Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following:
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel called Australian Defence Minister Kevin Andrews this evening to congratulate him on his new position.
Secretary Hagel praised Australia's support to counter-the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) operations in Iraq, and reiterated his thanks for Australia's contributions to Afghanistan during this critical time of transition.
Secretary Hagel also noted the progress made on force posture initiatives over the past few years and his hope that this momentum will continue.