events, except fencing.

She would go on to win the 2016 U.S. National Championship months after her disappointment at the world championships. The following year she posted the fastest combined running and shooting time among all the competitors at a World Cup event, although she placed 15th overall.

With the Olympic Games in Tokyo approaching, Schultz knew she had to change her training regimen or she might suffer from burnout.

Schultz had dedicated her life to the pentathlon. Training nearly every day meant little time for going out with friends or visiting family. Admittedly, she didn't have much of a life outside the sport.

Rocky Mountain Strong

As a child growing up in the Denver suburb of Littleton, Schultz often couldn't sit still.

From the time she could walk, ''Sammy,'' as friends and family called her, lived for physical activity. She began skiing before she turned 2. She hunted deer and antelope in Colorado's wilderness by the time she was 4, and she would position cardboard boxes in the family's living room pretending to maneuver a horse at 7.

Dave Achterberg, Schultz's father, recalled that she wanted to be like older sister Mandy, who played multiple sports.

''Sammy didn't want to just be tied down to a single sport,'' said  Achterberg. ''She wanted to be active doing different things.''

At age 10, her parents decided on an expensive investment, purchasing a thoroughbred so their daughter could take equestrian lessons. Learning the nuances of equestrian riding — initially daunting for Schultz — became a strength as she formed a bond with her horse through years of training.

At Chatfield High School she competed in swimming, cross-country, tennis and even skiing.

Schultz didn't know then that her Rocky Mountain upbringing would pay dividends in one of the Olympics' oldest sports. After she graduated from high school in 2010, her life's course changed when an equestrian coach convinced her to attend a pentathlon camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. There, the coaches asked her to join the program full time.

She learned the pentathlon came naturally to her.

Throughout her career, she reached several milestones as she became a junior world champion for competing on the women's and relay teams. She earned six national championships from 2014-2019, but those accomplishments dimmed due to her disappointment at failing to qualify for the 2016 Olympics.

New Life

In 2016 she began dating Karl Schultz, an Alabama native who shared her love for hunting and the outdoors. He encouraged her to try things outside of pentathlon training, including reading and dancing.

On weekends and the few days she didn't have training, she and Karl would twirl on the dance floor. She learned to two-step and salsa.

"Dancing kind of took me out of my athlete bubble,'' said Schultz, who married Karl in 2019. ''I think it helped me see a different world and that there was more to me than just being an athlete. And that was very eye opening.''

Schultz began to pay closer attention to recovering from the stress of competing, using yoga and Pilates to help heal her body. She took more time in the training room and chose her meals more carefully.

Following the lead of many of her Team USA squad mates, she joined the Army and went into the WCAP program in 2017; it reaffirmed her commitment to the team and working toward a common goal. But the Olympic dream that eluded her still lingered.

She said joining the Army provided her with a different type of challenge that became a remedy of sorts. The rigors of basic training and carrying a 60-pound rucksack while battling fatigue pushed her in a way the pentathlon had not.

''I thought I was pretty tough,'' Schultz said. ''But that was one of the hardest things that I've ever done. Joining the Army changed my whole perspective on life.''

Schultz completed advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as a motor transport operator.

Leading up to the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Schultz had posted one of her best years as a pentathlete, placing in the finals in three of four World Cup qualifying events.

On a cool July day at the Pan Am Games, Schultz finally seized the opportunity that had eluded her in Moscow. During the run and shoot, Mexico's Mariana Arceo was too far in the distance to catch, but Schultz had a lead over Leydi Moya of Cuba.

The day had started ominously, though, with Schultz struggling to control her horse and falling off the saddle during the equestrian show warmups. Competitors have only 20 minutes to become accustomed to their horse and get a feel for how it responds to the rider.

However, the soldier executed her performance nearly flawlessly and leapt over each obstacle without suffering a fall.

''All of her riding technique really came out in being able to manage the horse around the arena,'' Achterberg said. ''She understood what the horse was telling her.''

The other hurdle Schultz had to overcome: not being aggressive during fencing bouts. Coaches had praised Schultz for spending time with teammates and helping them refine their training or technique, but she would need to leave that inclination behind to best her competitors.

Schultz gradually gained strength performing in the run and shoot events. She also posted one of her best scores in fencing, the event that had always posed the stiffest challenge. Her coach said she adopted a more aggressive mindset.

''She's very friendly, very personable,'' said WCAP coach Army Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Bowsher, who competed for the U.S. in the 2012 Olympics. ''But in fencing, you can't be that; you have to be aggressive. You have to want to hit your opponent before they hit you.''

In the final event of the day, runners must complete a course where they run and fire laser shooters; she posted the fastest time in the field at 12:06 — good enough to finish in second place overall and qualify for the Tokyo Games.

''I just thought, ‘is this real?''' Schultz said.

Emotions spilled as the soldier embraced her parents who had watched the events in Lima. The silver medal finish in Peru also highlighted a banner year for Schultz, where she claimed her sixth national championship along with finishing in the top 32 at World Cup events in Cairo; Sofia, Bulgaria; and Prague.

''We recognized how hard she's worked for things,'' her dad said. ''And so that really moved us. It's kind of like the first time you hold your child in your arms; it's just incredibly emotional. It's hard to describe.''

Schultz continued her run of solid performances by sweeping the gold medals at the 2019 Biathle/Triathle World Championships in St. Petersburg, Florida, winning both mixed relay events with fellow U.S. teammate Sgt. Amro Elgeziry. She also won gold in the individual biathle and triathle, which are subevents of the modern pentathlon for training purposes.

''She's a hard worker. She likes to put a lot into her training,'' Bowsher said. ''And I think it's shown.''

Her tendency to push herself beyond her limits, which she had developed in childhood, helped her achieve a new level of fitness. And she learned to optimize her training as she grew older. In addition, she  credited Karl, who became her husband later that year, with helping her maintain her focus during training.

With her physical training on track, Schultz sought the help of a psychologist, realizing she also had to prepare mentally for the games.

Then in March 2020, only months from when the 2020 games were scheduled to start, the pandemic dealt a blow to her Olympic dream.

COVID-19 forced the shutdown of WCAP's training centers. Schultz and other WCAP athletes had to resort to alternative means of maintaining their top physical condition.

When the Olympic Committee announced that the 2020 games would be delayed until this summer, it left athletes scrambling to find ways to train at home.

Fortunately, Schultz and her husband had collected enough weights to build a makeshift gym at home. She made a laser shooting range in her garage. She hung a tennis ball from the ceiling so she could practice the footwork and blade work of fencing with a target.

And since all area swimming pools had closed, she placed rubber bands around her body and a doorknob and made swimming motions against the resistance. ''It was awful,'' Schultz said. ''But I needed to remind those muscles what [swimming] was like.''

Schultz made YouTube videos to document her training and to create tutorials for other athletes. She also used her time to attend the Army's Basic Leadership Course, and she graduated in May.

Road to Tokyo

Pentathlon World Cup tournaments resume this week at Budapest as modern pentathlon's governing body, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, continues its transition back to major competition with a World Cup event.

Schultz has opted to skip the Hungary tournament and plans to compete at World Cup events in Bulgaria — April 7-11 and April 15-18 — to help maintain her world ranking. Despite having qualified for Tokyo, she must still be formally selected for the games.

She will use those tournaments to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

''I've prepared physically and mentally. And I've done the work. And I've had so much experience in the past,'' she said. ''I'm going to try to use that as motivation and as drive to get me excited for [the Olympics]. So, I'm going to try out things here before the games, so that I have confidence going into the Olympics.''

More Stories of Sports Heroes Who Served