Pentagon assures girl they are ready to track Santa

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby reassured the public at a press conference that the Pentagon is ready to track Santa on Christmas Eve.

The subject came up after a young girl named Natalie sought confirmation on the matter. Kirby had earlier joked she should raise her hand if she had a question, but this was no joking matter.

"Admiral Kirby," she asked 25 minutes into the conference. "Are you ready to track Santa this year?"

The press corps laughed and Kirby said she and her dad could go to the website for the North American Aerospace Defense Command to track Santa as he makes his rounds Christmas Eve.

He said NORAD's Santa tracker is "set up and ready to go."

When asked what Natalie wanted for Christmas, she responded by saying a Baymax toy from the movie Big Hero 6.

"That sounds pretty sophisticated. What is that?" Kirby asked. "That sounds like something we should give the Iraqis," he added, drawing laughter in the room."

Natalie assured Kirby she had been good and he said he expected a full report as their conversation was on the record.