Ash Carter Out

The Pentagon has announced Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will step down on Dec. 4. Below is a statement by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel:

Earlier today, I met with Ash Carter and reluctantly accepted his decision to step down as Deputy Secretary of Defense on December 4th, after more than four and a half years of continuous service to the Department of Defense.

Ash has been an extraordinarily loyal and effective Deputy Secretary, both for me and Secretary Panetta. In his previous capacity as Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, he provided outstanding support to Secretary Gates and - most importantly - to our men and women fighting downrange. He possesses an unparalleled knowledge of every facet of America's defense enterprise, having worked directly and indirectly for eleven Secretaries of Defense over the course of his storied career.

I will always be grateful that Ash was willing to stay on and serve as my Deputy Secretary. I have continually relied upon Ash to help solve the toughest challenges facing the Department of Defense. I particularly appreciate his work spearheading the Strategic Choices and Management Review, which put the Department in a far stronger position to manage through unprecedented budget uncertainty. He is a brilliant strategist and an excellent manager who helped enhance the Department's buying power, but Ash's most recent tour of the Department will be especially remembered for his tremendous efforts to provide more agile and effective support for our warfighters and their families. His compassion, love, and determination to overcome any and all bureaucratic obstacles earned him their abiding respect and appreciation.

I am confident that the Department, and the country, will continue to benefit from Ash Carter's service in the months and years ahead. I am thankful that Ash will continue to be at my side for the next two months, helping the Department of Defense manage through a very disruptive and difficult time, and ensuring a smooth transition within the office of the Deputy Secretary. The Department will miss him - I will miss him.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little issued a follow-up statement on Carter's upcoming departure:

"The decision to depart the Pentagon later this year was Deputy Secretary Carter's and his alone. He'll be missed by the Secretary. They've had a strong and effective working relationship and friendship that will continue for the next two months and beyond. There's a lot of work to do between now and December 4.

"At the senior Pentagon leadership staff meeting where the announcement was made, Deputy Secretary Carter received a standing ovation from Secretary Hagel and the rest of the leadership team."