Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin embarked on his first official trip Wednesday, Feb. 24, to visit U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, CO; a community vaccination center in Los Angeles, CA; and naval facilities in San Diego, CA.

Austin’s visit to U.S. Northern Command will include leadership meetings and an overview of COVID-19 support operations. Austin will visit California State University, Los Angeles, where active-duty and National Guard personnel are supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s community vaccination center. In San Diego, the secretary will meet with the crew of USS Nimitz, which is returning home after 10 months on duty.  He will also visit military vaccination operations on Naval Base San Diego and Naval Air Station North Island.