THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE AND RIGHT AT THE BEGINNINGS OF YOUR VITAL DISCUSSIONS DURING THE MANEUVER WARFIGHTERS CONFERENCE. MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO THE MCOE COMMANDER MG SCOTT MILLER, CSM GUDEN; ARMOR SCHOOL COMMANDANT, BG SCOTT MCKEAN, CSM CLEMENTS; CSM (RET) GEORGE DESARIO DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ARMOR, FOR THIS TRULY THOUGHTFUL AND MOVING HONOR. DISTINGUISHED GENERAL OFFICERS, GUESTS, SO MANY I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH OVER THE YEARS, FELLOW SOLDIERS.
I AM DEEPLY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE AMONG THIS DISTINGUISHED GROUP OF ARMOR COMMANDERS HERE AT FT. BENNING WHERE MY FAMILY AND I SPENT A YEAR A LONG TIME AGO NOW. AND IT HAS BEEN 50 YEARS SINCE MY OWN GRADUATION IN THIS BUILDING FROM INFANTRY OFFICERS CAREER COURSE. IT WAS MY HONOR TO KNOW PERSONALLY EACH OF THOSE ON THIS COMMANDERS WALL EXCEPT FOR GEN GEORGE PATTON (AND FIELD MARSHAL ROMMEL).
OUR ARMY PROFESSION IS ONE OF ACTION. WE ACCOMPLISH MISSIONS FOR OUR NATION. WE ADVANCE THE COLORS. WE ARE AT THE TIP OF THE SABER OR POINT OF THE BAYONET. OUT FRONT WITH CAVALRY AS WE SAW IN OUR VII CORPS DESERT STROM ATTACK, THE ATTACK TO BAGHDAD IN 2003, OR AT COP KEATING IN 2009. WE ARE RELENTLESS IN PURSUIT OF OUR MISSIONS, NO QUIT, MISSION FIRST, DRIVEN TO ACCOMPLISHING THEM, BUT ALWAYS AT LEAST COST TO THOSE ENTRUSTED TO OUR COMMAND. YET, AS WE ALL KNOW, NO SOLDIER, NO LEADER, OFFICER OR NCO, NONE OF US, DOES ANYTHING ALONE IN THE ARMY. WE ARE A TEAM, ACTUALLY A TEAM OF TEAMS. AND SO THIS HONOR TRULY BELONGS TO ALL THOSE IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS THEIR COMMANDER IN THE 11TH ACR BLACKHORSE THREE TIMES (ALLONS), 3D ACR BRAVE RIFLES, 7TH ATC (TRAINED AND READY), 1ST ARMORED DIVISION OLD IRONSIDES IRON SOLDIERS, VII CORPS JAYHAWKS, AND TRADOC. AT THE END OF DESERT STORM IN VII CORPS, AFTER WE HAD FINISHED OUR AARS, WE ALL CONCLUDED IT WAS OUR FOCUS ON OUR TRAINING, OUR COMBINED ARMS TEAMWORK, AND ESPECIALLY OUR SKILLED, TOUGH SOLDIERS AND LEADERS WHO TOOK THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY IN SANDSTORMS AND RAIN UNDER ALL CONDITIONS THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR RAPID AND SUCCESSFUL 89 HOUR 250 KM LEFT HOOK ATTACK INTO IRAQ TO LIBERATE KUWAIT AS PART OF THE COALITION TEAM.
SO, AFTER MY OWN OVER 55 YEARS NOW OF ACTIVE AND RETIRED SERVICE, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT SOLDIERS ARE STRATEGIC. STRATEGIC IN THE SENSE OF A SIGNAL OF NATIONAL COMMITMENT, AND STRATEGIC IN THE SENSE OF OUR DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE THEM THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE VICTORY AS YOU ARE DISCUSSING HERE AT THIS CONFERENCE. THEY ARE OUR STRENGTH, AND IT IS THEY WHO ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR VICTORIES AND BATTLEFIELD SUCCESS.
‘DON’T WORRY, GENERAL, WE TRUST YOU’ ONE OF OUR NCOS SAID TO ME JUST BEFORE WE ATTACKED. IN AN INSTANT THAT NCO CAPTURED A BASIC TRUTH OF SOLDIERING AS NCOS FREQUENTLY DO WHEN WE TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THEM. AS LEADERS WE GAIN AND MAINTAIN THEIR TRUST BY OUR DEVOTION TO THEM AND THEIR SUCCESS AS PART OF OUR TEAMS. FOR I TRULY BELIEVE THAT TO LEAD IS ALSO TO SERVE. TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR THEIR SUCCESS. TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON THEM, NOT THE LEADER. AND WHEN WE GET TO BE SENIOR COMMANDERS, THEN THAT TRUST IS ALSO FULFILLED BY OUR SEEING TO IT THAT WHAT WE ASK OUR SOLDIERS TO DO AND THEIR SELFLESS COURAGE AND SACRIFICE DOING THAT, ADDS UP TO BATTLEFIELD SUCCESS AND VICTORY.
IN A FEW DAYS WE WILL MARK THE 13TH YEAR SINCE THE UNPROVOKED AND SURPRISE ATTACK BY ISLAMIC TERRORISTS ON OUR NATION AND WE WILL HONOR AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED THAT DAY. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO HONOR AND REMEMBER MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES WHO SOON AFTER THAT DATE STRUCK BACK AND CONTINUE TO DO SO EVEN TODAY IN AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ, AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY ARE CALLED ON TO DO SO. SOLDIERS AND LEADERS OF OUR ARMY, WHO DID NOT QUIT WHEN OTHERS DID, WHOSE BATTLEFIELD COURAGE, SKILL, ADAPTABILITY, SELFLESS SERVICE AND DEVOTION TO EACH OTHER, AND YES, SACRIFICE, HAS INSPIRED ALL OF AMERICA THESE PAST 13 YEARS. YOU WENT AGAIN AND AGAIN GAINING SUCCESS IN CONDITIONS AS TOUGH AS ANY OUR NATION HAS EVER SENT OUR ARMY INTO, AND YOUR FAMILIES SERVED WITH THEIR OWN BRAND OF COURAGE. I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO LISTEN TO STORIES AND EXPERIENCES IN MY DUTIES MENTORING AND TEACHING AT WEST POINT MANY FROM THOSE IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE TO TEACH, ONE OF WHOM IS HERE THIS MORNING, CPT PEYTON HOLTZ, COMBAT VETERAN OF 101ST AND 1ST RANGER BN NOW A STUDENT HERE AT MCCC. LISTENED TO NCOS AND OFFICER LEADERS AT OUR ANNUAL BATTLE COMMAND CONFERENCES NOW MISSION COMMAND. LISTENED RIVETED IN HUSHED SILENCE THIS PAST FEBRUARY WITH OVER 300 OTHERS AS SSG TY CARTER, MOH RECIPIENT, DESCRIBED ACTIONS AT COP KEATING. WATCHED WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND RESPECT AS THIS GENERATION OF COMBAT AMPUTEES RETURNED TO THE FIGHT OR CONTINUED TO SERVE AS THEY ARE HERE. THIS GENERATION, ALL OF YOU SERVING, MY OWN PROFOUND THANKS AND RESPECT. YOU CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO EARN THE RIGHT TO BE CALLED OUR NEXT– GREATEST GENERATION.
I NEVER REALLY WANTED TO BE ANYTHING ELSE BUT A SOLDIER SERVING IN ARMOR AND CAVALRY IN THE SPIRIT OF MOUNTED COMBINED ARMS. THAT I WAS PERMITTED TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING AMPUTATION OF MY LEFT LEG BELOW THE KNEE FOLLOWING COMBAT WOUNDS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK UP AGAIN AND GO ON, AIDED BY MY WIFE NOW OF OVER 55 YEARS, DENISE, OUR DAUGHTER AND NOW HER FAMILY, AND BY MY FELLOW SOLDIERS, HAS BEEN LIFE’S GREAT PRIVILEGE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS MOVING HONOR TODAY THAT TRULY BELONGS TO ALL THOSE WHO IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS THEIR COMMANDER.
