Secretary of Defense visits Marines in Twentynine Palms
The highest ranking member of the military was in the high desert today to get a first-hand look at the latest experimental Marine units at the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command in Twentynine Palms.
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter arrived at the base via an Osprey military plane.
Carter took a few hours to inspect some experimental units in the field where Marines train with the latest weapons and technology.
“Here the Marine Corps is innovating and preparing for an uncertain future and innovating with new tactics and technology. That’s important because we have to stay a step ahead of all our potential enemies,” Carter said.
These Marines are getting prepared for a full spectrum of potential warfare. The military is preparing strategies to protect Americans from potential attacks from ISIS, Russia, North Korea and possible Chinese incursions in the South China Sea.
Carter refused to answer any political questions and would not comment if he has been in talks with President-elect Trump on whether or not he would stay on as the Secretary of Defense.
Carter said the new Defense budget includes money set aside to buy newer aircraft that would be safer for pilots. Recently, there have been a few fighter jet crashes at the Twentynine Palms base.
“Every incident is one that we regret and we go back and investigate and try to understand the causes and make sure it doesn’t happen again. That said, this business is inherently risky,” Carter said.
Carter thanked Marines for their sacrifice, knowing the holiday season is just around the corner and can be hard for those who serve.
