In his first address to the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis urged the military to serve as a beacon of "unity and strength" as it has done during the nation's most divided times.
According to Stars and Stripes, Mattis focused his remarks Wednesday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., whose national day of observance occurred before Mattis was sworn in.
"In our nation's history, our military has often served as an example to the American people of unity and strength; of how a diverse group of people can be motivated by austere conditions and the grim realities of the battlefield to come together as equals," he told the mixed audience of military and civilian personnel at the Pentagon.
"Anyone who’s taken the oath has experienced that unity," he added.
"We've experienced the co-equal commitment of all hands and all ranks to one common mission – a mission that calls upon all hands to strive together, to fight together, and to watch out for each other."
President Donald Trump is expected to visit the Pentagon on Friday, the military news outlet reported.
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