LOS ANGELES, California — War Secretary Pete Hegseth performed the swearing-in ceremony for 40 recruits during a quick stop at the city’s Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) while on his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour.
Families looked on as the Pentagon chief swore in five National Guardsmen and 35 Army soldiers last week, applauding afterwards:
Prior to delivering the enlistment oath to the recruits, Hegseth emphasized how proud he was of them for making the sacrifice to serve the United States.
“I look at this room, at these young Americans, [and] I see the best of our country. And my job as secretary of war is to serve — to serve your commanders, serve those who train you [and] serve those who prepare you — so that you are prepared, if and when that day comes, and we have your back in the process,” he said.
“Good luck and Godspeed for your training. We know you’ll make your parents, your family, your communities, your churches [and] all those you know proud,” Hegseth continued, adding, “You’re about to enter the greatest fighting force that the world has ever seen.”
Hegseth also highlighted, “We serve God, we serve the Constitution, and we serve this country.”
While the Los Angeles stop on the Arsenal of Freedom tour’s main purpose was to visit defense and aerospace firms Castelion, Divergent Technologies, and Rocket Lab, Hegseth also made a point to do an early morning workout with the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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