Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met at the Pentagon with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles to discuss the historic military-to-military progress between the two nations.
DOD continues to move vessels and aircraft across the Middle East to improve U.S. force protection, increase the defense of Israel and ensure the United States can respond to a range of contingencies.
More defensive military capabilities will deploy to the Middle East to bolster force protection for U.S. troops in the region and to defend Israel, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the leadership and accomplishments of outgoing Chief of the National Guard Bureau Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson during a relinquishment of responsibility ceremony.
The U.S. maintains an asymmetric strategic advantage through its global network of allies and partners amid increasing competition, a senior Pentagon official said.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the launch of the redesigned Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.
The Defense Department remains committed to supporting and guiding members of the military community who have been affected by suicide as part of its holistic approach to suicide prevention and intervention.
During the visit, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III toured a Philippine Navy facility and several defense industrial sites as a way to highlight opportunities for defense industrial cooperation by the U.S., the Philippines, and other regional allies and partners.
