Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with a Michigan National Guardsman during a visit to the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2021. (credit:  DOD)

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Sometimes a personal visit from the top dawg at the  Pentagon goes a long way to boost morale among U.S. military personnel.   U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with members of the National Guard last week during a visit to the Capital building  in Washington D.C. 

“Earlier this evening, I visited with  troops who were deployed to the U.S. Capitol following the recent attack. I’m so grateful for their dedication during such a difficult time, and I made it clear to them we would do everything we can to support them.”

-Secretary of Defense  Gen. Austin 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with National Guardsmen during a visit to the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2021. (credit:  DOD)

“The Secretary of Defense in the right place at the right time. He will represent the USA in an excellent way worldwide. I am convinced of that.”

-One social media comment on  Defense Secretary Austin’s support of National Guard

 Senators Confirm General Austin as The First Black U.S. Defense Secretary

General Lloyd Austin III,    US CENTRAL COMMAND  UNITED STATES ARMY  (credit: Wikipedia)

The U.S. Senate last week overwhelmingly voted  to confirm retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to become America’s first Black defense secretary in charge of  the behemoth Pentagon.  Senators confirmed Austin by a vote of 93-2 to serve as President Joe Biden’s secretary of  defense.  Gen. Austin  has hit the ground running since then, conducting courtesy telephone calls with multiple foreign defense ministers of NATO nations in an effort to repair the damage former President Trump did  to Transatlantic relations with his America First policy.