Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby
Q: Your -- your arrival was perfectly-timed.
PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. KIRBY: For?
Q: We have a discussion going on, and only you can answer, sir.
Q: No.
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MR. KIRBY: That's a little frightening.
Q: No, no, no.
Q: We're trying to figure out how you would say "pacing challenge" in French, and apparently...
(CROSSTALK)
MR. KIRBY: It's not a -- first of all, it's not a pacing threat,
Mike. We call it a "pacing challenge." Let's get the lexicon right. I've
never said threat.
(CROSSTALK)
MR. KIRBY: It's not official unless I say it. I can't help you. I -- I -- I barely -- I barely do English, so...
(CROSSTALK)
MR. KIRBY: OK, good morning. Just a few things at the top.
Today, I think you saw, the Defense Department released our Strategic
and Critical Materials 100-day Sector Review, as directed by Executive
Order 14017, America's Supply Chains. This report will leverage insights
from across the government to ensure we're managing supply chain risks,
especially for the strategic and critical materials on which our
economy and national security rely. This whole-of-government effort will
help us develop and modernize our supply chains for the 21st century.
If you didn't see it over the weekend, Travis Air Force Base remains
extremely busy supporting government efforts to provide emergency
assistance to countries in South Asia -- South Asia. The U.S. Agency for
International Development, USAID, airlifted urgent medical supplies to
help Bangladesh battle its latest COVID-19 surge. Air Force C-17 flight
departed late Friday from Travis for Dhaka, Bangladesh, carrying over
two million pieces of personal protective equipment to protect thousands
of healthcare workers in Bangladesh. And these flights, of course, as
you know, build on our support to USAID's efforts to help India, Nepal,
Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as they continue to battle surges of
COVID-19 cases, and they further demonstrate the United States'
whole-of-government global response to ensure lifesaving assistance
reaches people who need it quickly.
Back on COVID, as I told you a few weeks ago, in coordination with
FEMA and state and local officials, several DOD-supported community
vaccine centers will be mission-complete or will begin reducing
personnel as the sites reassess the size of the DOD vaccination support
teams needed. So as of today, we are supporting eight vaccination sites,
and expect to reduce that to five by the end of the -- of today as both
-- as Ohio, Colorado and Louisiana conduct their final days of
operations. We are proud of the support, of course, that our
servicemembers, both active-duty and National Guard have provided to
combat this pandemic, including administering over 16 million vaccines
to the American public.
So again, as of today, the -- these eight sites, you've got five type
I teams in Ohio, New Jersey, Colorado, Oklahoma and Oregon; three type
II teams in Minnesota, Louisiana, Kentucky; a total right now, as of
today, of 454 personnel. But again, by the end of the day we'll -- we'll
be -- expect to be -- we'll expect to be down to those -- those five --
just five sites, so moving along.
And with that, I think we're ready for the questions. Lita?
Q: Hi. Thanks, John. One quick request -- I think this has been made
in the past, but considering that CENTCOM is saying they're not going to
provide percentages any longer on Afghanistan troop -- troop and
equipment withdrawal, I was wondering if there's any progress on -- on
getting us either DLA or some type of briefing on some of the things
that can be discussed about… the withdrawal.
And my second -- my -- my question is has the Secretary had any
discussions with Turkey about security at the airport in Afghanistan and
-- and do you see negotiations progressing on that issue?
MR. KIRBY: Has he had discussions with who about that, Lita?
Q: The Turks?
MR. KIRBY: Oh, the Turks, I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. So on your
first question, I -- I recognize the desire for a more fulsome briefing,
and we are working towards that, and as soon as I have something more
specific to announce, I certainly will.
On your second question, I don't have any conversations with Turkish
leaders to read out to you today but I can assure you that the
Secretary's in touch with General McKenzie, as well as the -- General
Milley about the future of the airport, the importance of security at
the airport as -- as it relates to our ability to maintain a diplomatic
presence in Afghanistan, which, of course, will be supported by a
measure of security -- share -- security forces by the Department of
Defense.
So yes, he's in discussions and consultations with -- with military
leaders about the future. There has not been, as far as I know, any
final decisions made about security at the airport, in terms of what
that's going to look like, who's going to do it and -- and what the
scope and scale of it's going to be, but I think you all heard from
General McKenzie yesterday, recognizing that that is a -- an important
component in terms of the kinds of decisions that we're going to have to
make going forward. So no update but it is something that the Secretary
is very engaged on.
Meghann?
Q: Do you have in your notes there how many total vaccines the FEMA sites that were manned by troops were able to distribute?
MR. KIRBY: I thought 16 million...
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... yeah, but ...
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... 16 million but let me just -- let me just check here, Meghann.
Yeah, here we go. No - doesn't have it in there. My opening comments -- I
think that's -- I think that's accurate, it's 16 million into American
arms. Yeah, over 16 million vaccines to the American public. Yeah.
Mm-hm. Mike?
Q: Yeah, as a -- you know, staying on that topic, in its -- at the
height of the pandemic, how many of these vaccination sites did -- was
DOD supporting?
MR. KIRBY: It was more than 30 -- it was more than 30. I think the
top number, Mike, was 31 but we'll check that to make sure. I'm almost
positive that we got up to 31 total teams. Oh, they weren't all Type 1, I
mean, they were various sizes ...
Q: 30, down to five by the end of ...
MR. KIRBY: We went from 31 and now we're down to five today -- we'll
be five today, yeah -- yeah. I'm -- let me just triple check the number
but I'm almost positive it was 31. OK, Laura Seligman?
Q: Hey, thanks for doing this. I wanted to ask you about the Pacific
Deterrence Initiative. Why -- can you tell me why the OSD budget request
did not fund PACOM's top priorities in the list that they sent to
Congress earlier this year? My understanding is it funded destroyers and
F-35s instead of the missile defense priorities that Admiral Davidson
wanted.
MR. KIRBY: We -- we've -- we've -- I think we've -- we've briefed the
budget pretty clearly, Laura. I don't have a lot more detail to offer
you today, and you've heard the Secretary speak about this. Our funding
request includes $5.1 billion for Pacific Deterrence Initiative, so it
is funded in the budget, and the Secretary is -- is confident and
comfortable that that budget request for the Pacific Deterrence
Initiative dealt -- help -- will help give us the right mix of
capabilities that we need most for our security commitments in the
Indopacific region.
Q: So are you saying that the PACOM Commander is not the expert in
what he needs in his region and that the -- the -- that OSD knows
better? ‘Cause that sounds like kind of what this budget request is
reflecting.
MR. KIRBY: The budget request is the President's budget request. The
Secretary is comfortable that it gives us the right mix of capabilities
that we need most to defend this nation. And -- and he certainly
appreciates and respects the input that's provided by all of the
combatant commanders but he's very comfortable in this budget request
and -- and what -- and -- and what it helps us fund for the Indopacific
region.
And I would add that there are additional funding requests in there
beyond PDI that get at the sorts of capabilities that we know we need to
meet our security commitments in that part of the world -- hypersonics,
5G, microelectronics, missile defense, nuclear modernization, you know,
the -- the -- the purchases of more combatant ships.
So there's -- there's a lot in there that -- that goes beyond just
PDI that the Secretary believes are -- are -- are, again, the right mix
of capabilities for the obligations we have in the Indopacific region.
Yes, sir -- Tom?
Q: Hi, John, thanks, good morning. Two unrelated questions. One, last
week, during Mr. Gantz's visit here, there was support to refund the
Iron Dome program in Israel. Where does that money come from?
And -- and my second question is a follow up to the taken question
response last night about Greenland being in Europe Com. Is that window
closed now? I know that Israel moved from European Command to Central
Command. Is that two-year review that does, you know, what goes and what
-- is that done?
MR. KIRBY: I don't believe it is done, Tom, but let me get you a
better answer on that. I don't believe that a -- that that has been
completed.
On the replenishment requests, again, this was just an -- this was an
initial discussion with Minister Gantz about the -- about their needs.
The Secretary made it clear that -- that the President has been
determined to help them replenish and now comes the work of the -- the
sourcing of it.
So we don't have an answer for you right now as to, you know, where
the money is going to come from because frankly we haven't actually --
just like we do for any request for assistance, we do the analysis here,
we -- we take a look at it, we review it, we determine validity and
then we try to source it.
So I don't have specific sourcing solutions to talk to you today ...
Q: ... it Defense Department money?
MR. KIRBY: I -- again, I don't have -- I don't have specific sourcing
solutions to talk to you today, so I -I'd -- I'd -- I'd rather not make
a definitive comment on that until we've had a chance to do the -- the
complete analysis.
Q: OK, thank you.
MR. KIRBY: Yeah. Jeff Schogol?
Q: Thank you very much. The civilian contractors who keep the Afghan
helicopters and planes flying are going to depart Afghanistan with the
rest of the foreign troops. I wanted to see what is the plan to make
sure the Afghan Air Force remains viable without these maintainers?
Because I'm seeing media reports that make it appear as though once the
drawdown is complete, most Afghan aircraft will be grounded for lack of
maintenance.
MR. KIRBY: Jeff, as we've talked about before, and -- and I think you
heard General McKenzie actually speak to this yesterday. I mean, he and
his staff are -- are working through what the follow-on contractual
arrangements will be made to continue to support things like aircraft
maintenance for the Afghan National Security Forces. Those -- all -- all
those decisions have not been completed, but rest assured we're working
hard on that. And -- and again, when we have, you know, more discrete
solutions to present, we'll do that. But you've heard the secretary
speak to this -- that our support for the Afghan National Defense and
Security Forces is going to be largely in the financial realm, and that
there will be some over-the-horizon logistical support for things like
aviation maintenance. But again, we just haven't locked all the details
down right now.
Q: The clock is ticking, and I understand -- you know that -- and
there are no agreements yet for an over-the-horizon force in neighboring
countries. And as the U.S. military learned during the aviation crisis,
a lack of maintainers means that planes don't fly. So I'm just trying
to see, is there anything concrete that the Defense Department can say
about how it intends to keep the Afghan Air Force in the fight after the
withdrawal?
MR. KIRBY: Jeff, we're mindful of the -- the need for good aircraft
maintenance, and we're certainly mindful of -- of how important the --
the Afghan Air Force and Special Missions Wing are to their self-defense
capabilities. Again, I can assure you we're working on this very, very
hard, and again, when we have more detail to provide, we certainly will.
Sylvie?
Q: I would like to go back to the airport, the question of the
airport. Is it something that will be decided during the NATO summit in
the next few days, or it's something that will be decided later?
MR. KIRBY: I -- I -- I don't -- I don't have anything specific on the
NATO summit agenda to -- to point to with respect to this. There are
ongoing discussions, and -- and -- and certainly, that -- that we expect
will -- will have to include discussions with Turkey on what their
intentions are with respect to security at the airport. But I don't want
to get ahead of process here and predict to you a -- a -- a date
certain where a decision will be made, or -- or how that decision will
be transmitted. But we -- we are in active discussions right now, and --
and again, when -- when we have better clarity, it -- it'll be easier
to -- to speak to what that means for our diplomatic footprint and the
security footprint that -- that we at DOD are going to need -- are going
to -- are going to have to provide to support the -- the -- the embassy
compound in Afghanistan.
Q: So the secretary is going to attend the summit, eh? The NATO summit.
MR. KIRBY: He is. He is.
OK, Sam LaGrone?
Q: Hey, John. I was just wondering if we could get a -- a status
update on what's going on with the COCOM reviews, if y'all had an
anticipated date, and just -- because if you look at the budget, it --
it -- it -- there's no five-year future defense plan. We haven't seen a
shipbuilding plan yet. This all seems to be more or less a -- a
placeholder in -- in -- in head of the -- another strategic look here,
so if you can give us an update in terms of where the COCOMs are going
to be in terms of this review, and kind of the next strategic guidance
and when we could expect that, that'd be great. Thanks.
MR. KIRBY: Yes, and I think you're talking about the Global Posture
Review, and -- and that is ongoing, and as we said earlier in the
spring, we expect that to be able to -- to wrap-up here this summer,
probably more towards late summer. But -- but that work is ongoing and
obviously we're doing it in consultation with not only the services but
with the combatant commands. So work -- work progresses.
I don't have a specific update for you. In other words, I don't have,
like, a date certain for when the work's going to be done and the
secretary has a chance to review it. But that team is -- is hard at work
right now.
And, Mike - , you asked me about number of teams and the number at --
at -- at its height was 35. So I got close, but I was wrong. It's 35.
Thank you, Chris, for doing that rather than having to do that as a taken question. I appreciate that.
Okay, yes, ma'am.
Q: Hi. Thank you, John. Sandra Erwin with SpaceNews. I have a
question about the strategic materials review. Who's -- what office in
DOD is doing that, specifically overseeing that review?
MR. KIRBY: Let me get back to you. So I know the -- the deputy
secretary was over at the White House today for this event, but I'll get
back to you on if there's a specific audience -- or office.
Q: And another question I had, the -- the -- the administration
nominated Michael Brown to be under secretary of defense for acquisition
but we haven't seen him scheduled for any confirmation hearings. So can
you tell us what the status of this nomination is? Is that still moving
forward?
MR. KIRBY: As far as I know, the -- the -- yes, the nomination is
still moving forward. I would refer you to the Senate Armed Services
Committee for -- for the, you know, scheduling of -- of hearings. But
I'm not aware of any change at this time.
Q: Thank you.
Q: Hey, John, sorry to interrupt. But to follow on Sandra's first
question, last year -- and I realize you guys weren't here last year --
General Milley had talked about a similar panel or a group --
MR. KIRBY: Yes.
Q: -- within the Pentagon that do strategic review. Is this going to
be a continuation of that to the best of your knowledge or is that --
MR. KIRBY: Strategic review of supply chain?
Q: Yes.
MR. KIRBY: I don't know.
Q: Okay.
MR. KIRBY: I don't know. I wasn't aware of that. And I -- you know,
again I'll ask the question because it's a good one. It may be that it's
not just one office here but -- you know, but a team effort across
because it does affect so many different parts of our enterprise from
acquisition to research development. So there's a lot there. But it's a
fair question, so I'll get back to you on that.
Yes, Pierre?
Q: Recently, State Department was a little bit vocal expressing their
concern about what's happening in Yemen, especially the Houthi
continuous attacks trying to take Marib. My question is that would the
Pentagon be ready, the military will be ready to go back, give some
support to the coalition or directly to make sure that a human disaster
will not happen in this part of the world?
MR. KIRBY: Well, you know, we don't talk about potential future
operations, Pierre. But I'm not aware of any pending change in our
posture with respect to support to the coalition.
As you know, President Biden withdrew the support that we had been
lending to the Saudi-led coalition for their offensive operations inside
Yemen. That has not changed.
Okay, thanks.
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