Hagel Resigning

[Guest]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/05/remarks-president-nominating-ashton-carter-secretary-defense

Remarks by the President in Nominating Ashton Carter as Secretary of Defense

Today, I’m pleased to announce my nominee to be our next Secretary of Defense, Mr. Ash Carter. [...] I think it’s fair to say that, Ash, in your one-year attempt at retirement from public service, you’ve failed miserably.

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https://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=128173

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/12/statement-president-confirmation-ash-carter-secretary-defense

He still has the formality of taking the oath of office for his position before actually becoming the SECDEF. Due to the holiday on Monday, I'd guess that ceremony will be on Tuesday the 17th.

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https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/15-07%20-%202-4-15.pdf

Highlights of now SECDEF Carter’s nomination hearing in the SASC:

Senator Gillibrand: Another concern that I have is in terms of the issue of how we can create opportunities for women in combat. One of the issues that I have looked at is how are each of the services being able to open those positions, opening all positions to women in combat. Because, as you know, in order to become promoted within the military, oftentimes combat missions are required and having certain roles that require combat is required for promotion. Are you committed to allowing women to serve in all positions and to gender neutral standards for each of the services?

Mr. Carter: I am certainly committed to gender neutral standards. What I do know is this, that the services are examining whether there are any positions in the military that should not be open to women. I strongly incline toward opening them all to women, but I am also respectful of the circumstances and of professional military judgment in this regard. I have not been involved in those studies. If I am confirmed, I would want to confer with our own leaders in the Department of Defense, with you and others who have thought carefully about that problem, and try to come to a view.

[...]

Senator Shaheen: You wrote an article last year for Foreign Affairs, entitled "Running the Pentagon Right: How to Get the Troops What They Need," and you talked about [...] the length of those wars was underestimated, and there was little incentive to pursue acquisitions tailored to the specific fights. Can you talk about how, as Secretary of Defense, you would avoid repeating those mistakes of the past two wars?

Mr. Carter: [...] The experience that I had all too often in trying to support Iraq and Afghanistan as the acquisition executive was that when the troops said they needed something, the response of the bureaucracy was -- tended to be, "Oh, we have one of those. We are making one of those. We have one in progress. It will be finished in 10 years."

And I mean, incredibly, that is, in essence, the response that would come back from the bureaucracy. We all recognize immediately that that is nonsensical because they needed that equipment, counter-IED equipment, vehicles. They needed it now, not 10 and 15 years from now. And our acquisition system got in the habit [...] during the Cold War of doing things very slowly. [...] we always had plenty of time. There was the Soviet Union. It was the Cold War. It would go on for a long time. And we would have programs that extended over 10 and 15 years. You can't do that when you are in the middle of a war, and people are dying and success depends upon your acting more quickly. So I obviously feel passionately about that. I think anybody who observed that bureaucratic tendency would have the same attitude I did, and we have got to turn faster as a military. [...] If we are going to continue to be the best military in the world, we can't [...] make steps in 15-year increments. We have to turn faster than that.

[...]

Senator Graham: Do you think that a cyber Pearl Harbor is a potential threat we face?

Mr. Carter: Absolutely.

Senator Graham: And we are not ready for it?

Mr. Carter: I agree with that also.

[...]

Senator Cotton: I would like to discuss the transfer of five Taliban commanders at Guantanamo Bay for Private Bowe Bergdahl. Knowing what we now know about the attempted recidivism of one of those Taliban members, as well as the ongoing investigation into Bowe Bergdahl's conduct in Afghanistan, do you think that it was a correct decision to go forward with that transfer? [...] I opposed it then, and I would oppose it now. And we didn't leave Bowe Bergdahl behind. The thousands of soldiers who went after him trying to find him who faced enemy fire trying to locate him were not leaving him behind. You are right that they tell every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine that they won't leave us behind. But that doesn't mean they will trade five stone-cold Taliban killers for us. When this transfer happened, Congress was not notified as required by the law. Can you assure us that in the future, Congress will always receive advance notification, as required by law, for future releases of Guantanamo prisoners?

Mr. Carter: I can assure you we will always abide by the law. Absolutely, sir.

[...]

Senator Tillis: [...] a report I am expecting the Secretary of the Air Force to submit to Congress, saying that they are going to be pulling out the Air Force assets from Pope field. And you and I touched on this briefly when we met. And I think the result of that is going to be the Army requiring planes to be flown in to support training exercises there. And I am more worried about Pope field, going forward. It looks like the current course and speed, it could wither away, and I think it is an important strategic asset. So rather than ask you to take a position on this decision, I would like to get your commitment once you are confirmed to meet with me and others who have a concern with this [...]

Mr. Carter: Absolutely, you have that.

If you didn’t already know, he swore the oath of his office yesterday and has fully replaced former-SECDEF Hagel.