WEBVTT

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We are gathered to commemorate the 75th

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anniversary of executive orders .

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9980 and 9981 which

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desegregated the federal workforce and

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armed services respectively . Thank you

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all . Yes . Yes , that's why we're here .

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Thank you all for joining us on this

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momentous occasion , bringing

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individuals with diverse backgrounds

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together for a common purpose to

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recognize the significance of these

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executive orders on the impact of

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diversity and inclusion and the mission

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readiness . We also remember and honor

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trailblazers who served in segregated

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units and paved the way for total force

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integration in the

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official party is today's host , the

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honorable Gilbert R . Cisneros Junior

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undersecretary of Defense for personnel

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and readiness . The honorable Kathleen

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H Hicks , Deputy Secretary of

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Defense General Charles Q Brown

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Junior , the first African American

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chief of staff of the Air Force

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sergeant major of the army , Michael A

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Grinton US , army Brigadier

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General , Gail E , Crawford us , Air

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Force Director , military justice and

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discipline Air Force judge advocate

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general core Dr Terry A Dickerson ,

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US Coast Guard director , civil rights

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Division and the first African African

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American member of the Coast Guard's

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senior executive service .

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Ladies and gentlemen , please stand for

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the arrival of the official party

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presentation of colors by the military

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district of Washington Armed Forces .

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Honor Guard , the singing of the

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national anthem by sergeant , first

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class Keenan mc Arthur US Army followed

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by the invocation from Reverend Diana

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Bell who in addition to being the first

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Department of Defense female chaplain

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being commissioned over 50 years ago in

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the United States Navy .

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As you can see , she's donning the

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uniform of the United States Coast

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Guard because she was just recently

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commissioned as a Coast Guard auxiliary

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chaplain by the first United States

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Coast Guard commandant Admiral Fagan ,

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who is also here with us today .

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Ladies and gentlemen , please remain

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standing for the presentation of colors

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by the military Department district of

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Washington Armed Forces . Color Guard .

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Oh , say , can you see

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by the dawn's early light ?

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What a proudly we at

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the twilight . Last gleaming

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foods but stripes and bright stars

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through the last spot .

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All the rhyme parts we watched

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were so good . The dreaming

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on the rocks .

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Album's Bursty . Yeah .

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Through the I thought our flag

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was , oh , say ,

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does that star spangled

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it ? Oh ,

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alright .

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Would you please join me in a spirit of

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prayer ? Great and loving

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God . You have poured yourself into

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this immense creation in which we find

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ourselves . You have created us to

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reflect your great diversity and called

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us to live in community . You have

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given us teachers to guide the way we

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are to live . Together in care and

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mutual respect . Even the plants teach

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us that to thrive , we must care for

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one another . Often it has pleased us

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to disregard the worthiness of some of

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our brothers and sisters using and

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abusing one another rather than

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embracing and honoring one another . We

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gather in your presence today to

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celebrate one stride forward in

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following your design . Our black

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sisters and brothers have suffered much

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at our hands but today , we humbly

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remember one occasion , 75 years ago

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when as a nation , we finally

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recognized and embraced them as full

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coworkers in our armed forces , proven

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warriors in our nation's defense . We

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honor their legacy and dedication to

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building and protecting this great

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nation . We give thanks to you that

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our president in 1948 took the

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courageous step to make their full

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inclusion into the armed forces . A

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reality guide all of us to be

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courageous in following your design of

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living in full community with one

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another and thereby honoring you our

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great and loving God . Amen .

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Ladies and gentlemen , you may be

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seated . Thank you so much , Sergeant ,

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first class mc Arthur for that

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wonderful rendition of our national

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anthem and to reverend Pullman bell for

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that heartfelt invocation . We are so

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blessed to have both of you here with

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us today .

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Today , we are honored to have a number

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of special guests . Representative

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Stephen Horford , chair of the

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congressional black Caucus . Thank you

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congressman for joining us in a special

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commemoration

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of equal importance . We also have the

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pleasure of honoring some very , very

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special guests with us here . Today on

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this day , we have the distinct

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privilege of recognizing exceptional

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service to our nation during a time

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when the armed forces were still

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segregated , representing the original

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Tuskegee airman and top gun winners .

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We recognize the contributions of

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Lieutenant Colonel Shelton Ivan Ware

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and Mr William TF .

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In addition , we like to recognize Mr

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Doug Melville , descendant of the first

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African American general officers in

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the Army and Air Forces . Brigadier

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General James O Davis senior and James

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General James O Chappy Davis junior .

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No ,

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M Debian Rice Thurston , daughter of

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Tuskegee airman . Colonel , retired

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Price D Rice

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and Mr Philip Tibbs , son of Tuskegee

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airman , Howard A Tibbs

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also joining us today , Lieutenant

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General , retired Russell Davis , the

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first and only black chief of the

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National Guard Bureau

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and Major General Rita Aragon , the

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first general officer of the Oklahoma

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Air National Guard and of Native

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American ancestry .

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Welcome . And thank you . In

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addition to the Tuskegee airmen , we

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are honored to be in the presence of

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two Montford Point Marines .

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These gentlemen were based in Montford

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Point , North Carolina and became the

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first African Americans to serve in the

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United States Marine Corps .

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Ladies and gentlemen , we are honored

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to recognize Mr Ivor Griffin

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and private first class , Claude

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Leopold David .

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Now I would like to also take a moment

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to acknowledge in our audience today ,

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our dod senior leaders , military

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department , secretaries , acting

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Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs ,

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the honorable guy Kaya Service chiefs ,

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senior enlisted personnel , federal

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civilian workforce , contractors ,

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community leaders , and partners ,

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family and friends . Thank you for

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joining us here today .

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At this time , I would like to

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relinquish the podium to the host for

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today's ceremony . The honorable

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Gilbert R . Cisneros Junior who will

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provide opening remarks . Secretary

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Cisneros , the floor is yours .

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Good morning , everyone . It's a great

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pleasure to welcome you to the 75th

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anniversary commemoration of the

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desegregation of the armed forces and

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federal workforce by the enactment of

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Executive orders . 99809981 .

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Thank you all for being here today .

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And I especially want to thank our

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distinguished guests representing the

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Montford Point Marines in Tuskegee

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airmen who helped pave the way for the

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armed forces integration , your

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contributions to our nation and this

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department will not be forgotten . And

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I thank each of you on behalf of the

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Department of Defense . So thank you

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very much . I would also like to thank

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chaplain Reverend Diana Pullman Ball

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for delivering the invocation this

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morning . I also want to welcome our

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congressional leaders here today . Um

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My friend , Congressman Stephen Horford ,

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the leader of the congressional black

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caucus . Thank you for joining us here

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today and I would be remiss if I didn't

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acknowledge Deputy Secretary hicks and

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all her efforts to work on behalf of

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every member of the Department of

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Defense . It's with deep appreciation .

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I acknowledge the diligent dod members

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and committees who work behind the

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scenes to plan and execute this

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ceremony in honor of this momentous

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occasion . And thank you to Major

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Brooke Coin for serving as our master

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of ceremonies . Special recognition

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also goes to the Department of Defense

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75th anniversary committee represented

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by members from the office of Secretary

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of Defense , our military departments ,

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the United States Coast Guard and a

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host of other DD agencies for the

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collaborative efforts over the past

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several months that allowed us to

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gather and celebrate the desegregation

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of the federal government and the armed

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forces . This commemoration came to

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fruition because of your tireless

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dedication . So thank you all for your

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efforts on July 6th or July 26th ,

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1948 circumventing a resistant

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Congress . President Harry S Truman

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became the first commander in chief to

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use his authority to enact civil rights

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policy by signing executive order .

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9980 and 9981 .

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Executive order , 9980 mandated all

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personnel actions taken by federal

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appointing officers shall be based

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solely on merit and fitness and such

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officers are authorized and directed to

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take appropriate steps to ensure that

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all in such actions , there shall be no

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discrimination because of race , color ,

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religion or national origin . Further ,

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executive order 9981 directed the

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desegregation of the US military

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declaring there shall be equality of

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treatment and opportunity for all

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personnel in the armed services without

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regard to race , color , religion or

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national origin . This pivotal order

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also created the President's Committee

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of Equality of treatment and

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opportunity in the armed forces tasked

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with expeditiously implementing the

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President's directives today . As we

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commemorate and celebrate the 75th

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anniversary of these historic actions .

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I want to take a moment to reflect on

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the profound historic significance . 75

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years ago , the armed forces and most

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of the federal civilian workforce were

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segregated based on race and ethnicity

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under policies implemented by President

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Woodrow Wilson's administration .

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Despite their bravery to defend freedom

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abroad . During World War , two ,

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people of color and black Americans in

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particular continue to endure unequal

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treatment in the very nation . They

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were sworn to protect President

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Truman's orders proceeded to rectify

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these wrongs . President Truman took

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this critical step to end racial

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segregation throughout the department .

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But he too acknowledged that there was

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still much to be done to achieve full

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equality and justice for all in the

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decades since the department responded

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accordingly by pursuing purposeful and

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evolving strategies to ensure service

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members and civilians are treated with

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dignity and respect and receive equal

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opportunity to succeed in our

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organization without equivocation . I

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can say that the department's greatest

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strength lies in our people . The

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courageous individuals who volunteer to

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serve our nation have undeniably made

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us the most formidable military force

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in the world . It is through their

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collective efforts and sacrifices that

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we maintain our position as a global

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leader . I'm proud to represent this

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international constellation of 3.3

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million service members and dod

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civilians who defend our nation every

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day . And while a lot has changed since

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1948 1 continent and department

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is that we're only as strong and

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capable as our workforce that we employ .

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One of Secretary Austin's earliest

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messages to the force made clear that

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taking care of our people is a national

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security imperative , dod strategic

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advantage is overcoming this my red

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global security threat facing the

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United States and the diverse and

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dynamic talent pool in our nation from

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which it can draw given the evolving

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nature of future global challenges so

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too must grow and evolve to bolster the

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integrated deterrent required to

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overcome these challenges . This

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administration has shown both in the

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words and actions that dud will invest

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in the greatest strategic advantage ,

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thereby continuing President Truman's

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legacy of equality of treatment and

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opportunity for those who serve in our

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country's defense . We look forward to

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a special program today and now I'd

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like to turn it back over to major coin

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to introduce our first speaker . Thank

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you very much .

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Thank you uh Secretary Cisneros for um

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your warm welcome and open remarks . Um

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Reminding us of our purpose here today

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and our individual responsibilities at

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this time . I would like to take a

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moment of silence as we remember those

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who served in segregated units ,

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persevering through some of the most

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trying times of our Department of

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Defense history .

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Now , I will acknowledge each of our

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military departments for their

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contributions to the successful defense

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of our nation . Paying special tribute

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by highlighting some distinguished

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military units by service component who

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served in an all black unit or fought

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for our freedom before the armed forces

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were desegregated . Unit . Names are

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also printed in your program book for

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your convenience

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in honor of the United States army ,

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the 36th colored regiment ,

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the 370th infantry , the black

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devils . The 369th

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infantry hail fighters from Harlem ,

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the 100 th infantry battalion , United

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States colored troops . First Rhode

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Island regiment , the 51st

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defense battalion ,

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the 52nd defense battalion ,

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anti aircraft artillery unit ,

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infantry units , Calvary armor

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units build artillery units ,

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tanker destroyer units , the

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92nd infantry division ,

19:45.839 --> 19:48.290
the 93rd infantry division ,

19:49.880 --> 19:52.250
the second Calvary division ,

19:53.979 --> 19:57.770
the barrage balloon unit and the

19:57.780 --> 20:00.260
six triple eight central directory

20:00.270 --> 20:01.650
postal battalion

20:05.060 --> 20:07.530
in honor of the United States Navy .

20:08.520 --> 20:10.729
The 17th special CB

20:13.030 --> 20:15.880
un special construction battalions ,

20:17.180 --> 20:21.109
us S Mason US

20:21.119 --> 20:23.469
PC . 1264

20:24.760 --> 20:28.310
naval ordinance battalions , the

20:28.319 --> 20:31.640
34th naval construction battalion ,

20:33.089 --> 20:36.369
the 80th naval construction battalion

20:37.310 --> 20:39.260
and the golden 13

20:42.050 --> 20:45.609
in honor of the United States Air Force .

20:46.910 --> 20:50.599
The 332nd fighter group , Tuskegee

20:50.609 --> 20:51.319
Airmen

20:54.619 --> 20:57.869
and the 477 bombardment group

21:00.489 --> 21:02.719
in honor of the United States Marine

21:02.729 --> 21:06.670
Corps . The 16 th Marine Field Depot

21:07.790 --> 21:10.160
and the Mumper Point Marines

21:15.069 --> 21:17.069
in honor of the United States Coast

21:17.069 --> 21:20.500
Guard P Island Life Saving Station ,

21:21.589 --> 21:25.550
United States Lighthouse Service us

21:25.560 --> 21:29.410
sc Cloud and the revenue cutter

21:29.420 --> 21:30.469
service .

21:37.699 --> 21:39.310
The department remembers and

21:39.319 --> 21:42.239
appreciates the sacrifices of these

21:42.250 --> 21:46.010
units who defended America at home

21:46.020 --> 21:49.670
and abroad . Most of these men and

21:49.680 --> 21:51.709
women are not present with us here

21:51.719 --> 21:55.599
today , but their courage and fortitude

21:55.609 --> 21:57.689
will never be forgotten ,

21:59.569 --> 22:01.680
will remember their honorable service

22:01.680 --> 22:05.060
so that all Americans can be free .

22:05.699 --> 22:07.810
Thank you to , to these distinguished

22:07.810 --> 22:11.310
units and for all of our armed forces

22:19.280 --> 22:21.449
now , it gives me great pleasure to

22:21.459 --> 22:23.739
introduce a series of guest speakers

22:23.750 --> 22:25.589
from our military services and

22:25.599 --> 22:28.150
Department of Defense . Each of our

22:28.160 --> 22:30.160
speakers will introduce the service

22:30.160 --> 22:32.650
component to share their reflections as

22:32.660 --> 22:34.549
it pertains to the experiences of

22:34.549 --> 22:38.229
segregation in that service . Following

22:38.239 --> 22:40.295
the special remarks , we will have a

22:40.295 --> 22:42.461
musical selection by the United States

22:42.461 --> 22:46.329
Army Brass Quintet . Our first

22:46.339 --> 22:49.290
speaker is Doctor Terry A Dickerson .

22:50.329 --> 22:52.349
Doctor Dickerson is a civil rights

22:52.359 --> 22:54.415
director for the United States Coast

22:54.415 --> 22:57.280
Guard . She is the first African

22:57.290 --> 22:59.479
American woman to serve in the Coast

22:59.489 --> 23:02.420
Guard's senior executive service .

23:03.359 --> 23:05.359
Doctor Dickerson's father served in

23:05.359 --> 23:07.949
colored segregated troops during World

23:07.959 --> 23:11.260
war two . She comes to a civil rights

23:11.270 --> 23:14.729
role with deep lived academic and

23:14.739 --> 23:17.949
professional experience as a first

23:17.959 --> 23:20.209
grader . She was among students who

23:20.219 --> 23:22.609
desegregated Catholic schools in her

23:22.619 --> 23:26.219
hometown of New Orleans . Please help

23:26.229 --> 23:29.959
me welcome Dr Terry A Dickerson .

23:37.859 --> 23:40.026
Thank you . So much and good morning ,

23:40.026 --> 23:43.349
everyone before I start , I really must

23:43.359 --> 23:46.300
thank and acknowledge Victoria Bowens

23:46.310 --> 23:49.130
and her team and the joint services

23:49.140 --> 23:51.689
working group she assembled to ensure

23:51.699 --> 23:53.949
that this anniversary was accorded the

23:53.959 --> 23:56.910
attention and the space and the time

23:56.920 --> 23:58.698
and the military arrangements .

23:58.698 --> 24:00.642
Befitting of an occurrence of this

24:00.642 --> 24:02.910
magnitude . It has really been an honor

24:02.920 --> 24:05.198
working with you and the working group .

24:09.949 --> 24:11.949
I'll share to that yesterday . Just

24:11.949 --> 24:14.116
yesterday , the Coast Guard Commandant

24:14.116 --> 24:16.171
and Vice Commandant hosted President

24:16.171 --> 24:18.439
Truman's grandson Clifton Truman Daniel

24:18.449 --> 24:20.560
and he reminded our workforce that it

24:20.560 --> 24:22.671
was reports of black military members

24:22.671 --> 24:24.680
and veterans being mistreated and

24:24.689 --> 24:27.469
beaten , that inspired his grandfather

24:27.479 --> 24:31.280
to engage in civil rights reform . So

24:31.890 --> 24:34.319
let me start by sharing a truth with

24:34.329 --> 24:37.459
you this morning . I was not supposed

24:37.469 --> 24:40.829
to be here today . I was not supposed

24:40.839 --> 24:44.079
to be serving in my 23rd year as a

24:44.089 --> 24:45.645
member of the United States

24:45.645 --> 24:48.069
government's senior executive service .

24:48.589 --> 24:50.367
I was not supposed to have held

24:50.367 --> 24:52.478
successively responsible positions in

24:52.478 --> 24:54.700
government and I was not supposed to be

24:54.700 --> 24:58.420
at this podium . Uh Speaking to this uh

24:58.430 --> 25:01.599
distinguished assembly and a member of

25:01.609 --> 25:03.890
government leadership . Let me tell you

25:03.900 --> 25:07.579
why . As Secretary Cisneros mentioned

25:07.780 --> 25:10.030
during and after President Woodrow

25:10.040 --> 25:12.660
Wilson's administration , many federal

25:12.670 --> 25:14.781
government departments adopted racial

25:14.781 --> 25:17.150
segregation policies . The preceding

25:17.160 --> 25:19.271
years had not been segregation free .

25:19.271 --> 25:22.069
But after 1913 , black employees in the

25:22.079 --> 25:24.949
federal agencies could expect to work

25:24.959 --> 25:27.229
in the segregated units , eat in

25:27.239 --> 25:29.420
segregated dining halls and be

25:29.430 --> 25:31.380
consigned to segregate segregated

25:31.390 --> 25:34.760
restrooms . Indeed , when this

25:35.040 --> 25:38.130
imposing uh structure around us , the

25:38.140 --> 25:40.540
iconic world renowned structure that

25:40.550 --> 25:42.772
surrounds us , the Pentagon was built ,

25:42.910 --> 25:45.680
it was constructed with twice the

25:45.689 --> 25:47.856
number of restrooms for a building its

25:47.856 --> 25:50.670
size . The reason was segregation . It

25:50.680 --> 25:53.469
needed to have two sets of restrooms ,

25:53.479 --> 25:56.300
one for white and one for black ,

25:56.310 --> 26:00.010
separate but equal employment wise ,

26:00.020 --> 26:02.131
many black civil service , regardless

26:02.140 --> 26:04.680
servants , regardless of education or

26:04.689 --> 26:06.829
work history before the Wilson era

26:07.160 --> 26:10.010
began to be demoted , denied promotions

26:10.020 --> 26:12.290
fired if they held jobs . They were

26:12.300 --> 26:14.890
predominantly clustered in low end ,

26:14.900 --> 26:17.530
low level employment and many were

26:17.540 --> 26:20.569
placed into all black employee units .

26:21.030 --> 26:24.109
In 1914 , the civil service commission

26:24.119 --> 26:25.675
created even another way to

26:25.675 --> 26:28.520
discriminate . It ordered job that job

26:28.530 --> 26:31.099
applicants submit a photo of themselves

26:31.109 --> 26:33.220
with their applications so that black

26:33.220 --> 26:36.900
people could be screened out . So me

26:36.910 --> 26:39.770
standing here among you was never

26:39.780 --> 26:42.300
supposed to happen . Physical

26:42.310 --> 26:44.532
separation was destabilizing enough for

26:44.532 --> 26:46.254
African American civil service

26:46.254 --> 26:48.400
employees . But it also supported a

26:48.410 --> 26:51.219
culture of exclusion being consigned to

26:51.229 --> 26:53.520
separate areas , reinforced the idea

26:53.530 --> 26:56.939
that they must be unfit . So the rules ,

26:56.949 --> 26:58.910
the application filtering the

26:58.920 --> 27:01.260
segregated facilities shifted the

27:01.270 --> 27:03.492
manner in which black and white federal

27:03.492 --> 27:05.949
workers interacted and defined a social

27:05.959 --> 27:08.126
order that remained part of government

27:08.126 --> 27:11.569
culture for decades , free and enslaved

27:11.579 --> 27:13.579
people of African heritage had long

27:13.579 --> 27:15.801
served in the military and government .

27:15.801 --> 27:18.135
In spite of bans on their participation ,

27:18.135 --> 27:20.190
military members fought in conflicts

27:20.190 --> 27:22.135
since before the United States was

27:22.135 --> 27:24.023
independent and free . The reason

27:24.023 --> 27:26.510
African Americans served in early

27:26.520 --> 27:28.687
conflicts was that the military needed

27:28.687 --> 27:30.520
capable and experienced people .

27:30.520 --> 27:32.742
Military commanders often had to obtain

27:32.742 --> 27:35.560
waivers to , to the ban on black people

27:35.599 --> 27:37.710
so that they could recruit the talent

27:37.710 --> 27:39.430
they needed glossing over an

27:39.439 --> 27:41.579
embarrassing period or failing to

27:41.589 --> 27:43.645
acknowledge this history . History ,

27:43.645 --> 27:46.119
Robs African Americans of the knowledge

27:46.130 --> 27:48.739
that their community contributed in

27:48.750 --> 27:51.739
foundational ways to the government and

27:51.750 --> 27:54.589
the nation . Now , I want to talk about

27:54.599 --> 27:56.655
the word desegregation so that we're

27:56.655 --> 27:58.890
all on the same page because scenes of

27:58.900 --> 28:01.011
inter racialism , meaning mixed crews

28:01.020 --> 28:03.076
and mixed units that occurred out of

28:03.076 --> 28:05.189
operational necessity , sometimes

28:05.199 --> 28:08.189
created confusion about desegregation .

28:08.630 --> 28:10.686
People see those images now of black

28:10.686 --> 28:13.140
people serving a long , long before

28:13.150 --> 28:16.819
1948 and asked what this observance is

28:16.829 --> 28:19.510
all about this banning of desegregation

28:19.520 --> 28:21.709
because they rationalize that if black

28:21.719 --> 28:23.497
people were present weren't the

28:23.497 --> 28:26.310
services already desegregated . Well ,

28:26.319 --> 28:28.750
the answer is no racial segregation was

28:28.760 --> 28:31.170
not a volunteer practice , it was an

28:31.180 --> 28:33.790
official government policy . And as

28:33.800 --> 28:35.949
such , it had to be officially stood

28:35.959 --> 28:38.729
down . Those episodic incidents of

28:38.739 --> 28:41.430
inter racialism they saw were normally

28:41.439 --> 28:43.949
at one or two locations . And moreover ,

28:43.959 --> 28:46.292
as soon as the operational need was met ,

28:46.292 --> 28:48.237
those units , those crews normally

28:48.237 --> 28:51.430
resegregated . So an official sweeping

28:51.439 --> 28:54.050
government policy implementation takes

28:54.060 --> 28:56.410
an official sweeping government

28:56.420 --> 28:59.109
termination . And in this case , the

28:59.119 --> 29:01.410
means of termination where President

29:01.880 --> 29:04.339
Truman's executive orders , banning

29:04.349 --> 29:06.459
segregation policies and unfair

29:06.469 --> 29:08.510
employment practices without an

29:08.520 --> 29:10.687
official takedown , the policies would

29:10.687 --> 29:13.550
have continued to stand . I'd be remiss

29:13.560 --> 29:15.449
if I didn't mention my father , a

29:15.449 --> 29:17.890
member of the army's 92nd Buffalo

29:17.900 --> 29:20.178
Infantry Division during World War two ,

29:20.178 --> 29:22.067
he was among what was then called

29:22.067 --> 29:24.233
colored troops who fought overseas for

29:24.233 --> 29:26.344
freedoms that he could not experience

29:26.344 --> 29:28.969
in the United States as much as other

29:28.979 --> 29:31.310
military members . African Americans

29:31.319 --> 29:34.810
served with honor valor and courage in

29:34.819 --> 29:37.449
all black units , some represented here .

29:37.599 --> 29:39.699
But their accomplishments often went

29:39.709 --> 29:42.709
unnoted and they still could not eat ,

29:42.719 --> 29:45.140
use restrooms , shop or even worship

29:45.150 --> 29:47.060
freely in the American South .

29:47.949 --> 29:49.505
President Truman signed the

29:49.505 --> 29:51.671
desegregation orders . But think about

29:51.671 --> 29:54.339
this , it took African American members

29:54.349 --> 29:56.420
going into spaces and jobs and

29:56.430 --> 29:58.489
situations that they had previously

29:58.500 --> 30:01.140
been barred from to make desegregation

30:01.150 --> 30:03.790
a reality . We must not forget that

30:03.800 --> 30:06.540
what they did brought in a new era of

30:06.550 --> 30:08.680
equality to the government , military

30:08.689 --> 30:11.589
and the nation . My father didn't talk

30:11.599 --> 30:13.599
a lot about his experience , but he

30:13.599 --> 30:15.599
left a memoir and I can tell you he

30:15.599 --> 30:17.821
would never believe that this time with

30:17.821 --> 30:20.260
these leaders gathered in this iconic

30:20.270 --> 30:23.000
setting in this courtyard uh on these

30:23.010 --> 30:25.219
grounds with his service and that of

30:25.229 --> 30:28.489
other uh colored units be noted . He

30:28.500 --> 30:30.278
died without knowing that their

30:30.278 --> 30:32.333
achievements would be recognized and

30:32.333 --> 30:35.420
valued many of them posthumously . A

30:35.439 --> 30:37.495
lot of people think that segregation

30:37.495 --> 30:39.717
occurred all at once , but it didn't it

30:39.717 --> 30:41.883
unfolded sector by sector military and

30:41.883 --> 30:44.050
federal government desegregation was a

30:44.050 --> 30:46.106
historic turning point that actually

30:46.106 --> 30:47.828
inspired other institutions to

30:47.828 --> 30:49.828
desegregate . Black service members

30:49.828 --> 30:51.995
found the freedoms and acceptance they

30:51.995 --> 30:54.050
experienced while serving overseas ,

30:54.050 --> 30:55.989
uplifting . Many of them lived in

30:56.000 --> 30:57.944
places for the first time where no

30:57.944 --> 31:00.650
segregation existed . The term double V

31:00.660 --> 31:02.739
was coined as black military members

31:02.750 --> 31:05.280
pledged to gain victories in the war as

31:05.290 --> 31:07.457
well as to win that experience of true

31:07.457 --> 31:09.699
freedom for the black community in the

31:09.709 --> 31:12.540
United States World War Two produced

31:12.550 --> 31:14.750
veterans who went to the forefront of

31:14.760 --> 31:16.969
the American civil rights activism ,

31:16.979 --> 31:18.923
including Oliver Brown , who was a

31:18.923 --> 31:21.099
plaintiff in the Brown versus Board of

31:21.109 --> 31:24.099
Education landmark school desegregation

31:24.109 --> 31:27.069
case . Um Also Medgar Evers who was a

31:27.079 --> 31:30.250
key deputy to Martin Luther King . Um

31:30.260 --> 31:32.204
National civil rights leaders like

31:32.204 --> 31:34.650
Hosea Williams and Whitney Young and

31:34.660 --> 31:37.170
many others . That spirit induced my

31:37.180 --> 31:39.124
father to take my sisters and I to

31:39.124 --> 31:41.124
desegregate Catholic schools in New

31:41.124 --> 31:43.013
Orleans . We were among the first

31:43.013 --> 31:44.958
Children to enter previously , all

31:44.958 --> 31:47.180
white schools . And I asked my mother ,

31:47.180 --> 31:49.369
why , why we had to endure the

31:49.380 --> 31:51.324
rejection and harassment , walking

31:51.324 --> 31:53.436
through a community and into a school

31:53.436 --> 31:55.859
that didn't want us . I asked her why

31:56.030 --> 31:58.910
we had to be the first . She replied

31:58.920 --> 32:01.031
that I misunderstood the assignment .

32:01.500 --> 32:03.900
She said we were not there to be the

32:03.910 --> 32:06.790
first Verna Dickerson told me that we

32:06.800 --> 32:08.550
were there to be the last .

32:11.290 --> 32:11.729
Yes .

32:17.180 --> 32:20.000
She said we were gonna be the last to

32:20.010 --> 32:22.339
be segregated and the last to be

32:22.349 --> 32:25.329
humiliated . And the last to be told

32:25.339 --> 32:28.750
that we were less than today's

32:28.760 --> 32:31.670
government understands our assignment .

32:31.910 --> 32:34.079
And that is commitment to a future

32:34.089 --> 32:36.469
where we must ensure that these forms

32:36.479 --> 32:38.920
of exclusion and intolerance against

32:38.930 --> 32:42.479
any group are the last . Well ,

32:42.489 --> 32:44.489
progress has been made . But let us

32:44.489 --> 32:46.378
also acknowledge that our journey

32:46.378 --> 32:48.267
toward a more just society is not

32:48.267 --> 32:50.267
complete . The population of senior

32:50.267 --> 32:52.079
leadership and our military and

32:52.089 --> 32:54.400
government where strategies and

32:54.410 --> 32:56.530
policies are conceived does not match

32:56.540 --> 32:58.373
the demographics of our nation ,

32:58.373 --> 33:01.119
structural and cultural norms are often

33:01.130 --> 33:04.609
cited as limiting . So we must sponsor

33:04.619 --> 33:06.841
and support African Americans and other

33:06.841 --> 33:08.841
minor ized individuals with genuine

33:08.841 --> 33:11.280
advocacy , visible assignments and

33:11.290 --> 33:13.290
networking , which are paramount to

33:13.290 --> 33:15.290
progression to the upper and senior

33:15.290 --> 33:17.609
ranks . At the same time , we must tell

33:17.619 --> 33:20.150
and prepare our workforce to expect

33:20.160 --> 33:22.310
diverse leadership who possess at

33:22.319 --> 33:24.569
attributes that they may not have

33:24.579 --> 33:26.939
previously encountered . And I might

33:26.949 --> 33:30.630
say we need to know the injustices that

33:30.640 --> 33:32.989
people faced and continue to face as a

33:33.000 --> 33:35.167
government official . It takes courage

33:35.167 --> 33:37.719
and accountability to want to know the

33:37.729 --> 33:40.020
injustices faced by your workforce or

33:40.030 --> 33:42.252
your constituents . Even if what you're

33:42.252 --> 33:44.219
hearing is an unpleasant or

33:44.229 --> 33:46.920
inconvenient truth or memory . If

33:46.930 --> 33:49.319
someone suffered exclusion , I want to

33:49.329 --> 33:52.030
know about it , it may make us feel bad ,

33:52.290 --> 33:54.457
but that is no reason not to apply the

33:54.457 --> 33:56.420
courage it takes to be alert and

33:56.430 --> 33:58.510
attentive and responsive to the

33:58.520 --> 34:00.780
unfairness faced by others .

34:08.219 --> 34:10.386
Remembering President Truman's actions

34:10.386 --> 34:12.550
of 75 years ago offers an opportunity

34:12.560 --> 34:14.393
for our nation to understand the

34:14.393 --> 34:17.370
relevance of colored troops and black

34:17.379 --> 34:19.350
civil servants , not just to black

34:19.360 --> 34:22.580
history , but to American history . It

34:22.590 --> 34:24.257
symbolizes the triumph of the

34:24.257 --> 34:26.669
collective human spirit over forces

34:26.679 --> 34:28.989
that malign and divide . It stands as a

34:29.000 --> 34:31.111
testament to the goal of equal rights

34:31.111 --> 34:33.222
for all . And the occasion is as much

34:33.229 --> 34:35.750
about the imperative of inclusion as it

34:35.760 --> 34:37.482
is about the perniciousness of

34:37.482 --> 34:40.168
withholding it . Today , we recollect

34:40.178 --> 34:42.428
brave souls who ate and segregated

34:42.438 --> 34:45.309
dining , used separate facilities ,

34:45.319 --> 34:48.279
suffered economic inequity and still

34:48.289 --> 34:50.509
they served , they endured the

34:50.519 --> 34:52.575
humiliation of government sanctioned

34:52.575 --> 34:55.468
segregation , signss and office spaces .

34:55.479 --> 34:57.229
They drank from separate water

34:57.239 --> 35:00.969
fountains and still they served these

35:00.979 --> 35:03.209
characteristics by their existence .

35:03.219 --> 35:06.090
Stamp them as being unworthy of sharing

35:06.100 --> 35:09.610
a space and still they served .

35:09.959 --> 35:13.110
They rose every day to do the nation's

35:13.120 --> 35:14.879
work . Thank you .

35:24.669 --> 35:26.891
Now it gives me great pleasure to bring

35:26.891 --> 35:29.260
forward Brigadier General Crawford .

35:29.409 --> 35:31.298
Born and raised in Jacksonville ,

35:31.298 --> 35:34.199
Florida by John and Henry Crawford .

35:34.360 --> 35:37.610
She joined the Air Force at age 19 as

35:37.620 --> 35:40.110
an airman basic . She now serves as

35:40.120 --> 35:42.800
director of military justice and

35:42.810 --> 35:44.810
discipline where she supervises the

35:44.810 --> 35:47.340
administration of military justice

35:47.350 --> 35:49.739
throughout the Air Force and the Space

35:49.750 --> 35:51.959
Force . Please help me welcome

35:51.969 --> 35:54.060
Brigadier General Crawford .

36:01.129 --> 36:02.030
Good morning

36:05.060 --> 36:08.909
congressman , the OD leaders honored

36:08.919 --> 36:12.850
guest . It is my greatest

36:13.550 --> 36:15.770
honor to be here to share this space

36:15.780 --> 36:17.947
with you and to speak with you today .

36:18.610 --> 36:21.139
I'd like to talk briefly about three

36:21.149 --> 36:24.459
freedoms , the freedom to live ,

36:25.389 --> 36:29.250
the freedom to serve and what I call

36:29.260 --> 36:32.979
the freedom to lead the

36:32.989 --> 36:34.989
Emancipation Proclamation . And the

36:34.989 --> 36:37.120
ratification of key amendments to the

36:37.129 --> 36:39.830
constitution ensured the legal

36:39.840 --> 36:42.909
protection for my enslaved ancestors

36:43.530 --> 36:45.629
from the civil war through the civil

36:45.639 --> 36:49.530
rights era , brave American spot on the

36:49.540 --> 36:52.389
battlefield in the streets , in the

36:52.399 --> 36:54.290
hallways and ultimately in the

36:54.300 --> 36:57.360
courtrooms to ensure people who look

36:57.370 --> 37:01.050
like me could live a life of

37:01.060 --> 37:05.040
freedom and dignity protected by equal

37:05.050 --> 37:08.489
rights under the law . This

37:09.120 --> 37:12.459
I call the freedom to live , but it did

37:12.469 --> 37:15.909
not come easily . I'd like to share a

37:15.919 --> 37:18.086
brief story with you about my family .

37:18.770 --> 37:21.659
Years ago , we began a search to find

37:21.669 --> 37:24.459
our ancestral connection to our

37:24.469 --> 37:27.929
homeland . As many of , you know ,

37:27.939 --> 37:31.709
prior to 18 65 people of

37:31.719 --> 37:34.159
color , enslaved people did not have

37:34.169 --> 37:37.879
the same record keeping uh abilities or

37:37.889 --> 37:41.709
apparatus and census taking as the

37:41.719 --> 37:44.270
white Americans had like many

37:44.280 --> 37:47.260
descendants of enslaved people . Our

37:47.270 --> 37:49.590
search for our ancestors hit a brick

37:49.600 --> 37:52.899
wall . In fact , our trail ran

37:52.909 --> 37:56.379
cold with my paternal grandfather ,

37:56.389 --> 37:59.949
William Crawford . My visit to a

37:59.959 --> 38:03.260
museum in Montgomery , Alabama led us

38:03.270 --> 38:06.449
to a shocking discovery that shed light

38:06.580 --> 38:09.750
on this mystery . Anthony

38:09.760 --> 38:12.790
Crawford , a black farmer in Abbeville ,

38:12.800 --> 38:15.580
South Carolina was the descendant of a

38:15.590 --> 38:19.350
freed slave , the patriarch of a large

38:19.360 --> 38:22.370
multigenerational family and the owner

38:22.379 --> 38:25.330
of 427 acres of land .

38:26.199 --> 38:29.600
He built schools and churches . So his

38:29.610 --> 38:32.739
Children and grandchildren could attend

38:32.750 --> 38:36.580
freely in 1916 . After a dispute

38:36.590 --> 38:39.469
with a white merchant over the price of

38:39.479 --> 38:42.260
Anthony's cotton seed . Anthony was

38:42.270 --> 38:46.030
jailed , then dragged out by an angry

38:46.040 --> 38:49.879
white mob who beat , stabbed ,

38:49.889 --> 38:53.379
shot and then lynched him in the town

38:53.389 --> 38:56.840
square . His land was seized . His

38:56.850 --> 38:58.810
businesses were shuttered and his

38:58.820 --> 39:01.919
descendants were run out of town under

39:01.929 --> 39:03.707
a threat that they too would be

39:03.707 --> 39:06.840
murdered if they stayed . And so they

39:06.850 --> 39:10.620
scattered . Two generations later , my

39:10.629 --> 39:12.129
father and his family were

39:12.129 --> 39:14.407
sharecroppers . Not far from Abbeville ,

39:14.407 --> 39:16.959
South Carolina . Dad dropped out of

39:16.969 --> 39:19.136
school in the fourth grade to help his

39:19.136 --> 39:21.080
parents work the land so that they

39:21.080 --> 39:23.479
could pay their debts and break free

39:23.489 --> 39:27.070
from their debtors . As a teenager , my

39:27.080 --> 39:29.679
father moved to Jacksonville Florida

39:29.780 --> 39:32.229
and became a brick mason and married my

39:32.239 --> 39:35.179
mother through hard work and

39:35.189 --> 39:38.840
determination . He provided a life

39:38.850 --> 39:42.659
for our family . It's hard not to

39:42.669 --> 39:45.659
wonder what could have been had the

39:45.669 --> 39:48.620
Crawford family been free to live

39:50.060 --> 39:53.010
my siblings and I are so grateful as we

39:53.020 --> 39:56.229
are the products of grave struggles

39:56.239 --> 39:59.159
that we did not have to bear . I

39:59.169 --> 40:01.336
wouldn't be here today were not for my

40:01.336 --> 40:03.750
father's strength sacrifices ,

40:03.760 --> 40:06.830
perseverance , guidance , and love .

40:07.489 --> 40:11.449
He was my first mentor . He

40:11.459 --> 40:15.209
realized my family's freedom to live

40:16.879 --> 40:20.290
and now the freedom to serve . I joined

40:20.300 --> 40:22.679
the Air Force as an airman basic just

40:22.689 --> 40:26.290
after my 19th birthday . Although I was

40:26.300 --> 40:28.770
a voracious reader , my first

40:28.780 --> 40:31.002
supervisor for some reason thought that

40:31.002 --> 40:34.739
I couldn't read . I am

40:34.750 --> 40:37.169
grateful mostly for my second

40:37.179 --> 40:40.919
supervisor , an amazing senior NCO

40:40.929 --> 40:42.707
who created an , who created an

40:42.707 --> 40:45.969
environment of dignity and respect

40:45.979 --> 40:48.449
where I and my fellow airmen could

40:48.459 --> 40:51.889
bring our whole selves and serve this

40:51.899 --> 40:54.580
great nation to the best of our

40:54.590 --> 40:58.310
potential . He taught me that the

40:58.320 --> 41:01.979
best leaders pursue excellence and

41:01.989 --> 41:04.179
manage talent in the pursuit of that

41:04.189 --> 41:07.320
excellence . They take care of people

41:07.459 --> 41:10.300
so that the people can take care of the

41:10.310 --> 41:13.820
mission . Although there was an

41:13.830 --> 41:16.052
executive order signed by the president

41:16.052 --> 41:19.469
decades prior , it was that senior

41:19.479 --> 41:23.139
NCO who realized my freedom to

41:23.149 --> 41:27.000
serve and finally the freedom

41:27.010 --> 41:30.459
to lead as a young captain . I

41:30.469 --> 41:34.129
attended a gigantic NCR

41:34.139 --> 41:36.459
general officer promotion ceremony

41:36.469 --> 41:40.060
where I met Major General Mary Saunders .

41:41.040 --> 41:44.250
I had never seen a black female general

41:44.260 --> 41:47.820
officer . And so I wandered over to the

41:47.830 --> 41:49.886
crowd that was circled around her as

41:49.886 --> 41:53.010
she was holding court . Someone in the

41:53.020 --> 41:56.219
crowd asked her if she had ever had a

41:56.229 --> 41:59.969
problem as a leader because of her race

41:59.979 --> 42:03.540
or gender without missing a beat .

42:03.669 --> 42:06.469
She said , I've never had a problem .

42:07.399 --> 42:09.840
Now , I've met some people and they had

42:09.850 --> 42:12.959
a problem , but I have never had a

42:12.969 --> 42:15.939
problem . Those words

42:15.949 --> 42:17.959
changed my life .

42:20.409 --> 42:23.699
I call what General Saunders said ,

42:24.550 --> 42:28.209
the freedom to lead . I stand here

42:28.219 --> 42:32.090
today as one of many , many firsts . My

42:32.100 --> 42:35.439
prayer is that we will be the last of

42:35.449 --> 42:39.449
the firsts . Our next speaker

42:39.459 --> 42:42.449
is a soldier who is part of multiple

42:42.459 --> 42:45.659
squads . He notes that he is a member

42:45.669 --> 42:48.620
of the best squad in the army as he

42:48.629 --> 42:50.780
serves with the service secretary and

42:50.790 --> 42:54.149
the chief in the office of the sergeant

42:54.159 --> 42:58.159
major of the army . The sergeant major

42:58.169 --> 43:00.280
of the army says that he is in the

43:00.290 --> 43:02.899
second best squad in the army as the

43:02.909 --> 43:06.219
squad leader . But his favorite squad

43:06.229 --> 43:09.439
is his family where he's Alexandra's

43:09.449 --> 43:13.379
husband , Sofia and Isabella's dad .

43:13.919 --> 43:16.889
Please welcome the sergeant major of

43:16.899 --> 43:18.919
the army , Michael Riston ,

43:25.709 --> 43:28.699
right ? Um Some people say , why are

43:28.709 --> 43:30.709
you up here ? There's a lot of blue

43:30.709 --> 43:33.780
behind me and I appreciate they put me

43:33.790 --> 43:36.149
in between the two Air force . Um And I

43:36.159 --> 43:38.270
am in the best squad , sir . I remind

43:38.270 --> 43:41.209
them of the uh the army squad . Um And

43:41.219 --> 43:43.441
then you gotta have , you gotta have it

43:43.441 --> 43:45.386
enlisted . So that's if you're all

43:45.386 --> 43:47.552
trying to figure out why I'm up here ,

43:47.552 --> 43:49.497
that's kind of why it is . So it's

43:49.497 --> 43:51.663
really the truth , but you'll , you'll

43:51.663 --> 43:53.719
figure this out in a minute . Um One

43:53.719 --> 43:55.830
more time for the Tuskegee airmen and

43:55.830 --> 43:57.663
Munford uh Marines . Thank you .

44:02.669 --> 44:04.780
And a special thanks . I , I think he

44:04.780 --> 44:07.002
said it my name . What's your name ? He

44:07.002 --> 44:09.169
says I go by point man , you know , in

44:09.169 --> 44:11.113
the army , we like that . He's all

44:11.113 --> 44:13.280
pointing at him . So special thanks to

44:13.280 --> 44:15.502
you for being here as you heard . I'm a

44:15.502 --> 44:17.669
uh you know , I'm a part of , a lot of

44:17.669 --> 44:19.725
squads um mentioned my family . Um I

44:19.725 --> 44:21.947
think I'm a squad leader . I'm not sure

44:21.947 --> 44:24.113
in that one . I think my wife might be

44:24.113 --> 44:26.058
the squad leader some days , I'm a

44:26.058 --> 44:28.169
squad member , but we're here today .

44:28.169 --> 44:30.169
Uh because 75 years ago , President

44:30.169 --> 44:32.229
Truman signed EO

44:32.520 --> 44:36.500
9980 and 9981 . That's

44:36.510 --> 44:38.750
why I'm in the position . I am to speak

44:38.760 --> 44:41.560
today . But my story echoes through

44:41.570 --> 44:45.330
time . One of those stories is James

44:45.340 --> 44:47.760
Queen . He joined the army at the end

44:47.770 --> 44:49.770
of World War two as a smoke jumper

44:49.780 --> 44:51.750
jumper in the famed triple nickel

44:51.760 --> 44:55.520
battalion in army . We say

44:56.570 --> 44:58.681
lets make sure you get the right . Um

44:59.129 --> 45:01.659
He led 65 men in the second ranger

45:01.669 --> 45:03.502
company against the battalion of

45:03.502 --> 45:07.110
Chinese soldiers at hill 581 . After

45:07.120 --> 45:10.239
suffering multiple heavy losses , the

45:10.250 --> 45:13.219
company rec consolidated and continued

45:13.229 --> 45:16.110
up that hill as the unit advanced .

45:16.120 --> 45:18.580
Lieutenant Queen continued to call

45:18.590 --> 45:21.429
accurate walking artillery fire . This

45:21.439 --> 45:23.495
combined with the deadly violence of

45:23.495 --> 45:26.149
the ranger assault sent the Chinese

45:26.159 --> 45:29.360
into a panic retreat . Despite losing

45:29.370 --> 45:31.481
half the element , the ranger company

45:31.481 --> 45:33.703
took that hill and Lieutenant Queen was

45:33.709 --> 45:36.100
awarded the silver star and the purple

45:36.110 --> 45:38.929
heart . By the time he had retired in

45:38.939 --> 45:42.409
1965 major Queen was a jump master , a

45:42.419 --> 45:45.459
pathfinder ranger , an expert

45:45.469 --> 45:48.729
instrument and had made a combat jump

45:48.739 --> 45:51.939
during operation Tomahawk . His service

45:51.949 --> 45:54.260
alone would be a legacy worth living ,

45:54.419 --> 45:57.310
but that's not the only part of big Jim

45:57.320 --> 46:00.070
Queens story after the army . He went

46:00.080 --> 46:02.340
on to be in education . He was a

46:02.350 --> 46:05.199
special education teacher , a guidance

46:05.209 --> 46:07.419
counselor and finally an assistant

46:07.429 --> 46:10.020
principal of HD Woodson High School

46:10.159 --> 46:13.770
right here in DC . For an additional 20

46:13.780 --> 46:15.969
years . He served the community by

46:15.979 --> 46:18.899
educating today's police officers ,

46:18.909 --> 46:20.742
teachers , coaches , and elected

46:20.742 --> 46:23.270
officials . That's still not all of his

46:23.280 --> 46:25.699
story throughout his life . He was

46:25.709 --> 46:29.270
active in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity ,

46:29.280 --> 46:31.224
the American Legion . He was a boy

46:31.224 --> 46:34.899
scout troop leader and attended Mount

46:34.909 --> 46:38.659
Mariah Baptist Church with his ,

46:38.669 --> 46:40.725
when his wife Phyllis passed away in

46:40.725 --> 46:43.219
2000 , they were married for 52 years

46:43.469 --> 46:46.169
and when he passed away in 2004 , he

46:46.179 --> 46:48.068
was survived by four sons , three

46:48.068 --> 46:50.330
daughters , 15 grandchildren and five

46:50.340 --> 46:52.429
great grandchildren . And he and his

46:52.439 --> 46:54.439
wife were laid to rest in Arlington

46:54.439 --> 46:57.260
National Cemetery . There are a dozen

46:57.270 --> 46:59.620
ways to remember James Queen

47:00.350 --> 47:04.020
Paratrooper Ranger , teacher , father ,

47:04.030 --> 47:07.729
scout master , community leader as easy

47:07.739 --> 47:10.729
as it would be to put black in front of

47:10.739 --> 47:13.620
all of those things . Nothing in his

47:13.629 --> 47:16.459
history suggests that's what he focused

47:16.469 --> 47:20.419
on . I think about some

47:20.429 --> 47:22.580
of the criticism that Major Queen may

47:22.590 --> 47:25.719
have received and I can't imagine , you

47:25.729 --> 47:27.951
know how hard it must have been for him

47:27.951 --> 47:31.060
to exist during that time . Maybe

47:32.310 --> 47:34.760
because after George Floyd was murdered .

47:34.770 --> 47:38.699
Um I shared a social media video about

47:38.709 --> 47:41.969
my story and about what it was like

47:41.979 --> 47:45.770
growing up biracial in 1970 in

47:45.780 --> 47:48.530
Alabama . I thought it was important

47:48.540 --> 47:51.189
for our soldiers to know that there ,

47:51.199 --> 47:54.570
there is more that defines us than just

47:54.580 --> 47:57.239
our uniform . And if we're going to

47:57.250 --> 47:59.889
build lethal teams that are cohesive ,

48:00.790 --> 48:03.159
we have to trust the people around us

48:04.729 --> 48:08.709
just enough to know all their stories a

48:08.719 --> 48:11.830
few weeks ago in an effort to

48:11.840 --> 48:14.510
illustrate that the army may be

48:14.520 --> 48:17.780
focusing more on DE I than it is about

48:17.790 --> 48:20.750
war fighting . A commentator pulled

48:20.760 --> 48:22.982
that video from three years ago . About

48:22.982 --> 48:26.439
me when I said ,

48:27.830 --> 48:31.139
um you know , my , my father was black

48:31.149 --> 48:34.520
and my mom was white . He paused the

48:34.530 --> 48:38.429
video and he said , so what it

48:38.439 --> 48:42.439
doesn't matter , divide us ,

48:42.449 --> 48:45.939
please is what he said when I said , I

48:45.949 --> 48:49.010
kind of struggled my life with . What's

48:49.020 --> 48:51.500
my identity ? What , you know , what

48:51.510 --> 48:53.919
are you ? You know how many times I've

48:53.929 --> 48:56.770
heard that question ? What are you ? Um

48:56.979 --> 48:58.959
He paused it again . He said , you

48:58.969 --> 49:00.913
don't have to struggle with that .

49:01.350 --> 49:02.461
That's your fault .

49:06.129 --> 49:08.240
He said , what about the army stuff ?

49:08.240 --> 49:10.240
You're the star major of the army .

49:10.739 --> 49:13.580
You've heard my bio , I'm a soldier , a

49:13.590 --> 49:16.570
leader , a husband , a father . I spent

49:16.580 --> 49:18.909
five years in combat . I've heard two

49:18.919 --> 49:22.100
Valorous wars um in combat ,

49:23.399 --> 49:25.750
those are the measures I want to be

49:25.760 --> 49:28.520
judged by , but it doesn't change that

49:28.530 --> 49:31.239
my race is a part of who I am , but

49:31.250 --> 49:33.969
it's not all that I am . You could

49:33.979 --> 49:36.939
reduce major queen by saying he was the

49:36.949 --> 49:39.530
first black soldier inducted to the

49:39.540 --> 49:42.709
Rider Hall of Fame . But I think about

49:42.719 --> 49:44.886
all the things that he has done in his

49:44.886 --> 49:47.389
life . We used to say all we see is

49:47.399 --> 49:50.280
green . But if we're going to remain

49:50.290 --> 49:52.909
the greatest army , the history in the

49:52.919 --> 49:55.399
history of the world , we need to know

49:55.540 --> 49:59.030
who's in our squad . We need to

49:59.040 --> 50:01.262
leverage their individual strengths and

50:01.262 --> 50:04.709
allow everyone to be all that they can

50:04.719 --> 50:08.000
be . I'm Michael Grinton .

50:08.709 --> 50:11.719
I was raised in Jasper Alabama by a

50:11.729 --> 50:14.469
single mother . She was the hardest

50:14.479 --> 50:16.646
working person I have ever known in my

50:16.646 --> 50:20.000
life and she instilled that in her kids .

50:20.840 --> 50:23.929
I'm a 36 year army veteran . I have

50:23.939 --> 50:26.939
spent every moment of that time being

50:26.949 --> 50:29.729
the best soldier leader I can be .

50:31.090 --> 50:34.419
I enjoy exercising and I'm always

50:34.429 --> 50:38.189
chasing a faster mile . I

50:38.199 --> 50:40.439
love movie nights on Friday with my

50:40.449 --> 50:42.671
wife and my daughters playing golf with

50:42.671 --> 50:45.399
my friends on Saturdays . At the end of

50:45.409 --> 50:49.070
the day , I only want to be remembered

50:49.239 --> 50:52.780
as a warrior , a father , a son , an

50:52.790 --> 50:56.149
American because of the executive order

50:56.159 --> 50:59.949
we celebrate . Thank you .

51:08.689 --> 51:11.459
And now it gives me great pride to

51:11.580 --> 51:14.100
introduce the , the , the chief of

51:14.110 --> 51:16.840
staff for the Air Force General Brown .

51:17.030 --> 51:20.830
We kind of first met on TV when General

51:20.840 --> 51:23.149
Brown and I were a part of the same CBS

51:23.159 --> 51:25.850
morning interview . And , and since

51:25.860 --> 51:28.082
then I guess we've been linked together

51:28.082 --> 51:30.082
forever . So , and that's maybe why

51:30.082 --> 51:32.138
we're sitting together and I've been

51:32.138 --> 51:34.360
pasted right in between , but he's also

51:34.360 --> 51:36.582
on May 25th , he's been announced to be

51:36.582 --> 51:38.693
the next chairman of the joint chiefs

51:38.693 --> 51:40.971
and the highest ranking officer in the ,

51:40.971 --> 51:43.193
in the military . And it's my welcome ,

51:43.193 --> 51:45.600
my honor to welcome General Brown , sir .

51:45.610 --> 51:46.610
Thank you .

51:53.090 --> 51:55.860
Well , good morning . Uh

51:57.100 --> 51:59.211
There's a Greek Proverb which I think

51:59.211 --> 52:01.378
is somewhat appropriate for today that

52:01.378 --> 52:03.378
I put into my remarks . Uh , having

52:03.378 --> 52:05.322
watched the audience out here wave

52:05.322 --> 52:07.850
their programs . It says a , a society

52:07.860 --> 52:10.000
grows great when all man plant trees

52:10.300 --> 52:12.639
and whose shade they will never sit

52:13.659 --> 52:15.820
today , we enjoy the shade made by

52:15.830 --> 52:17.774
efforts of so many who never had a

52:17.774 --> 52:19.552
chance to enjoy them , enjoy it

52:19.552 --> 52:21.774
themselves . So I want to thank you for

52:21.774 --> 52:23.830
the opportunity to appear before you

52:23.830 --> 52:25.941
today . I'm very honored to share the

52:25.941 --> 52:27.997
stage with these speakers , but also

52:27.997 --> 52:30.219
very honored to see our trailblazers to

52:30.219 --> 52:32.330
ski , the Monte Point Marines and all

52:32.330 --> 52:34.163
those who came before us and the

52:34.163 --> 52:36.163
shoulders that we stand on . I look

52:36.163 --> 52:37.941
forward to uh hearing the other

52:37.941 --> 52:40.163
speakers and listening to them . But so

52:40.163 --> 52:42.219
thank you so much for all of you for

52:42.219 --> 52:42.209
being here this morning , Harford .

52:42.520 --> 52:44.631
Thank you so much for representing uh

52:44.631 --> 52:46.687
the , the congressional black caucus

52:46.687 --> 52:48.687
and all the Congress and being here

52:48.687 --> 52:51.020
with us today . You know , 75 years ago ,

52:51.020 --> 52:50.610
today , President Truman signed the

52:50.620 --> 52:53.300
historic executive order . 9981 is the

52:53.310 --> 52:55.421
one I focused on as a military member

52:55.989 --> 52:58.800
and it stated there shall be equality

52:58.810 --> 53:00.866
of treatment and opportunity for all

53:00.866 --> 53:03.189
persons in the armed forces without

53:03.199 --> 53:06.899
regard to race , color , religion , or

53:06.909 --> 53:09.260
national origin . And I'll tell you

53:09.270 --> 53:11.214
since the beginning of this year ,

53:11.214 --> 53:13.159
knowing that this historic day was

53:13.159 --> 53:15.159
gonna come , I spent quite a bit of

53:15.159 --> 53:17.492
time reflecting on this executive order .

53:17.909 --> 53:20.131
I'd also like to note today is also the

53:20.131 --> 53:22.353
75th anniversary of the executive order

53:22.353 --> 53:24.576
of 9980 , prohibiting discrimination in

53:24.576 --> 53:26.798
federal employment . And this year also

53:26.798 --> 53:28.687
marks the 70th 75 years since the

53:28.687 --> 53:30.742
signing , the Women's Armed Services

53:30.742 --> 53:33.219
Integration Act . All three of these

53:33.229 --> 53:36.830
acts share a common goal , unifying

53:36.840 --> 53:39.169
thread . And when I think about each

53:39.179 --> 53:40.846
one word that comes to mind ,

53:41.000 --> 53:44.300
opportunity , our military is the

53:44.310 --> 53:46.143
greatest in history and the most

53:46.143 --> 53:48.370
respected in the world . And because of

53:48.379 --> 53:50.546
the tree that President Truman planted

53:50.546 --> 53:53.360
in 1948 our nation is even stronger

53:53.370 --> 53:56.209
today than it was yesterday . He

53:56.219 --> 53:58.290
planted the seeds of a military that

53:58.300 --> 54:01.310
provides opportunity regardless of race ,

54:01.320 --> 54:03.989
color , religion or national origin .

54:05.159 --> 54:07.290
In the shade of this tree . You are

54:07.300 --> 54:09.522
judged solely by your accomplishments .

54:09.969 --> 54:12.025
Here being the best qualified is the

54:12.025 --> 54:15.020
one standard by which you ascend . This

54:15.030 --> 54:16.919
is our promise to every uniformed

54:16.919 --> 54:19.141
member and every dod civilian committed

54:19.141 --> 54:21.197
to the mission to support and defend

54:21.197 --> 54:23.419
the Constitution of the United States .

54:23.429 --> 54:25.485
Be the shade of these branches . You

54:25.485 --> 54:27.096
will never be advantaged are

54:27.096 --> 54:28.762
disadvantaged because of your

54:28.762 --> 54:31.060
background , United States Armed Forces

54:31.070 --> 54:33.126
and our department of Defense remain

54:33.126 --> 54:35.292
the best in the world because the only

54:35.292 --> 54:37.570
mention of these lenses , race , color ,

54:37.689 --> 54:41.030
religion or national origin is to

54:41.040 --> 54:43.262
express that opportunity not be impeded

54:44.590 --> 54:46.534
with this great gift comes , great

54:46.534 --> 54:49.409
responsibility was built upon the

54:49.419 --> 54:51.580
legacy that we've been given and make

54:51.590 --> 54:54.870
full use of all it has to offer . You

54:54.879 --> 54:57.520
must be leaders , coaches , mentors to

54:57.530 --> 54:59.697
every member of our team and give them

54:59.699 --> 55:01.921
all the opportunity to reach their full

55:01.921 --> 55:04.510
potential . Anything less is a waste of

55:04.520 --> 55:07.020
this gift . Executive orders

55:07.030 --> 55:09.659
99819980 , and the Women's Armed

55:09.669 --> 55:12.459
Service Integration Act , former Grover

55:12.469 --> 55:15.370
Trees and in the shade of this growth ,

55:15.739 --> 55:17.739
all are provided for opportunity no

55:17.739 --> 55:19.969
matter their background and the best

55:19.979 --> 55:22.860
qualified can raise to the next level .

55:24.120 --> 55:26.231
The trees that President Truman plant

55:26.231 --> 55:28.290
with his signature in 1948 or not ,

55:28.389 --> 55:32.379
ours . We must nurture them , care

55:32.389 --> 55:34.222
for them and ensure every future

55:34.222 --> 55:36.659
American may enjoy their shave . We

55:36.669 --> 55:38.669
must inspire the next generation of

55:38.669 --> 55:41.330
leaders . Our example of leadership can

55:41.340 --> 55:43.290
plant the next tree for the next

55:43.300 --> 55:45.820
generation of leaders . I thank all of

55:45.830 --> 55:47.886
you for your extraordinary efforts ,

55:47.886 --> 55:50.108
for the amazing things you do every day

55:50.139 --> 55:52.306
and the things you will continue to do

55:52.306 --> 55:54.417
and helping to keep these trees alive

55:54.417 --> 55:57.020
today and for the next 25 years . Thank

55:57.030 --> 55:59.141
you for the opportunity to spend time

55:59.141 --> 55:58.659
with you today .

56:05.729 --> 56:07.840
I'm now uh pleased to introduce Major

56:07.840 --> 56:09.896
West Clark who read a statement from

56:09.896 --> 56:11.618
our Secretary of Defense , the

56:11.618 --> 56:13.729
honorable Lloyd J . Ausin , the third

56:13.729 --> 56:15.840
Secretary of Defense Austin served in

56:15.840 --> 56:17.951
the US Army for 41 years and over the

56:17.951 --> 56:20.118
past two years , he served as our 28th

56:20.118 --> 56:22.310
Secretary of Defense , Major Clark

56:22.320 --> 56:24.153
worked on immediate staff of the

56:24.153 --> 56:26.209
Secretary of Defense before assuming

56:26.209 --> 56:28.431
his current role as a strategic planner

56:28.431 --> 56:30.598
to the Secretary Army . Please welcome

56:30.598 --> 56:30.360
Major West Clark .

56:42.729 --> 56:44.951
Ladies and gentlemen , on behalf of the

56:44.951 --> 56:47.850
Secretary Austin 75 years ago today ,

56:47.860 --> 56:49.471
President Truman ordered the

56:49.471 --> 56:52.050
desegregation of us armed forces and a

56:52.060 --> 56:53.893
civilian workforce across the US

56:53.893 --> 56:56.239
government . That historic step made

56:56.250 --> 56:58.530
the US military stronger and made

56:58.540 --> 57:01.399
America better for far too much of our

57:01.409 --> 57:03.520
nation's history . Service members of

57:03.520 --> 57:05.687
color who fought to defend our country

57:05.687 --> 57:07.631
were forced to serve in segregated

57:07.631 --> 57:09.830
units . Black troops were denied the

57:09.840 --> 57:12.007
very rights that they fought to defend

57:12.449 --> 57:14.399
despite this bitter heritage ,

57:14.409 --> 57:16.409
segregated units demonstrated their

57:16.409 --> 57:19.810
skill and metal war after war during

57:19.820 --> 57:22.050
World War II alone , more than 1

57:22.060 --> 57:24.570
million black Americans served bravely

57:24.580 --> 57:27.770
to defeat fascism after the defeat of

57:27.780 --> 57:29.558
Nazi Germany in world war two ,

57:29.709 --> 57:32.340
President Truman rightly declared the

57:32.350 --> 57:34.572
only limit to an American's achievement

57:34.572 --> 57:37.340
should be his ability , his industry

57:37.419 --> 57:40.729
and his character . On July 26th ,

57:40.739 --> 57:43.590
1948 President Truman issued two

57:43.600 --> 57:45.889
executive orders to enshrine that

57:45.899 --> 57:48.209
deeply American principle , mandating

57:49.000 --> 57:51.229
equality of treatment and opportunity

57:51.239 --> 57:53.399
for all persons in the armed services

57:53.409 --> 57:56.459
without regard to race , color ,

57:56.600 --> 57:59.830
religion , or national origin . The end

57:59.840 --> 58:01.507
of segregation throughout the

58:01.507 --> 58:03.673
Department of Defense was a major step

58:03.673 --> 58:05.896
towards fulfilling Americans , founding

58:05.896 --> 58:08.062
promises of liberty and equality under

58:08.062 --> 58:10.250
law . Since then , our extraordinary

58:10.260 --> 58:12.330
military and our dedicated civilian

58:12.340 --> 58:14.500
workforce have welcomed qualified

58:14.510 --> 58:17.669
patriots from all racial backgrounds to

58:17.679 --> 58:20.020
defend our country and serve alongside

58:20.030 --> 58:23.330
one another today . Some

58:23.340 --> 58:26.300
44% of our active duty , all volunteer

58:26.310 --> 58:29.979
force are Americans of color . The US

58:29.989 --> 58:32.100
military is the finest fighting force

58:32.100 --> 58:34.100
on earth . Because of our strategic

58:34.100 --> 58:36.370
advantages , we can draw on the talents

58:36.379 --> 58:38.268
and strength of skilled and brave

58:38.268 --> 58:41.560
Americans of every color , creed and

58:41.570 --> 58:44.159
background . As we reflect on the

58:44.169 --> 58:46.225
tremendous progress that our country

58:46.225 --> 58:49.189
has made over the past 75 years , we

58:49.199 --> 58:51.239
recommit ourselves to continue the

58:51.250 --> 58:53.919
noble work of all those who broke down

58:53.929 --> 58:56.909
barriers , fought prejudice and worked

58:56.919 --> 58:59.030
to ensure America's purest military

58:59.360 --> 59:01.659
embodies the democratic ideals that is

59:01.669 --> 59:05.010
so proudly defenses . I now have the

59:05.020 --> 59:06.687
distinct honor to introduce a

59:06.687 --> 59:08.631
Trailblazer in her own right . The

59:08.631 --> 59:10.830
honorable Kathleen Hicks who served in

59:10.840 --> 59:13.062
the Department of Defense for more than

59:13.062 --> 59:15.290
20 years . And currently our deputy

59:15.310 --> 59:17.939
secretary of Defense madam secretary ,

59:17.949 --> 59:19.338
the floor is now yours .

59:25.209 --> 59:27.320
All right , good morning . And let me

59:27.320 --> 59:29.679
pass along my thanks as well to uh not

59:29.689 --> 59:31.911
only everyone who put this together and

59:31.911 --> 59:34.133
the great speakers that we've had , but

59:34.133 --> 59:36.245
also all of you who came out today to

59:36.245 --> 59:38.300
commemorate . Thank you for spending

59:38.300 --> 59:41.000
the time with us since the forming of

59:41.010 --> 59:42.899
this nation , service members and

59:42.899 --> 59:44.899
civilians of all races , colors and

59:44.899 --> 59:47.050
creeds have advanced and defended our

59:47.060 --> 59:50.040
freedoms here at home and abroad . And

59:50.050 --> 59:51.994
they've demonstrated extraordinary

59:51.994 --> 59:54.310
bravery and expertise during times of

59:54.320 --> 59:57.949
conflict and peace ending segregation

59:57.959 --> 59:59.959
in the armed forces and the federal

59:59.959 --> 01:00:03.110
workforce were historic steps for the

01:00:03.120 --> 01:00:05.009
Department of Defense . President

01:00:05.009 --> 01:00:07.120
Truman's Executive Orders created the

01:00:07.120 --> 01:00:09.129
opportunity to grow the largest and

01:00:09.139 --> 01:00:12.050
most diverse military and civilian

01:00:12.060 --> 01:00:15.300
workforce in the world . Since then ,

01:00:15.310 --> 01:00:17.379
service members of color have risen

01:00:17.389 --> 01:00:19.111
through the ranks , commanding

01:00:19.111 --> 01:00:21.222
destroyer squadrons and submarines at

01:00:21.222 --> 01:00:23.389
sea , launching to space and returning

01:00:23.389 --> 01:00:25.679
back home again , breaking the glass

01:00:25.689 --> 01:00:27.909
ceiling and leading as four star

01:00:27.919 --> 01:00:30.520
generals and admirals and representing

01:00:30.530 --> 01:00:32.879
the United States of America overseas .

01:00:33.209 --> 01:00:35.949
No one better personifies this progress

01:00:35.959 --> 01:00:38.149
than Secretary Austin and I'm grateful

01:00:38.159 --> 01:00:40.159
we were able to hear his remarks on

01:00:40.159 --> 01:00:43.280
this important day . President Truman's

01:00:43.290 --> 01:00:45.820
actions also created progress . Well ,

01:00:45.830 --> 01:00:49.550
beyond this department , any legal or

01:00:49.560 --> 01:00:52.209
moral justification for segregation

01:00:52.250 --> 01:00:54.570
crumbled in the wake of it in the

01:00:54.580 --> 01:00:57.459
decades that followed segregation in

01:00:57.469 --> 01:00:59.636
the nation's public schools and public

01:00:59.636 --> 01:01:02.300
spaces also came to an end . These

01:01:02.310 --> 01:01:04.770
decisions moved the entire nation

01:01:04.780 --> 01:01:06.629
closer to the promise of racial

01:01:06.639 --> 01:01:09.540
equality . But there is more work to

01:01:09.550 --> 01:01:11.217
advance this progress that we

01:01:11.217 --> 01:01:14.280
rightfully celebrate today . That's why

01:01:14.290 --> 01:01:16.457
the department is proudly carrying the

01:01:16.457 --> 01:01:18.760
torture freedom handed down to it from

01:01:18.770 --> 01:01:21.850
prior generations by building the best

01:01:21.860 --> 01:01:23.889
all volunteer fighting force in the

01:01:23.899 --> 01:01:26.790
world by recruiting , training and

01:01:26.800 --> 01:01:29.199
retaining a civilian workforce that

01:01:29.209 --> 01:01:31.320
reflects all the talents this country

01:01:31.320 --> 01:01:33.570
has to offer and by expanding

01:01:33.580 --> 01:01:36.780
opportunity so that aspiring soldiers ,

01:01:36.790 --> 01:01:39.439
sailors and marines , airmen and

01:01:39.449 --> 01:01:42.370
guardians , engineers and scientists ,

01:01:42.379 --> 01:01:44.370
policy analysts , and financial

01:01:44.379 --> 01:01:47.159
managers , and all those in between who

01:01:47.169 --> 01:01:50.010
wish to serve this nation can pursue

01:01:50.020 --> 01:01:52.080
their dream without barriers and

01:01:52.090 --> 01:01:54.929
without limits . Thank you once again

01:01:54.939 --> 01:01:57.209
to our speakers and please join me in

01:01:57.219 --> 01:01:59.163
one more round of applause for our

01:01:59.163 --> 01:02:01.489
distinguished guests who fought so hard

01:02:01.500 --> 01:02:04.229
for so long to advance the causes of

01:02:04.239 --> 01:02:06.030
justice , dignity and freedom .

01:02:30.209 --> 01:02:32.376
Now , we will have a musical selection

01:02:32.376 --> 01:02:34.431
by the United States army band brass

01:02:34.431 --> 01:02:35.431
quintet .

01:02:51.850 --> 01:02:55.699
We leave tomorrow to

01:02:57.129 --> 01:03:01.030
Yeah . And I had to start with

01:03:01.040 --> 01:03:04.689
just my family by my side . I

01:03:04.800 --> 01:03:08.179
thank my luck star to be

01:03:08.189 --> 01:03:11.870
living here today because the flag

01:03:11.879 --> 01:03:14.979
still stands for freedom and they can

01:03:14.989 --> 01:03:18.270
take mhm

01:03:20.689 --> 01:03:24.199
I'm proud to be an American . We at

01:03:24.209 --> 01:03:27.800
least on one free and I , I

01:03:27.810 --> 01:03:31.500
forget the ones who died who gave that

01:03:31.510 --> 01:03:35.340
right to me . And I gladly stand up

01:03:35.350 --> 01:03:39.350
next to you and defend her still today

01:03:39.840 --> 01:03:42.729
cause there ain't no doubt I love this

01:03:42.739 --> 01:03:46.340
life and God bless the

01:03:59.540 --> 01:04:03.300
from the lakes of Minnesota to the

01:04:03.310 --> 01:04:07.050
hills of Tennessee , across the

01:04:07.060 --> 01:04:10.820
plains of Texas . From sea to shining

01:04:10.830 --> 01:04:14.409
sea , from Detroit down to

01:04:14.419 --> 01:04:17.300
Houston and in New York to

01:04:17.310 --> 01:04:20.889
LA . Yeah , there's pride in every

01:04:20.899 --> 01:04:24.010
American heart and it's time we stand

01:04:24.020 --> 01:04:25.020
and say ,

01:04:28.699 --> 01:04:32.169
but I'm proud to be an American where

01:04:32.179 --> 01:04:36.010
at least I know I'm free . I won't

01:04:36.020 --> 01:04:39.439
forget the ones who died who gave that

01:04:39.449 --> 01:04:42.280
right to me . And I gladly stand

01:04:43.500 --> 01:04:46.389
next to you and defend her still

01:04:46.399 --> 01:04:49.949
today cause there ain't no doubt I

01:04:49.959 --> 01:04:53.850
love this a lot and God bless

01:04:53.860 --> 01:04:55.010
the USA

01:05:00.790 --> 01:05:01.790
bye

01:05:13.899 --> 01:05:17.580
that next to you and

01:05:17.590 --> 01:05:20.939
defend her still today cause there

01:05:20.949 --> 01:05:23.760
ain't no doubt . I love his life .

01:05:28.760 --> 01:05:29.260
I saw .

01:05:43.860 --> 01:05:46.639
Wow , that was amazing . Thank you to

01:05:46.649 --> 01:05:49.060
all of our service speakers for those

01:05:49.070 --> 01:05:52.050
meaningful messages , messages of

01:05:52.060 --> 01:05:55.820
bravery , courage , resilience ,

01:05:55.830 --> 01:05:58.520
personal stories , and other accounts

01:05:58.530 --> 01:06:02.229
of segregation stories that continue to

01:06:02.239 --> 01:06:05.149
inform our leaders today and into the

01:06:05.159 --> 01:06:08.370
army band brad content , an exhibit of

01:06:08.379 --> 01:06:11.530
your time and talent . Thank you

01:06:18.919 --> 01:06:21.290
on behalf of the Department of Defense .

01:06:21.300 --> 01:06:23.489
Thank you all for attending today's

01:06:23.500 --> 01:06:26.429
ceremony Commemorating the 75th

01:06:26.439 --> 01:06:30.350
anniversary of Executive Orders 9980

01:06:30.360 --> 01:06:33.679
and 9981 and above all for your

01:06:33.689 --> 01:06:36.939
support of our National Defense . We

01:06:36.949 --> 01:06:39.280
are grateful to all of you all the

01:06:39.290 --> 01:06:41.679
individuals who served faithfully to

01:06:41.689 --> 01:06:43.820
promote the mission readiness to

01:06:43.830 --> 01:06:46.600
eradicate inequality , to eradicate

01:06:46.610 --> 01:06:50.219
discrimination . This concludes today's

01:06:50.229 --> 01:06:52.679
ceremony for those of you who are

01:06:52.689 --> 01:06:54.919
guests of the Department of Defense

01:06:54.929 --> 01:06:57.820
escorts with red badges are standing by

01:06:57.830 --> 01:07:00.300
to guide you as you exit the building .

01:07:01.239 --> 01:07:03.610
Ladies and gentlemen , please stand for

01:07:03.620 --> 01:07:05.800
the departure of the official party .