WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today met with Dr. Ashton B. Carter, President Obama’s nominee to be the next U.S. Secretary of Defense.

“Ash Carter is an effective leader who has demonstrated a firm sense of integrity and sound judgment throughout his career in public service.  His command of national security policy and his commitment to our men and women in uniform will serve him well as our next Secretary of Defense,” said Reed.

Dr. Carter most recently served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense from October 2011 to December 2013.  Over the course of his career in public service, Dr. Carter has four times been awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal.  For his contributions to intelligence, Dr. Carter was awarded the Defense Intelligence Medal.  Dr. Carter earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and in medieval history from Yale University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and received his doctorate in theoretical physics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

The Armed Services Committee is expected to hold a confirmation hearing early next month on Dr. Carter’s nomination to lead the Pentagon.

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