Free while the cause is thelive same. Everyone has a different reason for serving free. E ca. Maybe theyre following in their fathers footsteps, orserv they felt a calling after terrorists tore down the twin towersa call. For me, it was a Patriotictr Parade or a series oiotif them f a small town memorial day and the 4th Of July Parades in a tiny farm town in Southern Minnesota where my parents grewm up. The whole Town Linedinnesota Wh on the side of the tree lined main street, waiting for the veterans u to walk by. And when they came, older vets u and younger vets, the crowd clapped and salutes,d. The reverence that town had for the veterans made me say, wow, those men really did something special, somethingme did biggern this town, something bigger than themselves. These men were willing to put on a uniform and facet fo danger for me. A kid they never met. It was just a handful of veterans from one town. But rans from one town. Gave men like that. Out of sheer patriotism. And when you
free while the cause is thelive same. everyone has a different reason for serving free.e ca. maybe they re following in their father s footsteps, orserv they felt a calling after terrorists tore down the twin towersa call. for me, it was a patriotictr parade or a series oiotif them f a small town memorial day and the 4th of july parades in a tiny farm town in southern minnesota where my parents grewm up. the whole town linedinnesota wh on the side of the tree lined main street, waiting for the veterans u to walk by. and when they came, older vets u and younger vets, the crowd clapped and salutes,d. the reverence that town had for the veterans made me say, wow, those men really did something special, somethingme did biggern this town, something bigger than themselves. these men were willing to put on a uniform and facet fo danger for me. a kid they never met. it was just a handful of veterans from one town. but rans from one town. gave men like that. out of sheer patriot
attitude, you are the one who inspires all of us and make me and alls al the others who ar part of that incredible team, proud to be an american. so thank you. kin that very, very kind of you, jen. but in fact, i know for a factb that i wouldn t be sitting here were it not for the the actions that no you took that very second,tht as soon as you heard that we had been hit. i know you reached outry secon o kirby. you reached out to jennifer to serve abroad. and i wondered what you thought the second that you that i u thou you howyou that you knew to act so quickly and who you knew to reach out to. andho well, the amazing thing about being in this job here at the pentagon and i ve been here 15 years and i ve also been in the field and there haven unfor unfortunately been with colleagues who were beth colleagues who were to being injured or killed. so my reaction, i think, likes o many people have done this for many years, my reactionsears, , i didn t really think i went right into act