Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks at U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Who dialed up Thunderstruck?
00:23Have to become SOP.
00:25Warriors in the profession of arms.
00:33Others chose to be doctors and lawyers and other honorable professions.
00:38You chose to be leaders of men, leaders of our best men and women.
00:45It's an honor to stay here today among you.
00:53This is well. Thank you for being here, sir.
00:54This is your district also.
01:01And just amongst senior leaders, so many accomplished warriors,
01:05so many people who have given so much to this great nation.
01:09As was mentioned, the Army War College is one of the vital military institutions
01:12helping our leaders at the strategic level.
01:16Carlisle, I want to thank everyone here that's a part of me.
01:20And the staff support me.
01:30Carlisle, without all of you,
01:35are soon looking out to your next assignments.
01:38Congratulations.
01:40I'm here today to mark the first
01:43and share what we have accomplished so far.
01:49Trump called me to take this job.
01:56He told me first, he told me two things.
01:59The first was,
02:02Pete, you're going to have to be tough as shit.
02:04Boy, he was not kidding.
02:10On that one,
02:12this job requires a steel spine, and that's fine.
02:15We're doing the work of the American people and the American warfighter.
02:19But second, the president said to me,
02:21I want you to restore the warrior ethos of our military.
02:25Full stop.
02:25And so that is exactly what I have set about to do all 100 days.
02:32Fighting for you is the privilege of a lifetime,
02:35a deployment of a lifetime.
02:37And from day one,
02:39and each 100 of those days,
02:43our overriding objectives have been clear.
02:46Restoring the warrior ethos,
02:48rebuilding our military,
02:50and reestablishing deterrence.
02:52Restoring the warrior ethos is the most fundamental of those three.
02:58Everything starts and ends with warriors in training and on the battlefield.
03:05We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind
03:09and refocusing on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and rep.
03:17One of the early actions we did was to commission
03:21a review of military standards,
03:26training standards,
03:27physical standards,
03:29gender-neutral standards
03:31for combat roles.
03:34To be the world's most lethal and effective fighting force,
03:37you have to set and maintain high standards
03:39for our men and women in uniform.
03:42High, equal, and unwavering.
03:46To be lethal, you have to trust that the warrior alongside you in battle
03:51or the troops fighting in the unit that many of you will lead
03:56are capable, truly physically capable,
03:59of doing what is necessary under fire.
04:03They need to be fit,
04:04not fat,
04:05sharp,
04:07not shabby,
04:09especially our leaders.
04:13And that's why we're reviewing how the department has maintained standards
04:16in the past,
04:18especially the past four years,
04:19and whether those standards have dropped,
04:22formally or informally.
04:25We're also welcoming back former service members
04:29who were wrongly forced to leave the military.
04:33More than 8,700 service members were involuntarily separated
04:38for not taking an experimental COVID-19 vaccine.
04:44Others were more informally pushed out or decided to get out.
04:47We are welcoming actively back those warriors of conscience.
04:52We've sent letters out.
04:53We're seeking them out.
04:55We want them back.
04:56They never should have been forced to come back quickly.
05:01Personnel and Readiness Department is working in real time
05:04to make that process more and more efficient,
05:06more and more direct every single day.
05:10And as we welcome those warriors back,
05:12we're giving,
05:14we've said goodbye to the harmful effects,
05:17and inclusion programs.
05:21We're working with CI content,
05:26eliminating quotas,
05:28and promotions are based on performance,
05:33not immutable characteristics.
05:37DE at DOD.
05:42Based call.
05:45Individual initiative.
05:47Excellence.
05:48We're also working hard to protect command climate.
05:54We're going to be reviewing IG and EO processes
05:58that too often are weaponized against commanders in formations.
06:03I can't tell you how many men and women I hear from
06:07about to take battalion or brigade leadership or wing leadership,
06:11you name it,
06:12who feel like they're walking big shells
06:15because of,
06:17were put in place that undermined a commander's ability to lead.
06:20We are reviewing that all.
06:22We're also optimizing the civilian workforce,
06:26ensuring that we have the right employees
06:27in the right roles at the right time
06:29to support our warfighters.
06:31We're doing this by
06:32voluntary
06:33possible
06:35through
06:36offering like voluntary
06:38initiatives.
06:41We're doing this by
06:42voluntary
06:43possible
06:45through
06:46offering like voluntary
06:48initiatives.
06:51also
06:53low productivity
06:55telework
06:56and remote
06:57work culture.
06:58Teams work best
06:59when they work together
07:00in person.
07:01Butts in seats,
07:03not on Zoom.
07:04We're making accountability
07:06and high performance
07:07the watchwords
07:08for the department.
07:09At all levels,
07:10we expect employees
07:11to deliver results
07:13and respond to leadership
07:14needs.
07:16Their incentives
07:16and their
07:17performance plans,
07:19we believe,
07:20quickly and in real time
07:21will reflect that.
07:22It's a lot of change
07:23very quickly.
07:26Now,
07:27as you may have noticed,
07:29the media likes to call it
07:30chaos.
07:32We call it
07:33overdue.
07:36How are the men and women
07:37responding to this
07:39call?
07:40Well,
07:40I can tell you personally,
07:42it's going better
07:42than we could have ever
07:44expected.
07:44This department,
07:46and you know it,
07:47across the joint force,
07:49is filled with patriots
07:50who want nothing more
07:52than to focus,
07:53be laser focused,
07:54on serving
07:55their country.
07:57And that's why
07:57retention is
07:58rebounding as well,
08:00big time,
08:01in real time.
08:03But one of the
08:03clearest metrics
08:04so far
08:05is actually coming
08:06from outside the military.
08:08The enthusiasm
08:09of young Americans
08:10in particular
08:11is off the charts.
08:14You know
08:15firsthand
08:16how challenging
08:16it has been
08:17to recruit
08:17in recent years.
08:20Based a legitimate
08:21recruiting crisis
08:22where we couldn't
08:23recruit enough
08:23men and women
08:24to enter the military
08:25so we lowered
08:26the amount
08:27required
08:27and still didn't
08:28meet the amount
08:29of people required
08:30in recruitment.
08:31That's over.
08:33Last few months,
08:34the Army has had
08:35its best recruiting
08:35number since 2010.
08:37The Navy is on track
08:39to have its best
08:39recruiting year
08:40since 2002.
08:41This recruitment
08:43has been born.
08:47Many 10
08:47members of my staff
08:49get referred to me
08:51of people who
08:52have ruled out
08:53in the
08:53president's
08:58leadership
08:59enthusiastic
09:00about going
09:01to boot camp
09:02or OCS
09:03and serving
09:04their nation.
09:06The other branches
09:07are on track
09:08to well exceed
09:08their targets
09:09as well.
09:10It is a recruiting
09:11renaissance
09:12of America's
09:13best and brightest.
09:16When our standards
09:17are high,
09:18when the mission
09:18is clear,
09:19when we prioritize
09:20warfighting
09:20over wokeness,
09:21that energizes
09:23the young men
09:24and women
09:24of our country,
09:25the very patriots
09:27over this American
09:28experiment
09:29we have always needed.
09:30they are proud of
09:32their country,
09:32they are proud of
09:34our military.
09:35And like generations
09:36before them,
09:37they will rise to
09:38the challenge set
09:39before us.
09:40As leaders,
09:42all of us,
09:43all we have to do
09:45is keep raising
09:46the bar
09:46and putting the mission
09:48and our people
09:49first.
09:51That is reviving
09:52the warrior ethos.
09:53second objective
09:56is rebuilding.
09:59We've all served
10:00long enough
10:00to see the
10:01downward trajectory
10:01of readiness
10:02in our force.
10:07And that
10:08is well underway
10:09just 100 days in.
10:11He has
10:11declared
10:12and delivered on
10:14building our military.
10:17Our goal
10:23is to put
10:23the best systems
10:24in the hands
10:25of warfighters
10:26to ensure
10:26you should never
10:33be in a fair fight.
10:35That's our job.
10:37First,
10:38we are rapidly
10:38moving to
10:39moving on
10:41one of
10:42presidents
10:42promises
10:44which is a
10:44golden dome
10:45for a
10:45wide
10:47mission
10:48to protect
10:50Americans
10:50from the
10:51threat
10:51here
10:52and
10:53conventional
10:55here
10:56in our
10:57homeland.
10:58Another
10:59incredibly
10:59excellent
11:00program
11:00is the
11:01newly
11:01announced
11:02and
11:03further
11:08who
11:20benefit
11:21from the
11:21projection
11:22of
11:22power
11:22now.
11:26Allies,
11:27we're not
11:27going anywhere.
11:29And to
11:29our enemies,
11:31we're able to
11:32project power
11:33around the
11:33globe for
11:34decades to
11:35come.
11:35these
11:36investments
11:37are not
11:37just in
11:38Golden
11:38Dome
11:38and F-47.
11:40Historic
11:41investments
11:41in the
11:41border,
11:43hypersonics,
11:44in long-range
11:45drones,
11:45in ship
11:46building,
11:47in
11:47modernization,
11:48you name
11:49it.
11:55Any time
11:56while our
11:57citizens
11:57would be
11:59protected
11:59from the
12:00worst that
12:01our enemies
12:01could possibly
12:02throw at us,
12:02defending
12:04the
12:04homeland.
12:06Just these
12:07marquee
12:07programs.
12:09We've been
12:10assessing the
12:11department
12:11from top
12:13to bottom
12:13to ensure
12:14that we're
12:14getting
12:14wonky but
12:24it's very
12:24important.
12:26Forcing the
12:27software
12:27acquisition
12:28pathway as
12:30our preferred
12:30model.
12:32We have
12:32to
12:32and when
12:34we need
12:34it.
12:35And just
12:36this week
12:36we
12:36made
12:40your
12:40president
12:42Trump
12:44outlined in
12:45his executive
12:45order on
12:47defense
12:47acquisition
12:48munitions
13:03war room
13:04and expand
13:06critical
13:07mineral
13:07production
13:08including
13:09rare earth
13:10elements,
13:11heavy rare
13:11earth elements,
13:12light rare
13:13earth elements,
13:14all the
13:14things we
13:15need that
13:15need to be
13:16made at
13:16home or
13:17by our
13:18allies and
13:18partners.
13:20And
13:20President
13:21Trump has
13:21created
13:21a building
13:23not
13:26but in
13:28the
13:29White
13:29House to
13:30restore our
13:31maritime
13:31industrial
13:32base.
13:35Military
13:36more
13:36efficient.
13:38Meeting
13:38the war
13:38fighters
13:39needs in
13:39the most
13:40cost
13:40effective
13:41manner and
13:41reallocating
13:42savings to
13:44our most
13:44mission
13:45critical areas.
13:45That's why
13:46we went
13:46through an
13:47exercise of
13:48finding 8%
13:49reductions across
13:50services.
13:51Of course,
13:51the media ran
13:52with it and
13:52called them
13:52cuts.
13:54No, this is
13:54how you plan
13:55and prioritize
13:56as you look
13:57where you can
13:57do more
13:57with less
13:58and you
13:59shift out
13:59old priorities
14:00and move
14:01in new.
14:03Maximum
14:04efficiency
14:04focusing on
14:05what you need
14:06now and in
14:07the future.
14:09Through our
14:09partnership with
14:10the Department
14:11of Government
14:12Efficiency
14:12or Doge
14:14earlier this
14:15month we
14:16identified
14:16$5.1
14:17billion in
14:19savings and
14:19that's just
14:19the beginning.
14:21We're ending
14:22contracts for
14:24business process
14:25consulting,
14:27enterprise cloud
14:28IT services
14:29and duplicative
14:31IT services.
14:32Massive contracts
14:33that no one
14:34ever looks at
14:35where people
14:36push a lot of
14:37paper and make
14:37a lot of
14:37powerpoints and
14:38give a lot of
14:39consulting.
14:39See we can
14:43use that money
14:44for better
14:45health and
14:46mission critical
14:47programs from
14:48process to
14:50people, from
14:51consultants to
14:53corporals.
14:55The bottom
14:55line is
14:56we're
14:57prioritizing
15:02what works
15:03and cutting
15:04what does
15:05not.
15:06And yes,
15:06as the
15:06president
15:07announced from
15:08the Oval
15:08Office,
15:09D.O.
15:14what's the
15:15reason
15:15that the
15:19previous
15:19administration
15:20left?
15:39co-com
15:55commanders at
15:55the tip of
15:56the spear
15:56to
15:56understanding
15:57and delivering
15:59it.
16:07Have the
16:07most advanced
16:08weapons
16:08point, which
16:18leads to our
16:18third
16:19reestablishing
16:21deterrence.
16:22after four
16:24years of
16:25deferred
16:26maintenance
16:27under the
16:27Biden
16:28system.
16:30And you
16:31saw it
16:31from
16:32chafes,
16:36raising
16:37cane,
16:37our borders
16:42first.
16:44After decades
16:46of securing
16:46other people's
16:48borders in
16:48far-off
16:49places,
16:50ours.
16:52After a
16:53reckless
16:53invasion of
16:55over 20
16:55million people
16:56and we
16:56have no
16:57idea
16:57and they
17:03will
17:03posture
17:05all
17:06date our
17:08military
17:08plan at
17:09D.O.D.
17:10to protect
17:11cartels,
17:19drugs,
17:21violence,
17:23death.
17:24Under the
17:25Trump
17:25administration,
17:26it ends.
17:27Under this
17:28defense
17:28department,
17:29we get
17:29100%
17:31operational
17:32control
17:32of our
17:33government.
17:34We started
17:34on one,
17:35we'll
17:35continue
17:36through
17:3697%
17:49border
17:53crossings
17:54compared to
17:54the same
17:55period in
17:552024.
17:57Monthly
17:58encounters
17:58have dropped
17:59from
18:00250,000
18:02encounters,
18:04most of
18:04which are
18:05false asylum
18:05claims,
18:07you also
18:08have the
18:08known
18:08gotaways
18:09and the
18:09unknown
18:09gotaways,
18:10so it's
18:10much higher
18:10than 250,000.
18:12You don't
18:12know where
18:12most of
18:12these people
18:13are coming
18:13from.
18:14Now to
18:15the trickle
18:15of a few
18:15thousands,
18:16all of
18:16which,
18:16most of
18:17which were
18:17interdicting
18:17and engaging
18:18because of
18:18our force
18:19posture on
18:20the border
18:20in real
18:21time.
18:22It starts
18:22with people,
18:23it moves
18:24to infrastructure
18:25and surveillance,
18:26and our
18:26American troops,
18:27you should see
18:28their morale
18:28on the border.
18:29It's
18:30incredible.
18:30When you're
18:30defending your
18:31own homeland
18:32with robust
18:33and sufficient
18:34assets,
18:35and you are
18:35able to
18:35interdict,
18:37it changes
18:38the whole
18:39game.
18:39We just
18:40designated a
18:41trial area
18:42for a new
18:42national defense
18:43area where
18:45our troops
18:45now,
18:46instead of
18:46just looking
18:47at the border
18:47with binoculars
18:48and wondering
18:49who that
18:49person is
18:49and hoping
18:50CBP
18:51interdicts
18:51them,
18:52can now
18:52temporarily
18:53take action
18:54to temporarily
18:56detain those
18:57folks and
18:57hand them
18:57over to
18:58CBP
18:58because of
18:59that authorized
19:00zone.
19:01It's a sea
19:02change from
19:03the open
19:04season that
19:05was the
19:05previous
19:06administration.
19:08But not
19:09just here at
19:09home.
19:11In three of
19:11the most
19:11strategically
19:12important regions
19:13in the world,
19:13we are increasing
19:14allied burden
19:16sharing while
19:17we increase
19:18deterrence.
19:19America first
19:20doesn't mean
19:21America alone.
19:22It means we
19:22expect our
19:24allies to step
19:24up, to be
19:26true force
19:26multipliers for
19:27freedom.
19:29This approach
19:29ensures we
19:30achieve peace
19:31through strength.
19:34First, in
19:35Europe, our
19:36allies are,
19:37finally, thanks
19:38to President
19:39Trump and the
19:39first administration
19:40and again in
19:41these first
19:41100 days,
19:43following America's
19:44call for
19:44European leadership
19:45and ownership
19:47of continental
19:48security.
19:49We've transferred
19:50U.S.
19:51leadership of
19:51the Ukraine
19:52Defense Contact
19:53Group to the
19:54U.K.
19:54and to
19:55Germany.
19:56We've obtained
19:57commitments from
19:58Poland, one of
20:01many model
20:01allies, the
20:02Baltics, to
20:03spend 5% of
20:05their GDP on
20:06defense.
20:07We've made the
20:07same call to
20:09other allies.
20:102% is not
20:11enough, considering
20:12the threats you
20:13face.
20:133%, 4%, 5%.
20:16Progress with
20:18major European
20:19powers who are
20:20setting initial
20:21targets, even to
20:22one I spoke to
20:23just this morning,
20:24to increase their
20:25defense spending.
20:26The time of the
20:28United States,
20:30here in
20:30Pennsylvania,
20:32here in our
20:32country, being
20:34the sole
20:34guarantor of
20:35European security
20:36has passed.
20:38It's long
20:39overdue.
20:41Europe has to
20:42step up
20:43military and
20:46lead.
20:47NATO.
20:47NATO.
20:48In the
20:53Middle East, we're
20:53pursuing stability
20:54and deterrence to
20:56the threats that
20:56exist there.
20:57President Trump
20:58has made it
20:58clear that
20:58America is
20:59fully committed
21:00to the
21:00security of
21:02our great
21:02allies in
21:03Israel.
21:04Just days
21:05after his
21:06inauguration,
21:07the DOD
21:08self-reliance
21:28and pursue
21:28President Trump's
21:29goal of
21:30strength.
21:33In Yemen, the
21:35Defense Department
21:36is executing
21:37lethal operations
21:38against Houthi
21:40terrorists.
21:42Our forces have
21:43struck hundreds of
21:44targets and
21:44decimated Houthi
21:46leadership,
21:48substantially reducing
21:49their capabilities
21:50and the threat to
21:51U.S.
21:52ships in the
21:53Red Sea and
21:54across and
21:55through the
21:55BAM.
21:56We have
21:57demonstrated
21:58America's
21:59commitment to
22:00defending our
22:00and restoring
22:01freedom of
22:03navigation, which
22:04we will do and
22:05are doing.
22:07This is a
22:08clear, limited
22:09mission executed
22:12with ruthlessness.
22:14Full stop.
22:16We will run our
22:17ships through that
22:18BAM.
22:20And our message
22:21to the Houthis
22:21has been clear
22:22from the beginning.
22:23Allow us to
22:24sail our
22:25and we'll stop
22:26shooting at you.
22:28Until then,
22:29you're going to
22:29feel the pain.
22:30And I'll tell
22:31you, the
22:32Houthis are
22:32feeling the
22:33pain.
22:34We have
22:34demonstrated any
22:36aggression against
22:36Americans will be
22:37met with decisive
22:39action, unlike
22:41what that region
22:42saw under the
22:43Biden administration.
22:44But this is not
22:45nation building.
22:47This is not land
22:48wars.
22:48This is not endless
22:49wars.
22:50This is not regime
22:50change.
22:51This is clear-eyed
22:52American national
22:54interests.
22:57Decisively and
22:58overwhelmingly.
23:00Third, and most
23:01importantly, we are
23:02deterring communist
23:03China in the
23:04Indo-Pacific and
23:05around the world.
23:06To deliver peace
23:08in this region,
23:09we're delivering a
23:09more forward
23:11regional force
23:12posture.
23:13We're supporting
23:14allies and
23:15partners.
23:16Allies and partners
23:17are our force
23:18multipliers as they
23:19strengthen their own
23:20capabilities, including
23:22in Taiwan.
23:23We're also
23:24connecting U.S.
23:25allies and
23:26partners to
23:26and more
23:29resilient
23:29and there will
23:34be a lot more
23:35of it.
23:36In fact, in
23:36March, I took my
23:37first trip to the
23:37Indo-Pacific as
23:38secretary.
23:39The first trip to
23:41Guam in 20 years
23:42from a defense
23:43secretary.
23:44I traveled to the
23:45Philippines to meet
23:47with President
23:47Marcos and his
23:48security secretary of
23:49national defense.
23:49We reaffirmed the
23:51long-standing strength
23:53of the U.S.-Philippines
23:54alliance, a key
23:55piece in our
23:56strategy to deter
23:57and counter the
23:58communist Chinese.
24:00We also traveled to
24:01Japan on that same
24:03trip and later on a
24:05trip that a few of you
24:06may have seen to
24:07Panama.
24:09At each stop, we
24:11announced new
24:12bilateral exercises,
24:13increased cooperation,
24:15foreign military
24:15sales deals,
24:17commitment.
24:18President Trump's
24:20vision of peace
24:21through strength.
24:24In the Philippines,
24:25we are deploying
24:26more advanced
24:27capabilities, including
24:28Nemesis anti-ship
24:29missiles.
24:30In Japan, we
24:31announced phase
24:32one of upgrading
24:33U.S.
24:34forces Japan into
24:36a full-blown joint
24:37forces headquarters.
24:39In Panama, we
24:40secured a framework
24:41for first of Panama
24:45Canal passage for
24:46U.S.
24:47military vessels, and
24:48auxiliary vessels, as
24:50well as the
24:51additional presence of
24:52U.S.
24:53troops stationed
24:54through both sides
24:56of the Panama Canal.
24:57As I said then, and I
24:58will reaffirm today,
25:01the President pledged
25:02to take back the
25:03Panama Canal from
25:04Chinese influence, and
25:06with our partners, we're
25:07doing just that, right
25:09in our own backyard.
25:10At every step, we are
25:12carrying out our
25:13strategy to increase
25:14against
25:15before.
25:19In these places, when
25:20you meet with leaders
25:21who want to be with
25:22America, who believe in
25:24what America can do,
25:25have watched us when
25:27we're strong, they're
25:28making, in many cases
25:29and in many places, a
25:31binary choice.
25:33It is either by, with, and
25:35through the Americans,
25:35Americans, or with the
25:37Communist Chinese.
25:39In the Indo-Pacific,
25:41around the world, but
25:42specifically in the
25:43Indo-Pacific and in our
25:44hemisphere, you can see
25:45it.
25:46You can see it in the
25:47eyes of allies and
25:48partners.
25:50You can see it in the
25:50influence underneath the
25:52surface.
25:53They want to be with us,
25:55but they need to see
25:56strength.
25:57And they need to see
25:58leadership.
25:59And that's what
26:00President Trump has
26:01provided in spades.
26:03Not just in words, but
26:04in deeds, in action, and
26:07So as Europe shoulders
26:11more of the burden in
26:12continental security, that
26:14frees up resources for us
26:16to focus on countering the
26:17malign influence of the
26:18Communist Chinese, where it
26:20matters most.
26:24Under the leadership of
26:25President Trump, the
26:27message to our
26:28adversaries, in these
26:30first 100 years,
26:33has been undeniably
26:34clear.
26:36America is back.
26:39At the Defense Department,
26:40that means no more
26:42distractions.
26:43No more social
26:45engineering.
26:46No more climate change
26:48worship.
26:49No more electric tanks.
26:51No more gender
26:52confusion.
26:54No more pronouns.
26:56No more excuses.
26:58No more quotas.
26:59No more
27:00woke bullshit
27:02that undermines
27:03commanders and
27:04command climates.
27:05We are laser
27:07focused on our
27:08mission of war
27:09fighting.
27:10We are color
27:11blind, and we
27:13are merit
27:14based.
27:15We're restoring the
27:17warrior ethos,
27:18rebuilding the
27:19military, and
27:20reestablishing
27:21deterrence.
27:22End
27:22full
27:23stop.
27:24Enemy
27:25aggression will be
27:25met swiftly and
27:27harshly.
27:27we're beginning a
27:29new golden age of
27:30America, and a
27:32golden age of
27:33national defense.
27:35We have a bumper
27:36crop of new
27:37recruits, new
27:38planes, new
27:39missile defense
27:39systems on the
27:40way, allies
27:41increasing their
27:42defense spending,
27:43and adversaries on
27:44their heels.
27:46Today, on this
27:48beautiful day, we
27:50have a brand new
27:51class, soon to be,
27:53Army War College
27:54students about to
27:55graduate.
27:56you, all of
27:59you, are the
28:01future of our
28:02military.
28:03You will lead
28:04these new
28:05recruits, eager,
28:07optimistic, young,
28:09ready, and soon
28:12to be trained.
28:13They will look to
28:14you.
28:15You will lead the
28:16brigades, the
28:17ships, the
28:17groups.
28:18You will execute
28:19our tactical,
28:21operational, and
28:22strategic objectives
28:23all around the
28:25globe.
28:26You will set the
28:27standard.
28:29We're counting on
28:30you.
28:31And I know that
28:32you will deliver
28:33at each and
28:34every step with
28:36distinction.
28:38God bless you.
28:39Godspeed to all of
28:40our warriors, and
28:41thank you for having
28:41me today.
28:42Appreciate it.
28:56Secretary Hague
28:57Seth, this
28:59morning for
29:00community and
29:00community and
29:00service and
29:01firework.
29:0235 years of
29:09service to our
29:10nation that at
29:11the heart of the
29:12warrior ethos are
29:12disciplined, fit, and
29:14confident soldiers.
29:14We've been investing
29:15for most of this past
29:16year in the
29:17intellectual fitness
29:18of the leaders that
29:19are on the field here
29:20with you today, but
29:21we're going to take a
29:22step away from that
29:23for the next several
29:24days and engage on
29:25the fields of friendly
29:26strife and demonstrate
29:28some physical fitness.
29:29There's still, I've
29:30been told, some
29:31open spots on our
29:33teams here.
29:35What teams?
29:36Softball, soccer,
29:37functional fitness,
29:38running, pickleball,
29:39shooter's choice, sir.
29:41I've got a good
29:42lefty swing.
29:43I'll maybe join the
29:44softball team.
29:44Well, then you'll be
29:45in uniform with this,
29:46sir.
29:46We want to present
29:47that to you, and
29:47thank you for your
29:48time.
29:48Well, I appreciate
29:48it.
29:49Very good.
29:50Thank you very much.
29:51Thanks, sir.
29:51Appreciate you.
29:54Thank you all.
29:55Appreciate it.