Maj. Gen. John A. George takes command of U.S. Army Futures Command’s Combat Capabilities Development Command from Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, November 1, 2019.
Transcript
For those so inclined, I invite you to pray with me. Heavenly Father, on this day of change, when we both celebrate our past and our future, we bow are hearts and ask Your presence here. For we know that it is You that makes the nation great, it is You that makes an Army victorious, and an organization successful. We honor today before You Major General Cedric T. Wins. Lord, we thank You for his leadership in CCDC. Grant abundant blessings upon him, as his time here is now Mission Complete. We ask that You keep Your hand of grace on he and his family during this Change of Mission. Today, we also lift You our new leader for CCDC, Major General George. Grant abundant blessings upon him, his wife, and family. We ask that You give him wisdom to weather and learn from the storms that come. Give him the backbone to be a man of integrity and compassion that will enable him to be a leader in a way that is redemptive and capable. Guide him in this sacred trust to guard and use it appropriately. And now, we implore Your blessings, for the men and women of our nation’s military, especially those serving in harm’s way as we meet. Keep our hearts tuned toward peace, even as we must continue to train our hands for war. In Thy thrice Holy name, I pray. Amen.
Please be seated. The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command traces its lineage to 1775 and the creation of the Army. Over the years, this was followed by the establishment of Technical Services. Chemical, ordinance, quarter master, signal, and transportation, which served as the focal point for all Army, logistical, and research and development efforts. This changed in August, 1962, when the Army disestablished the Technical Services and formed the US Army Materiel Command. General Paul J. Kern assumed command of AMC in October, 2001. Shortly after taking command, he directed his staff to meet with various Commanders, and Senior Executives within AMC to discuss the idea of Uniting all of AMC’s research, development, and engineering centers and laboratories under one Command. Feedback for the concept was positive, and the following year, work began on the creation of a Research Development and Engineering Command. In August, 2002, General Kern designated Major General John C. Doesburg, Commanding General of the US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, as the transition Commander for the new Command. The goal of the new organization was to ensure that the research development and engineering components of the Army integrated their efforts to develop collaborative solutions for Army Science and Technology Programs to support the full spectrum of operations. On 1 October, 2002, the US Army Research Development and Engineering Command, RDECOM, was established as a Provisional Subordinate Command to AMC. On 1 March, 2004, RDECOM was officially established as a Major Subordinate Command within AMC, as the Army’s focal point for developing and accelerating innovative technologies and sound engineering solutions. The creation of RDECOM as a Command came at a rather auspicious time, as the global war on terrorism took on a whole new dimension with the war in Iraq. The enemy’s use of Improvised Explosive Devices put RDECOM center stage in the fight to protect the War Fighter. While the threat from asymmetrical warfare continues, so do those from our more advanced potential adversaries such as Russia, China, and North Korea. To meet all threats, the Army embarked on its greatest reorganization since 1962 with the creation of the Army Futures Command. Established on 1 July, 2018, the new Command focuses on the Army’s six Modernization Priorities of long-range precision fires, next generation combat vehicle, future vertical lift, the Army Network, air and missile defense, and Soldier lethality. As part of this reorganization, on 3 February, 2019, RDECOM transferred from AMC to the United States Army Futures Command and was renamed the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. The mission of CCDC became, “to provide the research, engineering, “and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities “that enable the Army to deter, and when necessary, “decisively defeat any adversary, “now and in the future.” To accomplish this mission, the CCDC vision became, “to be the significant, scientific, “and technological foundation “of the Future Force Modernization Enterprise “through world-leading research, “development, engineering, and analysis.” The successful accomplishment of this mission and vision will be a ready and modern Army, resulting from collaborative research, development, analysis, engineering, and the transition of capabilities that sharpen the Army’s competitive advantage, ensuring the War Fighter of 2035 gains or maintains military overmatch, in order to deter current and future threats or dominant aggressors. On behalf of General John M. Murray Commander United States Army Futures Command, welcome to the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Change of Command between Major General Cedric T. Wins and Major General John A. George. On behalf of the Officers, Soldiers, professional civilians, and families of the Command, Staff Sergeant Joshua Garren will now present a bouquet of red roses to Mrs. Cassandra Wins in appreciation of her support and steadfast commitment to the Officers, Soldiers, families, and civilians comprising the CCDC family. (audience applauding) Sergeant Christopher Coulter will now present a bouquet of sunflowers to Mrs. Shannon George on behalf of the Officers, Soldiers, professional civilians, and families of the Command, welcoming her to the CCDC family. (audience applauding) From ancient times, armies throughout the world have conducted ceremonies to commemorate victories over enemies, honor comrades in arms, and celebrate special occasions. For over 241 years, these ceremonies have added color and pageantry to Army and military life, while preserving tradition and stimulating esprit de corps. They reaffirm that the Army is perpetuated on cherished values and traditions. Today, you will witness a small part of that tradition, as we pass the colors of the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command to the new Commander. The Change of Command is a time honored ceremony that is steeped in symbolism and heritage. In times past, the colors were an actual rallying point for the troops in battle. In many ways, Unit colors serve the same purpose today, to draw Soldiers and Unit professionals together for a common action. The colors are a visible symbol of Unity and loyalty. The Commander Sergeant Major is the keeper of the colors. As the Senior Enlisted Soldier in the Unit, he is the spokesman for both the loyalty and concerns of the Soldiers and the civilian workforce, as well as being the Principal Advisor to the Commander. The passing of the CCDC colors from Major General Wins to General Murray symbolizes Major General Wins relinquishing Command to General Murray, signifying that his Mission here is complete. The passing of the colors from General Murray to Major General George signifies the passing of his trust and also the Command of the Unit and its Soldiers and civilians. The passing of the colors from Major General George to Command Sergeant Major Stanley signifies the confidence the Commander places in the Non-Commissioned Officers Corps, and as the Command Sergeant Major’s first act of allegiance and loyalty to his new Commander. By the authority of the Army Regulation 600-20, paragraph 2-3, “The undersigned assumes Command of the United States Army “Combat Capabilities Development Command “effective 1 November, 2019, “signed Major General John A. George Commanding.” (camera shutters clicking) Ladies and gentlemen, the Commanding General of the United States Army Futures Command General John M. Murray.
So, good morning. (audience murmuring) That’s pretty weak. Good morning. (audience replying loudly) Much better. So, I’m sorry, Shannon, I have to do this. (clears throat) So I’ve known Shannon George for a long time. Nobody else would bring a vase or a “voss” for the flowers. I was really impressed that… (audience laughing) And y’all can’t see that down there. And the other thing I’m really impressed with is that I was thinking through the Changes of Commands that I’ve participated in over the last 37 years, and they’ve always involved either really hot, or it’s been rainin’, or it’s been snowin’, and they’ve all been outside. I’m really impressed with the job this crew did kinda mirroring an outdoor ceremony inside except for one thing, and that’s the Pass and Review. So, (audience laughing) so we’re gonna adjust on the fly, and the Pass and Review will start with Sergeant Major Stanley and we’ll all just troop by, (audience laughing) and we’ll go that section, then this section, then this section at the end of the ceremony. You think I’m kidding? (audience laughing) So I heard a lot of VIP’s read off, and I don’t see a lot of ’em. I see Dick Formica, Joel Tyler’s here, which is an important part of the AFC Team, and as the Commander of ATEC, I see Kurt over there, it’s good to see you again. Bo Dias, kind of a blast from the past, but lots of good friends, and I’m gonna miss somebody. Bruce, how you doin’? I didn’t hear your name. Vince, Jim Bonner, member of the APG crowd up here. It’s just, it’s really good to get up to APG, and the synergy that goes on in this installation I don’t think is replicated in a lot of different installations around the world. So I’m really happy to not only do this ceremony today, but to really get to spend some time with the CCDC Team, really, for the rest of the day. So, you know, we’re here to change Commanders, and this is another thing that’s really true across the Army. And, although we’re here to change Commanders, the Command itself is represented by the people sittin’ in the audience. So, Cedric Wins has been in Command for about three years now, we’ll just call it three years, and I’m not gonna do public math, but 365 times three is a lot of days. (audience laughing) And two of those days have kinda been about Cedric, and that’s when he took Command and when he gave up Command. And the rest of those days, that large number, is about the people sittin’ in this audience and the people really across the world. When you look at the span of CCDC, and it’s really about the people that do the work day in and day out. And Commanders have the privilege of leading organizations, and Command is a lot of things. And one thing that Command is not, is a right. So Commanders have the privilege of leading organizations, but really, the organization is you. The work that gets done day in and day out is you. The accomplishments that get achieved day in and day out is you. And as Commanders, we have the privilege of being a part of your Team for very short periods of time. So, thank you to everybody in the audience, thank you to everybody from CCDC, for the hard work that has happened under Cedric Wins, that will happen under John George, and the accomplishments that you will achieve. And as we’ve heard just an amazing history with this organization, spanning back to 1775, the inception of our Army, and back then, upgrading cannon carriages in the Revolutionary War to today, really driving cutting edge technology as we focus on the Army’s Modernization Priorities and specifically the 31, and I will call it the 31 plus three if you wrap in Neil Thoroughgood’s efforts, efforts that we’re leading for our Army. And I truly believe that most Americans in matter of fact, and this is kind of a sad fact, most people in our Army don’t understand what goes on within CCDC, don’t understand the significant contributions that you make day in and day out, don’t understand throughout the course of your history how you have actually contributed to saving the lives of our Soldiers on battlefields. And for that, I am exceptionally grateful, and I’m exceptionally proud of the work that goes on up here. And that innovation doesn’t come overnight, and I know that you all know all too well the dedication, the brilliance, and that dose of creativity it takes to achieve what you have achieved and will achieved. And we do stand in challenging times. New National Defense Strategy points us in a very specific direction. The Army is embarked on a very ambitious Modernization campaign, but I am very confident with the capabilities up here at Aberdeen and within CCDC that we will deliver on what we have promised our Army and our country. So, you know, all this restructuring from the 19th century to today, was done in the name of greater lethality, faster, more efficient, and more focused. And what that history shows, though, is that reflection is our inability, our Army’s inability to capitalize on, what I say, is your tremendous work. But the quality of that work remains unquestioned. Regardless of what we call this Unit, whether it’s RDECOM, CCDC, and I’m not anticipating another name change for a while. (audience laughing) And like I said earlier, we all have the dubious honor of being part of a Unit where most of the Army doesn’t understand what you do each and every day. But I remain absolutely confident in the people of this organization, the leadership of this organization, the civilians in this organization, and when I say people, whether that’s uniformed or not uniformed, remain confident in your ability to deliver for our Army. And already in your short time at CCDC, you have made tremendous strides in our ability to develop technology quickly, and most importantly, get it into the hands of our Soldiers and close that gap between us and our adversaries. And the demand will not go away for that. You’re gonna be asked to go faster, you’re gonna be asked to be more efficient, and you’re gonna be asked to be more effective. In fact, that demand is only going to grow. And we have to push the boundaries if possible today to ensure our successes tomorrow, and as I’ve said, our Army is counting on us, and I know that you will not disappoint. So, today marks another page in the history of this Command, as we bid farewell to Cedric Wins and Cassandra, and Jane apologizes for not bein’ able to be here, Cassandra, she said to pass on that she is very envious that you now have your Soldier back in terms of moving on to the next chapter in your life. And I believe your son Matthew is, is not here, but pass on our congratulations to him as well. And Cedric and I have a little bit of a history. When I got to the building in 2015, Cedric was the FD, so I had the honor of working with Cedric for about a year before he came up here to Aberdeen. And he, Cedric and his Team, this Team, have in no small part changed the world. And while I’m sure in his remarks, he’s gonna give you all the credit, I will tell you that leadership matters. Leadership plays a huge role in everything an organization does or fails to do. Leadership plays a huge role in every success and every failure. And he’s been a huge part of your success in the minimal amount of things that didn’t quite mark up to what they should have been. Minimal things. And every Command has them, I got more than my fair share. But you’ve been a huge part of every success for over the three years. Which, I’m pretty sure, when you joined the Army 31 years ago, I think, was about what you intended to serve was those three years. (audience laughing) So he did, Cedric actually did his three years at the tail end as opposed to the front. Cedric has led this Team through what most people do not recognize for the challenges it presents, and that’s the transition. Cedric, under the leadership, when it was RDECOM, began the SNT Reviews that I’m sure most of you are familiar with and look forward to each and every year. (audience laughing) Challenging, challenging day, sitting in the Pentagon going through SNT Reviews. And, of course, the transition from RDECOM to CCDC, and the transition during the stand up of Army’s Future Command. And in every case, Cedric has done a phenomenal job, and been a phenomenal Teammate for me and everybody as part of the AFC Team, and I sincerely appreciate that, Cedric. And transitions can go one of two ways. They can be disruptive or they can be productive. And the judgment of that is, in the eyes of a lot of people, I judge it as completely productive, and that is almost solely due to the leadership of Cedric Wins. His steady hand ensured that CCDC continued to produce the technologies and the equipment that our Soldiers need. And Cedric, you didn’t miss a beat in Corps Functions, and to keep up both the pace of change and the reputation of this great Command requires determined and exceptional leadership, and you were all of that. And to fill that role, I asked for, and the Army approved, Major General John George to replace Cedric Wins. I’ve also known John for a long time, and Shannon, Jane sends her regards, and I think you probably talk to her more than I do. And we could not have found not only a better Commander, but a better Command Team to lead this great organization. They’re coming in an exciting time, as I said, change will continue to happen. The ask of this community, of this organization, AFC writ large will continue to be large, but he comes down from, up the road from us, just down the road at Fort Eustis. And I do think John is the right person at this time, because I do see value in the linkages between what goes on at Fort Eustis and what goes on here at APG. The linkage of concepts to technologies, concepts driving you to innovation, and your innovations driving future concepts, I think is one of the most critical things that we can contribute to our Army. So in conclusion, the dedication, passion, and sheer brain power represented in this room today is CCDC. It is the heart and soul of this organization, it is the reputation of this organization, and I have absolute confidence in this Team and faith in what you’re able to do. It’s been my honor and my privilege, not my right, to be a small part of your Team, and to lead AFC for the last year. Your work has and will continue to not only impact our Soldiers, but also our children, and our grandchildren, and as a matter of fact, our entire nation. Thank you for what you do each and every day. Thank you for your effort, your dedication, your steadfast loyalty to the United States Army. God bless America, God bless our Army, and thank you very much.
[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, the outgoing Commanding General, Major General Cedric T. Wins.
All right, good morning, everyone. (audience replies) To the out stations, good morning to you as well. Can’t hear me, no response. (audience laughing) All right. So, I just wanted to say good morning, and thank each and every one of you for comin’ and takin’ part in this Change of Command. It is a big deal for AFC and for CCDC as an organization. I won’t go through the list of very senior attendees, but just, needless to say, since it was already done during the introduction, I just wanna thank you for being here. It means a lot to have you here to recognize this Command and this organization of great people, and so I really appreciate you all being here. I’d also like to recognize my fellow General Officers, those members of the Senior Executive Service, and ladies, and gentlemens, and friends of CCDC, and Team APG as well. General Murray, knowin’ full well how busy your schedule is, I’m personally grateful that you could be present here today and to host this event, and to allow the colors to be passed from me to you. And I wasn’t tryin’ to hold on to the colors, or anything like that, just so you know. (audience laughing) (chuckles) So by now I’m sure you know that General Murray is the First Commanding General of the Army’s Futures Command. He is not, however, the first Commander that I’ve reported to since taking Command. In fact, he’s the third. And that’s pretty rare, when you think about the opportunity to have worked for three Four-Stars on one Command Tour. More often than not, if rotations of leaders are occurring like that, it’s because the Four-Star is gettin’ rid of one, or two, or three of the Commanders. So, that’s not the case here. (audience laughing) I’d like to first thank General Dennis Via, who placed trust in me to lead this organization, and putting me in command of what was then RDECOM. And then also General Gus Perna, who challenged me to operationalize RDECOM, and gave a clear set of guidance, and as clear a guidance as you could get, and reinforced the Commander’s role in leading this very unique organization. And then as we transition from AMC to AFC, he defined how the Command’s RND Alignment would help shape the Army’s Modernization Efforts. And then last, of course, was General Murray, who counted on CCDC to be the foundation of AFC, and to continue to execute our mission through four key lines of effort: integrated technology development, talent management and infrastructure, integrated business processes, and strategic communications. These mission areas and tasks set us on a path to continue to deliver for the Army through transparency and collaboration. To my fellow APG Commanders, PEOs, CFT Directors, thank you all for being here. Your participation confirms for me the significance of today’s event and adds a personal element I will always remember. Rarely does a day go by when I don’t make note or make an observation in a meeting, in a briefing, in a conversation, about your character, your candor, your professionalism, and how impactful it’s been on me each and every day as I strive to do better as a leader. Now, you may notice that I’m thankin’ everyone for participating, not just simply attending. And that’s on purpose. Together, we represent the trust, transparency, and teamwork the Army needs to modernize a clear set of Modernization Priorities to get capabilities in the hands of Soldiers. To the Soldiers, Non-Commissioned Officers, Officers, DA civilians of CCDC, through your committed efforts, our Command is more of a Team than ever before. Speakin’ of Teams, everyone knows how much I like sports and sports analogies. ‘Course, after yesterday’s luncheon, I’m not too sure I didn’t murder quite a few of ’em. (audience laughing) But growing up playing high school and college sports, I had the opportunity to be around tremendous coaches who stressed the importance of Team. One of those great coaches, Morgan Wootten, would constantly remind his players, “There’s no ‘I’ in Team.” Now, the great Michael Jordan would say, “But there is in win.” (audience laughing) But you still gotta have a Team to get there. Nonetheless, one of the important things sports and the Army have taught me, is that Teams are not just defined by who’s just present. Teams are defined by who takes part, who participates as a cohesive Unit, giving their very best to make things better. Today is a milestone that’s routinely occurred over the Army and the Army’s history, where the Change of Command means thanking those who helped you succeed, and giving advice to the person who takes the flag. I’ve already passed on many insights that I have to Major General John George. Many of you don’t know, but this is the third job that John has followed me into. (audience laughing) And I can’t thank him enough for stepping into my shoes once again and cleanin’ up another mess that I’ve made. (audience laughing) The list of who’s helped me through this time has to start with this incredible CCDC workforce. Everything this Command has accomplished was only possible through your expertise, your dedication, your commitment, to making our War Fighters more lethal and effective, and giving them the best opportunity to come home safely to their loved ones. You all have been all in from the start, no matter the challenge, or the narrative that talked about your prior successes or your prior failures. It’s been a great honor and a fulfilling culmination to my career to lead such a talented group of people. You really do give our Soldiers an advantage no Soldier on the planet enjoys. And so next, I wanna thank my Directors of the CCDC Centers and Labs who lead this workforce. There are many ways I could characterize the relationships that a Commanding General of this organization has with his Directors, ’cause they’re all Tier One and Tier Two SESs. But the word I would use today is the word “passionate”. They’re passionate as they gave their support to my vision, and equally passionate when they advocated for their Centers and their Labs. And what they were most passionate about, and I thank them for the most, was simply leading their Teams. Each of you all stands front and center of a formation of thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians, and staff who need strong leadership during this time of unprecedented change for this community. And so each and every one of you have my gratitude. I’m especially grateful because of the last three years that brought a number of challenges that we would not have accomplished had we not recognized the need to come together. For example, we conducted one of the largest SNT Realignments in history, over $1.8 billion in Resource Realignment, and 14,000 personnel moving from one Four-Star Command to another. This shift is perhaps second only to when this Command stood up as RDECOM. And I believe the Army will see the benefits of those changes for years to come. Having a unified Team getting after a set of focused Modernization Priorities, we all agree was a critical component that was missing from recent past efforts to modernize. Well, now comes the hard part. Staying the course in the face of inevitable change and uncertainty. No matter the challenge, I’m confident CCDC will quickly adapt and continue to deliver for the Army and the Joint War Fighter as long as each of you continues to rely on trust, transparency, and grow a sense of teamwork. Our Headquarters Staff here in particular, you did just that as you took on three roles simultaneously. Our daily mission, supporting the standup of AFC, and helping CCDC emerge from RDECOM. During that time, we continue to move forward in three areas. Our campaign plan, developing science and technology strategies, and crafting new relationships. Successes in these areas span a wide range. For example, we expanded our strategic engagements to include partnerships with multiple universities, but particularly, our Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and our minority serving institutions. And it’s just one Modernization example. The development of work that is ongoing for the strategic long range cannon, the CCDC Team continues to collaborate with a range of partners from industry, industry partners in Michigan, and to Navy partners in Dahlgren, Virginia. In the field of Direct Support of the War Fighter, we have developed Rapid Development Capabilities like the Radio Inner Operability Cable, a cable that enables real time secure communications between the Army and our coalition partners. And it was built right here on APG, and Soldier-tested in Korea. Those are just a few examples that show CCDC’s range, be it in partnerships, the expertise to develop and build what the Army needs, or the ties to the Operational Force to test it out. I could literally spend the rest of the day talking about the incredible work that’s done here, and every part of this Command that is truly unique. But it’s now time to pass on a few final thoughts to the new Commander John George and take my place among the past Commanders. At the time when I assumed Command, my predecessor, John Wharton, referred to RDECOM, its Centers and its Labs, as a national treasure. And I didn’t appreciate what he meant back then, but I do now. CCDC, you are a national treasure. And without a doubt, as far as Commands go, CCDC is unique. But it requires nothing more than leaders who can define for its uniquely talented workforce a vision and a focus that will allow them to continue to build on a growing list of successes, to develop, deliver, and discover technologies that produce capabilities for our War Fighters. To quote General Colin Powell, “Leadership is all about people. “It’s not about plans, it’s not about strategies, “it’s about people. “Motivating people to get the job done. “You have to be people-centered.” John, you’ve assumed Command of people who truly will help you see the future as a reality. One part of your Team is doing engineering support for our current field capabilities, while another is designing those for the next generation. And even yet another part of the Team is discovering technologies that will go into the generation after that. How they succeed in putting capabilities into the hands of Soldiers will be the story that you have to tell on their behalf. If you’re lucky, as I’ve been over a long tour of Command, I promise you will leave without having gotten to a few Labs, a few test benches, a few ranges, where the Team is doing things in the Army that no one else can do. But in the places you do visit, you will see incredible work being done that will help you and the other Army leaders see visions of the future such as a robotic combat vehicle being tele-operated from thousands of miles apart, or Soldiers who can see inside and around a building without exposing themselves to enemy fire, to take out that same enemy. And as you see these innovative, cutting-edge ideas being developed, you will be reminded that each and every one of these efforts is done by a talented and integrated Team of scientists, engineers, and even technicians, with a variety of competencies, that have all come together to give our War Fighters the best technology that they can. It’s always bittersweet to hand over Command, but I’m confident you and CCDC will continue to deliver for our Army as one whole organization. Our partners in industry, academia, and internationally, value the opportunity to work with us. More than ever, they’ve embraced those partnerships to leverage our technology, and the knowledge to produce capability. So when they see that CCDEVCOM logo, they know that with that comes a technology design with the War Fighter in mind, and what he or she needs to be the most lethal, the most dominant on the battlefield, and to be able to fight and win. I’ll be watching with great satisfaction knowin’ that my old CCDC Team and its teammates and partners are still forging the future for the greatest Army in the world. Thank you, John, and best of luck to you and Shannon. Thank you, General Murray, and thank everyone. I’m confident I leave the Command as I found it. Technology driven, War Fighter focused. Army strong.
[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, the Commanding General of the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Major General John A. George.
So, we did this twice already, I’ll try it again. Good morning. (audience replies) That was pretty good. Distinguished guests, family, friends, mom and dad, and I have to get a shout out to my USMA classmates, the legendary, no task too great, ’88. (audience cheering) All right, great. That was weak. 88, no task too great? (audience shouts) Okay. (audience laughing) That beat Navy. (audience laughing) I’m honored to be here, and I know in my heart that I truly am privileged today to join Army Futures Command Combat Capabilities Development Command. And I know that I credit all the good things that come in life to the Lord, and I’m really thankful for this opportunity to be a part of CCDC. General Murray, thank you for trusting me with this Command. I’m fortunate to continue under your proven leadership. I’m only sorry that Jane couldn’t be here to be with us. Shannon and I certainly appreciate your mentoring, your encouragement, and the opportunity to serve with you again. And I also believe it was you that told me never to miss an opportunity to thank my wife, so I’m gonna do that right up front here. (audience laughing) So right up front, I wanna say, Shannon, yep. Or your mom. (audience laughing) So right up front, I just wanna say, Shannon, thank you for being my battle buddy, for being as excited as I am about this Command, joining a really a world renowned CCDC, your support to me means everything, so thank you. (audience applauding) For my sons, John, Andy, Brady, Garrett, we’ve come a long way together, I appreciate your support. I mean, I remember fighting with you, I think it was probably a Major or Lieutenant Colonel promotion just to get you to wear a belt. (audience laughing) And now look at you, look at these guys sittin’ there in their suits. They look sharp. And so Brady, my middle son, is in Maui on Facetime. It’s probably just after 4:00 a.m. there, so we won’t ask what he’s wearing at this time. (audience laughing) But Brady, we miss you. I also wanna just take an opportunity to thank Miss Azalea Viaz, what incredible job. And I know already that you’re somebody that can be relied on. Major Promotable Jeremy Rogers, Colonel T. Harris, and countless others that put this whole thing together this morning. (audience applauding) These don’t just happen. So thank you for that. Also, your flexibility, because we have made quite a few changes to get where we are this morning. You guys are really great. Cedric and Cassandra Wins, thank you for being an exceptional Command Team, thanks for your friendship, and I, too, am thankful to be able to follow in your footsteps once again. Thanks. (audience applauding) So class of ’88, it’s empowering, and really humbling, to have you all here. Got a good group of folks from ’88 class. I have to say, our class is probably the most supportive, unified, and generally full of good will toward each other, of any class that I know. I’m honored by your presence, and thankful for each of you. I’m thankful, I’m actually thankful that there won’t be a pass and review, because the class has a reputation (audience laughing) with passing and reviews. And so you know, it was really about 32 years ago, probably four days ago, that President Ronald Reagan joined us, the class of ’88, for lunch. You all will remember, Greg Laos was on one side, Patty Apfel-George was on the other side in Washington Hall, and several of you all in the room are probably really happy that he gave us amnesty that day. That was what everybody cheered for, but more importantly for all of us, President Reagan’s comments really foreshadowed optimistically what, in just two years later, we would see the Wall fall. We actually saw the world change. The Wall came down. So amnesty was cool, but the Wall falling was actually a little cooler. More cool. To the remarkable men and women of CCDC, to some degree, I feel like I kinda already know you, ’cause we’ve been workin’ together for a bit under this new Army Futures Command, this endeavor that we’re all on. And I just have to say, I’ve always been impressed with the depth of your knowledge, and your expertise, in whether its a scientific, or technological field, also your enthusiasm, your outright commitment to giving our War Fighters what they need. Even as recent as the AUSA Conference just a couple weeks ago, I had an opportunity to listen to the leads for the ERCA, the Extended Range Cannon Artillery, and the 50 millimeter cannon. The two leads were there briefing. And I left confident after hearing them that we have the right talent to deliver what the Army needs. There was also a First Sergeant there, First Sergeant Caruso, from the Soldier Center up in Natick, Massachusetts, briefing some of their initiatives to improve the lethality and protection of our Soldiers. He was so impressive. In fact, he’s here today, in the back, First Sergeant Caruso. So when you leave, if you have an opportunity, stop by and see First Sergeant Caruso and the other experts in the back that’re gonna be able to talk to you about what they’re doin’, and hear about their technologies. I think that you will be very impressed. (audience applauding) Now, just to do a little thinking, thinkin’ about where we were in time back in the 70s and 80s with this thing called Modernization that we were tryin’ to get right then. Today, we are with Multi-Domain Operations, our current war fighting concept, where General Starry was back in the 70s with AirLand Battle, the Army Operating Concept that was under development then. And so, what an opportunity sits at our doorsteps. In the 70s and 80s through the development of the Big Five, the Enablers, the creation of the most dominant land force, through great power competition then in the Cold War with strategic and operational deterrence, the nation of ours actually shattered the walls of communism. This nation of ours changed the world. And who can comprehend what the alternative might have been? That era of technological advancement and innovation delivered what our War Fighters needed for AirLand Battle. And, that Army, with AirLand Battle, fundamentally changed the world. So yes, stealing from my old boss, General Wesley, we are about the change the world. We have Unity of Command, we’ve got Multi-Domain Operations, we have Unity of Effort under Army Futures Command, we have a new Modernization Strategy, and we have world-class scientists, engineers, and professionals in this CCDC working to deliver the foundational technologies needed for future generations to remain the dominant force in this world. A force that one day, probably with an unknown, unexpected, and unanticipated situation, will require that dominant force with these new capabilities. And that force once again, I’m sure, and we’re all confident, will change the world. We, CCDC, will deliver the foundational technologies that our Army will need. I’m a believer, and I believe that we will deliver what is needed. I’m so proud today to join your Team, the CCDC Team. Thank you very much.
[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and remain standing for the singing of the Army song, and the departure of the Official Party. The lyrics are in today’s program. (“The Army Song”) ♪ March along ♪ ♪ Sing our song ♪ ♪ We’re the Army of the free ♪ ♪ Count the brave ♪ ♪ Count the true ♪ ♪ Who have fought to victory ♪ ♪ We’re the Army and proud of our name ♪ ♪ We’re the Army and proudly proclaim ♪ ♪ First to fight for the right ♪ ♪ And to build the nation’s might ♪ ♪ And the Army goes rolling along ♪ ♪ Proud of all we have done ♪ ♪ Fighting ’til the battle’s won ♪ ♪ And the Army goes rolling along ♪ ♪ And it’s hi, hi, hey ♪ ♪ The Army’s on its way ♪ ♪ Count off the cadence proud and strong ♪ ♪ For where e’er we go ♪ ♪ You will always know ♪ ♪ That the Army goes rolling along ♪ (marching music)