Military Leadership Briefings

Press briefings and meetings featuring military leaders and defense officials, focusing on strategic discussions and international defense collaborations.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, during a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 4, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, participate in a joint press briefing at the close of the eighth Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 20, 2023.

Thomas Lawhead, assistant deputy chief of staff of the Air Force for strategy, integration and requirements, speaks with Iceland Chief of Defence Jónas Allansson during a meeting at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Jan. 22, 2024. This image has been altered to obscure security badges.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts British Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace, and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Marles during a trilateral defense ministerial meeting at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts the annual POW/MIA recognition ceremony at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, 2022.

061005-D-9880W-020. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030307-D-2987S-053. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, during a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 4, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with senior enlisted leaders, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley brief the media following a Ukrainian Defense Contact Group meeting in the Pentagon Briefing Room from the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 23, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark A. Milley conduct a press briefing after hosting world leaders in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Nov. 16, 2022.

WASHINGTON (June 11, 2013) Former Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Paul Ignatius speaks to guests about the future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) during the ship's naming ceremony. The ship is named in his honor. The destroyer is intended to conduct a variety of operations, including sea control, power projection and peacetime presence.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd. J. Austin III addresses the 15th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) in Brasilia, Brazil, July 26, 2022. CDMA is the Western Hemisphere's premier defense forum for strategic-level engagement among defense and security officials in the Americas.This series of high-level engagements reflect the United States' deep commitment to working alongside regional partners to chart our shared vision for a democratic, prosperous, and secure Western Hemisphere.(DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley and Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs host the fourth Ukraine Defense Contact Group conducted virtually from the Pentagon, July 20, 2022. (DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

020506-D-2987S-026. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Department of Defense Chief Information Officer John Sherman, Defense Information Systems Agency Director U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, Department of Defense Deputy CIO for Information Environment Lily Zeleke, and DISA Hosting and Compute Center Director Sharon Wood hold a press briefing on the Department of Defenses award of the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

General Lloyd James Austin III, United States Army, is the 12th and current commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM). General Austin is testifying before the House Armed Services Committee on March 3, 2015

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Australian Minister of Defense Richard Marles conduct a joint press conference at U.S. Indo-Pacific headquarters, Camp Smith, Hawaii, Oct. 1, 2022. (DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha hold a bilateral meeting at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 12, 2022.

030318-D-9880W-012. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III conducts a press briefing after the release of the unclassified National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review, and Missile Defense Review at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Oct. 27 2022.

060130-N-0696M-064. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Lieutenant General Edward D. Banta, Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics (I&L), and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environmental, the Honorable Ms. Meredith Berger, address the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce during the 18th annual meeting with Marine Corps leadership in Washington D.C. on September 15, 2022. The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce met with Marine Corps leadership and the Georgia congressional delegation to discuss how current and future Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany and Marine Corps Logistics Command (LOGCOM) initiatives align with the global force posture. The visit further reinforces the value of MCLB Albany and LOGCOM to members of Congress and explores ways the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, local community and members of Congress can support the needs of the base and its tenant commands.

WASHINGTON (April 16, 2013) Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus, left, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos represent the Department of the Navy before the House Armed Services Committee testify during a hearing on the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Budget.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze during a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Feb. 9, 2023.

Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Robert J. Faucher delivers remarks on the Release of the 2021 Congressional Report Pursuant to the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on July 12, 2021.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby speaks during a press briefing, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 21, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brittany A. Chase)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr during a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., March 30, 2023.

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder briefs the media in the Pentagon Briefing Room, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos engage in a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 18, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Pentagon Press Secretary U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder addresses members of the press during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Jan. 17, 2024.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III holds a meeting with Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 20, 2022.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2022.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos engage in a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 18, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder briefs the media in the Pentagon Briefing Room, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, 2022.

WASHINGTON (June 11, 2013) Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus delivers remarks on the future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) during its naming ceremony. Named after former Secretary of the Navy Paul Ignatius, the destroyer is intended to conduct a variety of operations including sea control, power projection and peacetime presence.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps for a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Jan 31, 2024.

030327-D-2987S-016. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and South Korean Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-Sup conduct a press conference at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Nov. 3, 2022.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin speaks during a U.S. Special Operations Command Change of Command ceremony at the Tampa Bay Convention Center in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 30, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Major General David W. Maxwell, commanding general, Marine Corps Installations Command, addresses the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, during their 18th annual meeting with Marine Corps leadership in Washington D.C. on September 15, 2022. The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce met with Marine Corps leadership and the Georgia congressional delegation to discuss how current and future Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany and Marine Corps Logistics Command (LOGCOM) initiatives align with the global force posture. The visit further reinforces the value of MCLB Albany and LOGCOM to members of Congress and explores ways the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, local community and members of Congress can support the needs of the base and its tenant commands.

President Barack Obama meets with Admiral Thad W. Allen, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and other senior administration officials in the Oval Office, April 22, 2010, regarding the situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie D. Jenkins, delivers remarks at the ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on September 10, 2021.

020305-D-9880W-035. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken recognizes Dulles Operation Allies Welcome staff, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on October 13, 2021.

061208-D-7203T-016. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

060216-N-0696M-438. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Inter-American Defense College Leadership greeted Ecuadorian dignitaries for an Ecuadorian Independence Day event hosted by students at the IADC on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 2022. IADC students celebrate the Independence Day of all nations represented by students with a presentation about the country and food from the same.

060307-F-0193C-004. Subject Operation/Series: PRESS CONFERENCE Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030401-D-9880W-007. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks speaks at the National Capital Region ROTC Detachment commencement at Fort Myer, Virginia, May 20, 2022. The class of 2022 had 87 cadets with 14 of them commissioning as Distinguished Military Graduates, the top 20% of cadets in the nation.

010621-D-9880W-065. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Riga, Latvia, on November 30, 2021.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby holds a press briefing, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 29, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

000927-N-6157F-002. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

051023-F-5586B-209. Base: Vilnius State: Vilnius County Country: Lithuania (LTU)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 13, 2022. Austin met with NATO defense leaders to discuss the implementation of decisions made at the Madrid Summit in June and steps the Alliance is taking to meet evolving security needs.

030307-D-9880W-013. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo participates in the Counter Terrorism Ministerial in Bogot�, Colombia, on January 20, 2020.

The VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Executive Director Daniel L. Dücker, and the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Commander Col. Sam Preston spoke to Blanchfield Army Community Hospital and VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System leaders, personnel, and special guests, officially announcing the new extended partnership during a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, February 23, 2024. The new agreement allows Veterans to receive care at the Fort Campbell VA Clinic within Blanchfield Army Community Hospital on Fort Campbell, Kentucky.Cutting the ribbon (from left to right), the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Petty, Col. Sam Preston, Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, Daniel L. Dücker, Michael Renfrow, the Deputy Executive Director for Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, and Gregory Goins VISN 9 Ne

060301-N-0696M-040. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Thomas Kiss, director, Ship Management, Military Sealift Command, addresses the crowd during the christening ceremony for Expeditionary sea base USNS John L. Canley (ESB-6), Military Sealift Commands newest ship, at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Calif.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on the fiscal 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington D.C., May 3, 2022. (DOD Photo by Navy Chief Petty Officer Carlos M. Vazquez II)

President Joe Biden holds a meeting with military and civilian defense leadership, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commanders, and the Coast Guard, the White House, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley host the fourth Ukraine Defense Contact Group conducted virtually from the Pentagon, July 20, 2022. (DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

Inter-American Defense College Leadership Welcomes Ambassador Otavio Brandelli, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the Organization of American States to the IADC on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., March 4, 2021. During the visit, the Ambassador Brandelli conducted an office call with IADC Leadership, received an IADC brief, and concluded the visit with a tour of our campus.

General David Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker testify before Congress about the situation in Iraq

U.S. Air Force senior enlisted leaders and Army and Air Force Exchange Service representatives talk during a meeting at the 673d Mission Support Group headquarters conference room at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Oct. 5, 2022. During a visit to JBER, Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Osby toured Exchange facilities and met with senior enlisted leaders from JBER to focus on how the Department of Defense retailer can improve the quality of life for the community.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and His Excellency, Jose C. Faustino, Officer-in-Charge, Philippine Department of National Defense address the media at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, Sept. 29, 2022. Austin is in Hawaii meeting with key allies in the region and visiting Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. (DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and His Excellency, Jose C. Faustino, Officer-in-Charge, Philippine Department of National Defense address the media at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, Sept. 29, 2022. Austin is in Hawaii meeting with key allies in the region and visiting Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan poses for a photo with U.S. Embassy Seoul Marine Security Guards in Seoul, South Korea on October 19, 2017.

020919-D-9880W-019. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter co-chair the Counter-ISIL Ministerial Joint Ministerial Plenary at the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C., on July 21, 2016.

Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld appears at an Arms Services Hearing

220909-N-IE405-1032 NAPLES, Italy (Sept. 9, 2022) The U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Naples Executive Officer Capt. Kathleen Cooperman gives a speech during the 9/11 commemoration ceremony held at USNH Naples' Support Site in Gricignano di Aversa, Italy, Sept. 9, 2022. NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

030923-D-9880W-031. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND CEREMONY AND RECEPTION

051012-F-5586B-053. Base: Key Biscayne State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

050817-F-6911G-041. Base: Asuncion Country: Paraguay (PRY)

040309-N-2383B-084. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Ellis Island, New York City, New York, where he addressed newly naturalized U.S. citizens during Citizenship Day ceremonies, met with National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Park Police personnel, and joined U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Emilio Gonzalez for announcement of joint USCIS-NPS program to welcome new citizens at National Park sites

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin H. Kahl holds a press briefing about the latest security assistance package in support of Ukraine, the Pentagon Press Briefing Room, Washington, D.C., Aug. 8, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo tours the Command Center at Keflavik Airbase on February 15, 2019.

051029-F-5586B-179. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks participates in the Suicide Prevention recognition ceremony hosted by William Booth, Director, Defense Human Resources Activity, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 7, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participates in NATO Session 1: Arms Control, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation, in Riga, Latvia, on November 30, 2021.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speak to members of the press during a joint briefing at the Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Jan 19, 2023.

Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Jay Raymond, left, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. and Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the Department of the Air Forces fiscal year 2023 budget request, Washington, D.C., April 27, 2022.

060228-N-0696M-016. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Oct. 14, 2022) - Robert Goodman, Chief Financial Officer / Director, Financial Operations Directorate (J8) for the Defense Health Agency, briefs hospital leadership on Defense Health Agencys statement of operations. During a routine site visit, Goodman met hospital leadership, received a command brief, and toured various departments. Goodman and his team oversee the financial management and facilities operations of the medical military treatment facilities and the TRICARE Managed Care Support Contracts.

Congressman Chet Edwards (D-Texas), Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Sub-Committee, talks with the Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., at the conclusion of a hearing in the Capitol building in Washington D.C. on May 6, 2009.

U.S. Central Command Chief Technology Officer Schuyler Moore and U.S. Army Sgt. Mickey Reeves, the winner of CENTCOMs 2022 Innovation Oasis, conduct a press briefing on artificial intelligence and unmanned systems at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, right, and Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas exchange gifts after a meeting at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., May 2, 2022. Kendall and Anušauskas discussed NATO partnership and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

051222-N-0696M-449. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

President Barack Obama holds a meeting about repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Oval Office, Nov. 29, 2010.

Maj. Gen. Gregory Mosser, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Reserve Command, discusses the Army Reserves disaster response and recovery capabilities during a panel at the National Hurricane Conference, April 14, 2022, in Orlando, Florida. The U.S. Army Reserve provides valuable disaster recovery and relief capabilities to communities across the United States and its territories as part of a larger, tiered Federal Response.

060705-A-7588H-036. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sits with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel as the two address the nation's top military commanders during a meeting at the Pentagon on January 16, 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presents U.S. Secretary of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel a photo, showing the two on an Afghan mountaintop in 2008 after a Blackhawk helicopter they were riding in made an emergency landing, after their meeting at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on May 6, 2013. The inscription read, To my friend Chuck. From Vietnam, to the Senate, to a mountain in Afghanistan - to the Pentagon - we have shared an interesting journey! Great to be partners and friends. All the best, John.

030329-D-9880W-007. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

051020-F-5586B-020. Base: Beijing State: Beijing Municipality Country: China (CHN)

of 2