thedrifter
05-21-06, 08:29 AM
Military has 'never been stronger'
Air Force general tells crowd 'the best service is the one you're serving in'
By Michelle Dynes
rep2@wyomingnews.com
Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE - In a time of wars and disasters, the armed services have never been stronger.
Today's soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines fight conflicts jointly and are better prepared for it, said Lt. Gen. Ronald Sams during Friday's Armed Forces Banquet.
Sams, the Air Force inspector general, was once asked which branch of the military is superior.
"The best service is the one you're serving in," he said. "We all bring something different to the fight."
The military is more coordinated than ever, working as a team to develop tactics. Medical care also has advanced. He said military medics have perfected transportation techniques, getting the wounded out safely. Sams said the focus is on sharing the risk within every group.
And Americans have seen the effects of this military progress.
He said that last summer while the country was in the midst of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan it was hit with several hurricanes: Wilma, Rita and Katrina.
During this time there were 90,000 square miles of devastation, approximately the size of Great Britain. Sams said the same skills used on battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan were deployed to New Orleans. As first responders, members of the National Guard and Reserves rose to the challenge, aiding displaced Americans with housing, meals and medical care.
"It was nothing short of amazing," he said.
Armed Forces Day honors the sacrifices of these men and women. Sams said these are the people who ensure that there is hope and goodness in the world despite the worst disaster.
Today after marking the third anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom there is a lot of debate regarding whether the armed forces should even be in Iraq, he said. But the job of those in uniform isn't to debate.
"It's our duty," Sams said. "Debate belongs in politics."
He said these people dedicate their lives and careers to fighting evil. He added that he didn't have to talk about the sacrifices of the job because everyone in the room already knew them.
And the fight isn't always easy.
Many people signed on to serve after Sept. 11 knowing they could be in harms way. He said it also wasn't easy liberating 25 million people in Iraq after three decades of oppression.
Airman Matthew Treadwell said Sams' words were motivating, especially since he will be deploying to Iraq at the end of the summer. He said that just like the point of a spear, the armed forces can't do its job without support.
The support of the country and its people is what makes him sure about his service, he added.
Ellie
Air Force general tells crowd 'the best service is the one you're serving in'
By Michelle Dynes
rep2@wyomingnews.com
Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE - In a time of wars and disasters, the armed services have never been stronger.
Today's soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines fight conflicts jointly and are better prepared for it, said Lt. Gen. Ronald Sams during Friday's Armed Forces Banquet.
Sams, the Air Force inspector general, was once asked which branch of the military is superior.
"The best service is the one you're serving in," he said. "We all bring something different to the fight."
The military is more coordinated than ever, working as a team to develop tactics. Medical care also has advanced. He said military medics have perfected transportation techniques, getting the wounded out safely. Sams said the focus is on sharing the risk within every group.
And Americans have seen the effects of this military progress.
He said that last summer while the country was in the midst of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan it was hit with several hurricanes: Wilma, Rita and Katrina.
During this time there were 90,000 square miles of devastation, approximately the size of Great Britain. Sams said the same skills used on battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan were deployed to New Orleans. As first responders, members of the National Guard and Reserves rose to the challenge, aiding displaced Americans with housing, meals and medical care.
"It was nothing short of amazing," he said.
Armed Forces Day honors the sacrifices of these men and women. Sams said these are the people who ensure that there is hope and goodness in the world despite the worst disaster.
Today after marking the third anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom there is a lot of debate regarding whether the armed forces should even be in Iraq, he said. But the job of those in uniform isn't to debate.
"It's our duty," Sams said. "Debate belongs in politics."
He said these people dedicate their lives and careers to fighting evil. He added that he didn't have to talk about the sacrifices of the job because everyone in the room already knew them.
And the fight isn't always easy.
Many people signed on to serve after Sept. 11 knowing they could be in harms way. He said it also wasn't easy liberating 25 million people in Iraq after three decades of oppression.
Airman Matthew Treadwell said Sams' words were motivating, especially since he will be deploying to Iraq at the end of the summer. He said that just like the point of a spear, the armed forces can't do its job without support.
The support of the country and its people is what makes him sure about his service, he added.
Ellie