WEBVTT

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(upbeat music)

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- [Voiceover] The howitzers fired

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and the 35th Infantry Division Band

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played Ruffles and Flourishes,

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as Kansas Army National Guard soldiers

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welcomed their new commander and Assistant Adjutant General

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Brigadier General Anthony Mohatt,

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during a change of command ceremony held August 6th

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at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard

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parade field in Topeka.

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- Soldiers of the Kansas Army National Guard,

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I stand here today honored to be your commander

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and I understand that this opportunity

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is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that I cherish.

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^I can tell you my dreams never went this far

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^when I started as a Private E-2 in 1986,

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I never thought that I would be given the opportunities

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that I've been given throughout my career,

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and never, ever thought that I would end up here today.

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So, it's really an honor and a privilege

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to have the chance to make a difference,

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hopefully, in soldiers' lives and their careers

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and to be able to build readiness

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and build leaders for the future.

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- [Voiceover] The soldiers also rendered one final salute

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to Brigadier General Robert Windham

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as Kansas Adjutant General, Major General Lee Tafanelli,

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presented him with the Kansas National Guard

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Medal of Excellence for distinguished service.

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- [Tafanelli] Brigadier General Windham served

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on foreign and American soil with excellence.

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- Over these past two plus years,

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I have seen firsthand the accomplishments

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of this incredible organization.

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And I am so proud of what you have done.

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- [Voiceover] Windham is preparing for retirement

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after a 40 year military career that saw him

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rise up through the ranks of the Kansas National Guard.

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^- So I've been doing this for 40 years.

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^Okay, it's 40 years.

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^Do you know how many times I slept on the floor in an armory

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^and ate a can of raviolis or SpaghettiOs

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with people that I didn't know before I did that?

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But now, they're like my nieces and nephews.

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I've watched them get married, I've watched them have kids,

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I've met their children.

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So, it's a great family, but this wouldn't work

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without that family feeling.

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- [Voiceover] For the 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

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I'm Sergeant Zach Sheely.