Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts an honor cordon to welcome Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Pentagon today at 5 p.m. EDT. The cordon will be held on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance. Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the North Parking Entrance only. Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Please call (703) 697-5131 for escort to the cordon.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England has no public or media events on his schedule.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Robert E. Livingston, deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, and the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VI, will brief live from Afghanistan at 9 a.m. EDT, March 28, in the DoD Briefing Room, Pentagon 2E579, to provide an operations update. Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the North Parking Entrance only. Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Please call (703) 697-5131 for escort into the building.