Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper; Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, brief reporters at the Pentagon, July 29, 2020.
Transcript
Okay, Good morning, everyone. And thank you for joining us today. Since being sworn into office more than a year ago, I have been consistent in stating that my top priority would be implementing the national defense strategy. Over the past year, we have done just that. If you look at my recent message to the Joint Force regarding the progress we’ve made, you will see very clearly how far we have moved over our three lines of effort, which include the first line of effort building more lethal force and the second line of effort, strengthen alliances as well as our 10 subordinate goals. One important initiative to advance the NDS has been to conduct a review of all the combatant commands to ensure a focus on NDS priorities. This includes optimizing our force presence worldwide, directing our time, money and manpower toward our highest priorities, implementing our immediate response force, contingency response force and dynamic force employment, enhanced readiness concepts and moving toward greater use rotational forces from the United States to enhance our strategic flexibility and operational unpredictability, as we’ve done over the past few months with our bomber task forces, we’re pursuing several other initiatives under this rubric as well. There are currently more than 1/2 dozen combat command reviews underway, beginning with US Africa Command, which began late last year and the most recent being U. S Space Command. Today we want to update you on the status of our U. S. European Command review, which was accelerated with the president’s decision in early June to reduce our footprint in Germany and our plans to reposition our forces in Europe to be better situated for great power competition. It is important to note that in NATO’s 71 year history, the size, composition and disposition of U. S forces in Europe has changed many times. Sometimes this has been a result of changes in the threat, sometimes because of other changes in the international environment and sometimes simply because the borders between NATO countries and Russia have shifted. Has new allies have joined as we’ve entered a new era of great power competition? We’re now at another one of those inflection points in NATO’s history, and I’m confident the alliance will be all the better and stronger for it. Since June, EUCOM has done excellent work in developing a plan that achieves the president’s objective and meets the following five principles that I gave General Walters as he and his staff began their planning. First enhanced deterrence of Russia. Second, strengthen NATO third, reassure allies fourth, improve US strategic flexibility and EUCOM operational flexibility and fifth take care of our service members and their families in the process. The president approved the Yukon Plan in late June. We briefed key members of Congress last week and the team and I spoke with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and directly affected allies over the past few days. As we share the plane with you, I want to note that this plan is subject to and likely will change to some degree as it evolves over time. The current U Conn plan will reposition approximately 11,900 military personnel from Germany from roughly 36,000 down to 24,000 in a manner that will strengthen NATO, enhance the deterrence of Russia and make the other principles I set forth. Of the 11,900 nearly 5600 service members, we will be repositioned within NATO countries and approximately 6400 will return to the United States, though many of these or similar units will begin conducting rotational deployments back to Europe. The broad strokes of these moves are as follows. First, various United States headquarters will be consolidated in locations in Europe outside of Germany, including, in some cases, co locating at the same locations as their NATO counterparts in Belgium and Italy. This will strengthen NATO and improve the operational efficiency and readiness of over 2000 service members in these headquarters. Second, the nearly 4500 members of the second Cavalry Regiment will return to the United States as other striker units begin continues rotations farther east in the Black Sea region, giving us a more enduring presence to enhance deterrence and reassure allies along NATO’s southeastern plank. Third, the 25th 2500 chairman based in building Hall, United Kingdom, who are responsible for aerial refueling and special operations and who had been scheduled to re base to Germany, will remain in the United Kingdom, thus ensuring the UN’s interrupted readiness and responsiveness of these units. Fourth, a fighter squadron and elements of a fighter wing will be repositioned to Italy, moving them closer to the Black Sea region and better capable of conducting dynamic force employments and rotational deployments to NATO’s southeastern flank. In addition to these moves and the rotational forces announced by President Trump and Polish President Duda in 2019 we also plan on rotating for the lead element of the Army’s newly established fifth corps headquarters to Poland. Wants Warsaw signs a defense cooperation agreement and burden sharing deal as previously pledged. There are maybe other opportunities as well to move additional forces into Poland and the Baltics. Our aim is to implement these moves as expeditiously as expeditiously as possible, consistent with the principles I set forth from the from the beginning, particularly being fair to and taking care of our service members and their families. We could see some moves begin within weeks. Others will take longer. Has anyone could see the repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift holy in line with the NDS and consistent with other adjustments to the United States adjustments the United States has made within NATO in previous times. These changes will achieve the core principles of enhancing U. S and NATO deterrence of Russia, strengthening NATO reassuring allies and improving U. S. Strategic flexibility and EUCOM operational flexibility. And of course, at all times we were prioritized our most important resource, our service members and their families. No moves will take place without third communication with our people. Continued engagement with Congress and consultation with our allies. Thank you. And I will now turn it over to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Heighten and then EUCOM Commander General Walters. Thank you, Mr Secretary. Good morning, everyone. And thanks for being here today. Uh, looking back at history, NATO was established more than 70 years ago by 12 countries who signed the North Atlantic Treaty right here in Washington, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Comprised the eastern flank has other nations joined NATO. The eastern flank shifted to Germany and has continued to expand further into Eastern Europe. Now, with 30 countries in NATO, so another re balance is essential. One of our primary missions is to prevent another great power war and to maintain great power piece the national Defense strategy. The NDS guides our efforts to adapt the force and the Yukon Plan optimizes our force posture in Europe as we seek to determine line actors there. This re balance consistent with the NDS, will align NATO and U Conn capabilities better, distribute forces across Europe and increase the use of rotational forces, thus bolstering our commitment to Europe. It enhances deterrents and improves operational flexibility. Repositioning our forces and making consolidations will provide General Walters as the commander increased ability to dynamically employ his force. This effort will increase opportunities to partner with and strengthen our bond with allies and partners in the region region. It will also require additional planning and consultation with our allies and let me emphasize that point we have been and we will remain transparent and collaborative as planning and execution moves forward. I had the opportunity is the secretary just mentioned to speak with a number of my military counterparts over the last week to preview the force posture changes in Europe. Now that we’ve outlined every day, our allies and partners join us and defending freedom, deterring war and maintaining the rules which underwrite a free and open international order. This strategic posture, realignment in Europe and other actions Indo pay com is taking his well should send a clear, unmistakable message to our competitors. The Joint forces committed to acting. His opportunities arise to counter malign activities and we remain position to deter military aggression against the U. S and Issa and our allies. While we hope that Russia and China will engage in more productive and cooperative behavior in the future, we’re posturing our forces to deter aggression, encounter their malign influence. So the secretary highlighted many of the details. I won’t go into those, but I want to take a brief moment. To just touch on the impact are forcing our families. For almost 40 years, I’ve watched our people in their families sacrifice for this country. It’s remarkable what they’ve done, what they continue to do. And I believe that’s the greatest advantage that we as the United States America have. It’s our people in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, Marines, our families, the people we have to do this mission or most incredible, we’re gonna work closely and communicate frequent frequently with each of the services on implementing the changes that we move forward. And most importantly, we want to ensure stability for the service members and their families. Service members will be informed of re stationing decisions well in advance in order to prepare themselves and their families for any moves. The safety and well being of our service members and their families remains our top priority. And finally, we’ll continue to work closely with Congress, and they will be consulted on any movements of units back to the United States as well as repositioning in Europe. So, in a close, by thinking all our servicemen and women, I want to recognize each and every one of them who are in this fight. The readiness of our military is strong, were capable. We’re ready. No matter what the threat. No one doubts the readiness of United States military respond and defend the American people if required. And our allies with that, I’ll turn it over to General Walters, who staff led the effort to develop the plan you heard the secretary describe. We’ll leave further detailed discussions as well as planning and implementation in the future. Over to you, General Walters. Thank you, sir. And thank you, Vice Chairman Heighten. Good morning and good afternoon to all of you from our headquarters here in Mons, Belgium are us You come strategy demands ever increasing speed in all endeavors and ever improving posture we focus on actions inside and outside our area of responsibility and vigilance with respect to great power. Competition is an absolute imperative. As was discussed. This realignment allows us to favorably deter against Russia, assists NATO, strengthen the alliance, improves secretary experts strategic flexibility and improve you comments, operational flexibility all the while keeping a close eye on the care and feeding of our families, A secretary Esper highlighted. The current plan proposes the repositioning of headquarters at the Combatant Command Component Command and lower levels. Repositioning US EUCOM headquarters and its component U. S. Special Operations Command Europe from Germany to Belgium CO locates these organizations with shape headquarters. This will improve the speed and clarity of our decision making and promote greater operational alignment. Also, there is the potential to reposition U S. AFRICOM headquarters in its component U. S. Special Operations Command Africa to a location to be determined. We also intend to reposition three brigade size headquarters, an air defense artillery battalion and an engineering battalion, toe Belgium from Germany and two smaller support and contracting organizations to Italy. Pending further planning and refinement, we anticipate the 52nd Civil Engineering Squadron could move soonest at a time to be determined from Germany to Italy. And, as secretary expert pointed out, We will propose repositioning an F 16 fighters quarter its aircraft, its pilots and its jet mechanics from Germany to Italy. We also anticipate the repositioning of two battalions from Germany to Italy to reunite with their parent brigade headquarters, a move that will enhance unity of command. The proposal to reposition forces back to Conus, as the secretary mentioned with respect to the second Cab Regiment, will allow those units to regain maximum US at home station readiness and more effectively support global contingencies while still maintaining a keen focus on Europe. The forces repositioned within Europe will better promote and better perform comprehensive defence and shared response. This is an alignment with NATO’s new military strategy, the first strategy document for the military in over six decades. These efforts all increase our opportunity to generate greater peace in Europe and enhance the U. S s effectiveness in great power competition. We look forward to taking your questions, lied about door, I just asked everybody, keep it one question today so we can get through some people. It’s not will be forced to reclaim my con. So I lied about I thank uhm one question for requesting a few details. How much, Mr Secretary, about how much do you think will cost? How how many do you think can get moved more quickly? You mentioned some might be able to be moved within weeks. How many of those do you think could be moved within weeks? And could you just give a little bit more detail on those coming home? Where would they come home to? Thank you. Okay, I think that’s about three questions, but I’ll take a quick swag, Adam, Uh, clearly the costs. Right now, our estimates it will take a several $1,000,000,000 I’d say single digits, but that that will be spread out over time, obviously, but we need to refine that. That’s where a lot of this work will come in in terms of fine tuning them where the units will go into the States. That’s gonna be a matter of consultation. Of course, with Congress, it will be a service responsibility to determine where they should go to enhance the readiness to make sure we have adequate housing and child care and hospital care and all that for families. So that will be a process. It will be undertaken by the by the services and with regard to how quickly units will move. Like I said, I’ll just say a matter of weeks. It requires diplomacy. We’ve been in touch with the State Department, working closely with them. They feel very strongly This is a positive move as well. I’ve spoken to Secretary Pompeo, so we need to rely in good degree on their diplomatic efforts as well. But this is something we want to do we feel very good about. We think it meets all the principles and objectives I outlined. So we want to get there as quickly as possible because of the importance it has to the alliance and to deterring Russia. No, I’m sorry. Yeah. Services will handle the domestic peace, So that will take some time. Um, you know, some kid from the German presidency, G p A. As you can imagine, it’s from great importance for Germany What? You’re involved today. So I would like Thio Thio, Ask for the specific the sites which are affected by the reduction of troops. If you could name the exact locations that would be great. I can. But I’m gonna turn this over to General Walters dancer because he can give you more comprehensive. The answer. John Walters. Did you hear the question? I did, Secretary, if I could, with with respect to it the sites of the EUCOM headquarters it is. You will know they currently reside the headquarters, patch barracks and stooped guard and we anticipate again with more refinement required, Teoh ultimately shift that headquarters in Amman. Schedule Belgium Co located with shape headquarters, corresponding with the EUCOM headquarters movement is the Special Operations Command Europe Headquarters movement, also in studio guard. Two months Belgium, located at the same site. And we have proposals with with Africam. And as I mentioned in my opening comments, those discussions have a long ways to go. Lots of refinement in front of us and sites to be determined. And there are other, smaller headquarters in much lower numbers that were part of my discussion that also can be located in Belgium at she’s complex. It’s an aviation complex that we work in and out of. It’s approximately 25 kilometers away from Monte’s Belgium, and we anticipate, pending further refinement to move some smaller headquarters to that location. Thank you. I’ll just add that probably the the area most effective would be the stood gut area. And I had a good conversation last week with the German defense minister and laid out some of these in detail will obviously be engaging the Defense Ministry in the coming days and weeks with more detail. One clarification question. If I put him in a broader, would you mentioned costs being in the single digit billions over a period front over what period of time? Because I imagine there will be costs associated with having rotational forces. So if you could give us a better understanding that and if it comes out of reprogramming, where those costs come from and then broadly speaking, can you help us understand? You talked a lot about the goal of deterring Russia. Why, from your perspective, is having forces the one combat brigade, the second cap out of Europe, a better former deterrence and having them in your Yes, I’ll answer both. But then I’m gonna turn the General Walters to let him answer a little bit more detail. So you’re right. In terms of cost, it’s gonna be a range of things. It’ll be on Amital meal con you know, to be the PCs transfers. But of course, you know you have some gains to If you’re not moving families back and forth to Germany, you have savings on that. And so it’s gonna take a lot of hard work by our controllers by our financial people. Work through that, which is why it’s going to take some time. But I think our rough measures what I told you based on historical precedent, if you will. And again all that journal Walters, Take that answer. Answer your next question and UH, E. I will say this much the deployment of rotational forces from the United States. We have observed, whether it’s the ABC teas going from the United States to Teoh Korea or the ABC to Poland or the Bomber Task Force. We’re finding that they’re deploying at a much higher level readiness. And while they’re deployed, they’re they’re able to sustain a much more fixed focus on their mission and their capabilities, and they and third, they can provide a more enduring presence. So all the General Walter speak to this to update you during my time when I served in Europe, we would deploy for 34567 weeks at a time. Then we came home. In this case, what you’ll have is a more enduring presence because we will deploy from United States and able to keep a units, in this case, a striker brigade, if you will, or elements of it in the Black Sea region in a more enduring way, more focused on the mission and not not constrained, if you will, with knowing that the families air back in Germany s. So it gives us a lot more flexibility in that regard. To do that, plus weaken, deploy other type units if we need to as well. So, General Walters, over to you to follow up on those +22 issues. Thank you, Secretary, and you’re exactly right with respect to the flexibility that it affords us. And in in the discussion about repositioning forces in a comprehensive fashion. I mentioned in my opening comments that NATO just approved its military strategy and its concept, and it talks about all domains, all regions from a comprehensive perspective, with the rotational set that Secretary Esper described, and with us having the opportunity given this realignment to reach out to the southeastern flank in Europe will now be able to rotate units in perpetuity in multiple locations to include potentially Poland to include the Northeast in the vicinity of the Baltics, to include the southeast in the vicinity of the Black Sea and, on occasion, back into Germany. And the flexibility that this affords us certainly complicates a potential enemy against us, and it dramatically improves our operational capability to more effectively to turn defense. Thank you. Talk anything further in the cost piece. But I just really like all these record jumping on the cost piece, the the secretary said. Single digit billions. But those were rough estimates. The the what we have right now is really a concept, a concept that we’ve shared with our allies shared with Congress, and we’ve shared inside the department fairly widely. We now have to turn it into plans as you turn it into plans. We have a very structured process involving the joint staff, the Office of the Secretary and the combatant commands and the services to make sure we understand what those are, then will lay in the costs. But we’re start moving right away with forces moving right away, because we need to actually reach out to the potential locations where these forces are gonna move, make sure we understand what is there, what can be there and then turned those into real cost estimates and then work with Congress to get the resource is. Some of those resources can be handled in your of execution. Some will be handled out years, especially military construction, which will clearly have to be handled in the attic. Kind of Mr Secretary, you say this is about strategy when the president has clearly said this is about his grudge with Jeremy. Just a few weeks ago, he said, Germany’s been delinquent of billions of dollars on this is for years, so we’re removing a number down to putting that number down to 25,000 soldiers. He’s linking this Germany’s lack of payments to NATO. So how do you reconcile that? You’re saying it’s about strategy. He’s saying it’s a vote basically sticking of Germany. We began this process actually several months ago when I gave EUCOM direction to begin looking at ways by which we can improve our force. Disposition in Germany are composition of I’m sorry. Germany in NATO are composition our size of our forces. He knew it was coming to because I now sit as soon as my hearing last last year also so that the combat commanders know that we’re doing these reviews. We gave specific guidance months before that to begin this process. And what the president did with his directive in early June was to accelerate that process. When you step back and you look at what’s happened right, what you’ll see is we’re still retaining a little more than 24,000 troops in Germany, which is still a lot. And I think still more than any other country in Europe. Um, and then you look at what we’re moving. What we’re doing is we’re moving the forces to answer your strategy question. We’re moving forces out of Central Europe, Germany, where they had been since the Cold War since I first traveled there in the early 19 eighties and we’re now moving. We’re following in many ways, the boundary east. Where are where our newest allies are eso into the Black Sea region. We talked about additional forces into Poland, and I think there are opportunities to put forces into the Baltics. That’s why it’s the strategic lay down that enhances deterrent. Strengthens is, the Allies reassures them. We’ve gotten very positive feedback from several countries. I’ve mentioned this morning with regard to this move, and so overall I think it is again. It meets all those objectives. Your boss is saying it’s about Germany being delinquent. Is that nothing about strategy? I’m telling you that this is gonna accomplish what the president said with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe and it meets his other objectives. I outlined with regard to the strategic piece the principles assuring the allies and taking care of our service members and families. We’re gonna go to the phones, do only from duality, I think, for the briefing about the reduction plan of the U. S. Troops in Germany. There are some speculations that some of the troops evacuating in Germany could be redeployed to the Pacific area later to respond to the Chinese military threat. So do you have such a plan? Can you liberate more onto redeployment and obsessing plan of the trip from Germany? Well, in all things they could be, but because I want to. I want to enhance my strategic flexibility. Right. That was principle number four, if you will. But right now there are no plans to do. So we’re gonna eventually take a look as we get to the end up a calm review and look at how we can a nance enhance our against strategic flexibility Are our operational flexibility, if you will. And several these other principles I outlined as we head into the end, opaque on review. But right now, there are no plans to do that. The plan is to begin thes rotations back to Europe in a way that again enhances my strategic flexibility. But maybe more importantly, enhances General Walters operational flexibility to deploy them in amore enduring way where he needs to in the theater could be this. We’re talking about the southeastern flank, but it could be up into the northeastern flank Teoh to accomplish the objectives that he’s outlined that I’ve outlined as part of our planning. We’re gonna go to the phones for one more from Ah, Martina, I thank you very much for this. Everything, um, going back to Tom Bowman’s questions President Trump on the South lawn has once again restated that, Really, this is more about Germany’s payments were that its GDP payments are not amounting to what Heywood like. Um, And so he said that everybody should be a 4%. And he said that Germany has only paid 1%. When you called him being delinquent, Um, and so how can you reconcile that? I know that this process has been going on for quite some time. But is it safe to say that it was accelerated by the president’s opinions that Germany is not doing enough with regards to GDP payment? First of all, I’d say toe President Trump’s credit. Under his leadership. We have, Ah, we’ve seen UNQ. Reese in defense spending by NATO. I think it’s over $130 billion. Over a few years, we have seen a few more countries joined. I’ll call the 2% club, and that is countries who have lived up to their wells commitment. I think it goes back to 2016 under previous administration to contribute more to NATO’s collective defense. Let’s be clear. I think Germany is the wealthiest country in Europe. Germany can and should pay more to its defense. It should certainly meet the 2% standard. And I would argue, Go above and beyond that. And I’ve said that very publicly. I’ve said that Vory privately, Teoh my counterparts as well about the importance of NATO. Any alliance sharing the burden so we can all deter Russia and avoid peace and Europe. And again, the president’s directive. Endurance June accelerated that, and I think where you are. We’re excited about where we’re going and what it will mean in terms of our ability to enhance deterrence strength and strengthen the alliance in the process. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody for more on Russia.