Pentagon Holds First Worldwide Town Hall Meeting

Title: Pentagon Holds First Worldwide Town Hall Meeting

URL Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting

Markdown Content:

===============

Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

* [REGISTER](http://www.dvidshub.net/member/registration)
* [LOGIN](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

(e.g. [email protected])

– [x] Remember me

[Forgot Password?](http://www.dvidshub.net/forgotpassword)

[![Image 2:

* [Home](http://www.dvidshub.net/)
* [SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature/SECDEFHegseth)
* [Combatant Commands](http://www.dvidshub.net/cocom)

* [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

* [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)
* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

* [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

* [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)
* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

* [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

* [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

* [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

* ![Image 4:

Pentagon Holds First Worldwide Town Hall Meeting
================================================

![Image 5: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 6: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 7: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 8: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 9: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

[![Image 10: Joint Chiefs Chairman Addresses Pentagon Town Hall with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2507/9163518/1000w_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163518/joint-chiefs-chairman-addresses-pentagon-town-hall-with-defense-secretary-rumsfeld)
Photo By [Myles Cullen](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1027142) | Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers addresses the audience during a……[read more](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163518/joint-chiefs-chairman-addresses-pentagon-town-hall-with-defense-secretary-rumsfeld)[read more](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting#)

Photo By [Myles Cullen](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1027142) | Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers addresses the audience during a worldwide Town Hall meeting at the Pentagon, June 29. Myers joined Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld at the session. Photo by Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen, USAF [see less](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting#) | [View Image Page](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163518/joint-chiefs-chairman-addresses-pentagon-town-hall-with-defense-secretary-rumsfeld)

### WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

### 06.29.2005

### Story by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore)

### [Department of War](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/unit/TPC "Search for Department of War media")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/rss/unit/66 "RSS feed for Department of War")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> March 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> February 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> January 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> December 2016")

[![Image 11](https://cdn.dvidshub.net/images/subscribe-button-icon.png)✔✗Subscribe](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts/unit/66 "Subscribe to Department of War")

173

![Image 12: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 13: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 14: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 15: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 16: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers held the first worldwide town hall meeting today at the Pentagon.

The session was beamed worldwide on the Pentagon Channel. In addition, some questions received via DoD's official Web site were asked.

The meeting was a chance for servicemembers and DoD civilian employees to ask Rumsfeld and Myers questions in an open forum. The leaders addressed issues such as the budget, retirement and recruiting.

This was an appropriate time to hold a meeting like this, because the upcoming July Fourth holiday holds a lot of meaning, Myers said.

"It has a lot of meaning to what the American spirit is all about, particularly the spirit of the men and women in the Department of Defense," he said. "We are used to defending this country's freedoms."

Keeping the best people in DoD is important, Rumsfeld said, and therefore a way needs to be found to keep eligible employees in service past their mandatory retirement dates. These people often are the "best and brightest" in the service and have valuable experience and talents that are useful, he said.

"If they want to go, that's fine," he said. "But if they would prefer to stay, we ought to find ways to do that."

In addition to keeping current talent, it's important for DoD to work on recruiting new talent, Myers said. Enlistment bonuses and educational benefits are being increased and more recruiters are being added to the force in efforts to boost recruitment, he said. Another important way to improve recruitment is for senior leaders to speak out and spread the message of the nobility of military service, he said.

In response to a budget question, Rumsfeld stressed that there is not a problem with the amount of money available to the military, but with how it is allocated. There is always competition with how money is spent, and it is up to leaders to make the right decisions about how to fund "the single most important thing we do," which is defending the country, he said.

"We certainly ought to be smart enough and wise enough to allocate the resources here and go up to the Congress and say, 'Here's how we believe it ought to be spent,'" he said.

Looking forward to Independence Day, Rumsfeld and Myers both emphasized the strength of America and the spirit that has been present throughout our history.

"(The) troops and their families are showing every day that the spirit of July Fourth is as strong today as it was in 1776," Rumsfeld said. "America still remains what President Lincoln called 'The last best hope on Earth.'"

Story by Sgt. Sara Wood, USA, American Forces Press Service

NEWS INFO
———

Date Taken:06.29.2005
Date Posted:07.04.2025 04:54
Story ID:538217
Location:WASHINGTON, US

* * *

Web Views:13
Downloads:0

* * *

#### PUBLIC DOMAIN ![Image 17](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/public_domain_logo.png)

This work, Pentagon Holds First Worldwide Town Hall Meeting, by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore), identified by [

CONNECTED MEDIA
—————

[![Image 18: Joint Chiefs Chairman Addresses Pentagon Town Hall with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2507/9163518/75x75_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163518/joint-chiefs-chairman-addresses-pentagon-town-hall-with-defense-secretary-rumsfeld)

[![Image 19: Rumsfeld, Myers Hold Town Hall Meeting at Pentagon](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2507/9163519/75x75_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163519/rumsfeld-myers-hold-town-hall-meeting-pentagon)

MORE LIKE THIS
————–

CONTROLLED VOCABULARY KEYWORDS
——————————

_No keywords found._

Add Keyword

TAGS
—-

[American Forces Press Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/american-forces-press-service)

[Defense.gov DefenseLink Archive](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/defensegov-defenselink-archive)

OPTIONS
——-

* [Register/Login to Download](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

####

* [404-282-1450](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting#)

#### Web Support

* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### Customer Service

* [1-888-743-4662](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting#)
* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

#### [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

#### [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

#### [About

* [Contact Us](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactus)
* [Privacy & Security](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/privacy)
* [FAQs](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/faq)
* [Copyright Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright)
* [Accessibility Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/accessibility)
* [Customer Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactweb)

#### [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)

* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

#### [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)

* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

#### [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)

* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

#### [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)

* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

#### Links

* [Links Disclaimer](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/linksdisclaimer)
* [No FEAR Act](http://prhome.defense.gov/NoFear/)
* [Open Government](http://open.defense.gov/)
* [FOIA](http://open.defense.gov/Transparency/FOIA.aspx)
* [USA Gov](https://www.usa.gov/)
* [Inspector General](http://www.dodig.mil/)
* [Web Policy](http://dodcio.defense.gov/DoD-Web-Policy/)
* [EEO](http://www.dodig.mil/EEO/process.html)
* [Sexual Assault Prevention](http://www.sapr.mil/)
* [DVI Records Schedule](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/docs/DVI%20docs/DoD-VI-Records-Schedule.pdf?ver=2018-02-06-205026-927)
* [DVI Executive Summary](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/ExecSumm%20-%20VI%20Records%20Schedule%20-%20AUG%202019_1.pdf)
* [Section 3103](https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2009-title44/USCODE-2009-title44-chap31-sec3103)

[![Image 20: Podcasts Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/podcasts_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)[![Image 21: Military 24/7 Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/mil_247_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/app)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/538217/pentagon-holds-first-worldwide-town-hall-meeting)[](http://www.facebook.com/

[![Image 22: US Deptartment of Defense Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/wargov-logo-footer.png)](https://www.defense.gov/)

Version: 5a266dc3ff9fb60f2179f68892ebeb0d8fc270d8_2025-10-14T09:11:41

Pentagon Holds First Worldwide Town Hall Meeting

Adjacent Records