-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 0083. Air Force secretary bids farewell ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md (AFPN) -- The following remarks were made by F. Whitten Peters, secretary of the Air Force, during his farewell address here Jan. 19: "Today marks the end of a most unexpected journey for me. In my wildest imagination, I never dreamed that I would have the honor of serving the men and women who serve America. "I am deeply humbled to stand before you, one last time, as the leader of the greatest Air Force the world has ever known. It is a privilege to have one last opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women here assembled as well as the 700,000 men and women of America's Air Force that you represent. "Unlike so many of you, I have not spent my life in public service. Oh yes, as many of you may know, I answered the call of my draft board, an arcane institution that used to have something to do. And I served three years in uniform as an officer of the Naval Reserve, reaching the exalted rank of lieutenant junior grade before returning to private life. "But my service pales in comparison to that of the men and women who selflessly rebuilt the military after Vietnam, beat Saddam Hussein, and won the Cold War. And (who) today stand ready to meet any challenges this uncertain world throws (their) way. "When I was in high school, before many of you in this (hangar) were born, (President John F. Kennedy) challenged our generation to ask what we can do for our country. That thought, which inspired so many, is why when the call came, in 1995, to return to public service as the principal deputy general counsel of the Department of Defense, I had to answer. "It may sound corny, indeed it probably is corny, but I felt this move would allow me to repay, in some small measure, the enormous debt that I, and every American, owe to this nation. "Even then, I had no idea that unlikely events would conspire to place me here. I would soon find myself leading the United States Air Force, first as under secretary and (then) acting secretary, and, for the last 18 months, as secretary. "Frankly, I'm still surprised, I know my mother is surprised, and I'm quite sure that my old drill instructors at (Naval Officer Training School), if they remember me at all, probably went into cardiac arrest. "But if this was an unexpected journey, it has also been one that is truly awe-inspiring. "I had a vague notion of the great things our men and women in the military were accomplishing. As secretary, I found that those vague notions fell far short of the mark. Day in, day out, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen make the heroic look routine. "Among the most valuable fringe benefits of my post has been the ability to watch, up close, as these amazing men and women of our total force change the world for the better every single day. "I have watched as aerospace power, for the first time, won a major conflict. "I've watched our airmen contain dictators in North Korea and Iraq, and I watched as they assisted in peacekeeping efforts from Bosnia to Albania to East Timor, as they delivered humanitarian relief to over a hundred nations every year and provided disaster relief in our own country as well. "And in their spare time, the men and women of this Air Force rescued a cancer patient at the South Pole, retrieved remains of (those missing-in-action) in Vietnam, performed medical miracles at places such as Wilford Hall, Texas, and even transported a whale from Oregon to Iceland. "You have taken the expression "flexibility is the key to airpower" and raised it to a new art form -- truly awe-inspiring. "But even more than a front-row seat to history, this office has given me the opportunity to promote the interests of the men and women who serve America. "In September of 1999, as many of you welcomed me to this office, we stood on a soggy parade ground at Bolling Air Force Base, (D.C.), and I promised you that Air Force people and their families would be my number one priority. "I believe now what I said then, 'Without you, the men and women of the total force, there can be no Air Force.' I have done my best to live by those words. "Together, we worked to modernize our aircraft, space systems and support equipment so that Air Force men and women have the tools they need to fly, fight and win --rapidly, decisively and at the least possible risk to themselves and noncombatants. "We worked with Congress for better pay, benefits and bonuses, so that the men and women who give so much to their country can build a decent life for themselves and their families. "We have improved housing, medical care and childcare so that, when our men and women are far from home, they know their families are safe and well cared for. And we (have) built an expeditionary aerospace force that is restoring predictability and stability to the lives of our people and their families. "But more than that, I think and indeed I sincerely hope, that we have done much to excise a malignancy which, left untreated, threatened the very fiber of our force. "Maybe it was the stress of the draw down or maybe it was the difficult adjustment of the end of the Cold War, but we had a problem, or, as we always insist on calling it in the Air Force, a challenge. "That challenge was the bond between our airmen and their leaders -- military and civilian -- was frayed. We saw it in our own surveys, we saw it relentlessly in the media, and most troubling, we saw it in our retention problems. "Too many of our airmen thought that we in Washington just did not 'get it.' They thought we didn't understand how (operations tempo), parts shortages, TRICARE problems and lagging pay and reduced retirements were eating away at this wonderful force of ours. "As a result, too many of our best and brightest were voting with their feet, not with dimpled "chad." "Now, let me say that I don't believe and have never believed that it was ever true that the Air Force leadership did not care. But the truth was not nearly as important as the perception. That is why I determined early on that we in leadership had to split our time between working the problems here in Washington and explaining ourselves to our great airmen around the world. And, in turn, listening to them and their concerns. "I admit it is much more fun to be in the field than it is in Washington, but there really was a larger purpose both in being here and being out there. We had to reconnect the top, middle and bottom. In a nutshell, we had to create trust and a feeling in the force that we in Washington cared and were doing something about it. We have cared and have done something about. "The equation remains quite simple: the Air Force must be worthy of the great people who fuel it. It must provide a quality of service and quality of life equal to your sacrifices. It must honor your service and must assume that you too will meet the standards of integrity, service and excellence to which you have sworn your devotion and which we as leaders have also sworn ours. "Above all, we in leadership must be fair and we must be understood to be fair. "I hope that our efforts have mended the tear, and I have told those who might succeed me in this office that there is no greater obligation than to ensure that we never again let that bond fray. "As my good friend and colleague (Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan) has said so often, 'We are one family.' It must always be so. "Now, I would like to claim complete credit for our success, but you know and I certainly know I did not make this journey alone. "Every step of the way, I had the steadfast trust of the president and the secretary of defense. But closer to home and closer to where I worked every day, I had the great good fortune to be part of the greatest leadership team the Air Force has ever seen. "I think what (General Ryan and I) have done is become the most inclusive Air Force leadership team in the history of the Air Force. We have made sure that our three- and four-star generals come to Washington and share our 'pain' several times a year. "And in sharing that pain, I think we have done more than what any two men could ever do because we have force multipliers around the world in our senior leadership team. We have come together with a vision. We have come together with collaboration and cooperation in ways, which, I think are both remarkable and wonderful. "I want to say to all of you who have shared the papers, the (conferences), the summits and a few of those golf tournaments, you made the tough times easier; you made the hard decisions less difficult; and you made every step of this journey more enjoyable. And together, I think and hope we made it fun. "But most of all, again, I want to thank the men and women of the total Air Force -- officers, enlisted, civilians and families, (active duty), Guard and Reserve -- who were with me every step of this journey. "It is really ironic. I came to this job, at least in part, to demonstrate my appreciation for all you have done for America, but yet I have received far more back than I gave. Just as you have fueled the Air Force, you have fueled me. "And though tomorrow marks the end of the journey for me, the journey continues for America's Air Force. There are many challenges on the horizon as you face the demands of a new century and a changing world. "Some of those challenges are even beyond the horizon -- both unpredictable and unknowable. That is OK, the Air Force was born to take us to those new horizons and to forever test and challenge and to expand the envelope. "I have said before there is no end-state to this great Air Force -- only constant, perpetual and relentless change and improvement. It's not easy and it's often exhausting, but you have to admit that it's pretty exciting. "No institution is better prepared to meet the challenges of the future. No group has a better team of leaders. And no group of people, large or small, is poised to give so much to our great nation. "Thank you for your service. Thank you for making America stronger and our world better. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your help, your loyalty, your friendship and all which you have given me during these three remarkable years. "I will carry the memory of that time and friendship in my head and my heart forever. "God speed to all of you and God bless America." 0084. Air Force participates in inauguration celebration by Tech. Sgt. Russell D. Kirk Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Misty rain, cold temperatures and low visibility neither dampened the spirits nor slowed the pace of Air Force personnel participating in the Jan. 20 inauguration of the 43rd president and commander in chief, George W. Bush. They executed support of myriad services that had been in the planning stages for months. Volunteers from throughout the Air Force participated in the weeklong inauguration activities, including the Honor Guard, elements of the Air Force Band, color guard, U.S. Air Force Academy cadets and members of various reserve and National Guard units. The final day of the festivities also included participation in various events, such as the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, the two-hour-long parade and numerous balls in the evening. Though the weather was not ideal, most participants said they were excited to participate in this historical event. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event," said Cadet 2nd Class Matthew Anastas, a junior at the academy. "I attended the last inauguration as a spectator when I was in high school." Anastas, a native of Centerville, Va., said he was excited to come home and represent the academy in the parade. Likewise, Staff Sgt. John M. Brown, a member of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard said, "It's an honor to be a part of history. "I'm a second-generation airman, following in my father's footsteps," he said proudly. "I'm going to cherish everything today -- it's pretty exciting." While a major Air Force contingent marched in the parade, others worked behind the scenes, handling security, presidential escort duties, logistics, transportation, medical assistance, public affairs and even preparing more than 6,000 box lunches each day of the past week. Normally a satellite systems operator, Staff Sgt. Joe Yokum, with the 2nd Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., responded to a call for volunteers to help with the inauguration. "Along with helping out with any task, my primary function for the inauguration parade was to make sure the presidential escorts were where they needed to be, when they needed to be there," he said. "I've worked a lot of hours since I've been here the past couple of weeks, but it's great. This is a wonderful experience, especially since this is my first time to D.C." Also behind the scenes were members of the 113th District of Columbia Air National Guard Security Forces. They assisted the metropolitan police with entry control points. Master Sgt. Ed A. Boord, flight sergeant from the 113th, said this was his second inauguration. "We reported in at 4 a.m.," Boord said. "Then we were sworn in by the Washington, D.C., police." He said they were sworn in by the police to give them jurisdiction authority during a very long day, which finally ended after 9 p.m. Members of the 89th Airlift Wing's Malcolm Grow Hospital at Andrews AFB, Md., were located at the bottom of the Capitol steps, to provide assistance to anyone with a medical emergency while Bush was taking the oath of office. Former U.S. Army Golden Knight, Master Sgt. Charles Hall, served as the noncommissioned officer in charge of media relations for the parade assembly area. He is currently a reservist with the 315th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C. "This is a wonderful experience," Hall said. "This is the biggest event I've every been involved in. It's mind-boggling, the amount of people and coordination that goes into something like this -- it's just a real thrill to be a part of it." Hall referred to the event as the "Super Bowl" of parades. "It's an honor to play a part in this as a reservist and to represent the Air Force for our country," the 23-year veteran said. Earlier in the week, Hall reminisced about his jump-days as he provided media support for the Golden Knights, who participated in the inauguration celebration. While Jan. 20 marked the culmination of the inaugural events, one event scheduled a day earlier was changed at Vice President Richard B. Cheney's request. Instead of an event which traditionally saluted the incoming vice president, Cheney decided to host an event to salute America's veterans. The Airmen of Note and the Singing Sergeants filled the platform on both sides of the podium during the event. Technical Sgt. Brian MacDonald, lead trumpet player for the Airmen of Note, said he plays at a lot of similar functions like this around the area, but this was special. "This was a great honor to play for our veterans," he said. "It was pretty overwhelming to be here on stage with the president (elect) and vice president (elect)." The Joint Chiefs of Staff also held a luncheon honoring Medal of Honor recipients at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington, Va. Ninety-four recipients attended the luncheon. "Today we honor individuals whose heroic exploits and feats of courage have contributed greatly to the longevity of our republic," said Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The work of people like John Levitow (who died Nov. 8) and all the other members of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society -- preserving our national memory of extraordinary exploits of its members -- is crucial. He (Levitow) was truly an inspiration to countless men and women serving in the Air Force and the rest of the Armed Forces." The military has been involved in inaugural activities since George Washington was sworn in April 30, 1789. Like a fine-tuned machine, the Air Force honors its new commander in chief with world-class representation. What has taken six months to almost a year to plan, culminates in three days of gala events featuring entertainers, guests from around the country and a contingent of Air Force people from across the total force. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
