New York Gov. Kathy Hochul: Thank you for your service

Courtesy Photo | New York Governor Kathy Hochul  

ALBANY , NY, UNITED STATES

10.15.2021

Story by Eric Durr 

New York National Guard

On the afternoon of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11, I had the opportunity to speak to a small number of National Guard Soldiers at the Jacob Javits Convention Center as a way to note the significant role the New York National Guard played in the state and city response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

It had already been a busy and emotional day, but I wanted the opportunity to tell a few of your fellow Guardsmen and women in person, how much I and all New Yorker respected and valued the service of the Guard.

I want to share that message with all the 20,000 members of New York’s military forces: The Army and Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard.

I respect and appreciate each one of you, because you have volunteered to serve our state and our nation. Most of you are citizen Soldiers. You are civilians and then, when duty calls, you put on your uniform and put yourself on the line for the rest of us.

That, is extraordinary and I will always be humbled by the thought that you are out there. You are our neighbors, you are our teachers, you are workers and you are our friends, but you are also members of the military.

And when duty calls you put on those uniforms--you suit up-- and are willing to do something that I find so incredibly powerful: the act of courage to be able to put yourselves out there on the front lines.
Twenty years ago, the New York National Guard turned out on 9/11 and since then you and your predecessors have been there when needed: during ice storms, and floods, and hurricanes, and Superstorm Sandy, and especially during this terrible pandemic.

More than 6,300 of you have been there on the front lines, conducting testing, transporting critical supplies, building a field hospital, providing food to those in need, and ensuring that lifesaving vaccines are administered. You have been magnificent.

At the same time you’ve been turning out to serve in the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When I was a member of Congress I had the opportunity to meet members of the New York National Guard in battle fatigues in Afghanistan.

It looked like the moonscape when you flew over the mountains and you landed.

But once on the ground I met these most incredible individuals, human beings separated by thousands of miles from their families and loved ones from their normal lives, but they didn't think twice about it. They were there because they knew their country and their state needed them.

I consider, you the most courageous, the greatest, the most talented National Guard in the nation. I know that you will be there for your friends and neighbors and fellow citizens when we have to call on you again in our moments of need.

Thank you for your service. I am proud to be your commander-in-chief.

• Date Taken: 10.15.2021
• Date Posted: 10.15.2021 10:29
• Story ID: 407322
• Location: ALBANY , NY, US