WEBVTT 00:00.740 --> 00:02.740 Good morning ladies and gentlemen . 00:02.779 --> 00:05.001 Welcome to the Medal of Honor induction 00:05.001 --> 00:07.500 ceremony in honor of Major Nicholas 00:07.500 --> 00:10.399 Dockery . The honoree was presented our 00:10.399 --> 00:12.619 nation's highest and most prestigious 00:12.619 --> 00:14.939 award for valor by the President of the 00:14.939 --> 00:17.620 United States , the Medal of Honor . 00:18.059 --> 00:19.892 This morning he will formally be 00:19.892 --> 00:21.860 inducted into the Pentagon's most 00:21.860 --> 00:25.840 sacred place , the Hall of Heroes . Our 00:25.840 --> 00:27.879 hosts for today's ceremony are the 00:27.879 --> 00:30.159 Secretary of War , the Honorable Pete 00:30.159 --> 00:32.560 Hexseth , the Undersecretary of the 00:32.560 --> 00:35.639 Army , the Honorable Mike Obidall , the 00:35.639 --> 00:37.528 Vice Chief of Staff of the Army , 00:37.560 --> 00:39.849 General Christopher Laneve , and 00:39.849 --> 00:41.905 Sergeant Major of the Army , Michael 00:41.905 --> 00:44.240 Weimer . Ladies and gentlemen , please 00:44.240 --> 00:46.351 stand for the singing of our national 00:46.351 --> 00:48.184 anthem by Staff Sergeant Caitlin 00:48.184 --> 00:51.000 Withers and the invocation delivered by 00:51.000 --> 00:52.479 Chaplain Jack Stummy . 01:07.129 --> 01:10.809 Oh , say , can you see ? 01:12.470 --> 01:13.803 It dawn's early light . 01:16.949 --> 01:17.949 What surprise . 01:21.069 --> 01:23.589 the twilight's last gleaming , 01:25.849 --> 01:28.300 whose stripes and bright stars . 01:30.919 --> 01:31.919 fight 01:36.529 --> 01:39.230 to was so 01:39.230 --> 01:41.959 gallantly streaming . 01:57.069 --> 01:59.989 that our flag was still there . 02:01.580 --> 02:03.430 who sing . a star spangled . 02:09.229 --> 02:10.229 away . 02:19.270 --> 02:19.750 And 02:26.169 --> 02:27.169 it 02:33.089 --> 02:35.949 I invite you to pray with me . Almighty 02:35.949 --> 02:38.460 God , you are the author of liberty and 02:38.460 --> 02:41.350 the source of all true courage . We 02:41.350 --> 02:43.330 gather today to thank you , 02:43.509 --> 02:45.750 acknowledging that every noble act of 02:45.750 --> 02:49.559 bravery originates with you . Today we 02:49.559 --> 02:51.559 honor the selfless service of Major 02:51.559 --> 02:54.080 Dockery . Surrounded by the enemy , he 02:54.080 --> 02:57.559 refused to yield . We thank you for the 02:57.559 --> 03:00.160 strength he showed that day , stepping 03:00.160 --> 03:02.660 into the chaos and leading so that 03:02.660 --> 03:05.669 others might live . Father , as he 03:05.669 --> 03:07.869 takes his place among those who wear 03:07.869 --> 03:10.350 the Medal of Honor , we recognize that 03:10.350 --> 03:12.270 this honor represents the highest 03:12.270 --> 03:15.550 standard of our armed forces . We are 03:15.550 --> 03:17.606 not the land of the free without the 03:17.606 --> 03:21.399 bravery of our service members . Please 03:21.399 --> 03:24.100 now watch over the Dockery family . 03:25.279 --> 03:28.850 Protect our deployed forces and their 03:28.850 --> 03:31.050 loved ones who wait for their safe 03:31.050 --> 03:33.369 return and give wisdom to our commander 03:33.369 --> 03:36.610 in chief and all our leaders and keep 03:36.610 --> 03:38.850 our nation a steadfast beacon of 03:38.850 --> 03:41.289 freedom to the world . In your most 03:41.289 --> 03:43.649 holy name I pray . Amen . 03:46.520 --> 03:47.779 Please be seated . 03:53.889 --> 03:56.000 Ladies and gentlemen , the Vice Chief 03:56.000 --> 03:57.410 of Staff of the Army . 04:06.410 --> 04:09.570 And thank you all for coming . So . Uh , 04:09.720 --> 04:11.831 it's awesome to look out and see this 04:11.831 --> 04:14.309 crowd , uh , to come here and support , 04:14.770 --> 04:16.992 uh , our great army . So good morning , 04:17.010 --> 04:19.809 Secretary , Mrs . Headste , and Gwen . 04:20.000 --> 04:22.829 It's great to see you . Guys look great . 04:23.329 --> 04:25.551 General Kane , sir , General Nordhaus , 04:25.551 --> 04:27.649 Undersecretary Tata , Undersecretary 04:27.649 --> 04:31.260 Mrs . Oddall . Ms . Votel , uh , 04:31.380 --> 04:33.769 Mr . Bea , Sar Major 04:34.649 --> 04:37.410 Garriy , uh , the whole entire team , 04:38.010 --> 04:40.350 Sar Major and Ms . Weimer , Army senior 04:40.350 --> 04:42.517 leaders , distinguished guests , thank 04:42.517 --> 04:44.628 you . Thank you from the bottom of my 04:44.628 --> 04:46.850 heart for coming today . Welcome to the 04:46.850 --> 04:48.961 Hall of Heroes induction ceremony for 04:48.961 --> 04:51.290 Major Nicholas Dockery . Medal of Honor 04:51.290 --> 04:54.779 recipient . We're joined today also by 04:54.779 --> 04:57.470 3 fellow Medal of Honor recipients , 04:57.670 --> 04:59.910 Sergeant Major retired Payne , Master 04:59.910 --> 05:02.021 Sergeant retired Petrie , and Captain 05:02.021 --> 05:04.077 Groberg . Can you please give them a 05:04.077 --> 05:06.021 round of applause for being here . 05:12.209 --> 05:14.320 Gentlemen , thank you . Thank you for 05:14.320 --> 05:16.929 being here and uh just uh representing 05:16.929 --> 05:19.170 the incredible legacy of this award and 05:19.170 --> 05:21.730 the example you show for us all . As we 05:21.730 --> 05:24.010 begin , I'd like to start by 05:24.010 --> 05:26.760 acknowledging Nick's family . Including 05:26.760 --> 05:29.119 his devoted partner , Jennifer , his 05:29.119 --> 05:31.480 wonderful grandmother who has captured 05:31.480 --> 05:35.450 all of our hearts this week . Even had 05:35.450 --> 05:37.609 the president stop in his place as he 05:37.609 --> 05:39.799 was walking by , uh , to talk to her . 05:40.200 --> 05:42.422 It's , uh , it's been awesome to get to 05:42.422 --> 05:44.756 know you and , uh , marry a dear friend , 05:44.756 --> 05:47.089 Chris and his brother , and a fellow US 05:47.089 --> 05:50.000 Army soldier , his brother Blake . Um , 05:50.130 --> 05:52.450 thanks for coming . Army families are 05:52.450 --> 05:54.769 the backbone of our service . God bless 05:54.769 --> 05:56.658 you for your support and devotion 05:56.658 --> 05:58.880 you've shown Nick . And let's give them 05:58.880 --> 06:00.825 all a round of applause , please . 06:06.440 --> 06:08.329 I'd like to also extend a special 06:08.329 --> 06:10.384 welcome to Nick's teammates , fellow 06:10.384 --> 06:12.551 members of Chosen Company 212 Infantry 06:12.551 --> 06:14.607 who were there on that fateful day . 06:14.607 --> 06:16.884 Gentlemen , will you please stand , uh , 06:16.884 --> 06:19.920 so we can honor you as well . Yeah 06:26.200 --> 06:29.470 Hm I want to personally thank 06:29.470 --> 06:32.739 you , uh , gentlemen , for actually 06:32.739 --> 06:34.906 listening to me the other night when I 06:34.906 --> 06:37.128 asked you all to stay off the blotter . 06:37.128 --> 06:39.589 I have not seen any , uh , any , you 06:39.589 --> 06:41.645 know , notices , disturbances in the 06:41.645 --> 06:43.645 force . Let's keep that through the 06:43.645 --> 06:46.660 weekend , OK ? God bless you all . A 06:46.660 --> 06:48.771 few of you may have noticed we're not 06:48.771 --> 06:50.882 actually at the Hall of Heroes inside 06:50.882 --> 06:52.993 the Pentagon . So what brings us here 06:52.993 --> 06:55.160 today to Comedy Hall ? Well , it turns 06:55.160 --> 06:57.327 out the answer is pretty simple . When 06:57.327 --> 06:59.829 we did the math . We needed more space . 07:01.149 --> 07:03.549 Nick , it's because of you . There's a 07:03.549 --> 07:05.882 lot of people who want to celebrate you . 07:05.882 --> 07:08.989 You are incredibly well loved , and 07:08.989 --> 07:11.809 you're respected . And how can you not 07:11.869 --> 07:14.549 admire you . Special forces officer , 07:14.790 --> 07:16.957 West Point graduate . I , I don't hold 07:16.957 --> 07:18.957 that against you . You didn't , you 07:18.957 --> 07:21.179 couldn't get accepted in the Harvard of 07:21.179 --> 07:23.290 the Southwest like I did , University 07:23.290 --> 07:25.623 of Arizona , but you went to West Point . 07:25.820 --> 07:28.109 White House fellow , presidential 07:28.109 --> 07:30.670 leadership scholar , Silver Star holder , 07:31.070 --> 07:33.790 2 times over , Military Time Soldier of 07:33.790 --> 07:36.309 the Year , General Douglas MacArthur 07:36.309 --> 07:38.540 Leadership Award winner , and then 07:38.540 --> 07:40.399 founder and chairman of the Nic 07:40.399 --> 07:42.510 Nicholas Dockery Foundation . I could 07:42.510 --> 07:45.510 go on . That's the public stuff . I 07:45.510 --> 07:49.170 could go on a lot more . But as of last 07:49.170 --> 07:51.337 night , the highest honor that we as a 07:51.337 --> 07:53.649 nation can bestow the Medal of Honor 07:53.649 --> 07:56.019 recipient . It's quite the list , 07:56.140 --> 07:58.429 brother . It's really no wonder you 07:58.429 --> 08:00.596 can't walk about 10 ft without someone 08:01.070 --> 08:04.380 stopping you and shaking your hand . As 08:04.380 --> 08:08.140 it should be . I devised my role was to 08:08.140 --> 08:10.251 highlight the Medal of Honor citation 08:10.380 --> 08:12.602 during the ceremony , but as I do , I'm 08:12.602 --> 08:14.899 gonna try something different . Medal 08:14.899 --> 08:17.809 of Honor , uh , that he is awarded was 08:17.809 --> 08:20.470 a specific time and place . But he's 08:20.470 --> 08:22.526 done so much with his life , and I'd 08:22.526 --> 08:25.750 like to weave that through this uh this 08:25.750 --> 08:28.850 uh speech today . I'd like you to see 08:28.850 --> 08:32.119 who Nick is revealed by the 08:32.119 --> 08:34.989 citation . Every young infantryman 08:35.609 --> 08:38.159 walks into their platoon . In hopes 08:38.159 --> 08:40.326 that they'll rise to the occasion when 08:40.326 --> 08:42.492 the pressure's on . I remember praying 08:42.492 --> 08:44.548 that I wouldn't choke in front of my 08:44.548 --> 08:46.603 men and that I'd do what I needed to 08:46.603 --> 08:48.659 earn their trust and respect . And I 08:48.659 --> 08:50.548 think it's one of the things that 08:50.548 --> 08:52.715 stands out the most , uh , to me about 08:52.715 --> 08:54.770 you . is you didn't have a chance to 08:54.770 --> 08:56.937 build trust through a deliberate train 08:56.937 --> 08:59.159 up . You arrived at Fort Carson and met 08:59.159 --> 09:01.381 an experienced platoon downrange . It's 09:01.381 --> 09:03.159 a tough environment for a young 09:03.159 --> 09:04.881 lieutenant . For even the most 09:04.881 --> 09:06.992 proficient of them , that comes right 09:06.992 --> 09:09.479 out of the schoolhouse . On October 2 , 09:09.559 --> 09:11.760 2012 , Nick's platoon and Afghan 09:11.760 --> 09:13.816 partner units were conducting combat 09:13.816 --> 09:15.719 operations in Kapisa province in 09:15.719 --> 09:17.886 Afghanistan when they were ambushed by 09:17.886 --> 09:21.299 an estimated 150 Taliban fighters . 09:24.190 --> 09:27.989 Nick is courageous . Hearing that a US 09:27.989 --> 09:30.349 soldier had been wounded , then 09:30.669 --> 09:32.725 Lieutenant Dockery fought his way to 09:32.725 --> 09:35.099 the soldiers who were taking cover in a 09:35.099 --> 09:37.929 building occupied by enemy fighters . 09:38.729 --> 09:40.729 Nick organized and led the force in 09:40.729 --> 09:42.840 clearing the building . When an enemy 09:42.840 --> 09:44.840 grenade landed nearby , he shoved a 09:44.840 --> 09:46.951 team member behind cover , preventing 09:46.951 --> 09:49.173 him from being killed or wounded by the 09:49.173 --> 09:51.369 resulting blast . Nick is courageous . 09:52.489 --> 09:54.545 Not just because of what he did that 09:54.545 --> 09:56.650 day , but also because of the way he 09:56.650 --> 09:58.650 continued to honorably serve in the 09:58.650 --> 10:01.250 military , even through times of 10:01.250 --> 10:04.669 adversity . Nick is loyal 10:05.530 --> 10:07.586 Although dazed and wounded himself , 10:07.586 --> 10:09.641 Nick went to the aid of the soldiers 10:09.641 --> 10:11.808 who were fully exposed to enemy fire . 10:11.808 --> 10:13.919 Eliminating the , the eliminating the 10:13.919 --> 10:15.974 enemy fighters , Nick provided first 10:15.974 --> 10:18.141 aid . He used his own body to shield a 10:18.141 --> 10:20.359 wounded soldier from further injury , 10:21.020 --> 10:24.190 saving his life . Nick is loyal 10:25.080 --> 10:27.780 Not just to his soldiers that day . But 10:27.780 --> 10:29.558 there's so many friends who now 10:29.558 --> 10:32.159 consider him like family . Just look 10:32.380 --> 10:35.940 around this room . Nick's relentless . 10:37.880 --> 10:39.824 Nick then moved to the roof of the 10:39.824 --> 10:41.824 compound still under enemy fire and 10:41.824 --> 10:43.991 marked his unit's position , signaling 10:43.991 --> 10:46.102 to friendly air support . As the last 10:46.102 --> 10:48.102 individual off the battlefield , he 10:48.102 --> 10:49.936 provided covering fire until the 10:49.936 --> 10:51.919 evacuation of all casualties is 10:51.919 --> 10:55.210 complete . Nick is relentless . Not 10:55.210 --> 10:57.321 only in that moment , but also in his 10:57.321 --> 10:59.266 current position to improve mental 10:59.266 --> 11:01.210 health outcomes for individual who 11:01.210 --> 11:03.043 experienced trauma by way of his 11:03.043 --> 11:05.266 foundation . The actions that Nick took 11:05.266 --> 11:07.400 on October 2 , 2012 earned him the 11:07.400 --> 11:09.511 Medal of Honor and the respect of our 11:09.511 --> 11:11.409 great nation . They'll forever be 11:11.409 --> 11:13.465 memorialized in the Hall of Heroes , 11:13.570 --> 11:16.909 and deservedly so . But beyond the list 11:16.909 --> 11:19.076 of accolades and the events that I did 11:19.076 --> 11:21.270 that day , I believe you are 11:21.270 --> 11:23.729 memorialized for actually who you are . 11:24.760 --> 11:28.039 Courageous , loyal , relentless . 11:28.830 --> 11:30.941 And I know that you are continuing to 11:30.941 --> 11:33.052 demonstrate that outside the walls of 11:33.052 --> 11:35.219 this hall throughout your foundation , 11:35.219 --> 11:38.539 Nick . We are proud to call you a US 11:38.539 --> 11:41.219 Army soldier , and now a Medal of Honor 11:41.219 --> 11:43.450 recipient . God bless you , Nick . God 11:43.450 --> 11:45.700 bless your family . This will defend . 11:57.890 --> 11:59.390 Ladies and gentlemen , the 11:59.390 --> 12:01.210 Undersecretary of the Army . 12:10.559 --> 12:12.726 Well , good morning and welcome , Mr . 12:12.726 --> 12:14.948 Secretary , Chairman , Vice , SMA , all 12:14.948 --> 12:17.170 our distinguished guests , our Medal of 12:17.170 --> 12:19.392 Honor recipients that are here . Nick , 12:19.392 --> 12:21.337 a fair warning . I have it on good 12:21.337 --> 12:23.170 authority that as you enter that 12:23.170 --> 12:25.281 society , they're gonna lump a number 12:25.281 --> 12:27.337 of , uh , responsibilities on you as 12:27.337 --> 12:29.337 the new guy . Mary Jennifer Blake , 12:29.337 --> 12:31.003 Frederick Caroline , and most 12:31.003 --> 12:33.440 importantly , Major Nick Dockery . I'm 12:33.440 --> 12:35.218 privileged to be a part of this 12:35.218 --> 12:37.218 tradition , this induction into the 12:37.218 --> 12:40.229 Hall of Heroes . The hall is , as the 12:40.229 --> 12:42.285 vice said , it's a physical place in 12:42.285 --> 12:44.340 the Pentagon . Our reverence for its 12:44.340 --> 12:47.590 spirit and its legacy . is not confined 12:47.590 --> 12:50.070 by its walls . Today that reverence 12:50.070 --> 12:53.270 fills this venue . That needed to be 12:53.270 --> 12:55.326 used because of the number of people 12:55.326 --> 12:58.640 here . It's a testament to the immense 12:58.640 --> 13:02.159 heroism of Nick . And the respect and 13:02.159 --> 13:04.719 admiration for the man that we honor 13:04.719 --> 13:06.941 today . To appreciate the weight of the 13:06.941 --> 13:09.359 moment , we have to consider the 13:09.359 --> 13:11.739 origins of the metal . It was 13:11.739 --> 13:13.683 established in the crucible of the 13:13.683 --> 13:16.059 American Civil War in 1861 . It was 13:16.059 --> 13:19.200 created with a singular vital purpose 13:19.340 --> 13:22.700 to recognize actions that go so far 13:22.700 --> 13:25.700 beyond the normal call of duty that 13:25.700 --> 13:28.219 they defy the basic instinct of 13:28.219 --> 13:30.969 self-preservation . It exists because a 13:30.969 --> 13:33.609 nation that is built on the ideas of 13:33.609 --> 13:36.030 freedom and liberty must in turn 13:36.250 --> 13:38.770 elevate and immortalize those who are 13:38.770 --> 13:41.510 willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice 13:41.510 --> 13:44.340 to defend it . The medal cannot be won . 13:45.400 --> 13:47.679 It is not a prize to be sought . It is 13:47.679 --> 13:50.140 earned in the darkest moments of human 13:50.140 --> 13:52.140 conflict . It's earned in the mud . 13:52.140 --> 13:54.570 It's earned in the dust . And in the 13:54.570 --> 13:57.890 sheer chaos of combat . The only 13:57.890 --> 14:00.570 things that matter during that time are 14:00.570 --> 14:02.626 the mission and the soldiers to your 14:02.626 --> 14:04.403 left and right . When the chaos 14:04.403 --> 14:08.349 descends , our soldiers . Do not 14:08.349 --> 14:11.500 have the luxury to panic . They rely on 14:11.500 --> 14:13.799 an unyielding devotion to one another , 14:14.500 --> 14:17.679 and they embody the army values loyalty , 14:17.940 --> 14:21.380 duty , respect , selfless service . 14:22.229 --> 14:25.099 Honor , integrity , and personal 14:25.099 --> 14:28.570 courage . These are the bedrock . Of 14:28.570 --> 14:31.130 our profession , but what animates 14:31.130 --> 14:33.489 these values , what compels a soldier 14:33.489 --> 14:36.250 to organize and lead multiple assaults , 14:36.489 --> 14:38.890 to provide aid while under fire , to 14:38.890 --> 14:41.479 take grave risks to marshal air support , 14:41.809 --> 14:44.729 and to only leave once every soldier is 14:44.729 --> 14:47.849 safe ? It is the actual manifestation 14:47.849 --> 14:50.450 of the warrior ethos ethos . I will 14:50.450 --> 14:52.890 always place the mission first . I will 14:52.890 --> 14:55.859 never accept defeat . I will never quit 14:55.960 --> 14:58.780 and I will never leave a fallen comrade . 14:59.109 --> 15:02.039 Nick , you have lived these values . 15:02.760 --> 15:05.880 Amidst the very worst of war , you 15:05.880 --> 15:08.239 responded with the very best of what it 15:08.239 --> 15:10.659 means to be an American soldier . The 15:10.659 --> 15:12.881 physical representation of that valor , 15:13.020 --> 15:15.131 the metal you wear around your neck , 15:15.260 --> 15:17.299 it's heavy , but not because of the 15:17.299 --> 15:20.479 metal by which it's forged . Because of 15:20.479 --> 15:23.099 the immense legacy and responsibility 15:23.599 --> 15:25.909 from which it's forged , the legacy of 15:25.909 --> 15:28.239 those who earned it before you , many 15:28.239 --> 15:31.250 of whom didn't survive . And as a 15:31.250 --> 15:33.409 living recipient , you , you bear a 15:33.409 --> 15:35.770 unique responsibility . You become an 15:35.770 --> 15:38.210 ambassador for hundreds of thousands of 15:38.210 --> 15:41.179 men and women . who have sacrificed 15:41.179 --> 15:43.630 everything for our freedom . You bear 15:43.630 --> 15:45.852 the medal not as a monument to a single 15:45.852 --> 15:47.963 day , but as a lifelong commitment to 15:47.963 --> 15:50.186 the values it represents . And not only 15:50.186 --> 15:51.908 does this honor represent your 15:51.908 --> 15:54.130 individual valor , but also the men you 15:54.130 --> 15:57.020 fought alongside . The shared sacrifice 15:57.020 --> 15:59.289 of Chosen Company , 2nd Battalion , 15:59.299 --> 16:01.729 12th Infantry Regiment . And to the 16:01.729 --> 16:04.062 enduring spirit of the American soldier . 16:04.820 --> 16:06.876 No soldier bears this immense weight 16:07.179 --> 16:09.380 alone . Mary , Jennifer Blake , 16:09.460 --> 16:12.690 Frederick , Caroline , thank you . Your 16:12.690 --> 16:15.039 sacrifices , your unwavering support 16:15.539 --> 16:18.020 have been and always will be the silent 16:18.020 --> 16:21.010 force behind that man . The military 16:21.010 --> 16:23.010 family owes you a debt of gratitude 16:23.010 --> 16:25.679 that we cannot repay . Nick , your name 16:25.679 --> 16:27.846 now permanently resides in the Hall of 16:27.846 --> 16:30.960 Heroes . Long after we're gone , future 16:30.960 --> 16:33.016 generations of soldiers are going to 16:33.016 --> 16:35.071 walk the corridors in the Pentagon . 16:35.071 --> 16:36.904 They're going to see your name . 16:36.904 --> 16:38.738 They're going to read about your 16:38.738 --> 16:40.627 actions and your legacy . They'll 16:40.627 --> 16:42.840 understand your courage and your place 16:43.140 --> 16:46.419 in the lineage of American valor . We , 16:46.619 --> 16:48.979 the Army , are incredibly proud of you . 16:49.460 --> 16:51.682 We are honored to serve alongside you , 16:51.682 --> 16:54.429 Nick , may God bless you . God bless 16:54.429 --> 16:56.540 all our men and women in harm's way , 16:56.540 --> 16:58.485 and God bless the United States of 16:58.485 --> 17:00.262 America . This we will defend . 17:11.969 --> 17:14.260 Ladies and gentlemen , the Secretary of 17:14.260 --> 17:14.839 War . 17:28.969 --> 17:32.969 Well , good morning . Do you remember 17:32.969 --> 17:35.410 what you were doing on October 2nd ? 17:36.199 --> 17:38.640 2012 . Of course you don't . 17:40.359 --> 17:43.140 He does . Few of you do . 17:44.510 --> 17:46.829 It was a Tuesday . Maybe you dropped 17:46.829 --> 17:49.051 off the kids at school , picked up some 17:49.051 --> 17:51.162 groceries , watched a baseball game . 17:52.339 --> 17:54.979 We live in a nation of such comforts 17:54.979 --> 17:58.339 because of the 1% who offer to go into 17:58.339 --> 18:01.770 harm's way . Who understand the power 18:01.770 --> 18:04.880 of that date in this room . They 18:04.880 --> 18:07.079 exchange a civilian life for a foxhole 18:07.079 --> 18:09.900 or maybe a faraway ship , or perhaps 18:09.900 --> 18:12.011 the rugged mountains of Afghanistan , 18:12.011 --> 18:15.650 7000 miles from here . And in that 18:15.650 --> 18:19.520 1% . are those who go above and 18:19.520 --> 18:22.089 beyond . Our Medal of Honor recipient . 18:23.000 --> 18:26.949 Major Nicholas Dockery . The stories 18:26.949 --> 18:29.199 of these Americans begin with taking an 18:29.199 --> 18:32.250 oath to the Constitution and asking for 18:32.250 --> 18:35.770 God's help . These Americans get up in 18:35.770 --> 18:39.349 the dark when others are still sleeping . 18:39.609 --> 18:42.729 They live by a creed . That says in 18:42.729 --> 18:45.209 part , I am a member of a team . I will 18:45.209 --> 18:47.599 always place the mission first . I will 18:47.599 --> 18:50.359 never accept defeat , and I will never 18:50.890 --> 18:52.949 leave a fallen comrade behind . 18:54.510 --> 18:56.732 Lieutenant Dockery was forward deployed 18:56.732 --> 18:58.732 to Afghanistan as an infantry rifle 18:58.732 --> 19:01.489 platoon leader . And by the time he'd 19:01.489 --> 19:04.430 arrived , his platoon had seen months 19:04.430 --> 19:07.640 of intense fighting . As the chief 19:07.640 --> 19:09.807 mentioned , not an easy environment to 19:09.807 --> 19:13.199 walk into . On that day , they were 19:13.199 --> 19:15.032 providing security for a meeting 19:15.032 --> 19:17.079 between US and Afghan leaders , but 19:17.079 --> 19:19.550 there was a gap . The majority of their 19:19.550 --> 19:22.900 adjacent units had already left . So 19:22.900 --> 19:25.270 they were vulnerable . We know the 19:25.270 --> 19:27.437 story of what Lieutenant Dockery did , 19:27.510 --> 19:29.430 shielded a fellow soldier from a 19:29.430 --> 19:31.989 grenade blast , rescued a sergeant , 19:32.150 --> 19:34.483 and administered life saving procedures , 19:34.790 --> 19:37.349 led reinforcements to the compound . He 19:37.349 --> 19:39.640 protected . His comrades 19:41.160 --> 19:43.640 Major Dockery , what you accomplished 19:43.640 --> 19:46.479 on that fateful October 2nd is the 19:46.479 --> 19:49.540 essence of gallantry in action . 19:50.589 --> 19:52.959 The enemy you fought there . And the 19:52.959 --> 19:55.959 radical Islamists we still fight today , 19:56.359 --> 19:59.420 these are as familiar to us as light 19:59.869 --> 20:03.250 against dark . And so on that Tuesday , 20:03.670 --> 20:05.726 when most Americans were going about 20:05.726 --> 20:08.310 their regular , comfortable daily lives , 20:08.709 --> 20:11.469 Lieutenant Dockery faced an ambush that 20:11.469 --> 20:13.302 would have broken lesser souls . 20:13.670 --> 20:16.030 Outnumbered , cut off , and his 20:16.030 --> 20:18.030 comrades being hit from all sides , 20:18.390 --> 20:21.420 Dockery stood up . There wasn't time 20:21.420 --> 20:23.619 for him to think back on the text that 20:23.619 --> 20:26.530 he had read at West Point . He just 20:26.530 --> 20:28.810 summoned the same righteous resolve 20:28.810 --> 20:30.921 that carried our forefathers from the 20:30.921 --> 20:32.921 Battle of Trenton to the beaches of 20:32.921 --> 20:36.119 Normandy . Major Dockery did not fight 20:36.119 --> 20:39.500 for glory . He fought because his 20:39.500 --> 20:43.209 soldiers needed him . Something much 20:43.209 --> 20:45.959 deeper than orders called him to action . 20:46.969 --> 20:49.869 The Medal of Honor And this ceremony 20:49.869 --> 20:51.813 for his induction into the Hall of 20:51.813 --> 20:54.160 Heroes doesn't repay what Nicholas 20:54.160 --> 20:57.530 Dockery did there . No medal could . It 20:57.530 --> 21:00.449 is given because as a nation , we have 21:00.449 --> 21:04.030 to remember , we have to honor , 21:04.319 --> 21:08.150 and we have to celebrate . Uh , what we 21:08.150 --> 21:10.349 honor , what we celebrate in any 21:10.349 --> 21:12.689 society is a reflection of what we 21:12.989 --> 21:16.030 value . And we spent a lot of time 21:16.199 --> 21:18.170 click baiting and rage baiting on 21:18.170 --> 21:21.290 celebrity culture and gossip . And not 21:21.290 --> 21:24.290 enough time on substance , shining a 21:24.290 --> 21:26.689 light on the men and women who do the 21:26.689 --> 21:29.390 real hard things . Today we celebrate , 21:29.900 --> 21:32.839 today we remember , and today we honor . 21:34.030 --> 21:36.197 We remember that in the darkest places 21:36.197 --> 21:38.920 on Earth , Americans , brave Americans 21:38.920 --> 21:41.359 still march forward . As we know from 21:41.359 --> 21:44.859 the Gospel of John . The light shines 21:44.859 --> 21:48.140 in the darkness . And the darkness has 21:48.140 --> 21:52.010 not overcome it . Major Dockery , 21:52.369 --> 21:54.770 you have shown us what it means to be a 21:54.770 --> 21:57.270 warrior . And for your acts of valor , 21:57.310 --> 22:01.150 valor , your nation thanks you . You 22:01.150 --> 22:04.030 wear that medal . I have a chance now 22:04.030 --> 22:06.630 in this role to meet a lot of , not a 22:06.630 --> 22:08.852 lot , a handful of incredible Americans 22:08.852 --> 22:10.963 who wear that medal , but I once only 22:10.963 --> 22:13.189 knew one . Um , who was on his way to 22:13.189 --> 22:14.967 getting the medal in , in David 22:14.967 --> 22:17.245 Belllivia , who now is a small part of , 22:17.245 --> 22:19.078 uh , that group . And I remember 22:19.078 --> 22:21.133 looking at David and others now that 22:21.133 --> 22:24.780 wear it . With sheer pride . With 22:24.780 --> 22:28.410 nothing but almost bubbling up pride , 22:28.900 --> 22:31.011 because you wear that medal on behalf 22:31.011 --> 22:34.250 of so many . On behalf of our 22:34.250 --> 22:36.750 generation . So many more that didn't , 22:36.819 --> 22:38.986 didn't do anywhere near what you did , 22:38.986 --> 22:41.097 but were a small part of that mission 22:41.097 --> 22:43.263 for the men and women to the right and 22:43.263 --> 22:45.319 to our left . And so we are proud of 22:45.319 --> 22:47.319 you . We are proud of you . We are 22:47.319 --> 22:49.486 proud of everyone who wears that medal 22:49.486 --> 22:51.652 and may this nation hold you up as the 22:51.652 --> 22:54.359 true representatives . Of what it means 22:54.359 --> 22:57.209 to , to serve and to sacrifice on 22:57.209 --> 22:59.320 behalf of the freedoms that we love . 22:59.320 --> 23:01.689 God bless you and God bless our great 23:01.689 --> 23:03.522 republic . Thank you very much . 23:07.369 --> 23:08.425 standing up here . 23:11.729 --> 23:14.569 Undersecret Ovidall , General Laneve , 23:14.729 --> 23:16.618 Sergeant Major Weimer , and Major 23:16.618 --> 23:19.099 Dockery , please join Secretary Hegseth 23:19.099 --> 23:21.550 on stage for the induction ceremony . 23:24.530 --> 23:26.586 Ladies and gentlemen , please remain 23:26.586 --> 23:28.474 seated during the presentations . 23:36.930 --> 23:39.390 The President of the United States of 23:39.390 --> 23:42.209 America , authorized by Act of Congress , 23:42.229 --> 23:45.829 March 3 , 1863 , has awarded in the 23:45.829 --> 23:48.359 name of Congress the Medal of Honor to 23:48.359 --> 23:50.449 2nd Lieutenant Nicholas Dockery , 23:50.910 --> 23:52.989 United States Army , for conspicuous 23:52.989 --> 23:55.229 gallantry and intrepidity at the risk 23:55.229 --> 23:57.930 of his life above and beyond the call 23:57.930 --> 24:00.609 of duty . Second Lieutenant Dockery's 24:00.609 --> 24:03.170 conspicuous gallantry , extraordinary 24:03.170 --> 24:05.449 heroism , and intrepidity at the risk 24:05.449 --> 24:07.560 of his life above and beyond the call 24:07.560 --> 24:09.930 of duty are in keeping with the highest 24:09.930 --> 24:12.489 traditions of military service and 24:12.489 --> 24:14.770 reflect great credit upon himself , his 24:14.770 --> 24:17.290 unit , and the United States Army . 24:19.219 --> 24:22.020 A framed Medal of Honor citation and 24:22.020 --> 24:23.579 photo is presented by the 24:23.579 --> 24:25.819 Undersecretary of the Army to Major 24:25.819 --> 24:26.640 Dockery . 25:13.229 --> 25:15.589 At this time , the Medal of Honor flag 25:15.589 --> 25:17.920 is presented by the Secretary of War . 25:54.569 --> 25:56.849 The Medal of Honor plaque will now be 25:56.849 --> 25:59.829 unveiled inducting Major Dockery into 25:59.829 --> 26:01.650 the Hall of Heroes . 26:20.609 --> 26:22.579 Thank you , Secretary Hegseth , 26:22.729 --> 26:25.329 Undersecretary Obidal , General Laneve , 26:25.500 --> 26:27.410 Sergeant Major Weimer , and Major 26:27.410 --> 26:28.229 Dockery . 26:38.790 --> 26:41.069 At this time , please direct your 26:41.069 --> 26:43.125 attention to the screen as a soldier 26:43.125 --> 26:45.349 unveils Major Dockery's name on the 26:45.349 --> 26:47.510 Medal of Honor garden wall at the 26:47.510 --> 26:49.709 National Museum of the United States 26:49.709 --> 26:50.550 Army . 27:48.839 --> 27:51.599 Ladies and gentlemen , Major Dockery . 28:08.310 --> 28:09.310 Thank you . 28:12.310 --> 28:14.609 Secretary He Secretary Obidall . 28:15.500 --> 28:17.699 Journal and Eve So our Major of the 28:17.699 --> 28:20.550 Army Weimar . Chairman McCain , General 28:20.550 --> 28:22.328 Nordhaus , tremendous amount of 28:22.328 --> 28:24.989 distinguished guests and titles , not 28:24.989 --> 28:27.430 just in titles , but just in life and 28:27.430 --> 28:29.670 character . To my wonderful family that 28:29.670 --> 28:32.089 is here , to the men who chosen Company . 28:34.469 --> 28:36.191 I just look around this room . 28:38.189 --> 28:40.245 Anybody who enters the service , and 28:40.245 --> 28:42.467 I'm gonna pause before I start my words 28:42.467 --> 28:44.578 here , just reflecting on what shared 28:44.578 --> 28:46.745 my The others that were on the stage , 28:46.760 --> 28:49.569 you . There's no way to encapsulate the 28:49.569 --> 28:51.790 way that it makes you feel to be part 28:51.790 --> 28:53.623 of this team and be part of this 28:53.623 --> 28:56.400 country . It's not all lost on me what 28:56.400 --> 28:58.622 those words mean and to have you here . 28:58.622 --> 29:00.678 It's a lot of places you could be in 29:00.678 --> 29:02.678 life right now in this moment , but 29:02.678 --> 29:04.930 you're here . And Thank you . 29:10.719 --> 29:12.830 As a young boy , I spent a large part 29:12.830 --> 29:14.719 of my childhood in Kansas . If 29:14.719 --> 29:16.775 anybody's familiar with that part of 29:16.775 --> 29:18.886 the country , tornadoes are a regular 29:18.886 --> 29:20.941 part of life . And when I was 16 , I 29:20.941 --> 29:23.163 remember seeing the aftermath of what a 29:23.163 --> 29:25.108 tornado can cause . Specifically a 29:25.108 --> 29:27.219 place called Hoisington , Kansas . It 29:27.219 --> 29:29.219 was about 70 miles from where I was 29:29.219 --> 29:31.330 going to school at the time . You see 29:31.330 --> 29:33.330 what 200 mile an hour winds ripping 29:33.330 --> 29:35.386 through a small rural town , what it 29:35.386 --> 29:37.608 can do to homes , it levels them . It's 29:37.608 --> 29:39.830 the kind of wrath that only God through 29:39.830 --> 29:42.800 nature can unleash . And in moments it 29:42.800 --> 29:45.133 can undo what took man decades to build . 29:46.489 --> 29:48.699 There one minute is your home and your 29:48.699 --> 29:50.921 life , the next second a town is gone . 29:52.310 --> 29:54.532 Myself , along with other students from 29:54.532 --> 29:56.588 my school , we volunteered to go out 29:56.588 --> 29:58.754 there and help . And when we , when we 29:58.754 --> 30:01.739 arrived , I saw a movement of people 30:01.739 --> 30:03.850 from all over the state rushing in to 30:03.850 --> 30:06.760 help . I saw people of all ages . 30:07.680 --> 30:09.902 Helping those who had lost everything , 30:09.959 --> 30:12.181 everything they had , they were picking 30:12.181 --> 30:14.348 through the rubble , trying to recover 30:14.348 --> 30:16.348 photographs or anything salvageable 30:16.348 --> 30:18.348 from a life where they had put down 30:18.348 --> 30:20.515 roots , where they'd raised a family , 30:20.515 --> 30:22.859 where they had built a community . And 30:22.859 --> 30:26.650 I saw firsthand what we As one people 30:26.650 --> 30:28.872 can do for one another during a time of 30:28.872 --> 30:30.928 crisis . How we can be there for one 30:30.928 --> 30:33.609 another . How we can answer the call 30:33.609 --> 30:35.831 and render aid and support and care for 30:35.831 --> 30:38.969 those who at that time . May not be 30:38.969 --> 30:42.880 able to help themselves . 5 months 30:42.880 --> 30:45.969 later , Early one morning in September . 30:47.880 --> 30:50.047 I shockingly watched as many as you in 30:50.047 --> 30:52.047 this room as 2 commercial airliners 30:52.047 --> 30:54.047 crashed into the New York skyline . 30:55.329 --> 30:58.339 There in my 2nd period math class . We 30:58.339 --> 31:00.339 all huddled around the television , 31:00.339 --> 31:03.180 confused and afraid . We watched 31:03.180 --> 31:07.170 buildings crumble . Overnight , 31:07.229 --> 31:09.589 the unity of a nation rallying together 31:09.589 --> 31:11.533 felt like something that you could 31:11.533 --> 31:13.367 physically reach out and touch . 31:16.599 --> 31:18.599 The moments in life where I watched 31:18.599 --> 31:20.766 what others in this country can do for 31:20.766 --> 31:22.932 one another . made me start to realize 31:22.932 --> 31:25.099 at that age why I love this country so 31:25.099 --> 31:28.949 much . And why ? Like many 31:28.949 --> 31:31.229 others from my generation , we felt 31:31.229 --> 31:32.650 obligatory to enlist . 31:35.530 --> 31:38.760 To me , It was moments like this that 31:38.760 --> 31:40.871 we are fighting for . This is what we 31:40.871 --> 31:44.599 fight for , those moments . 11 years 31:44.599 --> 31:47.699 later , Again , early 31:48.380 --> 31:52.329 Morning , this time in October . My 31:52.329 --> 31:54.273 infantry platoon secured the outer 31:54.273 --> 31:56.329 cordon of a district center in Tagab 31:56.329 --> 31:57.940 district , Kapisa province , 31:57.940 --> 32:00.609 Afghanistan . The parts of the story 32:00.609 --> 32:02.720 that aren't highlighted are the parts 32:02.720 --> 32:05.069 that live with me the most . In 32:05.069 --> 32:06.902 addition to what's been shared . 32:07.410 --> 32:09.632 Several key leaders from our task force 32:09.632 --> 32:11.743 and their local Afghan counterparts , 32:11.743 --> 32:13.521 our local Afghan counterparts , 32:13.521 --> 32:15.521 concluded a meeting on security and 32:15.521 --> 32:17.743 stability for the district , and at the 32:17.743 --> 32:19.632 conclusion of that meeting , As I 32:19.632 --> 32:21.854 consolidated my element on the southern 32:21.854 --> 32:25.449 edge of the village . A barrage of 32:25.449 --> 32:27.560 machine gun fire and rocket propelled 32:27.560 --> 32:29.505 grenades impacted on and around my 32:29.505 --> 32:31.727 vehicle along with many members from my 32:31.727 --> 32:34.150 platoon . And our Afghan counterparts . 32:34.969 --> 32:37.250 And while I still can't confidently 32:37.250 --> 32:39.194 articulate as to why my commanding 32:39.194 --> 32:40.972 officer directed our element to 32:40.972 --> 32:43.083 dismount in the midst of the heaviest 32:43.083 --> 32:43.050 of fighting and launch a counterattack 32:43.050 --> 32:46.270 to defeat the enemy . I did what was 32:46.270 --> 32:48.548 expected of me as a soldier , a leader , 32:48.548 --> 32:51.739 and I executed that order . The terrain 32:51.739 --> 32:53.683 and buildings around us offered no 32:53.683 --> 32:55.850 sound line of approach on the enemy to 32:55.850 --> 32:57.795 overtake their position . The only 32:57.795 --> 33:00.040 avenue that offered any path to 33:00.040 --> 33:01.929 successfully closing the distance 33:01.929 --> 33:04.096 between us and the enemy was a line of 33:04.096 --> 33:06.318 assault directly through the engagement 33:06.318 --> 33:08.318 area . I saw a wall adjacent to the 33:08.318 --> 33:10.520 enemy's position and I thought , That 33:10.520 --> 33:12.687 was the only place where we could have 33:12.687 --> 33:14.687 a chance to regain the initiative , 33:14.687 --> 33:16.742 overwhelm the enemy with firepower , 33:16.742 --> 33:18.742 and force the enemy into retreat or 33:18.742 --> 33:22.489 surrender . I knew , along with every 33:22.489 --> 33:24.378 other infantryman on the ground . 33:26.430 --> 33:28.486 To include our Afghan counterparts , 33:28.486 --> 33:30.374 that that was the least preferred 33:30.374 --> 33:31.986 preferred course of action . 33:34.650 --> 33:36.817 More plainly , an attack up the middle 33:36.817 --> 33:38.890 was ill-conceived , irresponsibly 33:38.890 --> 33:42.089 dangerous . And it allowed the enemy a 33:42.089 --> 33:44.033 disproportionate advantage that it 33:44.033 --> 33:47.369 offered us no . No cover . And I could 33:47.369 --> 33:49.536 not in good faith as a leader delegate 33:49.536 --> 33:51.591 that task to another soldier to lead 33:51.591 --> 33:53.369 that assault while I sat from a 33:53.369 --> 33:55.536 distance and potentially watched as he 33:55.536 --> 33:57.591 would likely and others be killed or 33:57.591 --> 34:01.319 injured . In the moments that matter 34:01.319 --> 34:04.040 the most for leaders , we don't have 34:04.040 --> 34:07.130 time to overthink the risk . When we 34:07.130 --> 34:09.463 know what has to be done in that moment . 34:10.229 --> 34:12.239 I had learned this in Hoysington , 34:12.398 --> 34:15.259 Kansas . I had learned this watching 34:15.358 --> 34:17.759 what the people in New York City did in 34:17.759 --> 34:19.815 the aftermath of 9/11 and all across 34:19.815 --> 34:21.815 our country . I learned this lesson 34:21.815 --> 34:24.229 before . There are times for choosing 34:24.229 --> 34:26.007 and there are times for doing . 34:28.570 --> 34:30.792 Now I was terrified from the very start 34:30.792 --> 34:34.209 of that ambush . And I vividly remember 34:34.209 --> 34:36.265 signaling for the support by fire to 34:36.265 --> 34:38.376 initiate this suppressive fire on the 34:38.376 --> 34:40.598 enemy as I began leading that assault . 34:40.598 --> 34:42.820 And I was convinced that I would be the 34:42.820 --> 34:44.899 first casualty . And the most 34:44.899 --> 34:48.850 terrifying part is If I allowed that to 34:48.850 --> 34:50.961 become true , I knew somebody from my 34:50.961 --> 34:53.183 platoon would rush to my aid , and they 34:53.183 --> 34:55.649 too would become a casualty . But these 34:55.649 --> 34:57.760 are the hard decisions we require our 34:57.760 --> 35:00.260 leaders to make in this country . In 35:00.260 --> 35:01.260 uniform and out . 35:04.649 --> 35:06.959 And I was terrified But I was also 35:06.959 --> 35:09.070 confident that it was the only option 35:09.070 --> 35:11.181 that existed in that moment . I never 35:11.181 --> 35:13.237 thought that 50 m of berms and small 35:13.237 --> 35:14.919 open train could be so far . 35:17.320 --> 35:20.409 But if I think hard enough . Like 35:20.409 --> 35:22.353 anybody who can remember a pivotal 35:22.353 --> 35:25.020 moment in their life . I can feel the 35:25.020 --> 35:27.242 scorching summer heat radiating off the 35:27.242 --> 35:30.629 ground in that hot Afghan sun . The 35:30.629 --> 35:33.360 moon dust kicking up with every hard 35:33.360 --> 35:36.189 footstep . My boot mate impacting the 35:36.189 --> 35:38.729 ground . Anybody that knows the taste 35:38.729 --> 35:40.729 of that dust when it gets into your 35:40.729 --> 35:44.199 mouth . And the rattling from side to 35:44.199 --> 35:47.949 side of my Kevlar helmet . As I did my 35:47.949 --> 35:51.830 utmost to stay locked on the wall . And 35:51.830 --> 35:53.590 I can still feel the sweat . 35:55.590 --> 35:57.590 Dripping down my eyes and that salt 35:57.590 --> 35:59.620 getting in . And blurring it and 35:59.620 --> 36:03.459 stinging . But I didn't 36:03.459 --> 36:05.515 stop until Islammed into that wall . 36:06.300 --> 36:08.411 And for a brief moment once I hit the 36:08.411 --> 36:11.040 wall . I then thought the only 36:11.040 --> 36:13.207 terrifying moment that I could have is 36:13.207 --> 36:15.318 if I were to turn around and discover 36:15.318 --> 36:17.540 that I was all alone , as if nobody had 36:17.540 --> 36:19.889 followed me at all . But then I began 36:19.889 --> 36:21.919 to hear , as each member of that 36:21.919 --> 36:24.280 assaulting element running as hard as 36:24.280 --> 36:26.889 they possibly could . Slam into that 36:26.889 --> 36:30.709 wall as well . I look 36:30.709 --> 36:33.042 back to see the totality of us together . 36:34.219 --> 36:37.840 Prepared to overwhelm the enemy . And I 36:37.840 --> 36:40.007 had no idea what would lie ahead of us 36:40.007 --> 36:42.229 for the rest of the day . I had no idea 36:42.229 --> 36:44.507 what would take place in that compound . 36:44.507 --> 36:46.618 But I did know somehow . We would not 36:46.618 --> 36:48.784 only overtake the enemy , but we would 36:48.784 --> 36:51.939 live through that day . And now , 36:52.520 --> 36:54.687 having repeatedly returned to combat , 36:56.120 --> 36:58.590 I've gone back to that kind of fighting 36:58.889 --> 37:01.250 time and time again . And I can tell 37:01.250 --> 37:03.417 you I've never gotten over the fear of 37:03.417 --> 37:05.528 being shot or killed , and I've never 37:05.528 --> 37:07.583 gotten over the fear that I would be 37:07.583 --> 37:09.639 responsible for the death of another 37:09.639 --> 37:09.320 soldier through my irresponsible 37:09.320 --> 37:10.320 decision making . 37:13.750 --> 37:17.149 But I confidently do believe that fear 37:17.149 --> 37:20.959 is only crippling . When there is no 37:20.959 --> 37:23.780 one there to help . And I never again 37:23.780 --> 37:27.120 felt the fear . That I would ever find 37:27.120 --> 37:29.342 myself in a dire position , in a moment 37:29.342 --> 37:31.564 of darkness , in an episode of violence 37:31.879 --> 37:34.739 or crisis . And that there would be no 37:34.739 --> 37:37.620 one around me to help . Certainly not 37:37.620 --> 37:39.840 in the United States Army . And not 37:39.840 --> 37:41.451 once I returned to America . 37:44.149 --> 37:47.399 We as a nation We've gotten really good 37:47.399 --> 37:49.510 at unifying when we feel threatened . 37:51.510 --> 37:54.989 Down at our core value , we are all the 37:54.989 --> 37:57.350 people of Hoisington . We are the 37:57.350 --> 37:59.760 people of New York City . Digging 37:59.760 --> 38:01.840 through rubble , running up burning 38:01.840 --> 38:05.520 stairwells . To help people we don't 38:05.520 --> 38:09.419 know . When the tornado actually hits , 38:09.469 --> 38:11.469 we are magnificent . When tragedy 38:11.469 --> 38:14.629 strikes , I know , we know we won't be 38:14.629 --> 38:16.699 alone . We display acts of courage 38:16.699 --> 38:18.866 under fire that are near impossible to 38:18.866 --> 38:20.810 describe , and we find a way to be 38:20.810 --> 38:23.560 there for one another . But what 38:23.560 --> 38:24.838 troubles me the most . 38:27.760 --> 38:30.580 Is that on ordinary days . In the years 38:30.580 --> 38:33.189 in between tragedy and conflict , we 38:33.189 --> 38:34.800 seem to let the plot drift . 38:37.050 --> 38:39.879 It seems like we wait for the worst to 38:39.879 --> 38:42.699 happen . Before we , before we are 38:42.699 --> 38:45.979 reminded what our true core values are . 38:47.070 --> 38:49.237 And we realize that we are on the same 38:49.237 --> 38:52.969 team . And we have an obligation 38:52.969 --> 38:54.802 to respect one another as fellow 38:54.802 --> 38:58.409 Americans . As of late , it feels like 38:58.409 --> 39:00.520 we're drifting towards something even 39:00.520 --> 39:02.409 more ominous . Americans treating 39:02.409 --> 39:04.187 fellow Americans like enemies , 39:04.187 --> 39:06.320 forgetting what Lincoln . Standing on 39:06.320 --> 39:08.431 the Capitol steps not far from here , 39:08.431 --> 39:10.653 pleaded with his fellow Americans weeks 39:10.653 --> 39:12.820 before the onset of the first and only 39:12.820 --> 39:14.987 time we truly split , reminding them . 39:16.330 --> 39:19.020 And us That we are friends , we are not 39:19.020 --> 39:22.379 enemies . And again , we have an 39:22.379 --> 39:24.379 obligation to maintain the bonds of 39:24.379 --> 39:27.899 affection to one another . Most 39:27.899 --> 39:30.969 days I see opinions dismissed , people 39:30.969 --> 39:34.139 publicly criticized . And dehumanized 39:34.139 --> 39:37.800 for caring about their country . And 39:37.800 --> 39:41.550 all too often now In a way that ought 39:41.550 --> 39:44.469 to frighten us all . Violence has 39:44.469 --> 39:46.413 become a reasonable alternative to 39:46.413 --> 39:50.280 respectable debate . You and I , 39:50.399 --> 39:52.399 many of us , we have seen where the 39:52.399 --> 39:55.209 road ends . And we've spent much of our 39:55.209 --> 39:57.320 lives in places where violence is the 39:57.320 --> 39:58.487 preferred solution . 40:01.419 --> 40:03.530 And I believe many of you can agree , 40:03.820 --> 40:06.469 and I believe this to my core . It is 40:06.469 --> 40:08.413 not the place that any of us would 40:08.413 --> 40:09.858 choose to be on purpose . 40:12.750 --> 40:15.189 Famously , as the story goes , a woman 40:15.189 --> 40:17.078 asked Benjamin Franklin as he was 40:17.078 --> 40:19.189 leaving the Constitutional convention 40:19.189 --> 40:21.356 in Philadelphia , if we had a republic 40:21.356 --> 40:25.120 or a monarchy . And he replied , A 40:25.120 --> 40:28.439 republic if you can keep it . We don't 40:28.439 --> 40:31.340 like to admit this . Why would we ? 40:32.449 --> 40:34.505 But our country did break . It broke 40:34.505 --> 40:37.679 once . When we decided that 40:37.679 --> 40:39.401 conversation was no longer the 40:39.401 --> 40:42.149 preferred course of action . You and I 40:42.149 --> 40:45.469 know and believe that time and time 40:45.469 --> 40:47.691 again , we have demonstrated how strong 40:47.691 --> 40:50.409 we are united together . And how we 40:50.409 --> 40:52.649 feel when we help one another , respect 40:52.649 --> 40:55.189 one another . And think of ourselves as 40:55.189 --> 40:57.550 Americans first and by choice , rather 40:57.550 --> 40:59.717 than embrace this rhetoric of division 40:59.717 --> 41:01.661 that has pushed it , that has been 41:01.661 --> 41:04.169 pushed upon us . Our history is full of 41:04.169 --> 41:06.489 people who loved this country , that 41:06.489 --> 41:08.545 continue to love this country . This 41:08.545 --> 41:10.711 room is a manifestation of that love . 41:11.379 --> 41:14.419 I'm one of those people . Even at the 41:14.419 --> 41:16.586 times in my life when I could not love 41:16.586 --> 41:18.697 myself or allow others to love me , I 41:18.697 --> 41:20.863 never once questioned my love for this 41:20.863 --> 41:23.429 country . Our nation is filled with 41:23.429 --> 41:26.239 great moments of unity . Every day 41:26.239 --> 41:28.072 there are moments of respect and 41:28.072 --> 41:30.295 compassion shared between one another . 41:30.295 --> 41:32.550 But collective unity cannot be limited 41:33.050 --> 41:35.161 to the moments in our darkest hours . 41:36.350 --> 41:39.149 It cannot be reserved solely for times 41:39.149 --> 41:43.010 of crisis . I love my country . 41:44.699 --> 41:47.739 And if we all remember this , The best 41:47.739 --> 41:51.120 of America is yet to come . Thank you . 41:52.620 --> 41:54.787 God bless the United States Army , and 41:54.787 --> 41:57.064 God bless the United States of America , 41:57.340 --> 41:59.507 and God bless all of you . Thank you . 42:32.790 --> 42:34.669 Thank you , Major Dockery . 42:55.600 --> 42:57.656 Ladies and gentlemen , please remain 42:57.656 --> 42:59.878 standing and join in the singing of the 42:59.878 --> 43:02.044 army song . The words of the army song 43:02.044 --> 43:03.840 can be found in your program . 43:18.189 --> 43:21.340 March along sing a song . 43:22.699 --> 43:25.780 with the Army of the Free . 43:27.179 --> 43:30.280 Count the bread Dave , count the truth . 43:31.409 --> 43:34.419 who have fought to victory . 43:38.340 --> 43:39.479 Proud of our 43:42.639 --> 43:46.409 And proudly First 43:46.409 --> 43:49.090 to fight for the right and to build the 43:49.090 --> 43:52.610 nation's might , and the army goes 43:52.610 --> 43:53.860 rolling along . 43:54.689 --> 43:58.550 proud of all we have done fighting 43:58.550 --> 44:01.169 till the battle's won and the army 44:02.239 --> 44:06.040 rolling along , then it's hard . 44:07.510 --> 44:11.250 The army's on its way . Count on . 44:12.239 --> 44:16.020 and sought and shone for wherever 44:16.020 --> 44:19.379 we will always know 44:19.750 --> 44:22.239 that the army goes rolling 44:23.860 --> 44:24.860 along . 44:28.229 --> 44:30.500 This concludes the Medal of Honor Hall 44:30.500 --> 44:33.540 of Heroes induction ceremony . Thank 44:33.540 --> 44:35.000 you for attending .