Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spent several hours Friday at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he met with soldiers and military families, as Stars and Stripes reported.

“My No. 1 priority is to defend this country,” he told a group of soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division. “My second priority is to take care of people, and I want to make sure that you have the resources that you need to be successful.”

One topic military families brought up to Austin is child care. He also discussed DOD’s work with the states on professional licensure reciprocity so military spouses can start working sooner when they get to a new duty station.

DOD photo by Chad J. McNeeley