193rd Infantry Brigade Military Ball Columbia, South Carolina

Good evening everyone— it’s great to be here at Fort Jackson for the 193rd Infantry Brigade Military Ball.

I served in the Army 43 years, retired in 2018, and it is a distinct honor to be with you all today. Thank you for inviting me to speak at this wonderful event and thank-you for your kind words. To tell the truth, it rubs against my conviction that duty is its own reward, and those called to serve should seek no recognition for simply doing their duty. But it is humbling to be with you all this evening and thank-you for inviting Shelly and me.

I’ve been retired now a little over a year and a half and coming to be with you this evening is a day of memories and a day of reflection. Going all the way back to when I was first interested in joining the Army. So, forgive me as I reflect a bit and share some of my thoughts about serving these past 43 years.

When I was thinking about coming to West Point back in 1971, the Vietnam War was going on, and all my teachers in HS had found ways not to go to war. They were all trying to convince me not to go to West Point because I would be one of those “baby killers”.

But instead I saw some of the opportunities that the Army brings and decided to go anyway. I knew I could go to West Point for two years for free and at a time when I would have to pay for my own college tuition, it sounded like a good deal.

CTLT (the 3rd LT program) was an important milestone for me. I remember going to FT Richardson with a platoon that had come back from Vietnam over the past year. The platoon was a wreck. We were conducting a movement to contact exercise where a group of about 4-5 soldiers left the formation and went off to the side of the formation and stopped. I asked the PSG what the heck they were doing, and he said, “Don’t worry about that Sir – they are just smoking some dope and will be right back with us”. The Army was in shambles back then, but I recalled that the Soldiers were thirsting for leadership. Regardless of drug problems, racial, or other ill-discipline incidents, all they wanted was the comradery from share hardships with their brothers, and to follow leaders who cared and who would lead, and lead from the front.

But it was also at that moment when I realized I could do this. And the longer I stayed, the more I was attracted to the brotherhood, and the sisterhood, and the comradery of rain paltering down the back of your neck, freezing your butt off, mosquitos bites that just would never quit, and the pure joy of accomplishing a mission knowing you have the trust and confidence of not only your immediate leaders, but also of our client in the profession of arms, the American people.

I’ll never forget my first BN commander, and the story he told us lieutenants once, of his Soldiers looking him in the eye on the airplane, on the way to Vietnam. He knew they were looking at him knowing he did everything in his power to train them and develop them, and to give them every chance to accomplish their mission and to come home back to their loved ones.

And then 10 years later as we were getting ready to deploy to Desert Shield/Desert Storm, I’ll never forget the mother of one of my LT’s driving for 2 days straight to see her son go off to war, and then looked me in the eye to see if I was worthy to lead her son and to bring him back home to his mother.

And then there were those who we were not able to bring home, like the 57 men and women from my Division in northern Iraq. I remember holding the body of LT Dan Hyde soon after he was killed in Iraq, who just a year and a half before was our 4th Regimental cadet commander when I was his Commandant at West Point. And then to be there comforting his Mom and Dad when the Division returned home without their son. I have worn his bracelet not only in his memory so that I will never forget his incredible sacrifice, but also to never forget the sacrifice of the men and women who have served our Country for so many years and so many wars.

And I remember SPC Brandon Marocco’s platoon greeting him at the Honolulu airport, as Brandon walked off of the plane with his two prosthetic legs and two prosthetic arms to the arms of his waiting platoon in their post deployment reunion. I remember standing in the CASH operating room on Easter morning when the doctors were trying to save Brandon’s life, and a hundred Soldiers were lined up all night donating 48 pints of blood to keep Brandon alive. 4 months earlier when I visited Brandon in Walter Reed during my R&R leave, Brandon told me he would be at Schofield to greet his platoon mates when they returned from the deployment. At the time I thought it was not practical for Brandon to be there, but this spunky little fighter would not be denied, and sure enough with 4 prosthetic limbs, he walked off of that plane to the greeting arms of his entire platoon. There was not a dry eye in the entire airport for those watching this reunion. And there was nothing, nothing more that this Soldier wanted than to be a part, once again, of his Brothers in Arms.

I remember when my father brought me to West Point on the day we new cadets had to report. The night before, we stayed at my grandfather’s house a couple hours away in Connecticut, and my grandfather rode with my Dad and me when we drove to report for reception-day. My grandfather was an immigrant from Italy from the early 1900’s, and the military was something he always respected and admired. He knew about West Point and what it stood for, but never saw how one of his grandsons could ever get to go to a place like this. As we got the main road, heading down the side road toward the main gate, he yelled at my father who was driving to “stop the car”. So, my father pulled over and asked him what was up. He said to my father and me, “I’m getting out; you two keep going and do what you have to do”. Then he said something I’ll never forget. He said “I am not worthy to step foot on West Point; it is sacred ground. You keep going and come back and pick me up later on”. I said “Grandpa, get in the car; let’s go; it’s going to be a long day and you’re going with us”.

I remember getting off the plane in Doha, Saudi Arabia in Desert Shield with 120 degrees of oven heat blasting us in the face. And then remember living in the desert for 7 months straight, learning how to wash your butt with water and soap in your helmet liner. And I will never forget the pure joy of coming home, getting off that airplane hugging my wife and kids, and then watching that captain hug his Mom who had come to see me about a year before that.

I will never forget the faces of old friends, Soldiers, Non-commissioned officers, mentors. Faces who had lives changed. Faces of those who disciplined me, cared for me, mentored me, and lifted me.

As I reflect, I am glad that I stayed on passed my free 2 years at West Point, but my next decision was whether to stay past the 5-year obligation or not. When I married my wife 2 years after I graduated, I remember telling her that she only had 3 more years to put up with being an Army spouse.

But Shelly and I grew into this and when that time came to leave, we knew we never could. I fell in love with these Soldiers, these men and women who only wanted to serve their country and to be led by leaders who cared and who held them to the highest of standards. They all are Americans, and they all want to be winners and to hang around winners. And sooner than later, I learned that I never wanted to do anything but be a Soldier and my dream has been a reality for these last 43 years.

Do I miss it? Oh yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. When I look in my rear-view mirror, I know I am better for it and I would gladly do it all over again.

Since our nation’s founding, more than 42 million Americans have donned the cloth of our nation, to stand in the gap between the American people and the values we hold dear, and the evil that is out there that would threaten those values. More than one million of them would lose their lives in service to this nation - faceless heroes who selflessly and continuously laid their sacrifice down to allow us to enjoy the fruits of that freedom.

You are part of that 42 million, who have come from various backgrounds and values, and you all share a few things in common. Within each of you, I would argue, burns a love of freedom, and the moral courage to safeguard it. You all have answered the call of duty and shouldered the responsibility of guarding freedom in its darkest hours – when tyrants and dictators threatened to extinguish it. Your sacrifice is both great and noble.

And yet, if I were to ask each one what led you to serve, and what drove you to continue to fight at times beyond the limits of physical exertion, I bet you would reply, “Because my friends counted on me.” You may have fought for the love of freedom, for the love of your Country, but I know you have been out there because of the man and woman to your left and your right.

I’d like to take you back for a moment to September 2, 1945. On this date onboard the U.S.S. Missouri, the Japanese delegation formally signed the instrument of surrender to General MacArthur, marking the official end of World War II and the return of American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and coast guardsmen.

Standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC is the beautiful Reflecting Pool and at the opposite end of the pool, is the World War II Memorial, built in honor of the men and women who fought in this war, now known as the “Greatest Generation”.

This “Greatest Generation” came from a full range of backgrounds and values, and they too shared a couple things in common. They also had a love of freedom, and the courage to secure it. And knowing of their humble beginnings and the societal challenges they came from prior to this war, their sacrifice was indeed immense.

This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, grew up amid extreme poverty during the Great Depression, and with that experience, they left to serve in the war. They certainly faced challenges of survival and sacrifice during the war itself, and when it was time to return home, they learned from their experiences how to overcome and find solutions to seemingly impossible challenges.

As author Stephan Ambrose said, “in fact these were the men who built modern America. They had learned to work together in the armed services. They had seen enough destruction; they wanted to construct. They built the Interstate Highway system, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the suburbs and more. They had seen enough killing; they wanted to save lives. They licked polio and made other revolutionary advances in medicine. They had learned in the Army the virtues of a solid organization and teamwork, and the value of individual initiative, inventiveness, and responsibility. They developed the modern corporation while inaugurating revolutionary advances in science and technology, education and public policy”.

This generation knew the difference between right and wrong, and they didn’t want to live in a world in which wrong prevailed. So, they fought, and won, and we - all of us, living and yet to be born, must be forever grateful.

They also had access to a GI Bill that provided opportunities to combine their profound leadership experiences with the education necessary to lead our nation into the future. Quite simply, what we found was that when you combine that grit, determination, discipline, teamwork, perseverance, commitment and vision with an education that provides the intellect to accomplish that vision, you have the American infrastructure, education systems, and economy that we have today.

Fast forward 55 years, I was in the Pentagon almost 19 years ago on September 11th, 2001 when American Airline flight 77 hit the Pentagon within an hour after it departed Dulles Airport. As we evacuated and stood there watching the Pentagon burn, I knew life as we knew it was going to change dramatically.

And it most certainly has, and what I have admired more over the last 19 years was the response of today’s generation of Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, to what occurred to our Nation that day, and how they responded to the untold demands on them and their families.

Much like those generations past, today’s generation of young Americans, including all of you here today, understand what is at stake and continue to answer freedom’s distress call. Those who would cite America as a declining power have not witnessed you all in action. I have seen your courage, intelligence and determination firsthand and I know without a doubt that America’s future is in very good hands.

Often referred to as the “9-11 generation, you truly represent America’s best. You are a generation of men and women that saw our nation brutally attacked and they have seen their country at war nearly their entire lives, and yet they volunteered to serve – knowing full well that you would be sent into harm’s way to confront the enemies of our nation on obscure battlefields halfway around the world. Yet you did so without wavering – and are quietly standing in the gap between the evils of the world and the values of our nation and our Constitution and the American people.

In addition to the 9/11 generation that chose to serve after that date, today’s service men and women are equally amazing. Most who join today were not even born when 9/11 occurred, including some of you here today, yet you still chose to serve despite the fact that their nation has been at war their entire life. And despite knowing the many other safer options available, they too have chosen to stand in this gap to continue to keep our country safe. You all are an amazing group of men and women, and it is so important that we acknowledge your service and sacrifice.

I know many of you have seen the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” which, I feel has left a lasting impression on this generation regarding the debt we owe to earlier generations.

The film opens with a harrowing picture of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, seen through the eyes of Captain Miller – played by Tom Hanks. Throughout the film, Miller leads a search party to find Private Ryan, whose three brothers had just been killed in action. Ryan is the sole surviving son who is to be sent home to his grieving mother.

Chuck Colson, a Christian author, summarizes the tough questions that the soldiers face now that they are going behind enemy lines. Why are these eight men called to risk their lives to save one? Don’t they have mothers too? Are they pawns in a cynical PR maneuver by the War Department? Just how much is one man’s life worth?

These questions have no easy answers, but if you recall the final scene, we see the only possible one. Miller and most of his Soldiers have been mortally wounded, and as the captain takes his dying breath, he pulls Private Ryan close and says “earn this….earn it,” referring to the sacrifice he and his men made to find Private Ryan and to bring him to safety. In other words, men have died for you. Now live a life worthy of such a sacrifice. Such an incredible weight of moral duty to be placed on one man’s shoulders.

The movie then jumps to the present day – about 50 years later - with an older Private Ryan and his family visiting the American cemetery at Normandy. As Ryan kneels at the graves of Captain Miller and the others, with tears in his eyes, he says “I lived my life the best I could. I hope that, in your eyes, I have earned what all of you have done for me.”

Many in this country don’t yet fully realize the incredible value and impact that this 9/11 generation is having and will continue to have on our society. And even if America does not acknowledge your sacrifice with respect to the life they currently have, that is OK. Duty is its own reward, and those of us who were called to serve seek no recognition for simply doing our duty. Our values include duty, honor, country, as well as humility, resilience, and character. The opportunity to serve our Nation is its own reward. But when you do walk in the Mall and see couples hand in hand, or look at a mom and dad who love their children, who go where they want, who become whom they want to become -- you have to have great pride for the life they are leading and the freedom they are enjoying, are in itself, your legacy of service.

President George H.W. Bush once said, “If anyone tells you that America’s best days are behind her, they’re looking the wrong way.” I truly believe that our nation’s best days are ahead of us – because of the incredible men and women of this generation who wear the cloth of our nation, who say every day “Send Me!”

Today, I’d like to leave you with a brief thought, one that sums up the reason that so many of us are gathered here today, and that is the belief that America is the greatest country in the world. The reason for this belief is simple; it is because brave men and women like all of you here today, have stood up and defended freedom, sacrificing so much in the process.

What makes this country so special are not our accomplishments but how we bounce back from adversity. How we beat back our fears. How we soldier through challenges and problems. This is what great people are able to do.

We talk about the resilience of our troops and our families. You have carried our country into battle. You have been magnificent and you will never let us down. This generation, and all of you who are now blessed to serve, will continue to do your duty and ensure our nation remains strong.

The freedoms and privileges that Americans enjoy today are a direct result of those who have sacrificed to defend their country. To you who have served your Nation – and are serving your nation now – and with honor – thank you. You do your part every day to preserve the values and greatness of our Nation and the American people.

And I pray we never become numb to the meaning of Duty, Honor, and Country. These high ethical values have inspired ordinary common Americans to conduct not so ordinary, great and heroic deeds. And as a result, they have secured the great freedoms and privileges we enjoy today.

And as our Country’s values are tested again, we must be grateful for the men and women from across this great Nation, who continually rise to the occasion to preserve our values and our way of life.

And to all of you here today – and all of our veterans who have served previously – those of you who are and who have stood in the gap to keep our Nation what it is today -- thank you for choosing the difficult path, and for choosing to serve our nation and its people.

I love our veterans. When a veteran puts his or her hand over their heart to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or to face the flag during the Star Spangle Banner, just take a second and watch them. The words are alive to them. The bond created between the veteran and his or her country, represented by that flag, is indelible. Selfless service to their country; and to the principles which set it free, and for which it now stands. The Veteran knows it well.

But to all of you tonight, thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made and will continue to make and thank-you for the long journey ahead.

I’d also like to take a moment to recognize your families and loved ones who have supported you on this journey. Their support will be essential to you as you face the challenges of your careers. But thank you to each of you for supporting your Soldier every day.

The spouse and the children never get the credit or the recognition. But we could never do our job without your service, and your sacrifice, and your support. You are the ones who must fix the broken washing machine or take the call from the teacher that Johnny is not doing his homework, or the principal saying your son is sitting in his office. There is no higher calling of selfless service, and there is nothing more selfless than supporting your husband or wife in service to our Nation. You should know that our whole Army stands in appreciation of your sacrifice and dedication as well.

In closing, I’d like to share a quote from Teddy Roosevelt – modified by me for today’s gender-neutral warrior:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man or woman who points out how the strong one stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man and woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself and herself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his or her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

You are the men and women in the arena. History will gloriously record what you and your fellow soldiers have accomplished for not only our country, but also for the men and women of the free world, who thirst for democracy and seek moderation, toleration, and inclusion for all human beings.

You are the men and women who believe in the power of our Army and our Nation’s values. You are the ones who confront the menace of extremism and who seek to expand opportunity and decency for all who thirst for it.

Few Soldiers in our history have faced a greater challenge. But in this challenge, you reflect the very best in our Nation. You have been called – and you answered -- as have generations who have gone before them. As the Prophet Isaiah once said, “Here am I, Send me”. You will take it to the next level, and you will never let the American people down.

As our former Commander in Chief said of each of you and your generation: “Long after they are laid to rest – when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today’s service men and women are veterans, and their children have grown – it will be said that this generation believed under the most trying of tests; believed in perseverance – not just when it was easy, but when it was hard, that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this Nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples”.

Thank you and Beat Navy!

Thank-you and Beat Clemson!