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793rd Deployment Ceremony
December
17th 2004
Honolulu – December 17, 2004 – Speech by Major Rick
Rouzer
I
would like to start by thanking BG Ma for his supportive comments,
and COL McBride and COL Killian, and all of our distinguished guests
for attending this ceremony today. And I would like to thank our
families and friends, many of whom went to great effort to be with
us at this hour.
I would also like to take this moment to thank our trainers and
the staff here at Schofield, who provided us with the support and
guidance necessary to get to this point in our preparations.
In particular, I believe my soldiers would like me to recognize
the training NCO’s of the 196th. We spent many long days,
and sometimes nights, with them on the weapons ranges, the land
navigation course, the IMT course, and many, many other courses.
They went to great pains to ensure my soldiers questions were answered,
and that the training was completed in a safe and effective manner.
To their credit, and that of my own staff, we completed many long
and potentially hazardous training events without a single recordable
accident or injury. That is no small task, and I think I speak for
the entire unit when I say that they have our earned our deepest
admiration, and I am sure we will think of them often in the coming
months as we incorporate their guidance into action.
When I was in Samoa a few months ago, I spoke directly to the families.
I thanked them for their support, and I addressed their specific
concerns. Listening to my soldiers and their leaders, it appears
that most of you are confident in our mission, and the commitment
of me and my NCO’s, to take care of your son’s and daughter’s
while they are deployed. With that said, I would like to use this
opportunity to talk about this unit, the unit we are assigned under,
and my personal perspective on our capabilities in Iraq.
For those of you less knowledgeable about such things, the patch
on our left arm is the rainbow patch of the 42nd Infantry Division.
It is a National Guard unit based at Ft Drum, New York. If you believe
that everything is relative to something of greater importance,
than the irony of this will not surprise you.
The current Commanding General of the 42nd ID is Major General Joseph
Taluto. Coincidentally, he was the commander of the first troops
at ground zero, following 9-11. Many of the soldiers of the 42nd
lost friends and relatives in that disaster. So, the 42nd ID already
had a vested interest in the war on terrorism. That is why, when
a soldier of the 42nd renders a hand salute with the customary greeting
of “Rainbow”, the return salute is now accompanied with
the phrase “Never forget”.
In addition, the 42nd is the first National Guard division to be
deployed into theatre since the Korean War. I have not yet had the
opportunity to talk to Major General Taluto, but I have talked to
many officers on his staff, and the importance of New Yorkers going
to Iraq to avenge the 9-11 attach is not lost on them. This is an
historic deployment, and we are lucky to be a part of it.
So, today we gather with our friends and loved ones, and those who
have assisted in our training, and we reflect on both that which
we have accomplished, and that in which we are about to embark.
Today could represent an ending or a beginning, depending on whom
you ask.
If you talked to our trainers, it is an ending- the conclusion of
our mobilization training, and the culmination of an extensive and
demanding plan of preparation for our mission overseas.
If you talked to the Garrison, it is an ending that marks the completion
of another successful mobilization, but a time for them to start
preparations for the next rotation of units.
If you talked to the staff at the 9th RRC or the 1101st GSU, they
might say today is the end of several months of preparations that
included many long days, countless meetings, and enough tools and
equipment to rebuild Waikiki. At the same time, many of them will
recognize this as the beginning of what promises to be a very successful
mission.
For the soldiers and the families of the 793rd, today marks the
temporary end to a lifestyle that has become so familiar, and the
start of a journey that is grossly unfamiliar, and sometimes hard
to comprehend. We are about to embark on a trip to a place half
way around the world, and begin a mission that we have prepared
for throughout our military careers, but still can be difficult
to accept.
If I were to try to examine the reasoning for this undertaking on
my part, without knowing the soldiers that stand before you, I would
probably be afraid. And if I lacked an understanding of the tremendous
worldwide responsibilities that come with our association in the
United States Army, I might convince myself this is someone else’s
responsibility. If I could turn off the news, cancel my newspaper,
and close my eyes to the world around me, I might be able to ignore
the problems of the world as long as I stay here in my home, with
my family, and my pizza delivery, and my ESPN.
But that is not realistic, and it is not possible- not for me. Because
I understand the sacrifices that my father, and his father- and
his father before that, made to ensure that I have a safe place
to raise my children.
And I am an educated man, who recognizes that the world is getting
smaller every day. I understand that the end of the cold war only
increased our responsibility with respect to world peace. The future
of mankind rests greatly on our ability to protect the peaceful
existence of all people.
I had the opportunity, not so many years ago, to visit the twin
towers in New York City. I can readily make the connection that
tells me anyone capable of planning and executing such a travesty,
would not hesitate to do the same somewhere else. I can not put
my head in the sand and wait for my turn to come.
I have trained with this unit, and many others like it, for more
than 28 years. I have known many fine soldiers and leaders. I know
how to recognize the real thing. And one thing I am sure of at this
point- one thing that provides me with strength when fear would
be the logical course - one thing that allows me to embrace this
challenge before me- is the understanding that these soldiers- one
and all- are qualified and willing to do whatever I ask of them.
In front of me today is a unit that just 4 months ago was nothing
more than 56 individuals, strangers mostly- but soldiers, thrown
together for the purpose of fulfilling an immediate need of the
Army. And they came willing to do this for a commander who didn’t
even know most of their names.
Today, they stand before you, recognized as one of the most successful
units, so far, to complete training at Schofield Barracks. That
says a great deal about these fine young men and women. Because
I am sure that when they arrived here, they, too, were afraid. But
they never showed it. And they won’t today. Because, like
me, they understand that we are part of the greatest military force
in the history of the world. And we have a job to do. And it is
the other guy who should be very afraid of us.
So, we will go- and we will do this thing that we must do. And when
it is over, we will come home and watch our children grow up in
a world that is safer, and better for our efforts. May God bless
us all. Thank you
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