Carter sworn in as 25th defense secretary

Newly sworn-in Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said his tenure would be marked by three principles: Helping President Obama make the “best possible” decisions about the nation’s security; to reflect all of his decisions upon the impact they have on the men and women serving; and to build a force capable of handling future threats.

“We’re entering the fourth quarter of this president’s tenure,” Carter said shortly after Vice President Joe Biden swore him in at the White House as the nation’s 25th secretary of defense. “These commitments I am making help me help him and the vice president ensure those years are productive and that they leave our country’s future in the best possible place.”