Mr. Robert Thurston is appointed to the Senior Executive Service during a socially-distanced promotion ceremony at the Pentagon. Thurston is assuming the position of Director of Enterprise Support, Army DCS, G-4.
Transcript
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending the ceremonies today for Mr. Robert J. Thurston appointment to the Senior Executive Service. The Senior Executive Service is made up of the men and women charged with leading the continuing transformation of government. These leaders possess well honed executive skills and share a broad perspective on government in a public service commitment that is grounded in the Constitution. The keystone of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 was the designation of the Senior Executive Service as a core of executive selected for their leadership qualifications, not their technical expertise. The Senior Executive Service was established to ensure that the executive management of the government of the United States is responsive to the needs, policies and goals of the nation and his otherwise of the highest quality members of the Senior Executive Service serving key positions just below top presidential appointees and alongside general officers. Senior Executive Service members are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the federal workforce. They operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 federal agencies. At this time, Dr Nelson Williams will give the invocation. Let us right Heavenly Father. We’ve come to ask your blessings upon this senior executive service promotion ceremony in honor of Mr Robert Thurston as he enters this next chapter in his life and career. Restructure blessings continue to be upon him and his family as he advances forward. Help him to think clearly without confusion, to speak honestly without rancor, to debate without division, and to decide courageously without contention. Lord, as we acknowledge you, we ask that you direct his pay. God is decisions and grant him the wisdom, tenacity and grace for every new challenge. Be always with him as he carries out the duties if it’s a leadership role, so that by his alive and teaching heart your truth and peace maybe no, even in the midst of unknown variables giving patients and vision and dessert, we thank you for every soldier, civilian and mental who came alongside to contribute to this moment in time and certainly with thank you for his family and all who are present here today and watching online to celebrate this wonderful occasion. Finally, we thank you for the soldiers and civilians of this United States Army and the honor we all share a servants of our nation. We thank you for inspiring this nourish Innis and uniting us as a community of peacemakers committed to work together for a better future for the United States of America and help us always to receive your blessings. With Thanksgiving, may our hearts be stirred to remember all of the mercies and love towards us in the precious name of your son Jesus, we pray, Let everyone say, man, Mr William or the assistant deputy secretary of the G for the senior SCS in the G four will now give his remarks. Well, good afternoon, Esther. Thank you for making it, Robert. Thank you for making and I mean that not only literally, but figuratively making it to the SCS code. That’s that’s an incredibly awesome day. Um, I’m known Robert for many, many years. I think he was a CW four when I first met him, and I was probably a GS 15 back in. Those times were working. Some of the challenges were still kind of working, but that’s OK. He is ah meant toward me, and I have meant toward him back a little bit. So we have We have had shared mentorship which is, Ah, the way it should be. And I’ve watched him grow as a ah as a Department of Army civilian and become orm or proficient at what he did tried to help him along. It’s been it’s been a long journey, but he has done everything I’ve asked him to do to become the best that he can be as an Army civilian. And now he’s like, reached the pinnacle, the Army SCS core keeping man that that is when you when you do the numbers, is give or take, 300,000 Army civilians counting both appropriated fourth appropriated funded folks. Nah, folks wage grade gs. And it’s, um and we have a more or less 240 or so Army s CSS. So that’s 2400.1 of 1% of the population of the Department of Army civilians that Robert has just reached that group fairly elite group with a lot of ah responsibility that comes with that. So we’re and I’m sure the balls to talk about that here in a few minutes. And he, uh, he also did something. What I think is a bit unique. He made the leap from GS 15 more or less the equivalent of a colonel when you compared it a military sad to a tier two SCS, which is ah, which really has responsibilities equivalent more or less with a two star general. So that’s a big leap, Robert. You gotta And we’ve talked a lot about that leap. I did a similar thing way back earlier in my career, and ah, and it’s a learning curve. So Ah, so best of luck to you there, Robert. Just remember, there are five what we call executive core qualifications that every SCS has to live up to. And ah, and were judged by that both to make it to the grade. So OPM actually had to sort if I Robert as worthy based against these five criteria and and he will be judged in his performance against those 52 criteria, and I’ll just run him off real quick. You have to be able to lead change and more now than ever. We have to lead change. You’ve got to leave people. And you know, the intricacies of leading people was very important. You’ve got to be able to manage. Resource is we call it business acumen. But it’s really about managing. Resource is, and you’ve gotta have a network. You’ve gotta build coalitions to get things over the finish line. And finally, you will be judged in the results that you drive. And, uh and I am absolutely confident you’re gonna drive some great results in this role is the G 46. And maybe you want to greater things for the army downstream, but well deserved. You’ve worked hard for it. So you go through the defense Senior Leader Development program. So you take the sacrifice and leave the family for a while. Teoh do senior service college. And I think this is the fruits of your labor, and I wish you the very best. And, uh, and I’m always there if you need anything for me and I’ll probably reaching out for a little bit more mentorship from you as well along the way. So that let’s get on with it. Thanks. 10. A. General Dwayne Gamble, deputy Chief of staff G four, will now give remarks followed by administering the oath of office to Mr Thurston and presenting him with his SCS certificate. Thanks. So good afternoon. The whole G 14. Thanks for coming joining those that made it down here in person and those out on Facebook and Vtc land. Thanks so much for violent into this ceremony. So it’s a huge day for the Thurston family and again, thanks for being here to share it with Thurston family. But I would tell you it’s a bigger day for the Army because Robert Thurston is absolutely the right person at the right time in this job. And I just I think you know what The end of the day I don’t want diminish the joy you and your family feel the pride. Ah, stare fields and your daughters and your son feel. But I’m telling you, it’s it’s mission first people always. It’s always been that way in the Army, and this is a this a bigger deal for the army than then Maybe Robert, you and a stair can even imagine. In my short time here, I’ve seen the true power of the right people in the right job, and not because I showed up. Trust me, but I mean Dr Williams, right back to field maintenance. He’s thriving and field maintenance do toe Vicks. Dr Rahm Dasa’s leadership. I mean, there’s countless examples of getting if we get the right person in the right job, yet they not only thrive but the organization thrives. Derek Candler. It just happened to walk in. He’s crushing it. And you know, he’s an Air Force guy, right? Crushing it in, ah, trans policy, right? I mean, the right person right job is absolutely, absolutely what we need to do. And we managed talent to do that. And you’ve all the directors of all managed talent that you know to get the right person right job and I can go. I mean, there’s five more examples I give you right now about people who either are were in the right job when I showed up, or directors have moved them around where we collectively move them around and the difference in their performance the wet best I can tell by talking to him their satisfaction and, more importantly, outputs they produce for the army, Um, has been remarkable, remarkable unpalatable change. So why’d y Why my convinced Mr Thurston the right person right job, not only because he’s got a tremendous army story, right? Grew up in the army. I didn’t start out that way. graduate from college. He was teaching English in Spain, where he met his wonderful wife. Then he joined the Army list in the Army to pay you pay off his college debt. Hey, liked what he was doing, and he made it CW for 20 years. And then he became a D a civilian. 2006. And he’s been slogging through, you know, for the last 15 years as a D a civilian and alleys Risen Teoh what Mr Mawr described, you know, the highest ranks. But I did the math bill. Right? I know you said you can do the math. I did it right. I didn’t do it right. Gretchen did it. But the there are 1208 career. SCS is in the Army, 1208. I don’t know what you said, but the truth is, it’s 1208. Now, You probably you were only off because of the political appointees, so I’m not. You were right, but And there are 239,500 dax, right? So I’m I fat fingered it. When I did, the calculate pulled out. The calculator did do that yourself. It’s 0.5 It’s not even a point if you round up its 0.0.1 point 005 s o. I think that’s pretty impressive in the role Mr Moore described. Right? Connecting right presidential appointees to the rest of the department, the Army, civilian corps and to soldiers and other leaders is absolutely decisive work. Ah, and not without, you know, a lot of, you know, politics to navigate, right? Not literally, but figuratively. Right. You know, we have toe understand the environment. Um, so Robert had the potential Clearly. So how do you get selected? Well, panel met, right? I want anybody think, you know, Roberts appointment this yesterday is, you know, the product of nepotism or something. A panel met reviewed all available candidates. As I understand it, I don’t know who sat the panel. Honestly, Don’t. Um, but all gs 15 supplied. No, SCS is applied for the job. Um, to the panel. Then referred to are two names to me. And I interviewed them both, and I asked him three questions. Three simple questions. They weren’t really even questions. A Tell me about your family. And that’s how I know Robert Wright not because today we’re prepping for this, but because one interview to me told me about his family. So he has two daughters. A son where they live, you know, very proud of his family. Um, told me about his army story, right? How he he was in Spain teaching school. We met his wonderful wife in Granada, Spain. Uh, and you know the rest of the story, talking about his army career right? And how his wife and his family stood by him. You’re making me choke up, right? I must be allergic to your perfume or something. Eso, uh, you know, as his wife stood by, it enabled his career, his military career, And as she’s, she and her family stood by and enabled his civilian career eso for that. Thanks a stare for you in the family for what you’ve done to enable Robert and his service to our country. And then I asked him about I said, Tell me about your leader. How would you describe your leadership style on? He went on to describe his leadership style when he hit all the points. And Oh, by the way, did this one vtc Because the other person I was interviewing when I was doing by Vtc and I wanted to be his level playing field as possible. Um, they told me about his leadership Stahle and he hit all the high points. Every everything we want in the culture, in here in the G four, frankly, of culture in our Army, Right. Careful people mission first people always Those are my words, not his. But he had all the things, the thoughtful, caring type leadership that that I try to hold myself accountable for on I hold everybody else accountable for us. Well, on then the last thing I said is tell me I didn’t ask him about his vision on the RPS or some strategic thing. I just I said, Tell me, Tell me what? Your thoughts on E. R. P s right the portfolio he’s responsible for now. Today, uh, now we’re about to appoint him, and he talked about the outputs. I’ll screw it up because he’s much more particular to me. But he said something like, uh, AARP’s aren’t important. What’s important is, you know, we’re fighting right is how they support war fighting, right? So when he’s talking, I’m checking all the blocks that I think are important. That was the end of the interview. And then what? At the end of the day, you know, I compared the two candidates that were presented to me, and it was clear to me that Robert Thurston is the right man for the right for this job at this time. And that’s taken away from nobody else that either competed that I don’t know their names were the other person who had the privilege of interviewing. But trust me when I tell you Robert is the right man at the right time for this job, and I am just absolutely thrilled for what that does for Army. What is gonna do to Robert? Because he obviously loves what he does. He loves the people he works with. It’s pretty clear to me he appears to be thriving in that job. I hope he is s stare. If he doesn’t, you need Call me, tell me but what he’s delivered for the Army with old G 48 team and by extension, the G four is delivered to the army because his leadership is really, really, really terrific close by telling you that he’s joining a team of directors in the G four. I’ve said this before, but there’s people here that haven’t heard me say something’s gonna repeat myself. I know, right? I am convinced I actually I don’t think. But I believe that we have the strongest cohort of directors in the G four that I’ve ever seen. Uh, I’ll just tell you with No, I didn’t. I meant today to go down and look at the wall in Roberts. Officer, make sure to insult anybody or make sure that I I have made a fully informed comment. But I’ll tell you anyway, I didn’t do that. But I’m gonna say it anyway. I believe Robert is will be the best G 48 we’ve ever had. 46. Part me. Laura is the best G 48. We ever the best your G 46 we ever had, right? I honestly believe it. We’ve had quality people in that job in years past, but I’m convinced we’ve never had the right person at the right time in the right job. Were entering a really tough time for army in your piece. The future of er pieces uncertain in the army right? We don’t know. We absolutely don’t know. We can’t see. We kind of have an idea where we want to go. Uh, but, you know, within this, you know, there’s this theory If we’re here today in the future, we look through an aperture of the future, and it’s kind of a cone, right vision on its uncertain It’s, you know, somebody termed it. I can’t remember who the cone of uncertainty and it would leaders do is provide They can’t provide certainty, right? None of none of the leaders. Despite the greatness that exists in the G four in all our five directors in the division chiefs that work for him, nobody can. Nobody can provide absolute certainty, right? I mean, maybe Dr Williams know somebody that can, uh, but right, we’ll figure that. Help talk to that personal Sunday morning, But but nobody in the G four. No, no, human being on this Earth can provide absolute certainty in that cone of uncertainty. But what leaders can do is provide envelopes a clarity inside that that cone of uncertainty and Roberts already brought that to bear. He’s been doing this job for over a year. It’s absolutely moving the ball. The synergy between him and all the the other directors and other directors and him is really a thrill to watch every day. So I hope I’ve convention. We got the right man for the right job. Even see me afterwards and I’ll give you more. But out, Saul in by telling you that how proud I am a Robert I know was stare. You’re proud of him? Um, I know Mr Morris. Proud of him too. I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that today’s Mr Morris last day. So if you lose your money, shake him down right after this. He’s moving off the Decca. Uh, but here in front of us is at the most senior SCS in the G four and the most junior SCS in the G four and everybody else. All the other SCS is an arrest of us fit somewhere in between those two gentlemen sitting in front of you. And so if those of the book ends right, we’re in pretty good hands. That’s my belief. All right, let’s get your sworn in. Where or over True? Never. Right. All right, well, store working. All right. There’s doing your pen. My Spanish. Over. No. At this time, Mr Moore will now present Mr Thurston with his SCS flag. Ladies and gentlemen, the newest SCS in the department defense. Mr. Robert J. Thurston will now give remarks, sir. First of all, thank you all for coming today. Um, you know, it’s ah, it’s a special day for our family. It’s a special day for all of us. So really, where I want to stars like, last Thursday. So last Thursday, I was working like I do every single day, and I got a phone call. It turned out the phone call was from the civilian senior leader management office. And so I was somewhat excited because I expect been expecting to hear from them. And, Ah, the gentleman on the other end. He asked me if I was ready and, uh, because you had news, and I was thinking Okay, I think I’m ready. And then I’m thinking to myself, he’s gonna tell me one or two things. He’s either gonna tell me. Congratulations. Where is going to tell me? I probably need to redo my isa cues. And so what he told me was congratulations. Your excuse made it past OPM. Uh, if Mr More and General Gamble agree, uh, you’ll be an SCS on to August. And I was like to August, and I looked at the calendar and like that Sunday because, well, that’s the start of the pay period. Obviously the pitting today’s exciting and I thank you both for saying the importance of doing it. But I thought to myself when he told me to August, I was like, Man, Darn, that was really easy, didn’t it? Wasn’t that hard to get here at all, But the reality is it couldn’t be further from the truth. I mean, we have, ah been a law growed together, our family and I and our life that we spent in the army along that road. There are a lot of folks that you know, I definitely need to think, you know, starting off today, Dr Williams, I’d like to thank you for your inspirational words. You and I have known each other for several years, so Israel special that you could come out and do that today and I greatly appreciate it there always inspirational and uplifting. Sir. General Gamble. Thank you so much. Thank you for time out today. Out of your day. Thank you for your vote of confidence in my ability and my potential. And I couldn’t be more excited to be a partner with my fellow directors and the team here in G four because I think we’ve got a lot of great things ahead of us, and we’re gonna get a lot of great things done. Uh, Mr Moore, sir. You know, I think you said it better than I d could, but thank you so much. I mean, we have worked yeah, together for several years, and we’ve known each other for several years, and we’ve been through good times, bad times, and I don’t know about me mentoring you, but I know definitely you mentored me, Shoot me out once or twice, to but that’s OK, but if anyone that worked with Mr Moore, he’s still smiling when he chews you out, you know, you such a nice guy. Um, And now you’re headed off to go take the lead of the defense commissary agency. And you know, now I think about it. You know, I’ve worked for you for all those years, but as a veteran, I think ironically, you may be working for me now, right? And so, um, there’s a There’s a fruit in southern Spain is called a chewed emolia. It’s an exotic fruit. My wife can tell you how you could get, but if you could get those into the commissary, we’d appreciate it. But ah, and I also like to thank the entire team. Major Ehlers, Colonel Scarpitti Gretchen. For all the work that you did hear Colonel English Lee from the leg because it takes a lot to put this on. And also thank all the people that have joined us today that are linked in through Facebook in other forms of media. And in that I’ve got some folks linked in throughout your career. You don’t ever get anywhere by yourself. You know, I reached out after I found out the news, and I said it might be the first email. I said, besides talking to my wife, I sent to Ah, Lieutenant General retired Mitch Stevenson and Mr Tom Edwards. I worked with both those gentlemen for years and and they’re linked in today. Gentlemen, good afternoon is great. Working for years, you know, I hit Send on the email to General Stevenson, if you’ve ever worked with him no sooner had gotten into the Ethernet, he had already responded back and said, Congratulations. I thought to myself, That was quick. And then I was like, Now, Well, wait a second. That’s General Stevenson. And, you know, if you ever worked with him, it was great. Always communication. And then, um, Mr Edwards, the first time I ever met Mr Edwards was I came back to Fort Lee, Virginia, when I was in uniform. It was early on during something called velocity management that the Army was doing. And, ah, you know, we’re all soldiers. And they told us later on the afternoon there’s a gentleman that’s gonna be coming in. He’s the deputy commanding general at Fort Lee. He’s a senior executive. He’s an SCS, and I’m thinking SCS what are they? I’ve always been in the field army. I mean, I’ve never really been exposed to An s. Yes, but he was such a great leader and inspired me over the years to other folks I’d like to mention also is a Miss Modell plumber. Miss Modell, Plumber was a senior executive service member up here in 2006. And she’s actually the 1st 1 that hired me when I transitioned from the army as an active duty soldier to a civil servant and I learned quite a bit from her. And then she was followed by a Mr Finicum who also is linked in today who falls Miss Plummer when she came back from Europe. So thank you for joining today. And finally, thanks to all of my fellow coworkers and everybody that’s linked in, you know, you really don’t get here by yourself. Mr. More mentioned I was in the defense Senior Leader Development Program. I’m Cohort 2015. I see Rich Stone out here in the audience. So you sue out there in Ah, I’m glad you folks could make it. And I know folks are linked and also a group of about 30 of us. And if I’m counting correctly, I am the third person to become S es Su was the 1st 1 and Sue actually got pinned SCS before we even finished the program. And she’s in the navy, um, and the other gentleman’s and works with honesty. But I can I can rest assure, and I’m positive I won’t be the last because they are a group of outstanding professionals and leaders. Then finally, my family, you know, this is where you get choked up a little bit, I guess. Uh, Nicole and Andrea, my oldest daughter and her spouse there. Lincoln from Virginia Beach with our granddaughter Sloane, whose nine months? Melissa and Chris. And they’re also linked in from Virginia Beach with our granddaughter to Henley, who’s four, and Tommy, who’s two years old, and my son Robert and his fiancee. Their schedule be married. Morgan. They’re linked in from Richmond, Virginia. Thank you for everything. And I love you all so much. Um, also linked in, or my brother Bill and my sister and from New York. I also have my mother and father, my sister J and my uncle Deck that are linked in from heaven, you know, because social media is a great thing, but I know they’re looking down, and they’ll be very proud in my art signer and cousins and nieces and nephews and I also have family linked in from Spain, which is great, which is sort of anything, asi que I mean four million a spaniel or scared of the Syria cave man can tumultuous the emperor Start downstairs. Equine No. Stamos in a coma in 19 c were okay, Every mostly e approximate of escape a lame off and then finally the love of my life. 38 years with my wife s stare and we’ve been married for 36 years and we’ve been on going on our 35th year in the Army and, you know, we were in the Army active duty, and we’re still in the Army as a department of the Army civilian. And I’m really you proud of that. And his general gamble said when I first met my wife and we never discussed about joining the Army and I did meet her in Spain and we came back the United States and she said to me I had this book show up at the house and it was like, this thick, you know, they have, you know, they didn’t send thing. She goes, What’s that? And I was like, I guess that’s my loan repayment book and she because you never told me you load all that money and I remember that the army, when I was in college, came to me and said. We’re always looking for linguists. So I came in the Army, actually to be a linguist. I signed up, I took the test. I got approval to go out to the language school out in Monterey, California. I was gonna learn another language that already spoke. I knew how to speak Spanish, and so I figured I was going to four years in the Army and maybe join the United Nations or do something like that. And so I got the basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and I’m standing there, you know, in attention as you do PFC. Thurston. And this drill sergeant calls me out, and that’s never good. And so as I came running out, he was like, PFC. Thurston, you need to go see this sergeant right here. And I’m like, OK, Sergeant. And so I went to see him again. We’ve got a problem, and I’m like, What’s the problem? Sergeant goes Well, we found out your wife is a resident, but she’s not a US citizen yet. You cannot get the clearance that you need to do the job that you were supposed to do, and I was like what I do sergeant and goes, Well, you’ve got three choices. Your first choice. Divorce your wife. That’s what I said. And he said, You think you think this is funny? Private? And I was like, No, Sergeant, because you’re darn right. It’s not funny. I said, Well, what’s my next choice? Because you can get out of the Army because your contracts, no on void now we had just come back to the United States after teaching English, and that was something that was an emotional experience where my wife’s parents, you know, here’s my wife leaving Spain, all brothers and sisters and they were like, Are you sure you want to do this? You have a good job. My wife never asked, You know, said, I don’t want She’s like, wherever you’re going, Robert, I’m going. And so I do. Divorce Inner wasn’t the option. I also knew I just set my wife in newborn daughter back to Spain when I went to basic training, so I was like It’s not an option for me getting out of the army and it was like, What’s my last option? He said. Well, you have to pick a new job, but I’ll tell you what? You gotta pick a job that Onley or that ends the same time that basic training does because we don’t want you around here and you don’t want to be around here. So he sticks in a videotape in the TV and he gives me two options. A smokescreen specialist, which I didn’t like that I didn’t like the way that looked at all. This guy was fixing something smoke and stuff, and, uh, in the other option was a material warehouse handling specialist. Sergeant Major knows back in those days it was a 76 victor. I wasn’t even a 76 popular Victor’s or like they could only count to 10. So I guess that’s why did good in the beginning. But I actually had worked in a lumber yard since the time I was 16 years old, since I learned how to drive. So I knew how to load a truck and knew how to drive a forklift. I knew how toe deliver supplies. So I was like, I could do that. But then I was thinking my my bonus, and I said, because I had an $8000 bonus for Monterey, California, Andi I was thinking also paid off my college loans. So I was like, Well, Sergeant, will they still pay my college loan back? He goes, Yeah, you still get your college loan back because I said, Well, what about my bonus? He goes, Well, you know, that other job had $8000. This job actually will give you $2500 but you’ll have to join for four years. He goes. But I recommend you just do three, cause you might not like it. And I was like, No, I’ll do four. And, uh and that’s what I did. And that’s where we started our army life. And then no. But Prior to go into the Army, it was funny. I wasn’t sure I was wanted to go into the Army. You know, I talked with my wife. We knew we had to pay off our student loans. So I went to talk to my dad and my dad. If you you know, he’s resting in heaven, but not a man of a lot of words. He was a World War two vet. He was an infantryman in the Pacific, And, uh, eso whenever you asked him, you’d say, Dad, what did you do in the war and what You always say the same thing, son. You don’t talk about war and let’s have a lot of war. War to vets were, um but I asked him in the kitchen that day, right? And so he’s drinking coffee. He looks down, looks back up. First of all, they gave me a look like you are me. But then he said, All right, here’s your tips. Number one, keep your head low. Number two, don’t volunteer for anything. Number three, If you do get put on KP, do a good job. You’ll eat. Well, it’s not that bad. My dad like to eat. Um and so I thought about I was like, Well, I’m not sure those air tips I wanted. Uh, but anyway, fast forward to 1993. I’m in Warren. Officer can in school and these tack officers air screaming at me in, you know, I’m thinking, get up, get down flutter kicks. I’m thinking, man, what am I gonna do to get through this school? And I thought to myself, Keep your head low, don’t volunteer for anything. If you get put on KP, do a good job. You’ll eat well. I got put on KP, did a good job, didn’t have to eat square meals, and I also got ice cream that day. But don’t tell the tack officers, but finally, you know, this is a great opportunity for us in my family to serve. You know, it’s an opportunity to serve with great personnel throughout the army throughout other services, and and I couldn’t tell you how happy I am today. You know, you don’t get here by yourself, have mentioned a lot of folks, and I probably missed a lot of folks I should have mentioned. But it’s really that our success in any position that we hold as a leader really is the result of the people that work for us because they’re the ones that really help. We provide a little vision, but they actually are the ones that do the work and get the things done. And so in ending. What I would say to you is last Thursday, when I did receive that call I can I can attest to you all today that I am ready to answer the call and I look forward to leading to ensure we are responsive to the needs, policies and goals of the army in our nation. Thanks so much for you all for coming today and sharing this special time with us. It really means a lot. People first army strong and winning matters. Thank you. And I’ve got one more thing to do because I had it written in big letters. But I did forget it. But I will do it now is I have some flowers for my wife. So what? Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our ceremony. Thank you for attending.