Photo By Lt. Col. Randall Stillinger | Maj. Gen. Les Simpson, commanding general of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army...... read more read more
Subscribe
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Maj. Gen. Les Simpson was the guest speaker at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance Ceremony at the headquarters of U.S. Army South at Joint Base San Antonio on Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Joseph P. DiSalvo, commanding general of U.S. Army South, hosted the event, which included senior Liaison Officers from the countries of Chile, Colombia and Brazil.
Dr. Isaac Hampton II, command historian for U.S. Army South, began the ceremony with a historical background on Dr. King and the significance of his role in the Civil Rights movement. Through stories of Dr. King’s childhood, his background, and the people that influenced him, Hampton set the stage for the day.
Dr. Hampton summed up his presentation by suggesting what Dr. King might say if he were around today.
“Dr. King might say that we should become a dedicated fighter for civil rights. Make it a central part of your life. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world that we live in,’” Hampton said.
Simpson, from Rowlett, is the Commanding General of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard, which is headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin. He’s the first African-American commander of the division and serves as a member of the National Guard’s Joint Diversity Executive Council.
During his keynote address, Simpson spoke about Dr. King, his influence and role in the Civil Rights movement, and the progress towards equality made within the U.S. military over the years.
Simpson said, “I would not be standing here today if not for his efforts.”
“Our military has progressed from a segregated institution to a multi-racial force,” Simpson said. “Where once African American soldiers were relegated to the rank of a mess man, steward, or barber, we now see people of color in every strata of the four branches of service and at the highest levels of government.”
“We, the members of the U.S. military, are servants of the people. We represent their hopes and the answer to their fears. We are citizens and soldiers for this great Republic,” Simpson said. “Perhaps more than anyone else, we are called to action every day, at home and abroad, not for personal gain or because of the hubris of a false national pride, but because the core values of our nation and our service demand that we be leaders in the endless struggle for freedom and democracy.”
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2015 14:21 |
| Story ID: | 152957 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | ROWLETT, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 36th ID commanding general speaks at US Army South MLK Observance, by LTC Randall Stillinger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT