5 April 2015

SECDEF CARTER REMARKS AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ON MILITARY FORCE OF THE FUTURE

April 2, 2015

Q: Hi, I’m Wai Saling. I’m a sophomore economics and policy studies major. My question for you is that, in light of the more recent combat and warfare around the world, whether it be in Ukraine or in Middle East, with intelligence and special forces seeming to, like, take on a more prominent role, how is the Department of Defense trying to streamline command structures or shift its stance to favor special forces, air strikes — that kind of thing? How is the DOD changing the way it looks at warfare for the newer challenges?

SEC. CARTER: Also excellent question. And we’re trying to keep up with the changing nature of conflict and conflict prevention.

You mentioned special forces. I mean, the truth be told, they’ve long been an important part. But there’s no question that you’re right — we have grown them in size and breadth of their mission and the kind of enablers that they have within them, and that we provide them with. Because they are very frequently our best instrument in a conflict that has not — as we hope they never do — yet erupted to a case of full-scale war.

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