SCOTT AFB, Ill. -- This past week we took time out, as we always do on Veteran's Day, to pay special tribute to the millions of veterans who served and are still serving this great nation.
From Private Frank Buckles, who at age 108 is the last known surviving World War I veteran, to the youngest recruit who took a solemn oath, and to the countless brave men and women who paid the ultimate price defending the freedom that we
are able to enjoy.
We promise to serve with the utmost dedication, drive and determination, exceeding all
standards of excellence and to never forget the sacrifices that they made for all of us.
Over the past 20 months I've been blessed to be able to serve alongside so
many truly professional citizen airmen, whose sacrifice of time away from family,
friends and employers, to serve in the Air Force Reserve has been nothing short of
phenomenal. I want to thank each and every one of you for your tireless efforts and
your unwavering support to me, my family and the entire 932d Airlift Wing team.
You've met each challenge head on and continuously come out on top. Your
outstanding unit and individual accomplishments continue to be recognized at all levels
and for that you can be very proud. The same warrior spirit that has taken you through
multiple deployments to combat the enemy, care for our wounded warriors or to transport
our nation's senior leaders to locations around the globe will certainly carry you through
the upcoming challenge of an Operational Readiness Inspection.
The Navy's newest recruiting commercial says it best when describing the call to serve
and I hope that you'll always take these words to heart.
"The call to serve, it has no sound, yet I have heard it in the whispered retelling of honorable
sacrifices made by those who have served before me. The call to serve has no form, yet I
have clearly seen it in the eyes of the men and women infinitely more courageous and
more driven than most. The call to serve has no weight, yet I have held it in my hands.
I will commit to carry it close to my heart until my country is safe and the anguish of those l
ess fortunate is soothed. The call to serve is at once invisible and always present, and for
those who choose to answer the call, for their country, for their fellow man and for themselves,
it is the most powerful force on earth."
Thank you for answering that call to serve here at the 932d Airlift Wing. Thank you for
the tremendous sacrifices that you continue to make for your units and your fellow wingmen.
My family and I will always cherish the memories gained by serving with you all. I look forward
to seeing you soar to even greater heights in the years to come. God bless you and fight on!