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| Ashton Carter (Wiki Info) |
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2012 – Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter begins a 10-day trip tomorrow to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.
Carter will meet with U.S. Pacific Command leadership in Hawaii, tour facilities in Guam and meet with senior leaders in Japan, Thailand and India before concluding his Asian visit July 26 in South Korea, Little added.
Troop events with the deputy defense secretary are scheduled in Hawaii, Japan and South Korea, he noted.
“The purpose of the visit is to engage key allies and partners in detailed discussions on what the U.S. military's approach to the Asia-Pacific will mean in practice,” the press secretary said.
Carter will also discuss how the Defense Department and militaries in the region “can work more closely together to ensure security and prosperity in the 21st century,” Little said.
Carter’s trip to the Asia-Pacific region will be his first official visit as deputy defense secretary.