Hagel Notifies Egypt of Upcoming U.S. Certification

Member for

11 years 1 month

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed his Egyptian counterpart yesterday that Secretary of State John F. Kerry soon will certify to Congress that Egypt is sustaining the strategic relationship with the United States and is meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.

In a statement summarizing Hagel’S phone call to Egyptian Defense Minister Col. Gen. Sedki Sobhy, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said these certifications are required to obligate fiscal year 2014 funds for assistance to the Egyptian government.

U.S. Ship Responds to Scene of Korean Ship Sinking

Member for

11 years 1 month

SEOUL, South Korea, April 16, 2014 – The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard is responding to the scene after the passenger ship Sewol sank near the island of Jindo off South Korea’s southwestern coast.

The ship had more than 450 people aboard and was traveling from Incheon, South Korea, to Jeju island at the time of the incident.

Bonhomme Richard has established communications with the South Korean on-scene commander and is standing by to assist as required. The ship was on a routine patrol in waters west of the Korean Peninsula.

Hagel, China’s Defense Minister Build Military Relations Model

Member for

11 years 1 month

BEIJING, April 8, 2014 – At the invitation of Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Chang Wanquan, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited the Chinese Defense Ministry’s headquarters here today.

Hagel met with Chang and then a larger group of defense officials before he and Chang revealed during a news conference a new model for U.S.-China military-to-military relations.

Central American Security Conference reviews Operation Martillo

Member for

11 years 1 month

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala -- Operation Martillo, the internationally-supported mission targeting illicit trafficking along Central America’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts, was the focus of discussion for military and civilian leaders from 14 nations who met in Guatemala City April 1-3 to review the operation and the threat it’s directed at.

Hagel Discusses U.S.-Japan Defense Relations in Interview

Member for

11 years 1 month

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the defense relationship between the United States and Japan, the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, U.S. and partner-nation efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, and other issues during his question-and-answer interview with The Nikkei newspaper.

An article written from that interview was published on Nikkei’s website early today.

The text of the interview follows:

Forward…Ready…Now: USAF builds partnership with Polish Armed Forces

Member for

11 years 1 month

POWIDZ AIR BASE, Poland -- More than 100 Airmen and three C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, deployed to enhance bilateral defense ties with Polish armed forces members during a scheduled aircraft rotation to the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment in Poland, March 31 through April 11 here.

For the first time, Polish and U.S. fighter and cargo aircraft and personnel will share tactics and techniques while flying all together, which will present a more complex training environment for the two NATO allies, according to Polish air force leadership.

Hagel, ASEAN Defense Ministers Expand Disaster-relief Partners

Member for

11 years 1 month

HONOLULU, April 3, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations crisscrossed the city yesterday in a motorcade of vans, buses and police cars, adding potential partners or capabilities that might expand humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in the Asia-Pacific region at every stop.

Dempsey, Gantz Look to Countering Mideast Threats

Member for

11 years 1 month

JERUSALEM , March 31, 2014 – Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Israel’s chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz have met in Jerusalem to discuss countering long term threats to the region and ways to turn them into opportunities.

Speaking to reporters, Gantz said that based on their conversations, “we can definitely cooperate on the challenges and actually try and turn some of the threats that we face into opportunity.”