WEBVTT

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I've been associated with the Southern

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European Task Force Africa for almost

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31 years . I was first assigned here in

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1978 as a private right out of jump

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school and served with the first of the

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509th airborne . And my last assignment

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in the military was with the CTF staff

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in the G three as the operation

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Sergeant retiring in 1998 . I

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think the people here that have served

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over the years have always been the

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most positive thing . They've always

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left the best impression on me .

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They've always been very mission

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focused . We've all been blessed with

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the environment that we get to serve in

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here uh in Italy . And I think our

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finest moment if I could recall just

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one or put one at the head Was probably

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2003 , the deployment of the 173rd

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Airborne Brigade uh into Iraq . I think

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that was the culmination of many years

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of work for many people here . And I

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consider that my proudest moment ,

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having served during that time period

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and having supported that operation