President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin answers questions during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Reuters/Pool
* Austin said there will be a pause in regular activities in the next 60 days
* He underscored the need to rid the military of 'racists and extremists'
* Austin made history when he was confirmed as first black defense secretary
* It comes after former military members participated in the Capitol siege
The U.S. military on Wednesday acknowledged it was unsure about how to address white nationalism and other extremism in its ranks, and announced plans for military-wide stand-downs pausing regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue.
The decision to a hold a stand-down was made by Lloyd Austin, who made history by becoming the military's first Black defense secretary after a long career rising in the ranks of the Army.
In his confirmation hearing, Austin underscored the need to rid the military of 'racists and extremists'.
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