THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
3010 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-3010

October 2, 2001

Dear Industry Partners:

In the wake of our nation's recent shift to a war footing, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the tremendous contributions your companies make to our nation's security. If past conflicts are any guide, your products will prove just as indispensable to our success in the arduous task ahead as the superb young Americans who will operate and utilize them.

I would also like to stress, during this national emergency, the importance of the use of discretion in all the public statements, press releases, and communications made by your respective companies, and by your major suppliers. As we all know, even seemingly innocuous industrial information can reveal much about military activities and intentions to the trained intelligence collector. Statistical, production, contracting, and delivery information can convey a tremendous amount of information that hostile intelligence organizations might find relevant. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has recently stressed the importance of security in this new national environment. This is doubly important in light of the potentially domestic nature of the threat at hand.

Thank you again for your hard work and contributions, and for those of your respective work forces. Together we will prevail.

Sincerely,

E.C. "Pete" Aldridge, Jr.
Under Secretary of Defense (AT&L)