Troops, as same old, you glance magnificent. And thank you for all that you just do to give protection to our nation.
Many due to the band for what they all the time do—make each match that a lot more particular. So thanks, band.
Chairman, I gotta inform you, a picture of me this is that dimension is fairly unnerving—to me.
Now, I in truth assume that is payback for my personnel contributors, who’ve had to have a look at a picture like that—outsized—on a daily basis.
Smartly, excellent morning, everyone. It is tremendous to peer everybody.
And I’m deeply thankful to Common Brown and everybody else who organized this glorious match.
Gary, a unique due to you for every other stellar efficiency.
I am really thankful for all of you for braving the chilly lately to be right here with us, particularly the ones of you who traveled tremendous distances.
Now, that is in truth my 2nd rite retiring from the Division of Protection. And over the last 4 years, my spouse Charlene has many times identified to me that I failed retirement.
This has been a blessing that I by no means imagined. And it’s been an out of this world adventure—first 41 years within the U.S. Military, after which 4 extra years as Secretary of Protection.
And as I have mentioned, American democracy isn’t a dash however a relay race. And as we move the baton, I’m very happy with what now we have completed over the last 4 years.
In my first Message to the Pressure as Secretary, I laid out 3 priorities: protect the country, maintain our other folks, and be triumphant thru teamwork. And we now have made large development on all 3.
We’ve intensely centered the Division of Protection at the “pacing problem” from the Folks’s Republic of China. We’ve got made sweeping upgrades to our posture within the Indo-Pacific.
We’ve got rallied the loose global to lend a hand Ukraine struggle for its freedom towards Putin’s imperial aggression. We’ve got led a NATO alliance this is more potent, higher, and extra united than ever.
We’ve got avoided an all-out conflict within the Heart East, observed Iran’s proxies gutted around the area, and labored tirelessly to save lots of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We’ve got additionally secured a ceasefire that may halt the combating in Gaza, reunite hostages with their households, and surge much-needed humanitarian help to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
We’ve got strengthened our unequalled community of allies and companions around the world.
We’ve got invested deeply sooner or later of our navy, together with a protection funds this is set to extend in Fiscal 12 months 2025 through greater than $100 billion from the place we began in 2021. And now we have taken large strides to maintain our other folks—together with elevating base pay for our troops through nearly 10 p.c since 2021, making ancient reforms to the military-justice device, and serving to navy spouses pursue their very own careers.
For the previous 4 years, now we have stood as much as our opponents, now we have weakened our foes, reinforced our pals, invested in our long term, and carried out proper through our other folks.
Now, that does not simply occur. And I’m extremely thankful to the outstanding workforce that has modified the process historical past.
Above all, my due to my Commander in Leader—our Commander in Leader. And I can without end be touched through President Biden’s religion in me.
Now, I had the risk to discuss our President the day past at his Armed Forces farewell. So I can simply say once more that our First Circle of relatives may be an army circle of relatives, and the President and the First Woman have all the time understood the concern and the pleasure that our navy households raise. And President Biden has been an atypical father or mother of The usa’s bipartisan custom of world management.
Let me additionally thank Kath Hicks.
Kath, you could have been an incredible Deputy. You have insisted on effects. You’re a barrier-breaker and a change-maker. And you have got made historical past. So thanks, Secretary Hicks. You deserve every other spherical of applause.
I am deeply thankful to our remarkable Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Group of workers, Common C.Q. Brown Jr. He’s a mythical warfighter—courageous, smart, and principled. And The usa’s foes may just haven’t any worse enemy. The usa’s allies may just haven’t any higher buddy. And a Secretary of Protection may just haven’t any higher spouse. Let’s give it up for Common C.Q. Brown.
I’m thankful to our interagency companions at the national-security workforce, who labored so neatly in combination for 4 years. My due to Vice President Harris, Secretary Blinken, Secretary Yellen, Secretary McDonough, Jake Sullivan, Director Haines, Director Burns, Leader of Group of workers Zients, and plenty of, many extra.
I would additionally love to thank our remarkable Carrier Secretaries—Christine Wormuth, Carlos Del Toro, and Frank Kendall.
Thank you on your management and your imaginative and prescient.
And I am thankful to our Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Chris Grady, and our improbable provider chiefs: Common Randy George; Common Eric Smith; Admiral Lisa Franchetti; Common David Allvin; Common Probability Saltzman; and Common Steven Nordhaus.
It is been a privilege to paintings with all of you. And it is been an honor to paintings along such a lot of proficient leaders and devoted public servants around the Division.
I would particularly love to thank my atypical workforce within the Place of work of the Secretary of Protection—which I name Crew 28. You’ve got been good, ingenious, and tireless. I have all the time been thankful on your talent, your determination, and your integrity. And I’m particularly thankful on your households and family members, who made your provider conceivable.
I will be able to’t title all of you presently or we might by no means get out of right here—however please know the way a lot you all imply to me.
I particularly need to thank my Chiefs of Group of workers—my first Leader of Group of workers, Kelly Magsamen, and her Deputy, Mela Louise Norman.
And so they helped me construct this workforce. And I am deeply thankful to my present Leader, Derek Chollet, and my Deputy Leader of Group of workers, Caroline Zier, who’ve guided us house.
I am additionally proud to have served with 4 excellent Senior Army Assistants: Generals Bryan Fenton, Randy George, Ron Clark, and Jenn Quick.
And for my Important Army Assistants, Junior Army Assistants, our Entrance Place of work noncommissioned officials, and all their households: imagine me, I know the way arduous it used to be—and what sort of you gave.
Let’s have a spherical of applause for the most productive workforce within the trade.
I additionally need to thank my circle of relatives. I am considering lately of my folks. My dad, who did such a lot to indicate me in the correct course—together with pushing me beautiful firmly towards West Level.
We misplaced my mother whilst I used to be deployed to Iraq. I’ve by no means met a better particular person, and I leave out her on a daily basis.
I am additionally deeply thankful for the improve and love of my siblings—my brother Morris, and my 4 large sisters, Patricia, Carolyn, Serena, and our past due sister Lloydette. We leave out her such a lot.
I’m extremely happy with our sons, Reggie and Shane, and the advantageous males that they’ve turn into. After I call to mind the long run, I call to mind you two.
And above all, I need to thank my spouse Charlene. Charlene, I used to be first struck through your heat smile and your glorious giggle. And these kinds of years, I have come to depend on your power, your spirit, and your love.
You made large sacrifices as an army partner, and you then needed to replace direction once more after I uprooted the non violent retirement that we would simply begun.
You’re the supply of the entirety excellent in my lifestyles. And marrying you used to be the most productive resolution that I ever made, and it isn’t even shut. Char, I like you.
Above all, I need to talk to the troops lately. , this trade is not only about platforms and procurement. It is about you.
We aren’t simply probably the most deadly combating drive on Earth. We also are the best combating drive on Earth. And that’s right down to all of you.
A lot of you could have heard me speak about my first platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Magnificence “Fox” Ballard. And he taught me that crucial factor you’ll be able to do is to maintain your other folks. And that has all the time been my North Celebrity.
Our best strategic benefit will all the time be the abilities of the American other folks. We do not decrease our requirements for our recruits. We take excellent other folks, and cause them to even higher. Those that need to enroll in us will have to lift their recreation. However any navy that turns away certified patriots who’re desperate to serve is simply making itself smaller and weaker.
Women and gents, the ability of the USA navy flows from each our other folks and our rules. Our features are unequalled. Our platforms are unequalled. However the ones are expressions of our power, now not its basis.
Each navy defends a rustic. However the USA navy additionally defends a Charter.
Now, that is not some aspect level. It is the oath that I swore after I commissioned: “to improve and protect the Charter of the USA towards all enemies, international and home.”
That’s what we do.
And that’s who we’re.
And I can by no means prevent pronouncing this.
We protect now not simply the American other folks but additionally the American thought. We aren’t simply any navy. We’re the USA navy. We protect govt of the folk, through the folk, and for the folk—and we don’t bend on issues of honor, integrity, or legislation.
, I used to be taught at West Level to hope that I’d “make a selection the tougher proper as a substitute of the better improper.” And I’ve attempted on a daily basis as Secretary to are living as much as that educating.
I do know that can sound out of date—however with regards to flag, nation, and Charter, I’m an old school man.
Women and gents, I depart the Division of Protection with tremendous pleasure—and tremendous self belief. And that is the reason on account of you. As a result of your braveness. Your personality. Your power. Your integrity. And your dedication to excellence. And your refusal to just accept dishonor or defeat.
, there is a tremendous pressure—even a paradox—on the center of our undertaking. The ones people who spend our lives looking to grasp conflict also are those who very best perceive its terrors. If we will have to use navy drive to protect our nation, we will be able to now not cringe and we will be able to now not fail. However we now have realized within the toughest conceivable method that we must be modest about what drive can reach—and be cautious of its surprising penalties.
Now, we needless to say this mighty Division is only one of our gear of nationwide continual. And it’s been my responsibility to stay our nation from returning to these horrible instances of great-power conflict—to the damaging many years when The usa deserted its place of world management and got here to imagine that lets stand by myself and aside whilst freedom itself used to be in mortal threat.
Over the last 5 many years, I’ve observed the USA navy replace profoundly. We’ve got long past from the limping and demoralized conscript drive of Vietnam to the deadly powerhouse of lately’s all-volunteer drive.
And since I served 3 lengthy excursions in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, I have had the privilege of getting a front-row seat on the largest level on this planet. I have observed over and over what our combating women and men will do for his or her teammates and for his or her nation. I’ve observed American troops do wonderful issues, over and over. And I do know that you’re going to proceed to stay us secure and make us proud.
, Omar Bradley used to stay a cool animated film putting over his table at house. It confirmed an infantryman sitting with a rifle throughout his knees. And above him used to be a listing of state-of-the-art guns. But the soldier within the cool animated film is pronouncing, “However they nonetheless have not discovered an alternative to me.”
That is nonetheless true. There is not any replace for American troops and for women and men of braveness and personality.
And there is not any replace for principled management. , you’ll be able to’t push somebody into struggle. You have to lead them into struggle.
And for troops in each department who’re searching for how to try this, let me once more level you towards Omar Bradley. He declared that “Management manner firmness, now not harshness; figuring out, now not weak spot; justice, now not irresponsible freedom; humaneness, now not intolerance; generosity, now not selfishness; pleasure, now not egotism.”
I’m extremely happy with our all-volunteer drive. You and your households endure an atypical burden to stay your fellow electorate secure. And we will have to all the time be fair with ourselves in regards to the sacrifices that this undertaking calls for.
Over the last 4 years, yellow folders have arrived at my table, over and over. The ones yellow folders raise the letters of condolence—to the oldsters of the fallen, to new widows and widowers, and to youngsters who will develop up with out their mum and dad.
I’ve sat with the ones letters. I’ve considered them earlier than every resolution. And I can dangle them in my center till the day I die.
I nonetheless mourn for the fallen of Abbey Gate. Of Tower 22. Of each Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Parent misplaced in a coaching coincidence. And of each American in uniform who gave in to unseen wounds and took their very own lifestyles. And I am hoping that, as Lincoln mentioned, we will be able to all take higher devotion from those commemorated useless.
Serving as Secretary of Protection has been the easiest honor of my lifestyles—and the heaviest duty. This process calls for calm, judgment, and humility. It exams you. It tempers you. And I shouldered it with a deep sense of unravel and responsibility, and I can set it apart with gratitude and self belief. And I’m deeply happy with what we now have completed in combination at this hinge in historical past.
The sector continues to seem to The usa. And we will have to stand as a beacon of freedom.
We aren’t simply any nation. We’re the guardians of the innovative beliefs of our founders.
They believed that governments exist to serve their other folks, and now not the wrong way round. They believed that each one human beings are created equivalent. They believed that we’re all endowed through our Author with inalienable rights. They believed that tyrants and kings have had their day. And so they believed, within the ultimate reckoning, continual belongs to the folk.
, the ones ideals nonetheless encourage the sector. And so they nonetheless spur us on.
As I mentioned remaining 12 months in Normandy, 80 years after D-Day, we nonetheless search an international the place aggression is a sin, and the place human rights are sacred, and the place all other folks can are living in freedom.
Now, I’m a proud graduate of the Magnificence of 1975 from West Level. My elegance motto used to be “braveness and power.”
Braveness and power—the ones are the virtues that our navy nonetheless wishes, and nonetheless embodies.
This ultimate flip of responsibility has been a time of significant pleasure—on account of the atypical American citizens whom I’ve had the honour of main and serving along. That suggests everybody on this room, and everybody on this Division—from the greenest cadet to probably the most embellished common.
And I’m extra proud to be your teammate than phrases can ever put across.
Now, infantrymen inform conflict tales—particularly previous infantrymen.
So let me finish with one. And it is the identical one who I used to finish my speech after I retired from the Military in 2016—little figuring out that my trail would deliver me right here lately.
And it is one who a minimum of one member of this target audience could be very aware of, as a result of he used to be there with me. His title is Ted Koppel.
Within the spring of 2003, I used to be main the third Infantry Department throughout the Karbala Hole in southern Iraq. The night time earlier than our price, we had been locked in an enormous artillery duel with parts of the Iraqi Republican Guard. And we knew that within the morning, we must execute probably the most toughest maneuvers of the Iraq conflict—and that used to be to get a complete heavy department thru a space most effective two kilometers broad.
That night time of fireside and thunder after all handed. Break of day broke. And as we had been about to transport out, a Bradley Combating Car rode previous our place. And on its antenna waved an American flag.
Now, that flag used to be tattered and torn. It used to be grimy with wasteland sand and dirt. However it flew proudly amid the winds of conflict.
I can by no means fail to remember that sight—or that second. And the reminiscence of seeing that flag got here again to me as I thought of my remarks lately.
Francis Scott Key gave The usa our anthem together with his poem a couple of flag that “catches the gleam within the morning’s first beam.” And I regularly take into accounts that one flag at the battlefield—snapping within the wind, ripped and battered, however nonetheless daring and proud. And I call to mind the braveness of each American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Parent who has carried our flag over the centuries into struggle—in protection of the good experiment in democracy that we name the USA of The usa.
That’s the flag for which we struggle.
That’s the flag that carries the hopes of our founders.
And that’s the flag that honors the sacrifice of our fallen.
That’s the flag of our values, the flag of our vows, and the flag of our imaginative and prescient.
It nonetheless waves over the land of the loose and the house of the courageous.
I do know that you’re going to by no means let it fall.
And I do know that you’re going to proudly raise ahead the flag of the USA of The usa—with braveness and power.
Thanks. Might God offer protection to our troops. And might God proceed to bless the USA of The usa.
