Biden nominates retired general as Defense secretary

whom I have worked closely for many years

I've seen perform for the highest standards under intense pressure

someone who I hold in the highest personal regard as

a man of great decency and a man of dignity

In my judgment there is no question that he is

the right person for this job at the right moment

leading the Department of Defense at this moment in our

nation's history

He's led major coalitions of allies and partners to fight

terrorism and it took some really diplomatic capacity to get

that done

He's overseeing some of the most complex logistical efforts ever

undertaken by the United States military helped end the war

and literally bring tens of thousands of troops home safely

He's loved by the men and women of the armed

forces feared by our adversaries known and respected by our

allies and he shares my deeply held belief in the

values of America's alliances and he is just as committed

as I am to rebuilding and modernizing those alliance from

the Asian Pacific to Europe and around the world

Through sheer determination extraordinary skill he's been breaking down barriers

m blazing a trail forward in this nation for many

years now for more than 40 years and he has

a long way to go and he's gonna do it

again

And so today I'm honored to nominate former General Lloyd

Austin as a 28th secretary of Defense

I want to thank you general your friend

But I want to thank you General Austin for once

more stepping forward to serve your nation

This is not a a post he sought but I

saw him

I want to thank you and your family for once

again sharing you with our country

And Thanks Charlene

Today I know how proud all of they all our

view

All four of your Children your older sisters and your

brother

I knew the reason why you're a good man

You had to have sisters raise you along the way

right I don't mind

Did me And she's much younger

And your incredible wife Charlene and I mean that sincerely

Tomorrow I'm told that Jill and Charlene are going to

spend some time together sending off packages to our soldiers

abroad

She and Jill are both passionate about supporting military spouses

and families now and I know there will be a

powerful advocates for that community together

And you know they're gonna both be working at the

White House and Defense Department together to make sure our

families our cash said before General America only has many

obligation one sacred obligation to care and equipped those

We send the war care for their families when they're

gone and to care for them when they come home

and their families

I got to know General Awesome

During my early days his vice president President Obama had

charged me with overseeing the end of Operation Iraqi freedom

and ensuring the orderly withdrawal of our forces and equipment

from Iraq

General Austin Waas with me on the ground not just

for meetings with troops or for military strategy sessions

He was there when I was working in Iraq

Political leaders

I watched his political skill how he dealt with them

They respected him across the board when I met with

the leaders of our coalition partners the same thing and

he was there during one particularly memorable incident when we

were at a meeting at the ambassador's residence in the

Green Zone

The insurgents lost launched the rocket attack on the house

Of course General Austin It was just another day at

the office

He just sat there and kept right on going

So I sat there and kept right on going and

everyone or what in the hell are they doing But

you know he's cool under fire inspiring same and all

those around him

That's Lloyd Austin

He was the person President Obama and I and trusted

with the incredible task of bringing home America's forces and

redeploying our military equipment safely out of Iraq

It was the largest logistical operation undertaken by the Army

in 60 years

Getting it done required much more than military Know how

Journal Austin was a diplomat

It was not an easy task

He built relationships with our Iraqi counterparts and with our

coalition partners

He was a statesman representing our country with a skill

at at that you know at tables that I've sat

with him with foreign leaders and I wondered whether or

not he was from the State Department or from the

Defense Department both military civilians

I'm not exaggerating

Here's a way about him and always above all he's

looked out for his people

That's why he was known as the soldiers leader in

this time in the United States Army Lloyd Austin met

every single challenge with extraordinary skill and profound personal decency

He's the definition of duty honor country and at every

step he challenged the institutions that he loves to grow

more inclusive and more diversity

He was a 200 person ever to retain the rank

of four star general but only the sixth African American

never do that

He was the first African American general officer to lead

the Army Corps in combat

He was the first African American to command an entire

theater of war

And if confirmed he'll be the first African American at

the helm of the Defense Department and well over 200

years

Another milestone and he's a barrier breaking career has been

like this throughout his career

Lloyd Austin retired from the military service more than four

years ago but the law states that an officer must

have left the service seven years before becoming secretary of

defense

It was a good reason for this law that I

fully understand and respect

I would not be asking for this exception if I

had not if I did not believe this moment in

our history didn't call for it

It does call for it

And if I didn't have the faith I have in

Lloyd Austin Toe ask for it

I believe in the importance of civilian control of the

military

So does the secretary designee Austin

He'll be bolstered by a strong and empowered civilian sector

and senior officers senior officials I should say working to

shape diodes policies and ensure that our defense policies are

accountable to the American people

Civilian military dynamic

That dynamic itself has been under great stress the past

four years

No I know that Secretary designee Austin he's gonna work

tirelessly to get it back on track

I have personally worked with this man

I've seen him lead American fighting forces on the field

of battle

I've also watched him faithfully carried out the orders of

the civilian leadership of this nation

There's no doubt in my mind not any doubt whatsoever

or this nominee will honor respect and on a day

to day basis breathe life into the preeminent principle of

civilian leadership over military matters in our nation

I know this man

I know his respect for our constitution and I always

respect for our system of government

So just as they did for Secretary Jim Mattis I

ask the Congress to grant a waiver for secretary designee

Austin

His many strengths and his intimate knowledge of the Department

of Defense and our government Ray I think are uniquely

suited for the challenges we face now

Crisis we face now he is the person we need

at this moment of my

And given the urgent threatened challenges of our nation's forces

he should be confirmed swiftly

We need his experience in large scale logistical operations to

help support the swift and equitable distribution of covert 19

vaccines

We need to experience building and managing relationships engaging in

diplomacy with our partners help rebuild America's alliance and strengthen

our shared security

And we need his first hand knowledge of the immeasurable

costs of war and the burden of places on our

service members and their families tell bring toe on end

the Forever wars and ensure that the use of force

is the last tool in our toolbox

The last tool resorted to to protect our national security

not the first

We need his deep understanding of the Pentagon to help

reform the Defense Department

We need his personal experience helping inform our efforts to

ensure that our armed forces reflect the full strength and

diversity of our nation

That black Latino Asian American Native American women men LGBT

service members are treated with dignity and respect

You know at a time when more than 40% of

our act more listen more than 40% of our active

duty forces are people of color

It's long past time of the department's leadership reflects that

diversity

We need his in depth understanding of what it takes

tow deter threats wherever they arise and to defend the

American people our vital interests and our allies from harm

Just as he did when he did when he was

designated toe lead strategy they together with a dozen of

partner nations Thio ultimately crush Isis

If you don't think that requires some diplomatic skill putting

that group together then you don't understand what was going

on

He did a heck of a job

Threats we face today are not the same as though

he faced 10 years ago or even five years ago

We must prepare to meet the challenges for the future

of the future not keeping not just keeping fighting wars

of the past

We must build a foreign policy that leads with diplomacy

revitalizes State Department revitalizes our alliances putting American leadership back

to the table and rallying the world to meet global

threats off our security from pandemics to climate change from

nuclear proliferation to refugee crises as part of our diverse

national security leadership team

Lloyd Austin knows how to do this work

Before I turn the podium over to the secretary designee

Austin I want to end on a note of personal

privilege

As a leader General Austin has always followed the advice

given him by his first platoon sergeant

As my son Beau Biden was a major in the

military said

Now you're feel great Officer Dad he said

I don't have any illusions Dad he said I know

who runs the United States Army platoon sergeants

And here's what his platoon sergeant told him Quote If

you focus on your people take care of them get

out in front and lead them

They'll refuse toe let you fail

End of quote

That's why he's inspired so many young people who work

for him and give their very best to live up

to his example of leadership including for a time ah

young lawyer serving a year in Iraq

It's a captain with his Delaware National Guard unit

My son Beau Biden

I know how probable was to serve on the General

staff General Lawson staff

And I know that under your leadership General the Department

of Defense will advance the security of the American people

in ways that always always always honor our highest values

and ideals

So I thank you again

Hello

God bless America and may God protect our troops

And now I'd like to turn it over to General

Austin Secretary designee for the Department of Defense

Mr President Elect and Madam Vice President Elect Harris Thank

you for your trust and your confidence and for the

opportunity to serve as a 28th secretary of defense

And it's confirmed by the United States Senate

It will be my sincere honor and privilege to return

to the department and to the lead our great service

members and civilians in accomplishing the mission of ensuring our

nation's security

You know back in 18 77 ah young man from

the small town of Thomasville Georgia Henry Ossian Flipper became

the first African American to graduate from the United States

Military Academy at West Point and after his commissioning he

was assigned to one of the Army's all black regiments

and he became the first non white officer too

Lead the Buffalo soldiers of the 10th Cavalry and so

fast forward to today Nearly 150 years later another native

son of Thomasville Georgia stands before you as the secretary

of defense Designate

Now many people have paved the way for me and

countless others over the years to include Henry O Flipper

and I am supremely grateful to all of them for

their courage for their determination and for the example that

they set throughout

And they include the Tuskegee Airman in the Montfort Point

Marines and many others Throughout Throughout my career I've also

been incredibly fortunate to benefit from the support and the

mentorship of exceptional leaders like General Colin Powell and Admiral

Mike Mullen in General Johnny Wilson and my old platoon

sergeant who you heard the president elect just talk about

you know I was a brand new second lieutenant

I'm Sergeant First Class Fox

Ballard took me in and taught me the way of

the world so I owe him and many others a

great deal

And as Sir Isaac Newton's famously said If I have

seen a little further it is by standing on the

shoulders of giants

I've been very fortunate tohave the love and support of

my family as well

My mother and father who was postal worker who along

with a number of my uncles and other relatives spent

time in the military and that inspired my own desire

to serve

Sure I've also enjoyed the strong support of my brother

and four older sisters four older sisters and most importantly

most importantly my bride Charlene who had been truly lucky

tohave by my side all these years

And I am so grateful for her enduring love and

for her support

You know I spent much of my military career tackling

tough issues and formidable adversaries and challenging parts of the

world and President elect Biden

As you mentioned we've worked closely together on some tough

issues and we've gotten to know each other under some

intense and high pressures situations and so you can expect

that as secretary of Defense that I will give you

the same direct and unvarnished counsel that I did back

then

I understand the important role of the Department of Defense

and the role that it plays in maintaining stability and

deterring aggression and defending and supporting critical alliances around the

world including in the Asia Pacific in Europe and around

the world

And I fervently believe that as you said before sir

that America is strongest when it works with his allies

And over the years I've worked hand in hand with

our diplomatic colleagues and partners around the globe and witnessed

firsthand what we're able to accomplish together

And so if confirmed I look forward to resuming this

important work

My career has taught me something else equally fundamental to

who we are as a nation

When I concluded my military service four years ago I

hung up my uniforms for the last time and went

from being General Lloyd Austin toe Lloyd Austin

It is an important distinction in one that I make

with utmost seriousness and sincerity and so I come to

this role this new role as a as a civilian

leader with military experience to be sure but also with

a deep appreciation and reverence for the prevailing wisdom of

civilian control of our military

I recognize that being a member of the president's Cabinet

requires a different perspective and unique responsibilities from a career

in the uniforms

And I intend to keep this at the forefront of

my mind

And I look forward to surrounding myself with experienced capable

civilian appointees and career civil servants who will enable healthy

civil military relations grounded in meaningful civilian oversight

As secretary of defense my priority will always always be

the men and women military and civilian who make up

the department and their families

And I've seen what they're capable of great Americans like

your son Sir Bo and also our future first lady

Dr Biden and her tireless work for military families

As the president elect said Bo was one of the

military lawyers on my staff in Iraq and we stayed

in touch and saw each other a few times after

he returned home

And as you too can attest Madam Vice President elect

Bo was a very special person and a true patriot

and a good friend to all who knew him

Over the past four decades I've witnessed our service members

and civilians selflessness and patriotism and the extraordinary links that

they will go to in support of the mission and

in support of one another

And I could not be more proud of them and

their families

And if confirmed it will be the honor of my

lifetime to lead them again with honor and integrity

Thank you again Mr President

Elect and Madam Vice President elect for this opportunity and

for your trust and confidence in me may God bless

and keep safe all those currently serving in harm's way

And may God continue to bless the United States of

America

Thank you

Yeah

Good afternoon

President elect Biden and I will take office at a

consequential moment for our country

Even as we work to contain this pandemic and responsibly

open our economy we also need to lead the Defense

Department into the future rebuild and renew global alliances and

partnerships and make sure the United States is prepared to

address new threats and new challenges from cyber to climate

The fundamental responsibility of our administration and any administration is

keeping the American people safe and secure

My whole career has been about keeping Americans safe in

the United States

Senate

I have served on the homeland

Security and Intelligence committees have traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan

and the Middle East where I've seen the extraordinary training

commitment and heroism of our service members and proudly represented

California the state with the largest number of active duty

military and veterans in our country

And I am absolutely confident that General Lloyd Austin is

the right person to lead the Department of Defense

At this critical moment

We need a proven leader to help address this pandemic

someone with the experience to help make sure safe and

effective vaccines are distributed equitably toe all a leader who

will honor the service and sacrifice of those who wear

the uniform of the United States provide for their well

being and make sure they and their families are treated

with the dignity and respect they have earned

And a leader who recognizes that our service members represent

America around the world and must uphold our nation's highest

values and ideals

General Austin is that later as the president elect noted

this is a milestone nomination

A seasoned highly decorated and trail blazing commander General Austin

reflects the very best of our nation and president elect

Biden and I will work closely with him and our

entire team of national security and foreign policy leaders to

make sure the United States of America is safer and

more secure than ever before

You know throughout America's history the United States military has

been a home for generations of young men and women

dedicated to serving our country and General Austin is among

them

With this nomination he will continue his service strengthening not

only America's national security but our role as a partner

toe allies around the world

And we couldn't be more proud

Thank you

It's the president not a waiver

General Austin a waiver 30 general nominee coming

problems

All right one