In “This Week in the DoD” for May 25:
The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are merging their health records into what will be the world’s largest electronic health system. The new system, which will be fully operational by 2017, will ensure the best care for service members even after they’ve left the military.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They joined Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in urging Congress to ratify the Law of the Sea Convention and give the United States a voice in international maritime law.
Following last weekend’s NATO Summit in Chicago, ISAF forces in Afghanistan have a new goal: for Afghan forces to take the lead on all combat missions by mid-2013. ISAF Commander Gen. John Allen briefed reporters at the Pentagon on the next few years of operations in Afghanistan.
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs George Little said the Defense Department looks forward to normalizing relations with Pakistan and reopening supply routes to Afghanistan. After incidents last year, relations with Pakistan soured and transit through the country to Afghanistan was blocked.
