WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2020) US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will travel to a naval base in Florida next week to unveil new security vetting procedures in response to last month's mass shooting, chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters on Thursday.
On December 6, a Saudi pilot trainee opened fire at US Naval Air Station Pensacola, killing three US sailors and wounding eight others before being shot dead.
"On Wednesday and Thursday next week, Secretary Esper will travel to Naval Air Station Pensacola and the SOUTHCOM headquarters in Miami, Florida," Hoffman said. "The Secretary will... provide [an] update to the sir station leadership on the new vetting security procedures he is mandating to make our bases more secure."
Hoffman also said the Defense Department "will announce these measures shortly which will include physical security procedures as well."
While in SOUTHCOM, Esper will meet with Commander Adm. Craig Faller and be briefed on SOUTHCOM's progress in implementing national defense strategy, he added.
The Pentagon shortly after the mass shooting terminated all operational training for Saudi servicemen for an indefinite period.
