PRESIDENT'S REMARKS AT GENERAL DUNFORD'S NOMINATION TO BE CHAIRMAN OF JOINT CHIEFS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
May 05, 2015
Remarks by the President at Nomination of General Joe Dunford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and General Paul Selva as Vice Chairman
Rose Garden
*Please see below for a correction, marked with an asterisk.
11:57 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  As Americans, we are blessed with the strongest military the world has ever known.  Yes, our system of equipment and technology, our logistical capacity is unmatched.  But what makes us the best, the reason no other nation can do what we do, is our people -- patriotic men and women across our country who step forward, raise their hand and take an oath to defend our nation.  It’s our men and women in uniform -- and their leaders -- who make our armed forces the very best.

Among our military leaders, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principal military advisor to me and my national security team -- including Vice President Biden; my National Security Advisor, Susan Rice; and our Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter.

In recent years, I have been deeply grateful for the service of our Chairman, General Marty Dempsey, and our Vice Chairman, Admiral Sandy Winnefeld.  Marty and Sandy will complete their terms later this year.  I'll have a chance to say nice things about them later.  I can tell you that they have been outstanding, and I could not have asked for a better team.  But today, I’m proud to announce my nominee to be the next Chairman, General Joe Dunford, and the next Vice Chairman, General Paul Selva.

Again, I want to thank General Dempsey and Admiral Winnefeld for being here today.  Marty and Sandy, we are extraordinarily grateful for all that you’ve done.  And we'll have an opportunity to pay tribute to you in the months ahead.  I’ve relied on you both -- your advice, your counsel, your judgment -- as we’ve navigated the urgent challenges of recent years, from ending our combat mission in Afghanistan to leading the international coalition to destroy ISIL; conducting humanitarian operations from typhoon relief in the Philippines to fighting Ebola in West Africa; and strengthening our security alliances from Europe to Asia.  At every step, you have been critical to our processes, and I have valued not only your counsel but your friendships.

At the same time, Marty and Sandy have helped to guide our forces through difficult fiscal times -- especially sequestration.  They’ve stayed focused on readiness, and training and modernization.  Today there are also more opportunities for women in our armed forces.  We’re tackling the outrage of sexual assault, which has no place in our ranks.  We’ve made progress in large part because leaders like Marty and Sandy have made sure we’re recruiting and training, and equipping and retaining the best fighting force on the planet.  I look forward to honoring Marty and Sandy and thanking them more fully for their extraordinary contributions to our nation.

There are other things we’re going to miss.  We’re going to miss Marty’s incomparable singing voice.  (Laughter.)  He will not be singing today.  But I’m going to put my request in early for a final number at your farewell.  But on behalf of myself, our entire national security team and our armed forces, thank you.  And to Deannie and to Mary, we are grateful for your families’ service.  (Applause.)

My choice for the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Joe Dunford, is one of the most admired officers in our military. A native of Boston, Joe is the very definition of “Boston Strong.”  The son of a retired Boston police officer and Marine veteran of Korea, Joe followed in his father’s footsteps and has distinguished himself through nearly 40 years of military service.  He’s commanded Marines in the field, from the platoon level to a Marine Expeditionary Force.  During the invasion of Iraq, he led Marines in the charge to Baghdad.

Given his combat experience, I was proud to nominate Joe as the Commander of American and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.  I’ve had a chance to work with him.  I have been extraordinarily impressed by Joe -- from the Situation Room, where he helped to shape our enduring commitment to Afghanistan, to my visit last year to Bagram, where I saw his leadership firsthand.

I know Joe.  I trust him.  He’s already proven his ability to give me his unvarnished military advice based on his experience on the ground.  Under his steady hand, we’ve achieved key milestones, including the transition to Afghan responsibility for security, historic Afghan elections, and the drawdown of U.S. forces -- setting the stage for our combat mission there.

So Joe is a proven leader of our joint force, including our troops in Afghanistan, who he served Christmas dinner to.  He’s one of our military’s most highly regarded strategic thinkers.  He’s known and respected by our allies, by members of Congress -- on both sides of the aisle -- and by colleagues across our government.  He’s also tireless.  His staff has been known to carry around a voice recorder to keep up with his commands and new ideas.

He just began his service as Commandant of his beloved Marine Corps.  So, Joe, I appreciate your willingness to take on this new assignment.  I think the only downside in my book is, as a White Sox fan, there is yet another Red Sox fan who I'm going to have to be dealing with.  (Laughter.)  And I want to thank you and your wife, Ellyn, for your continued service.

In General Paul Selva, we have a Vice Chairman with 35 years of military service -- as both a pilot and a commander.  As leader of Air Mobility Command, he earned a reputation as a force for change and innovation.  I understand that when it was time to deliver the final C-17 to the Air Force, Paul went to the cockpit and helped fly it himself.  As head of Transportation Command, he’s been committed to the partnerships that are a core principle of our national security strategy, whether it’s supplying our joint force around the world, in operations large and small, to supporting and keeping safe our diplomats and embassy personnel overseas.

Paul also served as Secretary of State Clinton’s military advisor for the first years of my presidency, so he grasps the strategic environment in which our forces operate.  He understands that our military, as powerful as it is, is one tool that must be used in concert with all the elements of our national power.

I should note that, as a graduate of the Air Force Academy, Paul is especially grateful to the Academy because it’s there that he met his wife, Ricki, who also served in the Air Force.  And, Paul and Ricki, thank you both for taking on this next chapter of your service together.

Joe, Paul -- we continue to call on our armed forces to meet a range of challenges.  We have to keep training Afghan forces and remain relentless against al Qaeda.  We have to push back against ISIL and strengthen forces in *Syria [Iraq], and build moderate opposition in Syria.  We have to stand united with our allies in Europe and keep rebalancing our posture as a Pacific power.  We have to keep investing in new capabilities to meet growing threats, including cyber-attacks.

So, as Commander-in-Chief, I’ll be looking to you for your honest military advice as we meet these challenges.  As we do, we’re also going to keep working with Congress on a more responsible approach to defense spending, including reforms in the department so we can preserve the readiness of our all-volunteer force, keep faith with our troops and our military families, and care for our wounded warriors.  This is work we have to do together, as a nation.

Again, to Joe, to Paul, to your families, on behalf of the American people, thank you for your continued service to our nation.  I urge our friends in the Senate -- and I know I won’t have a problem with Jack Reed, who’s sitting right here -- to confirm these remarkable leaders without delay so we can stay focused on the work that unites us all as Americans -- keeping our military strong, our nation secure, our citizens safe.

Thank you very much.  (Applause.)
 
END
12:07 P.M. EDT

GENERAL DEMPSEY SAYS CYBER AMONG TOP THREATS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talks to about 700 attendees during a student conference on national affairs at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, Feb. 19, 2015. DoD photo by D. Myles Cullen.  

Dempsey: Russia, Terrorists, Cyber Among Top Threats
By Lisa Ferdinando
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 19, 2015 – The global security environment contains a host of threats, including Russian aggression that threatens NATO allies, and the violent extremists network from western Pakistan to north Africa, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey spoke today at a student conference on national affairs at Texas A&M University, rounding out a two-day visit to the campus.
He outlined his "two, two, two and one" view on national security, which is comprised of two heavyweights, two middleweights, two networks and one domain.

Russia is included as a heavyweight, along with China.
Russia ‘Lit a Fire’

Russia "lit a fire of ethnicity and nationalism that actually threatens to burn out of control," he said. "And in so doing, they are threatening our NATO allies."
Dempsey said it is hard to imagine that in 2015 there would be that kind of conflict and "those kind of instincts" that are coming to the front again in Europe.
The human suffering in Ukraine is "atrocious," he said.

"It's almost unimaginable," the chairman told the audience, which included members of the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, other university students and members of the military.

The United States is working with its NATO allies, he said, to reassure the alliance and also try to assist Eastern Europe, including non-NATO countries, in "suppressing this effort to rekindle fires that haven’t burned in Europe" in 70 years.

China Reemerging

On the other heavyweight, China, he said that nation is reemerging on the global scene. It is a very strong economic country that is becoming militarily strong, the chairman said.

The United States will continue to work with China in managing any differences, he said.

"We'll be competitors but it doesn’t mean, I think, we'll have to be enemies," he said. "We're working hard to do that."

Middleweight Powers: Iran, North Korea

The two middleweights are Iran and North Korea.

The United States is working with its partners to try to convince Iran to seek a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, he said. Western nations contend that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its nuclear ambitions are for peaceful purposes.

"We are working hard to reach a negotiated settlement on their nuclear program, but we shouldn’t forget there are other issues which cause us concern about Iran," the chairman said, noting those concerns include Iran being a state sponsor of terrorism.

Networks and Cyber Domain

The two networks Dempsey talked about in his speech are the violent extremist network from western Pakistan to northern Africa, and the transnational criminal network that runs north and south in the Western Hemisphere. The domain is cyber.

The transregional network of al-Qaida, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and other terrorists are competing for a radical, anti-Western ideology that is fomenting the internal challenges of Islam's Sunni and Shia, he said.

"That network is transregional,” he said. “It will take a generation or more to be defeated and it will take persistence on our part and working closely and most often through partners and hardening our allies in order to deal with it."

To combat both the extremist and transnational criminal networks, they need to be "pressed" across their entire length, not just "pinched" in a spot, the chairman said.

"You have to interdict the financing; you have to interdict the flow of foreign fighters or criminals. It takes a really broad effort with partners to deal with that," he said.

Finally, on the domain of cyber, he said, "we've got a lot of work to do. We've made some strides, some pretty significant strides, militarily in particular in terms of defending ourselves."

But the general said despite the security in military networks, 90 percent of his administration and logistics functions ride on commercial Internet providers.
"So if they're vulnerable, I'm vulnerable and I don't like being vulnerable," he said.

Action in securing this domain, he said, includes legislation that establishes a common set of standards on Internet security, and allows information sharing between the government and the private sector.

From College Station, Dempsey travels on to Kwajalein Atoll and Australia.

CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS SAYS CREDIBILITY PROBLEM WILL CAUSE COLLAPSE OF ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Dempsey: Lack of Credibility Will Aid Terrorist Group ISIL’s Collapse
By Amaani Lyle
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2015 – Though U.S. and coalition airstrikes are destroying facilities and equipment controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the terrorist group ultimately will fail because the people it’s trying to control will reject its ideology, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview broadcast today.

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace,” Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey noted that the new Iraqi government is reaching out to Iraq’s Sunni tribes and has made inroads in the strategic effort against ISIL.

“A group that embraces such a radical ideology has to maintain momentum in order to succeed, in order to maintain its credibility with the very people it's trying to influence,” Dempsey said.

ISIL’s Fate is Inevitable

Tactically, U.S. and allies forces have destroyed ISIL equipment, reversed some of its territorial gains and affected the terror group’s leadership, command and control and logistics, the chairman noted. But the fate of the terrorist regime is inevitable, he added, simply because people won’t accept it.

“It will collapse under its own contradictions, frankly, when the populations in which it tries to maneuver realize that ideology is not to their future benefit,” Dempsey said.

Though military efforts get the most attention, the chairman said, strides other areas such as in countering ISIL’s financing and messaging may be more important in thwarting the organization, Dempsey noted.

Campaign in Iraq Will Take Time

The campaign in Iraq will take time, Dempsey said, pointing out that U.S. and coalition forces are enabling the Iraqi government’s strategy. “It's not our strategy,” he said. “And I'm telling you, that is an extraordinarily important distinction.”

Before it can mount its own offensive against ISIL, the chairman explained, the Iraqi government, with the help of trainers and advisors, must accumulate the appropriate level of force and have it followed by reconstruction and humanitarian relief so the government is providing real governance and not simply security. This, he added, could take months.

Syrian Opposition Under Pressure

Meanwhile, in Syria, the opposition to Bashar Assad’s regime is under “enormous pressure,” particularly in the north, Dempsey, said. That region brings the greatest concern in regard to the ability to attract, recruit and vet a moderate opposition, he added.

“And Iraq, because we have a credible partner there, is the most important thing for us right now,” Dempsey said, “while maintaining pressure through disruptive airstrikes inside of what was a safe haven in Syria.

“As that issue evolves in Iraq, we will then adapt the campaign,” he continued. “And in the meantime, we're trying to build a credible partner on the ground in Syria … to take advantage of airstrikes should we ever turn our attention elsewhere. So it's really about a bit of choreography to get this right and not find ourselves potentially doing more harm if we create vacuums and voids and greater instability in the region.”

DOD VIDEO: CJCS GEN MARTIN DEMPSEY VISITS IRAQ

DOD VIDEO: GEN. DEMPSEY DISCUSSES MILITARY ACTION IN THE EBOLA CRISIS

CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS CALLS FOR CIVILIAN-MILITARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Dempsey Calls on Americans to Discuss Civil-Military Relations

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 5, 2013 - America's all-volunteer military has been a success, but society at large and service members must ensure a shared understanding exists between them, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a commentary in the Washington Post today.


Dempsey described the all-volunteer force as one of America's finest achievements. The military is so good, he wrote, that many Americans take it for granted.

"The last decade of war has affected the relationship between our society and the military," Dempsey wrote. "We can't allow a sense of separation to grow between us. As the all-volunteer force enters its fifth decade, civilians and the military need to maintain the shared understanding necessary for a healthy relationship."

Dempsey wrote that the nation needs to discuss the military-civil relationship, as well as the nation's relationship with its service members.

"As a nation, we've learned to separate the warrior from the war," he wrote. "But we still have much to learn about how to connect the warrior to the citizen."

Since the end of conscription in July 1973, those entering the military have served as volunteers. In his commentary, Dempsey urged America's civilians to establish a dialogue with their fellow citizens who serve in the all-volunteer force.

"As citizens, we must listen to our veterans," the chairman wrote. "If we do, we'll hear stories of pride and courage, anger and pain, laughter and joy. We'll hear of actions that humble and inspire us. We'll also hear of moments that break our hearts. These stories represent the best of our nation."

Service members also bear a responsibility to communicate with their fellow citizens, Dempsey wrote. "We should tell our stories and recognize that those who aren't in uniform might not know what to say or ask," he added. "We also have a duty to listen. Our fellow citizens may have different perspectives that we need to hear and understand."

The services as well as veterans understand the need for fiscal change, the general wrote. Cuts in funding, he added, are not an attack on veterans and their families.

"Modest reforms to pay and compensation will improve readiness and modernization," Dempsey wrote. "They will help keep our all-volunteer force sustainable and strong. Keeping faith also means investing sufficient resources so that we can uphold our sacred obligations to defend the nation and to send our sons and daughters to war with only the best training, leadership and equipment. We can't shrink from our obligations to one another. The stakes are too high."

Service members and veterans must remember that public service takes many forms, Dempsey wrote.

"Across our country, police officers, firefighters, teachers, coaches, pastors, scout masters, business people and many others serve their communities every day," he added. "Military service makes us different, but the desire to contribute permeates every corner of the United States."

The nation cannot afford allowing the military to disconnect from American society, Dempsey wrote.

"We must guard against letting military service become a job for others," he added. "Children of those in the military are far more likely to join than the children of those who are not. And young men and women in some areas never even consider the military as one of many ways to serve our nation."

Some fault for this, Dempsey said, lies with the military. Service members, he added, cannot just stay on bases and remain in their own world.

"But we didn't stop being citizens when we put on the uniform," Dempsey wrote. "We came from small towns and big cities across our country, and we'll go back one day. Civilians aren't an abstraction; they're our parents, grandparents, siblings and friends."

An all-volunteer force is actually the norm for the United States, the chairman wrote, noting that since 1787, the nation used conscription for only 35 years.

"Except in times of great crisis, we have relied on a tradition of selfless service," Dempsey wrote. "The all-volunteer force continues that tradition. It has served our nation well for the past 40 years. To do so for the next 40, we'll have to work at it together."

GENERAL DEMPSEY DISCUSSES MULTITUDE OF SUBJECTS WITH CHINESE LEADERS

 

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A Kissinger , left, and U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meet in Beijing, China, Apr 23, 2013. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
China Visit Sparks Dynamic Engagements, Dempsey Says

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

BEIJING, April 24, 2013 - With his visit to China nearly complete, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today he has been afforded good access to senior Chinese leaders, junior leaders and future leaders.

Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a media roundtable that one thread common to the meetings he's attended here is that with power comes responsibility -- local, regional and, increasingly, global.

Dempsey said his discussions in China, which is widely considered the world's greatest rising power, have ranged from regional concerns such as territorial disputes to the potentially global issue of North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Other major topics in his talks here this week, he said, included growing risk in the cyber domain and the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this week, Dempsey met separately with Chinese President Xi Jinping and State Councilor Yang Jiechi. He also met individually and in some group meetings with senior Chinese army officers, including Gen. Chang Wanguan, minister of national defense; Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission; and his host for this visit, Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the general staff.

Addressing reporters' questions on North Korea today, Dempsey said the ballistic missile and nuclear tests Pyongyang has conducted show that nation is "on a path that will certainly increase risk in the region, and ultimately could present risk globally."

The United States has responded to North Korean provocations in the past, he noted, by denouncing North Korea's path toward nuclear weapons and its failure to live up to agreements and U.N. Security Council resolutions against such development. The U.S. military posture toward a nuclear-armed North Korea is one of deterrence and preparedness, the chairman said.

"If they were to launch, we do have the capability to defend ourselves, our people, our facilities," Dempsey added.

China, North Korea's primary ally along with Russia, has been very clear that among its national interests is a non-nuclearized Korean Peninsula, Dempsey said. He added that he will leave China believing that its leaders are "as concerned as we are" about the issue.

Dempsey said his meetings here did not touch on specific measures the Chinese might take in response to further North Korean actions.

"We think there's still time for North Korea's leaders to back away from further provocations, and we certainly hope they take the opportunity to do so," he added.

To questions on cyber concerns involving China, Dempsey said he has the advantage of being able to build on decisions that already have been taken. He noted that during Secretary of State John F. Kerry's visit here earlier this month, the Chinese agreed to form a cyber working group.

"I reinforced my belief that that was timely and appropriate," the chairman said. "We had a very useful discussion about how the challenges in cyber are migrating from theft to disruption, and left unaddressed, are likely to lead to destruction."

The nations that have the strongest economies and rely most on technology are most vulnerable to cyber activity, Dempsey said. In discussions with Chinese leaders, he said, "I encouraged them to put their best and brightest minds to seek a level of collaboration and transparency with us, because it will affect both of our futures."

The chairman said he supports developing a code of conduct for cyber activity, likening the concept to Albert Einstein's assertion that "if I had 60 minutes to save the world, I should spend 55 minutes understanding the problem and only five minutes solving it."

"I think we're in that '55 minutes,'" Dempsey said. "I think we're in that period of gaining a common understanding. ... Cyber continues to evolve, whether we would like it to or not."

State, nonstate and individual actors all operate in the cyber domain, he said, and while cyber originated as an open-architecture system designed to allow information to move freely, "there has to be some code of conduct established."

The chairman also responded to reporters' questions about the territorial dispute between China and Japan over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, adjacent to possible undersea oil reserves. Japan refers to them as the Senkaku Islands, while in China they are known as the Diaoyu Islands.

Dempsey noted the United States doesn't take sides in such disputes and urges peaceful resolution to all such issues.
In discussions, both he and the Chinese were "very candid" about their respective positions on the islands, he said.

"In the case of Japan, in particular, I was careful to remind them that we do have certain treaty obligations with Japan that we would honor," the chairman said. "And therefore, it was in everyone's best interest that this be resolved peacefully and without military coercion."

The chairman said many of the senior and mid-level Chinese military leaders he spoke with here sought clarity about the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region.

"I think I was successful in describing it as a long-term process," he said. "We've never suggested this would be something that would manifest itself overnight. But also, it was a strategic imperative for us to rebalance, over time, to the Pacific."

Economic, security, and demographic trends all lead to the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

"Furthermore, I tell them this wasn't about them, meaning China. Of course they're a factor, ... but this wasn't a strategy that was aimed at them in any way," Dempsey said.

The chairman added that military considerations are only part of the broader U.S. regional strategy. "I pointed out to them that among the first visitors who came here after our ... rebalancing initiative was announced was Jack Lew, the secretary of the treasury," he said.

Dempsey noted that President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping have discussed forging a new relationship between the two countries. "That new relationship will, of course, be established in the context of our other and enduring relationships in the region," he said.

In every case, Dempsey said, discussion about the rebalance was dynamic.

"I like to believe that my trip here has contributed to a greater understanding of what we're doing and why," he said. "But it's something that we're going to have to continue to work over time."

Today, the chairman visited China's National Defense University, the 4th Aviation Regiment and the Army Aviation Academy.

The cadets Dempsey spoke with are training to become either maintainers or pilots of aircraft, he noted. In discussion with the Chinese cadets, Dempsey said, "they probably asked me a dozen or more questions. One of the questions was about an issue of geostrategic importance, and 11 of them were about leadership."

"It was fascinating, actually," he added. "I found them to be genuinely interested in how I described myself as a leader, what were the attributes I thought were important, ... [and] the difference between junior-level leadership and senior-level leadership."

The chairman said his answer to the cadets was fundamentally the same thing he would tell a junior military leader in the U.S. forces.

"That is, that what we expect our junior leaders to do is to become competent in their chosen fields, so if you're an aviator, you should aspire to be the best aviator that you can be," Dempsey said. "And then, spend as much time thinking about how to be a man or woman of character, because leadership is the combination of competence and character."

CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF WANTS MORE STRATEGIC DIALOGUE WITH CHINA

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Dempsey Urges More Strategic Dialogue Between China, U.S.
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

BEIJING, April 22, 2013 - The strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific doesn't mean deploying high numbers of U.S. troops into the region, but it does involve more interest, more engagement and more quality in equipment and capabilities, America's senior military officer said here today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the general staff for the Chinese army, spoke to reporters here during a news conference following about three hours of meetings at the Bayi Building, China's ministry of national defense.

"My theme [on this visit] is quite simple, actually -- a stable and prosperous region is in everyone's best interest," Dempsey said.

The two leaders met before the news conference during a small-group meeting for about an hour, then moved to a larger group meeting. As translators rendered Dempsey's remarks in Mandarin and Fang's in English at the news conference, the pair spoke with similar voices on topics including terrorism, North Korea, disaster relief and cyberattacks.

Responding to a reporter's question asking his stance on North Korean nuclear capability, Fang said he always has maintained that the Korean Peninsula should be free of nuclear weapons.

"We are thoroughly opposed to the nuclear test conducted by the [North Korean government]," he said. "We support the U.N. Security Council in appropriate and reasonable sanctions against North Korea."

Fang said he thinks peaceful dialogue is the most desirable approach to resolving multinational concerns about North Korea's nuclear ambitions. The last round of six-party talks aimed at the issue -- involving North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia -- was in 2009.

"We ask all sides to work actively ... [to persuade] the North Koreans to stop the nuclear tests and to stop producing nuclear weapons," he said.

Fang also answered a question about cyberattacks in the wake of recent reports that many are launched from within China's army and said cyberattacks are a concern for all "big cyber countries."

If the Internet is not managed well, he said, "it may bring damaging consequences." He added, "If the security of the Internet cannot be guaranteed, then ... results may be as serious as a nuclear bomb."

China is a major victim of cyberattacks, he said, and the nation's leaders have no tolerance for it. Fang pointed out, however, that pinpointing the source of attacks can be very difficult, as the Internet is open to everyone and attacks can be launched from anywhere.

"General Dempsey and I have already talked about the importance of maintaining cybersecurity," he said. "I believe it is important that we check out the idea that we should jointly work on this issue."

Dempsey responded to a reporter's assertion that three obstacles inhibit U.S.-Chinese relations: U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, reconnaissance by U.S. ships and aircraft, and "the discriminatory laws against China." The reporter asked what the United States can do to improve the relationship.

"We talked about all three of those issues today, and another three, four or five beyond that," the chairman said. "And maybe isn't that the point? It's the first time we've spoken about these issues."

The two nations have frequent military-to-military contact on the tactical level, Dempsey said, but could benefit by more frequent senior-leader engagement. "It's our desire, both of us, that we maintain dialogue at the strategic level. ... We are committed to building a better, deeper, more enduring relationship," the chairman added.

It's important that each side do that while keeping in mind the other side's commitments to other nations, Dempsey said. The United States considers its relationship with China in the context of historic and enduring alliances in the region, he noted.

"This isn't about choosing any one or the other," he said. "We have some treaty obligations, but we will build this relationship by increasing our contact at the strategic level and recognizing [those alliances]."

The final question was to Dempsey, asking why the United
States conducts military exercises in China's vicinity. Dempsey said the answer "is probably at the core of why I've made this visit."

The United States is and has been a Pacific power, and while its military has been particularly active and busy in the Middle East, it has never left and will not leave the Asia-Pacific, the chairman said.

"Our intention, of course, is to contribute to stability in a way that protects our national interests, which are very much tied to this region," he said.

Dempsey said the United States seeks to be a stabilizing influence in the region. "We believe that it would be our absence that would be a destabilizing influence on the region, not our presence," he added.

Fang led the news conference by welcoming Dempsey and his delegation, and said he hopes the chairman's visit furthers the exchange of ideas between the two nations' militaries.

In his opening remarks, Dempsey thanked Fang for his hospitality and offered his condolences for the victims of the April 21 Sichuan magnitude 7.0 earthquake, a temblor that left a reported 189 people dead and injured more than 11,000. The chairman also complimented Fang on the Chinese army's quick response after the earthquake, and the general's leadership of that effort.

The chairman also expressed sympathy for the family of Lu Lingzi, a Chinese graduate student who had been pursuing a master's degree at Boston University when she was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings April 15.

She "was a gifted student, tragically killed," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to her grieving family."

Dempsey arrived in Beijing yesterday after a stop in South Korea. Later this week, he will continue his Asia trip with a visit to Japan.

GEN. DEMPSEY DISCUSSES STRATEGIC REBALANCE

 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Dempsey Discusses North Korea, U.S. Strategic Rebalance
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2012 – The decision by North Korea to conduct another missile launch is unfortunate and counterproductive to stability in the region, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey took a moment during his travel on his annual USO holiday tour for a one-on-one interview with American Forces Press Service to discuss North Korea's recent actions and the U.S. strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific.

"My thoughts are that the North Koreans continue to be a force of instability in a region while we're working diligently to increase stability," Dempsey said.

"So their decision to do that [missile launch] was very unwise, very unfortunate and I think the international community increasingly sees them for what they are -- which is a force of instability during a time when they ought to be looking for opportunities to contribute to regional stability," he said.

The chairman also discussed the progress made in the U.S. strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region.

"Last year, we talked about our strategic interests, globally, and how they would change over time," Dempsey said. "But that's an important point -- over time. This wasn't a light switch."

"And so, as we thought about that rebalancing of our interests, kind of horizontally, this year we're looking at the impact of that vertically," he said.

The chairman explained the three-part, vertical aspect of the rebalancing, "which is to say how much of our force structure is forward, how much is rotational and how much is retained in the homeland to provide surge capability for security issues that we may not anticipate."

Asked of the "gains" seen in this strategic pivot, Dempsey described what he perceives as a gain, although he said he doesn't necessarily view the rebalancing in terms of "losses and gains."

"When you use the term 'gains,' I would say the single biggest gain is we've got this, I think, pretty coherent vision of how our security will be shaped between now and [the year] 2020," he said. "[This is] the first step and that's a significant step."

Over the course of the next three or four years, "we've got to put into place a system, processes, resources [and the] intellectual energy to deliver," Dempsey said.

ARMY GENERAL DEMPSEY SAYS AFGHANS CONCERNED OVER INSIDER ATTACKS

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE
Dempsey: Afghans Share Concern Over Insider Attacks

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2012 - Afghan leaders are just as concerned as coalition authorities are about insider attacks, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today after meetings here.
　
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said this is the first time in his dozens of trips to the region that Afghans have exhibited this same level of concern.
　
"I am reassured that the Afghan military and civilian leaders understand how important this moment is," he said.
　
This year has seen 32 incidents of Afghan soldiers and police turning weapons on coalition personnel, said Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz of the German air force, a NATO spokesman. The alliance is taking precautions and will continue to study the situation, he said.
　
Dempsey said his meeting with Gen. Sher Muhammad Karimi, Afghanistan's defense chief, showed him the Afghans recognize the problem.
　
"In the past, it's been us pushing on them to make sure they do more," Dempsey said at Kabul Air Base. "This time, without prompting, when I met General Karimi, he started with a conversation about insider attacks – and, importantly, insider attacks not just against us, but insider attacks against the Afghans, too."
　
Dempsey said he does not anticipate changing the basic way coalition forces work with their Afghan allies, but acknowledged that remains to be determined. "The actual key to this might not be to pull back and isolate ourselves, but [to] reach out and embrace them even more," the general said. "Again, this is my instinct based on conversations today that I now have to flesh out with our leaders."
　
In addition to meeting with Karimi, Dempsey met with Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of U.S. Central Command; Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force; and Army Lt. Gen. James Terry, the commander of ISAF Joint Command.

Dempsey also discussed the nascent anti-Taliban movement in Afghanistan's Ghazni province and other areas in the country.
　
A senior NATO intelligence official told reporters residents of Ghazni's Andar district protested against the local Taliban closing schools and attacking village leaders. In April, they banded together and forced the Taliban out. The movement has since spread, and residents have spontaneously banded against the Taliban in 26 other areas of the country.
　
Dempsey called the movement "a very positive step, and one that should be encouraged."
　
The chairman said he does not want to overstate the importance of the movement, because it is somewhat isolated. But it indicates the Taliban's message is being rejected, he added.
　
Dempsey said the Taliban started the fighting season with three objectives: discrediting Afghanistan's central government, impeding the development of the national security forces, and recapturing lost territory.
　
"In every one of those objectives they've failed," he said. "We have given a real opportunity for the Afghan government to establish its governance by allowing the security environment to show progress and, therefore, hope."

GEN. DEMPSEY AT GOLD STAR MOTHERS GALA

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Dempsey Lauds New Generation at Gold Star Mothers Gala
By Amaani Lyle
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2012 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lauded the sacrifices and dedication of modern-day service members during remarks at the American Gold Star Mothers 75th annual national convention gala here last night.
"We're building on a foundation of greater strength than probably at any time in our history," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said.

The chairman recalled the 17-year gap between his own graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1974 and his first combat experience in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

"There was a time in the intervening years when you do wonder ... is the fabric tough enough?" the chairman asked. "Will we have courage like our predecessors did? Will we be willing to sacrifice?"

Now, the chairman said, the answer is clear.
"If we can't answer that question in the affirmative now, we're just not paying attention," he said. "The kids that are out there are courageous, they're selfless, they're smart, they're dedicated, and they're just irrepressible -- they will do anything to take care of this country and what it stands for."

On June 4, 1928, a group of 25 mothers met in the District of Columbia to plan a national organization that would be later known as the American Gold Star Mothers to honor mothers of those killed while in the armed forces, to promote patriotism and to assist veterans.

4 U.S. LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS TO BE MANAGED OUT OF SINGAPORE

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 
Dempsey Details Plan for 'Singapore-managed' Ships

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, June 3, 2012 - The littoral combat ships that will soon begin rotational deployment to Singapore are an example of the increased military engagement called for under the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today.

En route from Singapore to the Philippines today, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff filled in the picture outlined yesterday during the 11th annual Asia security conference in Singapore known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.   

Following a bilateral U.S.-Singapore meeting at the conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Singapore's Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen finalized the rotation of four U.S. littoral combat ships to Singapore. Dempsey told American Forces Press Service today that the ships will be managed out of, not based in, Singapore.

"They'll be deployed for six to 10 months at a time, on a rotational basis, but they'll make port calls throughout the region," the chairman said. "And so while the U.S.-Singapore relationship will be the most significant beneficiary of that, so too will Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines [and] others in the region."

The ships have a range of capabilities, Dempsey said, "everything from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief right up to its ability to act as a warship."

Littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments and are effective against "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. They are also capable of open-ocean operation.

With that range, the chairman said, the ships are well suited to multilateral exercises. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus is planning a multilateral maritime humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise, Dempsey noted.

"We haven't committed to [that exercise] yet, but were we to commit to it, I think you'd find [the ships] very well suited to take part in that exercise," he said.

HONORING SURVIVORS AND SHARING LOSS

Vice President Joe Biden talks with troops after a ceremony at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, Dec. 1, 2011. The ceremony commemorated the sacrifices and accomplishments of U.S. and Iraqi service members. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo   


FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Dempseys, Bidens Honor Survivors, Biden Shares Loss
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
ARLINGTON, Va., May 25, 2012 - The first family of the military joined the second family of the United States here today in support of relatives of those who died while serving their country.

"We're here to honor you this weekend," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, standing alongside his wife, Deanie, told some 2,000 people who gathered at a Marriott hotel to start the 18th annual TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar. TAPS, or Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, is a nonprofit group that supports surviving families of fallen service members.

"Most Americans have not had the life-altering experience of being handed a folded flag like all of you have," Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.
"You are the face of these two wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dempsey said. "We honor your sacrifice ... and will never forget it."

"We're with you," he added. "I promise you that."
Dempsey said he was honored to share the stage with Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. "I can tell you, their heart is exactly where you want it to be," he told the audience.

Looking out over a sea of red TAPS "Survivor" t-shirts, Biden shared his own personal story of loss with the audience. It was just a few weeks after his first election to the U.S. Senate on Dec. 18, 1972 when the call came into his Washington office that his wife and three very young children had been in a car crash.

"Just like you guys, you can tell by the tone of that phone call," he said. "You can feel it in your bones."

Biden was told that his wife, Neilia, and their one-year-old daughter, were both dead. "They were not sure if my sons would make it," he told the hushed crowd.
"I know people meant well when they came up and said, 'Joe, I know how you feel,' but they didn't have a damn idea," he said as some clapped with empathy.
"For the first time in my life, I understood how someone could contemplate suicide," Biden said. "Because you've been to the top of the mountain and you knew you'd never get there again.

"No parent should be pre-deceased by their son or daughter," he added.
"I don't know about you guys, but I was angry," Biden said, adding that the devastation tested his faith as a Catholic.

Biden's sons made a full recovery and he remarried in 1977. "This woman literally saved my life," he said, reaching out to Jill next to him.

The vice president went on to say that he "has a wonderful family. They are always there for me. But there is still something gigantic missing."

Each year, Biden said, Jill makes a wreath to commemorate the family's loss and they take flowers to the cemetery.

"Your relationship with your family will be like a bond of steel," Biden told the survivors. "You'll see the depth of a relationship you never knew could happen."

Speaking to those who'd lost spouses, the vice president said, "You're going to go through periods where you will feel guilty as hell" by starting a new relationship. But, he added, "Keep thinking about what your husband or wife would want you to do."

Biden urged the survivors to have hope. "It can and will get better. There will come a day, I promise, when your thoughts of your son or daughter or husband or wife will bring a smile to your face before it brings a tear."

GENERAL DEMPSEY SAYS LAW OF THE SEA CONVENTION SHOULD BE RATIFIED

Photo:  U.S. Department of Defense

F

ROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Dempsey Urges Ratification of Law of the Sea Convention

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2012 - Ratifying the Law of the Sea Convention is the right thing to do for American national security, the U.S. military's highest-ranking officer said here today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Pew Charitable Trusts gathering on the treaty that he joins each chairman since the document was signed in 1994 to urge the Senate to ratify it.

Republican and Democratic administrations have both urged approval. And, Dempsey maintains, the treaty is good for American military rights.

"It codifies navigational rights and freedoms essential for our global mobility," he said. "It helps sustain our combat forces in the field."

The treaty also guarantees the right of innocent passage through foreign territorial seas, the right of transit passage through international straits and the right to exercise high seas freedoms in foreign exclusive economic zones — all without permission or prior notice.

In addition, the treaty also affirms the sovereign immunity of U.S. warships and other public vessels. "And it gives us the framework to counter excessive claims by states seeking to illegally restrict movement of vessels and aircraft," Dempsey said. "These are all rights and capabilities that we want and that we need. In fact, they are of our own making. We negotiated them into the convention to advance our national security interests."

The United States could, of course, not ratify the treaty and depend on the same strategy an infant republic used more than 200 years ago, the chairman said. "At that time, we commissioned the Navy's first ships to safeguard our seaborne merchants against the Barbary pirates," he said.

The force of arms should not be America's only national security instrument, the chairman said, and the Law of the Sea Convention provides an additional way to navigate an increasingly complex international security environment.

"Ratification now represents an unprecedented opportunity," the chairman said. "The convention offers an opportunity to exercise global security leadership."

More than 160 nations are now a party to the convention. "Even so, the world looks to us for leadership," he said. "We have the world's largest and most capable navy, largest economy, and the largest exclusive economic zone. We will become the leader within the convention as soon as we enter it. And that's never been more important."

Dempsey said that on, over and under the oceans, nations are making competing claims or posturing themselves to restrict the movement of others, and these actions affect the United States, its allies and friends.

"As a party to the convention, we can help resolve conflicts, strengthen alliances and foster innovative partnerships," he said. "We have never been better poised – or more welcomed – to lead a global security order benefiting all peaceful nations."

The convention secures legitimate global freedom of access for the U.S. armed forces, Dempsey told the audience. "Today, we rely on customary international law and assert it through physical presence – warships and aircraft transiting and challenging illegal restrictions," he said. "Some say this alone is sufficient."

But this works against U.S. rights in that nations will continue to try and bend customary law to restrict movement on the ocean, he said, and it puts U.S. ships, subs, aircraft and personnel at risk to continually challenge these claims.

"We are strong enough for this role. We can and will continue to defend our interests, and we'll do that with force when necessary," Dempsey said. "But we can also be smart. We can leverage law to mitigate the need for physical assertion. Under the Law of the Sea Convention, we can be both strong and smart."

Ratifying the convention also strengthens the U.S. position in Asia, the chairman said.

Finally, Dempsey said, joining the Law of the Sea Convention will strengthen America's strategic position in Asia. "The Western Pacific is a mosaic of competing claims for territory and resources," the chairman said. "This is a critical region where, as a Pacific nation, our security and economic prosperity are inextricably linked."

The United States wants to mitigate any conflict in the Pacific, Dempsey said. "The convention gives us another tool to effectively resolve conflicts at every level," he added. "It provides a common language, and therefore a better opportunity, to settle disputes with cooperation instead of cannon fire."

U.S. GENERAL MARTIN DEMPSEY VISITS COLOMBIAN TERRORISM SITE

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey speaks to Colombian troops and engineers at Joint Task Force Vulcano near Tibu, Colombia. The general is visiting the country to reaffirm ties and to find better ways to partner with an important ally. DOD photo by Jim Garamone

The following excerpt is from the American Forces Press Service
Dempsey Visits Latest Site in Colombia's Terrorism Fight
By Jim Garamone
TIBU, Colombia, March 27, 2012 - The markets are all open in this small Colombian town. Some streets are cobbled, some are bricked, some once had macadam and others are just dirt.

Chickens run around in the backyards of houses facing the air strip, and a plane or helicopter landing there attracts curious on-lookers.

They had a lot to look at today as U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined virtually the entire Colombian defense leadership to visit Joint Task Force Vulcano, located just outside town.

The Colombian government established the task force in December. It is the latest effort to defeat the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – known by its Spanish acronym FARC – and other terror groups and criminal gangs.

"It draws all assets of the government together to provide security for the people," said Colombian army Capt. Jose Mojica, a spokesman for the task force.

Dempsey arrived at the base in a Colombian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter along with Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon Bueno and Gen. Alejandro Navas, commander of the Colombian Armed Forces.

Dempsey thanked the troops and police for their courage in facing groups that threaten not only their country, but the region and the hemisphere.

"I thank you for your courage and for the sacrifices you have suffered over these many years," the general said. "As the chief of our armed forces, I come here today to first of all say 'thank you,' and secondly, how much we admire your courage and democratic values. I commit to continuing to be a good partner with you in this conflict."

Following his comments, Dempsey discussed strategy with the minister and the chief of defense and also Army chief Maj. Gen. Sergio Mantilla Sanmiguel, Navy chief Vice Adm. Roberto Garcia Marquez and Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tito Saul Pinilla-Pinilla.
Only a couple hundred soldiers were at the task force base. "We have little amount of people here, because the rest are in the field," Mojica said, adding that they patrol continuously.

The impoverished area is three kilometers from the Venezuela border, which U.S. officials, speaking on background, said is porous and suffers from corruption. The area is a prime shipping point for cocaine and the FARC and other terror groups use the proceeds to fuel their fight, they said.

If money stays in the village, it is well hidden. Whole families ride on small motorbikes with a father driving, mother on the back, and a small child wedged between them.
Before Joint Task Force Vulcano stood up, there were a small number of troops in the region. Now there are more than 10,000, Mojica said. The forces are composed of three mobile brigades and a geographic brigade. A fourth brigade is getting ready to deploy to the area.
This is all part of an ambitious Colombian strategy to cut the FARC by half in two years. U.S. Embassy officials said there are about 8,000 FARC members now. Colombian officials spoke of the plan as the end game for the rebellion against the government after 48 years of intermittent war.

The Colombian military is a leader in counterinsurgency strategy and have incorporated civil affairs efforts into almost every operation. Health care is a big draw, especially for the underserved people in the countryside. One of the first operations the task force set up was a health care program, including a health fair for the people of Tibu.

The FARC had warned towns people to stay away from the health effort, and task force commanders were worried the people would be too afraid to show up, Mojica said. But by 6 a.m., 250 people already were line, he said.

The FARC and their criminal allies are not taking the challenge lying down. The group attacked a police station outside Tibu just after Dempsey left the area. First reports indicated two police were dead and three were wounded.