Chair and directors, yes, i do. So if youre ready, ill begin with this. Meeting of the citizens im sorry, i think there seems to be a lag here. Chair borden its not the same as what youre seeing on tv. Your audio is a little bit labored. I dont know if your internet quality is well. Okay. Okay. See if that helps. If it gets really bad, just let me know and i can just submit my report as a written report. No problem, go ahead. Great. So at the last meeting of the Citizens Advisory Council, we met director lai and welcomed her to the board. Thank you, again, for stopping by. We always appreciate welcoming Board Directors at our meetings. Also at our september meeting, i expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction with the rollout and subsequent rollback of rail service. And i hope that, if nothing else, the problems with rail revealed opportunities to fix and strengthen our system starting with more support at central on that. At our september meeting we heard from operators and members
You are probably the busiest person on the planet. I just wanted to say what an honor it is for us. Secretary esper has been secretary of defense for the past year. He was previously secretary of the army and a very distinguished record of Public Service having served active duty after graduation from west point 10 years and then the reserve for 11 years. We are looking forward to a good conversation. I think you have met the moderator before. He is a mutual friend, dave mccormick, the ceo of bridgewater associates. He also has a distinguished career as undersecretary secretary of the treasury and undersecretary of commerce. Dave and i worked together in the george w. Bush administration in those roles. Dave is also a graduate of west point. Nothing euro secretary esper, but they were at west point at the same point. Dave, i will turn this over to you. Thank you, nick. Secretary esper, thank you for joining us today. It is great to see you. Nick forgot to mention you were born and grew
Higher level of readiness. This is an hour. Mr. Secretary d afternoon, nicholas mr. Secretary how are you. Mark hi, nick. Nicholas i want to say what an honor it is for you, ladies and gentlemen. Bably the busiest person on the planet these days. I just want to say to welcome you what an honor it is for us ladies and gentlemen the 27 secretary of defense he has been for the past year and previously secretary of the army. Very distinguished record of Public Service activeduty after graduation from west point for ten years and then the reserve for 11 years. We look forward to a good conversation. I thank you have met our moderator before as a mutual friend of ours. From Bridgewater Associates he also has a distinguished career Public Service as under secretary of treasury and even i Work Together while we were in these two roles also a graduate of west point not the same year of secretary esper but at the same time. I will turn this over to you. Thank you. Secretary esper thank you for j
Very nice to see you its an honor to welcome you to the aspen insecurity for him. Youre probably the busiest person on the planet these days. I just want to say to welcome you what an honor it is for us ladies and gentlemen the 27 secretary of defense he has been for the past year and previously secretary of the army. Very distinguished record of Public Service activeduty after graduation from west point for ten years and then the reserve for 11 years. We look forward to a good conversation. I thank you have met our moderator before as a mutual friend of ours. From Bridgewater Associates he also has a distinguished career Public Service as under secretary of treasury and even i Work Together while we were in these two roles also a graduate of west point not the same year of secretary esper but at the same time. I will turn this over to you. Thank you. Secretary esper thank you for joining us today growing up in western pennsylvania and carry throughout your great career. I dressed appr
Public service activeduty after graduation from west point for ten years and then the reserve for 11 years. We look forward to a good conversation. I thank you have met our moderator before as a mutual friend of ours. From Bridgewater Associates he also has a distinguished Career Public Service as under secretary of treasury and even i Work Together while we were in these two roles also a graduate of west point not the same year of secretary esper but at the same time. I will turn this over to you. Thank you. Secretary esper thank you for joining us today growing up in western pennsylvania and carry throughout your great career. I dressed appropriately so were glad to have you here. Will turn it over to and then have a conversation. Thank you for that. Im glad to see you and that youre both doing well. So to say a few things up front to set the stage when i was confirmed over one year ago with the National Defense strategy. We are now in the era of great competition our chief competito