Ft Hood Memorial: General Casey (video)

November 10, 2009

Arrival POTUS & FLOTUS (video)
Invocation: Col Michael Lembke (video)
Opening remarks: Lt Gen Robert Cone (video)
POTUS (video/text)
Amazing Grace: Master Sgt Natasha Hartley (video)
Final Roll Call, 21-Gun Salute, Taps (video)

Will try to find full text. Some hand-transcribed comments.

Whoever wrote this speech (if it wasn’t Gen Casey himself) should be writing POTUS speeches. Though it’s the conviction the speaker has in the words that gives them their meaning.

News1News

Army Chief of Staff General George Casey

Warrior ethos:

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Our ethos and our values are woven into the very fabric of our Army.

Our soldiers are cut from the great cloth of this country – a country they love and serve in a time of war.

….But we are an Army that has drawn strength from that adversity.

So as we grieve as an Army family, as we wrap our arms around the families of our fallen comrades, I would say to you all: Grieve with us, don’t grieve for us.

Those who have fallen did so in the service of their country.

They freely answered the call to serve, and they gave their lives for something that they loved and believed in.

I am extremely proud of the competence, the courage and the commitment of our soldiers’ families, civilians and veterans.

And I am convinced more than ever that when faced with the questions: Who will go for us? They will answer to a person: ‘Here am I, send me.’

Condolences to all the military and families of Fort Hood. Thank you for your selfless courage and ultimate sacrifice.

You will not be forgotten.

Captain JOHN GAFFANEY, Captain RUSSELL SEAGER, Chief Warrant Officer MICHEAL CAHILL, Lieutenant Colonel JUANITA WARMAN, Major Libardo EDUARDO CARAVEO, Private First Class AARON NEMELKA, Private First Class KHAM XIONG, Private First Class MICHAEL PEARSON, Private FRANCHESKA VELEZ, Specialist FREDERICK GREENE, Specialist JASON HUNT, Staff Sergeant AMY KRUEGER, Staff Sergeant JUSTIN DECROW