The Maj. Gen. David Coburn Retirement Ceremony. Maj. Gen. Coburn retires from the U.S. Army after 37 years of active service.
Transcript
(men shouting unintelligibly)
Stand by! Fire! (explosion ringing) ‚ô™ Sweet home ‚ô™
Musical support for today’s ceremony is provided by the 38th Infantry Division Indiana Army National Guard Brass Quintet, led by Sergeant Paul Mergin. We’d like to extend special thanks to Ms. Emily Grey, event coordinator for the Indiana War Memorial Museum; Mr. Jason Edwardson, tour manager for the Indiana War Memorial Museum; and Debby Bartley, director of administration for the Indiana War Memorial Museum; and to the entire staff of this magnificent facility for all the hard work they have put into making today’s ceremony a success. We’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of our special guests, including Mrs. Denise Coburn, wife of Major General David C. Coburn; Mrs. Erin Sizemore, daughter of Major General Coburn, her husband, Matthew Sizemore, and their son, young master Collier Coburn Sizemore; to Mrs. Dana Kirkland, daughter of Major General Coburn, and her husband, Christopher Kirkland; and to all our friends and family members who are able to join us on this special occasion. The official party for today’s event consists of the host for today’s event, Lieutenant Colonel Retired Zach Kozak and Major General David C. Coburn. Please rise for the arrival of the official party and the rendering of honors to Major General Coburn, and remain standing for the playing of the National Anthem and the invocation by Chaplain Captain Matthew Smith of the 135th Chaplain Detachment, Indiana Army National Guard. (instrumental music) (instrumental music) (“Star-Spangled Banner” by John Stafford Smith)
Greetings. Would you join me in prayer? Almighty God, we thank you for the countless blessings that you have showered on our nation and for placing leaders before us. We know from your scriptures that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. Today, Lord, we embark on the end of one season and the beginning of a new one for General Coburn. We thank you for the life and the service of General Coburn and his family for taking care of soldiers in countless ways. For over 37 years, he has supported and defended the United States through his selfless service. And today, Lord, we look to you for your blessing as he transitions from his military service into this new phase of retirement from the United States Army. As we participate in this ceremony, we are again reminded that everything we have is a gift from you. The gifts of family, friends, comradery, of hopes and joys, they are many, and even those difficult lessons we learned from past hardships, we count as gifts of grace today. And so we ask that you would continue to provide guidance and wisdom for the Coburn family. Bless General Coburn, his spouse, his children and grandchildren in ways that surpass their wildest dreams, and sustain them Lord, and all they do in the days ahead. May the transition ahead be smooth and full of abundant life. And now we ask all of this, oh Lord, in your most Holy name. Amen.
[Audience] Amen.
Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Today, we honor Major General David C. Coburn on the completion of a 37-year career of dedicated service to the nation and to the United States Army. Simultaneously, we honor his family for their untiring support in this endeavor. We are pleased that you’re with us here today for this outstanding event. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Major General Coburn was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry in 1982 by then Captain Zach Kozak. Major General Coburn’s past combat arms assignments include Rifle Platoon Leader and Weapons Platoon Leader, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, 9th Infantry Division; Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader with Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division; Instructor and Assistant Operations Officer, Air, Ranger Training Brigade, United States Army Infantry School; Platoon Trainer, Infantry Officer Basic Course; and Commander, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. His financial management assignments include Ranger Program Manager, United States Army Special Operations Command; Resource Manager, Management Directorate, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army; Budget Officer, United States Army Office of Military Support; Chief, Program Management Division, Advertising and Public Affairs, United States Army Recruiting Command; Program Analyst, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence; Comptroller, Southern European Task Force, Vicenza, Italy; Comptroller, 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade, Kirkuk, Iraq; Deputy Financial Controller, Joint Forces Command; J-8, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq; Executive Officer to the Military Deputy, to the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Financial Management and Comptroller; Director, Management and Control, Army Budget Office; Director, Operations and Support Army Budget Office; and Director of Resource Management, 3rd Army, United States Army Central Command. His final assignment was at the First Commanding General, United States Army Financial Management Command. Major General Coburn’s military education includes the Infantry Officers Basic and Advance Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Major General Coburn’s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and numerous other commendations. He has earned the Expert Infantryman, Master Parachutist and Pathfinder Badges, and the Ranger Tab. Ladies and gentlemen, the host for today’s ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Retired, Zach Kozak. (audience applauding)
Thank you all for being here today to honor Major General Coburn’s 37-plus years of military service. Thank you, General Coburn, for asking me to host your retirement ceremony. This may prove to be a very big mistake, General. (audience laughing) For as you know well, I am challenged to say hello in fewer than 1,500 words. I can think of others you might’ve asked to be your retirement host today, your general officer colleagues, your boss, or your deputy, for examples. I know you heard surprise in my voice when you called. Please know that I am honored to be here and humbled by your request. For those in attendance, you might wonder why General Coburn asked me to be his host. Hopefully, I’ll satisfy your wonder shortly. It is common knowledge amongst soldiers that stories start one of two ways: once upon a time or, you’re not going to believe this. So, once upon a time, nearly 40 years ago at then Columbus College in Columbus, Georgia, I was sitting in the first class of a 0700 second semester basic accounting course, Accounting 102. I’m reasonably sure there are some here who will recall basic accounting 101 and 102. It’s the foundation course for business and accounting majors. I had taken accounting 101 some 12 years before and was challenged to remember even what side credits were on. I recall asking a ton of questions in this first class and a much younger David Coburn was sitting a row to my left and a seat forward, closer to the front. At the end of the class, he turned to me and introduced himself and asked why in the world I asked so many questions. He patiently listened while I explained. He told me his accounting course experience was similar to mine, although the gap between his two courses was not as great, and, nor nearly as long. I knew I was in huge luck at that point. St. Michael, the patron saint of paratroopers, had looked down upon me and smiled. I needed a study partner and I was very grateful when David agreed to be the guy. David got me through math and accounting, allowing me to graduate. I got him in the Army. I think in retrospect, I got the much better deal. Although after listening to all the things today, I think the Army got the better deal. Study we did. We started at his folks’ house. His father kept a keg of beer in a cooler, so that seemed like a good place to start. His wonderful parents were very willing to endure our studying, but I think we were too loud for them, and drinking beer while studying turned out to be not such a good idea. We next tried my house and met a similar result as we kept Ms. Tommy up. She was teaching first grade at Fort Benning and kindly asked us to find some other place to study. We then tried the college library, but study rooms were difficult to capture every night. I think it was David who suggested the open-all-night Denny’s on Macon Road. We tried it. It was perfect. We met at Denny’s nearly every night at right after dinner, ordered a never-ending cup of coffee, studied and talked until sometime around or after midnight. This was our, this was a place where our studying didn’t bother anyone. Well, maybe it did bother the servers who constantly refilled our cups of coffee. To compensate, I recall our tips were greater than our bill. In addition to studying, we talked about our lives to that point. I remember early on, David asked me what I did. I told him I was finishing my degree. He said that was a good answer, but not the answer to his question. He wanted to know if I had a paying job. I’m sure it was because although older than most of the students there, I looked much like every student: longer hair, droopy mustache, shorts, sandals. I confessed that I was an Army Infantry captain and had just finished the Infantry officer’s advanced course. The Army made me a full-time student to finish my degree. He asked how I liked being a soldier and what I liked about it. I told him something like this: I enlisted in the Army to find a home and I found a castle instead. Over time, I told David about things stuck in my memory as examples of why the Army was my castle. Some of these things are still stuck in the front of my mind, so it’s likely I mentioned them at the time, or over time. Freezing in January 1970, in the Special Forces basic course at Camp Mackall, North Carolina; teaching mortar fire direction as a junior medic on a Special Forces team in Thailand; trying to overcome my fear of heights by becoming a jump master; meeting, dating and marrying my lovely wife, Ms. Tommy, in Bamberg, Germany; going on night patrols, carrying heavy rucksacks; winter camping in the French Pyrenees, carrying a heavy rucksack; learning military skiing on the Army’s dime in Bodolz, Germany, while wearing a heavy rucksack; making night parachute jumps with heavy rucksacks. I reckon those rucksacks made a serious lasting impression. David said he wasn’t sure what he was going to do when he finished school. As much as we talked about it, David was still curious to know more about the Army. I suggested he talk to the professor of military science at the ROTC Department, which he did. I figured he might take to soldiering much like I did. He agreed and signed up and became an ROTC cadet. We became close friends throughout the spirit. We were not just about studying though. We ran in 10K races in Southwest Georgia; I tagged along when the cadets went on a weekend field trip; a couple of times, David and I went to movie nights after the local theater closed at the invitation of David’s friend, the theater’s manager; we sat in a deer stand somewhere near Columbus before dawn, waiting for a deer to wander into our sites. None did, by the way. It was cold, as I recall. We studied together for more than a year. We both intended to major in accounting. David was successful. I was not. The college changed the accounting course rotation to one course every two years rather than every course every year. The Army allowed me five quarters to finish my degree, thus causing me to finish two courses shy of an accounting degree. Fast forwarding a bit, I completed my degree in August 1981, and packed out to Fort Lewis, Washington, and the 9th Infantry Division. David pressed on majoring in accounting. When he was nearing graduation, we called me asking if I would come to Columbus to commission him. I asked what branch he selected. He said finance. I suggested in one, I suggested that if he was going to be in the Army, he ought to consider a commission in one of the combat arms. Not that finance didn’t need good lieutenants, but I thought he would have a better, being a commissioned officer, a combat arms officer early on would give him a better understanding of how the Army worked, operated, and would give him a solid foundation leading soldiers and managing things. I told him at some point, the Army would tell him that he’d had enough fun and it was time to get serious about a career, and then they would cause him to select an alternate specialty. I said that would be a good time to get back into accounting. As I recall, he said he’d talked to the professor of military science and let me know his answer. A couple of days later, David called me again and said he was going to be in Infantry. I was delighted. I told him I’d be honored to swear him in. I flew to Columbus and commissioned him as a second lieutenant of Infantry. After the ceremony, I told him, David, I never want to hear I was responsible for ruining your life by getting you in the Army, or by forcing him to become a soldier. I said, you’re a true volunteer, so it’s your fault. David asked me where he might seek his initial assignment. I told him Fort Lewis was a great place to start. Ms. Tommy and I were already there and we loved it. As a bonus, we could weigh in if he needed some help. At the time, Fort Lewis was home to the 9th Infantry Division and the Army’s High Technology Test Bed initiative. The test bed was chartered to make rapid, dramatic improvements in equipment, operations, training and supply, and organization as well. The soldiers, leadership, weather, terrain, and mission were all first rate at Fort Lewis. David reported into Fort Lewis after finishing the Infantry officer basic course and was assigned to a cohort Infantry battalion, and once it filled with soldiers, they deployed to Korea. That was the last time we were stationed together. David reminded me that I also was there to pin on his silver bar at Fort Lewis as a first lieutenant. Everyone here knows that years go by, there are soldiers that you meet, serve with, bond with, connect with on many levels. You get orders and you go your separate ways. When you reconnect, it’s like there’s no gap in time. It’s like it was yesterday. In 1995, my last year of service, I was at Walter Reed for a surgical procedure. David picked Ms. Tommy and I up at Walter Reed and took us to the, our hotel postoperatively, in his Volvo station wagon. I asked him how he liked the Volvo. By the time we got to the hotel, I knew plenty about him. I knew I had selected him. He had done a tremendous job of research, learning and understanding, and he was passing it along to me just like he did at Columbus College. He had sound reasoning, had done excellent research, and had a great grasp of all the facts, Volvo. You know, David, you should take credit for the string of Volvos Ms. Tommy and I have had and loved. As a matter of fact, there’s one parked out on the street in front. We stayed in contact over the years following our Fort Lewis assignments, meeting at Fort Benning; Washington, D.C.; and most recently at the Army Central Command at Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter, South Carolina. I was then a contractor supporting RSAT training, working in their operations center and writing exercises. David was the G-8. I stopped by his office one day. The phone rang, and he answered it. After the call was done, I asked him why his exec or admin didn’t answer the call for him. He said, why would they do that? That call was to my phone for me, so I answer it. I was struck by how logical that answer was, but how it was not, it was so different from my experience. I was really impressed by that. Someone once told me, I’m sorry. I believe it’s very safe to say that David was a natural soldier. He took to the Army as much as it took to him. He let me know every time he was selected for promotion. I always asked if I was in danger of getting the call that I never wanted to get. He always said, not yet. It made me smile. Someone once told me the way you do anything is the way you do everything. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to refute that statement. David is a living example. He was always excellent in school. When I studied with him, he worked hard. He, in 1982, he was the distinguished honor graduate, the Cadet Battalion Commander of Columbus College. In 1986, he was the Ranger School distinguished honor graduate. In 1987, he was the Jump Master School distinguished honor graduate. He went to the Ranger department as the estrier and was a lane walker. In 1989, he commanded a Infantry, Charlie Company, the first of 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Today, retiring as a Major General after 37 and a half years or 37 years and some days, it’s been a long, wonderful, fulfilling career for him and I’ve been proud of him all along the way. I wished I’d had more time to spend serving with him and learning from him. Thank you for your service, General Coburn, and your longtime to commitment to soldiers. Thank you Denise, Erin and Dana for providing your love, support and help through David’s career. I reckon it’s now time for y’all to drink some beer, eat some barbecue and play some golf. Thank you all. (audience applauding)
Ladies and gentlemen, please stand. Attention to orders, to all who shall see these presents, greetings. This is to certify that the president of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, July 9th, 1918, has awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, first oak leaf cluster, to Major General David C. Coburn, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious service to the government and duties of great responsibility over a 37-year career, culminating as the first commanding general of the United States Army Financial Management Command. Major General Coburn demonstrated unparalleled expertise in fiscal policy, planning and execution, as well as superior leadership in the most complex joint inter-agency and multi-national environments. His commitment to excellence in vital positions were instrumental in the defense of the nation and the continued success of the United States Army. Major General Coburn’s professionalism, leadership, and selfless service exemplify the highest and most cherished traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him and the United States Army. Signed Mark T. Esper, Secretary of the Army. Please be seated. (audience applauding) At this time, a certificate of appreciation from the president of the United States is being presented to Major General Coburn. The certificate reads: Certificate of appreciation for service in the armed forces of the United States of America. I extend to you my personal thanks and the sincere appreciation of a grateful nation for your contribution of honorable service to our country. You have helped maintain the security of the nation during a critical time in its history with a devotion to duty and a spirit of sacrifice in keeping with the proud tradition of military service. I trust that in the coming years, you will maintain an active interest in the armed forces and the purpose for which you served. Those who follow in your footsteps will draw inspiration from your commitment, dedication, and sacrifices made to ensure the protection of America’s freedoms. My best wishes to you for happiness and success in the future. Signed Donald J. Trump, Commander in Chief. At this time, the host will now present Major General Coburn with his certificate of retirement and the United States Army retirement lapel pin. To all who shall see these presents, greetings. This is to certify that Major General David C. Coburn, having served faithfully and honorably, was retired from the United States Army on the first day of January, 2020. Signed James C. McConville, United States Army Chief of Staff. (audience applauding) Mrs. Denise Coburn will now join her husband on stage for the presentation of the spouse’s appreciation certificate. To all who shall see these presents, greetings. This is to certify that Denise Coburn, on the occasion of the retirement of your spouse from the United States Army, has earned grateful appreciation for her own unselfish, faithful, and devoted service. Your unfailing support and understanding help to make possible your spouse’s lasting contribution to the nation. Signed James C. McConville, General, United States Army Chief of Staff. (audience applauding) In lieu of flowers, a special donation is being made in the names of Mrs. Coburn and the Coburn girls to the Wounded Warrior Project. At this time, Mrs. Teresa McKay, director, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, has a special gift for Major General Coburn.
So General Coburn, congratulations on an awesome career, and on behalf of the men and women… (speaking unintelligibly off-mic) Thank you for your leadership, thank you for your partnership, and thank you for your friendship. We have a nice big Treasury check for you made out for the amount of a million dollars. Unfortunately, it’s not negotiable.
Non-negotiable.
[Man] Non-negotiable.
So some special numbers on the check. (speaking unintelligibly off-mic)
Thank you very much. (audience applauding)
To commemorate this special occasion, Command Sergeant Major Courtney M. Ross will now present Major General David C. Coburn with a shell casing which represents the last round fired, rendering honors for Major General Coburn.
Cool. Hey sir, I know I’ve been your battle buddy over the last two-plus years… (speaking unintelligibly off-mic) Hey, what can we do for an outstanding general officer in our enterprise that has set the standard and set the stage for all souls to emulate. So I said, what can we do? I said, you know, I would like to present him with the shell, but then came back and said… (speaking unintelligibly off-mic) It’s also the last round before he retires out of uniform. So sir, you didn’t know back then, so what we did was we had a National Guard set up a range for you to actually fire your last shell tip. And so I want to say, sir, on behalf of this grateful nation and on behalf of the Army, our command wants to say you thank you, and Mrs. Coburn, for your outstanding leadership and dedication that you provided for our nation. So thank you, sir. And you know, as always, you’ll never be forgotten and thank you for everything you’ve done for our… (speaking unintelligibly off-mic) (audience applauding)
The inscription reads: To Major General David C. Coburn, with great thanks and appreciation for your service to honor, duty and country. We proudly recognize your 37 years of service to the United States Army and the United States of America. At this time, Mr. Williams Staley, deputy to the commanding general, USAFMCOM, Mr. Joshua Moser, chief of staff, USAFMCOM, and Sergeant Major Ronald Houston, operation sergeant major, USAFMCOM, will present a special token of remembrance to Major General Coburn on behalf of the entire command.
No, this is great. I want, first of all, I want to thank everybody for coming here, not only for the change of command ceremony, which was great, but also this retirement ceremony. I know that many of you have traveled long and far to get here and it’s a real treat to have you here to honor General Coburn’s retirement. So thank you. It was a great ceremony. Colonel Zach Kozak, thank you for hosting the ceremony. If you all could just recall real quick the video that exemplified some of the words that have already been said about General Coburn in terms of the focus on the soldier, the family, the Army, the numerous deployments. So sir, what we’re about to do is really special. Then at the break, I just got to say this. Then at the break, Bob Unger mentioned to me, he said, hey, do you recall, you know, your first comments at the change, you know, during the change of command, during your speech. You had the soldiers shake out their legs, always focusing on the soldier. General Coburn, this is a distinct opportunity to be here with you as you put the cherry on top of an absolutely incredible military career. It’s been an honor and privilege to serve alongside you both in uniform and to stand as your wing man guiding the command. We’ve made a lot of great memories, had a lot of fun, done a lot of good for the Army, its soldiers and their families. Today, the chief, Josh Moser, and Sergeant Major Houston and I are lucky to be up here representing the entire USAFMCOM team and thanking you. So on behalf of the entire command, which you led for the last three years as its first commanding general, we want to present to you the use of USAFMCOM colors surrounded by some of the unit crests that represent your 37-year career. We’ve tried to create something for you to look back upon years from now with fond memories, but I think that the narrative at the bottom of the frame says it best: for your untiring devotion, exceptional leadership and selfless service, your strategic vision and commitment to excellence has enabled America’s soldiers to deter, engage and defeat our nation’s past, present and future enemies. It’s with a grateful heart that our Army and all of USAFMCOM thank you and salute you. Godspeed, sir. (audience applauding) (speaking unintelligibly off-mic)
It is a tradition of the United States Military to present an American flag to a service member on the occasion of their retirement to commemorate the years of selfless service they have dedicated to their country. Presenting the flag to Major General Coburn is Command Sergeant Major Courtney M. Ross, command sergeant major, United States Army Financial Management Command. Please stand and direct your attention to the rear of the auditorium for the entrance of our nation’s flag. Please remain standing until the flag has passed your row, and then take your seats. I am the flag of the United States of America. My name is Old Glory. I fly atop some of the world’s tallest buildings. I stand watch in America’s halls of justice. I fly majestically over great institutions of learning. I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world. Look up and see me. I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud. When I’m flown with my fellow banners, my head is a little higher, my colors a little truer. I bow to no one. I am recognized all over the world. I am worshiped. I am saluted. I am respected. I am revered. I am loved, and I am feared. I have fought in every battle of every war for more than 200 years. Yorktown, Gettysburg, Shiloh, Appomattox, San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, the Argonne Forest, Baton, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Kasserine Pass, Anzio, Rome, Bloody Omaha, Guam, The Bulge, Okinawa, the mountains of Korea, the rice fields of Vietnam, the deserts of the Middle East, the mountains of Afghanistan, and scores of places long forgotten by all except by those who are there with me. I was there. I led my soldiers, sailors and Marines. I followed them. I watched over them. They loved me. I was on a small hill on Iwo Jima. I was dirty, battle worn and tired, but my soldiers, sailors and Marines cheered me and I was proud. I was at ground zero in New York City on September 11th as cowardly fanatics attacked America. I was raised from the ashes of once proud buildings by brave firefighters, heroes who risked their lives to save others, showing all that America, although bloodied, will never be beaten. Those who would destroy me cannot win for I am the symbol of freedom, of one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I have been soiled, burned, torn, and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped to free. It did not hurt for I am invincible. I been been soiled, burned, torn, and trampled on the streets of my own country. And when it is by those with whom I have served with in battle, it hurts. But I shall overcome for I am strong. I have slipped the surly bounds of earth and from my vantage point on the moon, I stand watch over the uncharted new frontiers of space. I have been a silent witness to America’s finest hours. But my finest hour comes when I’m torn in strips to be used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the field of battle, when I fly half mast to honor my fallen comrades, and when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving mother at the grave site of her fallen son or daughter, or in the arms of a widow or widower saying a last goodbye to a beloved spouse. I am proud. My name is Old Glory. Long may I waive, dear God. Long may I wave. (audience applauding) Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and a distinct privilege to introduce to you Major General David C. Coburn, Retired. (audience applauding and cheering)
Wow. 37 years. It seems to have gone by in a blink of an eye. And I’m mindful that everybody’s been here for awhile and Denise and I appreciate everybody being here for two ceremonies. Hopefully this doesn’t go on for 37 minutes, but we’ve got some things we’ve got to say. So Zach, first off, I can’t thank you enough for hosting this ceremony and being there as the driving force behind getting me started on a career in the Army almost 40 years ago. But we’ll talk a little bit more about you in just a few minutes because I want to start by recognizing some very special people in the audience. First, my Syracuse graduate, Syracuse classmates. Les Brim, Tom Stephens, Shelby Vale. So it was 25 years ago or 26 years ago that we graduated from Syracuse. And interestingly, two days ago, it was the 25th anniversary that Les, Tom and I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. This was in 1994, commonly known as the Oprah Marathon, who we beat handedly. (audience laughing) My friends of finance golf partners, Bob Spear, Ed Stanton, Roger Scarce, Mo Denny, Pat Riley, Ben Sule, Arty Arty Aga and Bob Cook. So for the last five years, I’ve been the token active duty friends of finance. So we’re going to have to find somebody else, gentlemen. But I look forward to being in South Carolina and Hilton Head this year. To Denise and I, our Naples, Italy, friends, Mark and Cindy Lawton, Jeff Powell, Chris Hoffman, Bob Unger, Jake McFerrin, Mia DeLuca and Tyler White. To our lifelong friends, Zach and Tommy Kozak, Paula Rebar, Teresa Brim, Judy Hafner, Joe Petito, Carl and Vickie Kirkland, Jesse and Chris Brown, Bob and Kerry Agans, and a special recognition to my godson, Zach Brim. And then the friends that we have made here in Indianapolis, Charles and Tracy Gotriding, Erin and Josh Knap, Matt Lopez, and last, but by no means least, our forever friends, Rob and Lauren Qualles. Rob and Lauren were responsible for the video that we played at the beginning. They asked me if I wanted to see it and I told them no. I’m glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t have made it through at the first time and I probably wouldn’t have let them done it the second. But thank you for that tribute and thank you for your friendship. There’s some people that aren’t here that I also want to recognize. So those of you that were here for the two star promotion and my assumption to command will remember Charlie and Iris Briner. Charlie was in the video, Vietnam vet, fourth or the Americal Division, came back to Claryville and continued to serve the nation. And he is a huge patriot and he would’ve been here, but Iris is having health problems and we are keeping Iris in our thoughts and prayers as we go forward. Also not here, Denise’s mother, who’s keeping our little dogs. She’s down in Columbus, Georgia. We’ll be moving back to, and her sister, who wanted to be here, but things just didn’t work out. But I know they’ve got us in their thoughts. There are so many memories and stories that go along with each of these incredible people, but the museum closes at six and like I said, you guys have been here for awhile. (audience laughing) So once again, thank you, and I do have a great aid and as I get to this part of the speech, might be a little hard to get through. I’ve got my Ranger Tab looking over me. Once again, thank you for all taking the time to be here today to honor Denise and me. And that’s exactly where I want to start. By honoring Denise and my family. Denise and I have been married for just over 32 years and she blessed me with two wonderful daughters, Erin and Dana. Denise and I met in Columbus, Georgia, as I was preparing to go to Ranger School. And you see the video when I graduated from Ranger School as the distinguished honor graduate, I think I impressed her. She was a flight attendant in Atlanta with Eastern Airlines, a soldier’s dream come true. (audience laughing) Just in case. Back then there was a tongue-in-cheek saying with Eastern employees: marry me and fly free. (audience laughing) I’ve teased Denise about that over the years, but the true saying should have been, marry me and have a great life. Denise, you’ve been my partner, my rock and my best friend through all the multiple deployments and too frequent TDYs to the Balkans, Iraq, Kuwait and all over the world in my last position. Denise and I have a tradition of keeping old birthday cards, anniversary cards and Valentine cards and writing in them each year and we go back and reread them. The constant theme as we read that is love, family and looking forward to our future together. Our new future begins today. It takes us closer to the girls, and I couldn’t imagine doing it without you. I love you. (audience applauding) Again, Denise and I couldn’t be prouder of our daughters, Erin, Dana, Erin and Dana or their choice of husbands to bring into the family, Matthew and Christopher. Matt and Chris are perfect son-in-laws. They went bird hunting yesterday at 6 a.m. and they had the good sense not to ask me if I wanted to go. (audience laughing) Erin and Dana, you two are the epitome of loving daughters, wives and sisters. As you’ve been known all your lives, the Coburn girls, true Army brats. Erin was born while we were stationed at Fort Benning and Dana was born while we were at Fort Bragg. Girls, we took you all over the world and you got to experience so much and the fact that you both went to my alma mater, Columbus State University, and decided that Georgia was the place you wanted to live and start your family, gives your mom and me great pride. We love you and can’t wait to be 10 minutes and two hours from you rather than 10 hours as we are now. And being 10 minutes away from Erin and Matt gives Denise and me something that we are most looking forward to, the ability to pick up our grandson, Collier, spoil him as much as we can and then take him back home. (audience laughing) And my brother’s here, Stan, his wife Betty, and Jeffrey. Hey Jeff. They came from Houston, Texas, and I’m so proud to have them here. Stan, we’ve been through a lot in our lives and you’ve always been somebody I could look up to in life. I’ve always said Stan is the successful brother and no doubt he’s the smart son, a nuclear engineer from Georgia Tech. He also served in the Army as a combat engineer before getting out and going to Houston to work in the oil industry. He’s retired now and as I’m retired, we look forward to many golf rounds in the future much to the chagrin of Betty and Denise. So how did I get to the point in my career after 37 years? I could tell you that I have been fortunate to have people in my life that saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself, and that begins with my mom and dad. My parents both came from extremely humble beginnings out of the hills of Tennessee. I’ve told this story many times, but my dad joined the Army when he was 14 years old. He lied about his age and he told Stan and me that he had a choice. He could stay at home and starve or join the Army and eat. Easy choice. To reward his deception, the Army sent him to the Korean War when he was 15. After three years in the Army, he got out for a short period of time and met my mom. He decided to go back in the Army, but when he went to the recruiter, they told him he was too young and he had to wait a couple of months until he turned 18. (audience laughing) So he went back in the Army after he turned 18 and he retired after 21 years of service at the ripe old age of 35. Once back in the Army, my dad was sent to Sasebo, Japan, and my mom followed a few months later in one of her many Army adventures transiting the ocean on a Navy transport ship. Stan was born in Japan, and then it was back to the states and assignment at Fort Jackson, where I was born. My dad left immediately after I was born for the Berlin Brigade. We followed when I was three months old on yet another transport ship. And my mom tells the story of being on a troop train going across occupied Germany and having the Russian guards in heavy boots going down the aisle outside of our sleeping berth with Stan and me crying, and her scared to death. So later in life, after my dad had passed away and Denise and the girls and I were in Italy, grandma would come and visit and friends would ask, is your mom comfortable traveling overseas by herself? And I would smile and I’d say, yeah, I think she’s okay. My parents always supported Stan and me in everything we did, but they also saw the potential in us and expected a lot out of us, and I believe that set us both up for success in life. So as I was struggling what to do with my life, I quit college, moved out of the state, and I was searching for a way ahead. I met one of those people that saw something in me, Captain Zach Kozak. Zach told the story and over a 40 year period, you know, we all remember different things, but I remember Zach convincing me to go down to the ROTC Department, at the last minute. If I had gone a semester later, I couldn’t have gotten into ROTC. Once I got into ROTC, I enjoyed it so much. And I did tell Zach, I’m going to be a finance officer, I’m going to get a degree in accounting and I’ll get out and be a CPA in three years. Zach said, what a great idea. Or you’d be an Infantry officer, go to Airborne School, go to Ranger School, and the Army’s got this thing called Syracuse. You can become a comptroller. So that’s what I did. And Zach, I remember being in the Yellow River in Florida up to my neck in water with one of those heavy rucks you were talking about, going, what in the hell have I done? Zach has been a steady influence in my life. As he said, he commissioned me into the Army, promoted me to first lieutenant, and I couldn’t be prouder to have him here to retire me today. Thank you, Zach. (audience applauding) Early in my career, I was fortunate to have leaders that took an interest in me and once again, saw potential in me I didn’t see in myself. Names like Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gile and Lieutenant Colonel Ted Chilcote, my 1st Battalion commanders; Command Sergeant Major Eddie Roberts, an Airborne Ranger 101st Airborne Division Vietnam vet. The Army’s got this thing called Syracuse. You can become a comptroller. So that’s what I did. And Zach, I remember being in the Yellow River in Florida up to my neck in water with one of those heavy rucks you were talking about, going, what in the hell have I done? Zach has been a steady influence in my life. As he said, he’d commissioned me into the Army, promoted me to first lieutenant, and I couldn’t be prouder to have him here to retire me today. Thank you, Zach. (audience applauding) Early in my career, I was fortunate to have leaders that took an interest in me and once again saw potential in me I didn’t see in myself. Names like Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gile and Lieutenant Colonel Ted Chilcote, my 1st Battalion commanders; Command Sergeant Major Eddie Roberts, an Airborne Ranger, 101st Airborne Division Vietnam vet, who was the epitome of a non-commissioned officer and honored me by calling me his lieutenant in Korea and his captain at Fort Benning. Then Captain Karl Horst, eventually Major General Karl Horst, who I met through Zach in Fort Lewis. Karl was a mentor throughout my entire career as we worked together in multiple assignments culminating with me as the Arsenal GA and Karl as the CENTCOM chief of staff. Karl put me into positions of greater and greater responsibility and authority because he knew I could handle it, even if I didn’t know it. Colonel Mark Lewis, who took a chance on me and put me in command in the Airborne School, and then was instrumental in getting me assigned after I graduated from Syracuse as General Sullivan’s comptroller at the Office of Chief of Staff of the Army, replacing a young major that was showing a lot of potential herself was a young Karen Dyson, some of you might’ve heard of. Later, I had the good fortune of being selected by Lieutenant General Frank Helmick to deploy with him as his J-8 to the multi-national security transition command in Iraq. And before deploying, I did something that changed the trajectory of my career. I went to the Pentagon and met then Major General Ed Stanton for the first time. General Stanton asked me what I wanted to do when I redeployed in a year, and I had told him I was ready to do anything he needed me to do. I don’t know what General Stanton saw in me, but I remember the excitement when Brigadier General Mark McAlister called me in Baghdad and told me I was coming back to the building to be now Lieutenant General Stanton’s XO. General Stanton, you have been a mentor and an inspiration to me my entire career forward. To this day when something hard comes up, I ask myself, what would General Stanton do? And when I make a decision I ask, what would General Stanton think? And that has guided me. You and Paula have been incredible friends to Denise and me, and we thank you both and look forward to time together in retirement. And while working for General Stanton in the Pentagon, I remember an October evening. We had a lot of late evenings in October, the entire time. In 2009, when General Stanton told me we had a visitor coming and that we needed to keep the meeting discreet, that was when Bob Spear came in and said he’d decided to accept a position as the principal deputy in ASA FM&C. That was the first time I’d met Mr. Spear and it was a pivotal day for me in financial management and the Army. Mr. Spear, I learned so much from you as the madasin, the ASA FM&C and the acting secretary of the Army. I’ve already talked about you believing in me and giving me the opportunity to stay in the Army and take command of USAFINCOM, but I have to thank you once again. Denise and I cherish her friendship with you and Maggie and we can’t thank you enough. So like I said, 37 years have gone by quickly, but in reality, it’s 61 years that have gone by quickly. I’ve been fortunate to have been in and around the Army my entire life and I could not think of a better way to live. As Denise and I transition to the next phase of our lives, we want you to all know that it has been the honor of our lives to have called you friends, to have served the Army and the nation Army strong. (audience applauding)
At this time, Captain Derosa will escort the entire Coburn family onstage to join Major General Retired Coburn and Lieutenant Colonel Retired Kozak. (audience applauding) (speaking unintelligibly off-mic) Ladies and gentlemen, we will now honor Major General Coburn with Retirement Medley. Please remain standing for the benediction and the singing of the Army Song. (instrumental music)
Personally, let me just very simply say thank you. Would you bow your heads and receive the benediction. Heavenly Father, as we read in the Psalms, the Lord will watch over your coming and your going, both now and forevermore. This is our prayer, Lord. Watch over all of those in attendance who have come here today and go before them in their going. And for General Coburn, may he depart from his service into retirement knowing full well that he has served with honor and distinction, and give him joy for the rest of his days of the knowledge that he has given much to his country and his country is grateful and at a better place because of his leadership and sacrifice. Go before him, Lord. Order his steps, and in all things, sustain him and his family for your glory and for his great joy. In the name of the Almighty, we pray. Amen.
[Audience] Amen.
Please join us in singing the Army Song. The lyrics may be found on the inside back cover of your program. (instrumental music) ‚ô™ March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Count the brave, count the true ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Who have fought to victory ‚ô™ ‚ô™ We’re the Army and proud of our name ‚ô™ ‚ô™ We’re the Army and proudly proclaim ‚ô™ ‚ô™ First to fight for the right ‚ô™ ‚ô™ And to build the Nation’s might ‚ô™ ‚ô™ And The Army Goes Rolling Along ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Proud of all we have done ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Fighting till the battle’s won ‚ô™ ‚ô™ And the Army Goes Rolling Along ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey! ‚ô™ ‚ô™ The Army’s on its way ‚ô™ ‚ô™ Count off the cadence loud and strong ‚ô™ ‚ô™ For where e’er we go, You will always know ‚ô™ ‚ô™ That The Army Goes Rolling Along ‚ô™ (audience applauding)
This concludes today’s ceremony. Please join us in the Shoup Hall to the left as you exit the auditorium, to offer your congratulations to Major General Retired Coburn and his wife, and to welcome Brigadier General Marcus Bennett, Dr. Yvonne Bennett, and their family to USAFINCOM. The entire museum is open, so feel free to walk through and enjoy the many outstanding exhibits on display. Thank you all for attending. Service to soldiers, Army strong. (audience applauding) (“God Bless America” by Irving Berlin)