WEBVTT 00:00.140 --> 00:02.473 to our air and missile defense soldiers . 00:02.473 --> 00:04.529 I wanted to take a minute to talk to 00:04.529 --> 00:07.750 you today about appreciation and 00:07.750 --> 00:10.150 gratitude for what you do every day . 00:10.640 --> 00:13.380 Your readiness , your ability to 00:13.380 --> 00:16.450 protect strategic assets and do it on a 00:16.450 --> 00:18.460 moment's notice have not gone 00:18.470 --> 00:21.140 unrecognized by the army's senior 00:21.140 --> 00:23.610 leaders . I happen to be at Costello 00:23.610 --> 00:25.666 Hall right now at Fort Bliss texas . 00:25.940 --> 00:28.120 Costello Hall was named after Then 00:28.120 --> 00:30.500 Major General Jack Costello , the 00:30.500 --> 00:32.560 commanding general of Fort Bliss in 00:32.560 --> 00:35.450 1995 . I had the great fortune of being 00:35.450 --> 00:38.890 his aide de camp . Well 26 years ago , 00:38.960 --> 00:41.340 General Costello was putting soldiers 00:41.340 --> 00:43.507 on the airplanes to deploy them to the 00:43.507 --> 00:46.410 Middle East Multiple Times . Some 00:46.410 --> 00:49.890 soldiers , six or 7 deployment , they 00:49.890 --> 00:51.946 would tell General Costello about as 00:51.946 --> 00:53.890 they were getting on an airplane , 00:53.890 --> 00:55.779 leaving their families behind and 00:55.779 --> 00:57.946 spouses behind . But understanding the 00:57.946 --> 01:00.850 job that they had to do to keep America 01:00.850 --> 01:04.260 safe and to keep our allies safe . So 01:04.260 --> 01:06.350 things haven't changed in 26 years . 01:06.360 --> 01:08.560 Our adversaries are still out there . 01:08.940 --> 01:11.700 They still wish to do us harm . And you 01:11.710 --> 01:13.488 as army air and missile defense 01:13.488 --> 01:16.570 soldiers continue to meet the call . I 01:16.570 --> 01:19.030 can't tell you how proud I am of the 01:19.030 --> 01:21.420 job that you continue to do . Our 01:21.420 --> 01:23.770 combatant commanders recognize the 01:23.770 --> 01:26.250 readiness that you bring every day and 01:26.260 --> 01:28.190 army senior leaders are truly 01:28.190 --> 01:31.180 appreciative of the sacrifices that you 01:31.180 --> 01:34.750 give up every time that you deploy . I 01:34.750 --> 01:37.630 ask that you stay resilient . You stay 01:37.630 --> 01:40.140 ready and keep the faith with the air 01:40.140 --> 01:42.800 defense artillery branch this morning . 01:42.800 --> 01:44.967 I had the great opportunity to talk to 01:44.967 --> 01:48.460 soldiers from Alpha 23.143 88 and 243 01:48.460 --> 01:51.800 88 . And to a soldier they expressed to 01:51.800 --> 01:53.930 me that the pride that they had in 01:53.930 --> 01:55.930 doing their mission while they were 01:55.930 --> 01:57.986 deployed . Yes . They were separated 01:57.986 --> 01:59.930 from their family , separated from 01:59.930 --> 02:02.152 their friends , many of whom were given 02:02.152 --> 02:04.100 a deployment on very , very short 02:04.100 --> 02:07.180 notice . But yet they deployed , they 02:07.180 --> 02:09.013 got certified and they did their 02:09.013 --> 02:11.013 mission with the recognition of the 02:11.013 --> 02:13.236 importance that they were providing for 02:13.236 --> 02:15.760 strategic deterrence in the centcom kor 02:16.340 --> 02:18.451 Well I just recently returned from my 02:18.451 --> 02:20.562 second deployment earlier this year . 02:20.840 --> 02:23.720 First one , it was completely different 02:23.720 --> 02:25.831 than the next . Like each person will 02:25.831 --> 02:27.831 experience a deployment different . 02:27.831 --> 02:30.164 They're not always going to be the same . 02:30.164 --> 02:32.498 Even if it's returning to the same area , 02:32.498 --> 02:32.490 it's good . It's not gonna be the same 02:32.490 --> 02:34.212 outcome . We will always learn 02:34.212 --> 02:37.420 something new from a deployment 02:37.660 --> 02:39.382 regardless of how many you got 02:39.440 --> 02:41.607 personally . For me these appointments 02:41.607 --> 02:43.773 have been a learning experience to say 02:43.773 --> 02:45.718 the very least because I feel like 02:45.718 --> 02:47.940 they're a necessary sacrifice to ensure 02:47.940 --> 02:50.107 that the battles and wars we may fight 02:50.107 --> 02:52.218 overseas don't happen here on our own 02:52.218 --> 02:55.140 home . In closing again . I just want 02:55.140 --> 02:57.320 to let you know how proud I am of the 02:57.320 --> 02:59.510 job that you continue to do . You are 02:59.510 --> 03:02.120 ready and you are resilient . The 03:02.120 --> 03:04.176 Secretary of the army , the Chief of 03:04.176 --> 03:06.398 Staff of the army and Sergeant Major of 03:06.398 --> 03:08.620 the army as well as other army . Senior 03:08.620 --> 03:11.300 leaders all recognize of the great job 03:11.300 --> 03:13.840 that you do day to day to stay ready 03:13.910 --> 03:15.160 first to fire .