Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser

I want to congratulate Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser on his nomination to serve as commander, U.S. Forces AFRICOM, and his promotion, if approved by Congress, to general.

Over the course of his three decades as a Marine, including service in Operation Desert Storm, leading some of our first troops into Afghanistan after Sept. 11th, and his most recent service in the Pentagon as director for joint force development, Lt. Gen. Waldhauser has demonstrated through strong military leadership, excellent political-military experience, and superb management skills, why he is the perfect pick for this dynamic command.

Every day, the men and women of AFRICOM perform a wide range of critical and important missions, including building partner capacity, enabling regional forces and combating the metastasis of ISIL and other violent extremists. I am confident that Lt. Gen. Waldhauser will bring the same caliber of strong and steady leadership to AFRICOM that Gen. David Rodriguez has brought to the command for the past three years, and I hope Congress will act quickly on Lt. Gen. Waldhauser’s nomination.

Release No: NR-149-16
April 28, 2016

Readout of Secretary of Defense Ash Carter’s Meeting with Canada’s Minister of National Defense Jason Kenney

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met today with Canada‘s Minister of National Defense Jason Kenney, at the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels.

Secretary Carter and Minister Kenney reviewed the ongoing collaboration between the United States and Canada in the operations to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria. Secretary Carter commended Canada for its contributions — particularly their training efforts in northern Iraq — and he and Minister Kenney discussed ways the United States and Canada can continue to work together on this issue.

Additionally, Secretary Carter and Minister Kenney discussed Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine, and international efforts to provide assistance directly to Ukraine and surrounding countries, both bilaterally and through NATO reassurance initiatives.

Finally, Secretary Carter and Minister Kenney reiterated their support for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and pledged to continue coordinating closely on our collective defense.

Release No: NR-248-15
June 24, 2015

Second Missile Defense Radar Deployed to Japan

The U.S. Department of Defense and Japanese Ministry of Defense announced
today the deployment of a second Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance
(AN/TPY-2) radar in Japan to Kyogamisaki to enhance sensor coverage for ballistic missile defense of Japan and the U.S. homeland. The Kyogamisaki Communications Site (KCS) radar will augment an existing radar located at Shariki in northern Japan.

With the assistance of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Department of Defense fielded and tested the radar and constructed the facility in Japan. The radar has now been delivered for use by the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Northern Command.

The AN/TPY-2 radar is a transportable system that performs as a highly-capable sensor for both homeland and regional missile defense. Other AN/TPY-2 forward-based radars are located in Turkey and the Middle East.

Release No: NR-630-14
December 26, 2014

2014 Phoenix Award Announced

The Department of Defense announced the 2014 winner of the Phoenix Award for Maintenance Excellence on Nov. 18, at this year’s secretary of defenseawards ceremony. The Phoenix Award is presented annually to designate the single best maintenance unit out of that year’s six Secretary of Defense Field-Level Maintenance Award winners.

This year’s recipient of the Phoenix Award is Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211. During their eight month deployment with Carrier Air Wing One on the USS Enterprise, they initiated the transition to the maintenance phase of the turnaround fleet response training cycle. The squadron reconstituted their maintenance workforce and completed more than 230 individual maintenance training courses. VFA-211 earned a “satisfactory” material condition inspection evaluation, the first squadron in more than two years to earn a passing grade in its first attempt, and is recognized as a leader in Hornet community corrosion control practices. VFA-211 supported numerous detachments, including two flight deck certifications, a foreign military sales demonstration, Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), and the Naval Weapon System Evaluation Program. These accomplishments have designated VFA-211 as this year’s best field-level maintenance unit in the Department of Defense.

Release No: NR-611-14
December 09, 2014