Secretary of Defense visits Yokota


Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta discusses current issues facing the U.S. military during his visit to Yokota Air Base, Sept. 17, 2012. Panetta is slated to travel to China and New Zealand following his visit at Yokota. (U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo)

Secretary of Defense visits Yokota

by Airman 1st Class John D. Partlow
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2012 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta addressed more than 300 joint service members at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Sept. 17, 2012.

Panetta visited the base to personally thank service members and to discuss a variety of issues that the U.S. military faces.

"We're a country that continues to face threats in the world," said Panetta. "We can take on so many challenges because we are the strongest military power in the history of the world."

Along with threats to the U.S., Panetta also emphasized his continued resolve to protect U.S. defense interests amidst budget uncertainties.

"I want to maintain the strongest military in the world," he said. "I do not want to hollow out our force ... and we need to maintain trust with the men and women who serve this country. People have deployed time and time again, and we need to stay true to the commitments we have made to (them)."

Panetta predicted that cyberspace would increasingly replace the conventional battlefield as the location of choice for future wars. When asked by an audience member if more technology meant less need for military members, Panetta replied that "technology demands man-power.

"Even in developing (unmanned) drones, which have been very effective, we need people to operate them," he said. "We need pilots, we need technicians, and we need people from the intelligence agency to be able to do it. In order to make it work effectively, we need good men and women who have the brain power to make this stuff work."

Earlier in the day, Panetta met with Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto to discuss U.S.-Japanese interests in the Pacific Region as the U.S. rebalances its focus.

The dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea "is an issue that concerns us," Panetta said to the Yokota AB audience. "The U.S. does not take a position in regards to territorial disputes, but the one thing that I am urging is that the countries develop a process to resolve these disputes peacefully."

Following his remarks, Panetta met with service members here and personally handed each member of the audience a ceremonial military coin.

Panetta is slated to travel to China and New Zealand following his visit to Yokota AB.