OUTGOING DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA LAUDS MILITARY MEMBERS, BLASTS CONGRESS FOR "MEANNESS"

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta testifies on the Defense Department’s response to the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Strong Defense Rests on Strong Congress, Panetta Says
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2013 - The current lack of effective partnership in government is his biggest disappointment as he leaves Washington after 50 years of public service, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Panetta told Pentagon reporters during what he called his final news conference here that his Defense Department team has achieved remarkable things.

"First and foremost, we've kept the country safe," he said. "Secondly, we have ... [dedicated] ourselves to bringing two wars to a conclusion, the war in Iraq and now we're well on the way to bringing the war in Afghanistan, hopefully, to a conclusion, as well."

Military members serving under him have weakened terrorism and strengthened cooperation with their counterparts in intelligence, he added. And together, he said, military and civilian defense leaders crafted and put in place a defense strategy that "really makes good sense for this country, in terms of the force we need for the 21st century."

The secretary added that as the son of Italian immigrants, he's also proud to have led the effort to "expand opportunities for everyone to serve in the military." Panetta's acts as secretary included expanding the number of jobs for servicewomen, and increasing the rights of same-sex couples with military members.

"And I'm proud of the care that we continue to provide for our wounded warriors and for their families," he said. "They are truly deserving of whatever we can provide because of the sacrifices they've made."

The secretary said he has put a lot of burdens on the military in working through tough decisions.

"And, you know, they always responded. They responded ... [with] dedication to country and dedication to the military. We've been able to do some historic things as a result of that," he said.

In turning to what threatens those achievements, Panetta expressed some frustration.

"I'm sorry about this, but I've got to say it," he said. "All of the work that we do here to try to make this country strong and develop a strong defense" depends on a strong partnership with Congress, the secretary said.

"What should be and what our forefathers, I think, envisioned as a strong bond between an administration, an executive branch, and a legislative branch ... is not as strong as it should be," he said. "Oftentimes, I feel like I don't have a full partnership with my former colleagues on the Hill in trying to do what's right for this country."

When he served in the House as a representative from California, Panetta said, there was a customary form of speech between members who disagreed: "With the greatest respect, I disagree with my friend."

What makes Congress work is that it's a place to fully debate political and ideological differences, he said.

"That's the whole purpose of our forefathers fashioning that legislative branch, to debate fully those differences," the secretary added. "But there are also some lines that are there that make that process work."

Without mutual respect and courtesy among those seeking to resolve differences, those lines break down, Panetta said.

"Everybody's got legitimate points, but there's a way to express it in a way that complements our democracy, doesn't demean our democracy," he said. "And I think, you know, what you see on display is too much meanness."

Panetta said he has spoken to leaders around the world during his extensive travels as secretary. Leaders everywhere, he said, see the United States as a nation with strong values and a strong military.

"I think what they worry about is what I worry about, which is whether or not ... we can govern and whether or not we can face the tough decisions that have to be made," he said.

Panetta noted he repeatedly has said the biggest threat to U.S. national security "is that budget uncertainty and that inability to govern and find solutions."

As a step toward better government and a better world perception of the nation, he said, "somehow the members both in the House and Senate side have to get back to a point where they really do respect the institution that they're a part of."

SEC. OF DEFENSE PANETTA EXTENDS BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX PARTNERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Signs Memo Extending Benefits to Same-sex Partners
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 - Calling it "a matter of fundamental equity," Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today signed a memorandum to the service secretaries and the Pentagon's top personnel official extending benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

Here is the secretary's announcement of the policy change:

"Seventeen months ago, the United States military ended the policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' We have implemented the repeal of that policy and made clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation has no place in the Department of Defense.

"At the time of repeal, I committed to reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy. It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country. The department already provides a group of benefits that are member-designated. Today, I am pleased to announce that after a thorough and deliberate review, the department will extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

"Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation. Extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation.

"One of the legal limitations to providing all benefits at this time is the Defense of Marriage Act, which is still the law of the land. There are certain benefits that can only be provided to spouses as defined by that law, which is now being reviewed by the United States Supreme Court. While it will not change during my tenure as secretary of defense, I foresee a time when the law will allow the department to grant full benefits to service members and their dependents, irrespective of sexual orientation. Until then, the department will continue to comply with current law while doing all we can to take care of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and their families.

"While the implementation of additional benefits will require substantial policy revisions and training, it is my expectation that these benefits will be made available as expeditiously as possible. One of the great successes at the Department of Defense has been the implementation of DADT repeal. It has been highly professional and has strengthened our military community. I am confident in the military services' ability to effectively implement these changes over the coming months."

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA MAKES REMARKS REGARDING NATO



U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes Eulate lay a memorial wreath during a visit to Madrid, Jan. 15, 2013. Panetta stopped in Spain as part of a six-day trip to meet with European allies. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
In Europe Remarks, Panetta Stresses NATO Commitment
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
MADRID, Jan. 15, 2013 - NATO is an alliance that must remain strong and capable to meet 21st century challenges, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta emphasized in two European capitals today.

In a joint newss conference here with Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes Eulate, and in an earlier event today with Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, the secretary praised NATO allies' resolve over the past 10-plus years of war, and urged their continued commitment to the transatlantic alliance.

Speaking here, Panetta said Spain is a longtime trusted ally, friend and security partner to the United States. Spain's leadership in NATO, contributions in Afghanistan and efforts to promote security in the Mediterranean basin, he said, have been critically important over the last decade.

"I believe continued Spanish leadership will be essential to the future success of the transatlantic alliance," Panetta said. "Spain is extremely important to our ability to maintain and strengthen that very important alliance."

The secretary also paid tribute to the Spanish service members killed in Afghanistan. "On behalf of my country," he said, "I want to extend to the people of Spain our deepest condolences on the fact that you buried today, as I understand it, the 100th casualty ... killed in action that Spain has endured in that conflict. You've paid a high price."

Because of many such sacrifices on the part of nations with forces in Afghanistan and of the Afghan people, Panetta said, "we are on track to meet the goals that our nations agreed to last year [at the NATO summit] in Chicago," Panetta said. He added that Afghan forces are set to take over lead security responsibility in the late spring, and full responsibility in 2014.

He pledged continued commitment to develop and sustain Afghan forces past 2014.

"The long-term commitment NATO has made is critical to fulfilling the mission that brave men and women from our two nations have fought and died to carry out," he said.

Other topics he discussed with Spanish leaders, Panetta said, include countering cyber threats and bolstering maritime security.

"Literally hundreds of thousands of cyber attacks [are] aimed at both the private sector ... [and] the governmental sector," Panetta said. "And for that reason, it is important that we work together to strengthen our capabilities in this wider area."

The United States already is partnering with Spain to meet the mission of safeguarding the seas, he noted. "The home-porting of four Aegis-equipped destroyers to Rota, which I announced on my first trip to Europe as secretary, is a key U.S. commitment of NATO," he said. "But more broadly, Rota is a critical gateway for naval and aerial operations into the Mediterranean and beyond."

The ship-based Aegis ballistic missile defense system incorporates computers, radar, and missiles to detect, track and destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles.

Naval Station Rota, on Spain's southern coast, is a Spanish base funded by the United States. "As our forces deploy there, we will look to increase our bilateral naval cooperation with Spain," Panetta said.

Moving ahead with the Aegis deployment to Rota while the United States and many other nations face significant fiscal pressure, the secretary said, "reflects our belief that the transatlantic alliance will remain critical for global security in the 21st century, and we must make investments in order to keep it strong for the future."

The world's nations still face a range of challenges, Panetta pointed out.

"That's reality. That's the world we live in," he said. "From terrorism to nuclear proliferation to the destabilizing behavior of regimes like Iran and North Korea, these are challenges that require us to be ever vigilant and ever ready and, above all, to be leaders in helping to forge a safer and more secure future for the 21st century."

Earlier today in Portugal, the secretary spoke to many of the same themes, and also noted Pentagon officials will alter the pace of the planned drawdown of U.S. forces at Lajes Field in the Azores.

Aguiar-Branco opened the joint news conference in the Portuguese capital. Speaking through a translator, he said the U.S. decision to cut manning at Lajes is a "situation that causes much concern to the Portuguese government."

"I explained to Mr. Leon Panetta the delicacy and importance to work together in order to mitigate the consequences of this situation and to lessen the impact on -- in the region of the Azores. ... This meeting was a very important stage in the work as allies and partners in our work to reinforce and strengthen our relationship."

Panetta responded that while budget pressures force a decrease in operations at Lajes Field, "we will do everything we can to minimize the impact and the hardship to that community and, indeed, we will use this as an opportunity to build an even stronger [military-to-military] relationship between the United States and Portugal."

The secretary said he made clear to Portuguese leaders that U.S. defense leaders will work with Portuguese officials and the local community to mitigate the impact of the decision.

The United States military is committed to Lajes Field, which has important airlift capabilities, he said.

"It will remain a vital part of our global forward posture. We will need to continue to make use of this important base," the secretary added.

Recognizing Portuguese concerns, Panetta said, the United States has delayed the transition of that reduction to October 2014. "We will maintain, in addition, a 24/7 fire and emergency services there, and we are committed to a 3-to-1 ratio of employees from the local community," he added. "For every one that the United States employs, we will employ three of the local community."

The United States also will explore opportunities to expand trade and business in the Azores, the secretary said, noting that U.S. European Command will host a delegation of business executives next month, which will include a visit to the Azores "that may provide opportunities for expanded economic development there."

Finally and most critically, Panetta said, the United States is committed to expanding the relationship between the U.S. and Portuguese militaries with a focus on the key security challenges of the future.

A joint team of Pentagon and Portuguese defense officials is working to develop "additional opportunities to improve our relationship, and to renew and to re-emphasize the strong relationship between the United States and Portugal," he added.

Panetta noted close partnership and cooperation among allied nations is even more important when defense budgets shrink.

"The defense strategy the United States released one year ago this month makes clear that in an era of fiscal constraint, it remains essential for us to invest in our historic alliances with countries like Portugal," he said, "and for all of us to invest in alliance capabilities."

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA ON U.S. SUPPORT OF FRENCH IN MALI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta: U.S. Support to French in Mali Aimed at al-Qaida
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013 - U.S. and French defense leaders are hammering out details of intelligence, logistics and airlift assistance the United States will provide to French forces in Mali, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to the Portuguese capital, the secretary said such planned assistance demonstrates U.S. leaders' resolve that "we have a responsibility to go after al-Qaida wherever they are."

"We've gone after them in the FATA," Panetta said, referring to the federally administered tribal areas in Pakistan's northwest. "We're going after them in Yemen and Somalia. And we have a responsibility to make sure that al-Qaida does not establish a base for operations in North Africa and Mali."

French forces began airstrikes in Mali, a former French colony, four days ago. It has been widely reported France began its air campaign to halt the movement south of al-Qaida affiliated extremists, who have held Mali's northern area since April.

Panetta said the United States and its allies have been "very concerned" about AQIM, or al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, "and their efforts to establish a very strong base in that area."

The secretary said DOD officials have been working with regional partners to try to develop plans to confront that threat. "I commend France for taking the steps that it has," he added. "And what we have promised them is that we will work with them to ... provide whatever assistance we can to try to help them in that effort."

Officials from the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. Africa Command also are discussing military support with France, the secretary said. A senior official traveling with the secretary told reporters that specific U.S. support to French forces in Mali has not yet been defined, but that Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, Africom commander, spoke by phone earlier today from the African continent with the secretary, who was flying to Portugal at the time.

"We'll continue to work with [the French] to ensure that ultimately we do stop AQIM and that the responsibility for assuring security in that region will be passed to the African nations to provide a more permanent security for the sake of the world," Panetta said.

While that longer-term solution develops, the secretary said, he will consult with allies on shorter-term support in France's fight.

"One of the discussions I'll have in Spain regards their concern about what's happening with AQIM in Mali, as well," he said. "And I'll get a better idea of what these other countries may be doing to assist."

The secretary said while al-Qaida members in Mali do not appear to pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, "we're concerned any time al-Qaida establishes a base of operations that, while they might not have any immediate plans for attacks in the United States and in Europe, that ultimately ... still remains their objective. And it's for that reason that we have to take steps now to ensure that AQIM does not get that kind of traction."

President Barack Obama yesterday notified Congress, as required by the War Powers Act, that United States troops "provided limited technical support to the French forces" engaged in the attempted rescue of a French hostage in Somalia. French forces reported Denis Allex, who had been a hostage of al-Qaida-affiliated al Shabaab since 2009, was killed in the raid.

U.S. forces took no direct part in the assault on the compound where planners had concluded the French citizen was held hostage, the president wrote. U.S. combat aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation if needed, but did not employ weapons, he added.

All U.S. forces who supported the operation had left Somalia by about 8 p.m. EST Jan. 11, the president wrote.

"I directed U.S. forces to support this rescue operation in furtherance of U.S. national security interests," the president wrote, "and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive."

Panetta landed here today for the first leg of a weeklong trip that will also take him to Madrid, Rome and London.

SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA VISITS 'MOST CAPABLE PARTNERS'

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta briefs the press on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Begins Trip to Visit 'Most Capable Partners'
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 14, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta boarded this Air Force jet at Joint Base Andrews, Md., today, bound for Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain on what he termed "likely my last international trip as secretary of defense."

Panetta told reporters traveling with him that as "a son of Europe" –- he often speaks of his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Italy -- it is appropriate that his final international trip, the 18th he has made as secretary, will include visits to some of America's "most capable and closest military partners."

"I have visited more than 30 countries, including ... [traveling to] the war zone a number of times," he said. "But I've made it a priority, as part of our defense strategy, ... to emphasize the importance of strengthening our alliances and partnerships throughout the world."

The goal for his final trip is in line with that strategy, the secretary said, as he will:

-- Emphasize the importance of NATO and bilateral alliances;

-- Reflect on the accomplishments Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain have helped to achieve as members of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; and

-- Lay the groundwork for the future as nations around the world face both national security and budget challenges.

Panetta noted the countries he will visit have all maintained a strong commitment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. "Because of that commitment, we've been able to make significant progress in the effort to ... build an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself," he added.

As President Barack Obama announced last week, the secretary said, Afghan forces will assume the lead for security responsibility across their country this spring, with ISAF forces moving into a supporting role.

"That's a significant milestone that is the result of the efforts by the United States, by ISAF and by the Afghans themselves," he said. The secretary added that U.S. leaders had "a successful series of consultations" with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the future U.S. commitment to Afghanistan's security during that leader's visit to Washington last week. Panetta said he looks forward to updating counterparts on those discussions.

The secretary said he also will discuss with allies innovative approaches to common budget challenges, and that he'll speak with counterparts about key bilateral security issues.

"As always, I will also use this opportunity to visit the troops, and have a chance to thank U.S. men and women in uniform for the sacrifices they're making," he said.

The secretary said that after more than 10 years of war and with the budget constraints the United States and its allies and partner nations face, the United States nevertheless continues to complete its mission in the war in Afghanistan and continues to confront the terrorism threat.

Terrorist activity -- particularly from al-Qaida factions -- in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and Mali is a threat common to all the nations he will visit, Panetta noted. North Korea and Iran, turmoil in the Middle East and the cyber threat also are issues of common interest, he added.

No one nation can confront these threats alone, the secretary said.

"The only way we're going to be able to do it is by strengthening and reaffirming and building new partnerships and new alliances in the world," he said. "The model for that is NATO, ... really the oldest alliance we have." That alliance's responses to Afghanistan and Libya, he added, demonstrate its continued importance to global stability.

The 74-year-old secretary said he also hopes to communicate some of his feelings about the alliance to the younger citizens of the countries he will visit this week.

"NATO goes back to 1949," he said. "I think the reality is ... that there are generations that have been born since the fall of the Berlin Wall that may not fully appreciate how important NATO is as an alliance [for] the future."

Panetta said he will focus in his discussions, and in a speech he will deliver in London later this week, in part on "how important it is to be able to pass the baton to [younger generations] when it comes to the strength of these transatlantic alliances and partnerships that we have."

He added, "The purpose of my trip is to make clear that we are going to need this alliance -- today, tomorrow, and in the 21st century."

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA HOSTS NOREGIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE COUNTERPART ANNE-GRETE STROM-ERICHSEN

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta hosts an honor cordon welcoming Norwegian Minister of Defense Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen to the Pentagon, Dec. 17, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Panetta Thanks Norwegian Minister for Support in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2012 - In a meeting with his Norwegian counterpart yesterday, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanked Norway for its support in Afghanistan and its "steadfast commitment" to the NATO alliance, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

During his meeting with Norwegian Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen, the secretary underscored the importance of Norway's involvement in alliance operations and praised Norway for expediting its acquisition of the F-35 joint strike fighter, Little said.

"The secretary highlighted the importance of defense spending and developing future alliance interoperability through the NATO Response Force," the press secretary said. "Having both recently returned from visiting Turkey, the leaders discussed the upcoming NATO deployment of Patriot batteries and strong support for our ally," he added. "They also discussed the strategic importance of access to the Arctic."

THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL "WALL" GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" in Washington, D.C., Nov. 28, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Honors Vets at 'Wall' Education Center Groundbreaking
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 - The education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" will be a place to join the past to the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at the center's groundbreaking ceremony today.

By telling the stories of service members whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country will not be forgotten, he said.

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, joined Panetta at the ceremony, held near the memorial on the National Mall here. The groundbreaking included a large delegation of congressional and military leaders and members of Gold Star Families -- an organization for families that have lost loved ones in military service.

"It will be a site for future generations of Americans to learn, think and reflect on our nation's wars and those who fought them," Panetta said of the education center. "This is a very poignant moment, for a very special place in my heart for [Vietnam veterans]."

The center, which will honor veterans from several U.S. wars, will bring to life the stories of the more than 58,000 U.S. service members who were lost during the Vietnam War. Stories and photos of the fallen from Iraq and Afghanistan also will be featured until those veterans have their own national place of honor, event officials said.

"As I travel across the country and the world, I am always inspired by the strength and the resilience of our military families," Biden, also a military mom, told the audience.

"But there are many Americans who don't know anyone in the military," she added. "As a life-long educator, that's why the education center is so important. It will help ensure our veterans will always be remembered -- not just in name, by but by their actions. Those actions will become part of the lessons that educate and inspire us for years to come."

This year begins the 50th anniversary commemoration of the United States' participation in the Vietnam War, Panetta told the audience.

"We remember their bravery and heroism and we will never forget their sacrifices during that conflict," he said of U.S. service members who fought in Vietnam.

Panetta spoke of his recent travels to Vietnam, noting that Defense Department officials were working diligently in Hanoi to find and identify remains of U.S. service members who are missing in action there and throughout the region.

"It is our sacred duty to leave no one behind," Panetta said. "We will not rest until every MIA is brought home. I assure you that your government is committed to the fullest possible accounting of our missing service members from the Vietnam War."

Panetta said Americans failed to acknowledge the sacrifices of the nation's service members when they returned home after the war.

"America's recognition came too late," he said. "The Vietnam generation is graying now. Preserving stories requires more than a place of remembrance. It needs a place of education. [These veterans] must never be forgotten."

The center will focus on a divisive time in the nation's history from which it learned meaningful lessons, the secretary said.

"That war is always a last resort, that we must have a clear mission [to fight], that people can oppose a war and still support the troops, and that we should always cherish the legacy of valor and self-sacrifice our veterans represent and make America strong," he said.

Panetta said the center will honor the nation's military heroes "by telling the stories of brave American warriors, past and present, we help ensure we'll never forget the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price for their country."

"The torch of freedom these heroes carried into battle must be passed from generation to generation, so we never stop fighting for a better future for our children," the secretary said.

KEY SPACE SYSTEMS WILL BE LOCATED IN AUSTRALIA

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talk with Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, second from left, and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr at Kings Park in Perth, Australia, Nov. 14, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
U.S. to Locate Key Space Systems in Australia

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
PERTH, Australia, Nov. 14, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith have agreed to place two key space systems in Australia.

One system, an Air Force C-band space-surveillance radar, will move from Antigua in the West Indies to Western Australia in 2014. It will track space assets and debris, increase the security of space-based systems and increase coverage of space objects in the Southern Hemisphere.

The other system is an advanced U.S. space surveillance telescope designed and built by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In Australia, the system will help to leverage space surveillance capabilities for both nations, officials said.

The United States and Australia also are discussing establishing a combined communications gateway in Western Australia. The system would give operators in both nations access to wideband global satellite communications satellites.

"All of that represents a major leap forward in bilateral space cooperation and an important new frontier in the United States' rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said during a news conference after a series of meetings here today during the 2012 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.

The C-Band mechanical tracking ground-based radar is useful in space surveillance and can identify space objects in low Earth orbit. It can accurately track up to 200 objects a day and can help to identify satellites, their orbits and potential anomalies, according to a fact sheet about the system.

When the radar is relocated to Australia, it will be the first low-Earth-orbit space surveillance network sensor in the Southern Hemisphere. The new location will give needed southern and eastern hemispheric coverage that will lead to better positional accuracies and predictions, the fact sheet states.

The system will provide a critical dedicated sensor for the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, the main system that the United States and its partners rely on to detect, track and identify objects in space.

C-band radar also can help in tracking high-interest space launches from Asia.

A senior U.S. defense official said the United States will get the system up and running once it is in Australia, then will train Australians to operate the system.

Relocating and getting the system running will cost about $30 million, and after that will cost $8 million to $10 million a year to operate.

The second system, the DARPA space surveillance optical telescope, will offer an order-of-magnitude improvement over ground-based electro-optical deep space surveillance, or GEODSS, telescopes in search rate and the ability to detect and track satellites, officials said.

Existing telescopes can't provide a full picture of objects such as microsatellites and space debris. The SST gives a wider field of view and can better detect and track small objects at deep-space altitudes -- about 22,000 miles above Earth's surface -- associated with geosynchronous orbits.

A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around Earth that's about 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds around, matching the planet's rotation period. For an observer on the ground, an object in geosynchronous orbit returns daily to the same position in the sky.

The SST telescope achieved first light in February 2011 and then went through an extensive checkout period and fine-alignment phase that readied the system for a demonstration beginning in October 2011. The DARPA test and evaluation period was completed in August.

The telescope is now based in New Mexico, but moving it to Australia will allow it to cover a more densely populated region of the geostationary satellite belt, according to a fact sheet.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA'S MESSAGE FOR VETERANS DAY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Salutes Veterans' Selflessness, Sacrifice
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2012 - As the nation observes the Veterans Day holiday, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has issued a message paying tribute to the men and women who have served the United States in uniform.

Here is the secretary's message:

Since our nation's founding, brave young Americans from every generation have answered the call to serve in uniform and put their lives on the line to defend this country. Today, we honor all of those who've added new chapters to that very proud legacy of selflessness and sacrifice.

On this Veterans Day I recall how, as a boy in California, I had the great privilege of greeting and thanking soldiers that were stationed near my home and destined to fight in World War II. In the years that followed, I knew veterans of the Korean War, who fought bravely in unimaginably difficult conditions.

During the Vietnam era, I served in the Army and I remember how our nation failed to fully recognize the costs and sacrifices made by those who served in that war. Our nation has learned from that failure, and as we mark the 50th anniversary of that war, we honor our Vietnam veterans for all they have done for our country.

The United States is now emerging from the longest continuous time of war in its history, and a new generation of veterans is returning home. They have carried a very heavy burden. They've dealt with multiple deployments, long separations from loved ones, and the tragic consequences of war. Some have sustained grievous, life-altering injuries, and they are dealing with significant challenges, both seen and unseen.

Our veterans are also much stronger because of their hard won experiences in the deserts of Iraq, the mountains of Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the world. They are leaders who take responsibility and initiative, who think independently, and who inspire others. They are trained to operate some of the world's most sophisticated technical equipment. Above all, they love the country that they've served so well in uniform, and they are already giving back to their communities here at home.

Over the next five years, more than one million service men and women will leave the armed services and transition back to civilian life. Some will finally be able to marry the person they love and start a family. Others will be reunited with husbands, wives, and children after years spent apart. By pursuing the dream of giving their children a better life, our nation's veterans will help shape the future of this country. They will be doctors and lawyers, teachers and nurses, mayors and members of Congress.

America owes each of our veterans – from every generation – gratitude and support. November is Military Family Month, a time for all Americans to do more to recognize and support the members of their community who have fought on our behalf. For those who are transitioning out of military service, in particular, we must do everything we can to help them find a job, start a business, or obtain a quality education. These veterans are national assets who stand ready to contribute to our economic recovery and to a stronger America.

Let us all renew our pledge to fight for those who fight for us with such bravery and distinction. In some small way, today and every day, find a way to thank a veteran. Nothing means more to them than knowing that their service and sacrifice is appreciated right here at home. Thanks to our veterans, the American dream is safe and secure for us and our children.

Thank you, and may God bless all Americans serving around the world in uniform.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA'S WARNING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta: Nation Faces 'Dangerous and Unpredictable' World
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 19, 2012 - The Hampton Roads area of Virginia has played a vital role in the history of the United States, and of the military in particular, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta said here today.

Since the Civil War and the first battle between two ironclad ships, the area has been on the leading edge of American military innovation, with its shipyards serving as the backbone of American naval power, Panetta said in remarks to members of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.

The broad challenges now faced by the military also face the Hampton Roads region, he said.

After a decade of war, the U.S. is at a strategic turning point, the defense secretary said. Congressionally mandated budget cuts come at a time when the nation still faces a dangerous and unpredictable world, he said.

"I am not one who believes that you have to choose between fiscal security and national security," he said.

Violent extremism, weapons proliferation, international instability and the rise of new powers across Asia are just some of the challenges facing the country, Panetta said.

"And now we confront a whole new threat of warfare in cyber [space]" he said. "I think this is an area we have got to pay close attention to. This is the battle front of the future. As I speak, there are cyberattacks going on in this country."

"And now they're developing the capability to be able to go after our grid -- our power grid, our financial systems, our government systems -- and virtually paralyze this country," Panetta said.

"We are confronting a series of threats to our national security," he said. "I've got to do everything I can to make sure we protect this country."

To address those challenges while meeting America's fiscal responsibilities, he said, the Defense Department undertook a review of the defense strategy. As part of that review, it established new defense priorities and focused on designing a force that would carry the U.S. into the future.

The five elements of the new defense strategy are, Panetta said, a smaller, more agile force; a rebalance to the Asia-Pacific and Middle East; building international partnerships and alliances; ensuring the nation can confront and defeat aggression, even when it occurs on multiple fronts; and making key investments in defense technologies and capabilities.

As part of that strategy, the defense secretary said, "We will continue to invest in the unique capabilities and the military and industrial facilities like those in Hampton Roads."

"I also want to maintain our industrial base," Panetta said. I'll be damned if I'm going to contract out to any other country to be able to protect ... this country."

For example, he said, despite budget pressures, the Defense Department elected to retain the Navy's full fleet of aircraft carriers.

"Similarly, we are investing in the Virginia-class submarine and upgrading this important capability for the future," he said.

"And finally," Panetta said, "we are investing in the cutting-edge unmanned systems and cyber warfare capabilities that are so important in our mission at Langley Air Force Base."

"This community has strongly positioned itself to help us achieve our strategy," he said. "But ... we are jeopardized if Congress does not act to prevent sequester from taking effect in January," he added.

The additional cuts would be devastating to the nation's defense, Panetta said.

"There's still time to prevent sequestration," he said. "Let me be clear, no one wants this to happen ... but, for God's sake, don't just kick this can down the road."

"The last thing I need, having put this strategy in place, is not to know where I'm headed in the future in terms of a stable budget," the defense secretary said.

The decisions made in Washington have a lasting and real impact on American communities, Panetta said.

"As we emerge out of this decade of war, the new greatest generation of Americans is going to be returning home to communities like this. They need our support in order to transition back into civilian life," the defense secretary said.

"I've got some great weapons systems. I've got some great tanks. I've got some great ships. I've got the best in terms of bombers and fighters," Panetta said. "But do you know what makes the United States strong? It is the men and women in uniform who serve this country."

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA'S SPEECH ON DEFENDING NATION AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

"Defending the Nation from Cyber Attack" (Business Executives for National Security)

As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, New York, New York, Thursday, October 11, 2012
Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you so much for this wonderful evening and the chance to enjoy such terrific company and be able to express my deepest gratitude to this organization for all of the great things that it does on behalf of those that serve in our military.

Bruce, my greatest thanks to you for your kind remarks and for your leadership here.

And I -- I accept this award, not so much for myself but I accept it on behalf of the men and women in uniform who are putting their lives on the line every night, every day in order to protect this country.

I want to congratulate the troops from the 82nd, they're -- they're the very best.

I also want to congratulate Frank for receiving this reward, the great service that he does in helping to -- to find jobs for those that are returning so that they can be part of -- of their community after serving this country, to protect their community is outstanding. And besides that, and perhaps most importantly, he's Italian. It's nice to have another Italian honored this evening.

I also want to thank Fran Townsend. She's a great friend and, obviously, a tremendous Master of Ceremonies this evening. And the reason I -- the reason I asked Fran to serve on the board is because she is bright. She is capable. She's dedicated. She -- she's a straight talker, she knows what she's talking about. She's dedicated to this country and in a room of a lot of ugly old guys, she's not bad to look at.

General Meigs, thank you for your leadership as well and for your distinguished service to this country.

I am truly honored to be with you this evening. We gather in the midst of a very important national contest. It's one that will continue to play out over the coming weeks in unpredictable ways before a final decision is reached. And in fact, some of the key players are dueling tonight.

So I want to be very clear about where my loyalties lie in this contest, I have always been and always will be for the New York Yankees.

And I think the score is 1-to-1. Right?

In all seriousness, I really do appreciate the opportunity to come back to this great city. This is -- New York is a special place for me and I'll tell you why. I am -- I'm the son of Italian immigrants and both of my parents came through New York, came through Ellis Island like so many millions of others. That made this a special place for me.

I also had the opportunity to be here and work as an Executive Assistant to the Mayor of New York City, a guy named John Lindsay at the time.

I also had the opportunity to work very closely with the delegation in Congress. As a matter of fact, in Washington.

I lived with Chuck Schumer and a group of other members of Congress in what was well known as Animal House in Washington. And you can't live with Schumer and not develop an appreciation for New York City.

I also served on the Board of the New York Stock Exchange for six years. And I was on the board when 9/11 took place and I want you to know how much at that time I appreciated the great courage of the people of New York in the face of that attack. And I remembered that courage when I had a chance to lead the operation that went after Bin Laden.

We sent a very clear message to the world. We sent a very clear message to terrorists that in fact, don't ever attack this country because you will not get away with it.



U.S. CYBER BRIGADE


I've long appreciated, from my own experience, New York's role as the center of gravity for our nation's economy. This is where it's at. And for that reason, it's an honor to be able to speak before this kind of distinguished audience of business leaders and innovators because you understand what a strong national defense is all about and you understand that a strong national defense and a strong economy go hand in hand.

With that in mind, tonight I'd like to discuss with you an issue that I think is at the very nexus of business and national security: the threats facing the United States in cyberspace and the role that the Defense Department must play in defending this country from those kinds of threats.

We're on an aircraft carrier, a famous and great aircraft carrier and it's a fitting and appropriate venue to have this discussion. This ship and the technology that's on display at this museum, attests to one of the central achievements of the United States in the 20th century, our ability to project power and strength across the land, across the high seas, across the skies and across outer space.

We secured those domains. Securing them helped ensure that they were used to advance peace and prosperity and were not used to promote war and aggression.

It is with that same goal in mind, today we have to address a new domain that we must secure to have peace and prosperity in the world of tomorrow.

Cyberspace has fundamentally transformed the global economy. It's transformed our way of life, providing two billion people across the world with instant access to information to communication, to economic opportunities.

Cyberspace is the new frontier, full of possibilities to advance security and prosperity in the 21st century. And yet, with these possibilities, also come new perils and new dangers.

The Internet is open. It's highly accessible, as it should be. But that also presents a new terrain for warfare. It is a battlefield of the future where adversaries can seek to do harm to our country, to our economy, and to our citizens.

I know that when people think of cybersecurity today, they worry about hackers and criminals who prowl the Internet, steal people's identities, steal sensitive business information, steal even national security secrets. Those threats are real and they exist today.

But the even greater danger -- the greater danger facing us in cyberspace goes beyond crime and it goes beyond harassment. A cyber attack perpetrated by nation states are violent extremists groups could be as destructive as the terrorist attack on 9/11. Such a destructive cyber-terrorist attack could virtually paralyze the nation.

Let me give you some examples of the kinds of attacks that we have already experienced.

In recent weeks, as many of you know, some large U.S. financial institutions were hit by so-called Distributed Denial of Service attacks. These attacks delayed or disrupted services on customer websites. While this kind of tactic isn't new, the scale and speed with which it happened was unprecedented.

But even more alarming is an attack that happened two months ago when a very sophisticated virus called Shamoon infected computers in the Saudi Arabian State Oil Company Aramco. Shamoon included a routine called a 'wiper', coded to self-execute. This routine replaced crucial systems files with an image of a burning U.S. flag. But it also put additional garbage data that overwrote all the real data on the machine. More than 30,000 computers that it infected were rendered useless and had to be replaced. It virtually destroyed 30,000 computers.

Then just days after this incident, there was a similar attack on RasGas of Qatar, a major energy company in the region. All told, the Shamoon virus was probably the most destructive attack that the private sector has seen to date.

Imagine the impact an attack like that would have on your company or your business.

These attacks mark a significant escalation of the cyber threat and they have renewed concerns about still more destructive scenarios that could unfold.

For example, we know that foreign cyber actors are probing America's critical infrastructure networks. They are targeting the computer control systems that operate chemical, electricity and water plants and those that guide transportation throughout this country.

We know of specific instances where intruders have successfully gained access to these control systems.

We also know that they are seeking to create advanced tools to attack these systems and cause panic and destruction and even the loss of life.

Let me explain how this could unfold. An aggressor nation or extremist group could use these kinds of cyber tools to gain control of critical switches. They could, for example, derail passenger trains or even more dangerous, derail trains loaded with lethal chemicals.

They could contaminate the water supply in major cities or shutdown the power grid across large parts of the country.

The most destructive scenarios involve cyber actors launching several attacks on our critical infrastructure at one time, in combination with a physical attack on our country. Attackers could also seek to disable or degrade critical military systems and communication networks.

The collective result of these kinds of attacks could be a "cyber Pearl Harbor:" an attack that would cause physical destruction and the loss of life. In fact, it would paralyze and shock the nation and create a new, profound sense of vulnerability.

As director of the CIA and now Secretary of Defense, I have understood that cyber attacks are every bit as real as the more well-known threats like terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation and the turmoil that we see in the Middle East.

And the cyber threats facing this country are growing. With dramatic advances, this is an area of dramatic developments in cyber technology. With that happening, potential aggressors are exploiting vulnerabilities in our security. But the good news is this, we are aware of this potential. Our eyes are wide open to these kinds of threats and we are a nation that, thank God, is on the cutting edge of this new technology. We are the best and we have to stay there.

The Department of Defense, in large part through the capabilities of the National Security Agency, NSA, has develop the world's most sophisticated system to detect cyber intruders and attackers.

We are acting aggressively to get ahead of this problem, putting in place measures to stop cyber attacks dead in their tracks. We are doing this as part of a broad whole of government effort to confront cyber threats.

The Department of Homeland Security has the lead for domestic cybersecurity, the FBI also has a key part to play and investigating and preventing cyber-attacks. And our intelligence agencies, of course, are focused on this potential threat as well.

The State Department is trying to forge international consensus on the roles and responsibilities of nations to help secure cyberspace.

The Department of Defense also has a role. It is a supporting role but it is an essential role. And tonight I want to explain what that means. But first let me make clear what it does not mean.

It does not mean that the Department of Defense will monitor citizens' personal computers. We're not interested in personal communication or in e-mails or in providing the day to day security of private and commercial networks. That is not our goal. That is not our job. That is not our mission.

Our mission is to defend the nation. We defend. We deter, and if called upon, we take decisive action to protect our citizens. In the past, we have done so thorough operations on land and at sea, in the skies and in space. In this century, the United States military must help defend the nation in cyberspace as well.

If a foreign adversary attacked U.S. soil, the American people have every right to expect their national defense forces to respond.

If a crippling cyber attack were launched against our nation, the American people must be protected. And if the Commander in Chief orders a response, the Defense Department must be ready to obey that order and to act.

To ensure that we fulfill our role to defend the nation in cyberspace, the department is focusing on three main tracks.

One, developing new capabilities.

Two, putting in place the policies and organizations we need to execute our mission.

And three, building much more effective cooperation with industry and with our international partners.

Let me briefly talk about each of these.

First, developing new capabilities. DoD is investing more than $3 billion annually in cybersecurity because we have to retain that cutting edge capability in the field.

Following our new defense strategy, the department is continuing to increase key investments in cybersecurity even in an era of fiscal restraint.

Our most important investment is in skilled cyber warriors needed to conduct operations in cyberspace.

Just as DoD developed the world's finest counterterrorism force over the past decade, we need to build and maintain the finest cyber force and operations. We're recruiting, we're training, we're retaining the best and the brightest in order to stay ahead of other nations.

It's no secret that Russia and China have advanced cyber capabilities. Iran has also undertaken a concerted effort to use cyberspace to its advantage.

Moreover, DoD is already in an intense daily struggle against thousands of cyber actors who probe the Defense Department's networks, millions of time a day. Throughout the innovative efforts of our cyber operators, we've been trying to enhance the department's cyber-defense programs.

These systems rely on sensors; they rely on software to hunt down the malicious code before it harms our systems. We actively share our own experience defending our systems with those running the nation's critical private sector networks.

In addition to defending the department's networks, we also help deter attacks. Our cyber adversaries will be far less likely to hit us if they know that we will be able to link to the attack or that their effort will fail against our strong defenses.

The department has made significant advances in solving a problem that makes deterring cyber adversaries more complex: the difficulty of identifying the origins of that attack.

Over the last two years, DoD has made significant investments in forensics to address this problem of attribution and we're seeing the returns on that investment.

Potential aggressors should be aware that the United States has the capacity to locate them and to hold them accountable for their actions that may try to harm America.

But we won't succeed in preventing a cyber attack through improved defenses alone. If we detect an imminent threat of attack that will cause significant, physical destruction in the United States or kill American citizens, we need to have the option to take action against those who would attack us to defend this nation when directed by the president.

For these kinds of scenarios, the department has developed that capability to conduct effective operations to counter threats to our national interests in cyberspace.

Let me clear that we will only do so to defend our nation, to defend our interests, to defend our allies and we will only do so in a manner that is consistent with the policy principles and legal frameworks that the department follows for other domains including the law of armed conflict.

Which brings me to the second area of focus, policies and organization. Responding to the cyber threat requires the right policies and organizations across the federal government.

For the past year, the Department of Defense has been working very closely with other agencies to understand where are the lines of responsibility when it comes to cyber defense. Where do we draw those lines? And how do those responsibilities get executed?

As part of that effort, the department is now finalizing the most comprehensive change to our rules of engagement in cyberspace in seven years. The new rules will make clear that the department has a responsibility, not only to defend DoD's networks, but also to be prepared to defend the nation and our national interests against an attack in or through cyberspace.

These new rules make the department more agile and provide us with the ability to confront major threats quickly.

To execute these responsibilities, we must have strong organization structures in place.

Three years ago, the department took a major step forward by establishing the United States Cyber Command. Under the leadership of General Keith Alexander, a four-star officer who also serves as the director of the National Security Agency.

Cyber Command has matured into what I believe is a world-class organization.

It has the capacity to conduct a full range of missions inside cyberspace. And it's also working to develop a common, real-time understanding of the threats in cyberspace. The threat picture could be quickly shared with DoD's geographic and functional combatant commanders, with DHS, with FBI and with other agencies in government. After all, we need to see an attack coming in order to defend against that attack.

And we're looking at ways to strengthen Cyber Command as well. We must ensure that hit has the resources, that it has the authorities, that it has the capabilities required to perform this growing mission. And it must also be able to react quickly to events unfolding in cyberspace and help fully integrate cyber into all of the department's plans and activities.

And finally, the third area is to build stronger partnerships.

As I've made clear, securing cyberspace is not the sole responsibility of the United States military or even the sole responsibility of the United States government. The private sector, government, military, our allies - all share the same global infrastructure and we all share the responsibility to protect it.

Therefore, we are deepening cooperation with our closest allies with the goal of sharing threat information, maximizing shared capabilities and determining malicious activities. The president, the vice president, Secretary of State and I have made cyber a major topic of discussion in nearly all of our bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts.

I recently met with our Chinese military counterparts just a few weeks ago. As I mentioned earlier, China is rapidly growing its cyber capabilities.

In my visit to Beijing, I underscored the need to increase communication and transparency with each other so that we could avoid a misunderstanding or a miscalculation in cyberspace. This is in the interest of the United States, but it's also in the interest of China.

Ultimately, no one has a greater interest in cybersecurity than the businesses that depend on a safe, secure and resilient global, digital infrastructure.

Particularly those who operate the critical networks that we must help defend. To defend those networks more effectively, we must share information between the government and the private sector about threats in cyberspace.

We've made real progress in sharing information with the private sector. But very frankly, we need Congress to act to ensure that this sharing is timely and comprehensive.

Companies should be able to share specific threat information with the government, without the prospect of lawsuits hanging over their head. And a key principle must be to protect the fundamental liberties and privacy in cyberspace that we are all duty bound to uphold.

Information sharing alone is not sufficient. We've got to work with the business community to develop baseline standards for our most critical private-sector infrastructure, our power plants, our water treatment facilities, our gas pipelines. This would help ensure that companies take proactive measures to secure themselves against sophisticated threats, but also take common sense steps against basic threats. Although awareness is growing, the reality is that too few companies have invested in even basic cybersecurity.

The fact is that to fully provide the necessary protection in our democracy, cybersecurity legislation must be passed by the Congress. Without it, we are and we will be vulnerable.

Congress must act and it must act now on a comprehensive bill such as the bipartisan Cybersecurity Act of 2012 co-sponsored by Senators Lieberman, Collins, Rockefeller and Feinstein.

This legislation has bipartisan support, but is victim to legislative and political gridlock like so much else in Washington. That frankly is unacceptable and it should be unacceptable not just to me, but to you and to anyone concerned with safeguarding our national security.

While we wait for Congress to act, the administration is looking to enhance cybersecurity measures under existing authorities, by working with the private sector to promote best practices, increase information sharing.

They are considering issuing an Executive Order as one option to try to deal with the situation, but very frankly there is no substitute for comprehensive legislation and we need to move as far as we can in the meantime. We have no choice because the threat that we face, as I've said, is already here.

Congress has a responsibility to act and the President of the United States has constitutional responsibility to defend our country.

I want to urge each of you to add your voice to those who support stronger cyber defenses for our country.

In closing, let me say something that I know the people of New York, along with all Americans, will appreciate.

Before September 11, 2001, the warning signs were there. We weren't organized. We weren't ready and we suffered terribly for that lack of attention.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA ADDRESSES SUICIDE PREVENTION

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Discusses Efforts to Tackle Suicide

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2012 - In an interview with a North Carolina newspaper, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta voiced concern over suicide rates throughout the military and acknowledged the complexity of the issue.

The tragedy of suicide eludes "quick fixes," the secretary told Greg Barnes of the Fayetteville Observer.

"It's a real human loss," he said. "This situation, people who take their lives, it just strikes me as such a terrible waste of humanity when that happens."

Panetta described suicide as "very much a human problem" in which society as a whole grapples for answers.

"We've got to deal with it as best we can, because we are a family," Panetta said. "In the military, we have to take care of our family members, and they deserve the best treatment and support we can give them."

The secretary outlined the Defense Department's efforts in combatting suicide, specifically through joint funding with the Department of Veterans Affairs to allot $100 million toward advancing diagnosis and treatment.

"We've really been pushing on trying to open up access to quality mental and behavioral health care, trying to expand access, so we've got some 9,000 new psychiatrists and psychologists, social workers and nurses," Panetta said. In addition to increasing the roster of mental health professionals by 35 percent, the DOD has made efforts to elevate ongoing mental fitness and must not stop there, he added.

"I know the commanders themselves have gone out to their troops and basically said that we have got to make people at every level aware and sensitive to this problem to make sure we can spot the signs of stress," Panetta explained. "But it's going to take all of that and a hell of a lot more to try to be able to get a handle on this terrible problem."

The secretary said he believes that addressing the stigma of post-traumatic stress disorder and similar mental health issues must start at the top, with an understanding of the illness's intricacies.

"Just like sexual assault, when it comes to suicides, we have got to make our leadership in the military aware of what this problem is about," he said.

Leadership must therefore forge avenues for friends and family members to seek help for someone they suspect may be struggling, the secretary said.

"We've got to make family members feel that there's a way to approach this within the family network, that can respond to that individual with compassion, with caring. ... We have got to work on the ability of family members to feel comfortable that they have a place to go when they're worried about someone committing suicide," the secretary said.

Noting that suicide is an issue in society at large, not just in the military, the secretary said community support may be available to help the military address its suicide problem.

Panetta said he discussed the suicide issue with the military's combatant commanders recently.

"They're aware of it," he said. "They're concerned by it. As I told them, it's important that we have to continue to kick ass on this issue. We can't just assume that it's going to be dealt with."

The issue has to be at the top of all leaders' agendas, he said, and should be one of the things he and other leaders talk about when they meet with troops.

"We owe it to the people who serve in our military -- people who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our country," Panetta added. "Surely, we owe it to them to do everything we can to protect them."

SEC. OF DEFENSE PANETTA'S GOALS DURING ASIAN TRIP

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta gives an in-flight press briefing while flying to Tokyo, Sept. 15, 2012. Panetta is on an eight-day trip to meet with defense counterparts in Japan, China and New Zealand. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Panetta Lists Goals for Asia Trip, Assesses Mideast
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Sept. 16, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E Panetta yesterday told traveling reporters about the importance of the three countries he's going to visit: Japan, China and New Zealand.

This trip, Panetta said, offers "an opportunity to further advance our strategy of rebalancing towards the Asia-Pacific."

Panetta said the strategy calls for expanding the U.S. naval presence in the region, deepening military engagement with partners and allies, and establishing rotational troop deployments in areas throughout the Asia-Pacific as outlined in his speech at the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore in June.

The U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy involves not just defense issues but diplomatic and economic concerns as well, he said.

"Secretary [of State Hillary Rodham] Clinton ... spent the last 10 days in the region," the secretary said. Panetta noted that U.S. Pacific Command's top officer, Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, was in China in June and that Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter spent 10 days traveling in the Asia-Pacific region in July.

These visits, Panetta said, along with this current trip, bolster the U.S. position that rebalancing focus to the Asia-Pacific region ensures stability there.

The strategy "is really about maintaining and strengthening, not just our presence, but also ... a system of rules and norms and institutions in Asia that have brought decades of security and prosperity" that allowed many nations to thrive, Panetta said.

The U.S. alliance with Japan, the first stop on this trip, is a cornerstone of regional security, Panetta said. Topics to be discussed with Japanese leaders, such as Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, include ballistic missile defense, relocating some U.S. Marines now in Okinawa to Guam and others to another more remote site on the island, and the roles, missions and capabilities of Japan's Self Defense Forces, the secretary said.

The "realignment roadmap" for U.S. Marines in Japan is an issue that has been under discussion between the two countries for many years, he noted.

"We have worked with them closely ... and we were able to work out an agreement, and we are putting that into effect," Panetta said.

"Japan is making new investments for the 21st century, as are we," the secretary said. Japan's "extremely cooperative" support to U.S. troop deployments to the Asia-Pacific in the region is significant, he said.

Panetta said he looks forward to the opportunity on his first visit to China as defense secretary to deepen American-Chinese military-to-military relations. He is scheduled to meet with China's top military and civilian leaders including Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie.

"I recognize the challenges that we have in the relationship," the secretary said. "But I think it is in both of our nations' interest to work towards a healthy, stable, reliable and continuous military-to-military relationship."

Regular senior leader visits between Beijing and Washington have led to important progress toward that goal, Panetta said, adding that he views his trip to China "as an opportunity to advance that relationship even further."

Panetta acknowledged he expects the current territorial disputes over some islands in the South China Sea and elsewhere in the region involving China, Japan, the Philippines and other Asia-Pacific nations will be part of the discussions. The secretary said he will continue to urge the U.S. policy of peaceful resolution for territorial disputes, in which the United States does not take sides.

Panetta said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has developed a code of conduct that can serve as the basis for a forum aimed at resolving such territorial disputes peacefully. Issues involving freedom of navigation and mineral or fishing rights may complicate resolution of the dispute over the islands, but Panetta said his central message is that all states involved should refrain from provocative actions.

"Countries are searching for resources; there's going to be questions raised as to who has jurisdiction over these areas," he said. "What we don't want is any kind of provocative behavior resulting in conflict."

The secretary added that issues involving nuclear proliferation, piracy, trade and humanitarian assistance are all areas in which the United States and China can work together.

That work, he said, can foster security in the Asia-Pacific and "enhance the ability of that region to really ... prosper in the future."

Panetta's final stop will be New Zealand, where, he noted, his visit will be the first by a U.S. defense secretary in 30 years.

In his experience, the secretary said, New Zealand is "a very steadfast and a very valued partner to the United States. We deeply appreciate the role that they've played in Afghanistan, and the sacrifice that they've made."

The recent deaths of New Zealand troops serving in Afghanistan is tragic, Panetta said. Yet, New Zealand remains "committed to a strong and continuing role in Afghanistan," he added.

The secretary said his central purpose in traveling to New Zealand is "to see what opportunities exist to try to deepen our defense cooperation."

Even as he sets out on a trip aimed at advancing the U.S. strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, Panetta said, recent events "remind all of us of the need to maintain a strong presence in the Middle East as well."

The United States has a robust troop presence in the region and has deployed more forces to a number of areas there to respond if the State Department requests defense assistance "to protect our personnel and American property," Panetta said.

Panetta said Libyan authorities are making a strong effort "to respond to the crisis and deal with the issues involved" following the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that left U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans dead.

The secretary said defense leaders remain concerned about al-Qaida affiliates in Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and elsewhere, although any al-Qaida involvement in the Benghazi attack remains to be determined.

"We have to ... go after al-Qaida wherever they are, and wherever they try to hide," Panetta said. The terrorist group is still working to inspire violence and undermine stability, he said, and continues to represent a threat to the United States.

Panetta said he and other U.S. defense leaders have developed a strategy and budget that can address threats around the world while cutting spending by $487 billion over 10 years.

"We are able to respond to the threats that we confront, both in the Middle East and elsewhere," he said. "Obviously, we continue to monitor ... our resources and the costs involved, and to keep the Congress informed."

DOD has "great support from Congress for the work that we're doing," Panetta said, "and I feel very confident we can respond to any contingency we face."

The secretary noted that while some anti-American demonstrations continue in the Middle East, they seem to have leveled off.

"I suspect these demonstrations ... are likely to continue over the next few days, if not longer," Panetta said. His primary concern, he added, is to "make sure ... our people are protected, and we don't have a recurrence of what happened in Libya."

DETAILS OF ATTACK IN BENGHAZI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Official Details Benghazi Attack, Vows to Support LibyaBy Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2012 - A senior government official today revealed details of yesterday's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four State Department officials and wounded three others.

Today, President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta all condemned the attack and the senseless deaths of Americans, and extended their deepest sympathies to the families and colleagues of those who were killed and wounded in Benghazi.

During a teleconference given on background to reporters, the official described the scene of an attack whose elements are unclear or unknown but that killed U.S. Amb. J. Christopher Stevens, Foreign Service information management officer Sean Smith and two others whose names are being withheld until State Department officials notify their families. Three other Americans were wounded in the attack.

All Benghazi consulate personnel have been evacuated to the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli in a series of flights that included the three wounded personnel and the remains of the fallen State Department officials, the official said.

The Benghazi consulate staff will be transported to Germany, she said.

"The staff that is well is going to stay in Europe on standby while we assess the security situation," she said. "The wounded will be treated [at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center] in Germany, and the remains will come home."

In the meantime, the official said, "we have taken our embassy in Tripoli down to emergency staffing levels and ... we have requested increased support from the Libyans while we access the security situation."

Last night, she said, State Department officials ordered all diplomatic posts around the world to review their security posture and to take all necessary steps to enhance that posture.

During the briefing, warning that details may change as the attack is investigated, the official offered a timeline of events surrounding the attack.

The consulate in Benghazi is an interim facility acquired before the fall of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. It consists of a main building, several ancillary buildings, and an annex a little further away, she said.

"At about 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time yesterday, which was about 10 p.m. in Libya, the compound ... in Benghazi began taking fire from unidentified Libyan extremists. By about 4:15 p.m. attackers gained access to the compound and began firing into the main building, setting it on fire," she said, "and the Libyan guard force and mission security personnel responded."

At the time, three people were inside the building -- Ambassador Stevens, a regional security officer, and Smith -- and while trying to evacuate they became separated by heavy, dark smoke.

"The regional security officer made it outside and then he and other security personnel returned into the burning building in an attempt to rescue Chris and Sean," the official said.

They found Smith, who had died, and pulled him from the building. They were unable to locate Stevens before fire, smoke and small-arms fire drove them from the building, the official said.

"At about 4:45 p.m. Washington time, U.S. security personnel assigned to the mission annex tried to regain the main building but that group also took heavy fire and had to return to the mission annex," the official said.

"At about 5:20 p.m.," she added, "Libyan security personnel made another attempt and that time were able to regain and secure the main building."

The rest of the staff were evacuated to the nearby annex, which itself came under fire at around 6 p.m. Washington time and continued under fire for about two hours, she said.

During that ongoing attack, the official said, two more U.S. personnel were killed and two more were wounded.

At about 8:30 p.m. Washington time, or 2 a.m. in Libya, Libyan security forces helped regain control of the situation, she said.

"At some point in all of this, and frankly we do not know when, we believe that Ambassador Stevens got out of the building and was taken to a hospital in Benghazi," she said, adding, "We do not have any information about his condition at that time. His body was later returned to U.S. personnel at the Benghazi airport."

The official said Stevens made regular and frequent trips to Benghazi to check on developments in the east.

"He had been the secretary's and the president's representative to the Transitional National Council before the fall of Gadhafi and had spent a lot of time in Benghazi and built deep contacts there," she explained. "So this was one of his regular visits."

She said security in Benghazi included a local guard force outside the compound, "which is similar to the way we are postured all over the world. We had a physical perimeter barrier and ... a robust American security presence inside the compound, including a strong component of regional security officers."

About the protests, the official said, "We frankly don't have a full picture of what may have been going on outside the compound walls before the firing began [and] ... we are not in a position to speak any further to the perpetrators of this attack."

The complex attack will require a full investigation, she added.

"We are committed to working with the Libyans both on the investigation and to ensure that we bring the perpetrators to justice," the official said. "The FBI is already committed to assisting in that but it's just too early to speak to who [the attackers] were and if they might have been otherwise affiliated beyond Libya."

As Clinton said very clearly today, the official added, "We are as committed today as we have ever been to a free and stable Libya that is still in America's interest, and we are going to continue to work very strongly to help them have the future that they want and they deserve."

She added, "I would simply note how quickly and how strongly senior members of the Libyan government came forward to condemn this attack, to offer support to us.

She noted that the consulate's Libyan security forces stood with U.S. security forces in defending the consulate buildings.

"One of the local militias that was friendly to the embassy came to assist as well," the official added, "and I think that really speaks to the relationship that we have built with Libya."

Also here this afternoon, Libyan ambassador to the United States Ali Suleiman Aujali held a press conference to condemn the attack on the Benghazi consulate and the deaths of embassy personnel.

"It is a sad day in my life. I knew Chris personally. He's my tennis partner. He comes to my house. We have breakfast together. I've known him for more than six years. He may be the first American diplomat to [have arrived] in Tripoli ... after the revolution. He's very welcomed by the people. He visited the Libyans. He [ate] with them. He [sat] with them," Aujali said.

Aujali also offered his country's "deep condolences" to the American people, to the families, and the president.

"We are very sorry for what happened," Aujali said. "We will do everything possible ... to [ensure] that we have better relations, better protection [for] the American diplomats and [for] the international community ... working in our country."