Appointment Ceremony for MG John B. Morrison Jr. Deputy Chief of Staff
Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the appointment ceremony in honor of Lieutenant General John B. Morrison, Jr. Our host for the ceremony is the chief of staff of the Army, General James C. Makamba. Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs Morrison. Good evening, everyone. And welcome to the home of Mr Mrs William. Maybe Graves and Mr Grains is my father. He is a 94 year old World War two veteran. And so we’re honored that you all are here for this very special moment for our family. We’d like to welcome our friends and family who are here, Joni. And we’d also like to welcome all those who are watching on all of the virtual things that are going on here. These are interesting times, as we all know. So thank you all for being flexible and were able to take advantage of technology to make sure that so many people are included in this wonderful day. So then it’s my pleasure to introduce General James Macondo, 40th, chief of staff of the Army. Thank you. And Well, what a great honor it is to be here today. It’s a beautiful day, but every day is a great day. United States Army because we served with the world’s greatest soldiers. And we’re blessed to have a great soldier from the greatest generation with us today and so sure about a hand for the greatest generation crazy out here and you think about it. You know, Kobe has made life a little more challenging. Ah, little more difficult. We’re all wearing a mask, and we’re bumping elbows, and we’re doing those type things. But But this is an important event, and our nation is seen challenged before. If you talk to Mr Graves will tell you what it was like a vast stone. If you read the history of what it was like a bass stone pretty cold, right? Pretty cold, pretty hard, Um, 18 years old, you know, at that time, going in the Army and serving three years. And, uh, you know, the greatest generation has really set the stage for us on. You know, in some ways, today, you’re all passing the baton to our young soldiers today who are the next greatest generation who continue to serve who continue to make our nation’s pride in doing incredible things with its fighting covert there, there, in Iraq, other in Afghanistan, their around the world. You know, we’re just very, very proud to leave. So this is a big deal. We’re gonna promote John to Lieutenant General and, you know, just to kind of put that in perspective. When John came in the Army, he came in with 6732 and lieutenants. Okay. And there’s 14 that get promoted to lieutenant generals. That kind of puts in perspective. You surprise your son in law is gonna be a general. You knew the all you’re doing. You do it all. I add a big supremo. It’s always well, he wouldn’t be here without your daughter. And that’s that’s a true statement. You know, when you don’t get to this level without without a great family, so and almost 35 years, I think, is 30 35 years. And you know, I want to introduce the daughters. I want to give a straight. So, actually, so Christians here was Chris. Chris is over there with Andrew in the daughter Caitlin. Right there. Okay, great to see you. Kelly’s hair with Phil. Get back over there. And I think calling and cater out there. We’re waving you know, covered Wave an arm belt. You guys were out there, and I know you, Your parents are very, very proud of each and every one of you. I’m proud of you because I know what it’s like. The drag kids all over the world. And I’ve know what John is done for the country. And quite frankly, he would not be here without you. So thank you for your commitment. Maria tells me I was memory a lot. She goes, don’t thank us for a stock prices. Thank us for his commitment. So I’m gonna thank you for your commitment, because there are sacrifice. But there’s a lot of pretty cool things about traveling around the world and meeting the people that you all have the opportunity to be. So. And I believe, John, your dad is John Sr is watching, and Mom Jenny watching. So I just wanted thank you, Vietnam Service, um, in combat veteran. And you are very reprise for raising Ah, great son, because we’re very, very proud of what he’s done. And really more importantly, what he’s about ready to do, and we always introduce and five Mr Graves. And he served the 94th every division and really fought all across Europe, was at the famous battle a Belgian. It’s very special, sir, That bite us out to your house to do the promotion ceremony right here. And, you know, this family’s all about service. Very, very special service. Um, and I met John really in the first Cava division, and we’re just talking about as we walked up here because, uh, it was almost 16 17 years ago when John led his battalion into Iraq and I had a picture is almost gonna bring the picture. I couldn’t find the picture when I was kind of getting ready to come. But a chance to work with John is another great battalion commander, Chris Ballot. I know you know Chris. He became a general officer. Ron Lewis became a general. Awesome. Mike Monday became a general officer. It was just a great group of leaders that went in there with First Calvary and John did. It did an incredible job leading his battalion. We went on this four day drive. It was it was a lot of fun going all the way up from Kuwait, across the berm into Iraq. A lot of challenges along the way. But the other thing that John did, which was really interest we have this system. We called it the time the command post of the future. Now it’s the command post the past, right? If you don’t use anymore. Um, but John’s job was to go ahead and introduce this new system, and we’re all command where I was Brigade commander Time. Interesting up the brigade commanders in that division. You know, I haven’t be one. The chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, was one. General Abrams was one general. Murray was one general. Lanza was one senior executive Service three, which is equipped with a three star general. Mike for Micah was one. General Cox was one. You look at the team. Um, the G three was a guy named General Funk who’s running around right now is just I just go through the whole team. Battalion Commander Gary Volesky. All these folks, it was just an incredible team that came together on the leadership of then Major General Pete Chiarelli, who became the vice chief staff, the Army. But John was one that kept us all communicating. He was he was the one to have this incredibly tough problems set of introducing a brand new system as we rolled in. The combat we have never done before weren’t too crazy about it, but it gave us an edge that allowed us to be more agile and adaptive on the battlefield in any unit has ever been before. And it was an incredible feat that John lead and not only did do a great job leading soldier that watched him over the years from that time, he’s always been on the forefront of leading us in communications and cyber. And and the job he’s about ready to get promoted into is the G six, as we like to call it is to sing the senior single officer in the United States Army. And when you think about that, we have a million people that he has to tie together soldiers and about 250,000 civilians, and he’s the one that’s gonna bring all that together. And quite frankly, I can’t think of anyone better qualified to do the job than the General Morrison. So how about we go ahead of the three stars? So go and do that. Okay, let’s go and do that. Mrs. Morrison, will you please join gentleman combo in Lieutenant General, Mark attention to orders the President of the United States has reposed to special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of John B. Morrison. Junior. In view of these qualities and his demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, he’s therefore appointed to Lieutenant general by order of the Secretary of the Army. Signed James seem a combo General United States Army Chief of staff. Well, the family please come forward in the family have been around one up there. Get this a good time to get family pictures with masks on. You know what you’re doing, right? Okay, You get that down, your really stars go up. Very good. Okay. Look at that. Nice job. Alright, we gotta have Yes, I’ll do it that way. I love your kids. Okay. Okay. We’ll do. Is now is we’re gonna go ahead. You want to do this next? Okay, how about we do this next? Ok, give that to get signed. President. United States. Look at that. Lieutenant General picture there. Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, General McConnell will not reaffirm the oath of office to Lieutenant General Morrison. Move over a little bit. You raise your right hand. Repeat after me to take it down. 6 ft, 6 ft. I’m measuring. Okay, good high. I state your name jumbling Morrison Junior. Haven’t been appointed an officer. Haven’t been appointed an officer of the United States Army in the United States Army in the great of Lieutenant General in the great of lieutenant general who solemnly swear, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States against all enemies against all enemies, foreign or domestic, foreign and domestic. I will be a true faith that I will bear to faith and allegiance to the same in allegiance to the same. I take this obligation freely that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully and I will faithfully discharge the duties, discharge the duties of the office of the office on which about to enter upon which I’m about them to help me. God. So help me God. Graduate relations. Lieutenant General Morrison. How about Thank you, gentlemen. Combo. Okay, that means I get off the stage. Ladies and gentlemen, General John B. Morrison, Jr. The, uh, I decided to go with no cards because I just wanted to say a bunch of thank you’s, uh, there’s no way that I would have been standing here without the support of so so many people. And I just want to sort of talk about a few of them here. Very, very, very briefly, sir. First off, thank you so very much to you in the Secretary for showing to confidence in me to service armies G six. I promise you’ll get your pound of flesh out of me and we will do our best to support our soldiers, civilians and families. I have been blessed to see service since I was born. I had a wonderful mold model in my mom and dad. My mom was a teacher for special, led for many, many, many years working with some of our quite frankly, most challenging students. And she was there every day, serving and making people’s lives better. I saw my father, who rose to the rank of colonel after 29 years, Vietnam veteran served during seventies in every single day. He would talk to me about why he was staying in the Army. The reason I joined the Army because I had an example, like my dad. And then I run into this beautiful girl, that James Mattis trash dump. And I get introduced to another fantastic role model, another person who taught me all about service and just gave me something to aspire to. And then you run into the sergeant first class. Gilberts. My first platoon, starred in her first starring Cabrera, my 1st 1st sergeant or Sergeant majors galore who were just fantastic. Jack Nichols, who’s representing all them today, who just groomed you. And then you had examples that you could look up to gentleman combo just told you what it was like being in First Calvary Division. I will tell you in just about every assignment that I’ve had, I’ve always had people that I could look up to that just taught me, and they went out of their way to make me better included. Sometimes, quite frankly, I did not do the best job. Then I needed a little bit of extra care, I will tell you that. Brigade commanders and first calf. It was tough love. Uh, it was I’ve never heard anybody describe our drive of the Baghdad is fun, sir, but, uh, it was the right group at the right time, and it was just amazing experience. And then there’s, you know, family and friends near and far that it just touched us. College friends. Hopefully a lot of them watching today, folks that we’ve grown up with in the Army, it’s just been amazing. But last but not least, it’s just my amazing family who, no matter how hard it was, no matter how many deployments I was on, kept everything running. And I will tell you that inspiration of service. It translated to my girls always doing something for the unit while we were gone. Just amazing. I love your girls so very much in Anne. Thank you for the’s 35 wonderful years. I love you so very, very, very much. You, uh you make life special. And so with that, there they are somebody. Phil, can you help me out? The new smooth new was son in law. Love of my life. Awesome ! mother in law. You guys could help them come a little closer to my other two daughters. The flowers air in the mail. Bomb your flowers in the mail to the sir again. Thank you so very much. I know how crazy busy you are. Thank you for coming out here to make this very, very special for me. My family and honor. Mr Graves and my father, it means a ton. Thank you so very much. And with that, thank you very much. It’s an honor to serve and do things for our soldiers are civilians in our family teaching every day. Thank you very much. Thank you, Lieutenant General Morrison. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the ceremony after good evening.