Army Secretary McCarthy: No Vindman investigation

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy (l) covered a wide range of issues during a Feb. 14 National Press Club luncheon and question-and-answer session moderated by Club President Michael Freedman. Photo: Julie Ann Pixler

 

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said at a National Press Club luncheon on Friday, Feb. 14, that he foresees no Army investigation of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the former National Security Council staffer who has provoked the ire of President Donald Trump for testifying during the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry.  

McCarthy said Vindman, who specialized on relations with Ukraine and raised questions about Trump's phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenski in July 2019, will be attending a war college this summer.  He was removed from the NSC last week and was accused by Trump of "leaking" and reporting false information about the phone call that became the center of the House's impeachment case.

McCarthy covered a wide range of issues in his talk and during a question and answer period.

He cited a strong military and free press as necessary to defending democracy.  He expressed confidence that the United States can work out a military cooperation agreement with the Philippines despite recent threats by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to end a long-standing relationship.  McCarthy said "we have strong military-to-military relations" and time to work out a deal.

A newly announced truce with the Taliban in Afghanistan, which hosts some 10,00 U.S. troops, is "a first step" that will take weeks to unfold, McCarthy said.

Nearly two-thirds of Army housing needs replaced after what McCarthy conceded was neglect by the Pentagon. New initiatives involving the private sector will be addressed in  few months.  He also said there is a national security issue at the southern border and expressed pride in the Army Corps of Engineers for helping build a stronger border wall.

The Army is "flying and exploding" new weapons systems that will keep the United States ahead of strategic rivals, including hypo-sonic missiles, McCarthy said.

"You can smell the gasoline," he said of weapons systems coming to fruition.  He said the Army is stressing readiness and cited the quick deployment on New Year's Eve of thousands of 82nd Airborne Division soldiers to the Middle East.  And with 180,000 soldiers deployed to 140 countries, he said, "the sun never sets on the U.S. Army."

The secretary, an Army Ranger veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a graduate of the University of Maryland, said he promotes teamwork and close personal relations as one way to address "the incredibly difficult problem" of suicides in the military.   He said recruitment is ahead of schedule and that the Army is putting special emphasis on STEM skills in promoting officers and enlisted personnel.

McCarthy said he is looking forward to 75th anniversary celebrations this year of the ending of World War II, including returning to the Club to participate in a revival of canteens for service personnel hosted by the Club and its American Legion Post 20.