Robert M. Gates

Senators ask Secretary Gates to ensure soldiers with traumatic brain injuries have access to proven therapy

August 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - With an estimated 320,000 American soldiers who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing a possible traumatic brain injury (TBI), Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today called on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to extend military health care coverage to include proven treatment for the signature injury of the two wars.    » read more »

6/12/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force officials here currently are deciding how to carry out force shaping plans in the coming year following an announcement by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Monday to halt personnel cuts.

Active-duty end strength was projected to decrease from 328,600 to 316,600 by the end of fiscal 2009.

Stating his desire to ease the burden reduced staffing has created for some Airmen and their families, Secretary Gates told Airmen at Langley Air Force Base, Va., he intends "immediately to stop further reductions in Air Force personnel."    » read more »

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va., June 9, 2008 – If it were not for the serious decline in the Air Force’s nuclear mission focus and performance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today, he would not have felt the need to replace the Air Force leadership.

Gates asked for and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley on June 6 in the wake of an investigation that found problems with the focus, performance and effective leadership of the service’s nuclear weapons program.

Speaking to airmen and Air Force civilians of Air Combat Command, Gates called the nuclear mission the Air Force’s most sensitive one.    » read more »

6/9/2008 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates arrives June 9 to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Secretary Gates is visiting Peterson AFB to deliver a speech reinforcing his message that the Air Force must apply more rigor to its responsibilities with nuclear weapons on the heels of the resignation of the Air Force’s top two leaders.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arrives at the Peterson air base flight line June 9: U.S. Air Force photo/Duncan Wood

Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space Command; Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., the commander of NORAD – U.S. Northern Command; and Col. Jay Raymond, the 21st Space Wing commander; greeted Secretary Gates upon his arrival.

June 09, 2008 -- "Today I provided my recommendation to the President for the nominations to the top civilian and military leadership positions in the Air Force.

"I recommended that Michael Donley be nominated to serve as Secretary of the Air Force.    » read more »

May 30, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, calling on him to respond to the increasing rates of suicide and suicide attempts in the Armed Forces. Yesterday, the Army acknowledged that 115 service members had committed suicide in 2007, including 32 soldiers serving in Iraq last year, according to reports.

Barack Obama meets with veterans in Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Photo by Barack Obama campaign (CC)    » read more »

May 20, 2008 - Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today questioned Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2009 budget request. Senator Specter used the opportunity to question Secretary Gates on the issue of talks with Iran.

During his opening remarks, Senator Specter also spoke in regards to the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen that killed 17 U.S. sailors. Many of the terrorists convicted in the attack have since escaped from prison or been freed by Yemeni officials. “I’d like to explore the reasons for that and whether we couldn’t have some leverage to see to it that those terrorists are brought to justice,” said Senator Specter.    » read more »

20 May 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates faced tough questions from lawmakers Tuesday about the Bush administration's refusal to hold talks with Iran unless Tehran first halts its uranium enrichment program. Gates told a Senate panel that it is an open question whether such talks would succeed while President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad is in power.

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on next year's Pentagon budget request, two lawmakers suggested the time has come for the United States to open wide-ranging talks with Iran - without preconditions.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2008 – With growing recognition of the toll post-traumatic stress disorder has taken on U.S. forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department may consider awarding Purple Heart medals to combat veterans afflicted with it.

Purple Heart

“It’s an interesting idea,” Gates said when asked about the concept during a May 2 media availability at Red River Army Depot, Texas. “I think it is clearly something that needs to be looked at.”

Gates’ comment followed his visit the previous day to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he toured the post’s Recovery and Resilience Center, which is using a holistic approach to treating troops with PTSD.    » read more »

20 April 2008 -- The New York Times newspaper reports the Pentagon used military analysts working for U.S. television networks to generate favorable coverage of the war in Iraq and other issues.

The newspaper Sunday said the analysts were invited to private briefings with senior military leaders, taken on tours of Iraq and given access to classified intelligence.

Fox News gift store at Houston airport: Photo by ario_j (CC)

The Times also said viewers were not made aware that most of the analysts have ties to military contractors. Many of the analysts are retired high-ranking military officials.    » read more »

16 April 2008 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States needs to overhaul its approach to national security.

Gates told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday there needs to be what he called a "fairly dramatic change" to better protect the U.S. from terrorists and other threats. He said the United States is operating under an outdated security model designed 60 years ago to fight and win the Cold War.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates: White House photo    » read more »

Mar 18, 2008 -- MOSCOW — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice landed here March 17 for two days of talks with their Russian counterparts aimed at gaining ground on key issues that could forge ahead a missile defense plan for all of Europe.

Speaking to reporters during the flight, Gates said a full range of topics is on the table, including economic relationships, counterterrorism and arms sales. But on top on the agenda is locking in some type of commitment by Russia for the U.S. plan to post defensive missiles in Europe, the secretary said.    » read more »

March 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, requesting a report on all detainee interrogation videotapes, transcripts, and related documents that have been created or destroyed by the Department.

Senator Kennedy has previously made similar requests to the Attorney General and to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His letter also asks Secretary Gates to take appropriate steps to guarantee the preservation of all interrogation tapes in the Department’s effective control.    » read more »

February 27, 2008 -- Washington, DC – United States Senators Joe Biden (D-DE), Kit Bond (R-MO), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) sent a letter today to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, calling for the Department of Defense to investigate repeated delays in getting wartime equipment to our troops on the frontlines.    » read more »

February 11, 2008 -- Recognizing that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be the last of their kind, a new RAND Corporation study issued today finds that U.S. capabilities to meet the threat of Islamist insurgencies are seriously deficient and out of balance.    » read more »