WEBVTT 00:00.240 --> 00:02.660 well listen thanks for taking the time . 00:03.040 --> 00:05.262 You know , you look , I look out in the 00:05.262 --> 00:07.484 audience to say , I don't see many navy 00:07.484 --> 00:09.707 people you say , what is this Navy four 00:09.707 --> 00:09.370 star here talking to us and cutting 00:09.370 --> 00:11.890 into my pt time and dragging into my 00:11.890 --> 00:15.460 lunch break here . But uh it has been a 00:15.470 --> 00:17.692 tremendous honor and a privilege for me 00:17.692 --> 00:19.692 to get to the position of being the 00:19.692 --> 00:21.914 pacific commander . I've just come from 00:21.914 --> 00:24.540 europe was in the NATO operations over 00:24.540 --> 00:26.707 there for a couple of years , but most 00:26.707 --> 00:28.707 of my life I've spent in the in and 00:28.707 --> 00:30.818 around the pacific in the pacific rim 00:30.818 --> 00:33.480 and doing the operations here . So for 00:33.480 --> 00:35.480 the chance for a Navy guy to get to 00:35.480 --> 00:37.647 come back and beat up a calm , uh like 00:37.647 --> 00:39.702 one of my counterparts explains just 00:39.702 --> 00:41.869 like climbing into a warm jacuzzi on a 00:41.869 --> 00:43.980 cold night . It's just nice feeling . 00:43.980 --> 00:46.036 So being back here in the pacific is 00:46.036 --> 00:47.980 really , really special . And uh , 00:47.980 --> 00:50.420 opportunity to come here and see you in 00:50.420 --> 00:52.642 less than one month has been a priority 00:52.642 --> 00:54.753 for me . And I started here , this is 00:54.753 --> 00:56.900 my first visit into the A . R . Of 00:56.900 --> 00:58.900 course , you know , when you get in 00:58.900 --> 01:01.011 these jobs you spend almost more time 01:01.011 --> 01:03.289 in Washington than you do out in the A . 01:03.289 --> 01:05.344 O . R . So the first two weeks I was 01:05.344 --> 01:07.567 back testifying to Congress and talking 01:07.567 --> 01:09.678 about budgets and all this stuff that 01:09.678 --> 01:11.900 we can talk a little bit about later if 01:11.900 --> 01:14.011 you're interested . But then I said I 01:14.011 --> 01:13.600 need to get to the hor so where's the 01:13.600 --> 01:15.600 first place I came ? And that is to 01:15.600 --> 01:18.520 hear ? And it's because of you , You 01:18.520 --> 01:20.710 know , there's about 330,000 of you in 01:20.710 --> 01:24.690 the in the my a . R uh our a . R 01:24.700 --> 01:27.220 52% of the world's surface area is in 01:27.220 --> 01:30.180 the pacific command . Over half the 01:30.180 --> 01:32.124 population of the world is in this 01:32.124 --> 01:34.790 command . Most of the largest 01:34.880 --> 01:36.880 militaries in the world are in this 01:36.880 --> 01:40.330 area , and certainly all of the largest 01:40.340 --> 01:43.600 economies are in this area . And , you 01:43.600 --> 01:45.810 know , we just recently had a our 01:45.810 --> 01:48.360 president had , did , I think a very 01:48.370 --> 01:50.960 great thing this past year . He 01:50.960 --> 01:53.071 recognized that we were coming out of 01:53.071 --> 01:55.182 Afghanistan . And Iraq who's here has 01:55.182 --> 01:57.071 been in those places . See that's 01:57.071 --> 01:59.071 amazing . Take a look around at how 01:59.071 --> 02:01.238 many hands were up , but we're finally 02:01.238 --> 02:03.238 coming out of those places . Iraq . 02:03.238 --> 02:05.238 We've done all we can do in Iraq in 02:05.238 --> 02:07.238 Afghanistan . You know , we're on a 02:07.238 --> 02:09.460 glide slope to come out sometime in the 02:09.460 --> 02:11.682 next couple of years and get that place 02:11.682 --> 02:13.849 uh into a position that we we think we 02:13.849 --> 02:16.127 can sustain for the foreseeable future . 02:16.740 --> 02:19.230 So , what do we do next ? Well , we're 02:19.230 --> 02:21.860 faced with a Uh as we always are , I've 02:21.860 --> 02:24.760 been in the Navy 40 years . This march . 02:25.540 --> 02:27.930 Ah I am probably older than almost 02:27.930 --> 02:30.152 anybody in this audience . I've been in 02:30.152 --> 02:32.319 the Navy . But during that time , I've 02:32.319 --> 02:34.430 seen uh Sine waves of what's happened 02:34.430 --> 02:36.597 to military from post Vietnam when I , 02:36.597 --> 02:38.486 when I came in during Vietnam war 02:38.840 --> 02:41.770 through numbers of conflicts we had in 02:41.770 --> 02:43.937 the Middle East where we ramped up the 02:43.937 --> 02:45.992 military force and then we ramped it 02:45.992 --> 02:48.610 down . But throughout that we've gone 02:48.610 --> 02:50.890 through cycles of growing the force and 02:50.900 --> 02:53.160 shrinking the force and budget cuts . 02:53.840 --> 02:56.062 But the really great news is that after 02:56.062 --> 02:58.290 those 40 years of all that , we have 02:58.290 --> 03:00.740 the most highly capable , most 03:00.750 --> 03:03.370 competent military force in the history 03:03.370 --> 03:06.080 of the world and in the history of our 03:06.080 --> 03:09.190 own military today in place today . So 03:09.190 --> 03:11.860 as we face these , after yet again , 03:11.860 --> 03:14.027 another down draw down in the american 03:14.027 --> 03:16.249 people say , hey , we got some problems 03:16.249 --> 03:18.360 here at home . We have to deal with , 03:18.360 --> 03:20.082 we've tried to fund the global 03:20.082 --> 03:22.249 operations the best we can , but we've 03:22.249 --> 03:24.471 got some own physical challenges here , 03:24.471 --> 03:26.693 you know , so we need some help . So to 03:26.693 --> 03:28.693 do that we , in the upcoming budget 03:28.693 --> 03:30.582 cycle , you've been hearing about 03:30.582 --> 03:32.527 billions of dollars coming out and 03:32.527 --> 03:34.693 impacts on the size of the force . But 03:34.693 --> 03:36.804 I think what I'd ask you to take away 03:36.804 --> 03:40.000 today is that is that in all that first 03:40.000 --> 03:42.170 thing the president said is that as we 03:42.170 --> 03:44.360 rebalance this force for the future , 03:44.370 --> 03:46.426 which will be a little bit smaller , 03:46.440 --> 03:48.550 which will be certainly more 03:48.560 --> 03:50.850 technically competent in the future , 03:51.240 --> 03:54.000 more advanced and more lethal . That 03:54.010 --> 03:56.750 we're going to prioritize our assets To 03:56.750 --> 03:58.917 the Asia Pacific # one into the Middle 03:58.917 --> 04:01.930 East , # two . And so for the 04:01.930 --> 04:04.080 foreseeable future from from today 04:04.080 --> 04:06.247 forward or when he put this letter out 04:06.247 --> 04:09.830 back in january , our strategy as as 04:09.830 --> 04:12.530 the government will be for our U . S . 04:12.530 --> 04:14.474 Forces to kind of come back to the 04:14.474 --> 04:17.020 pacific and to be not that we are you 04:17.020 --> 04:19.790 ever left but to put our proponents are 04:19.790 --> 04:21.630 effort back into the things that 04:21.630 --> 04:23.797 happened here in the pacific now , why 04:23.797 --> 04:26.170 is that ? Well , if you take a look at 04:26.180 --> 04:29.270 who's got Children here , okay , you 04:29.270 --> 04:31.214 all want them to have a prosperous 04:31.214 --> 04:33.381 future . You want them to have a job , 04:33.381 --> 04:35.603 You want them to have a home , You want 04:35.603 --> 04:37.714 them to have a little bit better than 04:37.714 --> 04:36.830 what you had , right ? That's the 04:36.830 --> 04:40.750 american dream . Well , the economy of 04:40.750 --> 04:42.680 our country , the security of our 04:42.680 --> 04:46.640 country is so dependent upon what 04:46.640 --> 04:48.640 happens in this region of the world 04:48.640 --> 04:50.418 that we have to continue to pay 04:50.418 --> 04:52.584 attention . So in the coming weeks and 04:52.584 --> 04:54.862 months that you're finishing your tour , 04:54.862 --> 04:57.029 we're going to see at the beginning of 04:57.029 --> 04:59.307 the implementation of that rebalancing . 04:59.340 --> 05:01.562 First of all , the marines , he got the 05:01.562 --> 05:03.396 marines in here . There you go . 05:03.396 --> 05:05.507 Alright , Marines , marines are gonna 05:05.507 --> 05:07.562 come back into the pacific . They've 05:07.562 --> 05:09.784 been out of the Pacific uh in a big way 05:09.784 --> 05:11.618 for about the last 10 years . So 05:11.618 --> 05:13.840 they're gonna come back and the myth is 05:13.840 --> 05:13.420 going to get reconstituted and they're 05:13.420 --> 05:15.690 going to start doing the things in the 05:15.700 --> 05:17.867 in this part of the world that we have 05:17.867 --> 05:19.990 marines here to do uh the same thing 05:19.990 --> 05:21.990 for the army . The army is going to 05:21.990 --> 05:24.120 come back to the United States , it's 05:24.120 --> 05:26.453 probably gonna get a little bit smaller , 05:26.453 --> 05:28.980 but that's all still being debated in 05:28.980 --> 05:30.980 the budget battles and that type of 05:30.980 --> 05:33.300 thing . But then we're going to see uh 05:33.310 --> 05:35.430 the army start to do more rotational 05:35.430 --> 05:37.660 deployments into the pacific . You 05:37.660 --> 05:39.590 think about it . Most of the big 05:39.590 --> 05:41.870 countries in this area have militaries 05:41.870 --> 05:44.640 that are army centric , I think five of 05:44.640 --> 05:46.807 the largest armies in the world are in 05:46.807 --> 05:49.029 this part of the world . And so we need 05:49.029 --> 05:51.029 an army force that's in here . This 05:51.029 --> 05:53.560 gauging and and and working hard now , 05:54.040 --> 05:56.220 Uh the Navy and and the Marine Corps , 05:56.230 --> 05:58.341 uh the Navy , it can say for this has 05:58.341 --> 06:00.890 been doing a shift to this region for 06:00.890 --> 06:04.070 about 10 years . We have moved our 06:04.070 --> 06:06.510 submarine force in a greater proportion 06:06.640 --> 06:09.790 to this theater . We have moved , we 06:09.790 --> 06:11.790 have put a nuclear aircraft carrier 06:11.790 --> 06:14.200 here in the last decade which was 20 06:14.200 --> 06:16.256 years ago . There have been some who 06:16.256 --> 06:17.978 said that would have been very 06:17.978 --> 06:20.033 difficult . But it happened . We are 06:20.033 --> 06:21.890 moving ships into Singapore on a 06:21.890 --> 06:25.010 rotational deployable basis . So we're 06:25.010 --> 06:27.010 doing things like that . And you're 06:27.010 --> 06:29.121 finding that in this theater the very 06:29.121 --> 06:32.030 highest end ballistic missile assets 06:32.030 --> 06:34.197 that the navy has or in this theater , 06:34.197 --> 06:36.308 the best submarine . So we're biasing 06:36.308 --> 06:38.363 those towards this theater . The air 06:38.363 --> 06:40.530 force the same if you take a look at 06:40.530 --> 06:43.760 the uh the lay down of the highest end 06:43.760 --> 06:46.150 aircraft and in fact some of you are 06:46.160 --> 06:49.360 representative of the superb quality of , 06:49.370 --> 06:51.481 of the forces that are here forward . 06:51.481 --> 06:53.481 So the Air Force is doing a similar 06:53.481 --> 06:55.481 thing . So we're gonna move in that 06:55.481 --> 06:57.703 direction over the next next decades or 06:57.703 --> 06:59.592 so . So that your Children , your 06:59.592 --> 07:01.648 grandchildren have the security they 07:01.648 --> 07:05.150 need here . So ah , I think that 07:05.640 --> 07:07.820 it's a good thing for a pay com 07:07.820 --> 07:09.876 commander for his first month in the 07:09.876 --> 07:12.510 job to have a uh , the president , 07:12.510 --> 07:14.454 United States say , hey , the area 07:14.454 --> 07:16.399 you're going to is going to be the 07:16.399 --> 07:18.621 number one priority for the future . So 07:18.621 --> 07:20.732 I wanted to come out to see you folks 07:20.732 --> 07:22.954 and let you understand how important is 07:22.954 --> 07:26.070 what you do and why you do it now as we 07:26.070 --> 07:29.620 go forward um , on this rebalance or , 07:29.630 --> 07:31.686 or pivot , uh , it doesn't mean that 07:31.686 --> 07:33.741 we're going to get all the money and 07:33.741 --> 07:35.908 resources and people that we want . It 07:35.908 --> 07:38.130 just won't happen . It means that we're 07:38.130 --> 07:40.241 going to have to all work hard and to 07:40.241 --> 07:42.360 identify the areas that we need to 07:42.360 --> 07:44.471 rebalance and the areas where we need 07:44.471 --> 07:47.630 to grow . And it's going to require a 07:47.640 --> 07:51.490 smaller , more efficient force that has 07:51.490 --> 07:53.601 deck plate leadership , I call a deck 07:53.601 --> 07:55.712 plate . You guys maybe call it tarmac 07:55.712 --> 07:57.960 or run away or , or what's the army 07:57.960 --> 08:00.460 call it , You know , in the field 08:00.460 --> 08:02.682 leadership that's going to require each 08:02.682 --> 08:05.710 of you to step forward and in ways of 08:05.720 --> 08:08.360 of of leadership and leading , leading 08:08.360 --> 08:10.582 from wherever you are in the , in the , 08:10.582 --> 08:12.749 in the organization , in ways that you 08:12.749 --> 08:14.860 haven't done in the past or that your 08:14.860 --> 08:16.860 success , your predecessors haven't 08:16.860 --> 08:19.360 done in the past . So I look forward to 08:19.360 --> 08:22.020 seeing you excel and to grow in in 08:22.020 --> 08:25.550 those areas . Um if you take a look at 08:26.140 --> 08:27.973 this part of the world , there's 08:27.973 --> 08:30.196 several things that are going to happen 08:30.196 --> 08:34.000 In this rebalance one is we are 08:34.000 --> 08:36.650 going to strengthen our alliances . Now 08:36.650 --> 08:39.070 this alliance that you maintain on a 08:39.070 --> 08:41.080 day to day basis and your family's 08:41.080 --> 08:43.490 maintaining your Children maintain with 08:43.490 --> 08:46.230 the Japanese is the cornerstone of the 08:46.230 --> 08:48.980 security investment we made in 08:48.980 --> 08:51.970 Northeast Asia and the security 08:51.970 --> 08:54.081 investment we will make in the future 08:54.081 --> 08:56.700 alliance has to remain strong and it 08:56.700 --> 08:59.410 relies on each of you doing the jobs 08:59.410 --> 09:02.240 that you do so well every day . And it 09:02.240 --> 09:04.730 relies on you continuing those great 09:04.730 --> 09:06.952 relationships and partnerships with our 09:06.952 --> 09:09.280 Japanese friends and allies to ensure 09:09.280 --> 09:11.530 that we continue to have access and we 09:11.530 --> 09:13.900 continue to partner together because 09:13.910 --> 09:17.040 this has now this has been recognized 09:17.050 --> 09:20.020 as the centerpiece as the cornerstone 09:20.050 --> 09:22.161 of that alliance . It doesn't mean we 09:22.161 --> 09:24.272 don't have other great allies in this 09:24.272 --> 09:26.328 region . We do . We have five actual 09:26.328 --> 09:28.740 allies and we have a number of very 09:28.740 --> 09:30.907 special partners and we have a growing 09:30.907 --> 09:33.730 number of partners . In fact part of my 09:33.730 --> 09:36.260 job in the coming weeks and months will 09:36.260 --> 09:38.960 be , how to better articulate a long 09:38.960 --> 09:41.660 term strategic relationship with India 09:42.240 --> 09:44.670 uh who even here thought that India was 09:44.670 --> 09:47.440 in the pecan . They are , but it is uh 09:47.450 --> 09:49.672 it's out there . So we're gonna have to 09:49.672 --> 09:51.783 think about how we're gonna do that . 09:51.783 --> 09:54.006 It will touch you here . Well that type 09:54.006 --> 09:56.228 of thinking and activity touch you here 09:56.228 --> 09:58.339 in Japan . Probably not so much , but 09:58.339 --> 10:00.680 it could , it could . So that's job one 10:00.680 --> 10:02.736 is to make sure that the alliance is 10:02.736 --> 10:06.250 strong . Job # two is to make sure that 10:06.640 --> 10:08.751 in the in the coming weeks and months 10:08.751 --> 10:10.980 and years that we don't have a 10:10.980 --> 10:13.160 destabilizing situation on the north 10:13.160 --> 10:15.590 korean peninsula that would stop 10:15.600 --> 10:17.656 progress in this part of the part of 10:17.656 --> 10:19.820 the world . And so , you know , we're 10:19.820 --> 10:22.160 watching that situation very carefully . 10:22.630 --> 10:26.240 It has its frustrations but it also has 10:26.250 --> 10:28.620 possibilities I think in the future as 10:28.620 --> 10:31.860 this region grows . Um and then 10:31.870 --> 10:34.300 finally I would say that that in the 10:34.300 --> 10:36.411 strategic balance we're gonna look at 10:36.411 --> 10:38.980 where we're located now . You've seen 10:38.980 --> 10:41.202 some initiatives just since you've been 10:41.202 --> 10:43.313 here to to move forces from different 10:43.313 --> 10:46.130 locations . Uh we're always talking 10:46.130 --> 10:48.186 about what's going to happen down in 10:48.186 --> 10:50.297 Okinawa with with the marines and the 10:50.297 --> 10:52.840 Fatima base . Uh but I would just say 10:52.840 --> 10:54.810 that what you should expect in the 10:54.810 --> 10:57.870 future is uh an enduring presence in 10:57.870 --> 11:00.930 this part of the world that's properly 11:00.930 --> 11:03.750 shaped for the for the coming century . 11:04.340 --> 11:06.340 But you should also recognize that 11:06.350 --> 11:09.480 because of the globalization , because 11:09.480 --> 11:13.300 of the trade that flows in the air and 11:13.300 --> 11:16.440 on the oceans . Um how much trade flows 11:16.450 --> 11:19.040 by sea globally ? What percentage of 11:19.040 --> 11:21.860 anybody know ? It would take a guess 11:23.540 --> 11:26.860 Come in , How much , 95% 11:28.140 --> 11:30.140 95% of everything that moves in the 11:30.140 --> 11:32.310 world moves on a ship now . It doesn't 11:32.310 --> 11:34.310 mean that airs on important because 11:34.310 --> 11:36.421 that's 5% we move in the air . Is the 11:36.421 --> 11:38.366 stuff you gotta have there because 11:38.366 --> 11:40.477 you've got to have it there quick and 11:40.477 --> 11:42.699 that's critical . But what people don't 11:42.699 --> 11:45.590 recognize is that in your lifetime , in 11:45.590 --> 11:47.860 fact in half of your life times today 11:48.340 --> 11:50.870 that the amount of stuff that flows on 11:50.870 --> 11:54.700 the oceans has quadrupled The last 20 11:54.700 --> 11:57.390 years . It's quadrupled because if you 11:57.390 --> 11:59.390 think about it , how much ever ever 11:59.390 --> 12:01.612 when you go to your shopping out to the 12:01.612 --> 12:03.723 Macy's at home and you pull something 12:03.723 --> 12:05.834 off the clothes rack did it come from 12:05.834 --> 12:08.280 California ? Probably not when you go 12:08.280 --> 12:12.050 to buy your 62 a half inch three D . L . 12:12.060 --> 12:15.540 E . C . D . T . V . Where did that come 12:15.540 --> 12:18.500 from ? Uh Well parts of it might have 12:18.500 --> 12:20.389 come out of the United States but 12:20.390 --> 12:22.612 probably was assembled somewhere else . 12:23.420 --> 12:25.820 And this is across everything that we 12:25.820 --> 12:29.360 have from our food to our medicine to 12:29.360 --> 12:32.300 our into our entertainment , to all 12:32.300 --> 12:34.790 those things that sustain us . So it's 12:35.510 --> 12:38.040 important that we understand the 12:38.040 --> 12:40.151 criticality of maintaining a security 12:40.151 --> 12:42.820 environment in these common areas that 12:42.820 --> 12:45.330 allow that global economy to kind of 12:45.340 --> 12:47.550 churn along and create wealth , create 12:47.550 --> 12:50.270 jobs , create prosperity and to give us 12:50.270 --> 12:52.492 a world that you want your Children and 12:52.492 --> 12:54.550 your grandchildren have . So as that 12:54.550 --> 12:56.740 world gets more complex and those 12:56.740 --> 12:59.980 places where that stuff moves goes our 12:59.980 --> 13:02.180 security risks go up and we have to 13:02.180 --> 13:05.180 ensure that we have a partnership and 13:05.180 --> 13:07.402 alliance organization that allows us to 13:07.402 --> 13:09.480 underwrite that security and that's 13:09.480 --> 13:11.850 what you do here . That's what your 13:11.860 --> 13:13.749 your presence here is doing . And 13:13.749 --> 13:15.971 you're doing a great job . I've noticed 13:15.971 --> 13:18.193 them uh I had to ask them for a list of 13:18.193 --> 13:20.416 accomplishments you've had here at this 13:20.416 --> 13:22.416 command and it went over about four 13:22.416 --> 13:24.527 pages . So I won't read all of them . 13:24.527 --> 13:27.360 But I guess you have had the 374th Air 13:27.360 --> 13:29.416 Wing one , the Air Force Outstanding 13:29.416 --> 13:31.582 Unit Award last year , is that right ? 13:31.582 --> 13:33.960 Congratulations . Yeah . Okay . 13:36.740 --> 13:40.390 Yeah , US USFK they won 13:40.390 --> 13:44.040 Outstanding Unit Award . Let's see who 13:44.040 --> 13:46.660 else here ? Best Com Squadron , best in 13:46.660 --> 13:49.170 the Air Force in 2011 . The comedies 13:49.170 --> 13:50.950 here . All right , good . 13:53.140 --> 13:55.196 And and the list kind of goes on . I 13:55.196 --> 13:57.307 guess y'all did the christmas drop in 13:57.307 --> 13:59.584 South pacific . I was still doing that . 13:59.584 --> 14:01.529 So so well done to you . So really 14:01.529 --> 14:03.640 pleased from what I see here . Really 14:03.640 --> 14:06.280 proud of what you do . Really proud of 14:06.290 --> 14:08.660 of the image that you represent to the 14:08.670 --> 14:11.280 Japanese people and to the other folks 14:11.280 --> 14:14.200 that interact with you very proud of 14:14.200 --> 14:16.144 the support that you give to other 14:16.144 --> 14:18.350 critical areas of our theater which is 14:18.360 --> 14:21.980 our our folks are family members in our 14:21.990 --> 14:24.101 in our service members who are on the 14:24.101 --> 14:26.268 korean peninsula and dealing with that 14:26.268 --> 14:28.790 situation . So I think things are good . 14:28.870 --> 14:31.740 I think things are good now . Um now we 14:31.740 --> 14:33.796 can go to the to the harder issues . 14:33.796 --> 14:36.018 Let you ask me some questions because I 14:36.018 --> 14:38.018 know there is anc's out there about 14:38.140 --> 14:40.570 budget cuts and I heard the term 14:40.570 --> 14:43.120 sequestration , I heard that you 14:43.130 --> 14:45.241 probably haven't . That's good if you 14:45.241 --> 14:47.408 haven't heard it . But uh it's another 14:47.408 --> 14:49.463 kind of budget issue that's going on 14:49.463 --> 14:51.630 the United States and I'm sure there's 14:51.630 --> 14:53.741 concern about drawdowns and what does 14:53.741 --> 14:55.963 that mean to my future and to my career 14:55.963 --> 14:57.963 and and those type of things . Um I 14:57.963 --> 14:59.963 won't have all the answers to those 14:59.963 --> 15:02.130 because I don't think anybody does but 15:02.130 --> 15:04.241 I'm happy to discuss it with him . So 15:04.241 --> 15:03.830 that's it . Let me open it up and see 15:03.830 --> 15:05.941 if you have any questions or comments 15:05.941 --> 15:09.260 for me . Don't be afraid to ask a 15:09.260 --> 15:13.150 question . Yes sir . 15:14.340 --> 15:18.150 Well mm 15:23.640 --> 15:25.460 yeah fine 15:28.840 --> 15:31.007 great question . What he asked was are 15:31.007 --> 15:32.990 we looking for expanding basing 15:33.000 --> 15:36.340 operations bases ? The short answer 15:36.350 --> 15:38.860 to that is that we don't anticipate 15:40.020 --> 15:42.760 it's building any more U . S . Bases in 15:42.760 --> 15:45.090 this theater . I don't think the 15:45.090 --> 15:47.760 political environment and where and the 15:47.770 --> 15:49.980 how far the countries in this region 15:49.980 --> 15:52.670 have come and in their military . 15:52.670 --> 15:55.700 Sophistication would allow us to or 15:55.710 --> 15:57.766 would make him want to make us build 15:57.766 --> 16:00.550 another base somewhere . That said , we 16:00.550 --> 16:02.900 do want to be able to operate more 16:03.430 --> 16:06.020 geographically separate . We're gonna 16:06.020 --> 16:08.300 build up . Guam is a way we haven't in 16:08.300 --> 16:11.810 the past . We are talking now and 16:11.810 --> 16:14.580 working bilateral and multilateral 16:14.580 --> 16:16.610 relationships that will allow us to 16:16.940 --> 16:20.360 joint access or to use uh under a host 16:20.360 --> 16:22.840 nation support agreement . Uh areas 16:22.840 --> 16:25.007 like you heard about the marines going 16:25.007 --> 16:27.118 down to Darwin and so , but we're not 16:27.118 --> 16:29.340 gonna build a US based on their , we're 16:29.340 --> 16:31.007 gonna we're gonna yuko use an 16:31.007 --> 16:33.760 Australian base to their benefit and 16:33.760 --> 16:37.400 our benefit . Uh and we will uh 16:37.410 --> 16:39.610 rotate marines in and out of there . 16:39.620 --> 16:41.842 The ships that will send into Singapore 16:41.842 --> 16:44.064 that will not ever be a US base there . 16:44.064 --> 16:46.270 It'll be the Singaporean base and we 16:46.270 --> 16:49.460 will deplorably rotate forces in and 16:49.460 --> 16:51.238 out of there . And we're having 16:51.238 --> 16:53.182 discussions with a number of other 16:53.182 --> 16:54.960 partners to try to give us more 16:54.960 --> 16:57.127 flexibility of where our forces go and 16:57.127 --> 16:59.349 can go to support . Not only the day to 16:59.349 --> 17:00.904 day contingencies are large 17:00.904 --> 17:03.071 contingencies that joe all planned and 17:03.071 --> 17:04.960 trained to but also to be able to 17:04.960 --> 17:08.360 support the things like Tomodachi and 17:08.370 --> 17:11.390 uh tsunamis . You know , it's an 17:11.390 --> 17:13.460 earthquake again off the coast of 17:13.460 --> 17:16.200 Indonesia yesterday almost a nine point 17:16.200 --> 17:18.311 oh now , fortunately it was in a part 17:18.311 --> 17:20.200 of the ocean that didn't create a 17:20.200 --> 17:22.033 tsunami . But that same scenario 17:22.033 --> 17:24.256 happened a number of years ago . And as 17:24.256 --> 17:26.256 you recall , uh all the way up into 17:26.256 --> 17:28.367 Thailand and Bangladesh and Burma was 17:28.367 --> 17:30.940 devastated by that . So we've got to be 17:30.990 --> 17:34.050 uh operationally deployed in places 17:34.050 --> 17:36.140 where we can get to , this is such a 17:36.140 --> 17:38.196 large area , we can't just be in one 17:38.196 --> 17:41.540 place to do what we have to do . Does 17:41.540 --> 17:45.410 that help ? Okay , what else back 17:45.410 --> 17:48.990 back it , sir . Herman , Sullivan from 17:48.990 --> 17:52.280 the There we go . Uh the three 74th Air 17:52.280 --> 17:54.550 Wing Command Center questioned to 17:54.550 --> 17:56.960 piggyback on that with the multilateral 17:56.970 --> 17:58.914 agreements that we're working on . 17:58.914 --> 18:01.100 Would we see the high tempo band 18:01.100 --> 18:03.370 deployments we're seeing in the A . O . 18:03.370 --> 18:05.592 R . In the Middle East transfer over to 18:05.592 --> 18:08.500 pacific out to uh the various places 18:08.500 --> 18:12.170 around this area . Uh 18:12.180 --> 18:14.170 I think I think I understand the 18:14.170 --> 18:17.840 question . Uh will we see the active 18:17.840 --> 18:20.260 the the effort we're putting into the 18:20.260 --> 18:22.580 Middle East now translate into 18:22.580 --> 18:24.747 deployable forces that come here to do 18:24.747 --> 18:26.969 more of that multilateral interaction . 18:29.440 --> 18:31.910 Yes sir . Just as far as uh because 18:31.910 --> 18:34.132 we're currently seeing high tempo bands 18:34.132 --> 18:36.299 to support Afghanistan and our efforts 18:36.299 --> 18:38.243 over in the Middle East . Would we 18:38.243 --> 18:40.410 continue to have those high deployment 18:40.410 --> 18:42.577 rates within our troops or would there 18:42.577 --> 18:44.910 be more times been at home ? Yeah . 18:44.920 --> 18:48.720 Well , I think in general , the desire 18:48.720 --> 18:51.450 is we have to get the joint force back 18:51.450 --> 18:53.820 to us more stable deployment dwell 18:53.820 --> 18:56.690 level because none of the services can 18:56.690 --> 18:58.780 support the tempo that we're on now 18:58.780 --> 19:01.860 forever . We've been at it now for 10 19:01.860 --> 19:04.660 years or so . And but when I ask you 19:04.660 --> 19:06.604 all to raise your hands , how many 19:06.604 --> 19:08.827 people had been deployed ? I didn't ask 19:08.827 --> 19:10.882 how many have been deployed multiple 19:10.882 --> 19:12.938 times . I just hired a new executive 19:12.938 --> 19:15.104 assistant . He's a army colonel . He's 19:15.104 --> 19:17.271 standing here somewhere . I ask him to 19:17.271 --> 19:19.438 the desk and I mean deployments , have 19:19.438 --> 19:18.690 you made to Afghanistan ? I think he 19:18.690 --> 19:20.950 said five . And then I said , I mean 19:20.950 --> 19:23.550 did you make the Iraq ? He said four . 19:24.040 --> 19:26.151 So that was probably just , that's in 19:26.151 --> 19:28.096 the last 10 years . That's about , 19:28.540 --> 19:30.750 That's about one a year for 10 years . 19:30.750 --> 19:33.170 So the joint force can't sustain that 19:33.170 --> 19:35.270 forever . So we would , we would , I 19:35.270 --> 19:37.900 would not envision a scenario where 19:37.900 --> 19:39.900 we'd come out of Afghanistan and we 19:39.900 --> 19:42.011 would just continue to push the joint 19:42.011 --> 19:44.233 force through that because of a pay com 19:44.440 --> 19:47.420 desire to want to continue to engage in 19:47.420 --> 19:50.060 a higher tempo . I think there will be 19:50.540 --> 19:53.200 extra capability in , in the marine 19:53.200 --> 19:55.311 corps and the army and the end of the 19:55.311 --> 19:57.367 navy to some degree in the air force 19:57.367 --> 19:59.710 that will be applied to the pacific but 19:59.710 --> 20:01.766 we certainly want to bring the joint 20:01.766 --> 20:03.488 force back to something that's 20:03.488 --> 20:05.543 sustainable . It's hard to recruit , 20:05.543 --> 20:07.599 you know , having what percentage of 20:07.599 --> 20:09.488 american people contribute to the 20:09.488 --> 20:12.980 defense of this country About 1% or a 20:12.980 --> 20:16.140 little bit more . And so it's a very 20:16.140 --> 20:18.750 highly select group of people as you 20:18.750 --> 20:21.350 are . And we've got to make sure that 20:21.940 --> 20:24.400 they're trained well that we treat them 20:24.400 --> 20:27.380 right , that we trust them and then we 20:27.380 --> 20:29.491 take good care of their families . So 20:29.491 --> 20:31.547 we've got to get get all that pulled 20:31.547 --> 20:32.824 together . Thank you . 20:35.440 --> 20:36.662 Yes sir , over here . 20:41.840 --> 20:43.784 So I start embracing from at least 20:43.784 --> 20:45.940 before the LRS squadron . Um my 20:45.940 --> 20:47.996 question is I guess you can continue 20:47.996 --> 20:50.051 with the contingency . What will the 20:50.051 --> 20:52.680 priority for our assets here that are 20:52.680 --> 20:55.570 designated for the mission here be 20:55.570 --> 20:58.960 versus going to the A R um 20:59.440 --> 21:02.220 Afghanistan Iraq africa in that area . 21:02.220 --> 21:04.331 What would the prioritization be like 21:04.331 --> 21:06.442 if something's kicking off over there 21:06.442 --> 21:08.553 and something over here , how will we 21:08.553 --> 21:10.776 be able to defer because more by assets 21:10.776 --> 21:12.998 have been sent there when we still have 21:12.998 --> 21:14.942 a commitment here ? That's a great 21:14.942 --> 21:17.190 question . I think that in general , 21:17.190 --> 21:18.857 over time when we come out of 21:18.857 --> 21:22.330 Afghanistan you will see a 21:22.340 --> 21:25.450 reinstatement of the of the level of 21:25.450 --> 21:27.760 effort back in this theater . And that 21:27.770 --> 21:29.920 that would be the goal . That doesn't 21:29.920 --> 21:32.031 mean that we won't have a contingency 21:32.031 --> 21:34.198 somewhere there has to be dealt with . 21:34.198 --> 21:36.364 But the nature of the Afghanistan Iraq 21:36.364 --> 21:39.180 war drove us to have a have to 21:39.190 --> 21:42.760 source much of that out of this theater 21:43.440 --> 21:46.150 and to the , I think by recognition out , 21:46.150 --> 21:48.830 it was to our detriment , that it had 21:48.830 --> 21:51.052 to happen that way , but it just had to 21:51.052 --> 21:53.274 happen that way . And so now we want to 21:53.274 --> 21:55.219 get in our own mind of thinking of 21:55.219 --> 21:57.386 giving ourselves making this theater a 21:57.386 --> 21:59.710 priority for the long run and ensuring 21:59.710 --> 22:01.543 that those assets that have been 22:01.543 --> 22:03.766 forward deployed there , come back here 22:03.766 --> 22:05.877 and then are used in a meaningful way 22:05.877 --> 22:07.877 in this theater . My example of the 22:07.877 --> 22:09.599 Marine Corps very , I think an 22:09.599 --> 22:11.821 important one . The Marine Corps are an 22:11.821 --> 22:14.460 amphibious force and over the last 22:14.460 --> 22:16.490 decade or so they haven't , they 22:16.490 --> 22:18.434 haven't been used as an amphibious 22:18.434 --> 22:20.490 force . How many of the marines that 22:20.490 --> 22:22.546 have been on an amphibious ship back 22:22.546 --> 22:24.768 there and deployed on one ? I don't see 22:24.768 --> 22:26.990 one hand go up . Okay , so what we have 22:26.990 --> 22:29.101 is we have a joint force has been for 22:29.101 --> 22:31.212 the pacific uses has been misshapen . 22:31.740 --> 22:33.796 And so we need to reshape it for the 22:33.796 --> 22:35.796 contingencies that are gonna happen 22:35.796 --> 22:37.740 here and that's where we're , what 22:37.740 --> 22:40.073 we're headed towards . Okay , I'll help . 22:40.073 --> 22:44.010 All right . What else ? So I'm 22:44.010 --> 22:46.210 specialists come from 4 41st . My 22:46.210 --> 22:49.050 battalion 500 upgrade . Uh my question 22:49.050 --> 22:51.340 is with Kim Jong un being in power now 22:51.340 --> 22:53.507 in North Korea . You spoke about North 22:53.507 --> 22:55.673 Korea briefly . Um What do you think ? 22:55.673 --> 22:57.951 What do you assess his ability to lead ? 22:57.951 --> 22:59.673 Is um do you think he's just a 22:59.673 --> 23:01.562 figurehead and he has a committee 23:01.562 --> 23:03.618 that's um pretty much making the key 23:03.618 --> 23:05.784 decisions there or do you think he has 23:05.784 --> 23:07.951 the same respect that his father had ? 23:07.951 --> 23:09.896 What is your assessment ? That's a 23:09.896 --> 23:09.870 great question . The question is how 23:09.870 --> 23:11.814 does the new leader in north Korea 23:11.814 --> 23:13.926 house he stacking up . Right . That's 23:13.926 --> 23:16.950 the question . Um , of course I can 23:16.950 --> 23:19.370 only speculate because we're not there 23:19.370 --> 23:21.481 and that's one of the difficulties we 23:21.481 --> 23:23.426 have with keeping an eye on a very 23:23.426 --> 23:26.830 close society . I was watching the news 23:26.830 --> 23:29.052 this morning and they , because of this 23:29.052 --> 23:31.108 satellite launch or missile launch , 23:31.108 --> 23:33.760 they have a a train that they're taking . 23:33.760 --> 23:36.130 The reporters on . The reporters are 23:36.130 --> 23:38.297 taking pictures out of the windows , I 23:38.297 --> 23:40.186 guess through their little pocket 23:40.186 --> 23:39.350 cameras or something and they're 23:39.350 --> 23:42.000 reporting on it . And it's really 23:42.010 --> 23:44.550 surreal what you see , I mean , you see 23:44.940 --> 23:46.940 Almost something you would probably 23:46.940 --> 23:49.110 expect to see in the 1950s in Central 23:49.110 --> 23:51.760 Europe or something just kind of a very 23:52.000 --> 23:54.790 slow moving backward , kind of a rural 23:54.800 --> 23:57.570 top of environment , not much going on , 23:57.570 --> 23:59.792 not much agricultural , not much hope , 23:59.792 --> 24:02.390 those type of things . So it's a very , 24:02.390 --> 24:04.057 and and for some reason , the 24:04.057 --> 24:06.112 population their lives with that and 24:06.112 --> 24:08.610 they don't seem to be too upset about 24:08.610 --> 24:10.832 living under it . So it indicates to me 24:10.832 --> 24:13.200 there's a very closed society . So how 24:13.200 --> 24:16.170 the new leader will respond over time . 24:16.540 --> 24:19.490 Uh , I think uh , first of all will 24:19.490 --> 24:21.712 depend on the leadership that surrounds 24:21.712 --> 24:23.879 him in the within the regime , there , 24:24.340 --> 24:26.490 within the elite regime . And 24:26.500 --> 24:28.667 indications thus far is that they have 24:28.667 --> 24:30.667 surrounded him pretty well and that 24:30.667 --> 24:32.889 there isn't they are wanting to put him 24:32.889 --> 24:35.000 at least visually to the world in the 24:35.000 --> 24:37.380 position of being in power . So they 24:37.380 --> 24:39.960 will have the 100th anniversary of the 24:39.970 --> 24:43.060 of uh of the grandfather on the 15th . 24:43.840 --> 24:46.410 And so we'll get to see some of that on 24:46.420 --> 24:48.600 television and the parades . And I 24:48.600 --> 24:50.711 believe it will be an opportunity for 24:50.711 --> 24:53.420 them to try to further establish the 24:53.430 --> 24:55.790 new leader as the legitimate leader of 24:55.790 --> 24:58.700 North Korea . I believe that this 24:58.790 --> 25:00.890 missile launch that they're going to 25:00.890 --> 25:03.057 attempt here . I believe they probably 25:03.057 --> 25:05.420 will do it . Uh And I think that it 25:05.420 --> 25:08.570 will be an opportunity to show that 25:08.570 --> 25:10.850 he's kind of in charge and to show that 25:11.240 --> 25:13.407 that they're moving forward with their 25:13.407 --> 25:14.407 agenda . Okay , 25:24.040 --> 25:26.040 all right , just yell it out . I'll 25:26.040 --> 25:28.096 repeat it . Sir , Lieutenant Colonel 25:28.096 --> 25:30.207 Levitt here at the three 74th Airlift 25:30.207 --> 25:32.207 wing um concerning our relationship 25:32.207 --> 25:34.373 with china . Uh the world's economy is 25:34.373 --> 25:36.970 becoming more and more globalized and I 25:36.970 --> 25:39.670 see us instead of being more polar on 25:39.670 --> 25:41.448 opposite ends of the spectrum , 25:41.448 --> 25:43.559 militarily becoming more co dependent 25:43.559 --> 25:45.226 on each other . How would you 25:45.226 --> 25:47.448 characterize our relationship with them 25:47.448 --> 25:49.392 as we go forward ? Well , that's a 25:49.392 --> 25:51.226 great question and it's one that 25:51.226 --> 25:53.448 certainly this region of the world will 25:53.448 --> 25:57.040 have to deal with . Um I believe that 25:57.050 --> 25:59.420 our president has selective have 25:59.420 --> 26:01.476 articulated pretty well . We want to 26:01.476 --> 26:05.170 have a um we'd like to bring 26:05.840 --> 26:09.390 the china the PRC as a 26:09.400 --> 26:11.990 responsible , cooperative , transparent 26:11.990 --> 26:13.934 member of the security environment 26:14.340 --> 26:17.010 because we need that they need to be in 26:17.010 --> 26:20.360 it as a member of it as we do because 26:21.040 --> 26:24.520 ah We often terms have a tendency to 26:24.520 --> 26:26.298 define our relationship through 26:26.298 --> 26:28.464 military because we're in the military 26:28.464 --> 26:30.576 and this is an easy one for people to 26:30.576 --> 26:32.798 use is how or how do the military stack 26:32.798 --> 26:34.798 up . But if you look across all the 26:34.798 --> 26:37.690 other aspects of power that define the 26:37.700 --> 26:39.980 nation's interest , economic 26:40.160 --> 26:43.830 information , diplomatic , those are 26:43.830 --> 26:46.700 now becoming so intertwined because of 26:46.700 --> 26:48.850 a globalized economy , a globalized 26:48.860 --> 26:52.170 economic and diplomatic system that to 26:52.180 --> 26:54.530 define our relationship only in terms 26:54.530 --> 26:57.700 of military is not in their benefit and 26:57.700 --> 27:01.260 it's not in our benefit . So the 27:01.270 --> 27:03.770 chinese will have choices in the coming 27:04.140 --> 27:07.610 ah years to make and because they are 27:07.610 --> 27:10.340 so rapidly emerging as a as a global 27:10.340 --> 27:12.173 economic power and as a regional 27:12.173 --> 27:14.800 military power that how they choose to 27:14.800 --> 27:17.740 interact in the in the security 27:17.740 --> 27:20.080 organization which were part of our 27:20.090 --> 27:22.580 allies are part of our partners are 27:22.580 --> 27:24.747 part of an emerging partners . Will be 27:24.747 --> 27:27.000 part of will be critical for them to do 27:27.000 --> 27:29.740 that . It would not be in the best 27:29.740 --> 27:32.710 interest of anyone for to have the 27:32.710 --> 27:34.543 United States of America and the 27:34.543 --> 27:37.020 chinese militarily pitted against each 27:37.020 --> 27:39.187 other unnecessarily . It just wouldn't 27:39.187 --> 27:41.630 be in our best interest . So what we 27:41.630 --> 27:43.910 need to do here , his first of all is 27:43.910 --> 27:47.280 to support our alliances that underpin 27:47.280 --> 27:49.400 the security environment . That has 27:49.400 --> 27:52.020 been the foundation for the miracle has 27:52.020 --> 27:54.470 happened in Asia The economic miracle 27:54.470 --> 27:57.230 for the last 60 years and we need to 27:57.380 --> 28:00.100 continue that into the future but be 28:00.110 --> 28:02.166 pragmatic and knowing that you can't 28:02.166 --> 28:05.890 bring on china as a world economic 28:05.900 --> 28:08.810 power without implementing integrating 28:08.810 --> 28:11.380 them into the security environment . So 28:11.380 --> 28:13.547 we have to have transparency . We have 28:13.547 --> 28:15.900 to have dialogue but we also need to 28:15.900 --> 28:19.050 always be in with our allies and 28:19.060 --> 28:22.260 partners in a position of strength 28:22.840 --> 28:25.970 while we're doing it . So your job day 28:25.970 --> 28:28.350 today is to ensure that that position 28:28.350 --> 28:31.340 of strength is underpinned . My job is 28:31.340 --> 28:34.910 to attempt to open avenues for dialogue 28:34.910 --> 28:37.740 with the PRC that allow us to have 28:37.740 --> 28:40.690 better transparency on military on and 28:40.690 --> 28:43.980 it's the job of our diplomats and our 28:43.990 --> 28:46.560 president to go forward and to bring 28:46.560 --> 28:49.160 all the elements of power together that 28:49.640 --> 28:51.900 that our grandchildren will have a 28:51.900 --> 28:53.900 secure environment here rather than 28:53.900 --> 28:56.330 when they have to come over here and 28:56.510 --> 29:00.210 fight through to help . Okay . 29:00.300 --> 29:02.590 Yes sir sir . Sorry , Chandler from kim 29:02.600 --> 29:05.980 Zama um with the focus shifting to pay 29:05.980 --> 29:08.313 com , how will that affect our missions ? 29:08.313 --> 29:10.480 Will it increase ? For instance , like 29:10.480 --> 29:12.591 Yama , secure uh balikatan Cobra gold 29:12.740 --> 29:14.907 or will they basically stay the same ? 29:15.540 --> 29:17.651 Yeah , that's a great question . Will 29:17.651 --> 29:19.429 the periodicity in the types of 29:19.429 --> 29:21.596 exercises we do is what you describe , 29:21.596 --> 29:23.707 will that go up or go down ? That's a 29:23.707 --> 29:25.873 great . I've asked the components that 29:25.873 --> 29:27.873 same question . I don't know that I 29:27.873 --> 29:29.929 have a good answer for you . I don't 29:29.929 --> 29:32.096 know that that the number of exercises 29:32.096 --> 29:34.770 we would do would go up . I think we 29:34.770 --> 29:37.420 have historically some that are well 29:37.420 --> 29:39.642 founded and are well accepted by our by 29:39.642 --> 29:42.670 our allies but certainly the quantity 29:42.670 --> 29:44.781 and the quality of the exercises will 29:44.781 --> 29:47.300 we'll want to up the upgrade those , 29:47.300 --> 29:49.540 not that they're not great now but over 29:49.540 --> 29:52.890 time to upgrade those . So um I think 29:52.890 --> 29:56.670 probably uh probably about the same 29:56.670 --> 29:58.837 amount of exercises but just different 29:58.837 --> 30:01.340 in nature as far as quality and the 30:01.340 --> 30:03.396 quantity of effort to go into them . 30:03.396 --> 30:04.396 Okay . 30:14.150 --> 30:16.460 Sarah master MacLeish from the 3 74 the 30:16.460 --> 30:18.793 maintenance operations squadron earlier . 30:18.793 --> 30:22.240 You mentioned Okinawa and all the four 30:22.240 --> 30:24.518 structuring that's going on down there . 30:24.518 --> 30:27.450 What is your if you can expand on your 30:27.450 --> 30:29.561 vision if you have one about how that 30:29.561 --> 30:31.783 restructuring is going to take place in 30:31.783 --> 30:33.728 the coming years . Yeah , that's a 30:33.728 --> 30:36.020 great question . Um First of all we 30:36.020 --> 30:39.230 came to agreement in 2006 . Uh that 30:39.240 --> 30:41.780 that that was the D . P . R . I . 30:41.780 --> 30:43.930 initiative which was the realignment 30:43.940 --> 30:46.680 initiative . And that was an agreement 30:46.680 --> 30:50.200 at that time to uh to take part of the 30:50.200 --> 30:52.530 marines and put them in Guam and then 30:52.530 --> 30:56.270 to take uh the uh Fatima facility and 30:56.270 --> 30:58.492 to make a replacement for it and put it 30:58.492 --> 31:01.210 down at the up at camp Schwab and then 31:01.220 --> 31:03.570 take the marines out if you've flown in 31:03.570 --> 31:05.570 and out of Okinawa . You are out of 31:05.570 --> 31:07.626 Fatima . You understand most of them 31:07.626 --> 31:09.514 have you have you understand what 31:09.514 --> 31:11.681 they're up against as far as as far as 31:11.681 --> 31:13.459 encroachment on that runway and 31:13.459 --> 31:15.514 basically landing in the middle of a 31:15.514 --> 31:18.830 very densely populated city . And so uh 31:18.840 --> 31:20.980 that went on for a number of years . 31:20.980 --> 31:22.924 That agreement remains remained in 31:22.924 --> 31:25.850 place , remains in place today . And 31:26.240 --> 31:28.360 fundamentally it was sound but it had 31:28.740 --> 31:32.010 uh I think some difficulties uh on both 31:32.010 --> 31:35.080 sides but but some funding issues and 31:35.080 --> 31:38.220 decisions for on environmental impact 31:38.230 --> 31:40.174 statements and moving forward that 31:40.174 --> 31:43.160 appeared to make it stall . So what has 31:43.160 --> 31:45.660 happened is the Secretary of Defense , 31:45.660 --> 31:48.040 our own our own defense department and 31:48.040 --> 31:50.490 the government of Japan are in a 31:50.500 --> 31:53.900 dialogue about how to get it unstuck if 31:53.900 --> 31:56.122 that's the way to look at it to get the 31:56.122 --> 31:57.956 process unstuck . But it's still 31:57.956 --> 31:59.956 fundamentally agreement still is in 31:59.956 --> 32:02.011 place and we just need to get on and 32:02.011 --> 32:04.280 unstick the implementation . So we're 32:04.280 --> 32:06.350 still going to see of a team of 32:06.350 --> 32:08.183 replacement facility as far as I 32:08.183 --> 32:10.430 understand . Uh we're still going to 32:10.430 --> 32:13.410 see a at some point in time on some 32:13.410 --> 32:16.310 timeline the number of marines on 32:16.310 --> 32:19.120 Okinawa go down and some of those go uh 32:19.130 --> 32:22.030 to Guam and the exact numbers . I mean 32:22.040 --> 32:24.207 that those are always kind of floating 32:24.207 --> 32:26.151 around there and discussions and I 32:26.151 --> 32:28.318 think those are are still being worked 32:28.318 --> 32:30.540 but fundamentally the agreement we came 32:30.540 --> 32:32.651 to is in place and we're going to get 32:32.651 --> 32:34.707 on with implementation and I believe 32:34.707 --> 32:36.651 that the Japanese government is in 32:36.651 --> 32:38.707 pretty much agreement with us . That 32:38.707 --> 32:40.929 that's the way forward . There's always 32:40.929 --> 32:43.040 discussions about who's gonna pay for 32:43.040 --> 32:45.096 what , but that's just , that's just 32:45.096 --> 32:47.262 the bureaucracy of implementing a plan 32:47.262 --> 32:49.484 that we just have to deal with . Okay , 32:49.484 --> 32:52.500 what else ? These are two softball 32:52.500 --> 32:54.722 questions . You don't even ask any hard 32:54.722 --> 32:58.110 ones . Okay , inequality , life issues 32:58.110 --> 33:00.980 I need to help you with . He's raised 33:00.980 --> 33:02.091 his hand right up . 33:05.840 --> 33:09.820 So with the talks of steps 33:09.820 --> 33:11.987 are morally public health command Camp 33:11.987 --> 33:14.330 Zama , japan , um , with the talks of 33:14.340 --> 33:17.680 cutting benefits and cutting , manning , 33:17.690 --> 33:20.800 actually the budget budget cuts and 33:20.800 --> 33:23.770 manning cuts , how would that affect us 33:23.780 --> 33:26.870 here in Peckham area with without 33:26.870 --> 33:29.740 aspects such as cola , ohh , they and 33:29.740 --> 33:32.020 other benefits that we , we get here . 33:32.040 --> 33:35.870 Okay , great question . So 33:35.880 --> 33:38.380 I was talking to a congressman the 33:38.380 --> 33:40.890 other day and we got the subject of 33:40.890 --> 33:44.620 entitlements came up and I told him , I 33:44.620 --> 33:46.787 said , you know , congressman , I said 33:46.787 --> 33:48.898 if there's one thing you could do for 33:48.898 --> 33:51.800 me is quit calling what we give the pay 33:51.800 --> 33:54.940 and benefits we give to our , our men 33:54.940 --> 33:58.080 and women in uniform entitlements . I 33:58.080 --> 34:00.080 said , you got less , just a little 34:00.080 --> 34:02.380 over 1% of the country that are out 34:02.380 --> 34:04.700 there willing to die for the missions 34:04.700 --> 34:06.867 that used to sign you up for , They're 34:06.867 --> 34:09.120 willing to deploy 10 , 9 times in 10 34:09.120 --> 34:11.070 years . There will and drag their 34:11.070 --> 34:13.250 families all over the world , take him 34:13.250 --> 34:15.361 out from one school the next . I said 34:15.361 --> 34:17.417 that's not an entitlement ? That's , 34:17.417 --> 34:19.528 that's an investment . They're paying 34:19.528 --> 34:21.639 their benefits and their Nicola , you 34:21.639 --> 34:23.694 give them and the gyms you build for 34:23.694 --> 34:25.917 them and , and the schools you build to 34:25.917 --> 34:25.680 put their kids in . Those are 34:25.680 --> 34:27.569 investments . So we were to start 34:27.569 --> 34:29.624 talking about that was an investment 34:29.624 --> 34:31.736 perspective . And I think that , that 34:31.740 --> 34:34.250 is , that view is shared , uh , all the 34:34.250 --> 34:36.417 way up through , certainly through the 34:36.417 --> 34:38.361 sec def . And I'm , I would go , I 34:38.361 --> 34:41.160 would know when the president , the way 34:41.160 --> 34:43.520 I see him operate , I'm fully expect 34:43.520 --> 34:45.742 that . That's his perspective as well . 34:46.040 --> 34:49.270 So as we look at this budget thing , we 34:49.270 --> 34:51.500 just went through , as you recall , 34:51.500 --> 34:53.500 there was a lot of discussion about 34:53.710 --> 34:56.160 military pay and entitlements and 34:56.160 --> 34:59.180 benefits and that kind of thing . Got 34:59.180 --> 35:01.402 off into the newspaper and you have the 35:01.402 --> 35:03.624 newspaper turned stuff and it just gets 35:03.624 --> 35:05.736 it all turned up , gets everybody all 35:05.736 --> 35:08.020 upset . Well , wisely I believe 35:08.030 --> 35:10.750 Secretary Panetta took it off the table 35:11.140 --> 35:14.010 by saying , okay , we'll go study this 35:14.010 --> 35:17.020 for a year , which is a great tactical 35:17.020 --> 35:19.020 move . I mean it took it out of the 35:19.020 --> 35:21.131 mainstream . So let's go get out here 35:21.131 --> 35:23.076 and study it . And then he stepped 35:23.076 --> 35:25.298 outside of that and he said , hey , but 35:25.298 --> 35:27.298 I can tell you whatever you study , 35:27.298 --> 35:29.353 we're not gonna , we're not gonna to 35:29.353 --> 35:31.409 harm the force you have in place now 35:31.540 --> 35:33.762 Because he knows like I do , we've gone 35:33.762 --> 35:35.818 through this before . Like I said 40 35:35.818 --> 35:37.762 years . I've seen this drill about 35:37.762 --> 35:39.810 three times where there's always a 35:39.810 --> 35:42.010 discussion about entitlements and how 35:42.010 --> 35:44.350 do you , how do you do retirement and 35:44.350 --> 35:46.470 how do you do those type of things ? 35:46.840 --> 35:48.896 And they always kind of seem to come 35:48.896 --> 35:50.951 back to the model that we know works 35:50.951 --> 35:52.970 today . So I wouldn't guarantee you 35:53.340 --> 35:55.930 that all your benefits or my benefits 35:55.930 --> 35:59.260 are all safe because I can't predict 35:59.270 --> 36:01.381 perfectly what will happen to this to 36:01.381 --> 36:03.437 our economy or to our great nation . 36:03.437 --> 36:06.380 But given what I see on the horizon , I 36:06.380 --> 36:08.670 think Secretary Panetta's get got it 36:08.670 --> 36:10.837 right is that we're gonna look at it . 36:10.837 --> 36:13.003 There may be some recommendations , uh 36:13.003 --> 36:15.059 that will affect the future for us , 36:15.059 --> 36:17.281 but for those of you in uniform today , 36:17.281 --> 36:19.448 my guess is that we're not gonna see a 36:19.448 --> 36:21.559 lot of change now . We may not see uh 36:21.559 --> 36:23.503 you know , 3 , 4% pay raises every 36:23.503 --> 36:25.559 every year when everybody , when the 36:25.559 --> 36:27.614 rest of the country is not getting a 36:27.614 --> 36:29.837 pay raise . But I think that's okay . I 36:29.837 --> 36:31.781 mean , I think it's all right when 36:31.781 --> 36:34.003 you're , you know , if your family's at 36:34.003 --> 36:36.170 home , we're seeing decreases in their 36:36.170 --> 36:36.140 in their wages and we're seeing a 36:36.150 --> 36:38.440 steady increase . As long as we're 36:38.440 --> 36:40.551 monitoring that care . I think that's 36:40.551 --> 36:42.773 probably , you know , okay , as long as 36:42.773 --> 36:44.840 we're not being unnecessarily 36:44.840 --> 36:46.951 disadvantaged , but we'll be watching 36:46.951 --> 36:48.784 all this because it's a delicate 36:48.784 --> 36:51.270 balance between maintaining that 1% of 36:51.270 --> 36:53.492 Americans that defend their country and 36:53.492 --> 36:55.548 not being able to support recruiting 36:55.548 --> 36:59.440 them . But I think what I'd 36:59.440 --> 37:02.150 ask you to do is trying not to get too 37:02.150 --> 37:04.610 wired up on this . Uh well , first of 37:04.610 --> 37:06.666 all , we're talking about stuff that 37:06.666 --> 37:08.721 will happen 10 years , you know , in 37:08.721 --> 37:10.610 the future , by the time they get 37:10.610 --> 37:12.832 implemented that most of us will have , 37:12.832 --> 37:14.999 You will be able to our next career or 37:14.999 --> 37:17.221 playing golf or something 10 years . So 37:17.221 --> 37:19.332 let's don't get to uh let your , your 37:19.332 --> 37:21.388 stomach get all knotted up over this 37:21.388 --> 37:23.388 because you've got an important job 37:23.388 --> 37:25.500 here to do today . And my observation 37:25.500 --> 37:27.810 is that you're well supported , your 37:27.810 --> 37:30.310 will lead . I think you got great 37:30.320 --> 37:32.431 aircraft , you've got great tools and 37:32.431 --> 37:34.598 you've got great barracks to live in . 37:34.598 --> 37:36.820 I think , I mean all it looks like it's 37:36.820 --> 37:38.987 all going pretty well from from what I 37:38.987 --> 37:38.960 can see out here , it's not perfect , 37:39.530 --> 37:42.020 but it's not too bad . So please stay 37:42.020 --> 37:44.076 focused on the mission . And I think 37:44.076 --> 37:45.798 we'll get , you know , let the 37:45.798 --> 37:47.909 leadership work through this . That's 37:47.909 --> 37:50.590 what people like me and Secretary of 37:50.590 --> 37:52.930 the Army and the Chief of Staff of the 37:52.930 --> 37:55.097 Air Force and those folks , we have to 37:55.097 --> 37:57.208 work through these issues and to make 37:57.208 --> 37:59.430 sure that we're representing , you will 37:59.430 --> 38:01.597 and I can guarantee you that I will do 38:01.597 --> 38:01.350 the very best I can because I 38:01.350 --> 38:03.406 understand that I think I understand 38:03.406 --> 38:05.970 the problem . I am . We are we are 38:05.980 --> 38:08.147 together , we're all shipmates , we're 38:08.147 --> 38:10.313 all teammates and the thing we have in 38:10.313 --> 38:12.480 common , what is one thing that all of 38:12.480 --> 38:14.313 us have in common in this room ? 38:14.313 --> 38:16.536 Besides , I think they were americans . 38:16.536 --> 38:19.650 What else ? We're all volunteers . Okay . 38:20.020 --> 38:22.020 It might make us be here . So we're 38:22.020 --> 38:24.800 here because we want to be here and and 38:24.800 --> 38:27.100 I think because of the great work you 38:27.100 --> 38:28.989 have done and what great work you 38:28.989 --> 38:31.156 continue to do . The american people . 38:31.156 --> 38:34.400 Ah Really support you in a way that 38:34.400 --> 38:36.511 I've never seen support us . In a way 38:36.511 --> 38:38.950 I've never seen in 40 years Through two 38:38.950 --> 38:41.228 wars that weren't particularly popular . 38:41.490 --> 38:43.560 They just keep continued to be 38:43.750 --> 38:45.972 supportive of us and supportive of what 38:45.972 --> 38:48.650 we need . And we have to cherish that 38:48.810 --> 38:50.921 you have to cherish that because they 38:50.921 --> 38:53.220 they don't give that respect and uh , 38:53.230 --> 38:56.100 to you lightly . Uh they make you make 38:56.100 --> 38:58.211 you earn it and so you've earned it . 38:58.211 --> 39:00.322 I'll take one more . There's one more 39:00.322 --> 39:03.980 question . Okay . All right . There's 39:03.980 --> 39:05.430 one more . Uh huh . 39:11.020 --> 39:13.320 Um , I'm specialist lambert from Camp 39:13.320 --> 39:16.900 Zama . Um , on regards to the last 39:16.900 --> 39:20.850 question that was just asked , um , how 39:20.850 --> 39:24.770 do you feel about Doma with this being 39:24.770 --> 39:27.910 said ? People who do have families that 39:27.910 --> 39:30.880 the government do not protect and who 39:30.880 --> 39:33.070 are married and who have actual real 39:33.070 --> 39:35.070 things going on as well , just like 39:35.070 --> 39:37.181 everybody else in the room and we are 39:37.181 --> 39:41.100 volunteers to with everything 39:41.100 --> 39:43.810 being said and benefits being cut ? 39:43.820 --> 39:46.400 What is the likelihood that doMA will 39:46.400 --> 39:49.750 be repealed ? And people who are not 39:50.620 --> 39:53.110 given their full benefits , get their 39:53.110 --> 39:56.380 full benefits . Everybody understand 39:56.380 --> 39:58.880 the question Doma Defense of Marriage 39:58.880 --> 40:01.047 Act . I think as we're talking about , 40:01.047 --> 40:03.047 right , that's what Doma stands for 40:03.047 --> 40:05.047 Defense of Marriage Act . Yes sir . 40:05.047 --> 40:09.000 Yeah . Um of 40:09.000 --> 40:11.056 course you say the best question for 40:11.056 --> 40:13.210 last . Right , hardest question for 40:13.210 --> 40:16.830 last . Ah let me say this . I think 40:17.810 --> 40:21.000 the Joint Force , all of you should be 40:21.000 --> 40:24.830 applauded for how well the Joint Force 40:25.310 --> 40:27.421 adjusted to the repeal of don't ask , 40:27.421 --> 40:30.970 don't tell uh you know , we all of us 40:30.970 --> 40:33.081 old folks , we sat around and worried 40:33.081 --> 40:35.320 about this for a long time , about how 40:35.320 --> 40:37.920 it was gonna happen and what how it 40:37.920 --> 40:40.580 would have packed readiness . And the 40:40.590 --> 40:43.780 my observation is that because of you , 40:43.790 --> 40:46.970 because the way you oh , act 40:46.980 --> 40:49.150 professionally , that we've been able 40:49.150 --> 40:51.610 to as a force to accomplish not only 40:51.610 --> 40:54.270 that , but accomplished a tremendous 40:54.270 --> 40:58.150 diversification across ethnic lines , 40:58.150 --> 41:02.010 religious lines , uh sexual orientation 41:02.010 --> 41:05.000 lines , all these things that make us 41:05.010 --> 41:08.200 the force that can't be contented with 41:08.200 --> 41:10.367 by anybody else in the world . Because 41:10.367 --> 41:12.422 they can't they haven't seen anybody 41:12.422 --> 41:14.644 else going to replicate what we do . So 41:14.644 --> 41:17.710 that said that is progress . I can't 41:17.710 --> 41:20.010 tell you what what's going to happen in 41:20.010 --> 41:22.970 the minds of American people on on Doma . 41:22.980 --> 41:26.700 Uh because that's their decision . But 41:26.700 --> 41:30.600 I can tell you that uh that if they 41:30.600 --> 41:32.910 decide whatever they decide to do , if 41:32.910 --> 41:35.320 they decide to go in that direction and 41:35.320 --> 41:37.630 they turned back to the joint Force of 41:37.630 --> 41:39.741 the United States of America and they 41:39.741 --> 41:41.860 say for us to implement it , we'll do 41:41.860 --> 41:44.420 it with a class act . Well we'll do it 41:44.420 --> 41:47.760 the right way and we'll do it to ensure 41:47.760 --> 41:49.910 that that we've implemented the law 41:49.910 --> 41:52.270 properly and that our soldiers , 41:52.270 --> 41:54.437 sailors and marines and their families 41:54.437 --> 41:57.990 are properly taken care of . So I 41:57.990 --> 42:00.157 appreciate all of you coming today . I 42:00.157 --> 42:02.350 hope that I didn't take too much time 42:02.350 --> 42:05.000 out of your P . T . Time . But I really 42:05.000 --> 42:07.670 do want to thank you . It's an honor 42:07.830 --> 42:10.400 and a privilege to serve with you to 42:10.400 --> 42:12.344 see all of you and to see how well 42:12.344 --> 42:14.567 you're performing here . If you come to 42:14.567 --> 42:16.789 hawaii if I happen to be there , it's a 42:16.789 --> 42:18.789 great place . Come on in . If not , 42:18.789 --> 42:20.900 I'll see you on my next trip out here 42:20.900 --> 42:23.040 and and because I sure like this good 42:23.040 --> 42:25.670 sushi they got here . So All right , 42:25.670 --> 42:28.940 thank you very much . Okay .