May 28, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke this afternoon with Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin “Benny” Gantz. Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad support for Israel’s security. He shared the Administration’s support for building on the ceasefire to establish enduring security. Both parties agreed to remain in close coordination on shared defense priorities.
May 28, 2021 | , DOD News
The budget totals $752.9 billion. It includes $37.9 billion for the Department of Energy and other agencies. It reflects a 1.6% increase from the fiscal 2021 enacted budget.
The budget provides a 2.7% pay raise for both military and civilians, while investing nearly $9 billion in family support programs.
In a statement today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said the budget invests in people, supports readiness and modernization, combats threats posed by climate change and provides capabilities needed to meet the pacing threat from Beijing.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks briefed the media today on the fiscal 2022 Defense Department budget. She reiterated Austin's comments and said the budget also addresses the COVID-19 pandemic and drawing down U.S. forces from Afghanistan with an exit date of Sept. 11, adding that the department will provide over-the-horizon capability for counterterrorism and Afghan National Security Forces support.
"The budget also documents some of the tough choices we had to make, as we lessen our reliance on vulnerable systems that are no longer suited for today's advanced threat environment, or are too costly to sustain," she said.
Those resource reallocations, she said, are going to fund advanced technologies like microelectronics, hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence, cyberspace capabilities and a 5G network.
DOD also has invested in its workforce, particularly in billets where there are critical needs, she said. "The request also looks to build an increasingly resilient force, one that recognizes and embraces its diversity as a strength."
The budget also provides funding to strengthen the department's ability to identify and address insider threats in its ranks and to combat sexual assault and harassment, she said.
The budget request slightly lowers total military active and reserve component end strength from FY21 authorized 2,150,375 to 2,145,900. The only service to get an end strength increase is the Space Force, which had 6,434 guardians authorized in FY21, with a request to bump that up to 8,400.
Anne McAndrew, performing the duties of under secretary of defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer, said that the budget also reflects capabilities for managing threats from Russia, Iran, North Korea and violent extremist organizations, in addition to China.
The budget also invests in taking care of people. "Their physical, mental and emotional health is among the department's highest priorities," she said.
Navy Vice Adm. Ron Boxall, the director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, Joint Staff, said the department will work with Congress to divest legacy platforms that overburden readiness accounts.
Budget request highlights include:
May 28, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today ahead of the June 1 virtual NATO Defense Ministerial.
Secretary Austin expressed his support for Stoltenberg’s NATO 2030 initiative, which aims to keep the Alliance strong militarily, make it stronger politically, and give it a more global view. Secretary Austin focused on the importance of maintaining a credible NATO deterrence and defense posture, investing in defense capabilities, and improving Alliance readiness to fight and win if deterrence fails. The leaders also discussed the retrograde in Afghanistan and the NATO mission in Iraq.
Secretary General Stoltenberg also highlighted his visit to the HMS Queen Elizabeth where he saw NATO Allies working together as part of the Steadfast Defender 21 exercise.
The virtual Defense Ministerial is the final opportunity for senior NATO defense leaders to consult, coordinate, and decide on Alliance security issues prior to the meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government on June 14.
Air Force Senior Airman Kenneth Johnson receives a COVID-19 test during exercise Astral Knight at Larissa Air Base, Greece, May 21, 2021. The exercise enhances the readiness, strength and cohesion between the U.S., Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and units from around European Command.
Army Spc. Young Chen, left, receives a batch of COVID-19 vaccines from Sgt. George Seibert in Pueblo, Colo., May 26, 2021.
The USS Paul Ignatius launches an SM-3 missile in the Atlantic Ocean, May 26, 2021, during At-Sea Demo/Formidable Shield, a live-fire integrated air and missile defense exercise.
May 28, 2021
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Jamal Brown provided the following readout:
Today, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl spoke with his Singapore counterpart, Permanent Secretary for Defence Chan Heng Kee. Permanent Secretary Chan congratulated Under Secretary Kahl on his confirmation, and the two leaders reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the U.S.-Singapore bilateral defense relationship.
Under Secretary Kahl and Permanent Secretary Chan Ng discussed COVID-19, and Under Secretary Kahl applauded the strong measures Singapore has taken with its response efforts during the pandemic.
Both leaders exchanged views on the regional security environment, and Under Secretary Kahl stressed the need for a rules-based approach to security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Under Secretary Kahl expressed appreciation for the regional access Singapore provides to U.S. forces, and both leaders expressed interest in further collaboration on U.S. force posture. Finally, Under Secretary Kahl and Permanent Secretary Chan noted that they look forward to meeting in person.
May 28, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with India’s Minister of
External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, in Washington, D.C. today to
discuss shared priorities in the U.S.-India strategic partnership and
exchange views on a range of regional security challenges. Secretary
Austin and Minister Jaishankar reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining
a free and open Indo-Pacific region and strengthening the U.S.-India
Major Defense Partnership. They also discussed opportunities to deepen
coordination amid the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Secretary Austin
conveyed that he looks forward to hosting Minister Jaishankar and Indian
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later
this year.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Trevor Gilchrist uses a sextant aboard the USS Harry S. Truman during sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean, May 19, 2021.
May 27, 2021
“Throughout her trailblazing career, Christine Wormuth has dedicated herself to advancing and protecting the national security interests of the American people. Through a series of high-level assignments – to include duty as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Force Development – she has informed and led some of the most consequential decisions and operations critical to our defense, from the counter-ISIS campaign to the rebalance to Asia. Christine’s leadership, vision and deep expertise will be essential as we focus our attention on new threats and new challenges confronting our military. I am confident she will ensure the United States Army is ready to meet those challenges.
I thank the Senate for their historic confirmation of Christine as the first woman to hold the important position of Secretary of the Army. As I once said, she will lead our soldiers and represent their families with honor and integrity. There is no better person for the job, and I am looking forward to her joining the team.” – Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III
Army Green Berets train using advanced explosive and exothermic breaching techniques in Idaho Falls, Idaho, May, 2021. Green Berets are trained to breach multiple types of surfaces, walls or entryways in austere environments.
A Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper prepares to land on the flight deck of the USS Essex in the Pacific Ocean, May 22, 2021.
Marines conduct an amphibious night raid rehearsal at Kin Blue training area in Okinawa, Japan, May 22, 2021.
The USS Iwo Jima and the USS San Antonio transit the Strait of Gibraltar before entering the Mediterranean Sea, May 22, 2021.
Navy Chief Petty Officer Andrew Couillard receives the COVID-19 vaccine from Seaman Henry Mason aboard the John C. Stennis in Newport News, Va., May 25, 2021.
Washington National Guardsmen participate in firefighter training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., May 25, 2021.
A Marine embraces a loved one on Family Day at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island S.C., May 27, 2021. The recruits had not seen family and friends in 13 weeks.
A sailor signals a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion aboard the USS Carter Hall in the Mediterranean Sea, May 23, 2021.
May 27, 2021 | , DOD News
The president's budget request for fiscal year 2022 is expected to contain $715 billion in funding for the Defense Department. DOD leaders have said they believe this is ample to accomplish things the department wants to do in the coming year.
While the full presidential budget request has not yet been made public — that should come on Friday — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and lawmakers were aware of the total dollar amount for the Defense Department.
"This budget provides us the ability to create the right mix of capabilities to defend this nation and to deter any aggressors," Austin said during testimony today before the House Appropriations Committee, subcommittee on defense. "It adequately allows us to begin to prepare for the next fight ... it in fact does provide us the ability to go after the capabilities that we need."
Within the FY22 budget, Austin said that the department has
prioritized several capabilities to ensure future readiness and
modernization of the force.
According to Austin, the budget invests in, among other things, hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, micro-electronics, 5G technology, cyber capabilities, shipbuilding and nuclear modernization.
"The budget also invests in efforts to counter the damaging effects
of climate change and to be prepared for potential future challenges
like another pandemic," Austin said.
Also in the budget, he said, is funding to help the department resist Russian cyberattacks, counter the threats from the ballistic-missile capabilities of countries like North Korea and Iran, and maintain troop presence and counter-terrorism capacity in both the Middle East and South Asia to counter threats from Iran, and terrorist groups like ISIS, Al Qaeda and al Shabaab.
The FY22 budget request, said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, is appropriate to meet the Defense Department's needs.
"It strikes an appropriate balance between preserving present readiness and future modernization," Milley said. "It is biased towards [the] future operating environment and the readiness it's going to take in the future for this fundamental change in the character of war that we are currently undergoing."
Milley told lawmakers it's imperative that the level of funding for modernization for advanced technologies such as hypersonics, precision munitions, robotics and artificial intelligence, continues to be funded as it has been in the FY22 budget for the long-term.
"If we do not put a lot of money towards those [advanced technologies] and develop them to a level of capability to deploy in our joint force, then we will be at a significant disadvantage to those countries that do develop them," he said. "China is investing heavily in all of those capabilities. We need to definitely do that, [and] this budget does a lot of that. It will have to be a sustained level of effort over many years. But it's critical to the defense of the United States that we invest in advanced technologies.
A Marine provides security during a field exercise at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, May 20, 2021.
The Thunderbirds, the Air Force's flight demonstration squadron, practice maneuvers in preparation for the U.S. Air Force Academy's graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 25, 2021.
May 27, 2021
Chair McCollum, Ranking Member Calvert, distinguished members of the committee … thank you for the opportunity to testify today about the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2022.
I’m pleased to appear before you alongside General Milley, whose advice and counsel has been instrumental to us as we developed our budget and as we continue to defend this nation … our chief responsibility and my top priority.
Members, as you know, the President’s budget has not yet been released …
but I will do my very best to provide you as much information as possible about what we are asking for and, more importantly, why we are asking for it.
Let me say at the outset that I believe our budget request will help us match resources to strategy, strategy to policy, and policy to the will of the American people.
Informed by the President’s Interim National Security guidance and my own Message to the Force, it funds the right mix of capabilities we need most to defend this nation … now and in the future.
It invests in hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, micro-electronics, 5G technology, cyber capabilities, shipbuilding, climate change resilience, and nuclear modernization … to name a few.
And it gives us the flexibility to divest ourselves of systems and platforms that do not adequately meet our needs… older ships, aircraft and ISR platforms that demand more maintenance, upkeep, and risk than we can afford.
As you know, we have commissioned a Global Posture Review and a new National Defense Strategy, which will further inform and guide our resource decisions.
The Department must be ready to meet and keep pace with our competitors …
and, if necessary, to win the next fights … not the last ones.
That’s why this budget stays true to our focus on matching the pacing challenge we see from the People’s Republic of China. However, we recognize that is not our only challenge.
The budget also invests in efforts to counter the damaging effects of climate change, and to be prepared for potential future challenges like another pandemic.
The budget helps us counter the belligerence we see from Russia, particularly in the cyber realm.
With its emphasis on missile defense and more sophisticated sensors, our budget will also help us counter the increasing ballistic-missile capabilities of nations like North Korea and Iran.
It funds a troop presence and counter-terrorism capabilities in the Middle East and South Asia to meet the threats posed not only by Iran but also by terrorist networks like ISIS, al Qaeda … and, in Africa, like those posed by al Shabaab.
I am also confident that this budget will help us maintain the integrated deterrent capability and global posture necessary to credibly back up the hard work of our diplomats, and demonstrate our resolve all over the world … alongside our allies and partners.
Speaking of our partners, I know Afghanistan is at the top of your minds.
As you know, the President directed us to withdraw our forces by early September. I can report to you today that the retrograde is proceeding on pace … indeed, slightly ahead of it.
We accomplished the mission for which our troops were sent to Afghanistan. I am proud of that … and of the brave men and women who made it possible, and those who gave their lives for that mission.
I am also deeply grateful to the families of our service members who have endured so much as they sent their sons, daughters, husbands, and wives to battle.
Our budget will help us develop the over-the-horizon capability we need to ensure that terrorist attacks on our homeland can never again emanate from that country.
We will now transition to a new bilateral relationship with our Afghan partners … one that continues to help them meet their responsibilities to their citizens, but one that will not require a U.S. footprint larger than what is necessary to protect our diplomats.
And that is one reason why we are asking to move overseas contingency operations funding inside the base budget.
This will give us -- and you -- greater transparency, accountability, and predictability in the budgeting process. And, because all necessary provisions currently established in OCO funding are retained, we expect no impact to other operations.
This is the right thing to do … and, frankly, it’s long overdue.
Now, taking care of our people is also the right thing to do.
The budget request increases funding to support in-home care and support, which has become increasingly important during the pandemic.
We will also be seeking funds to improve military base pay, retention bonuses, and other incentives that will help us attract and retain the best talent.
And we will be working hard to combat challenges that make service in the ranks more difficult for all the men and women of the department … from getting a better handle on the extent to which we experience extremist behavior, to combating sexual assault and harassment.
As you know, my first directive as Secretary of Defense -- issued on my first full day in office -- was to service leadership about sexual assault. I made it clear then, and I still maintain, that we must not be afraid to try new approaches … to change our minds … so that we can truly and fully address the scourge of sexual assault in our force.
Because clearly what we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. The numbers of sexual assaults are still too high … and confidence in our system is still too low.
The Independent Review Commission we established has provided me with an initial set of recommendations, first around the issue of accountability. This line of effort is focused on how these crimes are investigated and prosecuted.
I have shared these recommendations with Chairman Milley and with the civilian and military leaders of the service branches. I have asked them to review the recommendations and to provide me their views in return.
There will be additional recommendations coming to us on prevention, culture, and victim support. I look forward to receiving them as well.
But I will say this to you, today: these are attacks by our own people … on our own people. Insider attacks.
And they tear at the very fabric of who we are and what we represent to each other and to the American people.
As I review recommendations on how to address this challenge, I continue to keep an open mind.
You have my commitment to that, and to working with you as you consider legislative proposals.
Madam Chair, members of the committee, we field the greatest military force in human history … made up of the finest men and women who have ever donned the cloth of their nation. We also enjoy a civilian workforce deeply committed to every mission we take on.
For all the things we know we need to do better, no adversary can match the quality of our people.
I am immensely proud … humbled, really … to be of service to them and to serve again with them and their families.
I know the values they espouse, the oath they took. I know what they are capable of. And I believe I have a very good sense of what they need to do their jobs. I can assure you that the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2022 fulfills that obligation.
And I look forward to answering your questions about it.
I thank you for the unwavering support that you continue to provide the Department of Defense, and for all the efforts you make every day to ensure that we remain ready to defend this nation.
Thank you.
May 27, 2021
The Department of Defense launched its newly-enhanced MySECO website, putting career and education resources at the fingertips of military spouses easier and faster than ever.
MySECO is part of the DOD’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program, which provides career and education guidance to military spouses worldwide. The MySECO enhancements create a more personalized and improved experience for military spouses as they navigate career and education opportunities on the website.
“SECO connects military spouses with benefits and support that help them overcome barriers to employment, such as frequent relocation,” said Patricia “Patty” Montes Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. “MySECO is an important tool for spouses and we are excited to offer them an easier, faster and more intuitive way to explore their interests, research occupations, and search for scholarships, look for schools and find jobs.”
With the enhancements, spouses can more easily access all that SECO has to offer, including the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, which provides eligible spouses with up to $4,000 for education and training; the Military Spouse Employment Partnership Job Search tool, which searches career openings among the 500 companies and organizations that have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses; the Military Spouse Transition Program; resume reviews; specialized career coaching packages; and more.
“We are all one military community and each of us is unique, said Lee Kelley, director for military community support programs. “That’s why SECO offers a wide variety of tools, resources and information to meet the needs of each and every military spouse.”
Learn more about SECO and visit the newly-enhanced MySECO website at https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/.
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.
Louisiana National Guardsmen set up a Tiger Dam system, a series of water-filled tubes that create a barrier to mitigate flooding, during efforts to support local and state officials battling rising floodwaters in Pierre Part, La., May 21, 2021.
An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during Exercise Mobility Guardian 21, May 24, 2021.
The graduating class of cadets march to the stadium for the graduation ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, May 22, 2021.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jasmin Trias greets a loved one upon the USS Somerset’s return from a seven-month deployment to its home port of Naval Base San Diego, May 23, 2021.
Marine Corps recruits squat with a log during drills at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, May 25, 2021.
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
Since the end of World War II, there've been many other wars — but not another global war between great powers. The balance and stability that's existed for more than 75 years is now at risk and for recently-commissioned young officers out of the U.S. Air Force Academy, it'll be their job to maintain a now fragile world peace, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said.
"We are now in the 76th year of the great power peace following World War II — and the structure is under stress," Army Gen. Mark A. Milley said while speaking to more than 1,000 cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement ceremony today in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "We can see it fraying at the edge. With history as our guide, we would be wise to lift our gaze from the never-ending urgency of the present, and set the conditions for a future that prevents great power war."
Right now, Milley said, the United States is in great power competition with nations like Russia and China. That competition must not escalate, he told cadets — who will soon be out in the force as second lieutenants.
"Your parents see their sons and daughters on the field before you, but your nation sees lieutenants, sees airmen, sees space Guardians, who will lead our Air Force and our Space Force as pilots and navigators, engineers, intelligence officers, special tactics and combat rescue officers — each one critical to the joint force mission."
The threat landscape that exists now, Milley said, includes artificial intelligence, robotics, human engineering, hypersonics and long-range precision fires that all provide capability beyond what has ever existed in human history.
As defenders of the nation, Milley said, the new officers will need to be agile and adaptive — they will not have the luxury of time their predecessors might have had to make decisions. The new face of warfare, he said, moves too quickly and changes too unexpectedly. He challenged them to be ready for that.
"The country that masters these technologies, combines them with doctrine and develops the leadership to take advantage of it — the side that does that best — is going to have a decisive advantage at the start of the next war," Milley said. "It's your challenge to be on that side. You will lead us as a nation, not just as an Air Force or a Space Force."
May 26, 2021
Today, on behalf of the Department of Defense, we mourn the loss of Senator John Warner and celebrate his life of extraordinary service to our country. From his early days serving in the military to his distinguished careers at the Pentagon and in the United States Senate, Senator Warner set an enduring example of principled leadership.
Senator Warner served as an enlisted sailor during World War II, then as a Marine Corps officer during the Korean War. In 1969, President Nixon appointed him as under secretary of the Navy. In 1972, the future senator went on to serve as Secretary of the Navy, where, among other achievements, he signed the Incidents at Sea agreement with the Soviet Union. At the height of the Cold War, this bilateral pact helped keep our country safe by reducing the chances of unwitting escalation.
He drew on his defense experience and expertise in the Senate, where he represented Virginia for five terms. As chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he became known for independence and for building bipartisan partnerships, earning the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. He pushed hard for legislation banning the torture of alleged terrorists, and he opposed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Throughout his long public career, Senator Warner stood up for our men and women in uniform and made lasting contributions to our national security.
Charlene and I send our deepest condolences to the Warner family. Senator Warner will be missed, but his legacy of service will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders to serve our great nation.
A 13-year-old receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Air Force Staff Sgt. Tyler Watkins at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., May 19, 2021. The clinic began administering the vaccine to people ages 12 to 15 following approval by the Defense Health Agency earlier in the month.
An airman flies a KC-135 Stratotanker over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 18, 2021.
Members of the 1st Marine Division Band perform during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 21, 2021.
A soldier participates in an airborne operation at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 25, 2021, to commemorate the 77 paratroopers that lost their lives during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An airman interacts with children during an event to present school supplies and sports equipment to students at Moi Air Base, Kenya, May 12, 2021.
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
The Defense Department will expand community outreach regarding PFAS contamination, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for environment and energy resilience said.
Richard Kidd, provided testimony today at a virtual House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on defense environmental restoration.
PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFOS, which is perfluorooctane sulfonate, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, are two chemicals in the larger PFAS class. The chemicals are used in a firefighting foam that is known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF.
The foam is used by DOD and civilian firefighting organizations and other industries to rapidly extinguish fuel fires and protect against catastrophic loss of life and property. The foam is also present in other items, such as furniture and carpet.
It has been found in soil and drinking water where AFFF has been used and is considered hazardous to human health in elevated amounts.
"Frankly, the most important outreach occurs at the local level. But it's important that senior leaders demonstrate their commitment and lead by example. I will start this on July 14, representing the department at a public town hall," Kidd said.
"The department has been able to establish and maintain a mature, effective cleanup program," he added.
Kidd said that the remaining cleanup cost of PFAS and other hazardous chemicals at contaminated sites is about $29 billion, but that figure is likely to rise if more contamination is detected.
As of March 31, the department had identified 698 installations with PFAS contamination, Kidd said. "We have completed the preliminary assessment and site investigation on 129 of these installations. Of these 129, 63 were found to require no further action, while 66 are proceeding to the remedial investigation and feasibility study."
Kidd said he expects all of the preliminary assessments and site investigations on all installations to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.
"The department has also taken quick action to address PFAS chemicals in drinking water, both on and off base. We are confident that no one is drinking water with PFOS or PFOA above the EPA's lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion, where the Department of Defense is the known source," he said, referring to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Additionally, the department has a strong internal governance body in the form of the PFAS Task Force, and a record of serious engagement on this topic, Kidd added.
Kidd shared his assessment of the challenge in PFAS cleanup.
"The rate of progress is defined primarily by the rules that govern our physical world. Physics, chemistry and science, establish the realm of the possible and dictate the parameters within which we work. Based on what we know today, and known technologies, frankly, it will be years before we fully define the scope of the problem. … And after that, probably decades before cleanup is complete," he said.
Investing in science could produce new cleanup technologies or methods and could shorten that timeline, he mentioned.
"The program is legally and technically complex, but its purpose is simple: to preserve the trust with the American people, and protect the environmental bounty of this great land for current and future generations. I'm committed to this effort," he concluded.
Also testifying were Amy Borman, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health; Karnig Ohannessian, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for environment; and Mark Correll, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for environment, safety and infrastructure.
May 26, 2021
On May 26, 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD), on behalf of and in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a $13.1 million contract to Renco Corporation to increase domestic production capacity of nitrile gloves.
This industrial base expansion effort will allow Renco to increase production capacity of nitrile gloves in Colebrook, NH, standing up two high-speed dip lines (glove manufacturing equipment lines) and six additional Standard Indexing (traditional) dip lines. This effort will increase nitrile glove production by 45.8 million gloves per month by July 2022.
DOD’s Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell (DA2) led this effort in coordination with the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT). HHS’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) funded this effort through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act to support industrial base expansion for critical medical resources.
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
Marine Corps 1st Lt. Tiffany Roberts is a manpower officer at Camp Pendleton, California. She's also a Filipina American. Her mom was born in Manila, Philippines, and her dad was born in Canandaigua, New York, and is an Army veteran. Roberts was born in San Jose, California.
"I joined the Marine Corps because I felt a strong need to give back to this country who has given me and my family so much. I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in a place where women are treated as strong and capable humans with endless potential," she said.
"I feel as though the best way for me to give back for the beautiful life I have been given is through serving in the military. Out of all of the countries, out of all the lives I could be living, I was chosen to live this one," she added.
Roberts has inherited her mother's loving nature and hospitality, traits she said are usually characteristic of Filipina women. Those traits, she said, have made her an understanding and caring Marine officer.
"My mother and brother instilled Filipino pride in me as a young child, and they taught me what it means to be a family-woman," she said.
As a youngster she said she was smaller and more soft-spoken than other girls and that she often had to fight hard for her voice to be heard or to make her presence known.
"My mother taught me to be resilient and to stand tall because when I speak, I speak with more than just my own voice; I speak with the voice and strength of all my ancestors who came before me. This is something I have carried on through my Marine Corps career," Roberts said.
The hard work, resilience and grit that she said her mother taught her early on is what inspired her to challenge herself physically.
In 2019, Roberts began weightlifting on a team called XIOS Strength and Conditioning. She credits her Filipino coach, Andrew DelaCruz, with seeing potential in her strength and power.
DelaCruz took her on his team to become a 59 kilogram Olympic weightlifter. Since beginning her training with him, Roberts has competed on multiple national stages and received many medals in her weight class.
Recently, she qualified for the 2021 USA Weightlifting Senior Nationals by lifting a total of 166 kilograms (approximately 365 pounds) as her combined total for the snatch and clean and jerk.
"My major goals are to compete on an international stage at the Pan American Games and to be selected to be on Team USA as a weightlifter," she said.
In addition to weightlifting, Roberts is working on getting her masters degree in psychology with an emphasis on military and trauma.
"In the Marine Corps, my major goals are to help my Marines develop themselves physically, professionally and mentally," she said.
"Though I initially joined the Marine Corps to give back to my family
and country, I now love the Marine Corps because of my Marines. I am
their biggest supporter. I want them to thrive in this life, and I want
to be a mentor to them to show them that no matter what their
demographic, ethnicity, gender, height, or predispositions may be, they
can achieve great things. All of the opportunities are open for them
here, and I want to give them everything to be the best Marines and
leaders that they can be," she said.
May 26, 2021
The acting secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced today the following assignments:
Rear Adm. (lower half) William E. Chase III, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned deputy commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN), U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. Chase is currently serving as deputy principal cyber advisor to the secretary of defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Brian L. Davies will be assigned additional duties as deputy commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia. Davies will retain all currently assigned duties as commander, Submarine Group Two, Norfolk, Virginia.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey S. Scheidt will be assigned as deputy principal cyber advisor to the secretary of defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Scheidt is currently serving as deputy chief, computer network operations, National Security Agency, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Fort Meade, Maryland.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael J. Steffen will be assigned as commandant, Naval District Washington, Washington, D.C. Steffen is currently serving as deputy commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia.
Capt. Anthony E. Rossi, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Navy International Programs Office, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. Rossi is currently serving as major program manager, Mission Integration and Special Programs Office, PMA 298, Patuxent River, Maryland.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kameron Bradley greets his family after returning to San Diego following a seven month deployment aboard the USS Somerset, May 23, 2021.
An Air Force ordnance disposal team blows up a NASA rocket motor at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., May 19, 2021.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Allen Pinder searches for surface contacts from aboard the USS Iwo Jima during a transit of the Strait of Gibraltar, May 22, 2021.
An F-16C Fighting Falcon flies during a readiness exercise over Fort Worth, Jan. 13, 2021.
Navy Lt. Chandler Irwin, a chaplain, presides over the funeral service for Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas Griffith at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 21, 2021.
May 26, 2021
On May 20, 2021, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Andrea Palm signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to continue the agencies’ partnership in defeating COVID-19 and preparing for future public health emergencies.
The MOU establishes the framework under which the Department of Defense (DoD) will continue to support HHS with acquisition efforts to expand domestic industrial capacity of health and medical resources; procure diagnostics and medical supplies for the Strategic National Stockpile; and accelerate the development, manufacture, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.
Under the MOU, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, through the Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell (DA2) will review assisted acquisition requests from HHS, determine which acquisition authorities and resources are best suited to support the efforts, and execute agreements with industry to fulfill the defined requirements.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DoD has executed over $26 billion on behalf of HHS to meet the needs of the Nation. In accordance with the Secretary of Defense’s priorities, the Department will continue to act boldly to support interagency efforts to defeat COVID-19. This MOU reinforces DoD support to HHS in furthering that mission, and strengthens the partnership between agencies.
Most recently under this partnership, DoD awarded three agreements totaling $650 million to Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. (Eurofins), PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., and Battelle Memorial Institute. These awards will support the government’s efforts to expand domestic COVID-19 testing for K-8 schools, underserved populations, and congregate settings such as homeless shelters. The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) led this acquisition effort, in coordination with Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI) and DA2.
The MOU will remain in place until at least September 30, 2023.
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