Yeah . Ok , present .
Yeah . Yeah .
Mhm .
To me . Yes .
Thank you .
Once again , good morning , ladies and
gentlemen , and welcome to Historial
Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall . And
today's farewell tribute in honor of
General Mark A Milley , the 20th
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and the swearing in of General Charles
Q Brown Jr as the 21st chairman of the
joint Chiefs of Staff .
Right ?
Ok . Oh ,
no .
Right . That's fine
and so .
No .
Yeah ,
ladies and gentlemen , moving into
position with his staff is the
commander of troops for today's
ceremony , Colonel Robert A Suer
commanding officer Marine barracks ,
Washington eighth and I
right .
Yeah .
Yes .
Yeah .
Ok .
Help .
Yes .
So
I ,
yeah .
Oh , thank you .
Ladies and gentlemen , please stand for
the official party and remain standing
as honors are rendered and for the
invocation offered by chaplain Colonel
David Kelly , the Director of Strategic
Religious Affairs .
Ladies and gentlemen , please welcome
the reviewing official . General Mark A
Milley , the 20th chairman of the Joint
chiefs of Staff ,
accompanied by General Charles Q Brown
Junior , the 22nd Chief of Staff of the
Air Force
and the host for today's ceremony , the
honorable Lloyd J Austin 28 Secretary
of Defense .
Something is not there .
Ladies and gentlemen , the vice
president of the United States ,
ladies and gentlemen , the president of
the United States .
Yes .
Um
Right .
Yeah .
Oh ,
ladies and gentlemen , chaplain Kelly ,
let us pray . Almighty God .
We seek your presence in this honored
ceremony today as our military and
nation honor General Mark Milley upon
his retirement after four decades of
impeccable service in uniform . And as
we celebrate General Charles Brown
Junior becoming the 21st chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff . General
Brown and MS Shereen have gone the
extra mile pushed beyond where others
have only gazed and climb to the top of
our military . All the while showing a
responsibility . Few will ever know as
he leads , I ask you to guide his steps
with Godly wisdom , direct his path
with your holy light and keep him
strong with divine fortitude . Lord ,
you have expressed in your word that a
life lived in service to others is a
life well lived . General Milley has
lived such a life today . He adds his
name to an elite list of military
leaders including Bradley Powell ,
Mullen Myers and Dunford to name a
select few . Lord as General Milley
prepares for life beyond the military .
I ask you to bless him M Holly Ann and
his family according to their sacrifice
of service , reward him according to
his impeccable character and bestow
upon him , the thankfulness of a
grateful nation only and singularly
exemplified by the single word honor .
Truly , this valiant officer's
relentless pursuit of service to
country over decades , bespeaks the
right and privilege to don for all time ,
a mantle woven and bound together by
unbreakable and courageous strands of
honor in your holy name . I pray . Amen .
Please be seated .
Mhm .
Oh . Address .
Yeah .
Participating in today's review from
left to right is the United States Army
Band Pershing's Own . The United States
army band is under the direction of
Colonel Bruce Poer and led by drum
major , Rob Moore . Next online are
soldiers from the third United States
infantry regiment . The old guard
commanded by Lieutenant Jacob Trolls
and led by staff sergeant , Rashad
Kelly . Next are Marines from Marine
Barras Washington eighth and I
commanded by Captain Greg Jones and led
by staff sergeant Tyler Tullman . In
the center of our formation is the
joint armed forces color Guard led by
sergeant first class Ryan Morse . Next
online is sailors of the United States
Navy Ceremonial Guard commanded by
Lieutenant Stephen Acevedo and led by a
two Matthew Corian . Next
are airmen and guardians from the
United States Air Force Honor Guard
commanded by First Lieutenant Jacob
Hale and led by technical sergeant
Matthew Cox . Next online , our
guardsman from the Coast Guard
ceremonial Honor guard , commanded by
Lieutenant Cody Mitchell and led by
petty officer , first class Troy Luma .
The last element online dressed in the
Continental musicians uniform is the
United States army old guard Fife and
drum corps . The cops is led today by
Drum major John Parks .
To the right is a presidential salute
battery commanded by Captain Nicholas
Lamy and led by sergeant first class
Alan Carrow . And to the rear of the
formation are the 56 state and
territorial flags of the United States
of America . They are commanded by
Lieutenant Thomas Mesh and led by
sergeant first class Mark Franz .
Ladies and gentlemen , please stand for
the advancing of the colors and remain
standing for the playing of the United
States national anthem .
The judgment .
Please be seated
going . Yeah ,
help .
Nice job . You ready to do this
general , I am . Please raise your
right hand and repeat after me , I I
state your full name . I Charles
Clinton Brown Junior , having been
appointed the chairman of the United
States , joint chiefs of staff have
been appointed the chairman of the
United States joint chiefs of staff .
Do you solemnly swear , do solemnly
swear they will support and defend . I
will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States of
America , the Constitution of the
United States of America against all
enemies , against all enemies , foreign
and domestic , foreign and , and that
you will bear true faith and allegiance
to the same . You bear true faith and
allegiance to the same . And you take
this obligation freely . I take this
obligation freely without mental
reservation , without mental
reservation or purpose of evasion or
purpose of evasion and that I will well
and faithfully very well and faithfully
discharge the duties , discharge the
duties of the office upon which I am
about to enter or the office upon which
I'm about to enter . So help me God ,
so help me God . Congratulations ,
chairman . Thank you
Austin and Mrs Austin are now moving to
the field to honor General Milley and
Mrs Milley . Prior
to today's ceremony , General Milley
was presented the distinguished service
medal from the Army Navy , Air Force ,
Space Force and Coast Guard . He was
also presented the defense
distinguished service medal by
Secretary of Defense Austin
Headquarters Department of the Army
Special Orders by order of the
Secretary of the Army . The following
general officer is retired General Mark
Milley .
The Secretary of Defense has awarded
the Department of Defense Medal for
distinguished public service to Mrs
Holly Ann H Milley .
Mrs Holly Ann H Milley is recognized
for distinguished public service and
support of members of the United States
Armed Forces . From October 2019 to
July 2023 as a devoted ambassador of
goodwill and a model example for the
spouses of all soldiers , sailors ,
airmen , marines , guardians and coast
guardsmen . Mrs Milley was an untiring
advocate for the improvement of the
quality of life of our men and women in
uniform for more than 38 years . She
was a fervent ambassador for the needs
of the military community at every
level of command . Mrs Milley served as
a family readiness group leader with a
mission to listen to and advocate for
military spouses , a career nurse with
multiple military moves . She was a
passionate supporter of military spouse ,
employment opportunities , licensure ,
reciprocity , health care , quality ,
and availability and mental health
education for service members and their
families . Mrs Milly's presence on
numerous trips to visit both stateside
bases and overseas areas served as a
constant reminder of her steadfast
commitment to our military personnel
and reflected a total devotion and
unconditional commitment to the values
cherished within the military community .
This dedication was further displayed
in her support of the Red Cross service
to the armed forces tragedy assistance
program for survivors , Easter Seals
and United through reading , Mrs Milley
gave freely of her time to many other
worthy community causes that
significantly benefited our military
members . The distinctive
accomplishments of Mrs Milly reflect
great credit upon herself and the
Department of Defense signed Lloyd J .
Austin , Secretary of Defense .
On the occasion of retirement of this
distinguished soldier , we also
recognize the outstanding service of
his wife Holly Ann , who was presented
with the Department of the Army
Certificate of appreciation for her
faithful and devoted service . It is
her dedicated support which made
possible such a lasting contribution to
our nation . By order of the Secretary
of the Army signed General James C
mcconville , chief of staff , United
States Army .
At this time , a bouquet of red roses
is being presented to Mrs Milley , on
behalf of General Milley signifying his
love and her unwavering support for
over 40 years of military service .
Also at this time , a bouquet of
flowers is being presented to General
Millie's daughter Mary and a gift is
being presented to his son Peter .
A bouquet of yellow roses is also being
presented to Mrs Brown .
We are proud to recognize General
Milly's devotion to our country and we
wish him happiness and prosperity in
his well earned retirement .
Yeah ,
God ,
ladies and gentlemen , please remain
standing for the posting of the colors ,
the color , right ?
Please be seated .
No
ceremony ,
ladies and gentlemen , the honorable
Lloyd Austin
troops in the band . You look
magnificent this morning . Thanks for
what you continue to do for our country .
Good morning , everyone . President
Biden , Vice President Harris . It is
an absolute honor to have both of you
here with us today . Let me also thank
the members of congress ambassadors and
foreign leaders who are joining us as
well as the former senior military
leaders and former secretaries of
defense . I'm glad to be here with so
many of our senior leaders at the
department , including our service
secretaries , our service chiefs , the
joint staff and our combatant
commanders . And again , thanks to you
all for joining us today as we salute
General Mark Milley for his
distinguished tenure as the 20th
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff .
I'm absolutely honored to welcome
General Charles Q Brown Junior as the
21st chairman . Now the service
members on the field today represent
our joint force , the troops who
General Milley led with such passion
and skill as chairman every
day , that force defends our country
and supports our allies and partners
advances our interests and upholds our
founding values . So
today is a celebration of every
American who volunteers to wear the
cloth of our nation . And it's a
celebration of the distinguished career
of General Mark Milley .
Now you may not know this , but he grew
up in Boston . It's a little known
fact unless you've ever met the guy
because Boston the holy land .
So to him , Bobby Orr of the Boston
Bruins is a patron saint . And Bobby
Orr once said that hockey teams win
because of hard work and sacrifice
without , without that , he said skill
is just potential , but General Milley
has never let his skill languish as
just potential . He's always been eager
to get into the fight . And I've seen
that firsthand over our long history of
working together , including one time
when he got me blown up literally .
You see , during the Iraq war , I was
commanding the 10th Mountain Division
and he was one of my brigade commanders .
And during one of my visits , one of
his troops was wounded . And Mark said ,
hey , sir , let's go into town to the
hospital to see our soldier . We'll do
it at night when it's easier and
there's not much activity and So as we
prepare to depart following detailed
rehearsals , I said to General Milley ,
you know , Mark this , this just
doesn't feel right . But Mark said ,
hey , don't worry , sir , we do this
all the time . So we took route Irish
in Baghdad , which was known as the
most dangerous road in the world . And
we promptly got hit by an IED , it hit
my door and shredded the tires on a
humvee and it was pitch black and smoky .
And Mark said , hey , sir , are you ok ?
I said , Mark , we've just been hit .
I'm angry because we can't return fire
because the guy ran away . The vehicle
is damaged . I recommend we get the
hell out of here and we finally did .
And afterwards I asked , hey , general ,
has this happened to you before ? And
Mark said , oh , yes , sir . I've been
blown up about five times now .
Like I said , he was always
eager to get into the fight and he's
never hesitated to charge into danger
for his troops or for his country .
This goes back to his earliest days as
an infantryman and a green beret ,
including his time commanding a
battalion in the famed 506 parachute
infantry regiment . And during his
brigade command , what I saw
was what so many others have also seen
his vigor , his grit and his
tremendous leadership potential . So
following brigade command , I
encouraged him to serve on the joint
staff there . He learned a ton of
skills that would help him later in his
career , he continued to rapidly climb .
And in 2015 , he
as the chief of staff of the army and
he loved absolutely every minute of it .
And then General Milley agreed to serve
another four years in an even tougher
job . Now , think of everything that
our military has done during his tenure
as chairman , we've taken on the pacing
challenge of the People's Republic of
China confronted a once in a generation
pandemic and led the world to help
Ukraine fight back after Russia's
imperial invasion . General Milley
has a deep sense of history and he
knows that future generations would
judge us harshly if we fail to defend
the post war order built by American
leadership . And so he hasn't just
studied history . He has made history .
Now , his sense of calling grew out of
the proud military family , family ,
family , heritage of military service .
And General Milly's own life of service
would not have been possible without
his outstanding family . His wife ,
Holly Anne is an accomplished critical
care nurse and she is
also the real deal at a
ceremony a few years ago at Arlington
National Cemetery . Someone collapsed
in the crowd . Holly Ann didn't
hesitate . She started CPR and
directed someone to call the paramedics .
And after a couple of sets of chest
compressions , the man finally took a
deep breath and that's not the first
time that she saved her life at an
event . One time in an army gala , he
performed CPR on someone else in
trouble while wearing an evening gown .
And for too many times to count , she's
been a lifesaver for , for Mark and
their family while he was away on
deployments . Holly Ann cared for their
beloved kids , Peter and Mary . And
over the years , the Milly family has
moved more than 20 times . Holly Anne
has had to transfer her nursing license
to nine different states and she has
helped countless military spouses to do
the same . That's made her a strong
advocate for military families . So
Holly Anne , thank you for your
phenomenal service to our country .
We're also grateful for Mark and Holly
Anne's son , Peter and his wife
MEREDITH and for their daughter , Mary
and her husband Andrew and their kids ,
Alice Ben and Clark and Andrew . Thank
you for your eight years of service in
the US Army , including as a company
commander and a troop commander in the
82nd Airborne Division . This is an
extraordinary military family .
Now , General Milley is a
scholar and a warrior . We respect him
for his wits , but we love him for his
heart and he's thrown his whole heart
into leading this tremendous joint
force of soldiers , sailors ,
airmen , marines , guardians .
And in retirement , he will have more
time for his second favorite joint
force , the Red Sox
Patriots , the Celtics and the Bruins .
I know that most of all you're looking
forward to spending more time with your
grandkids . After a lifetime devoted to
the common defense , you have more than
earned some time for the pursuit of
happiness . So at this bittersweet
moment , let me simply say
thank you , General . Thank you for all
that you have done and for all that you
have given , we wish you God's speed in
the chapters . Still to come .
Congratulations . Soldier .
Now , General Milley is a tough act to
follow , but we are fortunate to have a
tremendous leader in General Brown . He
will guide our brave troops without
fail and defend our democracy without
flinching . And I'm honored to have the
chance to say a few words about our
great new chairman of the joint chiefs .
But before I do , I want to mention
some other outstanding American
military leaders . I'm truly pleased
that the United States Senate recently
confirmed General Brown as our next
chairman . I'm also glad to welcome
General Randy George as our next chief
of Staff of the Army . And General Eric
Smith is our next commandant of the
Marine Corps . But 367 of our
outstanding journal and flag officers
are now grappling with the uncertainty
of a blanket hold . So I urge the
Senate to swiftly confirm all of our
distinguished military nominees .
And that brings me back to our next
chairman .
It brings me back to our next chairman .
You know , I'm told that when General
Brown meets with troops , he often asks
them , what's your superpower ? And
that's because CQ knows that each of
our service members has something
exceptional to contribute . And General
Brown is blessed with superpowers
himself . I've seen his talents
firsthand when I was commander of
Central Command , General Brown was the
commander of my air component and he
led forces in combat during the air
campaign against ISIS and
rallied our allies and partners to help
destroy its terrorist caliphate in Iraq
and Syria . Now General Brown also has
a superpower for teaching . He did two
stints at the fighter weapons school
where he taught the air force's most
elite airmen and wherever he goes , he
sets a powerful example with his quiet
confidence and his deep integrity and
his constant compassion . Now ,
General Brown would not be where he is
today without his wife , Shereen and
her sons , Sean and Ross . She has
served right alongside CQ through 20
moves . She has helped shape Dod's
exceptional family member program so
that more families with special needs
can get better resources and support .
So to Shereen and the entire Brown
family , thank you for all that you do
to strengthen our military community
and for supporting General Brown as he
takes the helm of our joint force .
General Brown , I know that you'll make
us all proud as a chairman to our
entire joint force
to our entire joint force today . And
every day America is counting on you .
We're counting on you to deter
aggression wherever we can to stand
ready to fight and to win wherever we
must and to work with our partners for
a more secure and peaceful world and to
defend the Republic that we love .
The watch is changing . But the mission
goes on . Thank you for your unwavering
commitment to that mighty cause . May
God bless you and your families and may
God continue to bless the United States
of America ? Thank you
two minutes , two minutes
and
oh ,
ladies and gentlemen , the president of
the United States .
Thank you very much . Before I
began want to say a brief word about
Senator Dianne Feinstein who passed
away this morning . She was a historic
figure Trailblazer for women and a
great friend , Diane made her mark on
everything from national security to
the environment to gun safety , to
protecting civil liberties . Country is
going to miss her dearly . And so will
Jill and I have more to say about her
later today . Vice President Harris ,
our second gentleman , Secretary Austin ,
members of Congress leaders of the
Department of Defense , both current
and former friends and officials from
around the world . Thank you for being
here today to mark the change of
responsibility and to celebrate the
service of general Mark Milley
combat infant , a master parachuters ,
a green beret , a warrior .
We served a total of five years in war
zones . From Panama to Haiti to Bosnia ,
to Afghanistan to Iraq with a chest
full of medals to show for it . A
leader who once ran across a bridge
booby trapped with mines to stop two
battle tanks , evacuating wounded
troops from driving across it . A
patriot on compromising in his duty
on flinching in the face of danger and
unwavering in the service of the
country . And Holly Anne , none of us
can say as much enough about you . You
served right alongside him every step
of the way and that's not hyperbole .
You served alongside him every step of
the way . You pull double and triple
duty to make sure you and Mark were
always doing right by your family ,
supporting the military community while
maintaining your own career as a nurse .
It's incredible what you've achieved .
Holly Anne work you've done to increase
support for military spouse employment ,
going to keep improving the lives of
military families for a long time . And
Peter and Mary , thank you for sharing
your dad with us . I know it wasn't
easy . All those moves , all those
schools , all those months , your dad
was deployed . You couldn't be together .
Thank you for all , all you've given to
our country and Mark . I know one of
the best parts of your time of view is
already mentioned by our secretary .
You're gonna spend more time with your
kids . That's gonna be fun , man . I'll
tell you what I love my kids . I'm
crazy about my grandkids . Now ,
everyone who has spent time with Mark
knows three things about him . Several
were already mentioned . One , he's
from Boston he parked his car in car
garages . He likes maps and he
loves the constitution . But each of
these three things points to something
deeper about Mark's character . His
Boston heritage isn't just about pride
of place , his pride and what shaped
him , the values that have guided his
whole life about the father and mother ,
both veterans of World War two . We set
the example of nobility , the nobility
of serving your country . It's about
knowing that his dad was among those
who landed in Iwo Jima and that if
those young men , his father served
alongside could raise a flag on Mount
Suribachi . And there's nothing ,
nothing , nothing America cannot
accomplish when we work together . It's
about how his parents strive and
sacrificed . So their Children would
have every opportunity to chart their
own future . It's knowing that everyone
who served under earth command had
their own story in his view just as
important as his . And this to
this day , whenever Mark's attended
events , I've watched him , we've
attended many events together . I
watched him . He'll talk to every young
person , every veteran , every gold
star family who wants to speak to him
no matter how long it takes . So we can
hear their story as well and show his
respect , the Boston pride . It's
about knowing where you come from . The
maps are about knowing where you are
and where you're going . Mark wants to
make sure he has the necessary facts to
inform his decisions of the leader and
his advice to others as commander in
chief , I've relied on Mark's counsel
because I know he always gives it to me
straight , no matter what , he always
gives it to me straight . He's working
with the best information possible and
he doesn't hold anything back during
his tenure as Chairman Mark has been a
steady hand guiding our military as we
navigate . What I would argue is one of
the most complex security environments
our world has faced in a long time ,
been critical to strengthening
America's existing alliances from NATO
to the Indo Pacific to building the new
strategic partnerships like AUS and
keeping our force at the cutting edge
of the fields of cyber and space . And
in America's longest war and continuing
to take terrorists off the battlefield ,
standing with the brave people of
Ukraine , making sure they have the
equipment and support they need when
they need it to defend their freedom .
Let him to know , letting him know how
much he respects them . Mark your
partnership has been invaluable to me
and I've given my word to that and I
think he's been the value of the
secretary Austin as well . I want to
thank you . Always seen , always
sharing the whole map with me the whole
map . Thank God
when it comes to the constitution that
is and always has been Mark's
North Star . I'm so proud to serve with
you . I he's made ,
he's made it the central image on his
challenge coin . Those three little
words that means so much to
every American , but especially to
those who stand in the service of our
nation . The middle of his challenge
coin says , we , the people , we the
people to remind all of us what
makes us a strong nation , who we are
as a democracy and how the United
States for more than two centuries has
always managed to keep moving forward ,
not guilty to any one person or the
political party . But to the idea of
America Id , unlike any other in human
history , the idea that we're all
created equal , that is what the
constitution safeguards . That's what
we swear an oath to . And that is why
generations of young women and men ,
Americans of every background and creed
have stepped forward to be part of the
greatest fighting force in the history
of the world . And that's not hyperbole .
You're the greatest fighting force in
the history of the world .
I've seen you in Afghanistan , Iraq .
I don't want to get started and our
military is going to keep growing
stronger , keep growing stronger
with General CQ Brown . Charles Q .
Brown Junior as our 24th chairman of
the joint chiefs of staff .
Congratulations old buddy
as Mark will tell you , I'll be beating
a lot with you . Yeah ,
I said when I nominated General Brown
as a seasoned warrior with deep combat
experience , an experienced commander
of the joint force . A top flight
strategist , a leader known throughout
the force for his unmatched judgment
and unflappable demeanor like General
Milley . General Brown is a patriot
through and through sworn to uphold and
defend the constitution . He and his
wife , Shereen have dedicated
themselves to keeping our military and
their families healthy and vibrant . I
thank you both and your son , Sean and
Ross for everything you've given to our
country over the years . I look forward
to working even more closely with UCQ
as we take on the challenges ahead to
ensure that our force can continue to
deter and defeat any potential threat
to the American people . As Secretary
Austin noted , I'm glad that General
Brown was confirmed by the Senate along
with the new Commandant of the Marine
Corps and Army Chief of Staff . But I
must be careful here how I say this ,
but it's thoroughly , totally
unacceptable that more than 300
other highly qualified military
officers are still in limbo . I've been
here a long time . I've never seen
anything like this is outrageous
and it must stop their promotions ,
their careers , their families , their
future held hostage of the political
agenda of one senator in the silence
of another 47 of them . A
drag on our force . It impacts
everything from readiness to morale to
retention . That's an insult , an
insult to the officers . Years of
dedicated service . Our troops deserve
so much better and the house fails to
fulfill its most basic function . It
fails to fund government by tomorrow
will have failed all our troops . Our
service members will keep up holding
their oaths showing up for work ,
standing sentinel around the world ,
keeping our country secure , but they
won't get paid . It's a disgrace .
Thousands of defense department ,
civilians and civilian servants will be
sent home and the longer they shut down
last , the harder it will be to become ,
the harder it will become for military
families to pay their bills . We can't
be playing politics while our troops
stand in the breach . It's an absolute
dereliction of duty as leaders .
We must never lose sight of the direct
impacts of the decisions we make and
the impact they have on the lives and
families around the world . General
Milley , General Brown Secretary Austin
and all the many great leaders across
every branch of our military . You got
to where you are by demonstrating
extraordinary care and concern for the
troops , you command . It's a live
leadership of being in the field
alongside your troops , sharing their
hardships , holding each other together
when times are hard , never forgetting
the humanity beneath the uniform . It's
an enormous credit to each of them
personally , an enormous asset for our
country . Secretary Austin told the
story of how he and General Miller got
blown up together by an IED in Iraq .
But the part of the story that stands
out to me is the reason they were on
rude Irish that night to begin with the
reason they were there , they were
going to see one of Millie's soldiers
who had been wounded . In fact , during
that tour in Iraq , you'd often find
then Colonel Milly down at that
hospital city with the wounded . So
they wouldn't be alone rounding up his
troops for an impromptu blood drive .
If the docks let him know they're
running low on units , put an arm
around his team gathering together ,
see to their injuries , both physical
and mental . When war extracts the
greatest of tolls . That's leadership .
That's patriotism , that's strength .
That's Mark Milley .
Mark . Do you know how strongly I
feel about you ? You've given
remarkable service to our country .
You've done honor to the uniform of our
nation . You've upheld your oath .
Thank you . Thank you , my friend .
Thank you for being my friend . May God
bless you all and may God protect our
troops .
Go .
Yeah ,
ladies and gentlemen , General Brown
to our congressional leaders . Our
department of defense leadership will
pass in prison are many uh
distinguished guests , family ,
friends , joint teammates , allies and
partners , service members and families
of the United States Armed Forces .
Good morning before going any further .
She and I would like to express our
gratitude to the many that have played
a role in our journey thus far to the
Air Force leadership , parents and
families we had the opportunity to work
with and for the past three years
for the opportunity to continue serving
and to go all we had a role in making
the day possible . We very much
appreciate all you've done and will
continue to do . And we're grateful for
your presence to witness witness
today's ceremony with each
leadership opportunity I've had during
my career , have been honored ,
blessed and focused on the task ahead .
Today is no exception . President Biden ,
Vice President Harris . Thank you for
your trust and confidence that you
placed in me and for your leadership
and commitment to our service members
and their families . Secretary Austin ,
thank you for your guidance , your
mentorship and your faith and my
abilities . Mr President and a vice
president , Mr Secretary . I'm honored
to have the opportunity to continue
serving our nation to the mill mark in
uh all the . Thank you for your years
of dedication for an exceptional job ,
well done and thank you for your
leadership . It's an honor for me and
Shereen to follow in your footsteps in
the footsteps of all the chairman and
spouses before us . God has smiled on
me one more time and blessed me with
another opportunity . Well , beyond my
own expectations . I'm blessed with a
tremendous family , my commissioning
officer and my most influential mentor ,
my father Charles . He told me in high
school that four years in the military
wouldn't hurt me . My mother gay
who didn't object to the idea has been
my most vocal supporter all along the
way . I'm blessed by the unwavering
support of my sister , Stephanie and
carry with me the influence and memory
of my younger brother Kevin . I owe my
success to the sacrifice , love and
support of Shereen and our sons , Sean
and Ross . Sherina has is not only
committed so much to our family , but
she has become such a strong advocate
for our military families as a result
of her commitment and advocacy , Sean
and Ross are both accomplished in their
own right . Sherene Shanon Ross ,
thanks for Proverb , signing my
permission , slip each morning ,
pinning it to my backpack , allow me to
report for duty . The three of you
never raise your right hand and take an
oath . But I know your sacrifice is
well beyond what I might appreciate
your encouragement , love and support
for me and each other has been the
cornerstone of our family . Finally , I
have been blessed by Sheen's parents
and brothers who didn't object . As far
as I know when I asked Serena marry me .
I'm blessed by the aunts , uncles ,
cousins , close friends and mentors ,
many of you who are here today who has
supported me and played a role in my
development . You make me a better
person , a better officer and a better
leader as we step out together in
today's uncertain security landscape .
Honing our war fighting skills has
primacy and all we do is focused on
integrating our military power within
our sources across the joint force and
with our allies and partners to deter
aggression . The fight when called upon
and to decisively prevail in war must
focus on modernizing and aggressively
leading with new concepts and
approaches . Finally , trust
is the foundation of our profession .
As chairman every day , I will focus on
strengthening the bonds of trust across
our force , ensuring the American
people know their military and its
service members , active guard reserve
and civilian only as the un waving
defenders of the constitution and
servants of our nation . In closing
when I became the Chief of Staff of the
Air Force three years ago . Express the
need to accelerate change . My
conviction has not wavered . The
journey of change must continue to
strengthen our national security .
Tremendous privilege to serve as the
21st chairman of the joint chiefs of
staff focused on sharpening our war
fighting prowess in defense of our
national interest . Thank you for
joining us for today's ceremony . God
bless our service members and their
families and God bless the United
States of America . Thank you .
No .
And
ladies and gentlemen .
Well , thank you all for being here and
this is the last time you'll ever hear
me in uniform . So that alone has
caused for applause . Mr President ,
madam , Vice President , Secretary
Austin , distinguished guests and
family and friends . Good morning . And
thank you all for being here today .
And Mr President , thank you for your
unwavering leadership , guiding our
great nation and the trust you placed
in me when you were inaugurated . You
didn't have to do that but you did and
I appreciate it , your steadfast
commitment to our troops and their
families has strength in our military ,
making us stronger and more capable
than ever before . And I've seen you in
the breach . I've seen you on the
watch and I know firsthand
that you're a man of incredible
integrity and character . So thank you
for your leadership and secretary
Austin , thank you for leading our
department with character . Encouraging ,
also incredible integrity . You served
our nation consistently for nearly
five decades . Now in and out of
uniform , a silver star recipient ,
a man of enormous courage , both moral
and physical . I am personally thankful
for your guidance and your vision over
the last 30 years that you and I have
served together in peace and war
to the members of Congress . I wanna
take a moment and just acknowledge the
tremendous service of Senator Feinstein
and may she rest in peace and the
eternal embrace with God's comfort
and to all of our colleagues on the
hill in the Senate and the House and
all the elected officials that are here
today and those that are not , you
collectively demonstrate the American
will and we are viewed
as either unified or divisive . That is
your choice . But everybody watches
we in uniform , appreciate your current
support and we count on your future
support to our allies and partners .
Your presence demonstrates our shared
interests and common values and our
robust network of allies and partners .
Is a key source of our collective
strength since the American Revolution ,
the United States of America has never
fought alone . I'd also like to thank
all the former secretaries of defense
and the secretaries of the services and
former secretaries of the services that
are here today , along with the current
joint chiefs , the former joint chiefs ,
the current combatant commanders , the
former combatant commanders and all the
generals and dignitaries that are here .
A special thanks goes to my joint staff
and my front office who gave a robust
clap out when I left yesterday
had double meaning they were
exceptional under intense pressure in a
fast paced environment where the costs
were high over the last 40
plus years . My thanks also goes to all
my former commanding officers and
noncommissioned officers , many of whom
are here today . My teammates at
platoon and company battalion , brigade
Division Corps and beyond way too many
to mention my name . But each of you in
your own way provided me with the
advice , mentorship and support and I
am eternally grateful . There's also
three groups of people here today who
deserve special recognition and to
represent the very best of our nation
we have here today , several medal of
honor recipients who serve with
uncommon valor beyond the call of duty .
They are the epitome of courage in the
face of death . Second is our wounded
warriors who are here today . One of
whom you saw earlier saying , God bless
America . They represent the thousands
of those wounded in action , sacrificed
so much in the defense of liberty . And
third , our gold star families ,
many of them are here today . They
carry on the legacy of those in uniform
who gave the last full measure of
devotion so that our nation would
remain free to the soldiers sail as
airmen , marines , guardians and coast
guardsmen , many of whom are standing
watch at this very moment are
represented on the field before you .
Thank you . Thank you for your service
and thank you for your sacrifice . You
are in fact the most capable and lethal
military force in the world today and
in all of human history .
And let me thank my family , my family
and friends that are here , conclude my
classmates from Princeton . So maybe we
could hear you shout .
That was pretty weak actually . So
not sure what to make of that . But I
was made an honorary member of the
class of 1980 from West Point . So all
the West Point classmates , maybe we
could hear from you . Oh ,
that's even weaker . Let me go back to
Princeton .
That's all a result of last night . So ,
and of course , my actual family
deserves my greatest and deepest
gratitude . I was blessed with great
parents who taught me what it meant to
serve and how lucky we were to be born
in America in a country where you will
rise or fall based on your merit . And
we're gonna be judged by the content of
your character . My mother was a navy
wave in a military hospital in Seattle ,
taking care of the wounded , returning
from the Central Pacific during World
War two . While my father served with
the Fourth Marine Division as a navy
corpsman in the Central Pacific making
the assault landings at Kwale , SaiPan ,
Tinian and Iwo Jima . Neither
one of them ever went to college but
they knew what this country was about .
They were working class Americans who
taught me and my siblings the values
that truly make this country great . My
father taught me that you have to plant
the flag on Suribachi . That was a
lesson he took from Iwo Jima . He meant
that no matter the challenge , no
matter how difficult it is , no matter
the cost , you must accomplish your
mission , you have to drive on , you
have to be resilient . You have to keep
moving forward until you complete your
mission . There is no quitting
like most kids , we owe our parents
everything . I also want to recognize
my cousins who are here , the mccall's
and the Murphys and so many others that
are with us today . And my older
brother Sandy is here with his wife and
sons and our sister , Mary Catherine
who recently passed . But I know she
along with our parents are here in
spirit . But most importantly , I wanna
say thanks to my wife for 38 years ,
Holly Ann , you've been the anchor of
our family , essentially a single mom
to two wonderful kids during two
decades of war . Like so many other
spouses of those of us in uniform . You
buried our dead , you comforted the
families in their grief . You cared for
our wounded in ways not seen by most .
You're always there for our military
families with love and compassion in
the darkest of moments . I know you
never expected the heavy burden of
being married to someone like me . But
the good Lord bless me to have you walk
this path of struggle for the last 40
years . I love you more than words
can ever express . And the Mary and
Peter , the sacrifice of those of us in
the military is always felt by our
families . But most of all , most
heavily the burden falls on our
Children . You attended 11 different
schools and 24 moves , Mary ,
you were just born when I went into
Panama and you were 12 and Peter was
10 when terrorists attacked this
country on 911 and you watch your
dad deploy year in and year out for the
next decade and a half .
You dealt with struggles that Children
should never have to be burdened with
the fear that your father would never
come home . Some of the fathers and
mothers of your friends were in fact
killed in action and others were
wounded and you saw that trauma ,
you saw that pain , you saw that agony
through the eyes of a child and you
like the Children of every soldier
sacrifice more than most in this crowd
who will ever know . But through it all
you have persevered and you've grown
into incredible adults with families of
your own . You make me and mom so proud
of everything you've done and
everything you will do . I could not
have made it through 4.5 decades of
military service without each of you .
I'm deeply honored to have worn the
cloth of this nation for 43.5 years .
And I'm humbled to have served as the
20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff joint force . As I said , is the
most lethal and capable military in the
world and our enemies know it .
We are currently standing watch on
freedom's frontier with a quarter of a
million troops deployed in 100 and
50 countries . The last four years ,
we've executed countless operations ,
exercises and training around the world .
We've destroyed Isis and served justice
to Baghdadi . We have supported Ukraine
in their fight for freedom against
Putin's war of aggression , strengthen
the NATO alliance . We maintained
stability in Asia . We fought
terrorists in Africa and the Middle
East . We defended the homeland
provided support and countless
disasters protecting the American
people during COVID . And more than
800,000 of us served in
Afghanistan and to each of you be
proud that you protected this country
for 20 consecutive years . At great
cost with 2326
killed in action and
20,713 of us wounded
alongside your brave colleagues from
CIA and FBI and Department of State and
us C ID and many others from our
government and our allies and partners .
Hold your head high . You served ,
you did what your country asked and
each of you served with honor , courage ,
skill , and dignity and never
forget that
today , our joint force is ready
right now . As we are here at Fort
Meyer on this field , there are 60 to
100 United States Navy warships
sailing the seven seas to ensure
freedom of navigation . And our coast
guard has saved countless lives at sea .
Right now . In the last 24 hours , we
flew over 5000 sorties and we do that
every day to protect our homeland ,
support our allies and keep the skies
safe . Our space force is rapidly
expanding into that new domain and
our army and marines are currently
forward deployed to maintain peace and
stability throughout the world and
simultaneously , this joint force is
preparing for the future . We're
investing in capabilities , sustain our
military overmatch and modernize the
force and our pace forward will not
stop . General CQ Brown is the
right leader to accelerate change .
He's the right man at the right time to
carry on the mission of this great
military . CQ knows how to lead a
global fighting force . You will build
combat readiness and there's no doubt
you will meet the challenges of
tomorrow . And beside him is his wife ,
serene and their sons who have been
pillars of support throughout this
journey . Congratulations to you and
your family and we look forward to your
leadership over the next four years .
You're a man of character and integrity
and that is your most important quality .
So thank you for what you're about to
do .
But today , it's not about anyone up
here on this stage . It's not about the
president , the Secretary of Defense me
CQ . It's not about us . It's about
something much larger than all of us .
It's about our democracy , it's about
our republic . It's about the colors
posted behind me . It's about the ideas
and the values that make up this great
experiment in liberty . Those values
and ideas are contained within the
constitution of the United States of
America , which is the moral North Star
for all of us who have the privilege of
wearing the cloth of our nation . It is
that document . The idea that is
America is that document that gives
purpose to our service . It is that
document that gives purpose to our
lives is that document that all of us
in uniform swear to protect and defend
against all enemies , foreign and
domestic , that has been true across
generations and we in uniform are
willing to die to pass that document
off to the next generation . So does
that document that gives ultimate
purpose to our death . The motto of our
country is unum from the
many come one . We are one nation
under God . We are indivisible with
liberty for all . And the motto of our
army for over 200 years
since 14 , June 17 75 when a
company of Pennsylvania riflemen formed
it . The motto has been this will
defend and that this refers to the
constitution , the constitution of the
United States that we the people
in order to form a more perfect union
to protect the liberty of this country .
You see , we in uniform are
unique . We are unique among the
world's armies . We are unique among
the world's militaries . We don't take
an oath to a country . We don't take an
oath to a tribe . We don't take an oath
to a religion . We don't take an oath
to a king or a queen or a tyrant
or a dictator . And we don't take an
oath to a wannabe dictator . We don't
take an oath to an individual . We take
an oath to the constitution and we take
an oath to the idea that is America and
we're willing to die to protect it .
Every soldier , sailor , airman ,
marine guardian and coast guardsman ,
each of us commits our very life to
protect and defend that document
regardless of personal price . And we
are not easily intimidated . More than
1.1 million in uniform have paid
the supreme sacrifice to include the
400,000 that rest in eternal peace at
Arlington National Cemetery . Those who
sacrificed themselves on the altar of
freedom in the last 2.5 centuries of
this country must not have done so in
vain . The millions wounded in our
nation's wars did not sacrifice their
limbs and shed their blood to see this
great experiment in democracy perish
from this earth . No , we , the United
States military will always be true to
those that came before us . We will
never under any circumstances turn our
back on our duty . Thomas Payne
famously wrote in his pamphlet , the
crisis . These are the times the
tribe and souls , the summer soldier
and the Sunshine Patriot will in this
crisis shrink from the service of their
country . But he that stands by it now
deserves the love and thanks of men and
women and tyranny like hell is not
easily conquered . From the earliest
days before we were even a nation . Our
military stood there and stood on the
wall and stood in the breach has
suffered the crucible of combat and has
stood the watch and defended liberty
for all Americans . Each of us signs a
blank check to this country to protect
our freedom . The blood we spill pays
for our freedom of speech . Our blood
pays for the right to assemble our due
process , our freedom of the press ,
our right to vote and all the other
rights and privileges that come with
being an American . It is the blood of
our fallen . It is the blood of our
wounded that sustains our freedom . And
we should always be inspired by them .
We should never forget them and we
should always honor them . That is why
my father's uncle fought and was
wounded at the Muzar in 1918 . That's
why his other uncle fought and was hurt
at Gallipoli in 1916 . That's why
my uncle , my father's brother was at
Normandy . And while my mother's
brother was in the Philippines , that
is why he had another uncle fought in
Korea . And my cousins fought in
Vietnam . That is why my mother treated
those returning from the Pacific . And
that is why my father hit the beach at
Iwo Jima so that we the people in order
to form that more perfect union may
enjoy the fruits of life , liberty and
the pursuit of happiness . We , the
American people , we , the American
military must never turn our back on
those that came before us and we will
never turn our back on the constitution .
That is our North Star . That is who we
are . And that is why we fight . Thank
you . And may God bless our military
and may God bless the United States of
America .
Thank you .
44 years , this soldier
stood watch while many of
us in our bumped at night , this
husband stood watch
of us were in school , earning our
trade . His father stood
to watch . Yes ,
of us were born in this world . This
army captain stood to watch
while the war grew back on the
horizon of history . It's great . And
Beret Stoo watch
many times . He was deployed to far off
lands . He cast an eye across the ocean
to see Holly Ann Mary Peter
and his grandchildren standing on the
shore eating his love comfort and
hand to hold during those tough times .
But he still stood to watch
for 44 years . He stood the
watch to ensure our constitution could
be safely passed to the next generation .
And so his fellow Americans could toil
to form a more perfect union and sleep
soundly each and every night knowing
that warriors like him stood
watch . Today ,
we are here to say generally
the watch stands relieved , relieved by
those you've trained , relieved by
those you've mentored and relieved by
those you have led for 44
years . General
Mark a Milly . You stand
relieved . We have the watch .
Yeah .
And , yeah .
Yeah .
Review .
Right . Mhm .
Right . Go .
Oh . Hm .
States Air Force ,
the United States ,
the United States
States are .
Mhm .
Yeah .
Ladies and gentlemen , please remain in
place until the departure of the
presidential motorcade .