Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon provided the following readout:
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks spoke today via video call with deployed service members from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy to wish them happy holidays.
During the conversations, Deputy Secretary Hicks thanked the service members and their families for their unwavering dedication and sacrifice in defense of the nation.
She commended their commitment and hard work toward ensuring the safety and security of the United States, as well as their continued commitment to supporting America's allies and partners around the globe.
Deputy Secretary Hicks spoke with service members from the following units:
- 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade. Soldiers from this unit are deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, to develop the Djiboutian security forces’ capabilities and capacity to rapidly deter threats through the Battalion Intervention Rapide (BIR).
- 480th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron. Airmen from this unit are deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudia Arabia, supporting aircraft and training requirements in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
- USS Gettysburg (CG 64). Sailors aboard USS Gettysburg (CG 64), a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, are deployed in defense of the Harry S. Truman Strike Group to ensure regional stability and security in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Deputy Secretary Hicks also commended the professionalism and integrity with which U.S. service members worldwide carry out their duties, and the vital contributions of military families in support of our all-volunteer force.