SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: [Applause] What an amazing day. What an incredible opportunity. I thought I had the best job in the country. I don't think I do. Major General Work, thank you. Congratulations. Appreciate your actions, your words and your leadership, along with Command Sergeant Major Delapena, two of the best jobs in the country, best jobs in the world.
It is an absolute honor to be here not just amongst the current but amongst the past [applause], amongst those who stand the line and those who stood the line. Those who fight and those who support. This here I know is a community. It means the world for me and my staff to be here; there is nowhere I would rather be. We've had this day circled on our calendar in the Pentagon for quite some time.
It is great to be here at Fort Bragg — it is Fort Bragg again. [Applause] I was going to call it Liberty. Give me liberty or give me death, I love it; but give me Fort Bragg every day of the week. [Applause] You see this formation out here, this beautiful formation as I look, a message from our commander-in-chief — from your commander-in-chief — from President Donald J. Trump. [Applause]
We know that all of you, Americas 911, that you have our back. The message from the commander-in-chief, straight from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is he has your back. [Applause] I get a chance to watch it every day in the Oval Office, on foreign trips, wherever he is, he is laser-focused on putting America and Americans first and ensuring peace through strength.
So, as you train, as you prepare, as you are the tip of the spear, know that you are serving under a commander-in-chief who has your interests in mind with every decision that he makes. Now one of those decisions he made is choosing a Secretary of Defense [applause] and, you know, some folks out there, some of — we've got — our friends in the fake news media are here. [Laughter]
Some of them said, critics might say you can't choose an army major to be the Secretary of Defense. It has to be — well, one of our many distinguished generals or Congressmen or business leaders or corporate leaders, wonderful. There's many incredible Americans. One of the critiques was we need somebody that can think strategically, big picture.
We can't have a guy who thinks like the troops, to which I say “hell, yeah, we can have a guy that thinks like the troops.” [Applause] You see, my job is to think strategically, operationally, but also understand the tactical. I have stood, not that long ago, in a
formation like this one, and if you didn't hear it please rest. Double rest, if that's a command from the Secretary of Defense. [Laughter]
I've been in that formation, loosening my knees, taking a deep breath, gazing over the horizon, sweating and wondering what time it is but I can't move my arm. I've been in your boots — not yours. The 101st is not the 82nd. [Applause] I'll admit that on a day like today. Not quite your boots or your beret, but close.
And so, as I thought about this speech, I have an amazing staff, a wonderful staff who — and a great speechwriting team, and they put together a binder of 27 pages. I mean, it's like the Gettysburg Address meets the State of the Union, Churchill meets Reagan. But then I thought — wait. The last thing I want if I'm standing in formation is a 27-page speech. So, I will spare you that today. [Applause]
The old timers appreciate that one because they can sound that off. I recognize in many ways many of the aspirations, thoughts, anxieties, fears — dreams that you have standing in formation, you and your families. My job is to stay focused on you and our warfighters every single day.
So, my message today is simple and on behalf of the president. We're going to bring it back to the basics — the basics, sir, that you talk so much about that the 82nd airborne is focused on. We're going to restore the warrior ethos, and we are across our formations a standard that's set here every single day.
We will focus on readiness, on training, on warfighting, on accountability, on standards. Black, white, male, female — doesn't matter. We're going to be color blind and merit-based warfighters, just like you are here in the 82nd. [Applause]
We're also taking care of our people. It's not just training, it's not just beans and bullets, it's families, it's historic investment in barracks and housing, in health care, and yes, in pay. There's a big increase coming for E-1 to E-4.
Also, I've got a bit of an announcement today that might be of interest to this community. For the first time in 25 years, here the Secretary of Defense through the Secretary of the Army, we are increasing jump pay. [Applause]
Not only are we increasing jump pay, but for the first time jumpmasters, who have never been compensated additionally for that additional duty, are going to receive an additional $150 a month in incentive pay. [Applause] So, here's to our jump — our paratroopers, our jumpmasters, who do the difficult things in difficult places that most Americans can never imagine.
But I want you to know inside the corridors of the Pentagon, you are on our mind with the decisions that we make in budgets, in planning, in deployments, in orders, in reorganizations — we have you and your families in mind.
We're also going to rebuild our military. President Trump is committed to historic investments inside our formations. Our promise to you is that when the 82nd airborne is deployed, if we have to call 911 for America's Response Force, you will be equipped better than any other fighting force in the world. You should never enter and will never enter under President Trump's watch a fair fight, that's my promise to you. [Applause] We will rebuild this military.
And we're going to reestablish deterrence. Unfortunately for a number of years the world watched and wondered where American leadership and American strength was. They watched the war that was unleashed in Ukraine or the attacks that happened on October 7th, just — that same mentality reverberating just this — last night, sadly in Washington DC, we saw the debacle of what happened in Afghanistan.
President Trump has said by putting America first, we will reestablish peace through strength, and we will reestablish deterrence. And when I look out at these — this formation, the eyes of the men and women and these flags, I see the eyes of deterrence. I see the eyes of American strength.
I see the eyes that will deter the wars that we don't want to fight because we know we have a president committed, a commander-in-chief committed to peace, peace through strength. And my first platoon motto we ever had is one that you all know well, those who long for peace must prepare for war. You live that motto every single day on behalf of our nation, and I cannot thank you enough, express our gratitude enough for what you do.
So, in conclusion, I'm going to turn to page 27 [Laughter] and end with some well-written words deserved of a fantastic formation like this one.
I'm grateful to be assembled here amongst America's guard of honor, the warriors of the 82nd Airborne Division, your families and so many stout-hearted veterans.
Like those who came before you, you keep showing the world the stuff you're made of because we know you are ready for the important work that lies ahead.
On behalf of the president of the United States, on behalf of the office of the Secretary of Defense, on behalf of a grateful nation, Godspeed to all of you, God bless the United States of America. And airborne, all the way. [Applause] Thank you.