ADM Mike Mullen UNC/CFC/USFK Change of Command Speech
By ADM Mike Mullen
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, right, passes the United Nations Command flag to Gen. James D. Thurman, new commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, United States Forces Korea, during the change of command ceremony on July 14 at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, Korea. Thurman assumed command from Gen. Walter L. “Skip” Sharp. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Luis Lazzara)
ADM Mike Mullen
UNC/CFC/USFK Change of Command
Yongsan Garrison
Seoul, Republic of Korea
14 July 11
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY PARTICULARLY MINISTER KIM KWAN JIN FOR CO-HOSTING TODAY’S EVENT AMBASSADOR STEVENS AND THE MANY AMBASSADORS TO THE NNSC.
MY COUNTERPART GENERAL HAN MIN GOO FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP AND ADMIRAL WILLARD FOR HIS SUPERB LEADERSHIP OF ALL U.S. FORCES IN THE PACIFIC.
I AM ALSO HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL TO SEE ALL OF THE MANY NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL, COUNTY AND CITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS JOINING US IN SO MANY WAYS YOU REPRESENT THE TRUE REASON WE ARE ALL HERE.
FOR AS VICE GOVERNOR YOO YUN CHAY REMINDED US LAST WEEK AT THE 61ST ANNIVERSARY OF TASK FORCE SMITH’S LANDING, OUR FORCES HAVE STOOD AND FOUGHT AND SACRIFICED TOGETHER TO PRESERVE THE LIBERTY, DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT MAKE THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA SUCH A STRONG AND RESPONSIBLE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE WORLD.
THIS NATION’S HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS ARE – TO BE SURE – SOME OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY IN ALL OF THE WORLD, BUT WE CANNOT BECOME COMPLACENT.
INDEED AS DWIGHT EISENHOWER PUT IT DURING 1953:
“WE HAVE WON AN ARMISTICE ON A SINGLE BATTLEGROUND – NOT PEACE IN THE WORLD. WE MAY NOT NOW RELAX OUR GUARD,” AND HIS WORDS STILL RING TRUE TODAY.
SINCE THAT TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHANGES AND CHALLENGES THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE NOT RELAXED AND TOGETHER, WE HAVE NURTURED A RELATIONSHIP FORGED IN BITTER COMBAT INTO SOMETHING MUCH, MUCH MORE: A LIVING ALLIANCE BETWEEN TWO THRIVING DEMOCRACIES.
TODAY, OUR PARTNERSHIP EXTENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD T HROUGH THE VIBRANT TRADE RELATIONSHIPS WE ENJOY THE PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS WE FIELD IN AFGHANISTAN THE ANTI-PIRACY OPERATIONS WE EXECUTE OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA AND IN OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE THROUGH THE PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE.
INDEED, THE KOREAN MILITARY’S MODERNIZATION AND IMPROVEMENT OVER THE YEARS AND ITS DEMONSTRATED STRENGTH AND COMMITMENT TO WORLDWIDE STABILITY MAKE ALL OF US PROUD TO CALL THIS GREAT NATION ONE OF OUR MOST ESSENTIAL AND IMPORTANT ALLIES.
STRENGTH AND STABILITY ALSO HAPPEN TO BE TWO WORDS I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE GENERAL SKIP SHARP’S LEADERSHIP HERE AS COMMANDER OF UNITED NATIONS COMMAND, COMBINED FORCES COMMAND AND U.S. FORCES, KOREA.
A TRUE IRON MAN, SKIP HAS OUTLASTED NEARLY EVERYONE WHO WORKED FOR HIM – KOREAN OR AMERICAN – AND HIS LEGACY HERE IS INDELIBLE.
HIS ABILITY TO MORE EFFICIENTLY SECURE ACCESS TO STRATEGIC U.S. DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY NORMALIZING TOURS AS KOREA PREPARES TO TAKE THE LEAD UNDER THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE 2015 DEMONSTRATES THAT HE WAS INDEED THE RIGHT LEADER DURING A HISTORIC TIME IN THIS REGION.
GENERAL SHARP ALSO REINVIGORATED OUR EFFORTS HERE WITH INNOVATIVE, REALISTIC AND COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING INCLUDING EXERCISES INVINCIBLE SPIRIT ULCHI FOCUS GUARDIAN AND KEY RESOLVE AMONG OTHERS, BRINGING LIFE TO GENERAL J. D. JOHNSON’S WORDS THAT, “IN PREPARATION LIES DETERRENCE.”
AND ALTHOUGH THE NORTH ATTACKED INEXPLICABLY AND WITHOUT PROVOCATION NOT ONCE – BUT TWICE – WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA’S RESTRAINT, DISCIPLINE AND PROFESSIONALISM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GENERAL HAN, HELPED PREVENT A FURTHER ESCALATION OF THIS CYCLE OF VIOLENCE SERVING AS A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER NATIONS FACING CONFLICT IN TODAY’S EVER MORE INTERCONNECTED AND FASTER WORLD.
WHILE SKIP’S LEADERSHIP CERTAINLY PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THESE AND OTHER SUCCESSES, HE WOULD BE THE FIRST TO CREDIT THE REAL SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH: THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF BOTH OF OUR MILITARIES.
MORE THAN ANY WEAPON, TECHNOLOGY, OR POLICY, OUR PEOPLE REMAIN OUR GREATEST ASSET.
AND AS I THANK THE ENTIRE SHARP FAMILY, MOST NOTABLY JOANNE, FOR YOUR LIFELONG COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT AND WHAT HAS TO BE MONUMENTAL PATIENCE
I ALSO THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN AND THE FAMILIES OF THE THREE COMMANDS REPRESENTED HERE FOR YOUR SERVICE. NOT ONLY HAVE YOU MAINTAINED STABILITY ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA YOU HAVE PROVIDED A RELEVANT AND VITAL BALANCE OF POWER IN NORTHEAST ASIA.
BOTH OF OUR NATIONS – AND INDEED THE WORLD – OWE YOU A PROFOUND DEBT OF GRATITUDE. THANK YOU.
NOW, AS HE DEPARTS, I UNDERSTAND THAT GENERAL SHARP WILL TAKE ON ONE OF THE FEW THINGS HE DOESN’T DO WELL - VACATION.
HOPEFULLY, WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE AND SOME GUIDANCE FROM JOANNE, HE WILL GET THE HANG OF IT!
IF I CAN GIVE YOU JUST ONE PIECE OF ADVICE SKIP, LEAVE THE BLACKBERRY AT HOME!
TRUST ME IF WE NEED YOU, WE WILL FIND YOU.
FORTUNATELY, I DON’T THINK YOU OR JOANNE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BEING INTERRUPTED, BECAUSE WE ARE LEAVING THIS COMMAND IN GREAT HANDS.
GENERAL J. D. THURMAN IS A PROVEN LEADER. HIS UNIQUE BLEND OF COMBAT AND STAFF EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHT A SET OF SKILLS FORGED BY BOTH OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN THE FIELD AND AN EXTRAORDINARILY DEMANDING, YET WELL-MANAGED, BASE CONSOLIDATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHILE THIS WARRIOR WILL ENSURE THAT WE NEVER “RELAX OUR GUARD” GENERAL THURMAN’S COMMITMENT TO TREAT OTHERS THE WAY IN WHICH HE WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED WILL BOTH BENEFIT – AND SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO – THE MEMBERS OF HIS COMMANDS AND NEIGHBORS ALIKE.
I KNOW J.D. AND DEE’S SENSE OF HOSPITALITY AND COMMITMENT TO OUR PEOPLE WILL MAKE ASSIGNMENTS TO KOREA AN EVEN MORE REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM – AND THEIR FAMILIES – THAN THEY ALREADY ARE.
WELCOME ABOARD TO BOTH OF YOU!
AS WE WELCOME THE THURMANS AND WISH THE SHARPS ALL THE BEST DURING THIS TIME-HONORED CEREMONY, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS THE BEGINNING OF ONE COMMAND TOUR AS WE HONOR THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF ANOTHER.
BUT IN THE TRUEST SENSE, TODAY IS NEITHER AN END NOR A BEGINNING BUT A STEADY CONTINUATION OF AN ENDURING FRIENDSHIP AND A STEADFAST ALLIANCE.
WORKING TOGETHER, OUR ALLIANCE REMAINS STRONG OUR DETERRENCE REMAINS CREDIBLE AND OUR FUTURE REMAINS BRIGHT.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS THESE TWO FAMILIES AS THEY BEGIN NEW CHAPTERS IN THEIR LIVES, AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE ENDURING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO GREAT NATIONS.