AFA Policy Forum

General Robert H. Foglesong
Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force
Air Force Association National Convention
Washington, D.C.
September 16, 2002
Outstanding Airmen's Dinner

First of all, there are a lot of really important people here tonight, important people sitting up front and important people sitting out there in the audience. Congressman Miller, thanks for coming over and helping us out tonight. One of my bosses, Secretary Roche and my other boss, General Jumper. And Secretary Peters, good to see you with us tonight. All the MAJCOM commanders, thanks for being here with us tonight, and especially all of the former command chiefs of the Air Force, nice seeing you with us tonight as well.

As kind of a special acknowledgment tonight, I'd like to acknowledge Chief Murray. Thanks for all you are doing for us by the way and you are doing great work and with 437,252 enlisted personnel out there, that you are helping out with every day. We appreciate all your work.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't pile on a little bit with the AFA. You know, you all have been with us every step of the way since we became a service, you've been behind us, beside of us and on occasion in front of us. Thanks for all you are doing to help us out all these years. John thanks very much. Tom and Peeto thanks. I know you are eating with my wife back there and I am really nervous about that. [Laughter] I have to tell you, I demand a 10 minute rebuttal to whatever he tells you. [Laughter]

Also a special acknowledgment tonight to the people sitting at this table. I am humbled to be up here and I am going to tell you why. If you listen to the introduction tonight, these 12 men and women that are up here. They have done extraordinary things in their lives. They've chosen to be the best. I am honored to be here because my dad was an NCO. He carried those dog tags through the South Pacific in World War II as an NCO. I grew up with that NCO work ethic, that NCO dedication, that NCO leadership around in my house every day. I was especially honored to be asked to come over and do this.

I have to tell you, I am compelled to talk to you tonight about what happened 370 days ago. I know this is a celebration, but directly in many cases and indirectly in cases, this is about what we've done since 370 days ago. First of all, I think we were attacked by somebody who didn't understand us, who didn't understand that we really believe the last line of our national anthem, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I believe he didn't understand that we had iron in our backs. I believe that he didn't understand that we would react with great sympathy, followed by great generosity ­ remember that ­ and then by bravery. I am pretty sure he didn't understand that we are a country of great principle. Let me take you back because this is one principle that is applicable today.

In 1917, Woodrow Wilson taxied across the river, went over to Congress and asked Congress to consider letting him take us to war. And he made a statement then that is a principle that we have subscribed to ever since. And that is that there are times when the right is more precious than the peace. There are times when the right is more precious than the peace. And that is where we are today.

We've proven that. We've proven that we'll defend our principle. We bring our courage and we bring our blood, if we have to, to protect those principles.

So let me tell you, I stand out here in front of you today incredibly proud of this nation. We lost 3,026 innocent lives. We were under attack. But this nation didn't panic. The people in this nation didn't look for somebody to blame. They didn't run. We didn't hide. We didn't go to our banks and try to withdraw our money. Instead, and you will all remember this because a lot of you are wearing them tonight, we pulled out the flag. You couldn't find a pick up truck in the United States that didn't have a flag on it. We are wearing pins. We are wearing patches. Lee Greenwood has new life. [Applause] You couldn't turn the television on without hearing God Bless America. We became focused.

Now, I may be up here wearing a uniform like a lot of you all are. Many of you are out there in suits. But we all became an Army of One that day. Sounds a little catchy doesn't it? 280 million of us all focused. We became determined that day. We became determined to find out who did this and then we became patient. I think President Bush had it right. I think it was yester year today when he said, and this is true, "Within hours we were planning. Within days we were deploying. Within weeks we were executing." And we are still doing that, one at a time.

Let me tell you something else that I am incredibly proud of, it is this United States Air Force of ours. We have once again proven that we are the only world's all-purpose Air Force. We can do whatever our civilian leadership asks us to do­air bridge, tanker support, characterizing the battlefield, lethal, non-lethal force application, humanitarian assistance ­ the world's only all-purpose Air Force.

I'd like to tell you that, that is because we have great equipment ­ and we do. But the real reason is because of the men and women that we have in this Air Force. That is what has made the difference. I've been in 106 countries in the last six years, I think, and I have operated in one way or another with about 42 of those air forces. You had it right: nobody come's close. We are the best. And it is because we have such great people.

So you ask yourself, why is that? I'll tell you one thing, we have the greatest enlisted force in the world. The other thing I discovered, nobody else gives the responsibility to their enlisted force like we do. Day in and day out and don't think a thing about it. We hand them the keys to our most important to our most important parts and let them go. And they deliver it.

That shouldn't come as a surprise to us. Names like Pitsenbarger and Mathis. There is nobody in this room who doesn't know who they are. There is a long list of NCOs who brought their courage, and in some cases their blood, and made us what we are today. I've got my list ­ Gonzales, Ferguson, Coleman, my dad. They brought that great work ethic that I talked about. They brought those great technical skills, and they brought great leadership skills and that is why we are the best.

Now, having said that, my wife told me, the longer the night gets, the shorter the speech should get. [Laughter] So I am going to tell you one anecdotal story and then propose a toast.

My boss gave me the opportunity about three weeks ago to travel to the AOR. While I was over there, a crew chief who used to work for me gave me this flag. He had put this in an A-10 and had it fly over the AOR on a combat sortie. He told me he wanted me to bring this back. And I thought about what that flag meant. And what it meant to him. And he and I had this discussion. If you are a friend of the United States, this flag represents courage and freedom. If you are not a friend of the United States, it represents power and fear.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to propose a toast tonight to the greatest Air Force in the world and the greatest nation in the world, the U.S. Air Force and the United States of America.