Austin Administers Speedy Swearing-In for DOD's New Indo-Pacific Policy Guru

 July 25, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

At 614 miles per hour, it may have been the fastest oath ceremony for an assistant secretary of defense ever as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today administered the oath of office to Ely Ratner aboard an Air Force E-4B headed to Singapore.

Ratner, who is now the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, had helmed DOD's China Task Force.  

The Senate approved Ratner's nomination July 22. Senators also approved Heidi Shyu as undersecretary of defense for research and engineering; Gina Ortiz Jones as undersecretary of the Air Force; Meredith Berger as assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations, and environment; Shawn Skelly as assistant secretary of defense for readiness; and Caroline Krass as DOD's general counsel. 

"These deeply qualified public servants represent decades of combined expertise and leadership in national security and defense policy, and I am grateful for their willingness to serve the country at this critical time," Austin said in a written statement.

Austin swore in Ratner in the press room of the so-called "doomsday plane." The 747-derivative was flying at 30,000 feet at N 52.22, W 168.05, according to the crew. The aircraft had left Fairbanks, Alaska, earlier in the day.

Austin welcomed Ratner to the job and said the new assistant secretary had "fire in his eyes and energy in his belly." The secretary praised Ratner for his work leading the China Task Force, saying it had helped define the situation between the United States and China.

While there have been many reenlistments aboard the E-4B, this may have been the first swearing in of an assistant defense secretary aboard the aircraft.

Austin Calls on Service Members to Stop Stigmatizing Mental Health Help

 July 24, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

After a briefing from leaders about the spike in suicides among service members in Alaska, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said today he's concerned about the number of suicides there and across the force.

"I'm deeply concerned about the suicide rates, not only here but across the force," he said during a press conference at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. "One loss by suicide is too many. While we're working hard on this problem, we have a lot more to do."

Addressing the problem must start with reducing the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health issues, he said. "Mental health is health, period," Austin said. 

The secretary said the Defense Department must approach the suicide issue with the same energy applied to any other health issue. Getting help to those suffering from mental health issues must be done with compassion and professionalism, not stigma, he said. 

"So, if you're hurting, there are resources available," Austin said. "And I know that our leaders here are committed to making those resources even more accessible and available."

From Day 1 in his tenure at the helm of the DOD, Austin has said that his first priority is to defend the nation. "But key to achieving it is taking care of our people," he said. "One of my messages to the men and women that I spoke with today is we need to look out for one another, and I promised I would be looking out after them."

Austin Emphasizes U.S. Ties With Indo-Pacific Allies, Partners

 July 24, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

Since taking office, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has devoted precious time to ensuring the United States military does its part to maintain the web of alliances that are America's greatest strength.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to make some of those contacts virtual, but he personally visited Japan, South Korea, India, Israel, Germany and NATO.

Spotlight: NATO

He is now on his second week-long trip to the Indo-Pacific region to further cement those ties.

The secretary spoke about the importance of those contacts during a press conference at Eielson Air Force Base today, emphasizing that the value the United States gets from these ties with allies and partners is immeasurable.

"Everything that we have done in the past has been as a part of a team — a coalition," Austin said. "It's who we are, and it's how we fight."

These alliances magnify America's military capabilities, he said. 

Austin spoke in a hangar on the base; in the background were three F-35 Lightning 2 fifth generation aircraft. One plane had the markings of the Royal Australian Air Force. In another corner of the hangar was an EF-18G Growler that also sported the kangaroo symbol.

The United States is proud of its relationships with Australia and other nations. "We look to continue to develop our relationships with like-minded partners and allies that share our values, that look to … ensure that we have, that we follow an international rules-based order," he said. 

This network of alliances and partnerships is an asymmetric advantage the United States has over potential adversaries. "I would point to, to the fact that others don't … enjoy those kinds of partnerships and alliances," he said. "If you look at China or Russia, they don't have the ability to get to align themselves with like-minded partners to the degree that the United States does. It magnifies our capabilities." 

The secretary said that from a military standpoint, these allies and partners are at the core of how America fights. "It's a way that we operate," Austin said. "We train with each other; we share common practices and policies. It's how we're going to fight going forward."

Eielson Air Force Base is a case in point. The base hosts the Red Flag exercise. Held four times a year, Red Flag tests aviators, maintainers, logisticians and more in all aspects of conflict. The base has hosted aircraft from many allies including Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Philippines, according to an Eielson spokesperson.

Austin will continue on from Alaska to meet with partners in Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.