Hosting lectures with the Heritage Foundation and others throughout the state and the country. So why the helms center lecture quick. He was in the senate and in 1984 he was head of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee the second to do so. He was a top leader in the modern conservative movement and he along with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were instrumental to win the cold war and defeating communism. A matter of fact Margaret Thatcher wrote jesse helms record is unmatched. Also it was well known as a bipartisan senator and him and joe biden were very Close Friends and to this day the Vice President will talk fondly of his relationship with helms and in the archives we refer to those love letters that biden and helms shared that are open and they are on the website that they are unique. In 2001 when he announced his retirement, mead wrote in the wall street journal opinion section as senator helms prepares to step down, i cannot see how it feels we are looking for something to wear an american politics of benefits principle first in loyalty before ambition and we could do a lot more like him. And of course senator helms admiration is very well documented in october 6, 2000 he said if america saved heritage there is the enormous role. Finally i know they would be so proud not only be humbled by this lecture but also incrediblys impressed of the secretary who served on his staff and when secretary wilkie stepped away senator helms wrote the letter to him senator helms said you are a young man of high principle. And remarkable wisdom for one so young i predict a great future for you and he was right. As he has been in so many ways. But introducing senator wilkie is retired Lieutenant Colonel who serves as the National Security and Foreign Policy institute and has been here since 2009 and the u. S. Army for 25 years with the National Security and Foreign Policy and also on the nonprofit that educates the public so i will turn it over to the colonel. [applause] i can introduce a great friend. Thank you. It is an honor to partner on this lecture series so you bring so much. Thank you. We had a number of impressive speakers we never had a personal speaker with a connection as we do today the secretary wilkie need to helms in 1990 and stood right here on the stage with so many distinguished speakers over the years and what a great payback that is. He is our guest today and deservedly so confirmed by the u. S. Senate july 23rd and then sworn in as july 30th prior to the current position and the undersecretary and the principal advisor and deputy secretary of defense and also served as the undersecretary of defense and the assistant secretary of defense. Before that special assistant to the president of the United States and the National Security council. For five years for Strategic Program and in the United States air force we dont hold that against him previously serving in the navy reserve i do hold that against him with a joint force intelligence command. He does have great redeeming values on his part and the recipient of the Service Metal the highest given from the apartment today he is here to talk about a subject which was very dear to senator helms heart that is very close to his heart. Which is honor our veterans indeed and in spirit to the secretary of veterans. [applause] thank you so much. I will make a confession right at the beginning. I have my hearing. [laughter] im not a Field Artillery officer. Its an honor for me to be here. As the colonel said the times that i stood up and the rollcall of americans to deliver this address is indicative of the better time for those who have differing views as senator helms would say when he would quote those that you may have disagreed with that you walk out arm in arm at the end of the day he used that at the eulogy with you bring it on hubert humphrey. Those that could not have been more polar opposites. It in that one regard with the belief that security of the United States had a hope to be free so John Kyle Marco rubio the ambassador to the United States and now conservative member so this is about them and the legacy of senator helms but i will go back to the 1970s so what in the United Kingdom the Aircraft Carrier the depth representative began when they came to the United States senate on the eve of destruction. I sought. As a Young American whose father was stationed on the British Military base now we know it was a soviet backed and they were holding the uk hostage and the welfare state drew the life out of the people especially with the labor government. With the respect of the third world status. How do the depths of those remarkable leaders . The other was a baptist sheriffs son. They became united and unapologetic with the believe that western civilization was worth celebrating and defending. It was britain and her progeny, the United States with the notion of limited government of those democratic impulses from political traditions they were cut from the same cloth. So those of Western North carolina a nation was built the protestant form their politics. That was not a term to shy away from. It is a threat to be confronted. In the mid 1970s thatcher was first elevated to leader of the conservative party the purpose was to reach out to potential allies and decided to come to the United States and they denied the use of the British Embassy to actually conduct the meetings with william f buckley. And jesse helms said i need a favor i have something want you to meet. That she wants to meet your friends. That one call led to the change of england that then sat down with Ronald Reagan milton friedman, billy graham and barry goldwater. Watching the what swept away that democratic socialist governments in washington was formed. That saved Great Britain much to the chagrin of the old boys the stronger partner personified by Ronald Reagan to restore pride and vanquish it through all of her trials through 13 years leading the United Kingdom she made the journey from london to North Carolina with a home center was dedicated and noted on the day that jesse helms record that the convictions were so triumphantly validated and it was so embarrassing for their critics theyve been rewriting them ever since they always said yes to liberty. It wasnt easy for Margaret Thatcher and jesse helms to be local to the totalitarianism. Senator helms used to say they dont care what the press says about me but nobody was ever neutral about either one. But that is a test the way politics should be a battleground for passion they never lost an election and they understood freedom better than their colleagues with the American Freedom that was required he told the veterans of foreign wars that sooner or later a week america will be challenged will have to fight or surrender so on the small town senator helms and southWestern North carolina understood better than anybody that the fighting will be done as it always is done by the average man by the fellow who runs the gas station or the Grocery Store and people carrying rifles. And they understood better than anyone else that a scratch farmer meant. Liberty and freedom and democracy are so precious you dont fight it once those are awarded only to those who fight once and then fight eternally. That fellow workers alvin york the Great American soldiers to the great war. So let me tell you for a minute why the department exists. Because this nation knows the value the veterans has defended for those that defend this country the gas station men the small town grocers ordinary americans asked to do extraordinary things to defend this country just like alvin york. Spending a great deal of time in the last year of the war to end all wars thats the part United States of america erupted onto the world stage 7 million americans serve and they came from all corners. And there were others and americans that were the 369th regiment from new york. 591 days in 1500 casualties. More than any other unit in the American Expeditionary forces. Even the kaiser himself called them the health fighters. No unit has received more recommendations or honors no unit had more holders of medal of honor even those came long after they had passed away. And ordinary american at that time lied and cheated to get into the Field Artillery because he cannot bear the thought of friends and neighbors going to war and he cannot be there to support them he would go on to be one of the greatest president s of captain truman. He left a small town law practice and a parttime teaching job to join the American Army assembly that was my wifes grandfather from southeastern North Carolina but before he was 18 he was marching up. Four. 7million americans took a loss 150,000 did not return. America was not ready for them chaotic and inefficient series of organizations trying and failing veterans care was a National Embarrassment one veteran himself led the reform that unified those that were responsible and in the wake of world war ii 15 billion returning both were two veterans after 22 months of hell and a grateful truman turned to the men that he knew to carry on the legacy and that was bradley. So the problems that are attracted asked them to think about the first eight weeks that omar bradley served of 11 million americans and in two years he built 52 hospitals and that academic relationship served as the core of veterans care 172 hospitals and clinics the Washington Post praised Omar Bradleys that he brings new hope to disabled veterans medical care and turned the v. A. On a dime a completely overhauled the system and then established that institution and few know he was behind the Homestead Program that let world war ii veterans to get Community Care with a doctor of their choice and get drugs from a local pharmacy i doubt anybody on the other side ever talked about privatization. Because it was about serving veterans needs. There are stories that always need to be told that i saw through the eyes of a child that america forgot the wisdom of harry truman and why we send americans overseas as a child i learned firsthand the price of four and that was grievously wounded. We didnt see him for almost a year or two. But because of how the veterans were treated he was actually allowed to recover for three years and he did return to fort bragg as the most decorated combat unit in the United States from the western front. My father is a senior officer in that division not allowed to wear his uniform off post because the leadership in washington dc were afraid of their reaction that he would ge get. That was not california or massachusetts but in North Carolina. And as a child growing up i also saw them through the eyes of classmates there is always a chance in my world when a classmate is called to the Principals Office there was bad news waiting. It wasnt a call to go to the doctor. That is what happened on april n 1875. Ordering the evacuation of all orphanages in saigon of anticipation of that they call the operation baby left. One of the air force volunteers was a medic Master Sergeant and was taking care of 100 orphans and it didnt make it to the end of the runway 100 children died that day 34 years after that aircraft went down a friend of ours from childhood would run deadly to vietnam and then touch the name of her father in the last four americans to parish. So as the nation corrects the mistakes of the sixties and seventies, i have the privilege of speaking a couple weeks ago and said president nixon would be astonished to appreciate that even hollywood stands up for veterans. That has allowed us to make important changes on behalf of veterans because we are one of the few that can engender support from every corner of america. With modern 21st century a look back at my fathers wounds after 30 years to new knees and to do hips and more blood in his body. The rest of his life that is where veterans have been subjected to for decades but under this president s leadership finally we can put in place an Electronic Healthcare record that would be built the Young American walks in into the processing station so by the time that american becomes a veteran he will know everything that has happened to her on her journey through the armed forces. Or all the veterans before us to travel with the paper that disintegrates in their hands. The other thing i wanted to address is the charge that many of you have heard on june h ironically that congress chose for us to begin the implementation of the most transformative piece of legislation in our department so this was june 1844 the mission act says that if we cannot meet the needs of veterans across the will give them the opportunity to get their care wherever they live. Let me tell you what else has happened presenting to congress the largest budget in the history of 220 billion calling for 400,000 employees across 1200 clinics. Only in washington dc would somebody say a budget of that side would privatize an institution. So in the last year we have had three. 3 million appointments. More than one. 6 million have been as predicted in our communities. For the first time in history our veterans now have the same access to care that their neighbors do. They dont have to go to the emergency room to have a sprained ankle or a cold or flu and in the last few months we have approved 6000 claims from alaska to allow our veterans the comfort and the safety knowing that treatment is there whenever they need it. The biggest challenge that we face is the morals of our department i tend to take every issue that i confront and go back to the roman empire. In fact senator helms mentioned this now you are qualified to be a tour guide. [laughter] and have long conversations. But let me go back to the 18 nineties harrison was in the white house now nobody knows much about Benjamin Harrison but his claim to fame is he served four years in between nonconsecutive terms of glow loan Grover Cleveland but then to go back to indiana what bothered him as a Major General is the notice in the time between the end of the war and the governor that so many colleagues he fought with died prematurely because they had taken their own lives. The United States began looking at the suicide rate. Two weeks ago and then to finally have a National Conversation we are bringing together dod, hhs, head, the National Institutes of health. And finally to reach out and touched the end of desperation. Plenty of americans take their lives every day actually that number has been steady for a while over 100 years but the tragedy for us are for those who take their lives with no contact with department of Veterans Affairs. We have to change that and open our efforts to combat suicide by using the free market and opening up the aperture and providing support to charities and to the localities for those that we cannot touch 60 percent we do not see and it hits all areas but in particular rural america. Indian country and those that are hardest for us to touch but we need everyones help and if we just focus on the last tragic act, this will be another federal report that serves nothing more than a doorstop but if we dont have that conversation Mental Health why are we doing it . I will conclude the reason we are here since the first shots were fired at lexingto lexington, 41 million americans more than 1 million have died. Our department was created most petulant war in american histor history. And not too far from where we are standing, very tired and gaunt man stood up it is the most rice chess speech ever written by an american president and he concluded a talk why the judgments would eventually be righteous and then called for u us. Two years before he passed away but a lot of that is that to those that fought and died in world war ii. There were 10000 North Carolina names on the voucher. 10000 names of those who never returned. Senator holmes said the ultimate tribute is to respect the legacy we had all been given for future generations. In 1964 york passed away one of the most formidable representatives he could send to the funeral of americas greatest heroes. Ridgway and then led the Allamerican Division that was charged by general eisenhower of the airborne assault. General ridgway on the night before dday could not sleep. He was restless had given orders and actually fell out of his caught. To save himself he reached out to the Old Testament and looked at joshua the promise that he received on that to the most ferocious battle of that time in the history of the hebrew people and in 1986 Ronald Reagan awarded him and said that he rose come when they are needed putting themselves up were courage is in short supply i cannot think of a better way to honor abraham lincolns legacy they had to remind ourselves that we cannot fail for those who have served in uniform to honor those 41 million and the great men and women that courage only seems in short supply. s on behalf of our department, thank you for your support. Thank you for honoring the great went men and women of our nation and for allowing me. Thank you. [applause] in keeping with the tradition of senator helms as secretary can attest to but over 100,000 when he was in office and made that a priority we have had some interns here from the Heritage Foundations i have asked them to remedy send this to me from through text but as you travel around the country was it is something that you did not know as you were traveling crack. I am fortunate to be at the helm for now one year i have been in 41 states and i learned growing up in fort bragg the only way to run a military outfit what i have discovered is the department of Veterans Affairs probably has the most dedicated workforce in the country and have the most notable mission in the federal government let me tell you what has happened in the last year you know it was rocked by bad headlines and there was a change in the leadership so the first candidate was the centerpiece of the administration. Last year the department of Veterans Affairs but that veterans Approval Rating in history. Eightyseven. 7 percent. Those in the this is good or better than any region in the country. What does that mean . As i said earlier some of whom who are here today have been allowed to assemble and have a very deep experience. I will tell you why thats important there is no other part that is like the armed forces of the United States no other place in america will not only form the brotherhood of service but that will contribute to the day that you die another responsibility that is not well known the v. A. Of any part of the federal government including nassau. Why . Because we have a simple way to look at lives for veterans the first time and those that have been given to the cemetery people i want us to give up in bronze word for bird the charge it created is a institution. In some ways its more common. But there is a higher purpose once you put on the uniform the leadership of the Dc National Guard thank you for what you do. So i got around the original question. I have been amazed at how it is and for change. Transformational change because Electronic Health records we are reforming personnel. We are changing the way we evaluate our capabilities as opposed to the private sector for we are but also the forces of the free market allowing veterans the opportunity to choose if they so desire to go elsewhere and it aint new. We havent put it into action. I would say it is remarkable here in 2019 that people in washington dc still do not understand the scale of the American West and we have americans that have to travel 800 miles just to get to a v. A. Facility. Why do we force them to do that . Or the mayo clinic in rochester. Second question you had the opportunity to look for loan work for those like senator helms or the secretary of defense. Is their particular leadership that you have learned along the way i will rattle off the names rumsfeld, rice, general mattis, trump, busch, there is no way i will talk about anyone in the valve the other. But to talk about where i grew up, i mentioned earlier i visited the nixon library. I remember my mother and then that carnage on the streets of chicago. I can see it in our home. Their husbands but they knew then the country was ugly at the time and sought coming apart. But yet, they all knew they were part of a community that had a higher calling. It didnt matter what was going on outside fort bragg. That they would support a community that they had become a part of. So thats the world i grew up in. And then that Selfless Service came from that. As part of my fathers recovery to go to the United Kingdom and go to the royal school of artillery there. I remember. I remember taking trips. And all these magnificent structures like indigo jones. And that greatest example. It struck the cathedral of Saint Michael the only thing left were to burnt timbers the people of coventry assembled where the great cross the high altar had stood over 700 years. And it struck me how fleeting liberty was. That as this great nation of the freedoms that we enjoy in this country and then to come that close to losing. It is a longwinded way to say and those came to fort bragg even when it wasnt popular to serve. So a lot is asked. But what can americans outside of that help the v. A. . With those programs for those that are not veterans do to help quick. Before i answer that, i want to build on a conversation earlier. I mentioned great speakers who have come here and have given the helms lecture. But also working in the senate in the 19 nineties he has a great wall. Not a glory wall where politicians to put their arm around the celebrity in fact the only celebrities on that wall were Close Friends of his like Jimmy Stewart and not ordinary celebrities. But hubert humphrey, jimmy carter. Alan cranston. And the reason i say this as i learned a valuable lesson that i mentioned in the beginning of this discussion. The person that you disagree with in the middle of the day is the person you leave the room with with your arm around. There was a better time. His best friends in the senate were lloyd benson and dave prior. The saddest moments of his tenure was today a plane you could not find two figures in this country more polar opposites than jesse helms and yet and that it transcended politics for go and the senator had a terrible about that led to another surgeon. He had not seen me and said i have not seen justin and then i explained to him. He was visibly upset and said can you help me . I said sure. He said can you arrange for me to go to bethesda . I call the capital police. Jesse helms was running the station my wife and i grew up watching in raleigh. I took him to the Naval Hospital secrets up by the bed. Somebody probably said something bad about him during the vietnam protest so from the late lloyd benson but joe biden people who worked with him and appreciated his dishonesty. I dont want wont tell you who is managing but he wanted him to get him to campaign against jesse helms. He turned around and said you have to understand how this place works. Because he was with orrin hatch at the time. Jesse helms is my friend so what do you think would happen to the state of texas if i went and that you have politicians of great passion. But at the end of the day they talked about families and friendship and what is good for the country. I wanted to say that because that was one of the great lessons that i learned working in the United States and one of the lessons that the v. A. Share. And then put away those partisan divisions. s and i what was your question . [laughter] we can help not just by saying thank you for your service. But you can help but supporting by volunteering at a shelter. You can do things by paying attention to what is going on in the community. My wife and i grew up in North Carolina. Sitting underneath fort bragg. We have members of our family to spend a great time with a wonderful organization and for those that are homeless in the community. Thats the kind of thing we can all do. The other thing i would recommend and it is not something that you can manifest materially but it is to ensure but that no matter what so when you see somebody recognize you are not supposed to say thank you for your service. You can do that. [applause] that concludes our program here at the Heritage Foundation. Thank you for coming in thank you secretary for your words today. Thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] which include former president clinton and obama. This is the day the lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day