U.S. Air Force Class Commissioning CeremonyAmbassador Francis X. Taylor, Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director, Office of Foreign MissionsAddress to the Georgetown University U.S. Air Force Commissioning Class Ceremony Arlington, VA June 9, 2004 AMBASSADOR TAYLOR: Well, Good morning!
AUDIENCE: (Good morning, sir.)
AMBASSADOR TAYLOR: I don’t think the cadets are too enthusiastic about getting commissioned today. Let me do that again. Good morning!
AUDIENCE: (GOOD MORNING, SIR!)
AMBASSADOR TAYLOR: That’s better, that’s better. Now, there was a little miscommunication with my staff. I was told I was to speak for an hour and take thirty minutes of questions. True! But I am going to put that speech away and post it on the internet some time in the future and I want to spend a few minutes today talking primarily to the cadets about what you are about to do. 33 years and 11 months and 2 days ago, I was commissioned from the ROTC unit at Notre Dame. These young future officers are going to do the same thing that I did 33 years, 11 months ago and the same ceremony is going to happen across our country on campuses in many cities in the coming months. It’s how we bring the youth into the service, into military service. We do it the same way regardless of where it is. And the thing that we do, as I did, as those who are in uniform did when they started their service, we all take an oath of office. That oath is universal. It’s not to an individual; it’s not to anything other than the idea that is embodied in our Constitution. It says that we swear to uphold and defend that Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. That we accept the responsibility to protect the freedom of Americans and, if necessary, to lay down our lives in defense of that idea and each of these officers will take that same oath today and begin a career of service.
Now, often in our country there is great cynicism about young people and their commitment to serve. I would submit to you that I’m not worried about the young people of I’m reminded also that the last time my mother saw me speak before she passed away was the Detachment 130 commissioning in May of 1996. So this detachment has very, very special meaning for me. Also, my brother-in-law is a graduate of Detachment 130, many years before you all were born; but he too as a cadet out of Detachment 130 and took this oath. Now for the graduates, once you take this oath, you immediately outrank about 400,000 people. That’s scary, isn’t it? But that’s our system. An officer, a second lieutenant, comes in and immediately outranks 400,000 sons, daughters, husbands, fathers, mothers of Americans. So this is a solemn oath that you are taking today. You are taking an oath to the Constitution, you are also taking an oath to the men and women you will be privileged to lead: that you will train them well, prepare them for their duties, lead them with honor, discipline them appropriately, and ensure that their service is a service that is consistent with the highest calling of our nation. There’s no other profession that I know of that takes young people and instantaneously expects from them leadership. But that is what we prepared you for. That is what ROTC has prepared you for. Lest you think that when Frank Taylor was a second lieutenant getting commissioned he thought he would be standing in front of you 34 years later in the greatest country in the world. You live in a country that by virtue of what’s in your heart and in your mind, that if you work hard and dream, you can achieve almost anything. I am very proud that this group of young men and women are going to inherit my Air Force, start the leadership run, and one among these are generals, colonels, future political leaders of our country that started their service here today. Lead my Air Force well, lead our nation well, defend her, understand your oath every day, it is what binds us together and those that have gone before you and those that will come after you. We are so very proud of you today. And ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today as we welcome the newest leaders of your United States Air Force.
Released on June 14, 2004 |
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