The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced today, Thursday, that U.S. Army Chief General Charles Q. Brown will join U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in his meetings in Israel over the coming days. Major General Patrick Ryder stated in a press conference that this visit will be Brown's first to the Middle East since he took office as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Austin is set to travel to the Middle East on December 16 and will also visit Qatar and Bahrain.