WEBVTT 00:00.240 --> 00:02.296 ladies and gentlemen and the team of 00:02.296 --> 00:04.296 Dugway proving ground . I'm Colonel 00:04.296 --> 00:06.518 brian Hoffman , commander of Dugway . I 00:06.518 --> 00:08.629 took a man on 20 July 2021 and I want 00:08.629 --> 00:10.740 to take this opportunity to introduce 00:10.740 --> 00:12.851 myself and to discuss a few important 00:12.851 --> 00:12.710 issues . The first thing I'd like to 00:12.710 --> 00:14.780 discuss is Covid . This is an enemy 00:14.780 --> 00:16.947 that we're all still fighting and that 00:16.947 --> 00:18.947 we all face daily and it's going to 00:18.947 --> 00:21.002 take our collective effort to defeat 00:21.002 --> 00:23.002 this enemy because the fight is not 00:23.002 --> 00:22.730 finished and to do that , we're going 00:22.730 --> 00:24.786 to focus on three things what I call 00:24.786 --> 00:27.030 the big three masks , social distancing 00:27.030 --> 00:29.020 and vaccinations for masks . The 00:29.020 --> 00:31.242 Department of Defense has mandated that 00:31.242 --> 00:33.464 we all wear masks indoors regardless of 00:33.464 --> 00:35.631 vaccination status . We're going to do 00:35.631 --> 00:37.631 this as a team . We're all going to 00:37.631 --> 00:39.742 wear masks not only protect ourselves 00:39.742 --> 00:41.964 but to protect our colleagues . I would 00:41.964 --> 00:41.230 also encourage you to wear masks even 00:41.230 --> 00:43.452 outdoors when you're unable to socially 00:43.452 --> 00:45.619 distance . Now for social distancing , 00:45.619 --> 00:47.897 this is the second piece of this issue . 00:47.897 --> 00:49.897 We all need to social distance when 00:49.897 --> 00:51.841 we're indoors whether or not we're 00:51.841 --> 00:53.841 vaccinated . Finally , vaccinations 00:53.841 --> 00:56.008 while we're not mandating vaccinations 00:56.008 --> 00:58.230 for the team at Dugway , encourage each 00:58.230 --> 00:58.140 and every one of you to get vaccinated , 00:58.150 --> 01:00.540 it's safe effective and it works . So 01:00.540 --> 01:02.596 inviting each of you to do the right 01:02.596 --> 01:04.762 thing for the right reasons and that's 01:04.762 --> 01:06.929 to help stop the spread of this latest 01:06.929 --> 01:08.984 variant . If you have concerns about 01:08.984 --> 01:11.151 Covid or the vaccination process or if 01:11.151 --> 01:10.800 you have issues with the safety 01:10.800 --> 01:12.911 mandates in place , my door is always 01:12.911 --> 01:14.911 open . Please feel free to come and 01:14.911 --> 01:17.022 speak to me or your supervisors about 01:17.022 --> 01:19.189 your concerns and we will address them 01:19.189 --> 01:21.356 with the latest information we have at 01:21.356 --> 01:21.210 our disposal . I look forward to 01:21.210 --> 01:23.266 speaking with each of you about this 01:23.266 --> 01:25.488 important endeavor to mitigate the risk 01:25.488 --> 01:27.599 and stop the spread of this pervasive 01:27.599 --> 01:29.766 virus . So a little bit about myself . 01:29.766 --> 01:31.932 I was born and raised in Raleigh North 01:31.932 --> 01:34.154 Carolina and entered the Army in 1998 . 01:34.154 --> 01:34.020 I've been married to Jordan caps since 01:34.020 --> 01:36.050 2002 . And together we have three 01:36.050 --> 01:38.270 beautiful Children . Some members of 01:38.270 --> 01:40.159 the team at Dugway have asked how 01:40.159 --> 01:42.270 someone with my background experience 01:42.270 --> 01:43.992 ended up commanding a test and 01:43.992 --> 01:46.410 evaluation center . Well , I'll offer 01:46.410 --> 01:48.650 to answers . The first is tradition . 01:49.740 --> 01:51.796 Since the establishment of Dugway in 01:51.796 --> 01:54.260 1942 , a chemical officer has commanded 01:54.260 --> 01:57.290 the installation the second and most 01:57.290 --> 01:59.930 important is needs of the army . As a 01:59.930 --> 02:01.930 colonel , I was able to compete for 02:01.930 --> 02:03.930 brigade command and was selected to 02:03.930 --> 02:05.930 command Dugway proving ground . But 02:05.930 --> 02:07.874 taking someone with my operational 02:07.874 --> 02:09.874 experience and asking them to run a 02:09.874 --> 02:12.097 test and evaluation center does present 02:12.097 --> 02:14.263 some unique challenges as well as some 02:14.263 --> 02:16.486 valuable opportunities . A challenge is 02:16.486 --> 02:18.708 the steep learning curve facing any new 02:18.708 --> 02:20.763 commander , Especially one without a 02:20.763 --> 02:22.708 test and evaluation or acquisition 02:22.708 --> 02:24.819 background . However , there are also 02:24.819 --> 02:26.986 opportunities Dugway exists to empower 02:26.986 --> 02:28.986 our nation's defenders , commanders 02:28.986 --> 02:31.097 with extensive operational experience 02:31.097 --> 02:33.041 provide the connection between the 02:33.041 --> 02:35.097 major ranges and test facility bases 02:35.097 --> 02:37.097 and the operational force . So I'll 02:37.097 --> 02:39.041 leave you with reporting , thought 02:39.041 --> 02:41.041 everyone matters people First means 02:41.041 --> 02:42.986 everyone is important and a Dugway 02:42.986 --> 02:44.819 proving ground people are in the 02:44.819 --> 02:46.819 mission . I look forward to working 02:46.819 --> 02:48.874 with each and every one of you as we 02:48.874 --> 02:51.041 continue the mission of empowering our 02:51.041 --> 02:50.650 nation's defenders .