A statement from NDIA's Carlisle on the violence at the Capitol

ARLINGTON, VA -- Hawk Carlisle, president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association, issues the following statement on the violence that occurred Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol: 

The officers serving our military and those in our government take an oath as they assume their responsibilities — an oath I willingly took and hold sacred. That oath is not to a person or position but to the Constitution that establishes our democracy and reflects our nation’s values, including the rule of law that protects our freedoms. It is those values we seek to defend through our service and through enabling those who serve with the unsurpassed capabilities our defense industrial base provides.

The despicable acts of yesterday’s mob, egged on by irresponsible rhetoric, is anathema to those values and the foundational document that has made America the shining city on the hill that has beckoned millions to a better way of life. NDIA deplores the breakdown of the rule of law, the desecration of the Capitol Building — our temple of democracy — and the attempted obstruction of the constitutional process that has guaranteed a peaceful transfer of power for well more than 200 years. America and Americans are better than this.

NDIA and its members are dedicated to being part of the solution while continuing to be at the heart of the defense of this great nation, its people and the values we hold dear.

For media queries, contact Evamarie Socha at esocha@NDIA.org.