Defense Secretary: 'I am committed to overseeing the orderly transition to the next Commander in Chief'

WASHINGTON, DC - As Donald Trump transitions to take the highest office in the land, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter released the following memo to Department of Defense employees.

"Last night our fellow American citizens voted for a new President. That it happened freely and peacefully is a testament to the great work of this Department," Carter began in the memo.

"I am very proud of the way each and every one of you conducted yourselves during this campaign, standing apart from politics and instead focusing on our sacred mission of providing security. I am committed to overseeing the orderly transition to the next Commander in Chief."

President-elect Trump won't officially become the 45th president of the United States until Inauguration Day on January 20, 2017.

Here's the full statement: