NYPD Veterans Day Remarks by Bob Caslen

Good morning!

Thank you for that kind introduction. Commissioner Bratton, thank you so much for inviting me here today.

It’s an honor to be here to speak with you this morning. And as your neighbor from just up the Hudson River, it’s always good to come down and spend time in this great city. At West Point, we appreciate the numerous opportunities we have to take part in events throughout the five boroughs and represent America’s Academy and the United States Army. We’re also grateful for the many partnerships that have been developed and grown that allow us to enhance the educational experience for our cadets as well as enrich our connection with the people of New York City. So, on behalf of the West Point community – thank you for all you do for West Point.

For example, we were honored to have the West Point Glee Club sing the National Anthem Sunday at the Jets game and to have our cadets jump in the game ball. We were also honored to stand with you with 23 hundred of our cadets at the starting line of New York City’s annual Steven Siller’s Tunnel to Towers run and to honor the fallen men and women, to include many of your police and firefighters on that fateful day, 9/11 in 2001. They will never be forgotten.

But here today, as in many communities across America– we pause to celebrate those who have worn the cloth of our Nation and who served so proudly in the defense of the United States of America.

Since the end of World War One, our Nation has set aside this day to celebrate the men and women who served in the Armed Forces, defending our Country against “all enemies, foreign and domestic.” From the Revolutionary War to our most recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, for more almost 240 years, these men and women have answered the call of duty and country and have carried out their duty with honor.

Even though it is veterans we honor on this day, I am mindful of the daily sacrifice the men and women of the New York City police force do every day to keep this great city great and safe. So I want to acknowledge that and thank you on behalf of all of New York City’s residents and applaud what you do every day.

One of the great leaders of the 20th century and West Point graduate, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, once said, “The history of freedom is never really written by chance…but by choice.”

America’s choice of freedom manifests itself in its Constitution. “We the people” has always represented the ideals and principles of freedom. From the earliest days of our Republic to today, we remain a people committed to freedom, tolerance and inclusion of all. As President Eisenhower alluded to, we have chosen this path of freedom.

But as you know, it’s not without costs. Our freedoms and values are defended and maintained at a steep price – secured only through the blood and sacrifice of the brave men and women willing to confront the dangers of the world in order to protect our values and our way of life.

These faceless heroes have selflessly and continuously laid their sacrifice on the altar of freedom to allow us to enjoy the fruits of that freedom. I know you recognize that and appreciate what they do and what they have done over the years, or you wouldn’t even be here today. And I’ll tell you, as a Soldier for now going on my 41st year of service, it is an honor to be able to stand with you today and talk about our veterans and their incredible service and sacrifices over so many years.

If you ever have the opportunity to witness a veteran as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or face the flag during the Star-Spangled Banner, just watch them in the corner of your eye. The words are alive to them. The bond created between them and their country, represented by that flag, is indelible. They know something about the concept of selfless service to one’s nation, and to the principles which set it free and for which it stands – they know it...all too well.

President Ronald Reagan once said “Freedom is a fragile thing and it is never more than a generation from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly be each generation, for it only comers once to a people. Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again.”

If you tour our Nation’s capital, you can’t escape the tributes to generations past. Standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial is the beautiful Reflecting Pool and at the opposite end of the pool, is the World War II Memorial, built in honor of the “Greatest Generation”. Near the Lincoln Memorial, on one side you find the Korean War Memorial and on the other, the Vietnam War Memorial, honoring the service and sacrifice of the millions who served in those two conflicts.

Our veterans came from a full range of backgrounds and values, but they all shared a few things in common. Within each burned a love of freedom and the moral courage to safeguard it. Whether career Soldier or Citizen Soldier, all answered the call, and shouldered the responsibility of guarding freedom in its darkest hours – when tyrants and dictators threatened to extinguish it. How great and noble was their sacrifice.

And I think that if we could ask each one what led him or her to serve, what drove them to continue to fight at times beyond the limits of physical exertion, each would reply, “Because my friends counted on me”. They fought for the love of freedom, for the love of their Country, and for their comrades. They recognized their duty to serve their Country when their nation needed them the most, and they responded.

I know many of you have seen the movie “Saving Private Ryan”. Without a doubt, the film has left a lasting impression on this generation regarding the debt we owe to earlier generations.

The film opens with a harrowing view of the D-Day invasion of Normandy as seen through the eyes of a Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks). Through the rest of the film, Miller is given the mission to lead a search party to locate Private Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in action. The War Department has given Miller the mission to locate Ryan, who is now the only surviving son, so that he can be sent home to his grieving mother.

As the soldiers penetrate behind enemy lines, they open a Pandora’s box of moral questions. Chuck Colson, a Christian author asks some tough ethical questions. Why are these eight called to risk their lives to save one man? Don’t they have mothers too? Are they just pawns in some cynical PR maneuver by the War Department? How much is one man’s life worth?

There are no easy answers to such questions, but in the end, we see the only answer possible. Miller and most of his men have been mortally wounded. As the Captain dies, he gasps to Private Ryan, “Earn this. Live a good life. Earn this”.

In other words, men have died for you, now live a life worthy of such sacrifice. What a weight of moral duty to lie on one man’s shoulders! And yet, fifty years later, the former Private Ryan, now an old man, visits the soldiers’ graves at Normandy. As Ryan moves through the Normandy cemetery, he says, “I lived my life the best I could”. “I hope in your eyes I have earned what you have done for me”.

Today we celebrate the service and sacrifice of those who have served our Nation. Each veteran’s service is no less than what was laid on the altar of freedom by their predecessors. By raising their right hand to serve their country, each Veteran knows that there are some things worth dying for. Whether it is Country, whether it is Democracy, or Liberty, or the ability to worship as we chose without fear of prejudice or persecution, each knows the risks to our Nation and our citizens, and each of them knows the sacrifice necessary to preserve it.

Much like those generations past, today’s generation of young Americans understand the implications of what is at stake and have answered Freedom’s distress call. The so-called pundits that cite America as a declining power have not witnessed this generation in action. Rest assured – I have seen their courage, intelligence and determination first hand and can promise you that America’s future is in very good hands. The simple fact that America is able to produce such a magnificent and dynamic generation is proof positive that this country’s brightest days still lay ahead of it. When I hear those complain about what’s wrong with America, I invite them to reflect on this generation and who they really are.

Our service members today, sometimes referred to as the “9-11 generation” represent the very best of America. They are a generation of men and women that saw our nation brutally attacked, and yet they volunteered to serve – knowing full well that they would be sent into harm’s way to confront the enemies of our nation on obscure battlefields halfway around the world. Yet they never wavered or questioned; they quietly count themselves worthy to stand among the generations of Americans that have gone before them, quietly standing in the gap between the evils of the world and the values of our nation and our Constitution and the American people.

This generation of Americans is really a reflection of the people of the United States. They are an all-volunteer force, made up of citizens from all walks of life from all corners of our nation. They are a microcosm of our society, where all our country’s races, faiths or no faith, sexual orientations and creeds equally share in the task of defending our nation and its Constitution. They stand for the principles and values that you and our nation hold dear. This generation of American heroes is made up of your neighbors, friends and relatives – all of whom have answered America’s call to service during a time of war.

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. But that’s OK…they’d want it no other way, for they’re a humble, resilient and focused generation. President George H.W. Bush 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!”

They also represent our nation’s future. Among their ranks are the future leaders of our society – leaders of industries, leaders of our communities, and leaders of our nation.

And 50 years from now, their grandchildren will read in their history books about their truly selfless and humble service; a service that has protected the free world from tyranny and evil. For they have restored freedom and inspired hope where it did not exist. They have confronted and repulsed extremism, violence and exclusion in all corners of the world. Much like generations before them, they seek moderation, tolerance and inclusion for all humanity. They protect, defend and advocate for the downtrodden and defenseless. They are indeed a reflection of what America stands for.

Allow me to share a couple of stories of Soldiers that I believe epitomize what I’m talking about.

About six years ago, when I was a division commander in Iraq, on an Easter Sunday morning, I stood in the corner of the operating room of our combat support hospital at our base in northern Iraq, watching Private Brandon Marraco, a native of this great city from Staten Island, receive 56 pints of blood to keep his body alive. Brandon lost all four of his limbs when an IED hit him on the driver’s side of his vehicle, as well as two inches from the jugular vein in his neck. Soldiers were lined up all night, donating pint after pint of blood, just to save their buddy. We didn’t know if Brandon would make it. But six weeks later, during my R&R leave, I stopped by Walter Reed in Washington DC and saw him. There sat an energetic, spunky Brandon Marroco, surrounded by his family, telling me he was going to walk off the place to meet his platoon when they returned from Iraq. And sure enough, six months later, Brandon flew to Honolulu to join his unit in the welcome home celebrations. His platoon all had gate-side passes and greeted him when his plane arrived. After everyone else on the plane got off, down the ramp came Brandon Marroco with two prosthetic legs, walking into the cheering arms of his buddies in his platoon.

I also had the honor several years ago to meet Major Scotty Smiley, the first blind Soldier to remain on active duty. Scotty lost his eyesight in 2005 when a suicide car bomber exploded in front of his Stryker vehicle while he was standing in the commander’s hatch in Mosul, Iraq. Despite that, Scotty went on to command a company of Soldiers at West Point and taught a leadership class for cadets in his free time. He didn’t really have to teach it – all he really had to do was show up. Scotty was also selected as the Army Times’ Soldier of the Year, won an ESPY in 2008 as Best Outdoor Athlete, completed an MBA at Duke University, has spoken to motivate Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Olympic Dream Team. He’s climbed Mount Rainer, surfed in Hawaii. Today, he’s an assistant professor of military science at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and this past summer, Scotty completed an Ironman Triathlon in Idaho.

And just a couple of months ago, I met Major Chris Dean, who was this year’s recipient of the Nininger Award, an annual award given by West Point’s Association of Graduates to an exemplar of heroic action in battle, who embodies West Point’s values of Duty, Honor, Country. In April 2004, Chris – then a First Lieutenant – led his platoon through intense action to save 19 trapped Soldiers who were under attack in Sadr City, Iraq. In two separate, but continuous actions over a four-hour period, Chris and his platoon engaged the enemy. Even though Chris was injured in the attack, suffering wounds to his neck and arm, he kept fighting and his leadership ensured the success of the mission. Chris was awarded the Silver Star for his exceptional bravery under fire.

Where do we find such men and women? Where does the nation find such selfless service and sacrifice? The fact is that we find them right among you – the great American people, in communities all across this great land – from neighborhoods right here in the five boroughs… the farmlands of Kansas and Iowa… the quiet coastal towns and villages in New England or the Pacific Northwest…the mountain homes of Colorado…the desert homes of the Southwest … from small rural towns to major metropolises – you’ll find them, with a desire to serve, and to stand in the gap when their nation needs them the most.

Without your loyalty and support of our service members and their families and the values of our nation, we could never put together such an Army as we have today and accomplish the incredibly challenging missions given to them.

I’d like to leave you with a brief thought, one that sums up the reason so many of us are gathered here today, and in ceremonies such as this throughout the United States. And that thought is this: our shared belief that America is the greatest country in the world. The reason for this belief is very simple – it is because of the brave men and women, including many of you here today, that have stood up to be counted when freedom was threatened – sacrificing so much in the process.

In closing, I ask that we all remember all our service members and our first responders, who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. We are forever indebted to them for their service and sacrifice. May be always be worthy of their sacrifice, or to echo the words of Private Ryan: I hope that we have earned what they have done for us.

May we also remember those that are, at this very moment, standing watch for us around the globe in the name of freedom and democracy.

May God bless each and every one of you here today, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Thank you.