The Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, visits Pendleton

The Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, visits Pendleton as one of the stops during a routine military installations tour Aug. 12. Transition is a high priority for the Department of Defense, so while here, Hagel briefly monitored two of the Transition Readiness Program classes before speaking to the attendees. “Don’t ever underestimate the value of your experience … leadership, common sense and staying cool when there’s a crisis,” said Hagel to the pre-retirement class. “These are values added that (non-military) people do not have.” He thanked the Marines for their service and wished them good luck in their future endeavors before heading to the air station where he conducted a town hall meeting with service members.