WEBVTT 00:01.800 --> 00:03.530 - Good afternoon, everybody. 00:03.530 --> 00:05.550 Thank you for being here. 00:05.550 --> 00:07.980 On Thursday, Secretary Esper will deliver remarks 00:07.980 --> 00:09.760 and participate in a moderated discussion 00:09.760 --> 00:13.130 at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 00:13.130 --> 00:14.590 This will focus on the success 00:14.590 --> 00:16.560 of the National Defense Strategy in year two 00:16.560 --> 00:18.860 as a guiding document for the Department, 00:18.860 --> 00:20.900 and where we're going with implementation 00:20.900 --> 00:23.310 of the NDS in the coming year. 00:23.310 --> 00:24.430 As part of this speech, 00:24.430 --> 00:26.910 he will also talk about the defense wide review 00:26.910 --> 00:30.480 and the reforms he has implemented within the fourth estate. 00:30.480 --> 00:33.430 Next week, Secretary Esper will attend the NATO Defense 00:33.430 --> 00:36.150 Ministerial and the Munich Security Conference. 00:36.150 --> 00:38.010 While there, he will continue meeting with our allies 00:38.010 --> 00:41.350 and partners to discuss the enduring defeat of ISIS, 00:41.350 --> 00:43.340 burden sharing, and driving implementation 00:43.340 --> 00:44.910 of the National Defense Strategy. 00:44.910 --> 00:46.750 I know a number of you are gonna be traveling with him, 00:46.750 --> 00:48.513 and others will meet him in Europe. 00:49.690 --> 00:52.240 Over the weekend, Secretary Esper approved a request 00:52.240 --> 00:53.770 for assistance from the Department of Health 00:53.770 --> 00:55.060 and Human Services 00:55.060 --> 00:57.270 for housing support for 1,000 individuals 00:57.270 --> 00:59.030 who may need to be quarantined upon arrival 00:59.030 --> 01:00.690 from overseas travel. 01:00.690 --> 01:02.457 The DOD will only provide housing support 01:02.457 --> 01:05.170 while HHS will remain responsible for all care, 01:05.170 --> 01:08.160 transportation, and security of these individuals. 01:08.160 --> 01:10.820 DOD personnel will not be in direct contact 01:10.820 --> 01:11.653 with these individuals, 01:11.653 --> 01:13.570 nor will these individuals have access 01:13.570 --> 01:15.770 to the base facilities beyond their housing. 01:16.630 --> 01:19.000 DOD will continue to follow CDC guidelines 01:19.000 --> 01:20.750 and monitor the situation. 01:20.750 --> 01:21.950 The Secretary will speak today 01:21.950 --> 01:24.500 with the the Northcom Commander, General O'Shaughnessy, 01:24.500 --> 01:26.130 to ensure he has the resources he needs 01:26.130 --> 01:29.560 to assist CDC and HHS going forward. 01:29.560 --> 01:31.500 The department has continued to provide 01:31.500 --> 01:33.250 force health protection information 01:33.250 --> 01:35.660 to our forces overseas and domestically. 01:35.660 --> 01:37.420 The health and safety of our forces, 01:37.420 --> 01:38.910 their families and our base communities 01:38.910 --> 01:42.030 are our top concern with regard to Coronavirus. 01:42.030 --> 01:44.500 So with that, I will be happy to take questions, Bob. 01:44.500 --> 01:46.523 - Jonathan, on that same topic, 01:47.455 --> 01:49.390 kinda struck by the fact that the Secretary 01:49.390 --> 01:53.390 is speaking to the Northcom Commander about this topic. 01:53.390 --> 01:55.980 I'm wondering if the Secretary is thinking 01:55.980 --> 01:58.610 in contingency terms, whether it's possible 01:58.610 --> 02:01.360 the military may be asked to do considerably more, 02:01.360 --> 02:04.100 become more active in countering in some way 02:04.100 --> 02:08.060 dealing with this virus if it continues to spread. 02:08.060 --> 02:11.540 - Well, one of the key capabilities 02:11.540 --> 02:13.580 of the Department of Defense is planning. 02:13.580 --> 02:15.930 So we're always planning for eventualities, 02:15.930 --> 02:17.960 and how we may need to be asked 02:17.960 --> 02:20.890 by civilian partners to assist. 02:20.890 --> 02:23.810 In this case, so far we've been asked to provide assistance 02:23.810 --> 02:26.060 at March Air Force Base for a limited number 02:26.060 --> 02:29.750 of the U.S. citizens, diplomats, and their dependents 02:29.750 --> 02:32.840 that have returned and are being quarantined for 14 days, 02:32.840 --> 02:35.350 and we've been asked to potentially provide assistance 02:35.350 --> 02:39.290 for up to 1000 individuals, if necessary, 02:39.290 --> 02:40.123 in the coming days. 02:40.123 --> 02:43.970 So far that's as far as what we've been asked to do. 02:43.970 --> 02:45.568 The conversation Secretary is going to have 02:45.568 --> 02:48.560 with Northcom Commander is just to check in. 02:48.560 --> 02:50.410 This is a different new mission 02:50.410 --> 02:52.190 that we've been tasked with recently, 02:52.190 --> 02:55.860 and he wants to ensure that that all the support 02:55.860 --> 02:58.120 that the Northcom Commander has, he's getting, 02:58.120 --> 03:00.110 and that generally that the coordination 03:00.110 --> 03:01.360 within the interagency that has been 03:01.360 --> 03:02.883 going well so far continues. 03:03.760 --> 03:05.200 All right, so. 03:05.200 --> 03:10.200 - Yeah, where does these 1000 people figure comes from? 03:11.820 --> 03:16.820 Is it something, the maximum number you think 03:17.060 --> 03:22.060 can be counted, or is it something 03:22.320 --> 03:24.300 that you were asked specifically? 03:24.300 --> 03:27.797 - This is a specific request from from HHS and the CDC, 03:27.797 --> 03:29.290 and their Request For Assistance. 03:29.290 --> 03:30.880 So as you guys are familiar with, 03:30.880 --> 03:34.440 we receive RFAs from other agencies on a regular basis 03:34.440 --> 03:37.000 for a number of different support, 03:37.000 --> 03:38.770 whether it's during a hurricane, 03:38.770 --> 03:40.660 we maybe receive a request for airlift, 03:40.660 --> 03:42.610 or with regard to the border, 03:42.610 --> 03:45.710 a Request For Assistance in securing the border. 03:45.710 --> 03:48.530 In this case we were requested to provide housing 03:48.530 --> 03:52.170 for up to 1000 individuals that may need to be quarantined. 03:52.170 --> 03:55.660 So the requirements were generally 03:55.660 --> 03:59.240 that in blocks of rooms of 250, 03:59.240 --> 04:04.240 so that can provide some sort of not overly dispersed, 04:06.080 --> 04:07.920 so that you have some sort of continuity 04:07.920 --> 04:10.034 of having enough support staff in the area 04:10.034 --> 04:13.040 that they have individual bathrooms, 04:13.040 --> 04:15.740 or at worst, Jack and Jill bathrooms, 04:15.740 --> 04:17.920 so that individuals can be quarantine, 04:17.920 --> 04:22.617 and then access to quality, and hospital systems 04:23.680 --> 04:26.410 within the local community that the CDC and HHS 04:26.410 --> 04:28.510 have identified that can handle 04:28.510 --> 04:32.290 the potentiality of anyone who comes down with the virus 04:32.290 --> 04:33.310 and being able to be moved off 04:33.310 --> 04:35.970 to an off-base health facility. 04:35.970 --> 04:37.330 So, that's the requests that we received, 04:37.330 --> 04:39.780 and that was the number that was was given to us. 04:40.800 --> 04:42.370 - [Audience Member] Thank you, how many evacuees 04:42.370 --> 04:45.520 are being housed now and how many are expected? 04:45.520 --> 04:48.590 - So, right now, at March Air Force Base, 04:48.590 --> 04:50.361 I think we have just under 200. 04:50.361 --> 04:52.830 I think it's 198 individuals. 04:52.830 --> 04:55.250 So that is the only number that we have, 04:55.250 --> 04:56.770 I don't have an expected number. 04:56.770 --> 04:59.020 That's a question for our State Department CDC. 04:59.020 --> 05:01.310 We are just preparing on the back end 05:01.310 --> 05:03.073 to provide the housing if needed, 05:04.470 --> 05:05.340 because the hope is, 05:05.340 --> 05:10.007 is that no one has to be quarantined going forward, 05:10.007 --> 05:11.963 but we're prepared to help if needed. 05:13.047 --> 05:15.240 - Mr Hoffman, the DHS are they at the border. 05:15.240 --> 05:16.650 When is the Secretary expected 05:16.650 --> 05:18.640 to make a determination about that? 05:18.640 --> 05:20.970 - I don't have an update for you right now. 05:20.970 --> 05:24.310 I would, given the conversations we've had 05:24.310 --> 05:26.660 in the last two weeks when we received the RFA, 05:26.660 --> 05:29.300 I would expect it to be coming in the next week or two. 05:29.300 --> 05:30.360 - [Audience Member] Should it be before the budget, 05:30.360 --> 05:31.350 after the budget? 05:31.350 --> 05:33.180 - I don't have an answer for you on that right now. 05:33.180 --> 05:35.403 I'm not not sure what day it's gonna come. 05:38.120 --> 05:40.780 - The President on Friday retweeted a report 05:40.780 --> 05:43.850 indicating that we believe that Qassem Soleimani, 05:43.850 --> 05:48.380 the leader of AQAP was killed in an airstrike. 05:48.380 --> 05:51.090 Can you comment on that, or provide us any more information? 05:51.090 --> 05:53.557 - No, I have no additional information on that for you. 05:53.557 --> 05:57.360 - Can us say that it was or was not a Pentagon strike? 05:57.360 --> 05:59.790 - I have no additional information for you on that. 05:59.790 --> 06:02.140 - Since you can't answer that question, a different topic. 06:02.140 --> 06:03.776 - [Jonathan] Third question? 06:03.776 --> 06:05.402 - Well a different topic. 06:05.402 --> 06:06.750 - [Jonathan] Third question, different topic, 06:06.750 --> 06:07.720 go ahead, feel free. 06:07.720 --> 06:10.873 - Last week, several lawmakers threatened to, 06:11.745 --> 06:14.280 work to end the U.S. Intel Training Pact with the U.K. 06:14.280 --> 06:16.910 over Britain's decision on Huawei. 06:16.910 --> 06:19.770 Can you say whether you can give any guidance 06:19.770 --> 06:23.043 to that effect, and what we can expect? 06:23.043 --> 06:23.876 Go ahead. 06:23.876 --> 06:26.910 - Well, I think you've seen a couple senior officials, 06:26.910 --> 06:28.620 Ambassador O'Brien has spoken about this, 06:28.620 --> 06:31.644 and I believe Secretary Pompeo has as well. 06:31.644 --> 06:36.420 The United Kingdom is one of our key allies and partners, 06:36.420 --> 06:38.630 and we're gonna continue to work with them 06:38.630 --> 06:40.550 and find ways to work with them. 06:40.550 --> 06:43.670 We do believe that, allowing Huawei in any form 06:43.670 --> 06:47.010 into their systems is problematic, 06:47.010 --> 06:50.940 and we're hoping that they will continue to look at this, 06:50.940 --> 06:53.170 and hopefully reach a better decision. 06:53.170 --> 06:55.210 We've seen other countries have to have 06:55.210 --> 06:56.590 gone through this process. 06:56.590 --> 06:58.630 I know Germany's in the midst of making 06:58.630 --> 07:01.380 this type of decision, the EU's had to go through this. 07:02.710 --> 07:07.050 Having, allowing the Huawei in a company 07:07.050 --> 07:09.660 that is potentially directed by the Chinese government, 07:09.660 --> 07:11.490 at times, provide information, have access 07:11.490 --> 07:15.080 to all of your communications, 07:15.080 --> 07:17.290 your sensitive healthcare records, 07:17.290 --> 07:20.700 banking records is problematic, 07:20.700 --> 07:23.334 and we're gonna find ways to work with 07:23.334 --> 07:26.310 the United Kingdom with our with our Five Eyes partners, 07:26.310 --> 07:28.350 but it is problematic and we're hoping 07:28.350 --> 07:30.300 that they will choose a different path. 07:32.280 --> 07:34.970 - Thank you, I understand you can comment 07:34.970 --> 07:36.770 on the reported strike. 07:36.770 --> 07:40.040 Can you say whether AQAP has to put it politely, 07:40.040 --> 07:42.423 a job opening at the executive level? 07:43.300 --> 07:48.160 - Like I said, I have no information for you on that topic. 07:48.160 --> 07:49.850 She got to ask three questions. 07:49.850 --> 07:51.400 If you have another one, feel free. 07:51.400 --> 07:52.760 - [Audience Member] I'll pass, thank you. 07:52.760 --> 07:53.910 - Jennifer. 07:53.910 --> 07:55.410 - Can you update us on the status 07:55.410 --> 07:58.720 of the Patriot missile battery that's waiting in Kuwait? 07:58.720 --> 08:00.560 Does it have permission to go into Iraq? 08:00.560 --> 08:02.410 Do you still want it to go into Iraq? 08:03.755 --> 08:05.620 And then a followup. 08:05.620 --> 08:08.810 - Okay, so I'll defer to the Joint Staff 08:08.810 --> 08:13.370 on the current status of that piece of equipment. 08:13.370 --> 08:16.720 I'll just say that the commander on the ground 08:16.720 --> 08:18.450 has the authority and has the ability 08:18.450 --> 08:20.320 to move equipment as he sees fit. 08:20.320 --> 08:23.130 I know we discussed this a little bit last week 08:23.130 --> 08:27.130 about whether it was going to be allowed into the country. 08:27.130 --> 08:28.600 I know we were working through that 08:28.600 --> 08:30.360 with the Iraqi Government. 08:30.360 --> 08:33.400 My understanding is that conversation is still ongoing. 08:33.400 --> 08:36.470 That we're still addressing that. 08:36.470 --> 08:38.930 All of our efforts inside of Iraq, 08:38.930 --> 08:41.150 all of our movement of equipment 08:41.150 --> 08:44.230 is done at the invitation of the host nation, 08:44.230 --> 08:46.730 and the Iraqis, and so we we appreciate that, 08:46.730 --> 08:48.463 and we'll continue having conversations with them 08:48.463 --> 08:51.363 and try to resolve them, and your followup. 08:52.260 --> 08:53.180 - It's a separate topic. 08:53.180 --> 08:54.780 Can I ask a separate topic or not? 08:54.780 --> 08:57.182 - [Jonathan] Sure, everybody else does. 08:57.182 --> 09:02.120 - Since you're waiting for Secretary Esper's decision 09:02.120 --> 09:05.620 on the RFA for money for the border, I wanted to followup. 09:05.620 --> 09:07.240 We saw images last week of part 09:07.240 --> 09:09.810 of the border wall blowing over. 09:09.810 --> 09:13.090 Was that a section that was either built 09:13.090 --> 09:14.767 by the Army Corps of Engineers, 09:14.767 --> 09:19.700 or had DOD money attached to it, and why did it blow over? 09:19.700 --> 09:21.120 - I'm not familiar with that. 09:21.120 --> 09:25.040 I mean, that would be a question I would direct toward DHS. 09:25.040 --> 09:27.343 But yeah, I'm not familiar with it, okay. 09:28.720 --> 09:32.730 - Mr. Hoffman, last week Admiral Davidson, INDOPACOM, 09:32.730 --> 09:36.130 banned travel to China and ordered all personnel, 09:36.130 --> 09:41.130 civilian, uniform in China now to leave immediately. 09:43.090 --> 09:46.530 Can you say, how are they gonna go, those in in China now? 09:46.530 --> 09:49.990 Do you have any kind of a count on how many 09:49.990 --> 09:52.100 you know, INDOPACOM personnel are in China, 09:52.100 --> 09:54.120 and how are you gonna get 'em out? 09:54.120 --> 09:57.430 - Well, I don't have a number on me right here. 09:57.430 --> 10:00.410 We can work with INDOPACOM to get you that number, 10:00.410 --> 10:05.410 but the Admiral, the Commander of INDOPACOM had directed 10:05.450 --> 10:08.520 that one, is to cease travel to China, 10:08.520 --> 10:12.770 whether it's TDY or voluntary travel by individuals. 10:12.770 --> 10:14.840 Obviously we have numbers that are there 10:14.840 --> 10:19.840 maybe on tourist visas on leave, and order people to return. 10:20.270 --> 10:22.370 So, as of now, there are still flights 10:22.370 --> 10:26.390 that are operating out of China, 10:26.390 --> 10:28.560 and that they're still able to travel that way . 10:28.560 --> 10:30.730 If they return back, or when they return back 10:30.730 --> 10:35.730 to their commands, they will be given a 14 day self-imposed. 10:40.952 --> 10:42.570 I'm trying to do the exact terminology 10:42.570 --> 10:44.060 that we've used for, but basically, 10:44.060 --> 10:47.430 so that we can observe their status, 10:47.430 --> 10:50.030 and that they can report back if they have any conditions 10:50.030 --> 10:52.130 or feeling ill that they're able to report 10:52.130 --> 10:54.840 to the medical unit, to get additional guidance. 10:54.840 --> 10:57.510 - So they're being asked to stay in quarters for 14 days? 10:57.510 --> 11:00.380 - They're being asked to, I can get you the exact 11:00.380 --> 11:03.640 wording from INDOPACOM, but they're being asked 11:03.640 --> 11:06.150 to track their health and report back 11:06.150 --> 11:07.741 if they have any conditions. 11:07.741 --> 11:11.080 But as of right now, INDOPACOM will be providing 11:11.080 --> 11:13.583 additional guidance to their forces as they go forward. 11:15.850 --> 11:18.550 - [Audience Member] What kind of guidance did you send 11:20.266 --> 11:22.793 to U.S. troops in South Korea? 11:24.540 --> 11:29.540 - Yeah, so, last Friday, the DOD's Health Affairs and PNR 11:33.150 --> 11:37.210 sent out a Force Self-protection Guidance to the field. 11:37.210 --> 11:39.460 It listed out, and I think you can find this on, 11:39.460 --> 11:41.120 I think we've posted on our website as well, 11:41.120 --> 11:44.740 but it basically gives guidance on what is Coronavirus. 11:44.740 --> 11:47.570 How do you go about preventing, 11:47.570 --> 11:48.960 based on the information we know, 11:48.960 --> 11:53.800 and how do you make yourself more resilient to it? 11:53.800 --> 11:55.730 So, a lot of that is common guidance 11:55.730 --> 11:59.330 that you would find on the CDC or HHS websites, 11:59.330 --> 12:01.390 and then also you've seen, we have some guidance 12:01.390 --> 12:04.480 from the commander on the ground with regard to travel, 12:04.480 --> 12:09.050 and implementing travel restrictions for individuals, 12:09.050 --> 12:11.860 and so we've seen that take place in South Korea, 12:11.860 --> 12:13.270 but at the time we're gonna take the guidance 12:13.270 --> 12:15.140 of State Department and CDC on this, 12:15.140 --> 12:17.490 and then working with the host countries. 12:17.490 --> 12:18.323 Yes sir. 12:18.323 --> 12:20.859 - Thank you, just one question, 12:20.859 --> 12:23.093 and a follow up on the Patriot missiles. 12:24.310 --> 12:26.830 So, Secretary Esper said last week 12:26.830 --> 12:30.660 that the commander on the ground has said 12:30.660 --> 12:33.280 that it's required for those missiles to be in Iraq. 12:33.280 --> 12:35.530 Does that include the Air Beale Base as well? 12:36.380 --> 12:40.360 - I'd have to get back to on where the locations are, 12:40.360 --> 12:44.400 but I can generally say, I'm not going to provide you 12:44.400 --> 12:46.600 locations of specific weapon systems. 12:46.600 --> 12:50.100 I can direct you to Syncom to have that conversation 12:50.100 --> 12:51.730 with them, but the commander has the ability 12:51.730 --> 12:54.340 to put the forces where he wants. 12:54.340 --> 12:57.050 But I also want to take a step back. 12:57.050 --> 12:58.360 The missile defense systems are not 12:58.360 --> 13:00.120 the only defensive asset we have. 13:00.120 --> 13:03.680 It's not the only way we counter this threat from Iran. 13:03.680 --> 13:06.780 So, whether it's dispersal, hardened bunkers, 13:06.780 --> 13:08.550 whether it's early warning systems, 13:08.550 --> 13:09.930 there's a number of different threats, 13:09.930 --> 13:12.300 there's a number of different ways we address them. 13:12.300 --> 13:14.070 But I'm not gonna give specific locations 13:14.070 --> 13:15.423 where weapon systems are going to be going. 13:15.423 --> 13:20.030 - And the follow up is, can you please clarify or explain 13:20.030 --> 13:24.230 why you need written permission from the Iraqi government 13:24.230 --> 13:28.150 to deploy these defense weapons. 13:28.150 --> 13:31.570 Is it outside the scope of the military agreement 13:31.570 --> 13:33.740 that you currently have with Iraq, 13:33.740 --> 13:37.090 or does the Patriot batteries fall within 13:37.090 --> 13:38.450 a different category of weapons, 13:38.450 --> 13:40.670 or for every single piece of equipment 13:40.670 --> 13:42.830 you need to get permission from Iraq? 13:42.830 --> 13:44.900 - So, generally the rule is that we are there 13:44.900 --> 13:48.020 at the invitation of the Iraqi government, 13:48.020 --> 13:53.020 and while there may be a set of standards 13:53.030 --> 13:56.728 for moving personnel that we regularly move in and out, 13:56.728 --> 13:59.050 or equipment that are in and out of the country 13:59.050 --> 14:01.080 on a regular basis, such as the C-17 14:02.128 --> 14:04.653 or a helicopter system, 14:06.040 --> 14:08.350 we like to give our partners, we like to give our friends, 14:08.350 --> 14:09.710 a heads up when things are coming, 14:09.710 --> 14:10.900 and like to seek the permission. 14:10.900 --> 14:13.430 So in this case, we're having that conversation, 14:13.430 --> 14:15.310 and hopefully we'll have that resolved 14:15.310 --> 14:16.380 in the very near future. 14:16.380 --> 14:17.967 So, go ahead in the back. 14:17.967 --> 14:19.250 - [Audience Member] Has the Secretary talked to 14:19.250 --> 14:21.130 the newly appointed Prime Minister of Iraq, 14:21.130 --> 14:22.580 or does he plan to this week? 14:23.550 --> 14:26.420 - My understanding is, so backing up, 14:26.420 --> 14:28.340 he has not talked to him. 14:28.340 --> 14:31.120 I don't know about the the timing of a call, 14:31.120 --> 14:32.670 but my understanding is that there's some steps 14:32.670 --> 14:35.040 that need to take place with the new Prime Minister 14:35.040 --> 14:37.140 in terms of building the government, 14:37.140 --> 14:40.220 and appointing ministers, and some of the officials 14:40.220 --> 14:43.000 that we may interact with first before we get to that point, 14:43.000 --> 14:44.320 but he has not had that conversation. 14:44.320 --> 14:46.790 - No talks between DOD and the new government 14:46.790 --> 14:49.320 until there's a full government formed is your sense. 14:49.320 --> 14:50.330 - No, I wouldn't say that. 14:50.330 --> 14:51.590 There might not be new conversations 14:51.590 --> 14:54.050 between the Secretary and in the full government, 14:54.050 --> 14:55.950 but we obviously have commanders on the ground 14:55.950 --> 14:58.120 who are there, and are having conversations 14:58.120 --> 15:01.850 with their Iraqi counterparts on a daily basis, 15:01.850 --> 15:03.830 and we'll have our team are over there, 15:03.830 --> 15:06.600 and our team at policy do the same thing as well. 15:06.600 --> 15:07.540 Just speaking specifically 15:07.540 --> 15:09.993 to the Secretary's conversations though, okay. 15:11.990 --> 15:13.840 You, there's no on seated behind you. 15:14.727 --> 15:16.450 - [Audience Member] I have a question and a followup. 15:16.450 --> 15:19.390 Do you know when we'll hear if the troops who were injured 15:19.390 --> 15:23.030 by the Iranian missile strike will receive purple hearts? 15:23.030 --> 15:24.770 - So, that's a question for each of the services 15:24.770 --> 15:28.740 of the affected members, and so I have not gotten 15:28.740 --> 15:30.990 an update on the timeline of how that process 15:30.990 --> 15:33.310 is playing out, but they will each make it. 15:33.310 --> 15:35.110 As we've talked about there's the standards 15:35.110 --> 15:39.120 that they all have with regard to, from any action, 15:39.120 --> 15:43.630 a diagnosed case of traumatic brain injury, 15:43.630 --> 15:45.550 treated by medical doctor, 15:45.550 --> 15:47.380 and in the case of a couple services, 15:47.380 --> 15:51.520 I believe there's a 48-hour missing duty status requirement. 15:51.520 --> 15:54.090 So, that process is gonna play out. 15:54.090 --> 15:58.050 Fortunately, as we've seen all of the cases that to date 15:58.050 --> 16:01.740 have been categorized as mild TBI, 16:01.740 --> 16:03.790 which is the equivalent of concussions, 16:03.790 --> 16:06.520 and that about 60% of them have already returned to duty 16:06.520 --> 16:07.880 and we're optimistic that the rest 16:07.880 --> 16:09.462 will return to duty very soon. 16:09.462 --> 16:11.440 - When will the Pentagon Press Corp 16:11.440 --> 16:13.740 receive a briefing from the Resolute Support Commander? 16:13.740 --> 16:15.110 - So I've actually had that conversation 16:15.110 --> 16:17.457 with the General. 16:17.457 --> 16:20.570 We're looking at trying to schedule a time 16:20.570 --> 16:23.010 when he's back in town, is the goal, 16:23.010 --> 16:25.020 is to have him here in the room, 16:25.020 --> 16:27.060 as opposed to a teleconference, 16:27.060 --> 16:28.850 and hopefully you're gonna have that. 16:28.850 --> 16:30.180 We have a lot of people coming in town 16:30.180 --> 16:32.440 for posture hearings, and budget hearings 16:32.440 --> 16:35.830 and things like that, and so we're working on building 16:36.770 --> 16:39.710 a very full schedule of briefings for you guys. 16:39.710 --> 16:41.490 And we're asking all the commanders 16:41.490 --> 16:43.150 and a number of other people to be able to make time 16:43.150 --> 16:47.119 to talk with you in a very comfortable setting. 16:47.119 --> 16:47.952 - [Audience Member] This month or next month? 16:47.952 --> 16:49.963 - I don't have the schedule in front of me. 16:53.123 --> 16:53.970 - [Audience Member] Do you have any increased 16:53.970 --> 16:55.370 troop deployment to the Middle East? 16:55.370 --> 16:57.520 Has there been any discussion of making 16:57.520 --> 17:00.690 a supplemental budget request to Congress? 17:00.690 --> 17:03.790 - I don't want to talk about budget issues today, 17:03.790 --> 17:06.740 just because we're so close to the budget rolling out, 17:06.740 --> 17:09.170 and I know there's gonna be a healthy conversation 17:09.170 --> 17:10.730 about budget numbers starting next week, 17:10.730 --> 17:12.320 and I just don't want to get ahead of that. 17:12.320 --> 17:15.160 - Okay, but I'm not asking about the '21 budget. 17:15.160 --> 17:17.610 - Got it, I got it, but there's a lot of 17:17.610 --> 17:18.860 budget conversations we're gonna be having 17:18.860 --> 17:21.679 over the next week, and I don't want to get ahead of, 17:21.679 --> 17:25.407 or state something that would apply 17:25.407 --> 17:27.000 to the budget coming up soon. 17:27.000 --> 17:28.513 So, all right. 17:29.365 --> 17:31.400 - [Audience Member] I was wondering, can you tell me 17:31.400 --> 17:33.960 which combatant commanders were asking for a change 17:33.960 --> 17:36.360 in any personnel landmine policy? 17:36.360 --> 17:38.250 - Sorry, can you repeat that, okay. 17:38.250 --> 17:40.260 - [Audience Member] To the recent change on policy of policy 17:40.260 --> 17:41.400 on antipersonnel landmines, 17:41.400 --> 17:42.820 can you say which combatant commanders 17:42.820 --> 17:44.130 were asking for that change? 17:44.130 --> 17:46.720 - I'm not going to get into the internal deliberations 17:46.720 --> 17:49.490 of an administration policy change. 17:49.490 --> 17:51.710 - [Audience Member] Also, the cluster weapon policy, 17:51.710 --> 17:54.040 and the antipersonnel landmine policies, 17:54.040 --> 17:57.130 were studied concurrently, yet the cluster munition policy 17:57.130 --> 17:58.967 was changed back in November of '17. 17:58.967 --> 18:01.960 Can you say why it took so long between those 18:01.960 --> 18:04.970 for the landmine policy to change. 18:04.970 --> 18:08.380 - No, I don't have any insight into why one was changed 18:08.380 --> 18:11.140 previous to the others I just know that the change 18:11.140 --> 18:12.870 that took place over the last week 18:12.870 --> 18:15.490 was the result of extensive conversation 18:15.490 --> 18:19.210 within the department and the interagency 18:19.210 --> 18:21.460 to provide the commanders on the ground 18:22.310 --> 18:26.540 non-persistent munitions that are necessary 18:26.540 --> 18:29.110 for mission success in major contingencies 18:29.110 --> 18:32.370 and extreme, or exceptional circumstances, 18:32.370 --> 18:36.890 and that we're comfortable that the protective measures 18:36.890 --> 18:38.200 that have been put in place with these, 18:38.200 --> 18:43.200 whether it's a self-destruct or self-deactivation 18:43.840 --> 18:46.050 remote on/off switch, a number of the other measures 18:46.050 --> 18:48.910 that we put in place to make sure that these are used 18:48.910 --> 18:50.820 in a responsible manner. 18:50.820 --> 18:51.880 All right, we'll do a couple more. 18:51.880 --> 18:53.880 - [Audience Member] Mr. Hoffman, could you confirm 18:53.880 --> 18:56.087 that Secretary Esper will be meeting with 18:56.087 --> 18:59.520 Israel Minister of Defense, Naftali Bennett, 18:59.520 --> 19:01.960 tomorrow at the Pentagon, and if yes, 19:01.960 --> 19:03.670 could you provide us with some details 19:03.670 --> 19:05.850 about what they are going to discuss. 19:05.850 --> 19:08.308 - So, I don't have an update for you right now, 19:08.308 --> 19:11.920 on what meetings are gonna take place tomorrow but if, 19:11.920 --> 19:12.907 but I will talk to the policy people, 19:12.907 --> 19:14.440 and I'll try to get something out to you 19:14.440 --> 19:15.740 in a little bit, if I can. 19:17.410 --> 19:18.350 All right, right here sir. 19:18.350 --> 19:19.757 - Yeah, another landmine question. 19:19.757 --> 19:22.870 Is the any concern that with the United States 19:22.870 --> 19:26.010 altering the policy might result in other countries, 19:26.010 --> 19:28.580 including those that don't have the technical capability 19:28.580 --> 19:32.195 to make them more fail-safe, 19:32.195 --> 19:35.630 you know, having sparking some sort of landmine race? 19:35.630 --> 19:39.260 - Well I would point out that if you're looking 19:39.260 --> 19:41.980 to the countries that already make use of landmines 19:41.980 --> 19:43.250 and that I think would be the ones 19:43.250 --> 19:45.510 that potential adversaries in the future 19:45.510 --> 19:49.783 that would be making use of these. 19:52.740 --> 19:55.030 Those countries already make use of landmines. 19:55.030 --> 19:59.210 So it's had no impact on on the policies of our adversaries. 19:59.210 --> 20:03.450 This goes back to other weapon system changes, 20:03.450 --> 20:06.230 or their ability to use new weapon systems. 20:06.230 --> 20:09.950 We already see the Chinese, the Russians. North Koreans, 20:09.950 --> 20:11.760 Iranians making use of these weapons. 20:11.760 --> 20:13.786 What we have done, is we've taken the time 20:13.786 --> 20:18.110 to find a responsible way to employ them, 20:18.110 --> 20:20.820 and provide a force protection for our forces, 20:20.820 --> 20:23.400 and provide the commander a tool that our adversaries have, 20:23.400 --> 20:25.390 but one that we can deploy in a more responsible 20:25.390 --> 20:27.700 and more effective manner. 20:27.700 --> 20:29.300 Okay, all right, thank you guys. 20:31.900 --> 20:33.963 - Can you tell me your new speech Thursday, 20:33.963 --> 20:36.610 it will be about the new posture, 20:36.610 --> 20:38.333 in the south com in Africa? 20:39.340 --> 20:40.173 - No, it's not.