Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retires after more than four decades of distinguished military service at a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 31, 2019. Selva has served as vice chairman since July 2015.

Transcript

[Announcer] Good morning and welcome to the retirement ceremony in honor of General Paul J. Selva, the 10th Vice Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, and his 39 years of service in the United States Air Force. We extend a warm welcome to General Selva’s wife Ricki, and other close family. We also welcome friends and colleagues who have joined us today. Our host and presiding officer for today’s ceremony is General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of the official party, and remain standing for honors, the playing of our National Anthem by the United States Air Force band, and the invocation by Chaplain Major General Steven Shike.

[Officer] Present arms. (military band music) (drum roll) (military band music) (drum roll) (band plays National Anthem) (officer giving unintelligible commands)

General Selva, sir, thank you for the privilege of being part of your ceremony this morning. And friends, it’s my great honor to pray, and I invite you to join me. Loving God, our prayer begins by giving you thanks and praise for life and liberty in the land of the free and the home of the brave. And this morning our gratitude zeros in on the Paul Selva story. A story only you could have written. Who could have predicted that the son of a Portuguese Air Force radio man would ascend to be the 10th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And who could have known that a routine visit to a liquor store, allegedly to cash a check, would’ve initiated a romance between two USAFA cadets. That is the stuff that fairytales are made of. And knowing General Selva’s story could never be told apart from Ricki’s, we thank you gracious God for the countless ways you molded a farmer’s daughter into a selfless contributor to our nation’s defense. Thank you for the myriad of lives the Selvas have humbly influenced. And we pray your fullest blessing on them as together they wear out hiking boots and see the world one trail at a time. Finally, we pray you not let the Selvas leave this place today before hearing from you and from us, loud and clear, well done thy good and faithful servants. We pray this in the name of the one from whom all blessings flow, Amen.

[Announcer] Please be seated. Ladies, and gentlemen, General Dunford. (audience applause) Okay good morning ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor to join you as we recognize General Paul Selva’s 39 years of service, and the support and sacrifice of Ricki, herself an Airman, a veteran, and a member of the class of 1980 at the United States Air Force Academy. They say you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, and I think a look around the room here this morning, as we see many friends, family, people from across administrations, from across the government, and throughout both of your careers are here this morning. I wanna particularly recognize the family members that are here, along with Secretary Esper, Director Haspel, Secretary and Mrs. Spencer, Secretary Sullivan, Secretary Donovan, General and Mrs. Milley, Mrs. Goldfein, and the many other leaders who have joined us here. Four years ago, the Dunfords and the Selvas stood together in the Rose Garden when it was announced that I’d be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Paul would be the Vice Chairman. Well, I was certainly honored by the selection, I was also aware the challenges and the expectations ahead. It was about that time that Henry Kissinger described the current security environment as the most volatile and complex since World War II. And the world hasn’t disappointed Paul and I. From ISIS, the Great-Power Competition, to North Korea and Iran, it’s been a busy four years. I knew Paul before this assignment, we served together on Admiral Mullen’s transition team when he was becoming the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Paul was the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, when we conducted a draw-down in Afghanistan. On a personal level, before this assignment we got along well. And I had a high regard for his competence. But in retrospect, I didn’t have a full appreciation for his talent. In 2015, if I made a list of the qualities that our nation needed in a Vice Chairman, I might’ve said we needed an inspirational leader who can build teams and partnerships within the Department, across the inner agency, and on the Hill. We needed an unselfish leader who didn’t care who got the credit as long as the job got done. We needed someone with broad operational experience and an understanding of joint war fighting. I might’ve said we needed someone with vision, who could help us meet the current challenges that we face, while preparing us to meet the challenges that are over the horizon. I might’ve said we needed someone who could help the Department craft a strategy for an era of Great-Power Competition. We needed someone who could lead change. And we needed a leader of character who would serve as an example to all of us in uniform. Someone who could always be counted on to say and to do the right thing. Ladies and gentlemen, I wasn’t smart enough to write that list four years ago. But I now have a pretty good feel for what we need in a Vice Chairman. And I also know that four years ago we picked exactly the right leader in Paul Selva. And Paul, over the last four years, you have demonstrated those qualities and so many more to all of us who have had the privilege of serving with you. On a personal and a professional level, I can’t imagine having had a better leader, a better partner, or a better friend over the past four years. ‘Course had a I known Paul Selva since he graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1980, and had I watched him in the subsequent 35 years before this assignment, I would’ve known then what I know now. The motto of the class of 1980 was “strive to excel”. And Paul clearly internalized that motto. I won’t recall his whole career, but I do wanna share some of the highlights in an effort to capture the impact that he’s had. His first two assignments were in the ninth, 17th, and 32nd air refueling squadrons. Early on, it was pretty clear that Paul’s Airmanship distinguished him from his peers. He was an expert in both the KC-135 and then the KC-10. He made Aircraft Commander and Instructor Pilot in minimum time, and six years out of the Academy he was identified as the best Captain in the second bomb wing. And it won’t surprise anyone who knows him today that he was recognized for his detailed planning and his deep expertise. And in a typical Selva story, when he was going through transition training to the KC-10, so he’s a student, in the middle of the class he stood up and took over the class, interrupting the American Airlines contractor that was designed to teach the navigation system, because the instructor of the navigation system didn’t have it quite right. And so then Captain Selva, who hadn’t even transitioned to the KC-10, began to hold court on the navigation system of the KC-10. That is a typical Paul Selva story. But you can also see other qualities in Captain Selva that we recognize today. In both squadrons, he was identified as someone who leads by example. An officer with a positive, persuasive leadership style, and an officer who was decisively engaged with young Airmen as a teacher, as a coach, and as a mentor. And somehow, despite such extraordinary performance in the squadron, he found time to engage in the community with the Special Olympics, and he got a Master’s degree with a 4.0 GPA. And in year seven in the Air Force as a Captain, he enrolled and completed the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. I haven’t figured that out, why. That is a required box of books about this high, for Marine majors. And you have to complete that box of books if you don’t go to resident PME, Professional Military Education. To put that in perspective, Paul enrolled and completed it around seven years, eight years of service as a Airman. I enrolled in it in year 14 on active duty, and I am hoping to complete the course by the First of November when I retire. That’s the difference between Paul Selva and mere mortals. (audience laughs) In short, during those formative early years, Paul Selva established himself as someone who would go a long way. After cutting his teeth in the squadron, he was selected by General John Kane, then the Commander of Strategic Air Command, to be his company-grade advisor. It was a new concept, and Paul went around representing the Commander to 30 SAC wings to discuss issues of concern to company-grade officers. Paul Selva holding court with his peers. And along the way, he designed a Professional Military Education program for Lieutenants in the Strategic Air Command. Just an average assignment for Captain Selva. In 1989, he made Major and remained at SAC as the manager for conventional warfare systems. And this was really the first of several assignments that prepared Paul for positions of senior leadership. He worked for structure, programming, personnel, and he engaged with Congress. And he continued to enhance his expertise in these areas throughout his career. Not surprisingly, his leadership identified him as a complete staff officer and in the top one percent of his peers. After his time at SAC, he attended the Air Command and Staff College, where he was a distinguished graduate, and he wrote a paper on integrity. Integrity. Something Paul Selva knows something about. He then went back to flying in 1992, and during the next years he served as a KC-10 flight commander, the commander of an operations support squadron, and the commander of the Ninth air refueling squadron, a unit he activated and then subsequently deployed elements of, all within five months. All the qualities that we saw in Captain Selva continued to develop, and he was the number one squadron commander in the wing. Well-known for establishing an atmosphere of excellence. But more importantly, he passed the test that I think is the most important test of command at that level. He inspired a generation of young Airmen and Officers to remain in the United States Air Force, hoping someday, hoping someday to make the kind of impact that Lieutenant Colonel Selva had made on them. In later years, Paul would distinguish himself as a member of the Secretary of Defense’s Strategic Study Group, and he was one of Andy Marshall’s proteges in the well-known Office of Net Assessment, where over two decades ago he worked to develop precision strike space based capabilities, and analytic tools to support decision making at the Secretary of Defense and Department level. Those are all initiatives that have had a real impact on our war fighting capability for now over two decades. Paul went on to command the 60th Operations Group and the 62nd Air Lift Wing, where he firmly established his growing reputation as a preeminent leader, mentor, and visionary. He was one of the leaders at TransCom that led the logistics efforts for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, that one of my predecessors described as, “a logistics feat “unrivaled in history.” And I don’t think it’d be an overstatement to say that Paul Selva has been one of the architects of logistics enterprise that has sustained combat operations for us over the last 18 years. And back to where we started, General Selva’s the Vice Chairman, he’s led our modernization and innovation efforts over the last few years, while providing sound military advice to our political leaders on the most important and complex challenges that we face today. Paul, this is a favorite quote of Marines that President Reagan used in 1983 at a memorial service for those that lost their lives in Beirut. And it goes something like this, “Some people live a lifetime in wondering “if they’ve made a difference. “United States Marines don’t have that problem.” This morning, with apologies to my fellow Marines, I’ll paraphrase Ronald Reagan and say that some people live a lifetime and they wonder if they’ve made a difference. This morning, as he completes 39 years of service, Paul Selva doesn’t have that problem. Paul, you’ve made a lasting impact on joint war fighting capability, on strategy, and most importantly, on the lives of the soldiers, sailors, Airmen, Marines, and civilians, who’ve been fortunate enough to have been touched by your leadership. And before I close, I wanna once again recognize Ricki. I mentioned Paul’s community service early in his career, something that he has continued throughout his four decades of service, but I’ve also had a chance to watch our neighbor Ricki up close and personal over the last four years generously give of her time to wounded warriors, our spouses, and our families. Ricki, you truly care and it shows. And you two have made a difference, and I’m just gonna ask you to please stand up. (audience applause) To General and Mrs. Selva, Paul and Ricki, I’d like to say that when we leave active duty we really leave with three things. Our memories, our relationships, and our reputations. I hope this morning, looking out at the faces here today and that brief recap of your career, brings back some great memories that you’ll think about as you drive the RV out of the parking lot here today. I hope a look around the room is also gonna remind you of the many deep friendships and relationships that you’ve established along the way. They’re gonna last long after your time in uniform. And I hope you know that you both depart here today with a reputation as the epitome of what senior leaders should be. You are what right looks like. And I will just tell you, we’re all gonna be in proud over watch as you set off to walk the Appalachian Trail in years ahead. And again Paul, as a friend, I wanna personally thank you for the last four years. It has been a challenging time for our nation, and I cannot, cannot think of somebody that I would’ve rather have had as a wing man than General Paul Selva, and I think I speak for all of those that have served with you here over the last four years to include the other Chiefs. So at this time, I’m gonna ask you to please join me out here as we conduct the formal part of the ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, General Paul Selva. (audience applause)

[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing. General Dunford will now present General Selva with the Defense Distinguished Service medal. Attention to orders. General Paul J. Selva, United States Air Force, has distinguished himself by exceptionally distinguished service as the 10th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from August 2015 to July 2019. During this period, General Selva provided trusted and insightful guidance to the President, Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a vast array of complex military and national security issues. An innovative and visionary leader, he spearheaded inter-agency cooperation and the integration of new technologies and assets to ensure the successful development of execution of national strategies. A staunch advocate of the Armed Forces, General Selva flawlessly supported the national agenda, to ensure the most appropriate balance of doctrinal and budgetary policies that ascertain both the strength and readiness of our nation’s military. The distinctive accomplishments of General Selva culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country, and reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Air Force, and the Joint Staff. (audience applause) Please remain standing as the retirement order is read. By order of the Secretary of the Air Force, General Paul J. Selva is retired from the United States Air Force effective One August, 2019, after 39 years of faithful and honorable duty. (audience applause) Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. In appreciation of his 39 years of service, General Selva also received Distinguished Service medal from the United States Air Force and congratulatory letters from the President of the United States, the former Secretary of the Air Force, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. We now invite Mrs. Ellen Dunford and Mrs. Ricki Selva to join General Dunford and General Selva onstage. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand. General and Mrs. Dunford will now present Mrs. Selva with the Department of Defense medal for distinguished public service. Attention to orders. Mrs. Ricki S. Selva is recognized for distinguished public service in support of the members of the United States Armed Forces from August 2015 to July 2019. Mrs. Selva served as an ambassador at countless national events as both a host for foreign dignitaries and as a model representative of our service members. These events ranged from a Vice Chief of Defense dinner for the United Kingdom to personally hosting the families of foreign military Chiefs of Staff. She participated in multiple international and national public and private sector events, enhancing the image of the department by serving as an advocate for veteran and military benefits. Mrs. Selva served as an ambassador for the Easter Seals program, an organization dedicated to providing disabled children and adults overcome with disabilities the resources they need to live, work, and play. She was an ardent supporter of the United Through Reading program, and the campaign to maximize the bond and connection between deployed service members and their families through shared reading. Finally, Mrs. Selva’s dedication extended to the United Services Organization and Wounded Warrior Foundation programs, which reflected her total devotion and unconditional commitment to the values that are cherished within the military community. The distinctive accomplishments of Mrs. Selva reflect great credit upon herself and the Department of Defense. (audience applause) Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Mrs. Selva will now receive a certificate of appreciation on the occasion of her husband’s retirement. The certificate reads, “Certificate of appreciation from “the United States Air Force. “In grateful appreciation, the United States Air Force “presents this certificate of recognition “to Ricki S. Selva for the commitment and “numerous contributions that made “positive impacts to the nation’s defense. “Thank you for the support, which gave strength “and purpose to your spouse’s service. “Given this First day of August, 2019. “Signed, David Goldfein, General, “United States Air Force Chief of Staff.” (audience applause) Thank you General Dunford, Mrs. Dunford, and Mrs. Selva. Ladies and gentlemen, General Paul J. Selva, United States Air Force, retired. (audience applause)

Thank you. So, first of all, there are a thousand thank yous for me to deliver. And I won’t get them right, so I’m not gonna do it. (audience laughs) I do want to thank people in groups rather than as individuals. So, first of all, to all the members of our family who have taken time and made the trip, thank you. I have been directed by my mother to call her out, so she is watching over the Facebook site because she couldn’t travel, so Mom, thank you. And Dad, thank you for being here. (audience applause) I know that sounds a little weird in this age of technology, but they’re here with us. To Mr. Secretary, Madam Director, colleagues from the Deputies across two administrations. Thank you for making the time to be here. For all of my colleagues in the Department, we would be nowhere without you, so thank you for your steadfast support, for making this job as easy as this job can be, in a world that’s as difficult as the world can be. To my fellow Joint Chiefs and the Vice Chiefs who have made it here today, thank you so much for being part of the team. And it is a team. We don’t get anything done as individuals. We operate as a team ’cause that’s the way it’s designed. To our diplomatic corps and to all of our attaches, thank you for being here, too. All of my fellow flag officers, we are what you made us. We rely on you to make us whole. And then across this room are a thousand stories. Across this room are people who have touched our lives from high school friends to the lucky guy that introduced Ricki and I on that fateful night in that line at that liquor store, which I still count as the luckiest day of my life. 39 years is hard to encapsulate, it is a little over 11,000 days of service. And that means there are 11,000 stories that could be told. There are 11,000 events that mark the march of time. But you represent the fullness of all of that time. And so I’m deeply grateful that you made time to be here. I’m actually going to tell only one story. It happened yesterday, as I was cleaning out my official email. I got an email from a young man who has been an inspiration for most of my career, and nobody in this room knows him. So, this is a hard story to tell, I will cry. Chris was a Senior Airman. It was chance meeting, because the Chief Master Sergeant in the Pentagon said, “You need to meet this young man.” And when I met him, Chris was confined to a wheelchair. He’d broken every bone in his body. He took my hand and he said, “Just like you, I’m an Airman. “And I will get back to flying status.” And his father looked at me and said, “There is no hope that will ever happen.” Chris weighed 92 pounds when I met him that day. Two years later, he sent me a photograph, standing in front of his aircraft, fully mission-ready as an instructor flight engineer. And yesterday I got a note that said, “Yes Sir, you and I, 10 years later, “will retire from our Air Force in the same month.” And then he said, “Thank you.” Sent him a note back last night and I said, “It’s our job to thank you.” It is our job to thank all of you for serving our nation. It’s our job to lead. It’s our job to be accountable. And so today, I’m accountable to Chris, and to every one of you, and if you only remember two things, all I wanna be remembered for is I did my best. Not for all the very kind things you said, Chairman, but that every day I came to work and I gave my very best. There’s a book written by Lou Cannon about Ronald Reagan’s term in the White House. It’s called The Role of a Lifetime. And there’s a chapter in that book that actually describes all of us, only we don’t know it. And what Ronald Regan said is, “The weight of the job falls upon you like a veil. “But you are surrounded by people who manage the script. “You are surrounded by people who are producers, “directors, cinematographers. “And they will help you every step of the way.” And Ronald Reagan was right. In this room, are all of those people. In this room are people who touched me as a young Captain. And said I could do more. I could do better. Tony Robertson’s in this room. In this room are people who said, “The world will demand a lot from you. “You have to deliver.” Sue Gordon is in this room. In this room are people who said, “You have to have a little bit of fun along the way.” Gina Redmond is in this room. And I could do this all day, but I won’t. But I will say is each of you has touched us in the most important way. Albert Einstein said, “There’s nothing more worth “toiling at than making the world “better for mankind.” Every one of you have helped us do that. So I’m gonna end by Chairman, saying thank you to you. Thank you not only for being the Chairman, and for your leadership, and your inspiration, but for your true friendship. Truth be told, as you know, and Ellen knows, when this opportunity was offered, I said no. Then the offer was retracted, and I was given something that felt more like an order. And I’m an Airman, and Airmen, just like soldiers, sailors, Marines, and Coast Guards know when they’re given an order, they say, “Then it would be my duty to comply.” The offer was formed as a question, so I advised the offeree, or offeror, to tell everyone not to ask me that question again. And as it turns out, no one did. And as a consequence, I stand before you today, and American Airman, retiring as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Ladies and gentlemen, Ricki and I are absolutely touched by the fact that you’re all here. And normally at this point, in this part of the ceremony, it would traditional that someone comes up with a very large bouquet of flowers, and says thank you to the person who has kept me as close to center line as anybody in the world can, my wife Ricki. But we’re not gonna do that. What we’re gonna do is figure out who’s gonna drive the RV when we drive away. (audience laughs) So the way we’re gonna do this is I’m gonna flip a coin, she’s gonna call it in the air, it is a challenge point, but it is gonna hit the floor, ’cause I have horrible vision and I can’t catch things that are in front of me. So please call it—

[Ricki] Heads.

Heads, you win. (audience applause) If I don’t give her the keys now, I never will. (audience applause) I love you. (audience applause) To all of you who really made the effort to be here, I know how valuable your time is, I know how difficult the logistics are to get in a hangar on Andrews. I wanted to go out the way I came in. Which is as an American Airman. And that’s why that airplane’s sitting right there. So, a week ago this past weekend, I flew for the last time. And that’s the way I want it. So I’m gonna wear out some hiking boots, I’m gonna dip my kayak paddle in the water, it is doubtful that I will ever be behind the controls of an airplane again, but to all the Airmen who have served with me, to the Airmen of the 89th who tolerated me for sitting next to them, to the members of the vice squad, my security team, and my admin guys, and my exec, and my aides, who are actually brave enough to get in the back of the airplane and let me fly them around the world, thank you so much for everything you have done. And there’s one last person in the group that I think snuck in late last night, Shane Victorino that I want to say thank you to. Shane is, I’m not gonna explain his story, I’m just gonna tell you he’s a gifted athlete who gives his time to our men and women in the military and he snuck in late last night, and I am incredibly in debt to him for his service to our soldiers, sailors, Airmen, Marines, and I didn’t want him to get off Scot free, so all of you should meet Shane, shake his hand, hug him, make him feel welcome, ’cause he is part of the family. Thank you all very much. God bless you all, thanks. (audience applause)

[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the Benediction by Chaplain Shike, and a joint service medley played by the United States Air Force band.

So to the Selvas, and to all of you, I pray. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may the Lord make his faces shine upon you and be gracious unto you. And may the Lord lift even his countenance upon you and give to you his peace now and forever, Amen. (military band music) (officer gives unintelligible commands) (military band music) (officer gives unintelligible commands) (military band music) (audience applause) (officer gives unintelligible commands)

[Announcer] This concludes today’s ceremony. Thank you for joining us. You are invited to congratulate General and Mrs. Selva in the receiving line, and enjoy the reception. Music during the reception will be provided by the Airmen of Note combo. Please remain at your seats until an usher directs you to depart. Thank you for your patience and we wish you a pleasant day.