WEBVTT 00:04.140 --> 00:08.100 Mhm . Good morning 00:08.100 --> 00:10.580 everyone . Thank you for being here 00:10.580 --> 00:13.790 this morning . Um Like yesterday I'll 00:13.800 --> 00:16.860 provide an update on the Afghan 00:16.860 --> 00:19.410 operation and then followed with a 00:19.410 --> 00:22.700 short operational update on our 00:22.710 --> 00:26.530 operations in Haiti US and 00:26.530 --> 00:30.150 coalition troops maintain security at 00:30.150 --> 00:33.250 the Kabul airport and the security 00:33.250 --> 00:36.750 continues to allow for the evacuation 00:36.760 --> 00:39.460 operations and allowing to us to remain 00:39.460 --> 00:41.840 to process people in to become ready to 00:41.840 --> 00:45.560 fly . Our focus is continuing to get as 00:45.560 --> 00:48.300 many people out as efficiently and 00:48.300 --> 00:51.570 safely as possible . In the past 00:51.580 --> 00:55.190 24 hours . We exceeded the 00:55.200 --> 00:58.450 previous 24 hour flight departures and 00:58.450 --> 01:00.617 evacuated number of passengers nearing 01:00.870 --> 01:03.940 the previous day's record . Yesterday , 01:03.950 --> 01:07.460 42 U . S . military aircraft 01:07.840 --> 01:11.800 of which were 37 C seventeen's and 01:11.800 --> 01:14.520 five C . One thirties departed with 01:14.520 --> 01:17.410 approximately 11,200 01:17.410 --> 01:20.900 personnel Combined with 01:20.900 --> 01:24.610 our 48 coalition uh and Allied 01:24.610 --> 01:26.800 partners with those departures . An 01:26.800 --> 01:30.350 additional 7800 personnel 01:30.360 --> 01:34.340 left Kabul . That is 90 flights total . 01:34.340 --> 01:36.860 Yesterday that left the Kabul Airport . 01:37.340 --> 01:41.000 That is counted for 19,000 01:41.010 --> 01:44.180 evacuate now safely out of Afghanistan 01:44.190 --> 01:46.960 within a 24 hour period . 01:47.940 --> 01:50.270 Since the U . S . And coalition forces 01:50.740 --> 01:53.060 began the evacuation to date , 01:53.070 --> 01:56.910 approximately 88,000 have safely 01:56.920 --> 01:58.660 departed from Afghanistan 02:00.440 --> 02:03.290 Every 39 minutes yesterday , a plane 02:03.290 --> 02:06.760 departed Kabul Airport . These numbers 02:06.760 --> 02:08.927 are a testament to the hardworking and 02:08.927 --> 02:11.700 brave service members carrying out this 02:11.700 --> 02:14.710 mission . In cooperation with the State 02:14.710 --> 02:16.821 Department , I can also tell you that 02:16.821 --> 02:18.710 there are more than 10,000 people 02:18.710 --> 02:21.190 currently at this time at the airport 02:21.200 --> 02:25.070 awaiting departure . This is a snapshot 02:25.070 --> 02:27.181 in time and as we said yesterday will 02:27.181 --> 02:29.950 continue to change as more people are 02:29.950 --> 02:32.061 able to come onto the airfield and as 02:32.061 --> 02:35.160 flights depart . As I said yesterday , 02:35.160 --> 02:37.327 in order for this throughput to remain 02:37.327 --> 02:39.990 steady . We depend on capacity and 02:39.990 --> 02:42.360 efficiency of our intermediate staging 02:42.360 --> 02:45.610 bases and safe havens . We are 02:45.610 --> 02:47.832 appreciative of the support and rely on 02:47.832 --> 02:50.020 our allies and partners in this global 02:50.020 --> 02:53.140 endeavor in the UK . Um , K O . R six 02:53.140 --> 02:56.540 flights will transport about 1800 02:56.550 --> 02:58.830 vulnerable afghans from Germany to the 02:58.830 --> 03:02.340 United States today , In addiction in 03:02.340 --> 03:05.310 addition , approximately 2000 more will 03:05.310 --> 03:07.670 arrive in this case , Ramstein Air Base 03:07.670 --> 03:09.920 Germany is scheduled to receive 03:09.930 --> 03:12.160 approximately 13 flights 03:13.140 --> 03:15.980 Since August 20th has assisted 03:15.990 --> 03:19.290 approximately 10,000 vulnerable Afghans 03:19.290 --> 03:22.460 and evacuees for transit to onward 03:22.460 --> 03:24.840 locations . You will likely hear more 03:24.840 --> 03:28.080 details today . It planned press 03:28.080 --> 03:30.180 scheduled with Mr Kirby and plan for 03:30.180 --> 03:33.130 general Walters later today , several 03:33.130 --> 03:35.019 1000 evacuees have arrived in the 03:35.019 --> 03:37.830 United States so far and we'll continue 03:37.830 --> 03:41.490 to do so In the past 24 hours five 03:41.490 --> 03:43.790 flights landed at Dulles International 03:43.790 --> 03:47.640 Airport with approximately 1200 03:47.640 --> 03:50.960 passengers . As part of this process , 03:51.450 --> 03:53.970 these individuals completed biometric 03:53.970 --> 03:55.970 vetting and screening in accordance 03:55.970 --> 03:59.230 with the F B I N C T . C and customs 03:59.230 --> 04:01.470 and border control standards . All 04:01.470 --> 04:03.680 directed by the Department of Homeland 04:03.680 --> 04:06.280 Security . We are working around the 04:06.280 --> 04:09.310 clock to provide safe sanitary and 04:09.310 --> 04:12.470 appropriate receptions at processing at 04:12.480 --> 04:14.480 all of our locations throughout the 04:14.480 --> 04:18.110 world . We know you have questions 04:18.110 --> 04:21.960 about our current timeline and intent 04:21.970 --> 04:25.580 for departure . Our mission remains 04:25.590 --> 04:28.370 unchanged for each day of this 04:28.370 --> 04:30.370 operation . We have carried out the 04:30.370 --> 04:32.314 direction of the president and the 04:32.314 --> 04:34.203 Secretary of Defense . Until that 04:34.203 --> 04:36.314 mission changes , we will continue to 04:36.314 --> 04:39.080 put forth our maximum effort to safely 04:39.080 --> 04:41.630 evacuate as many people as possible and 04:41.630 --> 04:44.010 we will keep you updated . Lastly , I 04:44.010 --> 04:46.060 want to give you a short update on 04:46.070 --> 04:48.880 Haiti , the Department of Defense and U . 04:48.880 --> 04:51.410 S . Southern Command are continue to be 04:51.410 --> 04:53.690 in full support of U . S . A . I . D . 04:53.690 --> 04:56.700 As the lead federal agency . The U . S . 04:56.700 --> 04:58.700 A . I . D . Bureau for humanitarian 04:58.700 --> 05:00.811 assistant team has been on the ground 05:00.811 --> 05:02.756 since the beginning and we've been 05:03.040 --> 05:05.910 supporting them since then as have a 05:05.910 --> 05:08.077 lot of our allies and partners working 05:08.077 --> 05:09.854 with international community to 05:09.854 --> 05:12.410 identify points of need . This life 05:12.410 --> 05:14.466 saving aid and assistance mission is 05:14.466 --> 05:16.188 where diodes unique capability 05:16.188 --> 05:20.060 specifically in airlift and logistics 05:20.070 --> 05:22.830 are engaged each day to get that life 05:22.830 --> 05:25.560 saving aid where it needs to be rapidly . 05:26.240 --> 05:28.580 As of late last evening , Jtf Haiti has 05:28.580 --> 05:31.690 conducted over 364 full spectrum 05:31.690 --> 05:33.746 missions , both with the D . O . D . 05:33.746 --> 05:35.968 Assets in the United States Coast Guard 05:35.968 --> 05:38.450 Which have assisted or saved over 436 05:38.450 --> 05:42.160 lives and delivered over 163 lb of 05:42.160 --> 05:45.020 vital aid as of late yesterday . Thank 05:45.020 --> 05:46.020 you . 05:54.240 --> 05:55.240 Four . 05:58.540 --> 06:00.707 Okay , good morning , everybody . Just 06:00.707 --> 06:03.220 one more note and then we'll we'll get 06:03.220 --> 06:06.750 the questions I think you may have seen 06:06.750 --> 06:09.510 now we have release the secretary's 06:09.510 --> 06:11.232 memo with respect of mandatory 06:11.232 --> 06:13.790 vaccinations for Covid 19 . He is 06:13.790 --> 06:15.901 determined after careful consultation 06:15.901 --> 06:17.790 with medical experts and military 06:17.790 --> 06:19.679 leadership and of course with the 06:19.679 --> 06:21.901 support of the president that mandatory 06:21.901 --> 06:23.901 vaccination against the coronavirus 06:23.901 --> 06:26.070 disease . Covid 19 is necessary to 06:26.070 --> 06:27.959 protect the safety of our service 06:27.959 --> 06:29.848 members . And our force mandatory 06:29.848 --> 06:33.270 vaccination will only use Covid 19 06:33.270 --> 06:35.860 vaccines that received full licensure 06:35.870 --> 06:38.092 from the Food and Drug Administration . 06:38.092 --> 06:39.870 In accordance with FDA approved 06:39.870 --> 06:41.759 labeling and guidance , mandatory 06:41.759 --> 06:43.592 vaccination requirements will be 06:43.592 --> 06:45.814 implemented consistent with the ODM and 06:45.814 --> 06:47.981 an immunization program instructions , 06:47.981 --> 06:51.380 65 62 oh five point oh two . In other 06:51.380 --> 06:53.680 words , the existing structure and 06:53.680 --> 06:57.280 regulations that govern uh 06:57.290 --> 06:59.420 policies and procedures for managing 06:59.420 --> 07:01.750 mandatory vaccination across the force . 07:02.240 --> 07:03.796 This is consistent with the 07:03.796 --> 07:05.740 department's efforts to ensure the 07:05.740 --> 07:07.962 safety of our service members and again 07:07.962 --> 07:10.240 to maintain the readiness of the force . 07:10.240 --> 07:12.407 With that we'll take questions , bob , 07:12.407 --> 07:14.462 john , thank you . Um with regard to 07:14.462 --> 07:16.462 Afghanistan , I wonder if you could 07:16.462 --> 07:18.629 give us a sense of what the evacuation 07:18.629 --> 07:20.684 Endgame is likely to look like . Are 07:20.684 --> 07:23.670 expected to look like in terms of The 07:23.670 --> 07:25.726 sequence of events over the last say 07:25.726 --> 07:27.948 three or 4 or five days . Will the US . 07:28.940 --> 07:31.710 Need to have sort of exclusive use of 07:31.710 --> 07:34.980 the fields in the apparatus to 07:35.210 --> 07:38.050 execute the final place . I'll ask the 07:38.060 --> 07:40.740 general to probably be more specific 07:40.740 --> 07:43.450 than me bob . But uh huh 07:44.740 --> 07:48.470 what we anticipate have happening uh in 07:48.470 --> 07:52.390 the last couple of days , uh we 07:52.390 --> 07:54.501 will so first of all we will continue 07:54.501 --> 07:57.150 to evacuate needed populations 07:58.440 --> 08:01.050 all the way to the end . If we have to 08:01.060 --> 08:05.040 and we need to if if you're 08:05.040 --> 08:07.260 an evacuee that we can get out , we're 08:07.260 --> 08:09.316 going to continue to get get you out 08:09.540 --> 08:12.240 right up until the end . But in those 08:12.240 --> 08:14.440 last couple of days uh we're going to 08:14.440 --> 08:16.551 try to preserve as much capability as 08:16.551 --> 08:18.718 we can on the on the at the airport as 08:18.718 --> 08:20.773 you might imagine . So in those last 08:20.773 --> 08:22.718 couple of days uh we will begin to 08:22.718 --> 08:26.300 prioritize military capabilities and 08:26.300 --> 08:29.210 military resources to to move out . Uh 08:29.220 --> 08:32.840 That doesn't mean that uh that if if 08:32.840 --> 08:36.080 you're evacuate and and uh and you need 08:36.080 --> 08:38.136 to get out that we're just we're not 08:38.136 --> 08:40.191 gonna try to get you out but that we 08:40.191 --> 08:42.302 will have to reserve some capacity in 08:42.302 --> 08:44.524 those last couple of days to prioritize 08:44.524 --> 08:46.790 the military footprint leaving because 08:46.790 --> 08:48.957 we want to be able to keep it there as 08:48.957 --> 08:50.957 long as possible to do the job that 08:50.957 --> 08:53.012 it's intended to do . So the charter 08:53.012 --> 08:55.123 flights for example would be finished 08:55.123 --> 08:57.010 earlier . And when you refer to 08:57.010 --> 08:59.010 military resources , you're talking 08:59.010 --> 09:01.232 about american only , I'm talking about 09:01.232 --> 09:04.030 primarily U . S . Military troops and 09:04.030 --> 09:07.050 equipment . We are now and have been 09:07.060 --> 09:09.282 working with our allies and partners to 09:09.282 --> 09:13.130 help them uh withdrawal there people um 09:13.130 --> 09:15.230 and will help them withdraw their 09:15.230 --> 09:17.970 forces as well ? Right to the very end 09:17.970 --> 09:20.081 or you have to do that earlier ? Well 09:20.081 --> 09:22.026 look , I mean obviously we want to 09:22.026 --> 09:24.248 preserve as much capability as possible 09:24.248 --> 09:23.890 and that some of that capability is not 09:23.890 --> 09:25.890 ours , some of it is our allies and 09:25.890 --> 09:27.890 partners . So there'll be a balance 09:27.890 --> 09:29.723 there and it'll be up to Admiral 09:29.723 --> 09:31.834 basically to determine how he strikes 09:31.834 --> 09:34.057 that balance uh in terms of making sure 09:34.057 --> 09:37.830 he has the maximum capability uh for as 09:37.830 --> 09:41.020 long as possible . So there will be uh 09:41.030 --> 09:43.410 there will be a transition more towards 09:43.410 --> 09:46.170 getting military assets out as we get 09:46.170 --> 09:48.560 closer to the end . But again , um 09:48.570 --> 09:50.570 we're going to continue to work the 09:50.570 --> 09:52.681 evacuation mission right up until the 09:52.681 --> 09:55.420 last day . Just I think what I would 09:55.420 --> 09:58.790 add for the great answer Mr Kirby gave 09:58.790 --> 10:01.020 there is as you've seen in the last 10:01.020 --> 10:04.080 three days , the complexity and the 10:04.080 --> 10:06.730 amount of aircraft moving in and out . 10:06.900 --> 10:09.130 So the capability to continue to 10:09.130 --> 10:11.810 sequence and plan for the actual 10:11.810 --> 10:14.290 requirements that leave on a daily 10:14.290 --> 10:16.670 basis is going to be made , you know , 10:16.670 --> 10:18.892 on the ground . But as you've seen , we 10:18.892 --> 10:21.900 have that capability to manage uh quite 10:21.900 --> 10:24.450 a lot of throughput and be able to put 10:24.450 --> 10:26.620 the right , you know , things on those 10:26.620 --> 10:28.870 aircraft as they come in and as they 10:28.870 --> 10:32.860 leave . Yeah . Um john who 10:32.860 --> 10:34.971 is guarding the U . S . Embassy right 10:34.971 --> 10:37.027 now who will guard after the U . S . 10:37.027 --> 10:38.971 Military pulls out , Are there any 10:38.971 --> 10:40.693 contingencies ? Do you have an 10:40.693 --> 10:42.693 agreement with the taliban . And in 10:42.693 --> 10:44.693 terms of the airport do you have an 10:44.693 --> 10:46.749 agreement with any uh NATO allies to 10:46.749 --> 10:48.971 keep like the Turks to keep the airport 10:48.971 --> 10:51.082 open after the U . S . Military pulls 10:51.082 --> 10:53.304 out . So as I understand I know there's 10:53.304 --> 10:55.527 no military assets guarding the embassy 10:55.527 --> 10:58.270 compound . The U . S . Embassy is 10:58.270 --> 11:00.140 operating out of Hamid Karzai 11:00.140 --> 11:02.084 international airport . As for the 11:02.084 --> 11:05.130 Turks they are still on the ground at 11:05.130 --> 11:07.360 the airport assisting in this uh 11:07.370 --> 11:09.710 security mission that we have there . I 11:09.710 --> 11:12.700 won't speak for their intentions one 11:12.700 --> 11:15.610 way or another going forward . Uh But 11:15.620 --> 11:18.850 there's not going to be a when the 11:18.850 --> 11:22.660 mission is over and when we are 11:22.670 --> 11:25.680 leaving uh the airport the airport will 11:25.690 --> 11:29.650 not not not be uh the United States our 11:29.650 --> 11:31.872 responsibility anymore . So how it gets 11:32.340 --> 11:35.320 managed going forward will be something 11:35.320 --> 11:39.180 that that uh you know the taliban who 11:39.180 --> 11:42.270 are now in Kabul uh we'll have to 11:42.280 --> 11:45.250 manage them on their own with and and I 11:45.250 --> 11:46.917 assume with you know with the 11:46.917 --> 11:49.083 international community but that won't 11:49.083 --> 11:51.083 be an american responsibility . And 11:51.083 --> 11:53.306 just one more . How many individuals on 11:53.306 --> 11:55.417 terror watch lists have been screened 11:55.417 --> 11:57.639 or found at any of the screening points 11:57.639 --> 11:59.930 either in Qatar Ramstein or in the U . 11:59.930 --> 12:03.730 S . I don't know uh we'll have to take 12:03.730 --> 12:06.260 that question and uh get back to you . 12:06.640 --> 12:09.410 The zero . Thank you john thank you 12:09.410 --> 12:11.870 general uh be off of afghan people . 12:11.870 --> 12:14.270 Thank you very much for your hard job 12:14.280 --> 12:17.550 and good job actually and uh 12:18.140 --> 12:20.620 afghan people , they are happy but some 12:20.620 --> 12:23.670 of them that they are not eligible for 12:23.680 --> 12:26.270 S . I . V . Visa P . One P . Two . But 12:26.270 --> 12:28.840 still they have a serious problem and 12:28.840 --> 12:30.900 they are not in the Kabul , they are 12:30.900 --> 12:33.310 hiding , they move from one place to 12:33.310 --> 12:36.040 the other place and they contact with 12:36.040 --> 12:38.790 me like more than 100 people contacted 12:38.800 --> 12:41.120 with me today that what can we do ? And 12:41.120 --> 12:44.900 I say I'm nobody to do something . Uh 12:44.910 --> 12:47.370 there's any plan from the State 12:47.370 --> 12:50.080 Department are from the pentagon 12:50.090 --> 12:52.590 because they're under target of the 12:52.590 --> 12:55.950 Taliban . But as Taliban yesterday the 12:55.960 --> 12:58.260 spokesperson and with your head said 12:58.640 --> 13:00.862 that's why United States make a problem 13:00.862 --> 13:03.480 for us . We are not allowed the people 13:03.480 --> 13:05.870 to leave Afghanistan now they are like 13:05.870 --> 13:08.130 a jail . On the other hand , Taliban is 13:08.130 --> 13:10.130 not one group , there are different 13:10.130 --> 13:13.510 group like five groups and more than a 13:13.520 --> 13:16.380 lot of people there under problem but 13:16.390 --> 13:18.557 they are not eligible for those visa , 13:18.557 --> 13:20.900 there's a possibility and any other 13:20.900 --> 13:24.390 option for them to be safe . 90 , I 13:24.400 --> 13:26.960 can't speak for each and every 13:27.640 --> 13:30.700 afghan who wants to leave and 13:31.440 --> 13:34.880 uh and uh is dealing with their own 13:34.880 --> 13:37.740 individual circumstances to get out . 13:37.750 --> 13:40.920 We we know there are a lot of desperate 13:40.920 --> 13:42.920 people who want to leave . Uh and 13:42.920 --> 13:45.190 that's why we are working as fast as we 13:45.190 --> 13:47.412 can and you you saw the numbers that we 13:47.412 --> 13:49.580 continue to be able to get out . We're 13:49.580 --> 13:52.480 working as fast as we can to get out 13:52.490 --> 13:55.730 american citizens , uh , special 13:55.730 --> 13:58.060 immigrant visa applicants and 13:58.070 --> 14:00.150 vulnerable afghans . Uh , and we 14:00.150 --> 14:03.530 continue to , to work at this . Um , I 14:03.540 --> 14:06.900 can't uh , I can't begin to try to give 14:06.900 --> 14:08.789 you specific advice on what these 14:08.789 --> 14:10.900 individuals ought to do . I certainly 14:10.900 --> 14:12.956 would encourage them to reach out to 14:12.956 --> 14:14.956 the State Department . But from the 14:14.956 --> 14:17.122 pentagon's perspective , you know , we 14:17.122 --> 14:19.233 were doing the best we can as fast as 14:19.233 --> 14:21.456 we can to move as many people as we can 14:21.456 --> 14:24.240 out on any given day . And but I'm not 14:24.250 --> 14:27.400 able to and I know my answer is 14:27.400 --> 14:29.622 unsatisfying and I apologize for that , 14:29.622 --> 14:31.456 but I'm not able to speak to our 14:31.456 --> 14:33.870 ability to reach out and touch every 14:33.870 --> 14:35.926 single afghan that that wants to get 14:35.926 --> 14:38.600 out . And we were believe me , we're 14:38.610 --> 14:40.610 very mindful of the plight here and 14:40.610 --> 14:42.520 we're trying the best we can to 14:42.760 --> 14:45.190 alleviate that carla , thank you . I 14:45.200 --> 14:47.367 just want to follow up to what jen was 14:47.367 --> 14:49.560 asking about . You said that there 14:49.560 --> 14:51.680 won't be a military presence guarding 14:51.680 --> 14:54.440 an embassy . So post august , the 14:54.450 --> 14:56.450 embassy compound . She specifically 14:56.450 --> 14:58.506 asked about the The embassy compound 14:58.506 --> 15:00.617 which were not operating out for post 15:00.617 --> 15:03.600 August 31 after that date . Are you , 15:03.610 --> 15:05.777 can you just explicitly say there will 15:05.777 --> 15:07.499 be no diplomatic presence , us 15:07.499 --> 15:09.721 diplomatic presence post august 31st we 15:09.721 --> 15:11.721 will not , I can't speak for that . 15:11.721 --> 15:13.832 that's a State Department issue . And 15:13.832 --> 15:15.999 then to follow up , there's uh there's 15:15.999 --> 15:18.221 been reports that an ISIS that somebody 15:18.221 --> 15:20.388 who is affiliated with ISIS got on one 15:20.388 --> 15:22.499 of the flights . What's going on with 15:22.499 --> 15:26.380 that ? Um I mean I've seen I've seen uh 15:26.390 --> 15:28.390 similar press reporting on this . I 15:28.390 --> 15:30.501 just don't have anything uh to update 15:30.501 --> 15:32.223 you on that . I don't have any 15:32.223 --> 15:34.279 information . And what I should have 15:34.279 --> 15:36.446 said to jen was that's really a better 15:36.446 --> 15:36.410 question for the Department of Homeland 15:36.410 --> 15:39.030 Security . Uh but we'll see if we can 15:39.040 --> 15:41.207 track down something for you . I'm not 15:41.207 --> 15:43.484 trying to evade it . I just don't know . 15:43.484 --> 15:46.150 We're doing the best we can to manifest 15:46.150 --> 15:48.372 people on these plates and get them out 15:48.372 --> 15:50.094 as fast as possible . There is 15:50.094 --> 15:52.317 screening being done not by D . O . D . 15:52.317 --> 15:54.380 But by DHS immigration intelligence 15:54.390 --> 15:57.480 officials are doing the screening for 15:57.480 --> 16:01.400 people as they as they go on . For 16:01.400 --> 16:04.570 onward onward flights were really 16:04.570 --> 16:06.620 focused on trying to get as many of 16:06.620 --> 16:09.150 these uh these individuals out . And 16:09.150 --> 16:11.039 then one last one , just the same 16:11.039 --> 16:13.150 question I had yesterday , have there 16:13.150 --> 16:15.372 been any air extractions in Kabul ? Any 16:15.372 --> 16:17.539 additional ones since the two that you 16:17.539 --> 16:19.483 guys have told us about ? And have 16:19.483 --> 16:21.706 there been any efforts outside of kabul 16:21.706 --> 16:23.539 to extract americans and at risk 16:23.539 --> 16:25.483 afghans . So last night during the 16:25.483 --> 16:27.428 period of darkness uh there was an 16:27.428 --> 16:29.372 operation to be able to go out and 16:29.372 --> 16:32.990 safely evacuate uh evacuees back into 16:33.000 --> 16:36.300 Kabul there at H kaya and uh they're 16:36.300 --> 16:38.022 safely they're preparing to be 16:38.022 --> 16:41.390 evacuated . So when you said was it in 16:41.390 --> 16:43.501 Kabul and then they brought them into 16:43.501 --> 16:45.668 the airport or whether it's outside of 16:45.668 --> 16:47.890 the airfield outside of the airfield in 16:47.890 --> 16:49.946 a way that and we were able to bring 16:49.946 --> 16:52.057 them back to Kabul safely and they're 16:52.057 --> 16:54.168 preparing for evacuation , bring back 16:54.168 --> 16:56.334 to the airport to the airport , it was 16:56.334 --> 16:59.850 inside Kabul David american helicopter . 17:00.040 --> 17:02.360 It was , can you tell us how many , 17:03.140 --> 17:05.270 We're not going to provide specific 17:05.280 --> 17:07.530 details ? Less than 20 American . Less 17:07.530 --> 17:09.697 than 20 . Less than 20 . I'm not gonna 17:09.697 --> 17:11.808 provide additional details . So can I 17:11.808 --> 17:14.760 ask that wasn't the question . Oh , 17:15.440 --> 17:18.790 yesterday it was reported that the 17:18.790 --> 17:21.012 withdrawal had already begun in several 17:21.012 --> 17:24.270 100 groups that already come out 17:25.130 --> 17:27.241 and you push back on that saying that 17:27.241 --> 17:30.950 these were people who functions work 17:31.540 --> 17:35.000 were no longer needed . But you know , 17:35.010 --> 17:37.710 all withdrawals sort of begin with 17:37.710 --> 17:39.950 pulling out non essential personnel 17:39.960 --> 17:43.560 first . Why shouldn't we view that 17:44.040 --> 17:46.460 as clearing the decks for 17:47.440 --> 17:51.230 the hard core withdrawal that is 17:51.240 --> 17:53.184 going to come here ? Yeah , it's a 17:53.184 --> 17:55.184 great question and I wasn't pushing 17:55.184 --> 17:57.462 back on headlines that said withdrawal . 17:57.462 --> 17:59.684 Um I was simply trying to describe what 17:59.684 --> 18:03.670 happened uh without hyperbole . Um 18:04.840 --> 18:07.930 So what I what , let me let me just 18:07.930 --> 18:10.370 back up , what happened was the 18:10.380 --> 18:12.269 commander on the ground , Admiral 18:12.269 --> 18:15.830 vastly uh in trying to manage time and 18:15.830 --> 18:19.550 space at the airport uh determined that 18:19.550 --> 18:21.661 it was the prudent thing to do to let 18:21.661 --> 18:25.150 several 100 uh troops 18:25.380 --> 18:27.540 leave the airport , some of these 18:27.540 --> 18:31.470 troops did come in with 18:31.480 --> 18:33.647 the troops that were added for the non 18:33.647 --> 18:37.190 combatant evacuation . The 5800 , some 18:37.190 --> 18:40.350 of them were troops that were already 18:40.350 --> 18:42.560 there at Hamid Karzai International 18:42.560 --> 18:46.330 Airport before any additional 18:46.330 --> 18:48.441 troops float in for the non combatant 18:48.441 --> 18:50.608 evacuation . And as you know , David , 18:50.608 --> 18:52.774 uh we were still in the process before 18:52.774 --> 18:54.719 there was a need to go in and do a 18:54.719 --> 18:56.941 noncombatant evacuation . We were still 18:56.941 --> 19:00.000 in the process of a drawdown at the 19:00.000 --> 19:03.560 airport under the previous plan 19:03.580 --> 19:05.691 by the end of the month . And so some 19:05.691 --> 19:07.858 of the troops that flew home yesterday 19:07.858 --> 19:10.150 were in that trench . And so they were 19:10.150 --> 19:13.770 very much part of the original drawdown 19:13.770 --> 19:16.420 plan . Uh And Admiral basically saw fit 19:16.420 --> 19:19.110 that there was some others that he 19:19.110 --> 19:21.290 believed that he didn't need there at 19:21.290 --> 19:24.000 the airport anymore . Even though they 19:24.000 --> 19:26.167 had flown in with the with the plus up 19:26.167 --> 19:28.960 for the for the Neo and these are uh 19:29.640 --> 19:32.610 headquarters staff personnel , uh some 19:32.610 --> 19:34.800 maintainers and some other enabling 19:34.800 --> 19:37.400 forces who either had completed their 19:37.400 --> 19:39.567 mission and we're already scheduled to 19:39.567 --> 19:41.733 go , as I said , even before there was 19:41.733 --> 19:43.789 a noncombatant evacuation and others 19:43.789 --> 19:46.120 who Admiral basically determined that 19:46.130 --> 19:48.297 their mission was complete . He didn't 19:48.297 --> 19:50.352 need them anymore . And again , time 19:50.352 --> 19:52.519 and space are premium at the airport , 19:52.519 --> 19:54.408 he has the authority to make that 19:54.408 --> 19:56.574 decision . So I wasn't pushing back on 19:56.574 --> 19:56.330 the fact that the with the withdrawal 19:56.330 --> 19:58.970 has been going on since april 14th 20:00.060 --> 20:02.060 when the president announced it , I 20:02.060 --> 20:04.227 wasn't pushing back . I just wanted to 20:04.227 --> 20:06.320 make it clear that uh that that we 20:06.320 --> 20:08.720 hadn't pushed some button and said go 20:08.730 --> 20:12.150 retrograde now We still have on the 20:12.150 --> 20:15.980 ground about 50 400 Of the 20:15.980 --> 20:18.560 50 800 that we reached at the maximum . 20:18.940 --> 20:21.051 And I'm obviously has the authorities 20:21.051 --> 20:24.440 to to uh to manage uh in a prudent way 20:24.440 --> 20:26.770 his his force management on the ground . 20:27.440 --> 20:29.662 I haven't gone to the phones and I want 20:29.662 --> 20:31.773 to make sure I don't forget that Jeff 20:31.773 --> 20:34.030 showgirl , thank you very much from 20:34.030 --> 20:37.000 talking to military groups . It is 20:37.010 --> 20:38.980 evident that the taliban are still 20:38.980 --> 20:41.620 blocking afghans from gaining entrance 20:41.630 --> 20:43.790 to uh Hamid Karzai international 20:43.800 --> 20:47.630 airport . And even when afghans make it 20:47.640 --> 20:49.584 onto the airport , there have been 20:49.584 --> 20:51.751 instances when they have been escorted 20:51.751 --> 20:54.250 off due to paperwork issues . So I'd 20:54.250 --> 20:57.060 like to know what steps is the U . S . 20:57.060 --> 20:59.680 Government taking to make sure that 20:59.680 --> 21:03.050 afghans do have safe passage to 21:03.060 --> 21:05.690 the airport . And under what 21:05.690 --> 21:08.940 circumstances are afghans with valid 21:08.940 --> 21:11.390 visas who are admitted to the airport 21:11.400 --> 21:14.300 ultimately escorted off of the airport 21:14.310 --> 21:17.350 grounds , Jeff it's difficult for us to 21:17.350 --> 21:20.040 answer that here at the pentagon when 21:20.040 --> 21:21.929 we're not at the gates and on the 21:21.929 --> 21:24.151 ground at the airport what I would tell 21:24.151 --> 21:26.300 you is is a couple of things and I 21:26.300 --> 21:29.700 recognize that uh you know no process 21:29.700 --> 21:32.830 is perfect . Uh and that the that there 21:32.830 --> 21:34.774 are , I'm not disputing at all the 21:34.774 --> 21:36.608 accounts that you're that you're 21:36.608 --> 21:38.608 relaying here today that there that 21:38.608 --> 21:40.774 there may be hiccups and problems . Uh 21:40.774 --> 21:43.210 we certainly recognize that . But let 21:43.210 --> 21:45.432 me just take a couple of steps back and 21:45.432 --> 21:47.543 tell you how this is working . And we 21:47.543 --> 21:50.320 talked about this before . We have 21:50.330 --> 21:52.386 consular officers . Now there's more 21:52.386 --> 21:55.030 than 30 at the airport uh stationed at 21:55.030 --> 21:57.950 the gates uh with American troops who 21:57.950 --> 22:00.460 are helping them do their job of of 22:00.470 --> 22:02.637 processing individuals as they come in 22:02.637 --> 22:05.610 checking credentials , making sure that 22:05.610 --> 22:07.832 they are who they say they are and that 22:07.832 --> 22:10.290 they are in a valid group that we're 22:10.290 --> 22:12.390 trying to move on onto the onto the 22:12.390 --> 22:15.070 airport grounds outside of that . The 22:15.070 --> 22:17.292 taliban have set up checkpoints . We've 22:17.292 --> 22:19.459 talked about this before and we are in 22:19.459 --> 22:21.292 daily communication with taliban 22:21.292 --> 22:24.390 commanders about who we want to see get 22:24.400 --> 22:26.750 in and what the credentials are , what 22:26.750 --> 22:29.900 they look like , what's valid . Uh And 22:29.910 --> 22:32.050 that that that communication happens 22:32.050 --> 22:33.994 literally every day . We have been 22:33.994 --> 22:37.240 nothing but open with the taliban about 22:37.250 --> 22:40.670 who we expect them to let in again 22:40.840 --> 22:44.830 fully recognized that that that that 22:44.840 --> 22:46.990 not every step of this process is in 22:46.990 --> 22:49.070 our firm control and that there are 22:49.070 --> 22:51.460 going to be incidences where it doesn't 22:51.460 --> 22:53.720 work as advertised . But I can tell you 22:53.720 --> 22:55.942 that there isn't a single day that goes 22:55.942 --> 22:59.540 by where uh Admiral basically and 22:59.540 --> 23:01.707 General Donahue aren't working this in 23:01.707 --> 23:04.110 a very personal way with the taliban 23:04.120 --> 23:06.820 authorities outside the airport . Um 23:06.820 --> 23:09.650 Let me go another one on the phone . Uh 23:09.660 --> 23:13.510 Tara mhm Thank you for doing this john . 23:13.520 --> 23:15.950 Um yesterday the president mentioned 23:15.950 --> 23:17.900 also that he was calling upon the 23:17.900 --> 23:20.590 department to create contingency plans 23:20.600 --> 23:24.120 in case uh the number of americans and 23:24.120 --> 23:26.342 afghans that still need to get out have 23:26.342 --> 23:29.110 not gotten out by the 31st . Um Can you 23:29.110 --> 23:31.420 just explain kind of what the 23:31.420 --> 23:33.590 department is thinking about What 23:33.600 --> 23:36.100 options might be to continue to get 23:36.110 --> 23:38.840 Americans out after the 31st if they 23:38.840 --> 23:41.118 haven't made it to the airport by then . 23:41.118 --> 23:43.007 And then just to follow on Jeff's 23:43.007 --> 23:44.896 question with Afghans that aren't 23:44.896 --> 23:48.250 getting through um For the have 23:48.260 --> 23:50.680 discussions gone on with the Taliban to 23:50.690 --> 23:54.000 maybe uh find some negotiation space 23:54.000 --> 23:56.222 for . They've said , you know , no more 23:56.222 --> 23:58.333 Afghans can leave . But clearly , you 23:58.333 --> 24:00.500 know , there's 10,000 at the airport . 24:00.500 --> 24:02.556 So something is happening behind the 24:02.556 --> 24:04.667 scenes that's helping some people get 24:04.667 --> 24:06.722 through . Can you talk about that to 24:06.722 --> 24:06.320 some extent ? Turn it over to the 24:06.320 --> 24:08.376 general ? Yes , I'll start with that 24:08.376 --> 24:11.140 last question 1st . It kind of comes 24:11.140 --> 24:13.251 off of some things that mr Kirby just 24:13.251 --> 24:15.710 said with that constant communication 24:15.720 --> 24:19.080 uh you know , I know the most senior 24:19.090 --> 24:22.700 commanders on the ground are 24:22.710 --> 24:26.060 out and discussing with the 24:26.070 --> 24:28.440 taliban leaders that are manning these 24:28.440 --> 24:31.100 checkpoints exactly what the 24:31.100 --> 24:33.900 documentation needs to look like , you 24:33.900 --> 24:36.260 know , times and coordination ? Uh I 24:36.270 --> 24:39.050 mean details of that as we know though , 24:39.060 --> 24:41.550 there are reports of that , some that 24:41.560 --> 24:43.930 aren't able to get through there and I 24:43.930 --> 24:46.310 can tell you that the Department of 24:46.310 --> 24:48.421 State , the Consular Affairs officers 24:48.421 --> 24:50.760 that are there are working with our 24:50.760 --> 24:53.950 commanders there to ensure that 24:53.960 --> 24:56.840 documentation , names and those things 24:56.850 --> 25:00.440 as often as required are being 25:00.440 --> 25:03.180 communicated to the taliban that are 25:03.190 --> 25:06.410 out those checkpoints to allow uh 25:06.420 --> 25:08.910 transition in there to get into into 25:08.910 --> 25:12.770 the gates and then uh on 25:12.780 --> 25:16.340 contingency plans . Obviously uh I'm 25:16.340 --> 25:18.507 not going to get ahead of the planning 25:18.507 --> 25:20.673 process . We are planning organization 25:20.673 --> 25:23.310 are uh one of our main jobs is to make 25:23.310 --> 25:25.220 sure that that the president has 25:25.220 --> 25:27.050 options uh and as he made clear 25:27.050 --> 25:30.650 yesterday , uh he wants to see this 25:30.660 --> 25:32.604 mission complete by the end of the 25:32.604 --> 25:34.660 month , we are still working towards 25:34.660 --> 25:37.990 that goal , but uh we will be drafting 25:37.990 --> 25:40.200 up uh potential what we call in the 25:40.200 --> 25:42.840 military branches and Sequels uh if in 25:42.840 --> 25:45.230 fact we believe a conversation needs to 25:45.230 --> 25:48.380 be had later on in the month that uh 25:48.390 --> 25:50.410 that uh that the the timeline might 25:50.410 --> 25:54.110 need to be extended for what purpose to 25:54.120 --> 25:58.010 uh for what number uh for how long all 25:58.010 --> 26:00.140 of that is baked into the planning 26:00.140 --> 26:02.251 process and I'm just not going to get 26:02.251 --> 26:04.307 ahead of what the planners are doing 26:04.307 --> 26:07.440 Courtney uh john so I'm still unclear 26:07.440 --> 26:09.440 about at the very end of this , the 26:09.440 --> 26:11.440 30th 31st , Who's going to be doing 26:11.440 --> 26:13.662 security at the airport as the last U . 26:13.662 --> 26:15.718 S . Troops are leaving ? Is there an 26:15.718 --> 26:17.884 agreement ? Or is it sounded as if you 26:17.884 --> 26:17.470 were saying that the taliban will be 26:17.470 --> 26:19.526 responsible for security as the last 26:19.526 --> 26:21.748 americans are leaving ? No , I said the 26:21.748 --> 26:21.630 taliban responsible for running an 26:21.630 --> 26:23.797 airport that's in a city that they are 26:23.797 --> 26:27.110 now the titular heads of government 26:27.110 --> 26:30.170 there airport security . Right . What I 26:30.740 --> 26:34.350 Kourtney they when we are gone , 26:34.740 --> 26:36.990 the airport will no longer be secured 26:36.990 --> 26:39.040 by american forces . How what that 26:39.040 --> 26:41.207 security looks like after we're gone . 26:41.207 --> 26:43.207 I can't speak to that before the US 26:43.207 --> 26:45.318 leaves though you will be doing it as 26:45.318 --> 26:47.207 the U . S . Is let's say the last 26:47.207 --> 26:49.429 couple of aircraft leave with americans 26:49.429 --> 26:51.484 who's running security keeping those 26:51.484 --> 26:53.710 aircraft on the runway safe . So you're 26:53.710 --> 26:57.040 asking a very good tactical question . 26:57.050 --> 26:59.900 Right , so you know , security which we 26:59.900 --> 27:02.120 would call , you know , uh commanders 27:02.130 --> 27:04.600 inherent responsibility throughout 27:04.610 --> 27:07.420 every phase of the operation . Uh we 27:07.420 --> 27:10.390 are continuing to secure ourselves to 27:10.460 --> 27:13.270 the very last requirement of that . So 27:13.270 --> 27:15.990 when you say who's securing the , you 27:15.990 --> 27:18.046 know , the last flight and all those 27:18.046 --> 27:20.268 things and we will have that ability to 27:20.268 --> 27:23.560 secure ourselves through multiple means 27:23.780 --> 27:27.440 to ensure flights are able to take off . 27:27.450 --> 27:29.617 And then while I have you up there , I 27:29.617 --> 27:29.520 just want to clear one thing that you 27:29.520 --> 27:31.464 just said . You said that the most 27:31.464 --> 27:33.687 senior commanders on the ground are out 27:33.687 --> 27:35.964 and discussing things with the taliban . 27:35.964 --> 27:35.560 Do you mean the Admiral basically in 27:35.560 --> 27:37.671 general Donahue are actually going to 27:37.671 --> 27:39.838 the checkpoints . I don't want to give 27:39.838 --> 27:41.838 you names and and the things that I 27:41.838 --> 27:43.838 would just tell you commanders that 27:43.838 --> 27:45.893 have authority uh , at echelon to be 27:45.893 --> 27:47.893 able to communicate . Because as we 27:47.893 --> 27:50.004 said , the most important thing is to 27:50.004 --> 27:52.171 be able to coordinate with the taliban 27:52.171 --> 27:54.227 to get um the right people through . 27:54.227 --> 27:56.282 We've seen that there has been , you 27:56.282 --> 27:58.393 know , reports of not the right folks 27:58.393 --> 28:00.449 being able to get through . So every 28:00.449 --> 28:03.290 day we are ensuring that we can get as 28:03.290 --> 28:06.050 many people in as possible so that we 28:06.050 --> 28:08.217 can fly them to safety . And then if I 28:08.217 --> 28:10.161 could just ask you one more on the 28:10.161 --> 28:12.272 equipment that you were talking about 28:12.272 --> 28:14.106 earlier . So when you talk about 28:14.106 --> 28:16.272 transitioning towards getting military 28:16.272 --> 28:18.383 assets out , so obviously getting the 28:18.383 --> 28:20.550 people out american military out . But 28:20.550 --> 28:22.606 will there be a point where you will 28:22.606 --> 28:24.717 have a decision or general , whomever 28:24.717 --> 28:26.939 it is Mackenzie ? I'm basically , we'll 28:26.939 --> 28:29.161 have a decision about putting people on 28:29.161 --> 28:31.328 these aircraft are putting some of the 28:31.328 --> 28:33.494 equipment , artillery , see rams , all 28:33.494 --> 28:33.470 the equipment that's still at the 28:33.470 --> 28:35.526 airport there . And has there been a 28:35.526 --> 28:38.100 decision made to prioritize lives over 28:38.100 --> 28:40.720 military equipment , lives are always 28:40.720 --> 28:43.130 going to be the priority court period . 28:43.140 --> 28:45.440 But as we get closer to the end , there 28:45.440 --> 28:47.662 will be some equipment and systems that 28:47.662 --> 28:50.250 we will probably uh take with us as we 28:50.250 --> 28:53.400 leave . Um and the disposition of what 28:53.400 --> 28:55.622 we aren't taking with us . That will be 28:55.622 --> 28:57.733 up to Admiral basically determine how 28:57.733 --> 29:01.390 how that stuff is handled . But lives 29:01.390 --> 29:04.750 will always be the chief priority 29:04.750 --> 29:06.583 throughout this entire process . 29:06.583 --> 29:08.639 Nationalities . Lives will always be 29:08.639 --> 29:10.806 the priority throughout this process . 29:10.840 --> 29:13.960 Um Let me go over here uh injuries . 29:14.540 --> 29:16.651 Two quick questions . I think you did 29:16.651 --> 29:18.818 put out a statement thing . About 4000 29:18.818 --> 29:20.984 Americans have been evacuated ? That's 29:20.984 --> 29:23.151 correct . Is there an updated number ? 29:23.151 --> 29:25.262 And do you have the base number ? How 29:25.262 --> 29:25.160 many have to be evacuated now ? It's 29:25.170 --> 29:29.040 right now today , north of 40 400 . Um 29:29.040 --> 29:32.380 And I don't I don't I don't have a 29:32.390 --> 29:35.420 specific uh number of total 29:35.430 --> 29:39.380 americans that uh that are still 29:39.390 --> 29:42.710 in need of of uh of leaving . Just a 29:42.710 --> 29:45.030 quick follow up the secretary and I 29:45.030 --> 29:47.141 guess the department at large find it 29:47.141 --> 29:49.510 helpful for two lawmakers to come to 29:49.510 --> 29:51.732 Kabul an announcer where you guys aware 29:51.732 --> 29:53.954 of it . And do you find it very helpful 29:53.954 --> 29:55.899 for them to be there ? We were not 29:55.899 --> 29:59.170 aware of this visit . Uh And 30:00.640 --> 30:03.270 we are obviously not encouraging VIP 30:03.270 --> 30:06.960 visits to a very tense , 30:07.640 --> 30:10.230 dangerous and dynamic situation at that 30:10.230 --> 30:13.230 airport and inside Kabul's generally 30:13.840 --> 30:17.160 uh and the secretary I think would have 30:17.160 --> 30:19.382 appreciated the opportunity to have had 30:19.382 --> 30:21.438 a conversation before the visit took 30:21.438 --> 30:23.860 place having them there . 30:24.540 --> 30:28.250 They got a chance to uh to talk to 30:28.260 --> 30:30.482 uh commanders . As I understand , I got 30:30.482 --> 30:34.170 a chance to talk to troops . Uh but 30:34.740 --> 30:38.720 to say that there wasn't a need to 30:38.730 --> 30:41.360 flex and to um 30:42.440 --> 30:45.400 to alter the day the days flow , 30:45.650 --> 30:49.270 including including , you know , the 30:49.270 --> 30:51.570 need to have protection for these 30:51.570 --> 30:54.100 members of Congress . That would uh you 30:54.100 --> 30:57.320 know , that that wouldn't be a that 30:57.320 --> 30:59.431 would be a genuine thing for me to to 30:59.431 --> 31:01.542 assert . I mean , there was there was 31:01.542 --> 31:04.830 certainly um there was 31:04.840 --> 31:08.740 certainly a pull off of the kinds of 31:08.740 --> 31:10.740 missions we were trying to do to be 31:10.740 --> 31:12.907 able to accommodate that visit just to 31:12.907 --> 31:14.851 be clear , Congressman moulton and 31:14.851 --> 31:16.851 Congressman Meyer , They took seats 31:16.851 --> 31:18.740 that would have been for refugees 31:18.740 --> 31:20.796 leaving and they took time away from 31:20.796 --> 31:22.962 the mission . They certainly took time 31:22.962 --> 31:25.129 away from what we had been planning to 31:25.129 --> 31:28.170 do that day . Um and uh , 31:28.640 --> 31:31.700 I don't know on the aircraft , they did 31:31.700 --> 31:34.110 fly out on a military aircraft . I 31:34.110 --> 31:37.840 honestly don't know um what the seat 31:37.840 --> 31:40.870 capacity was on that aircraft , but 31:40.870 --> 31:42.703 they are but they are out of the 31:42.703 --> 31:44.830 country now . Barb just one more 31:44.830 --> 31:46.990 question on withdrawal in the coming 31:47.000 --> 31:50.580 days Since the president has said , 31:50.590 --> 31:53.540 setting contingency planning aside that 31:53.550 --> 31:55.717 everyone will be out by August 31 . My 31:55.717 --> 31:59.360 question is , do you have in hand all 31:59.360 --> 32:02.950 the authorities approvals 32:03.160 --> 32:07.160 signed orders , whatever is necessary 32:07.740 --> 32:10.960 to just move ahead and carry that out 32:10.970 --> 32:14.210 or uh does the President , the 32:14.210 --> 32:16.154 Secretary General Mackenzie , does 32:16.154 --> 32:18.260 somebody's General Milley , does 32:18.260 --> 32:21.580 somebody still have to sign an order to 32:21.580 --> 32:24.660 have that formal withdrawal begin 32:25.940 --> 32:28.162 barb , without making it sound like I'm 32:28.162 --> 32:30.218 trying to gloss over your question , 32:30.218 --> 32:32.273 obviously we are tracking the end of 32:32.273 --> 32:34.496 the mission at the end of the month and 32:34.496 --> 32:36.710 so of course , General Mackenzie has 32:36.720 --> 32:40.370 retrograde plans in uh you know , 32:40.380 --> 32:43.570 in on the shelf and ready to go , but I 32:43.570 --> 32:46.260 can assure you that uh that 32:47.340 --> 32:50.340 but before that effort is undertaken in 32:50.350 --> 32:53.220 earnest , uh there will be a 32:53.220 --> 32:55.164 conversation with the Secretary of 32:55.164 --> 32:58.180 Defense uh and Secretary Austin will 32:58.190 --> 33:01.010 have a chance to uh provide his 33:01.010 --> 33:03.177 guidance and direction with respect to 33:03.177 --> 33:05.343 retrograde and I think I'll leave it . 33:05.343 --> 33:07.066 So I'm sorry , I guess I don't 33:07.066 --> 33:09.177 understand because the President made 33:09.177 --> 33:11.288 the decision To stick to the deadline 33:11.288 --> 33:14.240 of August 31 for all intention . That's 33:14.240 --> 33:16.520 right . And you have that from the 33:16.520 --> 33:20.430 Commander in Chief . So what is it that 33:20.440 --> 33:22.551 I just don't get it ? What is it that 33:22.551 --> 33:25.420 still has to happen to have the formal 33:25.430 --> 33:27.710 official withdrawal began . The 33:27.720 --> 33:30.120 President also said that that he wanted 33:30.120 --> 33:31.731 the pentagon to come up with 33:31.731 --> 33:33.842 contingency plans . Should there be a 33:33.842 --> 33:35.731 need to have a conversation about 33:35.731 --> 33:37.731 altering the timeline ? So , we are 33:37.731 --> 33:39.842 tracking towards the 31st , there are 33:39.842 --> 33:42.064 retrograde plans that have been drafted 33:42.064 --> 33:45.050 up uh and the secretary has seen them 33:45.050 --> 33:47.550 and is aware of them , but I think you 33:47.550 --> 33:50.090 would expect that uh in these final 33:50.090 --> 33:52.470 days , the secretary will want to have 33:52.470 --> 33:54.359 the opportunity to issue specific 33:54.359 --> 33:56.500 direction to General Mackenzie about 33:56.510 --> 33:58.510 going forward with those retrograde 33:58.510 --> 34:00.677 plans were going to try . As I said we 34:00.677 --> 34:03.550 are focused on that date but we're also 34:03.550 --> 34:06.020 focused keenly on making sure we get as 34:06.020 --> 34:08.760 many people out as fast as we can for 34:08.760 --> 34:10.982 as long as we can . And if there has to 34:10.982 --> 34:13.093 be alterations to that then obviously 34:13.093 --> 34:15.204 Secretary Austin's gonna want to be a 34:15.204 --> 34:17.204 part of that conversation and to be 34:17.204 --> 34:16.540 able to issue his guidance and 34:16.540 --> 34:18.484 direction to the commanders on the 34:18.484 --> 34:20.890 ground . Christina . Thank you . Can 34:20.890 --> 34:23.090 you confirm that ? No Americans have 34:23.100 --> 34:26.960 been killed since August 14 and 34:27.540 --> 34:30.540 If there is any American killed through 34:30.550 --> 34:33.050 August 31 how would that be announced ? 34:33.060 --> 34:35.393 Are you talking about American soldiers , 34:35.393 --> 34:37.449 troops ? Any any American know there 34:37.449 --> 34:41.420 have been no US troops killed 34:41.430 --> 34:43.640 since the 14th and we only know of one 34:43.640 --> 34:47.400 minor injury . Um I know of no American 34:47.400 --> 34:49.622 citizens who have been killed on this . 34:49.622 --> 34:53.480 Uh so I don't know of any . Uh now we 34:53.480 --> 34:55.424 don't have perfect visibility into 34:55.424 --> 34:57.424 everything going on in Kabul but we 34:57.424 --> 34:59.647 know of no American casualties and just 34:59.647 --> 35:01.647 one more question . Um when exactly 35:01.647 --> 35:04.170 does the August 31 deadline take effect ? 35:04.170 --> 35:06.790 Is that august 31st midnight , was that 35:06.790 --> 35:09.370 september 1st midnight august 31st 35:09.450 --> 35:11.990 nancy clarify a couple points that you 35:11.990 --> 35:13.990 made earlier for me , You mentioned 35:13.990 --> 35:15.990 that at some point the U . S . Will 35:15.990 --> 35:18.101 prioritize getting military personnel 35:18.101 --> 35:20.230 out of common cars ? International 35:20.230 --> 35:22.341 airport And I'm curious given that is 35:22.341 --> 35:25.300 there a point where afghan nationals 35:25.310 --> 35:27.477 and us citizens will not be allowed to 35:27.477 --> 35:29.477 get into the airport compound ? The 35:29.477 --> 35:31.588 supposition being that you would have 35:31.588 --> 35:33.810 to have some sort of cut off before you 35:33.810 --> 35:36.710 can then fly everyone the final troops 35:36.720 --> 35:38.553 out . And if so , what is that ? 35:40.940 --> 35:43.107 So I just want to go back to something 35:43.107 --> 35:45.370 I said earlier about airflow right ? 35:45.370 --> 35:48.150 And as you've seen the capability over 35:48.150 --> 35:51.210 the last three days , You know over 90 35:51.210 --> 35:55.020 aircraft total yesterday , so and lot 35:55.020 --> 35:57.760 focused on evacuation . So the way to 35:57.760 --> 35:59.730 answer that question is is the 35:59.730 --> 36:03.100 commanders who will go forward with 36:03.100 --> 36:05.370 their plan of rhetoric will have 36:05.370 --> 36:08.050 options , you know , to make decisions 36:08.050 --> 36:11.290 on a daily , sometimes hourly basis of 36:11.300 --> 36:13.810 what loads are ready . What aircraft 36:13.810 --> 36:17.040 already can I put something else on 36:17.050 --> 36:19.410 that bird ? I mean that that's how 36:19.420 --> 36:23.330 fluid and we are able to do at 36:23.330 --> 36:25.760 that level planning and it goes back to 36:25.940 --> 36:29.030 the overall missionaries continue to be 36:29.030 --> 36:31.850 able to get as many out as possible . 36:31.860 --> 36:33.804 So I appreciate that . I think one 36:33.804 --> 36:35.749 reason I'm a little confused is it 36:35.749 --> 36:37.971 seems part of this is contingent on the 36:37.971 --> 36:40.027 taliban and how they secure the area 36:40.027 --> 36:42.193 around the airport , who they lead and 36:42.193 --> 36:41.850 when they let them in . So I think one 36:41.850 --> 36:44.017 thing that would help me understand it 36:44.017 --> 36:45.628 better . Who makes the final 36:45.628 --> 36:47.739 determination of security outside the 36:47.739 --> 36:49.683 airport . You mentioned that their 36:49.683 --> 36:51.628 communications happening . But for 36:51.628 --> 36:53.850 example if the U . S . Wanted some kind 36:53.850 --> 36:56.072 of national and and the taliban did not 36:56.072 --> 36:55.690 want to let them know who makes that 36:55.690 --> 36:57.746 determination . How is it sorted out 36:57.746 --> 37:00.200 right now ? Uh The airfield is secure 37:00.220 --> 37:03.550 to allow full operations and do not 37:03.550 --> 37:05.910 assess that that that is going to 37:05.910 --> 37:08.950 change right now . So that is our our 37:08.960 --> 37:11.127 current planning and we'll continue to 37:11.127 --> 37:13.950 go forward with that . Yes . I think uh 37:14.330 --> 37:16.780 two sort of revisit what I said before . 37:16.780 --> 37:19.150 I mean we are uh we've been very clear 37:19.150 --> 37:21.740 with taliban leaders about what 37:21.750 --> 37:24.250 credentials we want them to accept . 37:24.730 --> 37:28.050 Remember it's american citizens , it's 37:28.060 --> 37:30.160 s ivy applicants and it's vulnerable 37:30.160 --> 37:33.690 afghans . Uh and we have shared what 37:33.690 --> 37:36.400 the proper credentials are . Uh and by 37:36.400 --> 37:38.880 and large , not saying it's been 37:38.880 --> 37:41.560 perfect but by and large the people 37:41.560 --> 37:44.170 that we have made clear to the Taliban 37:44.170 --> 37:46.392 that we want to have access through the 37:46.392 --> 37:48.281 checkpoints have been able to get 37:48.281 --> 37:50.770 through by and large again with caveats . 37:50.780 --> 37:54.670 Um So it hasn't been a 37:54.680 --> 37:56.513 big problem to date . And as the 37:56.513 --> 37:59.380 general said earlier , we also have 37:59.380 --> 38:03.210 other means to go out and get people 38:03.210 --> 38:06.130 in if we need to . We've done three 38:06.270 --> 38:09.750 rotary wing lifts that . So we have 38:09.750 --> 38:11.861 that option available to us as well . 38:11.861 --> 38:14.083 Did that answer your question ? I don't 38:14.083 --> 38:16.194 I don't mean to be think about this . 38:16.194 --> 38:18.361 I'm just trying to understand how that 38:18.361 --> 38:20.528 communication happens . Let's say they 38:20.528 --> 38:20.500 are not letting in a certain credential 38:20.500 --> 38:22.722 that you believe should be let in . How 38:22.722 --> 38:24.667 is that ? Good question . And what 38:24.667 --> 38:27.030 would happen is the commanders on the 38:27.030 --> 38:30.990 ground would if they were if that was 38:30.990 --> 38:33.212 brought to their attention and this has 38:33.212 --> 38:35.157 actually happened . I'm not , this 38:35.157 --> 38:37.323 isn't notional uh when we have reports 38:37.323 --> 38:38.990 that somebody who is properly 38:38.990 --> 38:42.750 credentialed is not being let in uh or 38:42.750 --> 38:45.680 maybe there family members , what they 38:45.680 --> 38:48.110 have proper credentials . We are making 38:48.110 --> 38:50.920 that clear to the taliban leaders that , 38:51.090 --> 38:53.146 nope , they are appropriate , you do 38:53.146 --> 38:55.034 need to let them in . And again , 38:55.034 --> 38:57.257 there's been a little give and take and 38:57.257 --> 38:59.312 it's uh , I think it was no zero who 38:59.312 --> 39:01.470 mentioned this earlier . I mean , not 39:01.470 --> 39:05.150 every checkpoint is uh is manned uh in 39:05.150 --> 39:06.761 the same way and by the same 39:06.761 --> 39:08.983 individuals as every other one . And so 39:08.983 --> 39:10.928 there's variances at some of these 39:10.928 --> 39:12.983 checkpoints in terms of how the word 39:12.983 --> 39:14.817 has gotten down and how much the 39:14.920 --> 39:17.940 taliban manning the checkpoint are 39:17.950 --> 39:19.728 following the dictates of their 39:19.728 --> 39:21.870 commanders . So that's why it's a 39:21.870 --> 39:23.930 constant communication on the ground 39:23.930 --> 39:25.986 with them to keep that flow going as 39:25.986 --> 39:28.152 much as possible . But yes , there are 39:28.152 --> 39:30.210 stops and starts . There are hurdles 39:30.210 --> 39:32.377 that have to be overcome almost on any 39:32.377 --> 39:36.310 given day , but really it's uh it's 39:36.310 --> 39:38.199 a credit to the commanders on the 39:38.199 --> 39:40.199 ground there that they are they are 39:40.199 --> 39:42.366 continuing to have these conversations 39:42.366 --> 39:44.477 now . Did that get it better ? Okay , 39:44.477 --> 39:46.940 All right jenny . Thank you . Thank you 39:46.940 --> 39:50.880 very much . The 39:50.880 --> 39:53.480 South korean government is operating a 39:53.480 --> 39:57.140 military aircraft transfer operation to 39:57.140 --> 40:00.370 receive the Afghanistan refugees in 40:00.370 --> 40:04.090 South Korea will arrive tomorrow . Okay . 40:04.100 --> 40:06.330 As you know that the North Korea's 40:06.330 --> 40:09.980 supporters , Taliban and 40:09.990 --> 40:12.820 we know that in the past the North 40:12.820 --> 40:16.080 Korea and Taliban , they conducted a 40:16.090 --> 40:19.000 spacer training together 40:19.610 --> 40:22.600 then . What kind of United States 40:22.610 --> 40:25.510 monitoring about North Korea , 40:25.520 --> 40:29.070 which you know , is the poses a 40:29.080 --> 40:31.430 security threat do you want ? 40:34.610 --> 40:37.330 First of all , as we talk about the 40:38.010 --> 40:40.550 Republic of Korea support to airlift ? 40:40.560 --> 40:42.960 Obviously , we , as I said earlier , 40:42.970 --> 40:44.930 extremely grateful for their 40:44.930 --> 40:48.830 contribution to increase our outflow . 40:49.310 --> 40:51.560 Uh , you know , throughout the world , 40:51.560 --> 40:53.960 as you know , we talk about North Korea 40:53.970 --> 40:56.026 and all that . You know , all of our 40:56.026 --> 40:57.637 combat commands , you know , 40:57.637 --> 40:59.930 specifically pay com are always uh 41:00.310 --> 41:02.970 diligent in , you know , watching in 41:02.970 --> 41:05.400 their mission of ensuring , you know , 41:05.530 --> 41:08.470 keeping awareness of any type of thing . 41:08.470 --> 41:10.526 North Korea is doing so once again , 41:10.526 --> 41:12.581 we're very grateful and thankful for 41:12.581 --> 41:14.470 the Republic of Korea support and 41:14.470 --> 41:16.930 helping us have any contingency plan 41:17.410 --> 41:20.260 for anything happening in the korean 41:20.260 --> 41:23.130 peninsula . During this , you know , 41:23.610 --> 41:26.710 indo pak calms mission remains 41:26.850 --> 41:29.840 unchanged and uh , and steadfast . 41:30.020 --> 41:32.187 Thank you . I need to go to the phones 41:32.187 --> 41:34.131 again , some more Tony Cappuccio . 41:37.210 --> 41:39.480 Hey , john two quick questions . Uh , 41:39.490 --> 41:41.510 jen Psaki yesterday said that this 41:41.510 --> 41:44.050 evacuation is on track to be the 41:44.050 --> 41:46.320 largest in U . S . History . The large 41:46.330 --> 41:48.640 airlift in U . S . History . The 41:48.640 --> 41:51.170 numbers you applied so far , it's 41:51.170 --> 41:53.226 88,000 I think you've said have been 41:53.226 --> 41:56.310 evacuated . So are you pretty confident 41:56.310 --> 41:58.210 that you will be able to best the 41:58.210 --> 42:01.520 operation frequent wind 1975 . 42:01.520 --> 42:05.250 Saigon evacuation where 131,000 42:05.250 --> 42:07.420 people were evacuated by Aaron C . 42:08.000 --> 42:10.333 We're not competing with history , Tony , 42:10.333 --> 42:12.444 we're trying to get as many people as 42:12.444 --> 42:14.444 we can as fast as we can and uh and 42:14.444 --> 42:16.790 when it's all said and done uh we'll 42:16.790 --> 42:18.790 take a look at what we were able to 42:18.790 --> 42:20.679 accomplish . But this isn't about 42:20.679 --> 42:22.846 Trying to beat some sort of historical 42:22.846 --> 42:25.040 record . Um I will only add that , you 42:25.040 --> 42:28.990 know at 88,000 in the course of uh you 42:28.990 --> 42:32.520 know just a week , week and a half . Um 42:32.530 --> 42:35.520 is no small feat and you've seen us 42:35.530 --> 42:38.770 over the last three days alone uh 42:38.780 --> 42:41.320 exceed what we thought was going to be 42:41.330 --> 42:43.650 a maximum capacity . We certainly would 42:43.650 --> 42:45.817 like to keep that going for as long as 42:45.817 --> 42:48.039 possible . Let me go back to the phones 42:48.039 --> 42:50.150 and then Sylvia , I'll get to you . I 42:50.150 --> 42:53.920 promise . Stephen Lucey yes . 42:53.920 --> 42:57.410 Thank you . Uh Can you tell me if all S . 42:57.410 --> 42:59.521 I . V . Holders who have made it onto 42:59.521 --> 43:01.632 the airport grounds with valid papers 43:01.632 --> 43:03.688 are going to be able to make it onto 43:03.688 --> 43:05.480 flights ? I asked because an 43:05.490 --> 43:07.546 interpreter with an S . I . V . I've 43:07.546 --> 43:09.712 been in contact with just made it onto 43:09.712 --> 43:12.580 the grounds ? Was almost put out of the 43:12.580 --> 43:14.636 gate . That appears to have been now 43:14.636 --> 43:18.500 corrected . But will uh will 43:18.500 --> 43:20.920 this interpreter and other s ivy 43:20.920 --> 43:23.280 holders who are on the ground be able 43:23.280 --> 43:26.560 to fly out before the deadline is gone 43:26.570 --> 43:28.820 is over . So we , 43:30.700 --> 43:33.330 mm . Thank you . I have two small 43:33.330 --> 43:36.520 questions . Um First about the numbers 43:36.750 --> 43:39.950 you said that 88,000 departed since 43:39.960 --> 43:43.310 the fucking of August . Is it 43:43.700 --> 43:47.680 Only us flight ? So if it's not only 43:47.680 --> 43:51.140 us flight , how many were evacuated by 43:51.140 --> 43:53.720 us flights ? That's the total number . 43:53.730 --> 43:56.140 Yes . Right . At around 43:56.240 --> 44:00.010 58,060,000 . Okay , thank you . 44:00.020 --> 44:03.130 And the second question was about the 44:03.140 --> 44:07.010 president mentioned the ISIS K . 44:07.020 --> 44:09.610 Threat and I wanted to know if you 44:09.620 --> 44:12.920 receive new threats . If if 44:13.490 --> 44:16.600 you if there was there was an immediate 44:16.610 --> 44:20.610 danger at the gates or if it's 44:20.610 --> 44:24.470 a a threat in general that you have 44:24.470 --> 44:27.260 known for a long time . So as we talk 44:27.260 --> 44:29.038 about we won't go into specific 44:29.038 --> 44:31.204 intelligence collection those speeds . 44:31.204 --> 44:32.982 But there we know as previously 44:32.982 --> 44:35.093 reported there is a threat . This has 44:35.093 --> 44:37.460 been a dangerous place that has had 44:37.470 --> 44:40.210 threats by ISIS . And we continue to 44:40.380 --> 44:44.130 ensure that we collect 44:44.140 --> 44:47.010 and keep the force protection to the 44:47.010 --> 44:49.550 highest level as possible to ensure 44:49.550 --> 44:52.080 that we're able to continue evacuation 44:52.080 --> 44:54.210 operations . So you won't confirm new 44:54.210 --> 44:56.620 threats . We're not going to talk about 44:56.630 --> 44:58.730 the intelligence farmer soviet , you 44:58.730 --> 45:01.810 know that these are as the general said 45:02.190 --> 45:05.150 these are credible threats and uh we're 45:05.150 --> 45:07.150 mindful of that but we're not gonna 45:07.150 --> 45:09.261 talk about it in great detail . Megan 45:09.261 --> 45:11.483 just want to clarify your remarks about 45:11.483 --> 45:13.483 the vaccine . Memo , is this to say 45:13.483 --> 45:15.428 that the secretary is not going to 45:15.428 --> 45:17.650 request a waiver from the president and 45:17.650 --> 45:19.817 D . O . D . Will just give vaccines on 45:19.817 --> 45:22.039 a mandatory basis as they become . No , 45:22.039 --> 45:24.790 that's not at all . I mean , uh we'll 45:24.790 --> 45:26.846 have to see where the other vaccines 45:26.846 --> 45:29.068 end up . That's not that's not at all . 45:29.068 --> 45:31.123 What I meant to say . It's just that 45:31.123 --> 45:32.901 the only ones that will be made 45:32.901 --> 45:36.760 mandatory right now are the uh are 45:36.760 --> 45:39.620 ones that are licensed by the FDA . So 45:39.620 --> 45:41.731 by mid september , he may ask for the 45:41.731 --> 45:44.064 other . I won't rule anything in or out . 45:44.064 --> 45:46.287 But we're But as you but uh as the memo 45:46.287 --> 45:48.064 says , we're only going to make 45:48.064 --> 45:50.287 mandatory those that have FDA licensure 45:50.287 --> 45:52.064 and press reporting alone would 45:52.064 --> 45:55.470 indicate that uh you know , that the 45:55.470 --> 45:57.610 other vaccines are getting close . So 45:58.460 --> 46:01.860 yeah , sure . Yeah . I was the 46:01.860 --> 46:04.220 relationship between us and Taliban . 46:04.230 --> 46:06.119 Do you think that Pakistan should 46:06.680 --> 46:10.530 played rule to make a good relationship ? 46:10.540 --> 46:13.220 Because as long as I heard from a 46:13.230 --> 46:16.650 Taliban spokesperson , you guys have no 46:16.650 --> 46:18.890 good relationship because they 46:18.890 --> 46:21.470 prevented uh civilians to leave 46:21.470 --> 46:23.800 Afghanistan . Do you think that's still 46:23.980 --> 46:26.750 Pakistan's role , which rule play 46:26.750 --> 46:30.020 Pakistan all afghan . Oh , all of 46:30.020 --> 46:32.020 Afghanistan's neighbours can play a 46:32.020 --> 46:34.187 role here . And we hope that they do a 46:34.187 --> 46:36.690 constructive role uh in Afghanistan's 46:36.690 --> 46:39.530 future in Pakistan certainly uh I would 46:39.530 --> 46:41.586 think would figure largely into that 46:41.586 --> 46:43.697 calculus as we talked about , there's 46:43.780 --> 46:46.490 safe havens across the , along that 46:46.490 --> 46:48.546 border remain a problem . We've been 46:48.546 --> 46:51.090 very honest and candid with Pakistani 46:51.090 --> 46:53.130 leaders about the importance of not 46:53.140 --> 46:55.870 allowing that . And you would want to 46:55.870 --> 46:58.092 believe that they also share that sense 46:58.092 --> 47:00.280 of urgency because they too are the 47:00.280 --> 47:02.169 victims of terrorist attacks that 47:02.169 --> 47:04.280 emanate from there . So they should . 47:04.280 --> 47:06.340 And I suspect that they will want to 47:06.340 --> 47:10.080 play a significant role going forward . 47:10.080 --> 47:12.850 And we would just ask for them and for 47:12.860 --> 47:14.971 any country , any neighboring country 47:14.971 --> 47:16.749 to make that as constructive as 47:16.749 --> 47:18.638 possible in the back there . What 47:18.638 --> 47:20.860 percent of the forces aren't vaccinated 47:20.860 --> 47:22.860 yet ? And when will they have to be 47:22.860 --> 47:26.600 vaccinated by ? Okay , so 47:27.080 --> 47:30.930 on the active duty force , 68% is 47:30.930 --> 47:33.480 fully vaccinated . And we estimate that 47:33.480 --> 47:36.900 just over 76% have at least one dose . 47:37.480 --> 47:39.591 I can break this down by the services 47:39.591 --> 47:41.424 and this would include guard and 47:41.424 --> 47:43.990 reserves in these figures For the Army , 47:45.080 --> 47:47.860 fully vaccinated . uh with 47:47.860 --> 47:51.280 57% with one dose for the Marine Corps , 47:51.280 --> 47:55.260 53 Fully vaccinated , 60% 47:55.260 --> 47:59.250 with one dose for the Navy , Fully 47:59.250 --> 48:02.610 vaccinated , 79% with at least one dose . 48:02.850 --> 48:05.600 And for the air force , uh which 48:05.600 --> 48:09.210 includes space Force , uh That's 48:09.210 --> 48:12.980 57% fully vaccinated , 64% with one 48:12.980 --> 48:15.620 dose . The secretary has made clear his 48:15.620 --> 48:17.842 expectation to the military departments 48:17.842 --> 48:19.898 that he wants them to move with some 48:19.898 --> 48:22.630 alacrity here uh and get the force 48:22.630 --> 48:24.797 fully vaccinated as fast as possible . 48:24.797 --> 48:26.963 If you look in his memo , you also see 48:26.963 --> 48:29.186 that he tasked them to regularly update 48:29.186 --> 48:31.710 the Deputy secretary on a very frequent 48:31.720 --> 48:33.700 basis on how they're moving out to 48:33.700 --> 48:35.980 achieve those goals right now . This 48:35.980 --> 48:38.180 mandatory vaccine will just be fighter 48:38.180 --> 48:40.291 and then we'll see where it goes with 48:40.291 --> 48:42.513 the other license hers john will you be 48:42.513 --> 48:45.300 mandating vaccines for any of the 48:45.300 --> 48:47.189 afghan refugees who come into the 48:47.189 --> 48:49.300 United States and are brought here by 48:49.300 --> 48:51.467 the U . S . Military ? I'm gonna leave 48:51.467 --> 48:53.300 that question to uh to the State 48:53.300 --> 48:55.720 Department but there is , there's covid 48:55.720 --> 48:58.210 screening being done at each stop along 48:58.210 --> 49:00.710 the way . Um And again I think that's a 49:00.710 --> 49:02.377 better question for the State 49:02.377 --> 49:04.488 Department has just said that nes ivy 49:04.488 --> 49:06.710 holders that come to the gate would be 49:06.710 --> 49:09.730 let onto a flight . But we're just 49:09.730 --> 49:11.980 getting real time reports from Abbey 49:11.980 --> 49:14.330 gate that marines are turning away s 49:14.330 --> 49:17.320 ivy holders and turning them away . Can 49:17.320 --> 49:19.590 you clarify our marines supposed to be 49:19.590 --> 49:21.590 turning away those with S . I . V . 49:21.590 --> 49:24.460 Papers or with authorization to come 49:24.470 --> 49:26.470 onto the airport ? Have they closed 49:26.470 --> 49:28.700 down Abbey Gate ? I'm going to let the 49:28.700 --> 49:31.970 general take that question the question 49:31.970 --> 49:35.390 that was posed to me by um I think it 49:35.390 --> 49:39.380 was Stephen was if you're if you have 49:39.380 --> 49:41.491 S . I . V . Credentials and you're at 49:41.491 --> 49:43.658 the field . If you're on the airport , 49:43.658 --> 49:45.769 will you be able to get off ? And the 49:45.769 --> 49:47.936 answer is yes but I'll let the general 49:47.936 --> 49:50.158 take so obviously I can't speak to that 49:50.158 --> 49:53.140 knee , you know absolute real time to 49:53.140 --> 49:56.450 the second report . Um The guidance 49:56.450 --> 49:58.860 still remains is those that have the 49:58.860 --> 50:01.890 proper paperwork uh and are safely at 50:01.890 --> 50:03.946 the gates is to bring them in and to 50:03.946 --> 50:06.630 process them so I can't speak to that 50:06.630 --> 50:09.360 specific , you know report there . But 50:09.360 --> 50:12.000 what I do know is that uh whether it's 50:12.000 --> 50:14.000 our marines or soldiers that are at 50:14.000 --> 50:16.111 those gates working with the consular 50:16.111 --> 50:18.340 officers that are there is as people 50:18.350 --> 50:21.950 are there and present the proper s ivy 50:21.950 --> 50:23.890 paperwork . We are to get them as 50:23.890 --> 50:27.110 quickly as possible in process them for 50:27.110 --> 50:29.166 evacuation flights to make sure that 50:29.166 --> 50:31.380 that message gets down to the marines 50:31.380 --> 50:33.110 that abigail because this is a 50:33.110 --> 50:35.277 legitimate report . That just you know 50:35.277 --> 50:38.370 and I think we appreciate those reports 50:38.370 --> 50:40.860 right . Uh and I just know as I have 50:40.860 --> 50:44.420 talked the commanders uh they're using 50:44.420 --> 50:46.700 a lot of time and it's good well report 50:46.700 --> 50:48.922 to ensure they get this information and 50:48.922 --> 50:51.200 put it out throughout the entire force . 50:51.630 --> 50:53.797 The other thing . I mean again without 50:53.797 --> 50:56.019 speaking to this case , sometimes gates 50:56.019 --> 50:58.010 traffic is halted at the gates to 50:58.010 --> 51:01.130 manage flow on on the airport . It's a 51:01.140 --> 51:04.570 it's a it's a physics issue . But again 51:04.690 --> 51:06.990 I appreciate that if you share with us 51:06.990 --> 51:09.157 after the briefing the details of this 51:09.157 --> 51:10.879 we will certainly pass it on . 51:10.879 --> 51:13.212 Absolutely . Can I ask one more vaccine ? 51:13.212 --> 51:15.323 Is what now that there's been several 51:15.323 --> 51:17.434 weeks since the decision to make this 51:17.434 --> 51:19.434 mandatory ? What is the secretary's 51:19.434 --> 51:21.970 policy or decision on any troops who 51:21.970 --> 51:23.914 refused to get the vaccine ? Great 51:23.914 --> 51:26.660 question what the secretary has 51:26.670 --> 51:28.320 communicated to the military 51:28.320 --> 51:30.042 departments is to execute this 51:30.042 --> 51:32.670 mandatory vaccination program with 51:33.160 --> 51:35.160 obviously skill and professionalism 51:35.160 --> 51:37.104 which we always do but also with a 51:37.104 --> 51:39.360 measure of compassion and so for a 51:39.360 --> 51:43.040 member who uh still objects . Now 51:43.050 --> 51:45.161 obviously there's you can you can ask 51:45.161 --> 51:47.272 for an exemption on religious grounds 51:47.272 --> 51:49.328 and you certainly could be exempt if 51:49.328 --> 51:51.494 you have a pre existing condition that 51:51.494 --> 51:53.606 your doctor advises you not to get it 51:53.606 --> 51:55.661 obviously . But if it's an objection 51:55.661 --> 51:59.520 outside those two frameworks uh the 51:59.530 --> 52:03.340 individual will be offered a chance 52:03.340 --> 52:06.280 to sit down with a physician and have 52:06.280 --> 52:09.160 that physician communicate to them . Uh 52:09.170 --> 52:10.948 the risks that they're taken by 52:10.948 --> 52:13.080 continuing to not want to take the 52:13.090 --> 52:15.250 vaccine , they will also be offered a 52:15.250 --> 52:17.417 chance to sit down with their chain of 52:17.417 --> 52:19.472 command and their leadership to talk 52:19.472 --> 52:21.472 about the risk that their objection 52:21.472 --> 52:23.430 will impose on the unit and on the 52:23.430 --> 52:26.400 force and on their teammates . Um And 52:26.410 --> 52:29.790 the point is a court that uh the 52:29.800 --> 52:32.070 commanders have a wide range of tools 52:32.070 --> 52:35.920 available to them to help their 52:35.930 --> 52:38.041 teammates make the right decision for 52:38.041 --> 52:40.152 themselves for their families and for 52:40.152 --> 52:42.208 their units . And we expect that the 52:42.208 --> 52:44.319 secretary expects that the commanders 52:44.319 --> 52:46.541 will use those tools short of having to 52:46.541 --> 52:49.070 use the U . C . M . J . If the service 52:49.070 --> 52:51.237 member goes to the counseling does not 52:51.237 --> 52:53.292 have a religious objection and still 52:53.292 --> 52:55.570 objects and refuses to get the vaccine . 52:55.570 --> 52:57.792 The individual will will be begin to be 52:57.792 --> 52:59.903 processed in Museum commanders have a 52:59.903 --> 53:02.014 wide range of tools available to them 53:02.014 --> 53:04.181 short of using the U . C . M . J . And 53:04.181 --> 53:06.014 I think we're going to trust the 53:06.014 --> 53:05.780 commanders are gonna are gonna make the 53:05.780 --> 53:07.836 right decision going forward . We'll 53:07.836 --> 53:10.169 get like an N . J . P . Basically court . 53:10.169 --> 53:12.058 I can't I can't give you an exact 53:12.058 --> 53:14.480 answer to every hypothetical situation . 53:14.490 --> 53:17.300 There are it is a once you may indicate 53:17.310 --> 53:19.610 once you mandate it as we've done . 53:19.780 --> 53:21.900 It's a lawful order . It's a lawful 53:21.900 --> 53:25.080 owner . Um and we fully 53:25.080 --> 53:28.620 anticipate that uh that our troops are 53:28.620 --> 53:30.620 gonna follow lawful orders when you 53:30.620 --> 53:32.787 raise your right hand and and you take 53:32.787 --> 53:34.898 that oath . That's what you agreed to 53:34.898 --> 53:36.953 do . And it hasn't been a problem in 53:36.953 --> 53:39.120 the past with other vaccines . Now , I 53:39.120 --> 53:41.009 recognize Covid has a a different 53:41.009 --> 53:43.176 history to it and a different cultural 53:43.176 --> 53:45.342 uh description to it . Um , but it's a 53:45.342 --> 53:47.453 lawful order and it's our expectation 53:47.453 --> 53:49.564 that troops will obey lawful orders . 53:49.564 --> 53:51.676 Um and we also expect that commanders 53:51.676 --> 53:53.453 will have plenty of other tools 53:53.453 --> 53:55.064 available to them to get the 53:55.064 --> 53:57.176 vaccination rates up and to get these 53:57.176 --> 53:59.342 individuals to make the right decision 53:59.342 --> 54:01.342 short of having to use disciplinary 54:01.342 --> 54:03.564 action . Okay . I think that's almost a 54:03.564 --> 54:05.731 full hour . So we're gonna call it for 54:05.731 --> 54:07.953 right now . As the general mentioned in 54:07.953 --> 54:10.064 his opening statement , we will shoot 54:10.064 --> 54:12.176 for an afternoon briefing . Uh , this 54:12.176 --> 54:11.840 one will be with general Walters from , 54:11.850 --> 54:15.080 um , specifically to address issues of 54:15.090 --> 54:17.201 the evacuation of what um is doing to 54:17.201 --> 54:19.368 help us move these people on , uh , to 54:19.368 --> 54:21.590 their to their new lives . And so we'll 54:21.590 --> 54:23.923 see you at three o'clock this afternoon . 54:23.923 --> 54:24.923 Thank you . 54:27.850 --> 54:31.830 I beg your pardon ? 3:30 3 54:31.830 --> 54:33.110 33 30 .