Hagel: US military is a 'force for good'

WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel began his first day on the job Wednesday by telling Pentagon military and civilian leaders that the military faces tremendous challenges and has made mistakes, but it remains "a force for good."

Hagel pointed to the looming budget crisis, the need to extend benefits to all military employees without discrimination and the need to work with allies. Hagel was sworn in at 8:15 a.m. to succeed Leon Panetta to lead the U.S. military.

He won Senate confirmation after weeks of debate. Members of his own Republican Party accused him of being too tepid in his support of Israel, too cozy with Iran and too willing to dismantle the U.S. nuclear arsenal. They also ripped him for opposing the 2007 surge of troops in Iraq that helped reduce violence there.

Republicans took the unprecedented move of filibustering the nomination of Hagel, a former GOP senator from Nebraska.

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