DoD spokesman: Tanker fleet is ancient

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell speaks about the Government Accountability Office report that sided with a protest lodged by Boeing over a government contract for a refueling tanker given to a competitor. Morrell says that the process of this procurement has gone on seven years too long and that the GAO report is holding up the process even further. (0:28)
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Army: Progress for the last surge brigade

Col. Terry Ferrell, commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, the last surge brigade to leave Iraq says that the progress in his area of operation is sustainable in the future. (0:42)
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Underwhelmed by the Department of Homeland Security

Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce North American Forum, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates explains why he was "underwhelmed" by the creation of the Department of Homeland Security based on his experience with the Department of Defense. (0:37)
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DOD has "failed the war fighter"

At a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting to discuss the acquisition of major weapons systems by the Department of Defense, Katherine Schinasi of the Government Accountability Office says that the DOD has “failed the war fighter” by delivering capability late and in fewer quantities than planned. She also said that when equipment is delivered, it is not what is needed for current operations. (0:18)
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Senator explains why DOD programs continue to fail

At a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting to discuss the acquisition of major weapons systems by the Department of Defense, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) says that DOD cost overruns happen because of “fundamental flaws that are built into our acquisitions system.” He said that DOD acquisition programs fail because of unreasonable cost and schedule estimates, unrealistic performance expectations, immature technologies, and costly changes to program requirements while they are in progress. (0:32)
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Iran negotiations make no sense

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) criticizes the negotiation process with Iran saying that it makes no sense to have the principal argument as a precondition to talks. (0:30)
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Pentagon seeks to amplify pressure on Iran

During a press briefing at the Pentaon, Defense spokesman Geoff Morrell says that the Secretary of Defense would like to see diplomatic and economic pressures, as well as the threat of military action toward Iran continue in an "amplified way." (0:50)
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Bridge money for the war, but Iraq better start to pay, says Skelton

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) says that the committee will continue to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with a $70 billion "bridge" fund until the full supplemental is approved. But Skelton also calls for the Iraqis to contribute more to their own security. (0:37)
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Department of Defense actions in Guam

Brian Lepore, director of Defense Capabilities and Managment of the U.S. Government Accountability Office outlines the bottom line of the Department of Defense's plans for Guam. (0:28)
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Allan Shaffer says there is still much to accomplish with our non-conventional warfare methods

At the House Armed Services Committee Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee hearing on "The FY2009 National Defense Authorization Budget Request - Department of Defense Science and Technology: Responding to the 21st Century Irregular Warfare Threat Environment," Allan Shaffer, principle deputy director of Defense Research and Engineering at the Defense Department, says over the last two years we have begun to reshape the investment of the department to work on programs in non-conventional areas, such as biometrics, human social modeling, locating tagging and tracking, surveillance, and cyber protection. While we are currently well positioned to support the force, he says, there is still much to accomplish. (:45)
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Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, says the Army is stretched, but not hollow

Sec. Geren, testifiying at the House Armed Services Committee hearing, says that the Army is tretched from six years of war, but it is not the "hollow force" of the 1970s. (0:31)
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Col. Tom James, commander of the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, speaks about Moqtada al-Sadr's decision to increase the ceasefire during a press conference with Pentagon reporters via teleconference in Iraq

Col. James says that from his area of command he sees the decision by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to extend his ceasefire agreement through August as a positive sign. (0:52)
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Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks with pool reporters about sharing missile defense information with other countries during his trip in Hawaii

Sec. Gates says that the Pentagon shared information and gave prior notice before shooting down a defunct U.S. satellite with a modified surface-to-air missile from the U.S. missile defense arsenal. He says that the U.S. will share missile defense information with other countries when appropriate. (0:28)
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Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks with pool reporters about missile defense during his trip in Hawaii

Sec. Gates speaks about how U.S. missile defense systems have been proven and that the Defense Department budget supports improving capability. (0:37)
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Tina Jonas, Controller of the Department of Defense speaks about future requests for war funding during a briefing on the Pentagon 2009 budget request

Tina Jonas, Defense Department controller, says that there are many factors as to when and how much the Pentagon will request in war funding, including what the Congress does with 2008 war funding that has not yet been provided. (0:48)
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Admiral Steve Stanley, director of force structure, resources and assessment for the Joint Staff speaks about outstanding 2008 budget requests

Adm. Steve Stanley speaks on war funding for Fiscal Year 2008 and what consequences incomplete supplemental war funding have had on equipment distribution. (0:34)
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