WEBVTT 00:00.140 --> 00:02.196 I guess the first question I have is 00:02.196 --> 00:04.140 explained your trip . What are you 00:04.140 --> 00:06.362 doing over there ? Well , currently I'm 00:06.362 --> 00:08.970 located that contingency operating base . 00:08.980 --> 00:12.600 Spyker which is located in the 00:12.610 --> 00:15.490 multinational division North and the 00:15.490 --> 00:19.400 home of 15,000 of America's service 00:19.400 --> 00:23.230 members and coalition partners and uh 00:23.240 --> 00:27.140 great heroes trying to bring hope and 00:27.140 --> 00:29.790 opportunity to the Iraqi people and 00:29.800 --> 00:33.500 uh partnering with the Iraqi 00:33.500 --> 00:37.230 army , the Iraqi police and uh Iraqi 00:37.230 --> 00:40.930 government to uh bring assistance and 00:40.940 --> 00:44.480 security and economic development to uh 00:44.490 --> 00:47.180 this great nation called Iraq and uh 00:47.190 --> 00:50.300 many positive things going on uh 00:50.310 --> 00:52.550 contrary to popular belief . And it's 00:52.550 --> 00:54.717 just just the pleasure of being around 00:54.717 --> 00:56.939 all these american heroes and coalition 00:56.939 --> 00:59.580 partners and trying to bring hope and 00:59.580 --> 01:01.858 opportunity for this part of the world . 01:01.858 --> 01:05.070 And when did you arrive ? Uh I 01:05.070 --> 01:08.470 arrived uh monday 01:08.470 --> 01:11.400 afternoon , you lose a couple of days 01:11.410 --> 01:13.800 getting over here . So I've spent the 01:13.800 --> 01:15.870 last two days visiting soldiers , 01:15.880 --> 01:18.340 especially Kentucky soldiers , Kentucky 01:18.340 --> 01:21.790 National Guard soldiers uh in Southern 01:21.790 --> 01:25.260 Iraq and move my way north and we'll uh 01:25.270 --> 01:28.640 move back down towards Baghdad And uh 01:28.650 --> 01:31.470 the southern part of Iraq . Uh as we 01:31.470 --> 01:34.580 close out this uh visit 01:34.590 --> 01:37.520 through the end of the week and I guess 01:37.520 --> 01:39.576 that's probably what a lot of people 01:39.576 --> 01:41.576 back home want to know is . How are 01:41.576 --> 01:43.631 those Kentucky soldiers doing well , 01:43.631 --> 01:45.964 They're just absolutely uh the greatest , 01:45.964 --> 01:48.187 you know , I've I can't say enough good 01:48.187 --> 01:50.720 things about Kentucky National Guard 01:50.720 --> 01:52.664 soldiers and all the great service 01:52.664 --> 01:55.020 members that are standing up for all of 01:55.020 --> 01:57.580 us in our way of life . Certainly Iraq 01:57.580 --> 02:00.980 is a front uh tremendous progress being 02:00.980 --> 02:04.200 made while we uh suffer uh 02:04.210 --> 02:06.620 tragedies and setbacks from time to 02:06.620 --> 02:08.676 time and our prayers and thoughts go 02:08.676 --> 02:12.180 out uh to those that have made the 02:12.190 --> 02:14.970 ultimate sacrifice , especially to 02:14.970 --> 02:17.920 their families and loved ones . Uh so 02:17.920 --> 02:21.860 many great things are happening for uh 02:21.870 --> 02:24.120 the Iraqi people and that efforts being 02:24.120 --> 02:26.630 put forth by the multinational 02:26.640 --> 02:30.470 uh coalition and uh it's 02:30.470 --> 02:32.380 just it's a true 02:32.390 --> 02:35.800 uh thankfulness and 02:35.810 --> 02:39.720 opportunity to see uh this effort 02:39.730 --> 02:41.841 to bring hope and opportunity to this 02:41.841 --> 02:43.952 part of the world . Just so I'm clear 02:43.952 --> 02:46.063 the purpose of your trip is just that 02:46.063 --> 02:48.230 you can see what's going on over there 02:48.230 --> 02:50.286 and so you can kind of bring it back 02:50.286 --> 02:52.397 home , is that right ? That's exactly 02:52.397 --> 02:55.380 right . Plus I try to see every 02:55.380 --> 02:58.490 Kentucky National Guard Soldier just so 02:58.490 --> 03:00.712 proud of them . Uh they've been part of 03:00.712 --> 03:03.420 this effort from day one . Uh not only 03:03.420 --> 03:06.310 in Iraq but Afghanistan as you know , 03:06.320 --> 03:09.030 uh we've increased our our numbers in 03:09.030 --> 03:11.150 the Kentucky National Guard , about 03:11.270 --> 03:14.260 1000 net soldiers and airmen over the 03:14.260 --> 03:18.010 past two years . And uh we have now 03:18.010 --> 03:21.200 over 8200 soldiers and airmen in the 03:21.200 --> 03:23.470 Kentucky National Guard . And there are 03:23.470 --> 03:27.390 about 95% combat veterans 03:27.390 --> 03:31.080 of the uh deployed uh into the 03:31.080 --> 03:34.640 theater since uh 9 11 . So I'm just so 03:34.640 --> 03:36.751 proud of them . They're doing so much 03:36.751 --> 03:39.490 for us and this generation of Kentucky 03:39.490 --> 03:42.070 ins are standing up there being part of 03:42.070 --> 03:45.970 something positive and uh so it's my 03:45.980 --> 03:49.950 attempt to see each and every Kentucky 03:49.950 --> 03:52.160 National Guard soldier that's possible 03:52.170 --> 03:55.940 and as you know , this is my uh six 03:55.940 --> 03:58.640 trip into theater , both Afghanistan 03:58.650 --> 04:02.160 and Iraq . Uh so 04:02.170 --> 04:05.820 uh we're really concerned , uh 04:05.830 --> 04:09.170 I want to report to you that this is a 04:09.170 --> 04:11.640 seamless operation regardless of the 04:11.650 --> 04:14.280 service grants that's represented here , 04:14.290 --> 04:17.590 both active duty and reserve component 04:17.600 --> 04:21.010 joint services . Uh This is a total 04:21.020 --> 04:24.840 coalition effort and Kentucky is uh 04:24.850 --> 04:28.410 well blended into the whole operation 04:28.410 --> 04:30.810 and certainly an integral part of it 04:30.820 --> 04:33.620 and uh I'm just very proud of them well 04:33.620 --> 04:35.842 and a lot of the Kentucky soldiers have 04:35.842 --> 04:38.064 had a chance to do that because they're 04:38.064 --> 04:40.120 on their second . Is there any group 04:40.120 --> 04:42.453 that's on their third deployment ? Well , 04:42.453 --> 04:44.620 we've got individuals within each unit 04:44.620 --> 04:46.564 that we send over that uh deployed 04:46.564 --> 04:48.990 multiple times , some two and three and 04:48.990 --> 04:51.940 four times . And if you count Bosnia 04:51.940 --> 04:55.000 and Kosovo and uh their efforts and 04:55.000 --> 04:58.190 service and stand in Iraq . Uh Some are 04:58.190 --> 05:01.090 on 3rd and 4th and 5th deployments . Uh 05:01.100 --> 05:03.156 In fact , we've got one Air National 05:03.156 --> 05:05.610 Guard Service member that has deployed 05:05.620 --> 05:08.920 uh nine times . Those have been uh in 05:08.920 --> 05:12.100 shorter duration , but certainly 05:12.110 --> 05:15.750 uh this generation of young Kentucky 05:15.750 --> 05:18.040 ins are so talented and they're willing 05:18.040 --> 05:20.500 to stand up and they know this effort 05:20.500 --> 05:22.556 is about their future , not about my 05:22.556 --> 05:24.500 generation's future but it's about 05:24.500 --> 05:26.990 their future and this a long struggle 05:26.990 --> 05:29.840 that we're engaged in , that uh the 05:29.850 --> 05:33.110 folks need to understand is uh is a 05:33.120 --> 05:35.200 struggle between extremists and 05:35.200 --> 05:37.990 moderates and this is a global war on 05:37.990 --> 05:40.320 terror , is a long war . And this 05:40.320 --> 05:42.630 generation seems to understand that 05:42.640 --> 05:44.930 more so than my generation , the baby 05:44.930 --> 05:47.400 boomers . And so uh I'm just so proud 05:47.400 --> 05:50.520 of with that long war and in the number 05:50.520 --> 05:52.298 of opponents and things . Is it 05:52.298 --> 05:54.298 changing what the National Guard is 05:54.298 --> 05:57.460 left volunteer more full time job ? 05:58.440 --> 06:01.870 Oh , it certainly is . We've become uh 06:01.880 --> 06:04.900 an operational reserve versus during 06:04.900 --> 06:07.120 the Cold War , being a strategic 06:07.120 --> 06:11.080 reserve , as I said , our forces 06:11.080 --> 06:14.180 about 90-95% combat veteran . 06:14.190 --> 06:17.340 So what we're trying to work hard to do 06:17.340 --> 06:19.740 is retain all these great soldiers and 06:19.740 --> 06:23.100 airmen and continue to uh 06:23.110 --> 06:25.430 recruit new soldiers and airmen that 06:25.430 --> 06:27.486 want to stand up and be part of this 06:27.486 --> 06:29.652 effort to bring hope and opportunity , 06:29.652 --> 06:33.100 especially the two fronts uh Iraq and 06:33.100 --> 06:36.730 Afghanistan and go forward with with 06:36.730 --> 06:40.080 their future and our future and uh this 06:40.080 --> 06:43.810 is uh integral part of the world as 06:43.810 --> 06:47.080 far as uh seeking world peace and 06:47.090 --> 06:50.880 trying to bring a betterment of 06:50.890 --> 06:54.490 way of life to these great people uh in 06:54.490 --> 06:57.360 Iraq and Afghanistan , I know you said 06:57.360 --> 06:59.527 your total number was up 5000 . But if 06:59.527 --> 07:01.582 it's more of a full time thing where 07:01.582 --> 07:03.693 you're deployed more and more often , 07:03.693 --> 07:05.860 how can you explain that ? How are you 07:05.860 --> 07:05.650 getting these people that want to do 07:05.650 --> 07:07.706 this more full time . Why don't they 07:07.706 --> 07:11.230 just join the normal military ? Well , 07:11.240 --> 07:14.420 you know , we are the front line of the 07:14.420 --> 07:16.770 normal military . You know , we only 07:16.770 --> 07:20.720 have a small active duty force and I'm 07:20.720 --> 07:22.776 not going to quote the numbers now , 07:22.776 --> 07:26.000 but certainly takes the National Guard 07:26.010 --> 07:29.900 uh and the reserve components to uh 07:29.910 --> 07:33.020 extend the efforts through a long war 07:33.020 --> 07:35.390 called the Global War on terror . Uh 07:35.400 --> 07:37.344 the american people has got to get 07:37.344 --> 07:39.344 serious and understand that this is 07:39.344 --> 07:41.600 going to require a total effort . This 07:41.600 --> 07:45.070 enemy we face operates on perceptions 07:45.080 --> 07:48.170 and uh they have a timetable that's 07:48.170 --> 07:51.000 near term of about 100 years . 07:51.010 --> 07:54.630 Americans operate on a six months uh 07:54.640 --> 07:58.370 year uh timetable and that's just not 07:58.370 --> 08:00.537 going to get it with the global war on 08:00.537 --> 08:02.537 terror . Uh this enemy doesn't care 08:02.537 --> 08:05.280 what your political affiliations are . 08:05.290 --> 08:08.260 Uh these extremists , uh they're 08:08.260 --> 08:11.530 concerned about domination and 08:11.530 --> 08:15.390 uh actually reverting to a lot of 08:15.390 --> 08:18.680 violence and uh uh really 08:18.690 --> 08:22.250 uh countering the democratic 08:22.250 --> 08:24.590 efforts that are being put forth in the 08:24.590 --> 08:26.590 Middle East and all over the Middle 08:26.590 --> 08:28.757 East year . So uh this is an important 08:28.757 --> 08:31.450 endeavor . And again , let me repeat , 08:31.460 --> 08:34.840 I think this generation of young folks 08:34.850 --> 08:37.690 get it . They understand this is about 08:37.690 --> 08:40.300 their future and about our future 08:40.300 --> 08:42.480 freedoms that we take for granted on a 08:42.480 --> 08:45.950 daily basis and back in the States . So 08:45.960 --> 08:49.240 uh I think our young folks understand 08:49.240 --> 08:53.080 this and uh I have no other explanation 08:53.090 --> 08:56.980 than the fact that they want to serve 08:56.980 --> 08:59.430 and they want to contribute . And at 08:59.430 --> 09:02.030 least that's what the , the new 09:02.030 --> 09:05.200 soldiers and airmen that I recruit and 09:05.200 --> 09:07.200 we recruit in the Kentucky National 09:07.200 --> 09:08.922 Guard , which is a world class 09:08.922 --> 09:11.670 organization . It's the home team and 09:11.680 --> 09:13.890 they see the importance of service in 09:13.890 --> 09:16.001 the National Guard , not only to this 09:16.001 --> 09:18.210 great nation , but also the wonderful 09:18.210 --> 09:21.260 commonwealth . And so uh I'm just proud 09:21.260 --> 09:22.927 of them . And that's the only 09:22.927 --> 09:25.360 explanation I can give you other than 09:25.640 --> 09:28.130 when you get over here and you really 09:28.130 --> 09:30.410 want to know what's going on in Iraq or 09:30.410 --> 09:32.920 Afghanistan . Talk to a soldier that's 09:32.920 --> 09:35.570 returned . They will tell you about the 09:35.570 --> 09:39.170 positive things in agriculture and uh 09:39.180 --> 09:43.110 security , uh the uh efforts 09:43.110 --> 09:45.750 gained in the improvement in the Iraqi 09:45.750 --> 09:48.640 Police , the Iraqi Army and all the 09:48.640 --> 09:50.696 good things that are happening . The 09:50.696 --> 09:52.900 educational opportunities in both Iraq 09:52.900 --> 09:55.540 and Afghanistan and other parts of the 09:55.540 --> 09:57.870 Middle East . There's just tremendous 09:57.870 --> 10:00.270 progress being made . And this is all 10:00.270 --> 10:03.790 about helping uh about 54 10:03.790 --> 10:05.790 million of God's Children that just 10:05.790 --> 10:07.940 happened to live in Iraq and 10:07.940 --> 10:11.160 Afghanistan . So , uh these young folks 10:11.160 --> 10:13.330 and young Kentucky ins who are world 10:13.330 --> 10:16.620 class , they understand this . And so I 10:16.620 --> 10:19.530 think that's uh the motivation behind 10:19.540 --> 10:22.110 serving and joining and being part of 10:22.110 --> 10:24.580 the solution . Not part of the problem . 10:24.590 --> 10:26.870 All right , well , thank you so much 10:26.870 --> 10:29.380 for talking you have a good trip . Well , 10:29.380 --> 10:31.890 thanks for having me and God bless you . 10:31.890 --> 10:34.170 And uh we'll continue to see all these 10:34.170 --> 10:36.560 great american heroes . Let me just say 10:36.560 --> 10:38.740 that the Kentucky citizens , you're 10:38.740 --> 10:42.020 being represented so well , uh , these 10:42.020 --> 10:44.330 soldiers and airmen and uh service 10:44.330 --> 10:47.000 members just make you so proud . And 10:47.010 --> 10:48.954 once you get over here and see the 10:48.954 --> 10:51.390 efforts and the sacrifices are making 10:51.400 --> 10:54.000 my heart and prayers go out to the 10:54.010 --> 10:56.240 families and those that are supporting 10:56.240 --> 10:58.680 these great soldiers and uh , service 10:58.680 --> 11:00.680 members over here . So thank you so 11:00.680 --> 11:02.791 much . And what you do is important . 11:02.791 --> 11:06.210 Also , uh , the news , uh , 11:06.220 --> 11:09.580 media are so important and definitely a 11:09.580 --> 11:11.580 part of our system and you learn to 11:11.580 --> 11:13.850 appreciate our media members and our 11:13.860 --> 11:16.760 press corps when you get over in a 11:16.770 --> 11:20.720 country like this , it's been uh , 11:20.730 --> 11:22.563 not operated under those kind of 11:22.563 --> 11:24.730 conditions . So thank you for what you 11:24.730 --> 11:26.952 do . All right , thank you . You have a 11:26.952 --> 11:28.750 good day . God bless .