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- [Evangeline] Ladies and
gentlemen, distinguished guests,

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family and friends, My name
is Colonel Evangeline Rosel,

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and I will be your narrator for
today's retirement ceremony.

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Today we celebrate the
career and accomplishments

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of General Joseph L
Votel, United States Army.

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A retirement ceremony
is intended to convey

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a grateful nation's sincere expression

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of appreciation for a job well done,

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and to officially recognize General Votel

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and his family for their 39 years

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of faithful and honorable
service to our nation.

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Ladies and gentlemen,
please stand for the arrival

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of the official party.

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Please remain standing for the singing

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of our national anthem
by Mr. Ryan McArdle,

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followed by the invocation
by our Command Chaplain,

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colonel Eric Albertson.

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(horn music plays)

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♪ Oh say can you see by
the dawn's early light ♪

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♪ What so proudly we hailed at
the twilight's last gleaming ♪

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♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪

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♪ Through the perilous fight ♪

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♪ O'er the ramparts we watched ♪

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♪ Were so gallantly streaming ♪

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♪ And the rocket's red glare ♪

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♪ The bombs bursting in air ♪

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♪ Gave proof through the night ♪

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♪ That our flag was still there ♪

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♪ Oh say does that star
spangled banner yet wave ♪

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♪ O'er the land of the free ♪

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♪ And the home of the brave ♪

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(applause)

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- [Eric] Let us pray.

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Almighty God, we ask your blessing

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upon our retirement ceremony today

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that honors our friend, fellow warrior,

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and commander, General Joseph Votel,

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as we take a brief moment in time

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to acknowledge his years
of selfless dedication

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to the United States military
and the nation it defends.

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And to simply express our gratitude

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for his generous gift of
life, service, and love

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for the troops and
civilians he has commanded.

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His relentless commitment to
the demanding CENTCOM mission,

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as well as his remarkable leadership

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in multiple challenging assignments

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throughout his 39 years
of distinguished service

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firmly established a legacy of success,

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inspiring countless future leaders,

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dramatically influencing their careers

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in a powerful way, and setting the stage

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for future success long after
his departure from service.

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We also ask your special
blessing upon his family.

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Especially his wife Michelle,

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for they have generously
supported his many years

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of service with their own sacrifices,

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but most importantly with
their love and understanding.

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May your grace, which has
been present and evident

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throughout his life, also
bring him peace and joy

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in retirement, knowing
that his devotion to duty

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will forever be appreciated
by a grateful nation,

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by the entire CENTCOM
community here in Tampa,

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and by the many countries
who have benefited

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from his commitment to regional stability

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and the perpetual defense of freedom.

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In your holy name we pray, amen.

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- [Evangeline] Thank you Mr.
McArdle and Chaplain Albertson.

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Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.

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Today, we are all part
of history as we witness

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the retirement ceremony
honoring general Joseph Votel

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for his remarkable time in the service.

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We are extremely honored
to have joining us

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for today's ceremony the
honorable Patrick M. Shanahan,

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Acting Secretary of Defense.

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General Joseph F. Dunford, jr., Chairman

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of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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General Mark A Milley,
Chief of Staff of the Army

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and presiding official
for today's ceremony.

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Additionally, we would like to welcome

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our distinguished guests, representatives

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of the many nations with whom we are proud

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to partner with in the
Levant, Arabian Peninsula,

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and Central and South Asia,

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as well as members of the diplomatic core

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inter-agency and senior
leaders of the federal,

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military, and civilian communities.

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And let us not forget to welcome

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our central command families who truly

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carry the heaviest load and enable us

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to do the important work that we do.

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We would like to welcome all the guests

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who have traveled great lengths

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to be part of this momentous occasion.

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To include the members of
the USMA class of 1980.

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Go Army.

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(applause)

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And our warmest welcome
to Mrs. Michelle Votel,

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and General and Mrs. Votel's
two sons, Nicholas and Scott,

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his wife Mora, and their
granddaughter, Penelope.

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It is my honor to introduce
the presiding official

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for General Votel's retirement ceremony.

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The Chief of Staff of
the United States Army,

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General Mark A. Milley.

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(applause)

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- Well thank you everyone for being here,

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this is quite a day, and
as I got off the plane

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there at Macdill, I get
met by Eric Carillo.

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A force of nature in his own right,

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and he says, sir, we're
looking forward to this,

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this is gonna be epic.

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Get the 40 years off your chest

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when you get that microphone.

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And my wife said, don't do that,

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there's gonna be 750 to
a thousand people there.

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There'll be cameras, and in
DC they call that evidence,

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so be careful.

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So Joe, most of what I say will be true,

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some of which perhaps may not be,

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so just deal with it there, Ranger.

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And of course today, we all know

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that Rangers lead the way.

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But Special Forces taught 'em how.

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(laughter)

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That's the makeup for my Brown
Beret, Green Beret thing.

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Good afternoon and welcome to everyone.

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We're here to honor Joe and
Michelle, and Scott and Nick.

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And really, the extended
Votel family today.

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For an incredible run of four decades

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of consecutive service.

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If you add Westpoint in there,

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it's really 43 years
of consecutive service.

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And we do have an honored
crowd from the class of 1980,

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pride and excellence.

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That's my class, I was in
I3, I was in the same squad.

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I was there.

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I was actually made an honorary member

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and Votel said you half to
walk an hour on the area.

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So I did that.

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And with the powers
invested in me as Chief,

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I gave myself amnesty, so Joe,

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a cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal,

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I have to confess to that,

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but it's a great day, and I wanted

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to also acknowledge, we have a huge amount

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of dignitaries here, and
Acting Secretary Shanahan,

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thank you so much for being here.

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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, Joe Dunford,

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and his great wife Ellen.

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There's lots of four-stars
here, lots of current

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and former combatant
commanders, lots of ambassadors,

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lots of sergeant majors
and general officers,

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thank you all for being here.

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And really, I think it's
important, I suppose,

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to acknowledge some people
who put this together.

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Joe is gonna do that, but one group

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that I want to acknowledge
are the gold star families

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that are here, and if you
could rise to be recognized,

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thank you so much for being here.

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(applause)

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and of course we want
to welcome Joe's family.

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He's been an exceptional
soldier for many, many years,

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and yes, some of it is his responsibility,

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but in fact, he like all of us,
are product of other people.

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We all rise to these ranks
on the shoulders of heroes,

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non-commission officers,
soldiers, but also,

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on our family's shoulders,
and Joe Votel is no different.

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He is one of nine children,
the youngest of six brothers.

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And three girls who grew
up in the twin cities

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of St. Paul, Minnesota.

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In fact, Joe is the only guy
that I know from Minnesota

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that doesn't know how to play hockey.

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And most of his brothers
and sisters are here,

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in fact, almost all of
Minnesota is in here today,

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so that's good.

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Joe's mother and father
unfortunately passed away,

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and they couldn't be
with us here, but they

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are definitely here in spirit,

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and I know, Joe, that
they are very, very proud

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of you and all that you've done.

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They were incredible role models

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for the entire family.

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They instilled Joe with a
sense of duty and service,

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and serving a cause greater than himself,

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and Joe, everyone here
knows that your parents

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are with you today and they
are here to honor your service,

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and we thank them for giving us you.

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(applause)

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And of course Joe, 39 years
ago will be the anniversary

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for Joe and Michelle, and
we need to thank Michelle,

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because our spouses, as
much as more than us,

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sacrifice over the years
to support our service

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in uniform, and Michelle and
Joe have been married now

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for almost four decades,
and they have an anniversary

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as I mentioned coming up next month.

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And it's interesting,
because it's not exactly

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the marriage made in heaven
is how they met sort of thing.

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In fact, Michelle had
her eyes on another guy.

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Joe was the alternate pick.

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Actually, he was number three.

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He was number three on
the OML, this is true.

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I swear to God, this is true.

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So he was number 3 on the OML, and Joe,

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ever the tactician, he
decided to jump on it,

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swooped in, saw the opening,
seized the objective.

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He did it with violence and all of that,

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and he went to the dance with Michelle.

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And after that, 39 years
later, here we are.

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What a story.

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And thank you Michelle
for sharing that with me.

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I'm sorry, I wasn't...

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(applause)

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Shame on me.

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I'm not supposed to
acknowledge sources, I know.

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I'm in a group of former
CIA people, Special Forces,

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can't acknowledge sources,
I'm sorry Michelle.

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I'm sorry.

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But Michelle is a woman of many talents.

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And she's done tremendous selfless work

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at every duty station she has ever served

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for 38 years by Joe's side, almost 39 now.

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They've made 24 PCS moves over the years,

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and she's dealt with the deployments,

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the training, the combat,
and all the other challenges

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that come with military life.

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She's been a devoted volunteer,

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not only of Army
organizations, but since 2008,

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she's been a passionate supporter

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of the National Marrow Donor Program,

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a nonprofit organization
focusing on research

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and treatment of life threatening
illnesses like leukemia.

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She's also been an
Arlington lady since 2004,

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honoring our fallen at
our national cemetery

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in that solemn ground.

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She's been a little league
coach, a soccer coach,

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a cub scout leader, and above all,

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a tremendous mother of two wonderful sons.

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Michelle, thank you on
behalf of all of us here

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and those that couldn't make it here,

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thank you for your service,
thank you for supporting Joe

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for all of these years, we love you,

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and thank you so much.

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(applause)

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And of course, as mentioned early on,

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Scott and Nick are here.

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Joe and Michelle's two sons,
and we welcome both of you.

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We know that you are
proud of your mom and dad,

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and we're all glad that you
could make it here today.

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Scott is an english professor,

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he teaches up at Suffolk University

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in the Holy Land of Massachusetts.

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And Nick is a professional chef

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and is studying to get his business degree

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00:14:25,329 --> 00:14:27,706
at UNC Wilmington, and he plans very soon

254
00:14:27,706 --> 00:14:30,497
to open up a food and
restaurant logistics business

255
00:14:30,497 --> 00:14:32,189
in the coming months.

256
00:14:32,189 --> 00:14:34,689
You know our children,
all of us in uniform,

257
00:14:34,689 --> 00:14:36,955
regardless of rank,
our children go through

258
00:14:36,955 --> 00:14:39,351
tremendous hardship so that we can serve,

259
00:14:39,351 --> 00:14:41,605
and we absolutely couldn't do what we do

260
00:14:41,605 --> 00:14:45,111
without your unconditional
love and your support.

261
00:14:45,111 --> 00:14:47,524
And I know that your mom and
dad, and especially your dad,

262
00:14:47,524 --> 00:14:49,845
appreciates all the
sacrifice that you've done

263
00:14:49,845 --> 00:14:51,749
over the years, and all that you've done

264
00:14:51,749 --> 00:14:53,117
to support him, so thanks to both of you

265
00:14:53,117 --> 00:14:55,098
for being two great sons.

266
00:14:55,098 --> 00:14:57,348
(applause)

267
00:15:12,324 --> 00:15:16,407
So back to Corilla, Joe
I have had an opportunity

268
00:15:19,356 --> 00:15:21,586
over the last several weeks
in doing deep research

269
00:15:21,586 --> 00:15:24,337
on your background, and
I've had an opportunity

270
00:15:24,337 --> 00:15:26,682
to speak to probably pretty
much everyone in this room.

271
00:15:26,682 --> 00:15:30,370
And this one guy in the room
actually went to grade school

272
00:15:30,370 --> 00:15:33,180
with you, and then high school,

273
00:15:33,180 --> 00:15:35,065
and I can't divulge the
nature of the source,

274
00:15:35,065 --> 00:15:37,459
but he asked me to
mention some high school

275
00:15:37,459 --> 00:15:39,638
party at some church that you went to.

276
00:15:39,638 --> 00:15:41,601
And then he said full stop.

277
00:15:41,601 --> 00:15:43,779
So I will go full stop.

278
00:15:43,779 --> 00:15:47,868
And I know that the class of 1980 is here,

279
00:15:47,868 --> 00:15:50,004
and Joe and I of course were
in I3, first squad I think,

280
00:15:50,004 --> 00:15:51,004
as I recall.

281
00:15:52,093 --> 00:15:55,907
And Joe and I, we weren't roommates,

282
00:15:55,907 --> 00:15:58,590
we were in the same hall, and
got in trouble a little bit.

283
00:15:58,590 --> 00:16:00,928
And I always remember
that one of the things,

284
00:16:00,928 --> 00:16:03,069
this is kind of weird,
but one of the things

285
00:16:03,069 --> 00:16:06,819
that Joe really liked
was that old YMCA song.

286
00:16:08,955 --> 00:16:09,788
I'm sorry.

287
00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:13,795
Actually, Thomas gave me that one.

288
00:16:13,795 --> 00:16:15,327
I didn't make that up.

289
00:16:15,327 --> 00:16:18,942
And as you recall, Joe and I
went to Ranger school together

290
00:16:18,942 --> 00:16:22,237
back in the day, and Joe
of course, Mr. Ranger,

291
00:16:22,237 --> 00:16:24,248
75th Ranger, 175 Ranger Regiment,

292
00:16:24,248 --> 00:16:26,930
puts his knees in the
breeze over Afghanistan

293
00:16:26,930 --> 00:16:28,498
right at the beginning, all
that kind of stuff, right?

294
00:16:28,498 --> 00:16:30,746
So Joe is like a consummate Ranger.

295
00:16:30,746 --> 00:16:34,562
And there he is in
Dahlonegah, and Tony Thomas

296
00:16:34,562 --> 00:16:36,798
is carrying his ruck up the mountain.

297
00:16:36,798 --> 00:16:39,128
(laughter)

298
00:16:39,128 --> 00:16:42,545
And I was carrying his radio, by the way.

299
00:16:43,781 --> 00:16:44,699
It's true.

300
00:16:44,699 --> 00:16:45,926
I swear to God.

301
00:16:45,926 --> 00:16:48,603
And then I had an opportunity to watch Joe

302
00:16:48,603 --> 00:16:53,191
as we switched out DCD jobs
in Afghanistan one time.

303
00:16:53,191 --> 00:16:56,088
And Joe is very, very health conscious.

304
00:16:56,088 --> 00:16:58,013
I mean, he is like a machine, right?

305
00:16:58,013 --> 00:16:59,930
And Joe had 12 peanuts.

306
00:17:01,343 --> 00:17:04,855
12, it wasn't 11, it wasn't 13, it was 12.

307
00:17:04,855 --> 00:17:06,530
And I looked at Joe, and my eyes are big,

308
00:17:06,530 --> 00:17:08,295
and I'm like Joe, what's up man?

309
00:17:08,295 --> 00:17:09,893
He had them all lined up and
stuff like that, 12 peanuts.

310
00:17:09,893 --> 00:17:12,705
Joe is the total machine, in fact,

311
00:17:12,705 --> 00:17:15,672
when he's at home,
according to his two sons

312
00:17:15,672 --> 00:17:18,493
as alternate sources, I won't
tell which one said this,

313
00:17:18,493 --> 00:17:22,689
but Joe goes around and calls
himself the total system.

314
00:17:22,689 --> 00:17:24,939
(laughter)

315
00:17:29,954 --> 00:17:30,787
I'm sorry.

316
00:17:32,215 --> 00:17:34,338
I don't mean to be doing this.

317
00:17:34,338 --> 00:17:37,338
Someone wrote it and I just read it.

318
00:17:39,961 --> 00:17:42,558
So then I had the opportunity
to be an observer controller

319
00:17:42,558 --> 00:17:45,369
for Joe when Joe committed
175 at Joint Readiness

320
00:17:45,369 --> 00:17:46,702
Training Center.

321
00:17:47,547 --> 00:17:49,628
Paul LaCamera, the current
commander of 18th Airborne Corps

322
00:17:49,628 --> 00:17:51,896
was S3, and of course Stanley McChrystal,

323
00:17:51,896 --> 00:17:54,005
who's not here today, but he
sends his best, by the way.

324
00:17:54,005 --> 00:17:56,928
He was the regimental commander.

325
00:17:56,928 --> 00:17:59,009
And Stan McChrystal had this thing,

326
00:17:59,009 --> 00:18:00,770
they were introducing a
new little computer system,

327
00:18:00,770 --> 00:18:01,922
you probably remember this.

328
00:18:01,922 --> 00:18:03,520
It was a new little computer system,

329
00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,595
and Stan McChrystal wanted to make sure

330
00:18:05,595 --> 00:18:07,573
that you were using your computer system.

331
00:18:07,573 --> 00:18:11,015
So he had some kind of weird
way to monitor your use.

332
00:18:11,015 --> 00:18:13,225
And of course Joe had Specialist Jones

333
00:18:13,225 --> 00:18:17,859
take a mouse and move it
every once in a while.

334
00:18:17,859 --> 00:18:21,692
These are things only
an OC would know, right?

335
00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:26,982
Look, in all seriousness,
Joe Votel, is in my view,

336
00:18:26,982 --> 00:18:29,398
and I've known him now
for four decades as well.

337
00:18:29,398 --> 00:18:31,998
And I know it's the same
for everyone in this room.

338
00:18:31,998 --> 00:18:34,459
Joe Votel is a consummate professional.

339
00:18:34,459 --> 00:18:37,191
He is the single most competent officer

340
00:18:37,191 --> 00:18:40,037
that I've run into in
uniform over the ears.

341
00:18:40,037 --> 00:18:43,452
Very, very few people ever get to the rank

342
00:18:43,452 --> 00:18:45,850
of four star to begin with.

343
00:18:45,850 --> 00:18:47,591
And if you think about
it, it's the same rank

344
00:18:47,591 --> 00:18:50,184
that General Blackjack
Pershing had in World War I

345
00:18:50,184 --> 00:18:53,783
as he led the American
expeditionary forces in France.

346
00:18:53,783 --> 00:18:57,122
It's the same level of
rank that Eisenhower

347
00:18:57,122 --> 00:19:01,340
had at Normandy and beyond,
and this is a big deal.

348
00:19:01,340 --> 00:19:02,590
Back in 1980...

349
00:19:03,752 --> 00:19:05,608
(crowd hoo-ahs)

350
00:19:05,608 --> 00:19:07,941
Westpoint, what am I gonna do?

351
00:19:07,941 --> 00:19:10,091
So back in 1980.

352
00:19:10,091 --> 00:19:10,951
(hoo-ahs)

353
00:19:10,951 --> 00:19:12,788
That's good, see we
rehearsed this earlier.

354
00:19:12,788 --> 00:19:17,121
So back in the day, 5,688
officers were commissioned

355
00:19:18,652 --> 00:19:21,856
second lieutenants in the class of 1980.

356
00:19:21,856 --> 00:19:25,240
And all of those, six of them
became four star generals.

357
00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,877
And if you do the math, and
I didn't go to Westpoint

358
00:19:26,877 --> 00:19:29,561
in reality, and they
teach math at Westpoint,

359
00:19:29,561 --> 00:19:30,947
but if you do the math, and I went on Siri

360
00:19:30,947 --> 00:19:34,388
and got this, it comes
out to .0001 percent

361
00:19:34,388 --> 00:19:36,818
chance of becoming a four star general,

362
00:19:36,818 --> 00:19:38,476
and that's an actual fact.

363
00:19:38,476 --> 00:19:42,322
So to put that in perspective,
you're more likely

364
00:19:42,322 --> 00:19:45,564
to be struck by lightning twice
walking out of this building

365
00:19:45,564 --> 00:19:49,188
than you are to wear the
rank of a four star general.

366
00:19:49,188 --> 00:19:51,611
In fact, Joe, doesn't play golf.

367
00:19:51,611 --> 00:19:53,375
He does a lot of things,
but golf and hockey

368
00:19:53,375 --> 00:19:54,528
are not one of them.

369
00:19:54,528 --> 00:19:58,194
And you actually stand
a better chance of going

370
00:19:58,194 --> 00:20:01,778
to a golf course this afternoon
and watching Joe Votel

371
00:20:01,778 --> 00:20:05,376
hit two holes-in-one consecutively

372
00:20:05,376 --> 00:20:07,774
than he is to be a four star general.

373
00:20:07,774 --> 00:20:09,277
It's amazing.

374
00:20:09,277 --> 00:20:13,044
And in fact, it's about the same chance

375
00:20:13,044 --> 00:20:14,929
of being a four star general

376
00:20:14,929 --> 00:20:17,217
as it is for Joe's
vaunted Minnesota Vikings

377
00:20:17,217 --> 00:20:18,812
to even get close...

378
00:20:18,812 --> 00:20:21,062
(laughter)

379
00:20:24,828 --> 00:20:27,911
I mean, are they even a team anymore?

380
00:20:28,858 --> 00:20:30,659
It's all about the Patriots, brother.

381
00:20:30,659 --> 00:20:31,742
Sorry, sorry.

382
00:20:35,105 --> 00:20:37,480
But you may think I'm making it up,

383
00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:38,921
those stats are actually true,

384
00:20:38,921 --> 00:20:41,149
and it's very, very rare.

385
00:20:41,149 --> 00:20:43,115
It's very, very rare,
and how do you do it?

386
00:20:43,115 --> 00:20:44,928
How does a guy like Joe Votel,

387
00:20:44,928 --> 00:20:47,360
family of nine, twin
cities, go to Westpoint,

388
00:20:47,360 --> 00:20:49,897
how does he sort of
beat the odds I suppose

389
00:20:49,897 --> 00:20:51,751
and become a four star general?

390
00:20:51,751 --> 00:20:53,771
And I would argue there were two things.

391
00:20:53,771 --> 00:20:56,199
And I think many would agree.

392
00:20:56,199 --> 00:20:59,241
That it's fundamentally a
derivative of competence

393
00:20:59,241 --> 00:21:01,000
and character.

394
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,140
And in Joe Votel, he
has absolutely shined.

395
00:21:04,140 --> 00:21:07,082
He's demonstrated his
competence over and over

396
00:21:07,082 --> 00:21:08,066
and over again.

397
00:21:08,066 --> 00:21:09,865
In fact, the first time he demonstrated

398
00:21:09,865 --> 00:21:11,494
his competence was many, many years ago

399
00:21:11,494 --> 00:21:14,411
when he applied to both the
United States Naval Academy

400
00:21:14,411 --> 00:21:17,635
and Westpoint, and he got into both.

401
00:21:17,635 --> 00:21:19,358
And we went down to Navy,

402
00:21:19,358 --> 00:21:22,147
and he said, and he concluded when he came

403
00:21:22,147 --> 00:21:24,784
out of the Naval Academy
recruiting weekend,

404
00:21:24,784 --> 00:21:28,442
and he said, look it, I like
the Navy, I like the Army,

405
00:21:28,442 --> 00:21:30,086
but the Navy's a good alternative

406
00:21:30,086 --> 00:21:34,008
to military service, so
I'm going to Westpoint.

407
00:21:34,008 --> 00:21:35,914
I know there's admirals in the room.

408
00:21:35,914 --> 00:21:37,805
McCraven, Olsen, I'm sorry.

409
00:21:37,805 --> 00:21:40,972
Samanski, you're out there, I'm sorry.

410
00:21:42,638 --> 00:21:46,472
As I mentioned, he
demonstrated his exceptional

411
00:21:46,472 --> 00:21:49,903
competence in 3ID as a young
officer, platoon leader,

412
00:21:49,903 --> 00:21:51,162
company commander.

413
00:21:51,162 --> 00:21:54,260
He goes off, he's in S3
and 175, then he commands

414
00:21:54,260 --> 00:21:57,227
the First Ranger Batallion,
after he takes command

415
00:21:57,227 --> 00:21:59,855
of triple deuce up in
10th Mountain Division.

416
00:21:59,855 --> 00:22:02,227
75th Ranger Regiment,
of course he's the first

417
00:22:02,227 --> 00:22:06,298
guy out the door shortly after
9/11 going into Afghanistan.

418
00:22:06,298 --> 00:22:09,915
He commanded JIDO, many
people may not realize that.

419
00:22:09,915 --> 00:22:13,103
The joint IED task force of
the Department of Defense.

420
00:22:13,103 --> 00:22:16,142
DCG of the 82nd, DCG of JSOC,
Chief of Staff of SOCOM,

421
00:22:16,142 --> 00:22:20,787
Commander of JSOC and did all
kinds of wonderful things.

422
00:22:20,787 --> 00:22:24,621
Commander of SOCOM, and now
of course most recently,

423
00:22:24,621 --> 00:22:27,370
and about to give up
command, of Central Command.

424
00:22:27,370 --> 00:22:30,033
You just don't do that litany of jobs.

425
00:22:30,033 --> 00:22:33,938
You just don't do that unless
you are highly competent

426
00:22:33,938 --> 00:22:37,181
and highly competitive, and
have exceptional character.

427
00:22:37,181 --> 00:22:40,691
In fact, at CENTCOM, since March of '16,

428
00:22:40,691 --> 00:22:43,800
Joe's had an impact that
very few will ever have

429
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,108
in the national security
of the United States.

430
00:22:46,108 --> 00:22:49,597
Under his command, Central
Command led the 79 member

431
00:22:49,597 --> 00:22:53,757
coalition to defeat
ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

432
00:22:53,757 --> 00:22:57,209
To Territorially take
away their Caliphate.

433
00:22:57,209 --> 00:22:59,438
Supporting air strikes
against terrorist cells

434
00:22:59,438 --> 00:23:04,381
in Yemen and leading a 41
nation mission in Afghanistan

435
00:23:04,381 --> 00:23:07,701
promoting the security
in that troubled country.

436
00:23:07,701 --> 00:23:09,727
And then of course, maritime operations

437
00:23:09,727 --> 00:23:11,898
throughout the region, throughout the AOR,

438
00:23:11,898 --> 00:23:14,778
specifically and straight
to moving elsewhere.

439
00:23:14,778 --> 00:23:17,778
CENTCOM has maintained
regional relationships

440
00:23:17,778 --> 00:23:20,210
and many of our allied
partners are here today.

441
00:23:20,210 --> 00:23:21,898
Like Saudia Arabia and Egypt,

442
00:23:21,898 --> 00:23:24,857
and in 2018 conducted the
first operational deployment

443
00:23:24,857 --> 00:23:27,738
of the F-35, solidifying and demonstrating

444
00:23:27,738 --> 00:23:31,887
US air supremacy against any
opponent in the Middle East.

445
00:23:31,887 --> 00:23:33,584
Joe brought knowledge, experience,

446
00:23:33,584 --> 00:23:36,818
he brought fresh
perspective, and genuine care

447
00:23:36,818 --> 00:23:40,022
for the soldiers that
very few could ever match.

448
00:23:40,022 --> 00:23:41,108
And he brought a steady hand

449
00:23:41,108 --> 00:23:43,948
to probably the world's
most complex environment.

450
00:23:43,948 --> 00:23:46,844
My view, for what it's
worth, I think that Joe

451
00:23:46,844 --> 00:23:50,010
was absolutely the right
general at the right time,

452
00:23:50,010 --> 00:23:52,316
and he's leaving this organization better

453
00:23:52,316 --> 00:23:54,064
than the way he found it.

454
00:23:54,064 --> 00:23:57,338
Joe's career is full of
impressive accomplishment.

455
00:23:57,338 --> 00:23:58,737
He served in war and peace,

456
00:23:58,737 --> 00:24:02,033
and no matter what the
challenge, no matter

457
00:24:02,033 --> 00:24:05,106
how high the mountain, no
matter how wide the river,

458
00:24:05,106 --> 00:24:07,506
Joe managed to cross it
in every single case,

459
00:24:07,506 --> 00:24:09,680
and he did it with excellence.

460
00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,981
30 months of combat time.

461
00:24:11,981 --> 00:24:13,369
30 months.

462
00:24:13,369 --> 00:24:16,403
It took 9 months from D-Day
to to the fall of Berlin.

463
00:24:16,403 --> 00:24:19,741
Joe Votel has spent 30 months in combat.

464
00:24:19,741 --> 00:24:23,658
He's commanded 180 months,
15 years of command.

465
00:24:24,731 --> 00:24:27,481
His competence is off the charts.

466
00:24:28,597 --> 00:24:31,023
But it's character, not just competence,

467
00:24:31,023 --> 00:24:33,565
that gives a guy like
Joe Votel the reputation

468
00:24:33,565 --> 00:24:36,185
that he's so dearly earned.

469
00:24:36,185 --> 00:24:38,169
It's the only quality, in fact,

470
00:24:38,169 --> 00:24:42,134
in my mind that actually got
him here, is his character.

471
00:24:42,134 --> 00:24:45,337
He has tremendous character,
starting with integrity.

472
00:24:45,337 --> 00:24:47,851
He always speaks truth to power.

473
00:24:47,851 --> 00:24:52,083
He cares about the soldiers,
and not about himself.

474
00:24:52,083 --> 00:24:53,809
He cares about his country,

475
00:24:53,809 --> 00:24:56,816
he cares about the opportunity
to train young leaders.

476
00:24:56,816 --> 00:25:01,566
He is a guy who always uses
the word we, and us, and our.

477
00:25:02,557 --> 00:25:06,477
And he never, ever says I, and me, unless

478
00:25:06,477 --> 00:25:09,070
something's gone wrong, and he's taking

479
00:25:09,070 --> 00:25:10,833
full responsibility.

480
00:25:10,833 --> 00:25:12,560
He's the honest broker.

481
00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,544
He always provides professional analysis.

482
00:25:14,544 --> 00:25:18,446
But above all, Joe Votel
has never forgotten

483
00:25:18,446 --> 00:25:19,743
where he came from.

484
00:25:19,743 --> 00:25:22,326
Above all, Joe Votel is humble.

485
00:25:23,182 --> 00:25:25,717
He's accomplished many
things in his career,

486
00:25:25,717 --> 00:25:27,734
and he certainly could beat
his chest, but he doesn't.

487
00:25:27,734 --> 00:25:30,741
He understands it's not about him.

488
00:25:30,741 --> 00:25:32,214
It's about the team.

489
00:25:32,214 --> 00:25:34,299
And that's so uncommon today.

490
00:25:34,299 --> 00:25:36,258
Too often we see celebrities and officials

491
00:25:36,258 --> 00:25:38,786
and leaders who think it's about them.

492
00:25:38,786 --> 00:25:41,060
They can't pass a mirror
without looking at themselves,

493
00:25:41,060 --> 00:25:44,678
and they don't understand the simple act

494
00:25:44,678 --> 00:25:46,819
of humility, and they're very guilty

495
00:25:46,819 --> 00:25:48,888
of what I would call hubris,

496
00:25:48,888 --> 00:25:51,879
the ancient crime in ancient Greece.

497
00:25:51,879 --> 00:25:54,310
But Joe knows the secret.

498
00:25:54,310 --> 00:25:58,502
He knows the secret to
destroy the disease of hubris.

499
00:25:58,502 --> 00:26:00,354
He knows what the antidote is.

500
00:26:00,354 --> 00:26:03,561
And he knows that
antidote is the simple act

501
00:26:03,561 --> 00:26:05,502
of daily humility.

502
00:26:05,502 --> 00:26:09,243
Despite his success, Joe
has always remembered

503
00:26:09,243 --> 00:26:13,819
the value of hard work, the
value of service to others,

504
00:26:13,819 --> 00:26:16,032
the value that his mother and father

505
00:26:16,032 --> 00:26:18,660
and his brothers and sisters
put him in an early age.

506
00:26:18,660 --> 00:26:21,376
He's never lost sight of
what's truly important,

507
00:26:21,376 --> 00:26:25,568
and he knows that from
dust to dust he came,

508
00:26:25,568 --> 00:26:28,360
and unto dust he shall return.

509
00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:31,811
He has used humility to
keep himself grounded.

510
00:26:31,811 --> 00:26:34,275
To train and to care for the thousands

511
00:26:34,275 --> 00:26:36,258
of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines

512
00:26:36,258 --> 00:26:37,984
who's crossed his path.

513
00:26:37,984 --> 00:26:41,340
So Joe, you've had a long and
incredibly successful career.

514
00:26:41,340 --> 00:26:43,969
You've demonstrated yourself to be a man

515
00:26:43,969 --> 00:26:45,984
of tremendous talent, physical courage,

516
00:26:45,984 --> 00:26:48,446
unwavering moral courage,
and true leadership.

517
00:26:48,446 --> 00:26:52,507
Through all those years
deployed, through all

518
00:26:52,507 --> 00:26:55,336
the PCS moves, through
39 years of training,

519
00:26:55,336 --> 00:26:58,878
preparing for combat,
and actually fighting

520
00:26:58,878 --> 00:27:01,272
in close quarters battle,
you've been an incredible

521
00:27:01,272 --> 00:27:03,778
true professional and warrior.

522
00:27:03,778 --> 00:27:06,075
And we wish, everyone here wishes,

523
00:27:06,075 --> 00:27:08,834
that you and Michelle will
have a happy retirement,

524
00:27:08,834 --> 00:27:11,007
wherever life's road takes you.

525
00:27:11,007 --> 00:27:13,097
We all want you to enjoy
some peace and quiet,

526
00:27:13,097 --> 00:27:15,542
go back to the family
and friends in Minnesota,

527
00:27:15,542 --> 00:27:18,498
head up to the lake, and
get over to the US stadiums,

528
00:27:18,498 --> 00:27:21,081
and watch the Vikings practice.

529
00:27:24,549 --> 00:27:26,210
I didn't write that.

530
00:27:26,210 --> 00:27:27,899
That was inserted.

531
00:27:27,899 --> 00:27:30,942
But Joe, whatever you do,
know that you've impacted

532
00:27:30,942 --> 00:27:33,566
all of us in this room,
and that you've impacted

533
00:27:33,566 --> 00:27:36,374
many, many thousands beyond this room.

534
00:27:36,374 --> 00:27:38,919
There are NCOs, there are officers,

535
00:27:38,919 --> 00:27:40,816
in all the branches of our service

536
00:27:40,816 --> 00:27:43,485
who look to you forever as their leader.

537
00:27:43,485 --> 00:27:45,014
And there's people that you shaped

538
00:27:45,014 --> 00:27:47,745
that will be in our
army and our joint force

539
00:27:47,745 --> 00:27:49,657
for many years and decades to come.

540
00:27:49,657 --> 00:27:53,021
Holly Anne and I, on behalf
of everyone in this room,

541
00:27:53,021 --> 00:27:55,129
we're honored to have served alongside

542
00:27:55,129 --> 00:27:57,303
both you and Michelle,
we're honored to call you

543
00:27:57,303 --> 00:27:58,981
our friends, and we all in this room

544
00:27:58,981 --> 00:28:01,539
thank you for a lifetime
of incredible service,

545
00:28:01,539 --> 00:28:03,386
Joe Votel, retired.

546
00:28:03,386 --> 00:28:05,636
(applause)

547
00:28:37,123 --> 00:28:39,050
- [Evangeline] Ladies and
gentlemen, please remain standing

548
00:28:39,050 --> 00:28:41,226
as General Milley presents General Votel

549
00:28:41,226 --> 00:28:43,393
with his retirement award.

550
00:28:53,789 --> 00:28:56,384
Attention to orders, the
defense distinguished

551
00:28:56,384 --> 00:28:59,744
service medal is presented
to Joseph L Votel,

552
00:28:59,744 --> 00:29:02,667
United States Army, who
distinguished himself

553
00:29:02,667 --> 00:29:04,677
by exceptionally distinguished service

554
00:29:04,677 --> 00:29:07,018
as commander of the United
States Central Command

555
00:29:07,018 --> 00:29:10,101
from 30 March 2016 to 28 March, 2019.

556
00:29:12,054 --> 00:29:14,668
General Votel's bold leadership

557
00:29:14,668 --> 00:29:17,168
and clear strategic vision guided multiple

558
00:29:17,168 --> 00:29:19,188
simultaneous military operations

559
00:29:19,188 --> 00:29:21,900
through a complex and tumultuous region

560
00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:25,270
vital to United States'
interest and national security.

561
00:29:25,270 --> 00:29:27,737
A visionary statesman in General Votel

562
00:29:27,737 --> 00:29:30,487
advanced a theater engagement strategy

563
00:29:30,487 --> 00:29:33,132
that built close rapport
amongst the central regions

564
00:29:33,132 --> 00:29:35,253
political and military leaders

565
00:29:35,253 --> 00:29:38,101
which informed the United
States foreign and military

566
00:29:38,101 --> 00:29:41,750
policies and unified coalition
governmental entities

567
00:29:41,750 --> 00:29:43,474
across 50 nations.

568
00:29:43,474 --> 00:29:47,351
Enhancing security for millions
of generations to come.

569
00:29:47,351 --> 00:29:50,192
The distinctive accomplishments
of General Votel

570
00:29:50,192 --> 00:29:52,950
culminate a long and distinguished career

571
00:29:52,950 --> 00:29:54,925
in the service of his country

572
00:29:54,925 --> 00:29:57,102
and reflect great credit upon himself,

573
00:29:57,102 --> 00:30:00,633
the United States Army, and
the Department of Defense.

574
00:30:00,633 --> 00:30:05,300
Signed Patrick M. Shanahan,
Acting Secretary of Defense.

575
00:30:26,630 --> 00:30:28,880
(applause)

576
00:30:40,242 --> 00:30:42,509
General Milley will now
present General Votel

577
00:30:42,509 --> 00:30:44,523
with his retirement certificate.

578
00:30:44,523 --> 00:30:45,783
Attention to orders.

579
00:30:45,783 --> 00:30:48,663
To all who shall see
these presents greeting,

580
00:30:48,663 --> 00:30:52,242
this is to certify that
General Joseph L. Votel,

581
00:30:52,242 --> 00:30:54,718
having served faithfully and honorably,

582
00:30:54,718 --> 00:30:57,037
is retired from the United States Army

583
00:30:57,037 --> 00:31:00,090
on the first day of May, 2019.

584
00:31:00,090 --> 00:31:03,853
Signed Mark A. Milley,
General, United States Army,

585
00:31:03,853 --> 00:31:05,103
Chief of Staff.

586
00:31:13,226 --> 00:31:15,476
(applause)

587
00:31:24,151 --> 00:31:26,895
Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.

588
00:31:26,895 --> 00:31:29,267
Gunnery Sergeant Williams will now escort

589
00:31:29,267 --> 00:31:31,267
Mrs. Votel to the stage.

590
00:31:53,740 --> 00:31:55,951
General Milley will now present Mrs. Votel

591
00:31:55,951 --> 00:31:58,013
with her award, which reads:

592
00:31:58,013 --> 00:32:00,527
The outstanding public service award

593
00:32:00,527 --> 00:32:02,793
is presented to Mrs. Michelle Votel,

594
00:32:02,793 --> 00:32:05,170
who distinguished herself by exceptionally

595
00:32:05,170 --> 00:32:07,509
distinguished public
service to the Department

596
00:32:07,509 --> 00:32:10,839
of Defense in a succession of
extraordinary contributions

597
00:32:10,839 --> 00:32:14,488
to the United States Army,
United States Central Command,

598
00:32:14,488 --> 00:32:17,423
their families, and the MacDill
Air Force Base community.

599
00:32:17,423 --> 00:32:20,673
From 30 March, 2016, to 28 March, 2019.

600
00:32:22,139 --> 00:32:25,145
Mrs. Votel's vision,
organizational skills,

601
00:32:25,145 --> 00:32:27,769
and positive relationships
with support agencies

602
00:32:27,769 --> 00:32:29,775
from the MacDill Air Force Base

603
00:32:29,775 --> 00:32:32,017
and the local community led to volunteers

604
00:32:32,017 --> 00:32:35,116
providing more than 2,600 hours to support

605
00:32:35,116 --> 00:32:38,133
educational seminars
that strengthen families'

606
00:32:38,133 --> 00:32:40,242
resiliency and well-being.

607
00:32:40,242 --> 00:32:42,314
On numerous occasions,
she was a keynote speaker

608
00:32:42,314 --> 00:32:45,173
at military and civilian venues,

609
00:32:45,173 --> 00:32:48,307
raising awareness of the
challenges facing service members

610
00:32:48,307 --> 00:32:49,688
and their families.

611
00:32:49,688 --> 00:32:52,821
Mrs. Votel exemplifies
the spirit of outstanding

612
00:32:52,821 --> 00:32:56,495
public service, and is a
role model for volunteerism,

613
00:32:56,495 --> 00:32:58,040
whose leadership inspired others

614
00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,180
to acts of community service.

615
00:33:00,180 --> 00:33:02,734
The distinctive
accomplishments are in keeping

616
00:33:02,734 --> 00:33:05,498
with the finest traditions
of public service,

617
00:33:05,498 --> 00:33:08,297
and reflect great credit upon herself,

618
00:33:08,297 --> 00:33:12,072
United States Central Command,
the United States Army,

619
00:33:12,072 --> 00:33:13,433
and the Joint Staff.

620
00:33:13,433 --> 00:33:16,362
Signed Joseph F. Dunford,
Jr., General, United States

621
00:33:16,362 --> 00:33:20,695
Marine Corps, Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

622
00:33:22,190 --> 00:33:24,440
(applause)

623
00:33:56,607 --> 00:33:59,359
General Milley will now present Mrs. Votel

624
00:33:59,359 --> 00:34:01,788
with her certificate of
appreciation, which reads:

625
00:34:01,788 --> 00:34:05,604
This is to certify that Michelle M. Votel,

626
00:34:05,604 --> 00:34:08,224
on the occasion of the
retirement of your spouse

627
00:34:08,224 --> 00:34:10,877
from the United States
Army, has earned grateful

628
00:34:10,877 --> 00:34:14,042
appreciation for your
own unselfish, faithful,

629
00:34:14,042 --> 00:34:15,896
and devoted service.

630
00:34:15,896 --> 00:34:18,610
Your unfailing support
and understanding helped

631
00:34:18,610 --> 00:34:21,203
to make possible your
spouse's lasting contribution

632
00:34:21,203 --> 00:34:22,516
to the nation.

633
00:34:22,516 --> 00:34:25,846
Signed Mark A. Milley,
General, United States Army,

634
00:34:25,846 --> 00:34:27,096
Chief of Staff.

635
00:34:28,227 --> 00:34:30,477
(applause)

636
00:34:55,167 --> 00:34:57,920
Ladies and gentlemen, it
is my honor to present

637
00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:02,337
General Joseph L. Votel,
United States Army, retired.

638
00:35:03,512 --> 00:35:05,762
(applause)

639
00:35:24,519 --> 00:35:26,436
- Thank you, thank you.

640
00:35:31,305 --> 00:35:33,304
Thanks Chief for those great comments,

641
00:35:33,304 --> 00:35:36,342
I'm ready to begin my rebuttal.

642
00:35:36,342 --> 00:35:38,737
Tony and I were actually
talking the other day,

643
00:35:38,737 --> 00:35:40,553
we remember that ranger school story

644
00:35:40,553 --> 00:35:42,769
just a little bit different.

645
00:35:42,769 --> 00:35:45,596
I think I was carrying
the rucksack, yours,

646
00:35:45,596 --> 00:35:48,816
and Tony was carrying the M60 machine gun

647
00:35:48,816 --> 00:35:50,540
that you were supposed to be carrying,

648
00:35:50,540 --> 00:35:52,936
and we both agreed that that
didn't really bother us.

649
00:35:52,936 --> 00:35:55,535
But what really bothered us was the crying

650
00:35:55,535 --> 00:35:57,118
in the patrol base.

651
00:36:06,379 --> 00:36:09,800
More on the Chief in a few moments here.

652
00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:11,504
First off, I want to
start off by acknowledging

653
00:36:11,504 --> 00:36:15,299
the contingent of the 82nd
Airborne Division band,

654
00:36:15,299 --> 00:36:20,049
All-American band here that's
with us today, thanks guys.

655
00:36:24,676 --> 00:36:27,375
I want to also acknowledge
our national anthem singer,

656
00:36:27,375 --> 00:36:30,846
NCIS special agent Ryan McArdle.

657
00:36:30,846 --> 00:36:32,096
Yes, very good.

658
00:36:33,262 --> 00:36:35,512
(applause)

659
00:36:36,714 --> 00:36:37,995
A little bit of a story here.

660
00:36:37,995 --> 00:36:40,333
Some time ago, one of our
erstwhile team members

661
00:36:40,333 --> 00:36:43,083
found a video on YouTube of Ryan.

662
00:36:44,001 --> 00:36:46,471
And it appears that he's in a band,

663
00:36:46,471 --> 00:36:49,218
and he's got a pretty good
voice as you can tell.

664
00:36:49,218 --> 00:36:52,480
So we got him singing, we researched,

665
00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:56,133
we found some more, so
Ryan has heard our team

666
00:36:56,133 --> 00:37:00,557
play his videos dozens of times
at inappropriate locations

667
00:37:00,557 --> 00:37:03,494
and occasions, and other things here.

668
00:37:03,494 --> 00:37:06,699
But I asked Ryan after I'd heard this

669
00:37:06,699 --> 00:37:11,199
that if he'd come and sing
at our retirement ceremony.

670
00:37:12,170 --> 00:37:14,960
And I think he thought
I was kidding, I wasn't.

671
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,515
And he came, and he did a fantastic job,

672
00:37:17,515 --> 00:37:20,360
as you all saw with our
national anthem there.

673
00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:22,158
Although I do have to tell you Ryan,

674
00:37:22,158 --> 00:37:25,861
a part of me was secretly
hoping that you would

675
00:37:25,861 --> 00:37:27,715
go into your Billy Idol mode

676
00:37:27,715 --> 00:37:29,798
and sing Rebel Yell here.

677
00:37:30,830 --> 00:37:34,988
Perhaps in the time in
between here you can do that.

678
00:37:34,988 --> 00:37:37,957
And let me also acknowledge Father Eric.

679
00:37:37,957 --> 00:37:39,722
Thanks very much Father, for your always

680
00:37:39,722 --> 00:37:41,519
inspiring words.

681
00:37:41,519 --> 00:37:45,065
Chief, thanks for giving us
a Catholic Chaplain here.

682
00:37:45,065 --> 00:37:48,034
Michelle and I have been
lobbying for like 20 years

683
00:37:48,034 --> 00:37:52,068
to get one, and we really appreciate that.

684
00:37:52,068 --> 00:37:54,978
We appreciate the great support
from the Army here on that.

685
00:37:54,978 --> 00:37:56,645
So thanks very much.

686
00:37:57,857 --> 00:37:59,826
You should bless yourself.

687
00:37:59,826 --> 00:38:02,826
(laughter)

688
00:38:02,826 --> 00:38:05,329
So a long time ago, an NCO that I trusted

689
00:38:05,329 --> 00:38:07,883
provided me some advice
on public speaking.

690
00:38:07,883 --> 00:38:10,152
He basically said, as only an NCO can say

691
00:38:10,152 --> 00:38:12,048
in the very direct and unequivocal manner

692
00:38:12,048 --> 00:38:14,314
that we all come to expect from them.

693
00:38:14,314 --> 00:38:18,502
The main thing is to keep the
main thing the main thing.

694
00:38:18,502 --> 00:38:20,968
So the main thing today is this:

695
00:38:20,968 --> 00:38:24,172
that while I admit to being
a little bitter sweetness

696
00:38:24,172 --> 00:38:26,659
associated with ending
this part of my life,

697
00:38:26,659 --> 00:38:31,157
my overwhelming emotion
today is one of gratitude.

698
00:38:31,157 --> 00:38:33,384
I'm so thankful for having the opportunity

699
00:38:33,384 --> 00:38:35,906
to serve our nation for as long as I have.

700
00:38:35,906 --> 00:38:37,740
I'm so grateful for the people

701
00:38:37,740 --> 00:38:39,973
who have enabled that service.

702
00:38:39,973 --> 00:38:42,384
Many of those people are in this room.

703
00:38:42,384 --> 00:38:44,850
Others are not, due to
their continuing service,

704
00:38:44,850 --> 00:38:47,907
or other more important matters.

705
00:38:47,907 --> 00:38:50,761
Some have moved on to their final reward,

706
00:38:50,761 --> 00:38:54,729
and others I am certain know
nothing about this ceremony.

707
00:38:54,729 --> 00:38:56,782
But have been so critical and influential

708
00:38:56,782 --> 00:38:58,310
to my service.

709
00:38:58,310 --> 00:39:01,388
Thank you all for being here
for Michelle and me today.

710
00:39:01,388 --> 00:39:04,487
I will not try to acknowledge
every key visitor today,

711
00:39:04,487 --> 00:39:07,314
but I must mention a few.

712
00:39:07,314 --> 00:39:10,892
Mr. Secretary, thanks for
joining us this afternoon.

713
00:39:10,892 --> 00:39:12,706
My family appreciates you being here,

714
00:39:12,706 --> 00:39:16,649
but more importantly, we
appreciate the heavy load

715
00:39:16,649 --> 00:39:18,577
that you carry on behalf
of our nation every day,

716
00:39:18,577 --> 00:39:20,069
so thank you very much.

717
00:39:20,069 --> 00:39:22,949
Chairman, Joe Dunford, thanks
for your strong support

718
00:39:22,949 --> 00:39:27,123
over the last nearly five
years of combatant command,

719
00:39:27,123 --> 00:39:29,233
and more importantly, your friendship

720
00:39:29,233 --> 00:39:30,923
that has transcended that period.

721
00:39:30,923 --> 00:39:33,638
Our nation is so lucky to
have you in this position.

722
00:39:33,638 --> 00:39:37,347
Your steady, calm leadership
has helped us weather a lot.

723
00:39:37,347 --> 00:39:40,359
William T. Sherman, in
his letter to U.S. Grant

724
00:39:40,359 --> 00:39:42,346
when recalling their service together

725
00:39:42,346 --> 00:39:45,003
in the Western Campaign
wrote, and I quote,

726
00:39:45,003 --> 00:39:47,047
"When you've completed your preparations,

727
00:39:47,047 --> 00:39:51,174
you go into battle without
hesitation as at Chattanooga.

728
00:39:51,174 --> 00:39:54,730
No doubts, no reserve, and I tell you

729
00:39:54,730 --> 00:39:57,570
that it was this that made
us act with confidence.

730
00:39:57,570 --> 00:40:00,077
I knew wherever I was
that you thought of me,

731
00:40:00,077 --> 00:40:04,235
and if I got in a tight spot,
you would come, if alive."

732
00:40:04,235 --> 00:40:07,527
Chairman, thanks for being
there for me and for our nation.

733
00:40:07,527 --> 00:40:10,241
We owe you and Ellen a debt of gratitude.

734
00:40:10,241 --> 00:40:11,908
Thank you very much.

735
00:40:19,780 --> 00:40:22,249
Chief, thanks for officiating today.

736
00:40:22,249 --> 00:40:24,263
You're my first and only choice.

737
00:40:24,263 --> 00:40:27,091
Although you didn't really
give me much of a choice.

738
00:40:27,091 --> 00:40:29,864
What many of you don't know is that Chief

739
00:40:29,864 --> 00:40:34,214
keeps a picture of our ranger
school class in his office.

740
00:40:34,214 --> 00:40:37,458
And as each member of
class to anyone retires

741
00:40:37,458 --> 00:40:40,175
or departs service, the
chief puts a great big X

742
00:40:40,175 --> 00:40:41,925
right over their mug.

743
00:40:42,821 --> 00:40:45,640
So whenever I visit his
office, which is fairly

744
00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:47,883
frequently, I immediately
go check the picture

745
00:40:47,883 --> 00:40:51,278
to make sure that he has
not crossed me off yet.

746
00:40:51,278 --> 00:40:54,692
I admit though, I am a bit
sad that you will inevitably

747
00:40:54,692 --> 00:40:56,742
have to do this.

748
00:40:56,742 --> 00:40:59,297
You've been a good friend,
and a great confidante,

749
00:40:59,297 --> 00:41:01,231
and I will miss talking to you about our

750
00:41:01,231 --> 00:41:02,670
common challenges.

751
00:41:02,670 --> 00:41:04,592
Thanks for what you are
stepping forward to do

752
00:41:04,592 --> 00:41:06,089
on behalf of our nation.

753
00:41:06,089 --> 00:41:08,230
You are the right man,
and your experience,

754
00:41:08,230 --> 00:41:11,480
sure-handedness, and blunt articulation

755
00:41:12,420 --> 00:41:15,282
of the challenges are
exactly what we will require.

756
00:41:15,282 --> 00:41:16,974
Michelle and I wish you and Holly Anne

757
00:41:16,974 --> 00:41:19,312
godspeed in the days and years ahead.

758
00:41:19,312 --> 00:41:21,513
There are a number of other colleagues,

759
00:41:21,513 --> 00:41:24,175
uniformed and civilian,
senior and subordinate,

760
00:41:24,175 --> 00:41:28,342
officer and non-commissioned
officer present today

761
00:41:30,119 --> 00:41:32,810
who have played a leading
role in my development,

762
00:41:32,810 --> 00:41:35,888
and who have always been
extraordinary supporters of me.

763
00:41:35,888 --> 00:41:39,361
Names like Holland, Brown, Olsen, McRaven,

764
00:41:39,361 --> 00:41:43,028
Daley, Fridovich,
Mulholland, Hart, Ferrell,

765
00:41:44,243 --> 00:41:48,399
Rogers, Garrett, Plater,
Forman, James, Cook,

766
00:41:48,399 --> 00:41:50,579
to name but a few.

767
00:41:50,579 --> 00:41:52,927
To you and many others that are here

768
00:41:52,927 --> 00:41:55,273
and unable to attend, thank you.

769
00:41:55,273 --> 00:41:57,264
You have all set a great example,

770
00:41:57,264 --> 00:42:00,241
and I strove to emulate
your superior leadership

771
00:42:00,241 --> 00:42:01,712
and human attributes.

772
00:42:01,712 --> 00:42:04,107
Mayor Bob Buckhorn, swagger six,

773
00:42:04,107 --> 00:42:07,204
thanks for making Tampa
such a great place to serve.

774
00:42:07,204 --> 00:42:11,506
You have been magnificent
and all of us who serve

775
00:42:11,506 --> 00:42:13,612
in uniform owe you and your family,

776
00:42:13,612 --> 00:42:15,911
and indeed the broader civilian community

777
00:42:15,911 --> 00:42:18,674
of the Tampa Bay area a
great measure of thanks

778
00:42:18,674 --> 00:42:22,063
for your welcoming hospitality
and the strong support

779
00:42:22,063 --> 00:42:24,498
to both US and coalition
forces and families

780
00:42:24,498 --> 00:42:26,382
who serve in the area.

781
00:42:26,382 --> 00:42:28,175
Good luck with your transition.

782
00:42:28,175 --> 00:42:32,011
I look forward to trading
Uber tips with you.

783
00:42:32,011 --> 00:42:33,985
We have friends and family who have come

784
00:42:33,985 --> 00:42:37,116
from all over the country
to be with us today.

785
00:42:37,116 --> 00:42:38,469
Thanks to all of you.

786
00:42:38,469 --> 00:42:41,257
I would especially like
to recognize Shawn Doyle

787
00:42:41,257 --> 00:42:42,502
and Bill Kramer.

788
00:42:42,502 --> 00:42:44,840
We went to St. Matthew's
grade school together,

789
00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:47,354
and went on to Credence High
School together in St. Paul.

790
00:42:47,354 --> 00:42:50,812
And we have remained close
friends all of our lives.

791
00:42:50,812 --> 00:42:53,407
They know our kids, and we know theirs.

792
00:42:53,407 --> 00:42:54,847
They are my oldest friends.

793
00:42:54,847 --> 00:42:57,754
Every year, they plan and
execute the summer fishing trip

794
00:42:57,754 --> 00:42:59,146
to Canada.

795
00:42:59,146 --> 00:43:00,744
I've been invited in the past,

796
00:43:00,744 --> 00:43:02,488
but never had the opportunity to go.

797
00:43:02,488 --> 00:43:04,832
A few months ago, they
called me and invited me

798
00:43:04,832 --> 00:43:06,522
to this summer's addition.

799
00:43:06,522 --> 00:43:08,546
For the first time since I can remember,

800
00:43:08,546 --> 00:43:10,404
I was able to commit without even having

801
00:43:10,404 --> 00:43:12,229
to check a calendar.

802
00:43:12,229 --> 00:43:13,225
(laughter)

803
00:43:13,225 --> 00:43:14,911
Gentlemen, I'm looking forward to it.

804
00:43:14,911 --> 00:43:17,051
And I especially look forward to using my

805
00:43:17,051 --> 00:43:19,910
custom "Rangers lead the way" fishing pole

806
00:43:19,910 --> 00:43:22,433
that you have provided me,
so thank you very much.

807
00:43:22,433 --> 00:43:25,125
Kim and Colleen, great
to have you with us.

808
00:43:25,125 --> 00:43:28,517
I will take good care of
your husbands this summer.

809
00:43:28,517 --> 00:43:30,568
There's also a broader
contingent of St. Paul

810
00:43:30,568 --> 00:43:32,670
supporters that includes
high school classmates

811
00:43:32,670 --> 00:43:34,940
and good friends and neighbors.

812
00:43:34,940 --> 00:43:37,403
Thanks to all of you as well.

813
00:43:37,403 --> 00:43:39,522
John Traxler, thanks for being my personal

814
00:43:39,522 --> 00:43:41,919
public affairs officer
back there in St. Paul

815
00:43:41,919 --> 00:43:44,800
and keeping our broader friends informed

816
00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:46,729
on Michelle and me.

817
00:43:46,729 --> 00:43:49,091
Let me also give a big
shoutout to my Westpoint

818
00:43:49,091 --> 00:43:51,997
classmates, the pride and
excellence class of 1980.

819
00:43:51,997 --> 00:43:54,263
Thanks for being here.

820
00:43:54,263 --> 00:43:56,482
I really appreciate all
of you being here today.

821
00:43:56,482 --> 00:43:59,434
I suspect your experience
is the same as mine.

822
00:43:59,434 --> 00:44:03,767
Westpoint was transformative
for me in so many ways.

823
00:44:04,766 --> 00:44:07,368
It's hard to put into a few words

824
00:44:07,368 --> 00:44:10,337
what that association of
common experience means.

825
00:44:10,337 --> 00:44:11,977
But it's clearly
demonstrated by your presence

826
00:44:11,977 --> 00:44:14,368
and strong support today.

827
00:44:14,368 --> 00:44:16,620
As many of you know, and have now heard,

828
00:44:16,620 --> 00:44:19,338
at our 35th reunion, we
made the chief of staff

829
00:44:19,338 --> 00:44:21,085
an honorary classmate.

830
00:44:21,085 --> 00:44:24,103
I want to report to you, again
as you've witnessed here,

831
00:44:24,103 --> 00:44:26,823
that I passed him just enough information

832
00:44:26,823 --> 00:44:29,406
to be able to credibly fake it.

833
00:44:30,570 --> 00:44:32,798
Don't ask him too many questions though,

834
00:44:32,798 --> 00:44:35,588
or you're likely to get a
response more appropriate

835
00:44:35,588 --> 00:44:39,207
to somebody who went to Princeton.

836
00:44:39,207 --> 00:44:40,282
Which I think we all would agree

837
00:44:40,282 --> 00:44:44,130
was a good backup plan for Westpoint.

838
00:44:44,130 --> 00:44:46,020
I'd especially like to acknowledge

839
00:44:46,020 --> 00:44:49,292
my fellow polar bears from company I3,

840
00:44:49,292 --> 00:44:50,750
the Tara North area.

841
00:44:50,750 --> 00:44:52,350
We were fortunate enough to be together

842
00:44:52,350 --> 00:44:53,896
for four straight years.

843
00:44:53,896 --> 00:44:55,680
If you look closely at one of the pictures

844
00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:58,956
in today's program, it
is of us, many of us,

845
00:44:58,956 --> 00:45:00,654
during an alcohol fueled hayride

846
00:45:00,654 --> 00:45:02,441
at the Hudson Valley Winery.

847
00:45:02,441 --> 00:45:05,009
One of my very favorite
memories of our time together.

848
00:45:05,009 --> 00:45:07,848
You all know how much you
mean to Michelle and I.

849
00:45:07,848 --> 00:45:10,365
Thanks for being here and being with us

850
00:45:10,365 --> 00:45:11,920
throughout our service.

851
00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:13,855
Mark and Wendy Taylor,
thanks for organizing

852
00:45:13,855 --> 00:45:15,264
this all so well.

853
00:45:15,264 --> 00:45:17,353
I'm a very lucky man and I know it.

854
00:45:17,353 --> 00:45:20,645
For the last 39 years, I've
had the love and support

855
00:45:20,645 --> 00:45:23,203
of a good woman, I've been bolstered

856
00:45:23,203 --> 00:45:25,991
by the support of a large
and always proud family,

857
00:45:25,991 --> 00:45:27,936
and I've had the opportunity to serve

858
00:45:27,936 --> 00:45:29,966
a great nation in its time of need.

859
00:45:29,966 --> 00:45:32,432
And I've had the opportunity
to walk among giants.

860
00:45:32,432 --> 00:45:34,628
No man could have asked for more,

861
00:45:34,628 --> 00:45:36,590
and in the vain of keeping the main thing

862
00:45:36,590 --> 00:45:39,393
the main thing, I'm very grateful.

863
00:45:39,393 --> 00:45:41,484
My principal partner for the last 44 years

864
00:45:41,484 --> 00:45:44,037
has been Michelle, a
member of the proverbial

865
00:45:44,037 --> 00:45:45,605
two percent club.

866
00:45:45,605 --> 00:45:47,262
My girlfriend before Westpoint,

867
00:45:47,262 --> 00:45:51,345
transitioning to Fiancee
twice, and then my wife.

868
00:45:53,127 --> 00:45:54,790
She is the love of my life,

869
00:45:54,790 --> 00:45:56,531
and I readily acknowledge her

870
00:45:56,531 --> 00:45:59,265
as the best leader I have ever seen.

871
00:45:59,265 --> 00:46:01,514
The right mixture of hard and soft,

872
00:46:01,514 --> 00:46:04,362
able to combine empathy and motivation

873
00:46:04,362 --> 00:46:07,598
to not only connect in a
direct and deeply personal way,

874
00:46:07,598 --> 00:46:10,241
but to build resilience
in those she serves.

875
00:46:10,241 --> 00:46:11,974
She trusts her instincts.

876
00:46:11,974 --> 00:46:14,382
She uses her position
for good, and has always

877
00:46:14,382 --> 00:46:16,238
made it rewarding and positive for those

878
00:46:16,238 --> 00:46:18,255
we have served alongside.

879
00:46:18,255 --> 00:46:21,097
And she is taking good
care of me and our kids.

880
00:46:21,097 --> 00:46:23,366
In our home, we have a framed picture

881
00:46:23,366 --> 00:46:25,129
given to us by a dear friend that quotes

882
00:46:25,129 --> 00:46:28,582
chapter 31 of the Book of
Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible,

883
00:46:28,582 --> 00:46:30,915
describing a woman of valor.

884
00:46:32,073 --> 00:46:34,831
It is a perfect description of Michelle.

885
00:46:34,831 --> 00:46:38,323
In part, it says, a woman
of valor who can find

886
00:46:38,323 --> 00:46:41,834
her worth is above jewels,
the heart of her husband

887
00:46:41,834 --> 00:46:44,977
trusts in her, and nothing shall he lack.

888
00:46:44,977 --> 00:46:47,413
She renders him good and not evil.

889
00:46:47,413 --> 00:46:49,777
All the days of her
life, she opens her hand

890
00:46:49,777 --> 00:46:53,095
to the needy and extends
her hand to the poor.

891
00:46:53,095 --> 00:46:55,667
She is robed in strength and dignity,

892
00:46:55,667 --> 00:46:58,088
and cheerfully faces whatever may come.

893
00:46:58,088 --> 00:47:00,241
She opens her mouth with wisdom,

894
00:47:00,241 --> 00:47:02,668
her tongue is guided by kindness.

895
00:47:02,668 --> 00:47:05,044
She tends to the affairs of her household

896
00:47:05,044 --> 00:47:07,152
and eats not the bread of idleness.

897
00:47:07,152 --> 00:47:09,255
Her children come forward and bless her.

898
00:47:09,255 --> 00:47:11,960
Her husband too, and he praises her.

899
00:47:11,960 --> 00:47:15,089
Many women have done superbly,

900
00:47:15,089 --> 00:47:17,064
but you surpass them all.

901
00:47:17,064 --> 00:47:19,696
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

902
00:47:19,696 --> 00:47:22,668
but a god-fearing woman
is much to be praised.

903
00:47:22,668 --> 00:47:26,659
On Saturday evening, along
with Bill and Ally Thetford,

904
00:47:26,659 --> 00:47:28,295
our good friends, we went to a concert

905
00:47:28,295 --> 00:47:30,309
by country music artist Brad Paisley.

906
00:47:30,309 --> 00:47:32,110
And among his repertoire that evening

907
00:47:32,110 --> 00:47:34,708
he sang a very reflective song entitled

908
00:47:34,708 --> 00:47:36,915
Last Time for Everything.

909
00:47:36,915 --> 00:47:39,023
The last few weeks and months have brought

910
00:47:39,023 --> 00:47:43,670
many laughs for Michelle
and me, but I know this:

911
00:47:43,670 --> 00:47:46,439
when one thing ends, another thing starts.

912
00:47:46,439 --> 00:47:48,450
So Michelle, I can never repay you

913
00:47:48,450 --> 00:47:49,999
for all that you've done for me

914
00:47:49,999 --> 00:47:52,879
and for our family, but it
won't prevent me from trying.

915
00:47:52,879 --> 00:47:54,988
Tomorrow morning is a new start for us,

916
00:47:54,988 --> 00:47:56,841
and I look forward to the
next journey with you.

917
00:47:56,841 --> 00:47:58,093
I love you so much.

918
00:47:58,093 --> 00:48:00,343
(applause)

919
00:48:14,191 --> 00:48:16,365
Michelle and I have been
blessed with two great sons,

920
00:48:16,365 --> 00:48:17,678
both fiercely independent and intent

921
00:48:17,678 --> 00:48:19,745
on charting their own paths.

922
00:48:19,745 --> 00:48:23,365
For Scott and Nicholas, your
mom and I are so proud of you.

923
00:48:23,365 --> 00:48:25,702
Army life was hard for
you two, I know this.

924
00:48:25,702 --> 00:48:28,232
Once when I took Scott to Westpoint

925
00:48:28,232 --> 00:48:31,463
to extoll on him the virtues
of a service academy life

926
00:48:31,463 --> 00:48:33,966
and education, he patiently tolerated me,

927
00:48:33,966 --> 00:48:36,916
enduring the walking and the pointing,

928
00:48:36,916 --> 00:48:40,227
and at the end of the tour, I
asked him, what do you think?

929
00:48:40,227 --> 00:48:42,980
And he said, and I'm paraphrasing,

930
00:48:42,980 --> 00:48:44,909
I've been in the army
for the last 18 years,

931
00:48:44,909 --> 00:48:48,561
and I didn't like it all that much.

932
00:48:48,561 --> 00:48:50,561
Or words to that effect.

933
00:48:52,138 --> 00:48:53,774
Fair enough, I thought.

934
00:48:53,774 --> 00:48:56,052
He is now a successful college professor,

935
00:48:56,052 --> 00:48:58,834
a great husband, and a model dad.

936
00:48:58,834 --> 00:49:00,816
No father could ask for more.

937
00:49:00,816 --> 00:49:03,536
We are so glad to have Mora in our family.

938
00:49:03,536 --> 00:49:06,539
She is a wonderful woman,
a loving wife to Scott,

939
00:49:06,539 --> 00:49:09,906
a so-so board game
player, and a great mother

940
00:49:09,906 --> 00:49:12,989
to Penelope, Westpoint class of 2039.

941
00:49:15,625 --> 00:49:18,293
Who has quickly become the
light of all of our lives.

942
00:49:18,293 --> 00:49:20,747
We're glad to have Mora's mom and dad,

943
00:49:20,747 --> 00:49:23,188
Phil and Jo Ellen Mannox in our lives.

944
00:49:23,188 --> 00:49:25,253
Unfortunately, they're not here today

945
00:49:25,253 --> 00:49:26,930
because of a death in their family,

946
00:49:26,930 --> 00:49:28,871
but we're glad that Uncle John Bush

947
00:49:28,871 --> 00:49:33,315
is here representing the
Mannox clan, so thanks.

948
00:49:33,315 --> 00:49:34,882
Thanks very much them.

949
00:49:34,882 --> 00:49:36,628
I know Penelope had to step out,

950
00:49:36,628 --> 00:49:38,736
she must have had something
else going on today.

951
00:49:38,736 --> 00:49:42,121
But we look forward to spending
more time with her, as well.

952
00:49:42,121 --> 00:49:44,495
I have endless verses of Baby Shark

953
00:49:44,495 --> 00:49:48,936
that I've been working on to
entertain her and you with.

954
00:49:48,936 --> 00:49:50,595
And with this sweet
pension that I'm getting

955
00:49:50,595 --> 00:49:53,637
from Uncle Sam here, I
will be able to match

956
00:49:53,637 --> 00:49:56,637
thread for thread those Patriot rags

957
00:49:58,117 --> 00:50:01,683
that her parents continue to drape on her

958
00:50:01,683 --> 00:50:05,016
with very cool stylish vikings fan gear.

959
00:50:06,034 --> 00:50:08,212
I look forward to it.

960
00:50:08,212 --> 00:50:12,008
Nicholas was our advance
man back to St. Paul.

961
00:50:12,008 --> 00:50:15,881
He departed Tampa right
before New Years last year.

962
00:50:15,881 --> 00:50:18,022
I got a text from him
on the first of January

963
00:50:18,022 --> 00:50:20,435
after he arrived in St.
Paul reporting that it

964
00:50:20,435 --> 00:50:22,124
was one degree.

965
00:50:22,124 --> 00:50:25,207
Literally, that's what the text said.

966
00:50:26,218 --> 00:50:28,574
It isn't I've arrived
safely, the car was good,

967
00:50:28,574 --> 00:50:31,117
traffic was light, hope
you mom and dad are good.

968
00:50:31,117 --> 00:50:32,450
It's one degree.

969
00:50:34,569 --> 00:50:36,161
Through my decades of military experience

970
00:50:36,161 --> 00:50:40,401
and my finely-honed
ability to deduce and grasp

971
00:50:40,401 --> 00:50:44,125
the nuanced aspects of any situation,

972
00:50:44,125 --> 00:50:48,263
I sensed that he may have
been rethinking his decision.

973
00:50:48,263 --> 00:50:51,684
Hashtag what the hell
did I get myself into.

974
00:50:51,684 --> 00:50:53,195
After weathering the polar vortex

975
00:50:53,195 --> 00:50:55,230
and the toughest Minnesota
weather since 1966,

976
00:50:55,230 --> 00:50:58,813
on 8 March, he texted
me again that weather

977
00:50:59,967 --> 00:51:02,050
was above freezing today.

978
00:51:03,089 --> 00:51:06,008
Hashtag I might survive this.

979
00:51:06,008 --> 00:51:07,454
A week later, he reported the temperature

980
00:51:07,454 --> 00:51:09,017
hit 51 degrees.

981
00:51:09,017 --> 00:51:11,008
Hashtag I got this.

982
00:51:11,008 --> 00:51:12,379
Well done, Nick.

983
00:51:12,379 --> 00:51:15,545
I hope you have fun
driving the best car ever

984
00:51:15,545 --> 00:51:17,852
back to the great white
north this weekend.

985
00:51:17,852 --> 00:51:20,952
Our classic and highly
coveted Land Rover Discovery.

986
00:51:20,952 --> 00:51:22,741
Which many people have
tried to buy from me,

987
00:51:22,741 --> 00:51:24,921
but which I have refused to sell.

988
00:51:24,921 --> 00:51:26,990
Which you helped me pick out,

989
00:51:26,990 --> 00:51:28,737
and then more importantly, helped convince

990
00:51:28,737 --> 00:51:31,708
a reluctant mother that we
absolutely had to have it.

991
00:51:31,708 --> 00:51:33,846
You were the closer on
that deal, my friend.

992
00:51:33,846 --> 00:51:35,827
Well done, wingman.

993
00:51:35,827 --> 00:51:38,616
Your mom and I are so proud of all of you.

994
00:51:38,616 --> 00:51:40,949
Thanks for being here today.

995
00:51:48,411 --> 00:51:50,962
I grew up in a big family
led by Hank and Pat Votel.

996
00:51:50,962 --> 00:51:53,122
Now long gone, but who instilled in us

997
00:51:53,122 --> 00:51:56,670
a love of family, pride
in country and community,

998
00:51:56,670 --> 00:51:58,268
and support for each other.

999
00:51:58,268 --> 00:52:01,169
No one had it better
than my siblings and me.

1000
00:52:01,169 --> 00:52:03,352
Our mom stayed home every day of her life

1001
00:52:03,352 --> 00:52:06,257
and was a vital aspect of
every part of our lives.

1002
00:52:06,257 --> 00:52:08,977
School, church, sports, friends,

1003
00:52:08,977 --> 00:52:13,210
even dating, and our eventual
transition into adulthood.

1004
00:52:13,210 --> 00:52:15,168
She took special pride in how she raised

1005
00:52:15,168 --> 00:52:18,463
her ornery pups, as she
frequently referred to us.

1006
00:52:18,463 --> 00:52:20,767
Other kids always came to our house

1007
00:52:20,767 --> 00:52:23,612
because it was a fun and
welcoming place to be.

1008
00:52:23,612 --> 00:52:25,689
Together, our parents demonstrated to us

1009
00:52:25,689 --> 00:52:29,084
what was meant by the
phrase for better or worse.

1010
00:52:29,084 --> 00:52:32,288
Our father, a successful but
quiet and reserved business man

1011
00:52:32,288 --> 00:52:35,541
who worked hard all of his
life, cared for our mother

1012
00:52:35,541 --> 00:52:38,005
and our family home for the last 15 years

1013
00:52:38,005 --> 00:52:39,605
of her life while she suffered

1014
00:52:39,605 --> 00:52:41,298
from the effects of Alzheimer's.

1015
00:52:41,298 --> 00:52:43,224
For my brothers, sisters, and me,

1016
00:52:43,224 --> 00:52:45,367
it was a lesson of a lifetime.

1017
00:52:45,367 --> 00:52:48,528
He passed away six years
after our mother did,

1018
00:52:48,528 --> 00:52:51,898
having lived long enough
to see me promoted

1019
00:52:51,898 --> 00:52:53,053
to Brigadier General.

1020
00:52:53,053 --> 00:52:54,908
Along the way, my five older brothers

1021
00:52:54,908 --> 00:52:56,154
and my three younger sisters,

1022
00:52:56,154 --> 00:52:59,134
a passle of nephews and
nieces, uncles and aunts,

1023
00:52:59,134 --> 00:53:01,602
and cousins have always been there for us.

1024
00:53:01,602 --> 00:53:04,531
Visiting where we served,
attending ceremonies

1025
00:53:04,531 --> 00:53:06,906
for promotions, and welcoming us back home

1026
00:53:06,906 --> 00:53:09,302
during our periodic visits to St. Paul.

1027
00:53:09,302 --> 00:53:11,766
Michelle's mom and dad,
Dave and Jean Belair,

1028
00:53:11,766 --> 00:53:14,066
and their big extended family,
were equally supportive

1029
00:53:14,066 --> 00:53:18,232
and encouraged us as we
pursued our military career.

1030
00:53:18,232 --> 00:53:21,233
In the end, it was not a
hard decision for Michelle

1031
00:53:21,233 --> 00:53:24,677
and me to return to Minnesota
after our military service.

1032
00:53:24,677 --> 00:53:27,763
It has hard winters, but
it also has a world class

1033
00:53:27,763 --> 00:53:29,654
international airport
that can take us anywhere

1034
00:53:29,654 --> 00:53:32,535
we want to go, and the
summers are to die for.

1035
00:53:32,535 --> 00:53:35,247
And it is after all where we come from,

1036
00:53:35,247 --> 00:53:38,579
where our roots are, and
where our people live.

1037
00:53:38,579 --> 00:53:40,598
My military journey began in a spring day

1038
00:53:40,598 --> 00:53:43,388
in April 1968 when my
oldest brother, Dick,

1039
00:53:43,388 --> 00:53:46,065
living with his family
in Baltimore at the time,

1040
00:53:46,065 --> 00:53:48,768
took my dad and mom and my sisters and me

1041
00:53:48,768 --> 00:53:50,174
to see the naval academy.

1042
00:53:50,174 --> 00:53:52,034
I know my classmates are
thinking what, hold on here,

1043
00:53:52,034 --> 00:53:54,701
this is a self-correcting story.

1044
00:53:55,985 --> 00:53:58,771
I knew instantly that
that's what I wanted to do.

1045
00:53:58,771 --> 00:54:00,951
And after that visit I never
wanted to do anything else

1046
00:54:00,951 --> 00:54:03,003
but be in the military.

1047
00:54:03,003 --> 00:54:06,009
After a few twists and turns
I ended up at Westpoint.

1048
00:54:06,009 --> 00:54:08,724
But it all started for me at Annapolis.

1049
00:54:08,724 --> 00:54:11,099
I think it worked out best for everybody.

1050
00:54:11,099 --> 00:54:13,907
Like my classmates I
showed up at Michie Stadium

1051
00:54:13,907 --> 00:54:16,451
early on the morning of 7 July, 1976,

1052
00:54:16,451 --> 00:54:18,876
having never seen Westpoint before,

1053
00:54:18,876 --> 00:54:22,659
and after the quietest bus
ride ever from New York City.

1054
00:54:22,659 --> 00:54:25,496
And immediately wondered
what I'd gotten myself into.

1055
00:54:25,496 --> 00:54:28,286
My first roommates were Santiago Renden,

1056
00:54:28,286 --> 00:54:29,871
a Columbian exchange student,

1057
00:54:29,871 --> 00:54:32,693
a close friend to us to
this day, sitting right here

1058
00:54:32,693 --> 00:54:35,611
in front of me, and Ed Wilhelm,

1059
00:54:35,611 --> 00:54:38,136
who had just come from
living in Tehran, Iran,

1060
00:54:38,136 --> 00:54:41,154
where his father served
as a US military attache.

1061
00:54:41,154 --> 00:54:42,897
Think about that for a moment.

1062
00:54:42,897 --> 00:54:45,009
I quickly found that there's
comfort in collective

1063
00:54:45,009 --> 00:54:47,905
misery, and survived my
Westpoint experience,

1064
00:54:47,905 --> 00:54:49,653
graduating in the 40th percentile,

1065
00:54:49,653 --> 00:54:52,356
thereby reinforcing the
notion that the Army,

1066
00:54:52,356 --> 00:54:55,856
or at least CENTCOM, is run by C students.

1067
00:54:58,270 --> 00:54:59,582
I chose the one and only branch

1068
00:54:59,582 --> 00:55:01,525
that I was interested in, infantry,

1069
00:55:01,525 --> 00:55:04,119
and followed a fairly normal career path.

1070
00:55:04,119 --> 00:55:06,798
Along the way I met many
who influenced my life.

1071
00:55:06,798 --> 00:55:09,373
My first platoon sergeant,
Sergeant First Class

1072
00:55:09,373 --> 00:55:11,730
Craig Gower, insisted that I demonstrated

1073
00:55:11,730 --> 00:55:13,330
the right to be a platoon leader.

1074
00:55:13,330 --> 00:55:16,125
After all, he reminded me,
I did have Vietnam vets

1075
00:55:16,125 --> 00:55:17,749
in my first platoon.

1076
00:55:17,749 --> 00:55:21,432
And when I had, he was
absolutely my greatest advocate

1077
00:55:21,432 --> 00:55:25,208
in ensuring everyone knew that
I was now the platoon leader.

1078
00:55:25,208 --> 00:55:28,592
Teaching me my first and
most importance lesson

1079
00:55:28,592 --> 00:55:31,031
in confidence, loyalty, and trust.

1080
00:55:31,031 --> 00:55:33,060
Every officer needs a sergeant.

1081
00:55:33,060 --> 00:55:35,582
My career was heavily
influenced by a phalanx

1082
00:55:35,582 --> 00:55:37,594
of NCOs who modeled leadership,

1083
00:55:37,594 --> 00:55:40,019
and provided unwavering
support along the way.

1084
00:55:40,019 --> 00:55:42,720
Topped by the NCO we honored yesterday

1085
00:55:42,720 --> 00:55:46,014
at his retirement, Command
Sergeant Major Bill Thetford,

1086
00:55:46,014 --> 00:55:48,609
who was my sergeant for
the last eight years.

1087
00:55:48,609 --> 00:55:50,962
I was well-supported by
members of my chain of command

1088
00:55:50,962 --> 00:55:53,104
who believed the best
way you reward good work

1089
00:55:53,104 --> 00:55:55,551
and performance is by providing

1090
00:55:55,551 --> 00:55:57,531
opportunities to move forward.

1091
00:55:57,531 --> 00:55:59,452
So I was afforded the opportunity to join

1092
00:55:59,452 --> 00:56:01,310
the Ranger Regime and pursue jobs

1093
00:56:01,310 --> 00:56:03,636
that contribute to a well-rounded career.

1094
00:56:03,636 --> 00:56:05,686
The Army saw fit to allow
me to command not one,

1095
00:56:05,686 --> 00:56:07,933
but two battalions.

1096
00:56:07,933 --> 00:56:09,462
I don't know what they were thinking,

1097
00:56:09,462 --> 00:56:11,355
but I was not about to ask,

1098
00:56:11,355 --> 00:56:13,567
and it was definitely better
the second time around.

1099
00:56:13,567 --> 00:56:16,126
The most satisfying
thing for any commander

1100
00:56:16,126 --> 00:56:18,229
is to see the young officers and NCOs

1101
00:56:18,229 --> 00:56:20,368
that you worked with as
a battalion commander

1102
00:56:20,368 --> 00:56:22,940
grow up and become successful
senior leaders themselves.

1103
00:56:22,940 --> 00:56:25,788
Virtually every company commander,

1104
00:56:25,788 --> 00:56:28,916
first sergeant, staff
officer, or staff NCO

1105
00:56:28,916 --> 00:56:31,009
who was in the First Ranger Battalion

1106
00:56:31,009 --> 00:56:32,862
when I had the honor of commanding it

1107
00:56:32,862 --> 00:56:35,484
is now a general officer
or a sergeant major.

1108
00:56:35,484 --> 00:56:37,141
I was setup for success.

1109
00:56:37,141 --> 00:56:40,187
I was fortunate to be
in key command positions

1110
00:56:40,187 --> 00:56:43,153
on 9/11 and was able to
have a front row seat

1111
00:56:43,153 --> 00:56:44,989
to our military response, and eventually

1112
00:56:44,989 --> 00:56:46,931
our initial operations into Iraq.

1113
00:56:46,931 --> 00:56:49,308
I had the opportunity to
transition between the Army

1114
00:56:49,308 --> 00:56:51,575
and the joint soft community.

1115
00:56:51,575 --> 00:56:54,526
Serving in storied units, like
the 82nd Airborne Division,

1116
00:56:54,526 --> 00:56:57,206
and the Joint Special Operations Command.

1117
00:56:57,206 --> 00:56:59,583
Following regimental command,
I had the opportunity

1118
00:56:59,583 --> 00:57:01,527
to serve in the Pentagon for three years,

1119
00:57:01,527 --> 00:57:03,328
where I learned that it is possible

1120
00:57:03,328 --> 00:57:05,756
to suck and blow at the same time.

1121
00:57:05,756 --> 00:57:08,565
While there, I was assigned
an important mission

1122
00:57:08,565 --> 00:57:12,253
to pull together our department
efforts to defeat IEDs.

1123
00:57:12,253 --> 00:57:15,743
At the time, it was the
hardest but most noble thing

1124
00:57:15,743 --> 00:57:17,026
I'd ever done.

1125
00:57:17,026 --> 00:57:20,119
But again, I was
well-supported by the services,

1126
00:57:20,119 --> 00:57:22,832
by the OSD and joint
staffs, and especially

1127
00:57:22,832 --> 00:57:26,738
the vast science technology
and acquisition communities

1128
00:57:26,738 --> 00:57:27,872
of the Defense Department.

1129
00:57:27,872 --> 00:57:30,643
When I needed help the
most, I got it in spades.

1130
00:57:30,643 --> 00:57:34,654
As the JSOC, SOCOM, and CENTCOM commander,

1131
00:57:34,654 --> 00:57:37,143
I had the opportunity to
lead our military efforts

1132
00:57:37,143 --> 00:57:38,777
in very important areas.

1133
00:57:38,777 --> 00:57:42,270
But again, any success I achieved
was merely reflected glory

1134
00:57:42,270 --> 00:57:45,079
from those who actually
did the hard lifting.

1135
00:57:45,079 --> 00:57:48,033
The soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen,

1136
00:57:48,033 --> 00:57:49,238
and coast guardsmen, operating

1137
00:57:49,238 --> 00:57:51,230
at the pointy end of the stick.

1138
00:57:51,230 --> 00:57:53,301
Commanders and senior enlisted leaders

1139
00:57:53,301 --> 00:57:55,574
who demonstrated vision
and strategic grasp

1140
00:57:55,574 --> 00:57:57,404
that greatly exceeded mine.

1141
00:57:57,404 --> 00:58:00,175
Staff officers and NCOs who
worked tirelessly to plan,

1142
00:58:00,175 --> 00:58:02,592
coordinate, and then execute.

1143
00:58:03,615 --> 00:58:05,972
Dedicated civilians who
provided the continuity

1144
00:58:05,972 --> 00:58:09,630
and expertise that
underpinned everything we did.

1145
00:58:09,630 --> 00:58:11,482
My point to all of you is this.

1146
00:58:11,482 --> 00:58:13,406
I did very little myself.

1147
00:58:13,406 --> 00:58:15,614
I had great examples set for me.

1148
00:58:15,614 --> 00:58:18,337
Officers who took a
personal interest in me.

1149
00:58:18,337 --> 00:58:21,018
I worked alongside the cream of the crop,

1150
00:58:21,018 --> 00:58:24,382
and fate often interceded
and placed me in positions

1151
00:58:24,382 --> 00:58:27,873
where I was able to serve
in consequential times.

1152
00:58:27,873 --> 00:58:30,033
No one had it easier than me.

1153
00:58:30,033 --> 00:58:32,706
Most importantly I had
the opportunity to work

1154
00:58:32,706 --> 00:58:35,790
for nearly 39 years with
the best that our country

1155
00:58:35,790 --> 00:58:38,045
has to offer, our young men and women.

1156
00:58:38,045 --> 00:58:39,280
They are magnificent.

1157
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:41,301
They and their families
have little to gain

1158
00:58:41,301 --> 00:58:45,468
in their service and
virtually everything to lose.

1159
00:58:48,354 --> 00:58:51,577
But they have left it all on
the field for our country.

1160
00:58:51,577 --> 00:58:54,868
How can you not be successful
working with people like that?

1161
00:58:54,868 --> 00:58:57,407
I am so thankful for
having had the opportunity

1162
00:58:57,407 --> 00:59:00,176
to be in a position to
lead them, to support them,

1163
00:59:00,176 --> 00:59:02,481
and to get to know and love them.

1164
00:59:02,481 --> 00:59:05,058
The last few months, weeks, and days

1165
00:59:05,058 --> 00:59:07,611
have been filled with a
series of last things,

1166
00:59:07,611 --> 00:59:09,679
but they also have been
filled with a deluge

1167
00:59:09,679 --> 00:59:11,807
of memories and feelings.

1168
00:59:11,807 --> 00:59:14,069
Most good, and some sad.

1169
00:59:14,069 --> 00:59:16,101
The pride the first time you step in front

1170
00:59:16,101 --> 00:59:17,413
of a new formation.

1171
00:59:17,413 --> 00:59:20,203
The spree to belonging to an outfit

1172
00:59:20,203 --> 00:59:23,514
where the collective culture
outweighs individual goals.

1173
00:59:23,514 --> 00:59:25,637
The sense of accomplishment
that comes from knowing

1174
00:59:25,637 --> 00:59:29,018
your actions helped a
solder or his family.

1175
00:59:29,018 --> 00:59:31,172
The absolute thrill and satisfaction

1176
00:59:31,172 --> 00:59:34,440
of an operation well-executed
and a mission accomplished.

1177
00:59:34,440 --> 00:59:37,863
The agony of a mission
or operation going wrong.

1178
00:59:37,863 --> 00:59:41,095
The loneliness of being
away from your loved ones.

1179
00:59:41,095 --> 00:59:43,404
The profound grief and sadness of losing

1180
00:59:43,404 --> 00:59:45,219
a close friend in combat.

1181
00:59:45,219 --> 00:59:49,055
The warmth of that first
embrace after a long deployment.

1182
00:59:49,055 --> 00:59:51,933
The relief when you try
to comfort the parents

1183
00:59:51,933 --> 00:59:55,659
or the spouse of a fallen
soldier, only to realize

1184
00:59:55,659 --> 00:59:58,047
that you aren't the one being consoled.

1185
00:59:58,047 --> 01:00:00,264
The honor of having served a great country

1186
01:00:00,264 --> 01:00:01,601
in its time of need.

1187
01:00:01,601 --> 01:00:04,456
The gratitude for those who
have made the path possible.

1188
01:00:04,456 --> 01:00:06,596
There is a ritual in airborne units

1189
01:00:06,596 --> 01:00:09,151
when they get ready to jump.

1190
01:00:09,151 --> 01:00:12,680
You show up at the ramp, you
go through pre-jump training,

1191
01:00:12,680 --> 01:00:15,202
you don your gear, and you
stand by for the jump master

1192
01:00:15,202 --> 01:00:17,452
to make final manifest call.

1193
01:00:17,452 --> 01:00:21,407
When he does, he clearly
states the jumper's last name,

1194
01:00:21,407 --> 01:00:23,694
and the jumper responds
with his first name

1195
01:00:23,694 --> 01:00:25,312
and middle initial.

1196
01:00:25,312 --> 01:00:27,401
Votel, Joseph, L.

1197
01:00:27,401 --> 01:00:29,223
I suppose to the casual observer,

1198
01:00:29,223 --> 01:00:31,720
this is primarily an accountability drill.

1199
01:00:31,720 --> 01:00:34,727
After all, we do want to know
who's getting on the aircraft.

1200
01:00:34,727 --> 01:00:38,656
But for anyone who's actually
done this, it is much more.

1201
01:00:38,656 --> 01:00:41,473
It is acknowledgment that
you are stepping forward,

1202
01:00:41,473 --> 01:00:44,607
placing your trust in life
in the hands of others,

1203
01:00:44,607 --> 01:00:47,485
and acknowledgment that
others are placing their lives

1204
01:00:47,485 --> 01:00:48,837
in your hands.

1205
01:00:48,837 --> 01:00:51,143
A demonstration of your
commitment to the team

1206
01:00:51,143 --> 01:00:54,271
and an agreement to do
something completely unnatural

1207
01:00:54,271 --> 01:00:55,997
for your country.

1208
01:00:55,997 --> 01:00:57,601
Call me a hopeless romantic,

1209
01:00:57,601 --> 01:01:00,965
but I always loved that feeling.

1210
01:01:00,965 --> 01:01:03,519
I have loved this life,
and I have loved those

1211
01:01:03,519 --> 01:01:05,571
with whom I've been honored to serve.

1212
01:01:05,571 --> 01:01:08,329
In the second letter to
the disciple Timothy,

1213
01:01:08,329 --> 01:01:10,548
St. Paul writes from prison,

1214
01:01:10,548 --> 01:01:12,648
the time of my departure is at hand.

1215
01:01:12,648 --> 01:01:14,533
I have fought the good fight.

1216
01:01:14,533 --> 01:01:16,035
I have finished the race.

1217
01:01:16,035 --> 01:01:17,757
I have kept the faith.

1218
01:01:17,757 --> 01:01:20,133
As my time in uniform comes to an end,

1219
01:01:20,133 --> 01:01:22,688
as my race finishes,
as my fight concludes,

1220
01:01:22,688 --> 01:01:24,492
I hope that I have been
worthy of the support

1221
01:01:24,492 --> 01:01:27,114
and opportunities that
you and so many others

1222
01:01:27,114 --> 01:01:29,057
have bestowed upon me.

1223
01:01:29,057 --> 01:01:31,172
Thanks to all of you for joining us today.

1224
01:01:31,172 --> 01:01:32,923
Come visit us in Minnesota.

1225
01:01:32,923 --> 01:01:35,061
Bring warm clothes.

1226
01:01:35,061 --> 01:01:37,311
(applause)

1227
01:02:17,800 --> 01:02:18,797
- [Evangeline] Ladies and gentlemen,

1228
01:02:18,797 --> 01:02:21,380
please remain standing for
the playing of the Army song,

1229
01:02:21,380 --> 01:02:23,756
and stay in place until
after the departure

1230
01:02:23,756 --> 01:02:26,143
of the official party,
and as the Votel family

1231
01:02:26,143 --> 01:02:28,810
is escorted out of the ballroom.

1232
01:02:30,827 --> 01:02:33,994
(The Army Song plays)

1233
01:04:07,091 --> 01:04:08,993
Thank you all for taking the time to honor

1234
01:04:08,993 --> 01:04:10,835
General Votel and his family.

1235
01:04:10,835 --> 01:04:12,529
You may offer your congratulations

1236
01:04:12,529 --> 01:04:14,870
and bid farewell to the
Votels after the change

1237
01:04:14,870 --> 01:04:17,908
of command ceremony that
will commence at 3pm.

1238
01:04:17,908 --> 01:04:19,309
There will be a short intermission

1239
01:04:19,309 --> 01:04:22,148
as we reset the room for the
change of command ceremony.

1240
01:04:22,148 --> 01:04:24,653
We kindly ask that you gather
your personal belongings

1241
01:04:24,653 --> 01:04:26,830
so we can update the seating arrangements

1242
01:04:26,830 --> 01:04:28,012
for the next event.

1243
01:04:28,012 --> 01:04:32,272
Thank you again for attending
today's retirement ceremony.