Correct . Yes. Would an attack on another diplomat coming into benghazi that caused the country to pull o out. Im assuming youre referring to the attack on the british ambassador. I am. I certainly thing think its indication of instability. So those are two trip wires that you would consider insignificant, would you not . Yes, sir. And what was done with the security after those two trip wires were tripped . Sir, as i said, i was not here at that time. Well, youve read reports. Im aware that the rsos were increasing physical security. They were engaged with training in the facility. They had run drills with the annex. I think from what i read they were doing the types of things an rso would do when he sees the situation beginning to deteriorate. Well, thank you for your testimony. Thank you all for being here. And lets hope we can get some results out of this tragic event. The chairman now recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. Shift. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to thank you
It is critical. Your first 30 days on the ground, you are just trying to figure out where you are, how things are operating, where the threats are. We absolutely concur with that recommendation of taking steps to ensure that the personnel we put on the ground are there for longer periods of time. And has the department been able to achieve those requirements in its practice . Yes, it has. The fact is we dont actually have any temporary facilities at the moment. I request give you an example, though, when we just entered bengi, we have mobile security agents on the ground with u. S. Marines that are there. Those agents are going to stay for a much longer period of time. Probably up to 90 days until were sure we have the proper security that we can then start replacing them with permanent personnel were going to have on the ground. The 30day rotations as the arb pointed out were not conducive to the security operation. Are there any other incentives that the department can provide or thi
Recommended they not be used . I read reports of that, sir. Okay. You were once an rso, correct . Yes, sir. In your distinguished career, do you ever remember recommending that a service not be used . That being hired over your protest or yourar recommendation . Not in my experience, sir. Okay. But you would have at some point recommended somebody or maybe not recommended anybody . Was it your job to look at the performance of these people tht you were w aware of . When when we have barredded contracts. When we find the contractor is not performing we have variety of ways to deduct money and ultimately find theyre not performing. If theyre found to be lacking and not performing contract they can be terminated. They can be barred if that goes that far. You mentioned. February 17th, martyrs brigade i believe what it was called. We were told that was the host company security. Is that true or not . I, i would hesitate to call that host Country Security, sir. At best it probably had sop co
We have mobile security teams and agents on the ground with u. S. Marines that are there. Those agents are going to stay for much longer period of time, probably up to 90 days until we are sure that we have a proper security that we can then start replacing them with a permanent personnel that we are going to have on the ground. The 30day rotations as the arb pointed out were not conducive to security operations. Are there any incentives that the department can provide or can think to provide for personnel to undertake those longer assignments . I dont think its a question of necessary or additional incentives. I think its a question that we needed to understand that we are constantly rotating like that was not in our best interests. I think my agents clearly understand that. And i think it really isnt about additional incentives. Its about just knowing that is not the proper procedure and we need to change it. Not a great practice. Thank you for your forthright answers and i yield bac
Level of capacity and they dont have your kind of stick and background, theyll be under tremendous pressure and theyre going to say yes. I yield back. Chair thanks the gentleman from illinois and recognizes himself. It strikes me there are at least two issues at play. Two major issues. One is the efficacy of the arb process itself. Whether or not it is in our best interest to allow any entity to essentially grade its own papers. We dont do that in any other category of life. We dont get to sentence ourselves when were in court. We dont get to grade our own papers in the classroom. The other aspect of the arb is who they interviewed and didnt interview. Whether or not they have to accept recommendations or dont have to accept recommendations. Thats a separate issue, whether the arb works, whether or not it has shortcomings. Lets assume that the arb works. Lets just make that assumption for the sake of argument. Is anyone following the recommendations of the arb . Mr. Secretary, i want t