We were all saddened to learn of the passing of former VP and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney last evening 3 November.
Mr. Cheney was our Secretary of Defense during Desert Shield and Desert Storm seeing to it we in VII Corps had all we needed after President Bush ordered our deployment 8 November 1990 for battlefield success. He asked the now famous question at the final command briefing of Theater CIC and other commanders assembled in Riyadh, “how will it all end?” He then came personally to climb on the back deck of a tank after our Victory to congratulate our Soldiers and explain why we needed a BCT from 3d AD to remain in Kuwait. His leadership as our Secretary of Defense was absolutely vital to our Coalition Victory to liberate Kuwait.
In 1998 he accepted our invitation to be our honored guest speaker at our VII Corps DSVA Reunion. From that Reunion and on our behalf, he asked former President George Bush and our ODS CIC to join us the following year in 1999. President Bush did so and attended our Memorial Service and was our inspiring honored guest speaker at our Reunion Dinner.
Denise and I join all VII Corps Veterans and Families as well as our DSVA President Mark Rado and our Board in expressing our deepest sympathies to Mrs. Cheney and their Family on their loss. We treasure our service with Mr. Cheney as our Secretary of Defense and remain grateful for his leadership in our Victory.
