“The objective of the review is to examine the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities, and actions related to the Secretary of Defense’s hospitalization in December 2023 – January 2024, and assess whether the DoD’s policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notifications and the effective transition of authorities as may be warranted due to health-based or other unavailability of senior leadership,” the memorandum said on Wednesday.
However, the inspector general may revise or expand the scope of the review as it proceeds, the memorandum said. The memorandum, addressed to Austin and other senior Pentagon officials, requests they designate a point of contact for the review within five days.
On Tuesday, Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials said that Austin was hospitalized in early January due to an infection, following cancer surgery in late December. The failure to communicate the hospitalization to the White House has prompted bipartisan calls for Austin to leave his position.