Secretary Mattis Media Availability Prior to Honor Cordon

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES N. MATTIS:  I have to come talk to the boss. Oh, man, now I get waterboarded (inaudible).

(Laughter)

CNN CORRESPONDENT BARBARA STARR:  The legacy, the military legacy of Senator McCain.  Just on that point.  This is a man who is so remembered for his service as a prisoner of war, and the Vietnam era. What do you want…

MATTIS:  And also the Forrestal fire.  His plane was the one that was initially hit.

STARR:  So what do want young troops today to understand about the Vietnam POW generation.  It’s so far in the back, it’s so far in years past for them. 

MATTIS:  Hmm, that’s fair.

STARR:  What do you think young troops today need to understand about people like Senator McCain and his service as a prisoner of war, and the other Vietnam POWs.

STAFF:  Sir, the delegation is arriving soon.

MATTIS:  I think it’s primarily that they understand that the level of a country to – that if you cherish the country it carry you through the toughest of times.  There’s nothing; there’s no battle that can be thrown at you; there’s no POW status that can – that can take that away from you.  And it will sustain you all the way through. I’d even go so far as to say his character is going to light a path forward for what we’re looking for in the character of military, peacetime, wartime, routine, crisis.  If you look at his example, that – that is what I – I think you will see. 

So two things.  One, it builds your internal strength, and the second is it allows you to endure the most demanding stressful conditions.

STARR:  And when you found out you were to be asked to be a pallbearer at his funeral at the Academy – your thoughts?

MATTIS:  I’ve known that for months.  And, it’s an honor.

STARR:  You knew he was asking you?

MATTIS:  I’ve known it for many months.  Now … (inaudible)

Q:  Were you disappointed by the reaction by the White House?

MATTIS:  (inaudible) We’re focusing on the senator, on a lieutenant commander who gets shot down, on an officer who is held as a prisoner, and said first out – first in, first out.  We’re not – we’re not getting into anything more than that, just respect for him. 

I need to get over now, but thank you.