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thedrifter
10-01-07, 04:14 PM
U.S. ‘will prevail’ in war, Pace says
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Oct 1, 2007 16:20:40 EDT

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/xml/front/071001pace_287.JPG

As protestors on distant bullhorns shouted anti-war slogans, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that different points of view strengthen America but that the national debate over the war on terror should be about the most effective way to fight it, win it and recover from it — not how fast to get out of it.

“I just want everyone to understand that this dialogue is not about, ‘Can we vote our way out of a war?’ ” said Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace during his sun-splashed retirement ceremony Monday on the parade field at Fort Myer, Va. “We have an enemy who has declared war on us. We are in a war. They want to stop us from living the way we want to live our lives.

“So the dialogue is not about, ‘Are we in a war?,’ but how and where and when to best fight that war to preserve our freedom and to preserve our way of life and to do so with the least damage to our own society and the least damage to those we’re fighting against so we can put the pieces back together on the end of this,” Pace said.

“We will prevail,” he said “There’s no doubt about that.”

Pace, ending a 40-year career that began as a rifle platoon leader in the Vietnam War, addressed a standing-room-only crowd that included President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Gates’s predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, the service secretaries, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and dozens of other dignitaries.

Pace seemed to deliberately blur the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, although it is the Iraq war that appears to provoke the most national anger and most of the calls for the withdrawal of troops. His comments seemed aimed at acknowledging both that anger and what officials have said is the fragile depth of the nation’s ground forces, which are wearing thin from the strain of fighting the two wars — a situation that some critics say has significantly weakened the military’s ability to respond elsewhere around the world if called upon.

The officer sworn in Monday to replace Pace, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, expressed a similar desire to rebuild during his remarks.

“I’m ... eager to work closely with our service chiefs, our combatant commanders, as together we develop and execute a strategy to support our national interests in the Middle East; we reset, reconstitute and revitalize our armed forces, especially our ground forces; and we properly balance our risks around the globe,” Mullen said. “The fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will one day end. We must be ready for who and what comes after.”

Getting to such a point, Pace said, will require thoughtful dialogue, not partisan bickering. While he didn’t mention Congress, the fights over war funding and calls for immediate withdrawal from Iraq that have marked the past year on Capitol Hill were clearly on his mind.

“Our democracy is strengthened by divergent views and dialogue about those views when that dialogue is conducted in a civil manner, in a gentlemanly way, in a way that allows people to argue on the merits of what they believe and to understand that what they believe is part of the answer and if they have the willingness to cooperate to find the right answer for our country,” Pace said.

“And what worries me is that in some instances right now we have individuals who are more interested in making somebody else look bad than they are in finding the right solution,” he said. “They are more interested in letting their personal venom come forward instead of talking about how do we get from where we are to where we need to be.”

But Pace said that personal expressions of anger also have their place in the national debate, even as at least three protestors standing outside the Fort Myer fence line spent a solid hour taking turns bellowing anti-war comments, most seemingly aimed at Bush, into a bullhorn. Alternately muffled and clear, they shouted “Stop the killing, George!” and “Arrest the liar for war crimes!”

Pace ad-libbed his acknowledgement. “If we as a country can accept the fact that, yes, fellow citizens have a right to object — I can hear voices right now of folks out in the street who are exercising their right of free speech in this democracy to say what they want to say,” Pace said. “And I take pride in knowing that the men and women on the parade deck in front of us are going to ensure that they continue to have that opportunity.”

Mullen echoed that responsibility in his remarks. “We must never forget that as citizens of this great nation, we are morally bound to uphold the ideals of the Constitution,” he said. “And as servants in uniform, we are legally bound. We took an oath, we made a promise. That places in us and upon us the trust of the American people. That trust is the bedrock of our service, the foundation of our republic, and we owe it to our fellow citizens to preserve it.”

Ellie

thedrifter
10-01-07, 04:33 PM
Defense Secretary Pays Tribute to Pace
Fort Myer, Virginia: Marine Gen. Steps Down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

CQ Transcripts Wire
Monday, October 1, 2007; 12:13 PM

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates : Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, distinguished guests, Admiral Mike Mullen -- thank you for your willingness yet again to answer your country's call -- men and women of the armed forces, even a condensed version of General Pete Pace's 40 years of distinguished service would take up much of the morning, so I would like to spend a few minutes talking about the man I have come to know over the past 10 months.

I should begin with a story about a place and a platoon.

At 3:40 a.m., on January 31st, 1968, thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers engulfed the ancient city of Hue as part of what became known as the Tet Offensive, leaving a small contingent of American and South Vietnamese surprised and surrounded.

Several miles down the road, at Phu Bai, members of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, were called in to the rescue for what one officer called an afternoon of street fighting.

That afternoon turned into a month-long campaign in a city where, according to one officer, every window, every roof and every intersection harbored potential death.

By the end of the first week, the American flag flew proudly above the enemy headquarters on the south side of the city. But for 2nd Platoon, the cost of this real estate had been high. Two-thirds of their comrades could no longer bear arms, including their leader. Many fell in the opening minutes of the battle while trying to take a bridge, and there was much more fighting left.

Such was the scene that awaited Golf's 2nd of the 5th's newest platoon leader, the third in as many weeks, Second Lieutenant Peter Pace, age 22.

Such was the heroism and the hope of those who would begin to shape that young Marine into the officer we honor today.

The first thing Pete did was call together the squad leaders and say to them, "My name is Pete Pace, and I have no idea what I'm doing. If you guys will help me out and talk to me, I promise that I will listen."

Barney Barnes was one of Pete's squad leaders. He recalled, "Some officers come in and they demand respect. General Pace didn't do that. He earned our respect. He earned it by loving us, caring for us, teaching us, making sure that we were the best Marines that we possibly could be."

Many years later, of those men, and of that experience, Pete said, "It was their blood that gave me a debt that I can never fully repay."

Marine officers take special care to consider themselves leaders of Marines first, and whatever military specialty they might be second. And General Pace is certainly that.

But as we have seen through 40 years of extraordinary service, this proud Marine has also shown himself to be a gifted leader of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and, with his wife, Lynne, a firm advocate for their families as well.

General Pace brings his career to a close as one of the last of a dwindling breed of officers. His four decades in uniform have spanned four eras of the U.S. military's modern history, from the Vietnam War and the draft, to the all-volunteer force and victory in Desert Storm, to the false tranquility following the Cold War, and then the post- 9/11 campaigns our armed forces have waged in Afghanistan, Iraq and against violent jihadists worldwide.

I should note that about the same time Pete was rallying his men in Vietnam, I was just beginning my transition from the Air Force to the CIA. While Pete was getting shot at, I was starting my CIA training here, having just transferred from duty tending ICBMs at Whiteman Air Force Base.

The closest I've been to live combat is going to the Hill to testify, which is why I've always wanted Pete there by my side.

When I arrived at the Pentagon, Pete helped ensure that I had everything I needed to lead this department. His expertise and wisdom across a wide variety of complex issues has helped guide my every decision.

I value his candor, and I have come to trust his judgment in all matters. His sense of humor has lifted me when I was down, and his sense of duty has driven me to do right by the men and women of this department.

He has been more than a mentor, he has been a friend.

And the one thing that sticks with me is that although General Pace is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most powerful military officer in the world, he still cares for everyone in our armed forces as if he were still their platoon leader.

Whenever we at the highest levels are faced with a decision, no matter how big or small, he will always ask aloud the question that has guided him throughout his career: How will this impact Private First Class Pace and Mrs. Pace?

And, General Pace, the men and women of the armed forces have had a leader who never lost sight of the individual or the troops on the front lines.

Through it all, he has carried himself with humility, dignity and grace; qualities that were on display when he joined those battle- weary Marines in the rubble of an ancient city halfway around the world, and incurred, as he said, a debt he could never fully repay.

Pete, I believe I speak for everyone in the nation when I say your debt has been more than repaid.

In my service under seven presidents, I have been privileged to serve with many great leaders. You are one of the very finest.

You leave today as you should, with flags flying, words of tribute ringing in your ears, and the heartfelt thanks of a grateful nation.

We wish you and Lynne the very best. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

END

Ellie

Hand Salute!

Alphaonethree
10-01-07, 05:36 PM
Some friends and I were sitting around shootin the bull one satueday over some cold ones, and the subject came up of who our childhood hero's were, After the batmans and supermans were all mensioned the conversation came up as to who our hero's were as grown men. I said Peter Pace was my hero. Of course no one had a clue as to who Peter Pace is. So for the next 15 minutes or so I educated my friends on the accomplishments of a young LT in Vietnam all the way to the Generals post of CJCOS. At the end of the conversation we all raised our bottles and gave a toast to my hero.
:iwo:

3077India
10-01-07, 05:53 PM
U.S. ‘will prevail’ in war, Pace says...Didn't Gen. Westmoreland say something similar about Vietnam? :p

thedrifter
10-01-07, 07:25 PM
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/xml/front/TN100107rcPaceMullen_287.JPG

thedrifter
10-01-07, 07:26 PM
Pace Calls for Reasoned Discourse to Advance U.S. Democracy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

FORT MYER, Va., Oct. 1, 2007 – Reasoned discourse allows American democracy to grow and flourish, but some people seem more intent on spewing personal venom than in finding solutions, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today as he retired from the Marine Corps after more than 40 years of service.

Pace spoke at an armed forces hail and farewell ceremony as he turned the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff over to Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen.

The United States is well-served by divergent views and discussion that grows from those views. But the discussion must be civil and in a way “that allows people to argue on the merits of what they believe and to understand that what they believe is part of the answer,” Pace said.

Americans must have the willingness to cooperate to find the right answers for challenging times, he said. “What worries me is that in some instances right now we have individuals who are more interested in making somebody else look bad than they are in finding the right solution,” Pace said. “They are more interested in letting their personal venom come forward instead of talking about how do we get from where we are to where we need to be.”

Americans have the right to object and to be heard, Pace said. U.S. servicemembers fighting in many corners of the world do so to guarantee their fellow countrymen those rights. “I can hear voices right now of folks out in the street who are exercising their right of free speech in this democracy to say what they want to say,” Pace said. “And I take pride in knowing that the men and women on the parade deck in front of us are going to ensure that they continue to have that opportunity.”

The dialogue on the war on terror is not about voting the country out of the war. “We have an enemy who has declared war on us. We are in a war,” Pace said. “They want to stop us from living the way we want to live our lives.

“So the dialogue is not about are we in a war, but how and where and when to best fight that war to preserve our freedom and to preserve our way of life.”

The United States will prevail in the war on terror, “there's no doubt about that,” he said.

Pace recounted impressions he has had in his travels during his last 40 days as chairman, including a visit to the 4th Marine Division reunion. The Marine Corps activated the division in World War II and deactivated it in 1945. In 60 days of combat in the Pacific, the division fought at Guam, Saipan and Iwo Jima and suffered more than 18,000 casualties.

“They were decommissioned in November 1945, (which) happens to be the month I was born,” Pace said. “Through an accident of birth, I was born in the United States of America. Through the incredible valor of the members of that Marine division and so many other Marine, Army and Air Force and Coast Guard and Navy units across the globe that fought during World War II, through their valor, I was born free.”

In talking about going to his last NATO meeting, Pace said he sat in the conference room and looked at the 26 flags and nameplates on the table, many from countries once in the Warsaw Pact -- countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Poland. “And I thought to myself, how wonderful that we have NATO as an alliance, how sad that the newest countries had to crave for their freedom for so long, and how instructive that those who have most recently joined that table of freedom are the most energetic in trying to share that freedom with those around the globe who do not yet have it,” he said.

He also spoke of seeing a screening of “The Kite Runner,” the movie based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel about Afghanistan. “If we ever forget what it is that we're fighting against, just go see that movie,” Pace said. “It will strengthen in you the understanding of the true nature of those who seek to dominate us.”

The general recalled he and his wife, Lynne, visiting with families of the fallen. He said he couldn’t ease their pain, “but I hope that in commemorating the lives of the fallen and in the way that we spend the rest of our lives, that we will pay respect to their sacrifice in a way that will give meaning to all that they fought for,” he said.

Pace recalled a recent visit to Marines of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, on duty in Karmah, Iraq. It was the unit that 2nd Lt. Pace joined at the height of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968. Yesterday evening, the general had a reunion with men he had served with in that unit.

“It was a wonderful bookend for me to have seen those Marines in that platoon about two weeks ago and then last night at my house seeing the Marines from my platoon from Vietnam,” Pace said. “Now, if you saw the guys from my platoon in Vietnam right now, you might think that they are middle-aged, sometimes a little bit overweight men.

“When I look at them, I see heroes, men who answered the call as those who serve today answer the call,” he added.

Pace said that when he travels he hears the same question from American servicemembers: Do the American people still support us? “In the last 40 days, I've been with organizations like the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation that takes care of the children of the deceased; the Sentinels of Freedom, who help those who are severely wounded assimilate into productive lives in our community; the USO, that after decades has provided entertainment and has been a home to the troops overseas,” he said. “The answer is a resounding yes, the American people, no matter what they believe about the ongoing conflict, believe in their troops.”

He also talked about two other destinations he’s visited in the past 40 days. The first was Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y., where he spoke to 1,700 young men who were “clear-eyed, smart, sharp, looking forward to taking over leadership positions in our country.”

The second was a family wedding. “What struck me … was that the clear expectation of everybody in the wedding party was one of great hope and optimism for the couple that was getting married, for the possibility of them having children, and the belief that this country would provide to them and their children and their grandchildren the same liberties and freedoms that we have enjoyed,” he said. “I could not help think about what an incredible country where weddings and other ceremonies like that reflect on the pure optimism that rightly so pervades our nation.”

Being able to participate in the processes of government – such as news conferences and testimony before Congress -- are privileges, Pace said. “I would be less than honest if I told you I looked forward to either one of those,” he said. “They are not fun. But it is a privilege; it has been a privilege to participate as an American citizen, to know that the senior military leadership of the country gets called in front of the Congress of the United States to answer is an important part, a fundamental part of our freedom.

“There is no country in the world that is free that does not have a free press; said differently, you cannot be free unless you have a free press,” he continued. “So the fact that sometimes questions are tough is tough because it's right for a democracy.”

The general said he is sad to leave, not because he will miss the perks of being chairman, “I simply will miss putting on this uniform, going to work each day and trying to do the right thing for Pfc. Pace, wherever he or she may be serving,” he said. “And I will miss being able to walk out and hug them and tell them I love them.”

Pace said he owes a debt to Marines who died following his orders. “I made a promise about 38 years ago to that I would serve this country in whatever capacity I could for as long as I could and try to do it in a way that would pay respect to the sacrifice that they made following Second Lieutenant Peter Pace in combat,” he said. “I am still in debt, but I leave today knowing that I have tried to fulfill that promise and in doing so have been led on an incredible journey.”

Ellie

thedrifter
10-02-07, 06:03 AM
Lynne Pace Reflects on 40 Years’ Service to Family, Country
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2007 – Nearly 40 years ago, Lynne Pace dedicated her life to her family. Little did she know at the time that her family ultimately would include the nation’s 2.4 million servicemembers.


Little did she know that the young Marine officer she married would go on to become the first Marine to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military’s top ranking officer.

Today, Lynne and her husband, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, are retiring from military service. Their commitment to their extended family won’t end with today’s ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., however. They say their love for and dedication to the men and women who make up the armed forces will last a lifetime.

During the general’s last news briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Pace “cut his teeth on the battlefields of Vietnam, made his way up through the ranks during the Cold War, and these past few years, has led our military in a very different, very complex war against jihadist terrorism.”

Through it all, Gates noted, Pace has never once forgotten about the individual men and women who make up the United States armed forces. As Pace himself often points out, this includes the military families who “serve the country as well as anyone who’s ever worn a uniform.”

Through it all, Lynne has been at her husband’s side, serving as his teammate and as an advocate for military families working to improve the military community they’ve chosen to live in.

“We’ve worked and grown together for 36 years,” Lynne told American Forces Press Service. “I’m pretty old-fashioned, and he’s an amazing guy. We’re partners. We’re a team.”

In 1967, Lynne fell in love with Pete Pace while he was attending the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. The couple dated for four years before marrying in 1971, two years after Pace returned from Vietnam.

Lynne said she had learned little about the military growing up in Ellicott City, Md. Her husband’s assignment here at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Street, she said, was her first experience with a military unit that “was like a big family.”

While Pace attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Ga., the couple lived off base, where Lynne came to know her civilian neighbors rather than the military community. When Pace attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, Va., the couple lived on base, where Lynne became involved with the military wives group.

“Back then, the wives ran child care centers, so I got to know other moms,” she recalled. “We’d work together to get the things we needed for the families.”

Lynne said she’s always tried to heed her husband’s advice to grow where you are planted.

“I am not an extrovert,” she said. “I am not one who will go out seeking people. But if you tell me I can’t do something for my child, or if a friend of mine’s child is having a hard time, I’ll fight whatever it takes for the kids.”

As her husband rose through the ranks, Lynne gradually learned about the role of a military spouse. “I had no clue what was expected of me at first,” she said.

She said she knew she wanted to help her husband do his job and found that helping the families helped him in his role, as well.

When Pace deployed to Okinawa, Japan, and Lynne stayed behind, she learned to deal with cars breaking down, refrigerators needing repairs and other household problems. During the family’s frequent moves to new duty stations, she learned to do things on her own and to ask for help when she needed it.

“The hardest thing is to learn to say, ‘I can’t do this,’ and then ask somebody to help,” she said.

“You’re not alone,” Lynne said she advises military spouses. “There are other military spouses out there to help you.”

Overall, she said, military spouses need to be “adaptable, determined, independent and resourceful.”

“Military spouses are thrown into environments where those kinds of things really do mean a lot,” she added. “Every move is an adventure. Every challenge is a growth experience.”

Lynne said the couple’s son, Peter, and daughter, Tiffany Marie, benefited from growing up within the military community.

“In many ways they are more mature because military children are thrown into different environments every time they move,” she explained. “They’re more adaptable. They’ve been to places that a lot of people who grow up in the same town never have the opportunity to go to. In many ways, those are great advantages.”

On the other hand, she noted, these benefits can be seen as disadvantages. “The schools change. You’re recreating yourself every year or two or three. Many children move during high school, which is a very difficult time to move. Some children will go to three different high schools and that’s really hard. You’re always leaving your friends, and you’re always making new friends. You learn and grow from that, but it’s also hard to do.”

Still, based on the number of children of military parents who choose to serve in the military, she said, “It can’t be all that bad.”

For Lynne, one of the rewards of military life was getting to meet people all over the world. “Living in Japan for two years, seeing a culture that’s so different from ours, learning that deep down we’re all the same -- we may have cultural differences, but we all love our children. We all love our country.

“It has been a huge growth experience for me,” Lynne said. “The education I earned along the way has given me incredible confidence in my ability to go out and deal with presidents and queens and some pretty amazing people. The opportunities we’ve had to represent our country overseas have been incredible.”

Military support for families has changed significantly since Lynne joined the community, she said. Today, family support groups and family readiness officers help families cope during deployments. Family support centers provide videoconference capabilities so families can make videos to send to their military members. Various groups organize pre- and post-deployment briefings for spouses, as well as picnics, movie nights and parties for children.

“The military has learned that if the families are happy, deployments are easier,” she said. “If you can help the families take care of the problems that they have, then it makes it easier for the military members as well as the families at home.”

She encouraged military commanders to take the time to thank military families for the sacrifices they’re enduring so their military members can serve. “Without the spouses’ support at home, they can’t do it. The expression ‘If Momma ain’t happy, ain't nobody happy’ is true. Because the deployments are long and frequent; it’s hard.

“I think everybody, military commanders, civilians -- we all need to thank these families. We’re thanking our troops. We need to remember our families. If your next door neighbor is serving in the military, think about what can you do to say thanks. Watch the kids; give them a spa day; fix the car -- do something to say thanks,”

As Pace assumed more responsibilities, Lynne said, her role changed as well. “People expect more from you. They expect you to know the answers to everything, but in fact you don’t,” she said.

“But as his job changes, you have more access to people to get answers to questions you might not have been able to have two jobs ago or two ranks ago,” she said. “People will listen to what you have to say because of who he is. If that’s what it takes to get somebody to help, then that’s OK. I don’t believe rank equates to royalty, but I do believe that if his rank can help somebody, that’s a good thing. Then I’ll use it.”

At times, being the chairman’s wife can be a help or a hindrance, she said. “What I do (to help troops and families), I try to do really quietly. Who he is can help me do what I do. But because of who he is, a lot of people won’t tell me what they need. But because of who he is, I have more access.”

A couple of years ago, for example, some hospitalized troops told Lynne they needed computers. “I had a friend that asked me what he could do for the troops, so we were able to get computers,” she said.

“There’s a young man who wants to go to law school,” she said, “so through people we’ve been fortunate to meet along the way, people who want to help have ensured money is available for him to pay tuition, room and board and books to go to law school after he’s finished his medical care.”

Over the years, Lynne has learned about organizations that help troops and their families. “If a family needs a place to stay, I know people to ask who can help them out,” she said.

She knows who to contact when wounded troops arrive at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., without clothing or when families arrive at the hospital in June but don’t leave until January and they didn’t bring winter clothes with them.

“There are people out there who are willing to help,” she said. “They’ll ask me what they can do, and I’ll tell them the families need coats or shoes, or the troops need DVD players or movies. These things seem small and unimportant, but they’re not to the wounded and their families who are going through this.”

Lynne said she believes all Americans have a responsibility to help servicemembers and their families in any way they can. “We’re a country at war; we all need to do something,” she said.

Lynne regularly visits troops at military medical centers in the Washington, D.C., area, throughout the states, and overseas when she travels with the chairman.

“Sometimes I drive home from the hospital sobbing the whole way home,” she admitted. “Other times I’m thinking about the people I’ve talked to who want to do certain things. I try to stay positive. Every visit is different. But when you leave, you know it’s the right thing to do. It doesn’t take a lot to go hug somebody and thank them.”

She described wounded troops’ attitudes as “unbelievable -- their will to get better, to do something productive with their lives, and their desire to go back and finish the job and be with their buddies.”

“The first time I went (to visit wounded troops in a hospital), I was just awestruck,” she said. “Somebody asked, ‘Where do we get these kids?’ and the response was ‘Hometown USA.’ These are the sons and daughters of Americans out there who have taught them to help others so they can have a better life.

“I think that’s what keeps me going,” Lynne concluded. “They are just so positive. Yes, they have their bad days, but for the most part, they’re looking at tomorrow. If I can help them do that, I want to.”

Ellie

thedrifter
10-02-07, 06:51 AM
Bush Thanks Pace for His Service
Mullen to Become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

CQ Transcripts Wire
Monday, October 1, 2007; 12:24 PM


President Bush: Mr. Vice President, Mrs. Cheney, Secretary Gates, members of the Cabinet, members of the Congress, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the finest military ever, the United States military, Secretary Rumsfeld, General Myers, members of the Pace and the Mullen families and distinguished guests, today we pay tribute to an outstanding chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and we welcome his distinguished successor.

Ceremonies like this are a storied military tradition. It is a time when families, friends and comrades honor those who have fulfilled great duties to their nation. It is a time when we show appreciation to those who step forward to assume new obligations. It is a time when we make generous use of words like honor and character. Sometimes those words are used too often. In the case of the two men we celebrate today, those words cannot be used too much.

Admiral Mike Mullen comes to this post with a broad and unique range of talents and experience. Some of you may not know that his parents were highly regarded members of the Hollywood community who worked for some of the greatest entertainers of the day. Many people are surprised when told about the admiral's show business roots. After all, he is humble, well-grounded and filled with common sense.

(LAUGHTER)

Not exactly what one thinks about when they think of Hollywood values.

(LAUGHTER)

Admiral Mullen left California to attend the United States Naval Academy to pursue a career in military service. He soon found himself stationed on a destroyer on the gunline off the coast of Vietnam.

During that tour, Admiral Mullen was part of operations so intense that the gun barrels on his ship glowed red. It was the beginning of a distinguished career.

The admiral has commanded three ships, an aircraft carrier battle group, and the U.S. 2nd Fleet. He served as the commander of all U.S. naval forces in Europe, and the NATO Joint Force Command.

And later, as the chief of naval operations, he championed the construction of new types of vessels needed to deal with the threats of the 21st century.

Admiral Mike Mullen understands what's at stake in the war on terror. He was on duty at the Pentagon when flight 77 made its doomed plunge. He felt the plane slam into the building. He was the carnage and devastation. And like all who worked there that terrible day, he still carries the pain and the loss.

Admiral Mullen was there when war reached America's shore. And he brings the talent, vision and judgment needed to help us fight and win that war.

As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen will follow his strong belief that every member of our armed forces is, as he put it, part of one team and one fight.

He will continue to set a sterling example to our men and women in uniform. He will bring judgment and candor to decisions that may mean the difference between life and death for young Americans who are serving our nation.

He will demonstrate the same love of country and dedication to duty that inspired his sons to follow him into military service.

Admiral Mike Mullen is a man of decency and honor.

And I congratulate you on your new assignment. And I know your parents would be proud. And I thank you and Deborah and Jack and Michael for your service to our nation.

(APPLAUSE)

As Admiral Mullen begins his service as chairman, he is fortunate to have as an example the man we honor today.

General Pete Pace is one of the most respected and accomplished military leaders I have ever known. He helped craft America's response to an unprecedented assault on our homeland. He helped liberate two nations from brutal tyrannies and helped bring freedom to millions of people. He began the process of transforming our military into a more efficient and effective force.

Yet these accomplishments do not begin to tell the full story of this remarkable man.

The story begins in Teaneck, New Jersey, where General Pace grew up the proud son of an Italian immigrant. His dad worked two and sometimes three jobs to provide for his family. His mom attended church services every Sunday and, according to the good general, still lights candles to pray that her children are happy, healthy and safe.

General Pace was a good student and a good athlete. His mom said the general has been good at everything he's ever done. Some of you may think that mothers are required to say only admiring things about their sons. Well, take it from me, it's not always the case.

(LAUGHTER)

General Pace's dad died before he could see his son reached the height of his career, yet he always knew that his son would be a success. His family believed in his potential, and they weren't the only ones.

There's something about General Pete Pace that makes believers out of nearly everyone.

That includes the men who served with him in Vietnam and whom he led during some of the most vicious urban combat in American military history.

It includes the troops he led in Somalia, who looked to him for resolve and guidance during difficult times.

It includes Marines who look with pride on the first of their ranks to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It includes two secretaries of defense who relied on the general during tough and trying times.

And it includes the president who has counted on General Pace's candor and sound judgment during some of the most difficult times in our country's history.

During his service at the Pentagon, General Pete Pace has shown us many talents. He's shown an intellect sharpened by postgraduate studies at George Washington and Harvard. He has shown us great oratorical skills. This is a man who frequently speaks without notes.

BUSH: I really don't recommend this to everyone.

(LAUGHTER)

He's shown a sharp wit. When a naval commander once made an edgy joke in front of the secretary of defense, the general stepped right in and gave the officer some advice. He said, "Never let a promising career stand in the way of a good joke."

(LAUGHTER)

The most important attribute General Pete Pace has shown us is a quiet strength. It is a strength that has won the admiration of friends and peers. It is a strength built on the love and support of a strong and devoted wife, Lynne, and their family, Peter, Lindsey and Tiffany. It is a strength that gave General Pace solace in the tough and sometimes bitter world of Washington, D.C. It helped him bring selflessness to a city filled with egos and a dignity to a political process that might have worn down a lesser man.

He now leaves active service with a distinguished team in place and a talented successor.

And yet I also have a sense that General Pace is not going to end it all here. He's a man who has always put country first and he will find new ways to serve.

General Pete Pace always understood what's important. It wasn't the titles he received or the honors bestowed and it certainly was not the good graces of official Washington.

What mattered most were the young men and women who serve our country and risk their lives for its honored cause. He kept a picture on his desk of the first Marine who died under his command in Vietnam. He can still recite the names of all other Marines who died under that first command. And because this is a man with a tender heart, sometimes it's hard for him to get through all the names without choking up a little bit.

Pete has devoted his life to those who wear our country's uniform. And they are devoted to General Pace. They're among the hundreds who've received his advice and friendship. They're among the thousands who lined up at military bases during his final tour to shake his hand and wish him well and say goodbye.

BUSH: They're among the millions who's names he will never know but who will always remember him. And they include that single soldier who came up to the general on his last visit to the war zone. He looked at General Pace with gratitude, respect and pride, and said, "Thanks for your service. We'll take it from here."

General Pace, throughout your life, you have led those troops to honorable achievements and into the pages of history. Because of your example, you can know that, with courage, valor and confidence, they will take it from here.

And so Godspeed to my friend, General Pete Pace. Thanks for your courage, thanks for your leadership, and thanks for your service to a country we love.

(APPLAUSE)

END

Ellie

thedrifter
10-02-07, 07:17 AM
One less Good Man
By Joseph A. Kinney

Yesterday, General Peter Pace, the first Marine to Chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff, left his post and the Corps that he has served for 40 years. For a Marine Corps in search of a few good men, they will have one less when Pace leaves. In fact, they will be losing a giant of a man who has asserted moral leadership in the face of enormous pressure just when it was needed.

General Pace has become the military face of the War in Iraq. This loyalty may have been his downfall. Make whatever judgment you want, there is no doubt that Pace is a warrior's warrior, caring deeply for those who wear the colors of this country. He demonstrated moral firmness as a young platoon commander in Vietnam and continues to do so as his final day nears.

In Vietnam, Pace's platoon was often fired upon from the edge of villages,but never once did he blindly retaliate. This showed Pace to be a measured man, understanding his purpose and mission whatever the emotion.

Throughout his career, Pace has shown that he knows right from wrong, a quality lacking in much of officialdom. It can be said that Pace began with a strong moral compass that he never lost. On November 29, 2005, he was present at a press conference given by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld who said that "the United States does not have a responsibility" to prevent torture by Iraqi officials. Pace disagreed, saying "It is the absolute responsibility of every U.S. service member, if they see inhumane treatment being conducted, to intervene, to stop it". Lesser men would have ignored the impulse to speak. Not Pace.

That would not be the only time that Pace would bump heads with leadership. After White House officials in early 2007 asserted that Iran was supplying insurgents in Iraq with munitions, Pace questioned the validity of the claim. Specifically, Gen. Pace challenged the existence of evidence linking the Iranian Government to the supply of the weapons, explosively-formed penetrators. For Pace, making the right decision based upon facts rather than fiction was critical to his core.

As a Colonel, Pace showed his resolve in making an unpopular decision. He was the Commanding Officer of Marine Barracks in Washington.For Marines, this is hallowed ground. Built in 1801, it was the only building not burned to the ground by the British in the War of 1812. An enlisted Marine approached Pace to name a room after the legendary Carlos Hathcock, a North Carolina sniper with 143 confirmed kills in Vietnam. A vocal majority did not appreciate Hathcock's accomplishments, insisting that snipers were often too independent. Rather than go with the tide, Pace amed the library for Hathcock.

It is well known that Pace maintained a photo of a Marine under the glass on his desk. The photo was of Lance Corporal Guido Farinaro. This young enlisted man was the first man that Pace commanded who died in combat. Recently, Pace journeyed to Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York to pay tribute to the soul behind the photo. As one enters this Catholic School, there is a plaque honoring the 55 graduates who have died in combat. Farinaro's name is halfway down the list.

Pace told the gathered students that Guido was gunned down by a sniper. He recalled that as he stayed with Guido, "a sense of rage came through me, and as the platoon leader, I started calling in an artillerystrike on the village where the round had been fired."

As he began calling for the fire mission, Pace noticed the disdain of a Marine standing nearby. He immediately knew that he was wrong, and canceled the mission.

"Regardless what you do in your life, hold on to your moral compass," Pace said to the assembled students about this lesson. "When you are emotionally least capable of defending yourself is when the biggest challenge will come. If you don't have an idea of what you will let yourself do and what you will not let yourself do, you may find that you have done something that you would never believe yourself capable of doing."

Pace continued with his lesson. "We don't control when we are going to die. We do control how we live. I still owe Guido and his fellow Marines, and now so many others, more than I can ever repay." He concluded: "I ask you to embrace the path that God lays out for you: do the very best you can on that path and take care of the people near you who look to you for leadership."

It is tragic that the White House is showing Pace the door just when our nation desperately needs such a man.

Ellie

thedrifter
10-02-07, 09:51 AM
General Pace Farewell to Troops

http://navlog.org/pace_farewell.pdf

Ellie

FistFu68
10-02-07, 12:27 PM
:evilgrin: GENERAL WESTMORELAND,WASN'T A MARINE :usmc: AND THIS AIN'T FUCEN VIETNAM :evilgrin:

3077India
10-02-07, 01:03 PM
GENERAL WESTMORELAND,WASN'T A MARINE AND THIS AIN'T FUCEN VIETNAMNever said he was and never said this was Vietnam; but history has repeated itself.:nerd:

003XXMarineDAD
10-02-07, 01:37 PM
Never said he was and never said this was Vietnam; but history has repeated itself.:nerd:<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
I would disagree , right now with a all volunteer force that is fight not only the insurgents they have to look back here at all the sixties born again political air heads that will not let them win.
When I talked last to my son that is in the Anbar he said it is going better then we hear in the states.
I told him no big surprise in that coming from our media that longs for the love and peace of the sixites that they miss so much. All we hear is the bad, never the good . Hell even the total of deaths in September were down but bet you will not hear that in the NY Times. It would not fit their defeat agenda.
I will tell you one thing that really ****es me off is that when 600 of the Gold star and blue star parents where in D.C. two weeks ago some of the Democrat leaders would not even meet with us.
So in history repeating it self that is true they still have no balls.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

3077India
10-02-07, 02:29 PM
I would disagree , right now with a all volunteer force that is fight not only the insurgents they have to look back here at all the sixties born again political air heads that will not let them win.
When I talked last to my son that is in the Anbar he said it is going better then we hear in the states.
I told him no big surprise in that coming from our media that longs for the love and peace of the sixites that they miss so much. All we hear is the bad, never the good . Hell even the total of deaths in September were down but bet you will not hear that in the NY Times. It would not fit their defeat agenda.
I will tell you one thing that really ****es me off is that when 600 of the Gold star and blue star parents where in D.C. two weeks ago some of the Democrat leaders would not even meet with us.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig --> So in history repeating it self that is true they still have no balls.While it is true that there are differences with regard to the nature of the time periods you reference there are aspects of each that are similar:
Both began with positive support.
Both didn't have a clear objective for ultimate victory.
Both didn't have a clear exit strategy.
Both saw build ups of American troops without a significant or definate change in the security level of each country.
Both saw popular support being undermined due, in no small part, to the public's view that our troops prolonged presence their is un-necessary.
Both saw acts of terrorism being carried out on civillians.
Both wound up becoming Police Actions.So again, I would say history has repeated itself.

Scottyva
10-02-07, 02:55 PM
BTW does anyone ever recollect if the Senate Majority Leader Standing up on the Floor of the Senate and saying that Vietnam was lost? Like what happened earlier this year?

thedrifter
10-02-07, 02:58 PM
Get Back on track Marines...;)

This about Pace...Not the WAR or the POLITICS

Ellie

003XXMarineDAD
10-02-07, 03:01 PM
Good old Hanoi jane came out ot retirement, old Genghas Kerry reappeared, and the politcal party was in full swing to raise the white flag.
But one thing just as in Veitnam the armed forces never lost the battle but the media and the politcal games in Washington did and are trying to do it again.
Now we had Cindy Shennan ,the Hollywierd crowd and the white flag surrender Democrats doing it again.
When we lose the sence to stand for good against evil we will have the killing fields in the middle east and the blood flowing in the streets.
All because the will to defend the cause of Freedom and Liberty in man was given up for the house seat a politcal party might gain or a Senate seat gained.
This is a good thing to show as freedom to a growing democracy to leave when the going is tough. This weakness will end up kiling more then our actions in Iraq will.

3077India
10-02-07, 03:03 PM
Good old Hanoi jane came out ot retirement, old Genghas Kerry reappeared, and the politcal party was in full swing to raise the white flag.
But one thing just as in Veitnam the armed forces never lost the battle but the media and the politcal games in Washington did and are trying to do it again.
Now we had Cindy Shennan ,the Hollywierd crowd and the white flag surrender Democrats doing it again.
When we lose the sence to stand for good against evil we will have the killing fields in the middle east and the blood flowing in the streets.
All because the will to defend the cause of Freedom and Liberty in man was given up for the house seat a politcal party might gain or a Senate seat gained.
This is a good thing to show as freedom to a growing democracy to leave when the going is tough. This weakness will end up kiling more then our actions in Iraq will.I thoroughly agree, no argument here.

FistFu68
10-02-07, 03:48 PM
:evilgrin: IF YOU WERN'T THERE,SHUT THE FUC UP;WE WERE WINNING WHEN I LEFT,(THE 'NAM) THAT IS;NO DISRESPECT INTENDED:beer: :usmc:

3077India
10-02-07, 03:56 PM
IF YOU WERN'T THERE,SHUT THE FUC UP... ...NO DISRESPECT INTENDEDThe next time you have a thought, just let it go it isn't worth sharing with everybody; no disrespect intended.:p

FistFu68
10-02-07, 06:08 PM
:beer: SHARE THIS YOU FRIGGING(BOOT):beer: IF I WANT ANY LIP FROM YOU'R YOUNG WISE AZZ,I'LL SCAPE IT OF MY ZIPPER:D S/F THAT!!!

3077India
10-02-07, 06:13 PM
SHARE THIS YOU FRIGGING(BOOT) IF I WANT ANY LIP FROM YOU'R YOUNG WISE AZZ,I'LL SCAPE IT OF MY ZIPPER S/F THAT!!!Don't flatter yourself.:p

kfisbusy
08-14-09, 09:28 PM
listen you dip **** i just lost a real good Marine in Afghanistan 21 year old Lance Cal. Patrick Schimmel. He and my son grew up toghter hear in Winfiled Mo. He was real close. So like the Marines told you before me if you wear not there like the rest of us just shut the f*ck up. From a nam. vet. SSTG. Francisco

slug
08-14-09, 11:14 PM
Holy thread resurrection batman! Did you not notice the near 2 yr gap between your post and the one above yours, sir?


btw, I believe you meant to enter "E" 6, not "O" 6 in your profile.

Petz
08-15-09, 12:06 AM
wow... this is insane..... hahaha.... he's new... it's to be expected.