botho want to thank you for your tremendous leadership of the defense department and what you mean to our men and women and their families all over the world. the honor i've had to serve with each of you, and the privilege. it has been in every way. i want to thank the entire leadership team at the pentagon. without their support and wise counsel over the last couple of years, our many accomplishments -- and the president noted some -- i have been part of that. but it's a piece -- it's a team. --s all these tremendous win men and women, as you know, mr. president, and i could not be prouder of them and what we've accomplish in a almost two years i had the honor of serving of -- in this position. and mr. president, as i have noted, i have today submitted my resignation for secretary of defense. it has been the greatest privilege of my life to lead, and most important, to serve, to serve with the men and women of -- dispense department defense department and their families. i'm immensely proud of what we have accomplished during this time. we have prepared ourselves, as the president ha