Hagel

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, Aug. 28, 2013 – On the first day of Southeast Asia’s most important annual defense ministerial conference, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met here with his counterparts from the 10 nations that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On the sidelines, the secretary also took time for bilateral talks on the region and broader topics with his counterparts from Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Brunei, Burma and China.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Aug. 27, 2013 – In the short time he had between meetings with national leaders and a news conference in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sat down yesterday with members of the Indonesian armed forces and talked about being a soldier.

After meeting earlier this week with officials in Malaysia and Indonesia, Hagel will continue his current trip with stop-offs in Brunei and the Philippines. This is Hagel’s second official visit to the Asia-Pacific region since taking office.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 26, 2013 - In a first-of-its-kind deal worth about $500 million, the United States has agreed to sell eight new Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and Longbow radars to Indonesia, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said here today.

Hagel announced the deal during a joint news conference with Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro after productive meetings this afternoon with Yusgiantoro and earlier today with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 25, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had productive meetings here today with Malaysian officials and said the United States is committed to building on progress made over the past few years and strengthening the U.S.-Malaysian partnership.

Hagel’s first visit to Malaysia as defense secretary is part of an Asia-Pacific trip that will include visits to Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.

HONOLULU, Aug. 23, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived here yesterday on the first leg of a trip to the Asia-Pacific region to meet with counterparts and leaders from several countries and to attend a defense ministers meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.

This is the secretary’s second trip to the region since June.

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed Greek Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos to the Pentagon yesterday, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

"Secretary Hagel thanked Minister Avramopoulos for Greece's continued hosting of U.S. forces at Naval Support Activity at Souda Bay,” Little said in a statement summarizing the meeting. “Souda Bay is a key enabler of U.S. strategic objectives in the region, the importance of which became apparent during Operation Unified Protector in Libya.”

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón this morning at the Pentagon to discuss the close security partnership between the United States and Colombia, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

In a statement summarizing the meeting, Little said Hagel commended Colombia for continuing to make significant progress in its campaign against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a group known by its Spanish acronym FARC.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2013 – On his first day at the Pentagon’s helm, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today issued a message to the men and women of the Defense Department.

Here is the secretary’s message:

“Earlier today I was privileged to take the oath of office to become the 24th secretary of defense. I am humbled by and grateful for the opportunity that President Obama and the Congress have given me to once again serve our nation.