WEBVTT 00:01.570 --> 00:03.681 Good morning . Ladies and gentlemen , 00:03.681 --> 00:06.409 welcome to the 75th anniversary of the 00:06.420 --> 00:08.859 Women's Armed Services Integration Act 00:08.869 --> 00:12.579 of 1948 . Please stand for the arrival 00:12.590 --> 00:15.140 of the official party . The honorable 00:15.149 --> 00:18.120 Lloyd J Austin , Secretary of Defense , 00:18.129 --> 00:21.180 the honorable Kathleen H Hicks , Deputy 00:21.190 --> 00:23.459 Secretary of Defense , the honorable 00:23.469 --> 00:25.780 Michael P Donnelly , Director of 00:25.790 --> 00:27.909 administration and management and 00:27.920 --> 00:30.389 honored speakers , Vice Admiral Sarah 00:30.399 --> 00:32.860 Joiner , Director for Structure 00:32.869 --> 00:35.220 resources and assessment . J eight , 00:35.229 --> 00:37.950 joint staff and Major Shay have 00:38.270 --> 00:40.270 executive officer to the Commanding 00:40.270 --> 00:42.930 General United States Military District 00:42.939 --> 00:43.939 of Washington . 00:54.840 --> 00:56.562 Please remain standing for the 00:56.562 --> 00:58.784 presentation of colors , the singing of 00:58.784 --> 01:01.189 our national anthem followed by the 01:01.200 --> 01:02.200 invocation . 01:56.559 --> 01:59.569 Cool . Oh , 02:03.510 --> 02:07.319 they can use by the 02:07.510 --> 02:11.410 daunt the light . What's up above ? 02:12.050 --> 02:12.300 The 02:15.179 --> 02:18.110 highlights are screaming . 02:18.639 --> 02:20.919 Who's right ? 02:24.910 --> 02:27.960 Hi , I 02:30.460 --> 02:33.300 was on the street 02:39.100 --> 02:39.979 mom's birth . 02:42.759 --> 02:43.330 Ok . 02:47.100 --> 02:49.389 That I'd like . Was you 02:50.740 --> 02:52.690 small ? Oh , 02:54.130 --> 02:55.899 spangled 03:00.009 --> 03:03.710 a do 03:07.009 --> 03:09.610 and the Oh 03:13.440 --> 03:16.130 babe . Right . 03:17.190 --> 03:17.740 Oh , 04:06.500 --> 04:09.740 chaplain Colonel Karen Meeker Medco 04:09.990 --> 04:12.470 chaplain office of the surgeon general . 04:12.479 --> 04:14.729 United States Army will lead us in the 04:14.740 --> 04:17.679 invocation . Please join me as I lift 04:17.690 --> 04:21.100 the prayer creator , 04:21.109 --> 04:24.269 God . How much better is the US armed 04:24.279 --> 04:26.420 Forces with both halves of our 04:26.429 --> 04:30.230 population able to serve for when you 04:30.239 --> 04:32.940 make a woman warrior , she is faithful 04:32.950 --> 04:35.859 and fearsome and forever resourceful . 04:36.399 --> 04:38.621 May the legions of ladies who have come 04:38.621 --> 04:41.239 before to protect the lamp of liberty 04:41.450 --> 04:44.059 without praise or pay like Harriet 04:44.070 --> 04:47.170 Tubman rest in peace in the glow of 04:47.179 --> 04:50.640 your glory . May those who now serve 04:50.649 --> 04:54.450 75 years later wearing not only pants 04:54.459 --> 04:57.660 but ranger tabs and so much more . May 04:57.670 --> 05:00.200 our service be strong and true 05:00.209 --> 05:03.299 regardless of the obstacles that remain , 05:04.109 --> 05:06.209 unite us in your kaleidoscope of 05:06.220 --> 05:09.299 creation determined to give our lives 05:09.309 --> 05:12.399 to this noble enterprise called freedom . 05:13.290 --> 05:16.299 And in 75 years from now , may the 05:16.309 --> 05:18.476 world be more compassionate toward the 05:18.476 --> 05:21.299 disadvantaged , more determined against 05:21.309 --> 05:24.570 oppression , giving voice to the silent , 05:24.640 --> 05:28.100 full of sacrificial love to do justly 05:28.130 --> 05:30.920 to extend mercy and to walk humbly 05:30.929 --> 05:34.459 before you . I pray this to be so in 05:34.470 --> 05:37.859 your holy name . Amen , be blessed 05:37.869 --> 05:38.500 America . 05:43.380 --> 05:45.713 Ladies and gentlemen , please be seated . 05:48.380 --> 05:50.790 The honorable Michael B , Donnelly , 05:50.799 --> 05:52.660 Director of Administration and 05:52.670 --> 05:53.670 Management . 06:01.350 --> 06:04.059 Well , thank you all and good morning . 06:04.179 --> 06:06.619 It is my pleasure to welcome you today 06:06.630 --> 06:09.519 to this extraordinary celebration of 06:09.529 --> 06:12.160 the role of women in our armed forces . 06:13.070 --> 06:16.600 We're joined today by four veterans 06:16.609 --> 06:18.829 from the armed forces retirement home 06:19.250 --> 06:21.820 who lived the history that we are 06:21.829 --> 06:25.420 honoring today . MS Norma Rambo , 06:25.929 --> 06:28.190 who served for two years in the Marine 06:28.200 --> 06:30.980 Corps Women's Reserve at Camp Lejeune 06:30.989 --> 06:33.959 as a field cook and in the mess hall . 06:34.750 --> 06:37.600 And after World War two , MS Rambo 06:37.609 --> 06:40.359 graduated from college and went on to 06:40.369 --> 06:43.630 teach 1st and 2nd grade for 27 years . 06:44.179 --> 06:45.679 She's had two Children . 06:51.459 --> 06:52.459 Yeah . 06:59.279 --> 07:01.600 She's had two Children and lived most 07:01.609 --> 07:05.440 of her life in Michigan . MS . Marian 07:05.450 --> 07:08.510 Marks , who spent her career as a 07:08.519 --> 07:11.070 member of the Women's Army Corps . The 07:11.079 --> 07:14.049 Wax . Her first nine years were as a 07:14.059 --> 07:17.390 cryptographer . Her remaining 12 years 07:17.399 --> 07:20.940 were as a dental hygienist . MS 07:20.950 --> 07:23.700 Marks began her career at Otis Air 07:23.709 --> 07:26.649 Force Base and was also stationed in 07:26.660 --> 07:30.480 England at mccord Air Force Base and in 07:30.489 --> 07:34.040 Hawaii . After retiring , MS Marks 07:34.160 --> 07:37.089 lived in Rhode Island near her family , 07:37.100 --> 07:38.049 MS Marks . 07:51.730 --> 07:54.679 MS Corin Robinson served two years as a 07:54.690 --> 07:57.299 corpsman in the United States Naval 07:57.309 --> 08:00.559 Women's Reserve . The waves upon 08:00.570 --> 08:02.792 leaving the waves . MS Robinson married 08:02.792 --> 08:05.250 another navy corpsman and Miss 08:05.260 --> 08:07.820 Robertson had three Children and 08:07.829 --> 08:10.570 endured 19 moves with her husband's 08:10.579 --> 08:13.559 career and they were married for 57 08:13.570 --> 08:14.459 years . MS , 08:27.089 --> 08:30.269 MS Hillary Rosado served in the army as 08:30.279 --> 08:33.559 an imagery analyst and retired as AC W 08:33.570 --> 08:36.679 three . She was born in New Jersey , 08:36.690 --> 08:39.969 grew up in Scotland and enlisted at a 08:39.979 --> 08:42.979 US Air Force base in England . MS 08:42.989 --> 08:45.909 Rosado raised two daughters and has two 08:45.919 --> 08:47.510 grandchildren . MS , 09:00.710 --> 09:02.869 each of these women step forward to 09:02.880 --> 09:05.799 serve our country in its time of need 09:06.539 --> 09:08.880 and by doing so , they stood up to the 09:08.890 --> 09:11.729 skeptics , the doubters and the 09:11.739 --> 09:15.669 naysayers . They made history . Thank 09:15.679 --> 09:16.679 you , ladies , 09:28.020 --> 09:30.969 America's history is full of stories 09:30.979 --> 09:32.979 about the acts of heroism and the 09:32.989 --> 09:35.950 sacrifices of men who offered their 09:35.960 --> 09:39.659 lives in service to our country . But 09:39.669 --> 09:42.530 alongside those brave men were brave 09:42.539 --> 09:46.059 women who also risked everything 09:46.239 --> 09:49.260 for the cause of freedom . In the 09:49.270 --> 09:52.679 revolutionary war , the civil war and 09:52.690 --> 09:56.049 in the first world war , women served . 09:56.369 --> 09:59.140 But when the guns fell silent , women's 09:59.150 --> 10:02.650 service in war time was all too often 10:02.659 --> 10:05.659 relegated back to the margins and 10:05.669 --> 10:07.929 written out of our nation's story . 10:09.169 --> 10:10.836 During the second World War , 10:10.836 --> 10:14.030 approximately 350,000 women 10:14.260 --> 10:18.169 served in uniform overseas and at home . 10:18.510 --> 10:20.739 As part of the greatest generation 10:22.099 --> 10:24.650 after the war , American military 10:24.659 --> 10:27.630 leaders decided to write a new chapter . 10:28.549 --> 10:30.271 They realized that it would be 10:30.271 --> 10:32.940 impossible to secure the peace in a 10:32.950 --> 10:35.640 troubled world without the continued 10:35.650 --> 10:38.849 service of military women . So in 10:38.859 --> 10:42.760 1946 the army requested that 10:42.770 --> 10:45.599 the women's army corps be retained . 10:46.590 --> 10:48.849 After two years of debate on women's 10:48.859 --> 10:52.239 roles in the military . Congress agreed 10:52.869 --> 10:56.380 and on June 12 , 75 years ago , 10:56.799 --> 10:58.760 President Harry Truman signed the 10:58.770 --> 11:01.409 Women's Armed Services Integration Act 11:01.619 --> 11:05.179 of 1948 . Today , 11:05.330 --> 11:07.580 we therefore commemorate this 11:07.590 --> 11:09.479 legislation and the permanent 11:09.489 --> 11:12.270 integration of women into the armed 11:12.280 --> 11:15.609 forces . This law was not the last 11:15.619 --> 11:18.440 chapter but the beginning of many 11:18.450 --> 11:21.070 firsts that have made our military 11:21.080 --> 11:23.869 stronger and pushed our nation 11:25.140 --> 11:28.119 to realize its highest ideals and 11:28.130 --> 11:32.070 fulfill its fullest potential . One of 11:32.080 --> 11:35.260 those firsts has joined us this morning 11:36.119 --> 11:38.650 and it is now my pleasure to introduce 11:38.659 --> 11:40.715 you to one of the first two women to 11:40.715 --> 11:42.969 ever graduate from the Army Ranger 11:42.979 --> 11:45.390 school major , Shay Haber , 12:02.090 --> 12:04.799 good morning chairman , my army 12:04.809 --> 12:08.179 leadership secretary , Austin and the 12:08.190 --> 12:10.412 honorable hicks . Thank you so much for 12:10.412 --> 12:12.979 joining us today . For this celebration . 12:14.059 --> 12:16.170 It is my honor to share this occasion 12:16.170 --> 12:18.989 with you in the celebration of 75 years 12:19.000 --> 12:21.190 since the Women's Armed Service 12:21.200 --> 12:24.229 Integration Act was passed by Congress 12:24.239 --> 12:27.070 in 1948 . The act which granted women 12:27.080 --> 12:29.210 the right to serve as permanent and 12:29.219 --> 12:33.059 regular members of the Army Navy Marine 12:33.070 --> 12:36.049 Corps and the Air Force representing a 12:36.059 --> 12:38.059 turning point for women's rights to 12:38.059 --> 12:41.559 defend our country . The history of 12:41.570 --> 12:43.792 women who have served in defense of our 12:43.792 --> 12:46.014 great nation is astounding even without 12:46.014 --> 12:48.126 the right to fully participate in our 12:48.126 --> 12:50.570 conflict . Women have found a way to 12:50.580 --> 12:52.710 disguise themselves in men's clothing 12:52.719 --> 12:55.099 and cut their hair and do other really 12:55.109 --> 12:57.559 strange things that we don't exactly 12:57.570 --> 13:00.950 know why , but in order to participate 13:00.960 --> 13:02.627 in something much bigger than 13:02.627 --> 13:04.627 themselves , they stand shoulder to 13:04.627 --> 13:06.682 shoulder for top tier units like the 13:06.682 --> 13:09.229 female engagement teams in our war 13:09.239 --> 13:11.599 against terror and they've found ways 13:11.609 --> 13:13.609 to continue to serve and give their 13:13.609 --> 13:15.776 lives in defense of our great nation , 13:15.776 --> 13:18.053 our people , our allies and our ideals . 13:18.659 --> 13:21.450 We are all mostly aware of the iconic 13:21.460 --> 13:23.760 first , at least generationally and 13:23.770 --> 13:26.030 know to recognize and congratulate them 13:26.039 --> 13:28.150 and those that have risen through the 13:28.150 --> 13:30.150 ranks and served with distinction , 13:30.150 --> 13:32.419 although impressive and merited . Of 13:32.429 --> 13:35.119 course , I would argue it is because of 13:35.130 --> 13:38.080 the everyday heroine that we celebrate 13:38.090 --> 13:41.049 today , that each first represents the 13:41.059 --> 13:44.010 commitment , dedication and everyday 13:44.020 --> 13:46.020 achievements of so many that came 13:46.030 --> 13:48.280 before and who persist after 13:49.979 --> 13:52.090 at the military women's memorial just 13:52.090 --> 13:53.812 across the street over here at 13:53.812 --> 13:55.923 Arlington National Cemetery . You can 13:55.923 --> 13:58.146 read the personal stories and anecdotes 13:58.146 --> 14:00.312 of these women . I like to call the in 14:00.312 --> 14:02.479 betweens . They're the common everyday 14:02.479 --> 14:04.535 soldier , sailor , marine and female 14:04.535 --> 14:07.210 airmen that make up the firsts . And 14:07.219 --> 14:10.070 they make us possible by their presence 14:10.080 --> 14:12.247 and their persistence showing up every 14:12.247 --> 14:14.570 day to do the work and demonstrating 14:14.580 --> 14:16.469 the love that they have for their 14:16.469 --> 14:18.469 country , their teammates and their 14:18.469 --> 14:20.691 duty . That has made all the difference 14:20.691 --> 14:22.913 for the military women of today . I was 14:22.913 --> 14:25.539 11 years old when 9 11 occurred and I 14:25.549 --> 14:27.771 watched as the military family member , 14:27.771 --> 14:29.938 how our military changed the community 14:29.938 --> 14:31.880 around us changed and the nation 14:31.890 --> 14:34.001 changed in response to those horrific 14:34.001 --> 14:36.168 events . My dad served in the army for 14:36.169 --> 14:38.659 24 years and my mom supported his 14:38.669 --> 14:40.780 career and dedicated herself to the 14:40.789 --> 14:43.011 military community as well . Setting an 14:43.011 --> 14:45.489 incredible example for my two siblings 14:45.500 --> 14:47.820 and me , especially in support of gold 14:47.830 --> 14:49.941 star families and the service members 14:49.941 --> 14:51.886 that were affected by the ultimate 14:51.886 --> 14:53.886 sacrifice of our fallen comrades in 14:53.886 --> 14:55.997 defense to our nation during the Iraq 14:55.997 --> 14:58.320 and Afghanistan wars . These were our 14:58.330 --> 15:01.179 neighbors , our friends and the family 15:01.190 --> 15:04.000 that we chose . That environment left a 15:04.010 --> 15:06.190 lasting impression on me about duty , 15:06.200 --> 15:09.000 honor and the love of country . It lit 15:09.010 --> 15:11.429 a fire in my soul that I have continued 15:11.440 --> 15:13.662 with passion and perseverance to pursue 15:13.662 --> 15:15.960 throughout my lifetime . And also my 15:15.969 --> 15:18.570 military career , I was just 12 years 15:18.580 --> 15:20.802 old when my father was deployed to Iraq 15:20.979 --> 15:23.440 as an attack helicopter pilot . When I 15:23.450 --> 15:25.469 asked my mom if women could have a 15:25.479 --> 15:27.929 career in the military . And she said , 15:27.940 --> 15:29.940 yes , of course . But what I really 15:29.940 --> 15:32.510 wanted to know was if women could fight 15:32.780 --> 15:36.330 and lead in battle , neither of us knew 15:36.340 --> 15:38.396 at the time that there were women in 15:38.396 --> 15:40.507 between . Just like Jessica Lynch and 15:40.507 --> 15:42.173 cultural support team members 15:42.173 --> 15:44.284 redefining what women in combat could 15:44.284 --> 15:46.539 look like because of their courage , 15:46.760 --> 15:49.580 their service , their sacrifice and for 15:49.590 --> 15:51.659 some the ultimate sacrifice , I am 15:51.669 --> 15:53.836 honored to be able to stand here today 15:53.836 --> 15:55.919 with you along with the 75 th 15:55.929 --> 15:58.151 anniversary of the Women's Armed Forces 15:58.151 --> 16:00.262 Integration Act . This year marks the 16:00.262 --> 16:02.820 10th anniversary of the Direct Combat 16:02.830 --> 16:05.419 Exclusion rule being lifted by 16:05.429 --> 16:09.429 Secretary Defense Leon Panetta in 2013 . 16:10.070 --> 16:12.320 It has been a slow process opening all 16:12.330 --> 16:14.441 the military occupational specialties 16:14.441 --> 16:16.386 to female service members . And we 16:16.386 --> 16:18.497 don't quite have all of the roles and 16:18.497 --> 16:20.830 branches filled across the services yet . 16:20.830 --> 16:22.774 However , the significance is that 16:22.774 --> 16:24.886 women can for the first time . Should 16:24.886 --> 16:26.830 they be interested and qualified , 16:26.830 --> 16:29.500 volunteered to serve in any capacity ? 16:30.429 --> 16:33.109 I am privileged like some of you in 16:33.119 --> 16:35.286 this room today to have grown up in an 16:35.286 --> 16:37.341 environment that has not constrained 16:37.341 --> 16:39.563 what I can and cannot do . I joined the 16:39.563 --> 16:41.890 army at 17 . And as a United States 16:41.900 --> 16:44.179 Military Academy cadet , I knew from 16:44.190 --> 16:46.134 the moment I stepped foot on those 16:46.134 --> 16:48.301 grounds that I was exactly where I was 16:48.301 --> 16:50.468 meant to be . And I was reminded every 16:50.468 --> 16:52.523 day of what I could hope to become . 16:52.940 --> 16:54.773 The army has given me incredible 16:54.773 --> 16:56.789 opportunities to test my metal and 16:56.799 --> 16:58.799 consistently push myself to improve 16:58.799 --> 17:01.299 individually . And as a team member , I 17:01.309 --> 17:03.679 get it right some days and other days I 17:03.690 --> 17:06.270 make mistakes . Nothing worth doing 17:06.280 --> 17:08.319 comes easy . At first , it is 17:08.329 --> 17:10.607 persistence that makes all of us great . 17:10.788 --> 17:13.010 Although suffering for suffering's sake 17:13.010 --> 17:14.844 is not always the right answer . 17:14.844 --> 17:16.899 Although I would probably assume for 17:16.899 --> 17:19.010 myself that it is sometimes the right 17:19.010 --> 17:21.159 answer . Persevering with passion for 17:21.168 --> 17:24.328 purposes sake produces competence , 17:24.558 --> 17:27.739 confidence , consistency and character 17:27.749 --> 17:30.969 that enables us to fight and win . I am 17:30.979 --> 17:33.201 proud to lead and serve in a profession 17:33.201 --> 17:35.368 that not only holds itself accountable 17:35.368 --> 17:37.780 but me accountable to be able to become 17:37.790 --> 17:40.390 all that I can be as a woman . I have 17:40.400 --> 17:42.640 encountered challenges but have not had 17:42.650 --> 17:44.872 to fight any harder than anyone else to 17:44.872 --> 17:46.872 get into the arena for which I have 17:46.872 --> 17:49.039 qualified . That is not to say that it 17:49.039 --> 17:51.150 has been easy . It's been hard work , 17:51.150 --> 17:53.094 but I have not had to fight for my 17:53.094 --> 17:55.206 right to suffrage or to be considered 17:55.206 --> 17:57.261 an equal person in the eyes . Of the 17:57.261 --> 17:59.150 law because I serve in the United 17:59.150 --> 18:00.928 States Army . I have not had to 18:00.928 --> 18:02.983 negotiate for equal pay promotion or 18:02.983 --> 18:05.180 recognition for my contributions to my 18:05.189 --> 18:07.245 organization . And I personally have 18:07.245 --> 18:09.839 not had to advocate on my own behalf as 18:09.849 --> 18:11.849 a woman for equity and inclusion 18:12.000 --> 18:14.189 because of the incredible mentors , 18:14.339 --> 18:16.969 leaders , friends that are mostly men 18:17.239 --> 18:19.183 that I've had the great fortune of 18:19.183 --> 18:21.489 serving with . Along the way , I am 18:21.500 --> 18:23.770 humbled that my experiences have been 18:23.780 --> 18:25.891 afforded me because of the many women 18:25.891 --> 18:27.947 and men that have gone before us and 18:27.947 --> 18:29.900 championed these causes . We owe a 18:29.910 --> 18:31.966 great debt of gratitude to those who 18:31.966 --> 18:34.188 laid the groundwork to ensure that it's 18:34.188 --> 18:36.188 no longer about closed doors , only 18:36.188 --> 18:38.243 closed minds and we can do something 18:38.243 --> 18:40.599 about that . We are responsible for 18:40.609 --> 18:42.720 carrying the efforts forward into our 18:42.720 --> 18:44.831 spheres of influence at home , in our 18:44.831 --> 18:47.053 jobs and in our communities every day . 18:47.053 --> 18:49.109 The truth is that there's still some 18:49.109 --> 18:51.331 work to be done to include women in the 18:51.331 --> 18:53.553 total force and it's not enough to just 18:53.553 --> 18:55.720 open doors for women to walk through . 18:55.720 --> 18:57.609 We must invite the men and follow 18:57.609 --> 18:59.665 through with enabling and sustaining 18:59.665 --> 19:01.387 them . It will take humility , 19:01.387 --> 19:03.442 ownership and accountability on both 19:03.442 --> 19:05.553 sides of the gender equation to shift 19:05.553 --> 19:07.776 our culture from seeing women as a nice 19:07.776 --> 19:09.776 to have to something that is a must 19:09.776 --> 19:12.680 have not every woman will be qualified 19:12.689 --> 19:15.170 or interested in every job . Quite 19:15.180 --> 19:17.069 frankly , the men aren't either , 19:19.109 --> 19:21.719 but we are a profession that prides 19:21.729 --> 19:23.530 itself not only on training and 19:23.540 --> 19:26.219 equipping ourselves to fight and win 19:26.229 --> 19:28.340 our nation's wars , but to also train 19:28.340 --> 19:30.451 and equip our allies and our partners 19:30.451 --> 19:32.285 with the tools that they need to 19:32.285 --> 19:34.618 succeed . So I think we have the skills . 19:34.640 --> 19:37.410 What about our will ? Where one 19:37.420 --> 19:39.810 person's torch trickles out another , 19:39.819 --> 19:42.199 picks it up their passion , ignites it 19:42.290 --> 19:44.401 and we collectively continue to press 19:44.401 --> 19:46.401 forward and it takes more than just 19:46.401 --> 19:48.457 policy to shape the environment . We 19:48.457 --> 19:50.679 know that it takes leadership and every 19:50.679 --> 19:52.623 single one of us can and should be 19:52.623 --> 19:54.790 taking action to enable the female war 19:54.790 --> 19:56.734 fighter further our nation and our 19:56.734 --> 19:58.939 national security depend on it . So 19:58.949 --> 20:02.089 today , as we celebrate 75 years and 20:02.099 --> 20:04.250 recognize the continued commitment of 20:04.260 --> 20:05.982 this nation to support women's 20:05.982 --> 20:08.339 permanent contribution to this endeavor . 20:08.489 --> 20:10.656 The Department of Defense continues to 20:10.656 --> 20:12.378 set an example in the world by 20:12.378 --> 20:14.322 balancing the social and political 20:14.322 --> 20:16.489 issue . But really our primary mission 20:16.489 --> 20:18.489 of deterring war and protecting the 20:18.489 --> 20:20.489 security of the United States . The 20:20.489 --> 20:22.656 women and men who volunteered to serve 20:22.656 --> 20:24.822 this incredible mission and people are 20:24.822 --> 20:26.989 worthy of our support . It is they who 20:26.989 --> 20:28.822 will continue to carry the torch 20:28.822 --> 20:31.045 forward as we stay ready for any future 20:31.045 --> 20:32.878 conflict crisis or competition . 20:33.589 --> 20:35.959 Acknowledging that women have walked 20:35.969 --> 20:38.780 the tumultuous paths of firsts and 20:38.790 --> 20:41.500 experience the isolation often of being 20:41.510 --> 20:45.010 an only along the way women in 20:45.020 --> 20:47.410 between will ensure that that won't 20:47.420 --> 20:50.209 last . And that for anyone whose heart 20:50.219 --> 20:52.400 burns with the desire to do more , to 20:52.410 --> 20:54.800 do better , to be better and to give 20:54.810 --> 20:58.449 their all they belong here with that . 20:58.969 --> 21:02.060 I am pleased to introduce uh our next 21:02.069 --> 21:04.430 speaker who is Vice Admiral Joyner as 21:04.439 --> 21:06.661 the Director of Infrastructure Resource 21:06.661 --> 21:08.883 and Assessment . A remarkable example , 21:08.883 --> 21:11.050 ma'am of continued service and what to 21:11.050 --> 21:12.939 what uh continued service for our 21:12.939 --> 21:14.995 nation can look like , not just as a 21:14.995 --> 21:17.106 woman but as a service member . Thank 21:17.106 --> 21:16.579 you , 21:32.079 --> 21:34.246 honored guests . I am so pleased to be 21:34.246 --> 21:38.130 here today . Mr Secretary Secretaries , 21:38.349 --> 21:40.829 I see the joint chiefs , I see the men 21:40.839 --> 21:42.561 and women who serve in so many 21:42.561 --> 21:45.869 capacities . It's my honor , but mostly 21:45.880 --> 21:48.069 I stand on the shoulders of giants , 21:48.079 --> 21:50.079 one of which is only five ft tall . 21:50.079 --> 21:53.319 I've been led to believe so I am uh 21:53.329 --> 21:55.780 shrinking as I go , but uh certainly 21:55.790 --> 21:59.010 you are all are giants in my heart and 21:59.020 --> 22:01.076 uh I could not be here today without 22:01.076 --> 22:03.242 you being here and persevering through 22:03.242 --> 22:06.150 so many things . So thank you . Uh 22:06.160 --> 22:09.020 every day I serve . I am so grateful to 22:09.030 --> 22:11.239 be here . It is the gratitude to be 22:11.250 --> 22:13.369 given the latitude to serve in every 22:13.380 --> 22:15.491 capacity . But I am going to take you 22:15.491 --> 22:17.547 back in time a little bit . I I like 22:17.547 --> 22:19.658 sea stories . So we're gonna do a few 22:19.658 --> 22:21.824 sea stories and we're gonna talk about 22:21.824 --> 22:23.769 what the path looked like , not to 22:23.769 --> 22:25.979 dwell on . What didn't go so well in 22:25.989 --> 22:28.100 the beginning , but to show you where 22:28.100 --> 22:30.211 we are today and how fantastic things 22:30.211 --> 22:32.219 are and , and where we are and what 22:32.229 --> 22:35.709 we're able to do when I entered the 22:35.719 --> 22:37.608 United States Naval Academy . The 22:37.608 --> 22:39.719 announcement had been made when I was 22:39.719 --> 22:41.719 11 years old that I could go to the 22:41.719 --> 22:43.941 academy . And I turned to my father and 22:43.941 --> 22:43.469 I said , I'm going to go to the Naval 22:43.479 --> 22:45.609 Academy . He had two older sons . He 22:45.619 --> 22:47.730 said he started laughing and that was 22:47.730 --> 22:51.030 it . I was in , I was gonna go best way . 22:51.969 --> 22:54.080 I think this should be our recruiting 22:54.080 --> 22:56.025 challenges . Just tell people they 22:56.025 --> 22:58.136 can't do it and they're going to show 22:58.136 --> 23:00.810 up . Um But when I entered in 1985 23:00.819 --> 23:03.140 women were constrained to about 10% of 23:03.150 --> 23:05.469 the brigade or less . We had been 23:05.479 --> 23:07.590 challenged . We couldn't graduate 100 23:07.599 --> 23:10.400 women . My class started with 135 and I 23:10.410 --> 23:12.989 don't think we broke 100 when we 23:13.000 --> 23:16.979 graduated . Um But many at that 23:16.989 --> 23:19.189 time thought that women not only 23:19.349 --> 23:21.819 couldn't fight but shouldn't fight as 23:21.829 --> 23:24.510 well . So it was a combination platter . 23:24.520 --> 23:26.576 And if you went to the Naval Academy 23:26.576 --> 23:28.631 during that time , you were a second 23:28.631 --> 23:30.631 class citizen because you could not 23:30.631 --> 23:32.464 serve in combat . Um I went on a 23:32.464 --> 23:34.739 midshipman cruise and I met a female 23:34.750 --> 23:36.861 helicopter pilot and to be honest , I 23:36.861 --> 23:38.917 had never thought about flying . She 23:38.917 --> 23:40.917 was a rock star . Her last name was 23:40.917 --> 23:43.449 Donovan . Um So she's a part of a , a 23:43.459 --> 23:46.170 good group of a navy family that exists 23:46.180 --> 23:48.670 today . When I met her , I figured out 23:48.680 --> 23:51.329 women could fly , I could only do non 23:51.339 --> 23:53.506 combat roles . There were only limited 23:53.506 --> 23:56.400 squadrons I could go to , but someday I 23:56.410 --> 23:58.577 wanted to fly a jet off of an aircraft 23:58.577 --> 24:01.430 carrier . So that was where it started . 24:02.300 --> 24:04.356 When I completed flight training . I 24:04.356 --> 24:06.522 had a limited number of places I could 24:06.522 --> 24:08.744 serve , but I was able to pick jets . I 24:08.750 --> 24:10.861 flew a four S went to the Philippines 24:10.861 --> 24:13.459 in 1991 and I served there as an 24:13.469 --> 24:15.589 aggressor pilot . I was one of two 24:15.599 --> 24:17.920 women in that squadron with very 24:17.930 --> 24:20.739 limited uh enlisted as well , two women 24:20.750 --> 24:24.750 pilots . Uh It was very clear from the 24:24.760 --> 24:26.927 beginning that not being able to serve 24:26.927 --> 24:29.038 in combat was going to be difficult . 24:29.038 --> 24:31.149 Um My male counterparts , that's what 24:31.149 --> 24:33.093 they valued , they understood they 24:33.093 --> 24:34.927 wanted to uh to do that and they 24:34.927 --> 24:37.038 understood that's really what service 24:37.038 --> 24:39.380 was about for them at that time . So it , 24:39.390 --> 24:41.168 it was a difficult time in that 24:41.168 --> 24:43.223 squatter as we went forward though , 24:43.223 --> 24:45.446 there were always supporters who helped 24:45.446 --> 24:48.270 out . Um But what happened in 24:48.280 --> 24:51.709 2003 or 1993 was very 24:51.719 --> 24:53.941 remarkable and it was the repeal of the 24:53.941 --> 24:56.052 Combat Exclusion law and that changed 24:56.052 --> 24:58.219 everything . And that road , what that 24:58.219 --> 25:00.969 was the Segway in uh that came after 25:00.979 --> 25:02.989 our 75 years that we're celebrating 25:03.000 --> 25:05.930 today . And that allowed me to become 25:05.939 --> 25:08.380 an F-18 pilot and to serve more fully 25:08.780 --> 25:11.069 and I was able to go and I was behind 25:11.079 --> 25:13.135 my male counterparts . I had been in 25:13.135 --> 25:15.190 two V C squadrons . So I went to sea 25:15.190 --> 25:17.920 for five years and I served during this 25:17.930 --> 25:20.152 time , I also married my husband and we 25:20.152 --> 25:22.097 both deployed different directions 25:22.097 --> 25:24.374 because he was a naval aviator as well . 25:24.374 --> 25:26.263 And I knew I was in the spotlight 25:26.263 --> 25:28.486 because there were so few of us . I was 25:28.486 --> 25:30.319 one of two female pilots in that 25:30.319 --> 25:32.541 squadron who became one pilot uh at the 25:32.550 --> 25:34.849 time . And I knew that every time I did 25:34.859 --> 25:37.060 something people were watching , there 25:37.069 --> 25:40.660 weren't very many but persisted . 25:40.670 --> 25:44.609 And in 2007 coming forward , I became 25:44.619 --> 25:47.500 the CEO of a strike fighter squadron . 25:47.780 --> 25:49.650 Amazing . I was the ceo of the 25:49.660 --> 25:53.569 gunslingers . And with me in every 25:53.709 --> 25:55.670 place within the organization were 25:55.680 --> 25:57.902 women . I had a female master chief , I 25:57.902 --> 26:00.124 had a female ma maintenance officer . I 26:00.124 --> 26:02.849 had female pilots and I had female 26:02.859 --> 26:05.640 enlisted all through the ranks , female 26:05.650 --> 26:07.859 chiefs . And it was a completely 26:07.869 --> 26:11.800 different experience . Um So 26:11.810 --> 26:14.060 while in command , I'll tell you a 26:14.069 --> 26:16.349 story of one night where I launched 26:16.359 --> 26:18.939 from the aircraft carrier . It was O I 26:18.949 --> 26:22.270 F it was 2007 and it was a surge and we 26:22.280 --> 26:24.502 were going to drive the bad guys out of 26:24.502 --> 26:27.550 Iraq . That was the idea . I went out 26:27.560 --> 26:29.560 and what should have been sort of a 26:29.560 --> 26:31.393 quiet night . There wasn't a lot 26:31.393 --> 26:33.116 planned , but there was always 26:33.116 --> 26:35.116 something going on became a kinetic 26:35.116 --> 26:34.750 night . As one of the convoys that we 26:34.760 --> 26:37.050 were looking out for came under fire . 26:37.229 --> 26:39.989 They hit an I E D and uh , 26:40.000 --> 26:42.800 unfortunately there were casualties as 26:42.810 --> 26:45.088 we got on the radio . My wingman and I , 26:45.088 --> 26:47.088 we were the last event of the night 26:47.088 --> 26:49.310 from the carrier and we were talking to 26:49.310 --> 26:51.532 a young soldier on the ground . I don't 26:51.532 --> 26:53.866 know if he was an air controller or not . 26:53.866 --> 26:55.699 He picked up the mic and started 26:55.699 --> 26:57.643 talking . He asked us to remain on 26:57.643 --> 26:57.349 station while they medevaced their 26:57.359 --> 26:59.359 wounded . He said that there were , 26:59.359 --> 27:01.581 they could hear people out there , they 27:01.581 --> 27:03.803 could hear gunfire and they asked us to 27:03.803 --> 27:06.849 stay overhead . We went into mission 27:06.859 --> 27:09.150 extension mode . So you start managing 27:09.160 --> 27:11.670 your gas . People start trying to help 27:11.680 --> 27:14.369 you . Um , the C R C starts vectoring 27:14.380 --> 27:16.602 all sorts of help your way . They start 27:16.609 --> 27:19.369 sending tankers your way and some of 27:19.380 --> 27:21.719 those tankers , they had men's voices 27:21.729 --> 27:23.951 and some had women's voices . Those C R 27:23.951 --> 27:26.079 C operators , some were men and some 27:26.089 --> 27:29.979 were women and it didn't matter . So as 27:29.989 --> 27:32.260 we , uh , when we were doing a Daisy 27:32.270 --> 27:34.381 chain , we were going to the tanker , 27:34.381 --> 27:36.603 they were pushing gas to us . We stayed 27:36.603 --> 27:38.659 overhead . They were able to me back 27:38.659 --> 27:40.659 out , they're wounded and they were 27:40.659 --> 27:44.030 able to safely ex out of the area and , 27:44.040 --> 27:46.151 and go back and they , they were able 27:46.151 --> 27:48.151 to not come under any other fire or 27:48.151 --> 27:50.318 take any other casualties . My wingman 27:50.318 --> 27:52.484 and I knowing that we were a couple of 27:52.484 --> 27:54.739 hours past our recovery time , flew 27:54.750 --> 27:57.079 back as fast as we could all the way in 27:57.089 --> 27:59.979 after burner and , uh , came in and , 27:59.989 --> 28:02.579 uh , landed and the entire flight deck 28:02.589 --> 28:04.645 was silent when we shut down because 28:04.645 --> 28:06.533 everybody else had returned hours 28:06.533 --> 28:08.589 beforehand , got out of the jets and 28:08.589 --> 28:10.645 everybody's like , well , where have 28:10.645 --> 28:12.700 you been ? And , uh , and we started 28:12.700 --> 28:14.756 telling the story and you could just 28:14.756 --> 28:17.260 see the faces on the sailors as they 28:17.270 --> 28:19.437 realized that they were part of taking 28:19.437 --> 28:21.659 care of people . They were part of that 28:21.659 --> 28:23.881 mission . They were part of making sure 28:23.881 --> 28:26.103 that people on the ground stayed safe . 28:26.103 --> 28:28.270 They were part of the mission that was 28:28.270 --> 28:30.270 going on for it in , in Iraq at the 28:30.270 --> 28:32.326 time . And what I will tell you is , 28:32.326 --> 28:34.437 it's a shared mission . It's a shared 28:34.437 --> 28:36.659 story . It was men and women and nobody 28:36.659 --> 28:38.714 cared what your voice sounded like . 28:38.714 --> 28:40.770 What you look like . All they wanted 28:40.780 --> 28:42.947 for you to do was to do your mission . 28:43.500 --> 28:45.722 So that's the story . I'd like to bring 28:45.722 --> 28:47.722 forward today . That's where we are 28:47.722 --> 28:50.056 today . Nobody cares what you look like , 28:50.056 --> 28:53.180 just do the mission and do it well . So 28:53.189 --> 28:55.300 today I'm surrounded by men and women 28:55.300 --> 28:57.640 in uniform . They fill every role , 28:58.170 --> 29:01.819 army ranger here today to join us . Um 29:01.829 --> 29:04.280 It's a pretty amazing situation that we 29:04.290 --> 29:06.670 see as we're able to serve in every 29:06.680 --> 29:09.310 capacity . My husband and I both served , 29:09.319 --> 29:11.541 we served together and he retired after 29:11.541 --> 29:14.930 25 years of service and we were able to 29:14.939 --> 29:16.890 balance out and have two wonderful 29:16.900 --> 29:19.640 Children . He took care of my kids two 29:19.650 --> 29:21.372 different times while I was on 29:21.372 --> 29:23.660 deployment by himself . And I took care 29:23.670 --> 29:25.892 of the kids when he was on deployment . 29:25.892 --> 29:28.439 So , and we both agree that it's easier 29:28.449 --> 29:30.338 to be the person who goes and the 29:30.338 --> 29:33.890 person who stays , that tells you 29:33.900 --> 29:37.869 something . Yeah . Um my 29:37.880 --> 29:39.991 Children know what it is to serve and 29:39.991 --> 29:41.991 my daughter is , is serving , she's 29:41.991 --> 29:43.936 entering into service as well . So 29:43.936 --> 29:45.936 that's what you bring forward . You 29:45.936 --> 29:47.824 bring that love of service , that 29:47.824 --> 29:49.880 understanding that there's something 29:49.880 --> 29:51.991 greater than yourself . And there are 29:51.991 --> 29:54.047 men and women today that are serving 29:54.047 --> 29:56.479 with distinction and I am so proud to 29:56.489 --> 30:00.459 be part of their ranks . So as I 30:00.469 --> 30:02.747 look at today , today is a celebration , 30:02.747 --> 30:04.969 it's a celebration of what you all made 30:04.969 --> 30:07.080 possible . It's a celebration of what 30:07.080 --> 30:09.229 continues today and what is continued 30:09.239 --> 30:11.719 to open doors for women throughout the 30:11.729 --> 30:14.170 world . I think we are an exemplar and 30:14.180 --> 30:17.400 you made that possible . So as we talk 30:17.410 --> 30:21.250 about uh great and uh capable women , I 30:21.260 --> 30:23.316 have to turn and I have the distinct 30:23.316 --> 30:26.229 pleasure to uh introduce our Deputy 30:26.239 --> 30:29.099 Secretary of Defense . She is our 35th 30:29.109 --> 30:31.165 Deputy Secretary of Defense and just 30:31.165 --> 30:33.760 happens to be our first woman Secretary 30:33.770 --> 30:35.930 of Defense , our Deputy Secretary of 30:35.939 --> 30:38.900 Defense . So it is my pleasure to 30:38.910 --> 30:41.099 introduce the honorable Kathleen Hicks 30:41.500 --> 30:43.719 and madame secretary , your floor . 30:57.199 --> 30:59.280 Well , let me uh thank Vice Admiral 30:59.290 --> 31:01.401 Joyner for the very kind introduction 31:01.401 --> 31:03.512 and good morning everyone . Secretary 31:03.512 --> 31:05.568 Austin , thank you in particular for 31:05.568 --> 31:07.790 the time that you're taking out of your 31:07.790 --> 31:09.846 busy schedule to join this important 31:09.846 --> 31:11.512 occasion . And I want to also 31:11.512 --> 31:13.679 acknowledge as my colleagues have done 31:13.679 --> 31:16.319 MS Rambo , M Marks M Robinson M Rosado . 31:16.599 --> 31:18.729 Welcome to the Pentagon and thank you 31:18.739 --> 31:20.461 for your service . Let me also 31:20.461 --> 31:22.517 acknowledge Admiral Frank KT and the 31:22.517 --> 31:24.949 many service leadership uh members that 31:24.959 --> 31:27.237 are here today . Secretary of the Army , 31:27.237 --> 31:29.579 uh we as well and congresswoman Nancy 31:29.589 --> 31:31.700 Mayes , thank you uh for joining us . 31:32.290 --> 31:34.869 What an absolute pleasure . It has been 31:34.880 --> 31:37.119 to listen to both Admiral Joyner and 31:37.130 --> 31:39.819 Major Haver . Um Your words are 31:39.829 --> 31:42.939 inspiring . Your careers are inspiring 31:43.150 --> 31:45.969 since major have graduated from Ranger 31:45.979 --> 31:49.560 school . 116 more women have 31:49.569 --> 31:51.989 successfully soared through the glass 31:52.000 --> 31:54.290 ceiling that she helped shatter . And 31:54.300 --> 31:57.209 today six female students are currently 31:57.219 --> 32:00.699 in training and Admiral Joiner . You 32:00.709 --> 32:02.820 are nothing short of inspirational as 32:02.820 --> 32:04.987 well . The first woman to command a US 32:04.987 --> 32:07.449 Navy strike fighter squadron and the 32:07.459 --> 32:09.681 first female commander of a carrier Air 32:09.681 --> 32:11.903 Wing . It's no wonder your call sign is 32:11.903 --> 32:15.729 clutch even so it's 32:15.739 --> 32:18.449 still too early to opine upon either of 32:18.459 --> 32:20.969 your legacies as your careers continue . 32:21.729 --> 32:24.560 This anniversary serves as a timely 32:24.569 --> 32:27.319 opportunity to celebrate the tremendous 32:27.329 --> 32:30.920 talent , tenacity and expertise that 32:30.930 --> 32:33.589 women have long contributed to Dod's 32:33.650 --> 32:36.109 mission since the nation's first war . 32:36.839 --> 32:40.550 Unlike them , today , women are able to 32:40.560 --> 32:42.869 serve in the military , regardless of 32:42.880 --> 32:45.839 their race or identity or their station 32:45.849 --> 32:48.180 in life . They can serve in combat 32:48.189 --> 32:50.790 roles , they can become army rangers , 32:50.800 --> 32:53.040 fighter pilots and four star generals . 32:53.260 --> 32:56.469 And the list goes on , women in uniform 32:56.479 --> 32:59.030 continue to make history every day , 32:59.040 --> 33:01.619 taking on roles and responsibilities 33:01.630 --> 33:04.420 that were not before possible or 33:04.430 --> 33:07.930 attainable progress like the progress 33:07.939 --> 33:09.729 we're celebrating today is not 33:09.739 --> 33:12.709 inevitable . In fact , it is often met 33:12.719 --> 33:15.260 with skepticism and outright resistance 33:15.680 --> 33:18.040 for decades . Critics have openly 33:18.050 --> 33:20.589 argued that our differences could be 33:20.599 --> 33:23.199 our downfall . They question with women 33:23.209 --> 33:25.290 in the ranks . Can the US military 33:25.300 --> 33:27.640 maintain the connection , camaraderie 33:27.650 --> 33:29.750 and community that are among its 33:29.760 --> 33:32.560 hallmarks and greatest strengths ? I 33:32.569 --> 33:34.291 don't think anyone today would 33:34.291 --> 33:36.949 seriously question the dominance of 33:36.959 --> 33:39.040 today's us military , the finest 33:39.050 --> 33:41.217 fighting force that the world has ever 33:41.217 --> 33:43.829 seen . The full integration of women 33:43.839 --> 33:46.569 into our armed forces has only made our 33:46.579 --> 33:49.869 military stronger and our nation safer 33:49.880 --> 33:52.699 and more secure . And in addition to 33:52.709 --> 33:55.709 that , it moved the entire nation 33:55.719 --> 33:58.310 closer to the promise of full equality , 33:58.540 --> 34:01.209 reinforced the power of unity around 34:01.219 --> 34:04.339 our shared values and under scored that 34:04.349 --> 34:08.000 we as a nation are more effective when 34:08.010 --> 34:10.149 we draw on the talents of qualified 34:10.159 --> 34:13.579 Americans willing to serve . I come 34:13.589 --> 34:16.158 from a military family , men and women 34:16.168 --> 34:18.839 who have proudly served this nation . 34:19.239 --> 34:23.019 In fact , back in 1975 . My father 34:23.029 --> 34:25.085 served as the action officer for the 34:25.085 --> 34:26.918 admittance of women to the naval 34:26.918 --> 34:28.973 academy . So you're welcome Pletch . 34:31.799 --> 34:35.458 Back in 1976 81 women trailblazers 34:35.468 --> 34:37.690 entered the Naval Academy for the first 34:37.690 --> 34:40.668 time . 55 women graduated from that 34:40.678 --> 34:43.668 class when Secretary Austin delivered 34:43.678 --> 34:45.678 commencement remarks to this year's 34:45.678 --> 34:47.845 graduating Naval Academy class . There 34:47.845 --> 34:51.118 were 267 women graduated . 34:52.199 --> 34:54.510 So we should be proud of the progress 34:54.520 --> 34:56.298 that the department has made to 34:56.298 --> 34:58.820 maintain a US military that reflects 34:58.830 --> 35:01.290 the nation that it is called to defend . 35:01.540 --> 35:03.780 It is historic and re rightfully 35:03.790 --> 35:06.669 celebrated . Yet as we do , we 35:06.679 --> 35:09.340 acknowledge that our work is not done . 35:09.840 --> 35:12.610 It is our responsibility to break down 35:12.620 --> 35:15.090 even more barriers for all of us and 35:15.100 --> 35:18.629 for the generations to come . I for one 35:18.639 --> 35:20.939 am very proud to help lead a department 35:20.949 --> 35:23.580 that continues to expand opportunities 35:23.590 --> 35:26.189 to women . One that is committed to 35:26.199 --> 35:28.540 advancing gender equity and equality 35:28.770 --> 35:31.060 and one that acknowledges that the 35:31.070 --> 35:33.379 service and sacrifice of all those who 35:33.389 --> 35:35.500 serve this nation are to be honored . 35:36.560 --> 35:38.616 So I thank each and every one of you 35:38.616 --> 35:40.727 for coming to celebrate this occasion 35:40.727 --> 35:43.189 with us today . And it is now my honor 35:43.199 --> 35:45.250 to introduce our keynote speaker , 35:45.280 --> 35:47.280 Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin . 35:50.469 --> 35:51.679 There's more 35:54.820 --> 35:57.840 Secretary Austin throughout your your 35:57.850 --> 36:01.310 very brief 41 year career serving in 36:01.320 --> 36:03.389 the US Army Secretary , Austin 36:03.399 --> 36:05.455 distinguished himself as a brave war 36:05.455 --> 36:07.177 fighter , sharp strategist and 36:07.177 --> 36:09.620 empathetic leader over the past two 36:09.629 --> 36:12.399 years as our 28 Secretary of Defense , 36:12.409 --> 36:14.699 he has doubled down on that legacy . He 36:14.709 --> 36:16.669 has deepened our partnerships with 36:16.909 --> 36:18.742 alliances throughout the world , 36:18.742 --> 36:20.853 tackled tough security challenges and 36:20.853 --> 36:23.580 ensured that D D is prepared to defend 36:23.590 --> 36:26.409 the nation now and far into the future , 36:26.550 --> 36:28.550 Mr Secretary . The floor is yours . 36:39.100 --> 36:40.030 Wow . 36:43.389 --> 36:45.389 Well , good morning . Let's , let's 36:45.389 --> 36:47.278 hear it again for our outstanding 36:47.278 --> 36:48.278 deputy secretary 36:54.250 --> 36:56.199 and it truly is an honor to serve 36:56.209 --> 36:58.080 alongside you . So we appreciate 36:58.090 --> 37:00.257 everything that you continue to do for 37:00.257 --> 37:03.449 this department . She , I have to admit 37:03.610 --> 37:05.554 I was surprised to see you wearing 37:05.554 --> 37:09.290 glasses . I don't feel so bad now 37:09.300 --> 37:11.356 because I have to wear glasses . But 37:11.356 --> 37:14.310 see , there is this super woman rumor 37:14.320 --> 37:16.939 floating around and I couldn't figure 37:16.949 --> 37:18.838 out if those were Clark Kent type 37:18.838 --> 37:19.770 glasses or , 37:22.969 --> 37:26.560 and Admiral Joyner . If I took a vote 37:26.570 --> 37:28.760 right now , I think everybody in the 37:28.770 --> 37:31.219 room would say we don't want to hear 37:31.229 --> 37:33.340 the sector , we want to hear more war 37:33.340 --> 37:35.451 stories . So that's a pretty good war 37:35.451 --> 37:37.562 story . I couldn't figure out whether 37:37.562 --> 37:39.729 or not the person that you were trying 37:39.729 --> 37:41.729 to protect the people that you were 37:41.729 --> 37:41.699 trying to protect me and the chairman 37:41.709 --> 37:44.179 because we did get blown up one night 37:44.189 --> 37:47.949 in Baghdad together . But I think the 37:47.959 --> 37:50.489 times don't match , but that's quite a 37:50.500 --> 37:53.919 story and , and , and thanks to all of 37:53.929 --> 37:56.290 you for being who you are and for what 37:56.300 --> 37:59.030 you do for our military , let me also 37:59.040 --> 38:01.719 thank uh Congresswoman Mace for being 38:01.729 --> 38:05.679 here and also senior leaders 38:05.689 --> 38:07.800 at the Department of Defense who have 38:07.800 --> 38:10.030 joined us today . And 38:11.889 --> 38:15.520 again , a solid word of thanks to uh 38:15.530 --> 38:19.100 Major and Vice Admiral Joiner for 38:19.709 --> 38:21.979 what they've done to blaze uh new 38:21.989 --> 38:25.080 trails for women service members . And 38:25.090 --> 38:28.300 so today , we celebrate 75 years since 38:28.310 --> 38:30.389 President Truman signed the Women's 38:31.209 --> 38:34.780 Armed Services Integration Act . And of 38:34.790 --> 38:38.639 course , as Mike said earlier , 38:38.649 --> 38:40.816 women have always stepped up to defend 38:40.820 --> 38:44.050 our country in our revolutionary war . 38:44.060 --> 38:46.600 Women operated behind enemy lines as 38:46.610 --> 38:50.120 spies in the civil war . Some 3000 38:50.129 --> 38:52.185 women served as nurses for the Union 38:52.185 --> 38:55.679 army . And during World war one , women 38:55.689 --> 38:58.760 were translators and accountants as 38:58.770 --> 39:01.050 they operated switchboards and they 39:01.060 --> 39:03.600 operated switchboards . And by World 39:03.610 --> 39:05.750 war two women were driving trucks and 39:05.760 --> 39:08.070 rigging parachutes and they were 39:08.080 --> 39:10.790 serving in the Marine Corps like Norma 39:10.800 --> 39:14.729 Rambo who you just met and 39:14.739 --> 39:16.649 women began cracking code as 39:16.659 --> 39:20.600 cryptographers like Marian Marquez as 39:20.610 --> 39:23.570 you also met earlier . And they paved 39:23.580 --> 39:25.747 the way for more women who are joining 39:25.747 --> 39:27.810 us today like Corinne Robinson , who 39:27.820 --> 39:30.629 served in the navy and Hillary Rosado , 39:31.090 --> 39:33.330 who also served as an imagery analyst 39:33.340 --> 39:36.620 for the , for the army . Let's thank 39:36.629 --> 39:38.796 all of these great Americans for their 39:38.796 --> 39:39.851 service once again 39:54.159 --> 39:57.340 and I have it on Good Accord . Uh And 39:57.350 --> 40:01.189 that uh you are going to reach uh the 40:01.199 --> 40:04.050 ripe age of uh the young age of 100 40:04.060 --> 40:07.080 here in September . Uh M Rambo is that , 40:07.090 --> 40:08.649 do I have that correct ? 40:20.250 --> 40:23.010 God bless you . After World War II , 40:23.139 --> 40:25.320 our top military leaders finally 40:25.330 --> 40:27.699 endorsed making American women full and 40:27.709 --> 40:30.600 permanent members of the armed forces . 40:31.070 --> 40:32.959 But getting that through Congress 40:32.959 --> 40:35.449 wasn't easy . At one hearing , the 40:35.459 --> 40:37.515 chairman of the House Armed Services 40:37.515 --> 40:39.626 Committee questioned why women should 40:39.626 --> 40:41.848 serve in our military on the same basis 40:41.848 --> 40:44.129 as men . And the first witness to 40:44.139 --> 40:47.300 respond was General Dwight D Eisenhower . 40:47.939 --> 40:50.669 And he said , simply we need them , 40:52.530 --> 40:55.409 we need them . The United States 40:55.419 --> 40:58.629 military needs women . Our military is 40:58.639 --> 41:00.472 the best fighting force in human 41:00.472 --> 41:02.739 history . And to keep it that way , we 41:02.750 --> 41:04.750 need the best war fighters in every 41:04.750 --> 41:07.780 domain of potential conflict . And the 41:07.790 --> 41:09.734 only way to make that happen is by 41:09.734 --> 41:11.790 drawing on the talents of all of our 41:11.790 --> 41:13.901 people and not just men who happen to 41:13.901 --> 41:16.090 represent less than half of the US 41:16.100 --> 41:19.659 population . And in return , we must 41:19.669 --> 41:21.836 create a military where American women 41:21.836 --> 41:24.459 can contribute the full range of their 41:24.469 --> 41:27.439 skills and strengths and where they can 41:27.449 --> 41:30.340 take advantage of all that , a career 41:30.350 --> 41:34.290 in the US military has to offer like 41:34.300 --> 41:36.411 being a part of something bigger than 41:36.411 --> 41:38.979 yourself and defending the values of 41:38.989 --> 41:42.040 freedom and democracy and making a 41:42.050 --> 41:45.479 difference and growing as experts 41:46.129 --> 41:50.050 and as leaders , we 41:50.060 --> 41:52.280 owe it to American women to get rid of 41:52.290 --> 41:55.370 bias and to wipe out the cancer of 41:55.379 --> 41:57.435 harassment and sexual assault in our 41:57.435 --> 42:00.080 ranks . We owe it to them . To make a 42:00.090 --> 42:02.399 military career compatible with raising 42:02.409 --> 42:06.129 a family for both mothers and fathers . 42:07.040 --> 42:09.096 And we owe it to them to break every 42:09.096 --> 42:11.207 barrier in the way of their service . 42:13.159 --> 42:15.270 This is a priority for the department 42:15.270 --> 42:18.239 of Defense . And I'm so proud to have 42:18.250 --> 42:21.080 you all as teammates to get it done . 42:22.959 --> 42:25.149 You know , back in 1948 1 of the main 42:25.159 --> 42:27.409 supporters of the women's immigration 42:27.429 --> 42:30.830 legislation was Colonel Mary Halloran . 42:32.310 --> 42:34.366 And I love telling the story of what 42:34.366 --> 42:37.060 happened when she enlisted . You see , 42:37.070 --> 42:39.280 Colonel Halloran was just five ft tall 42:40.260 --> 42:42.316 and the recruiter asked her what the 42:42.316 --> 42:44.427 army could do with someone so short . 42:45.000 --> 42:47.729 And she replied , you don't have to be 42:47.739 --> 42:50.199 six ft tall to have a brain that works . 42:53.790 --> 42:56.520 And she became a colonel and a director 42:56.530 --> 42:59.080 of the army , the women's army corps , 42:59.090 --> 43:03.060 women's army corps . Now , 43:03.070 --> 43:05.070 as women service members waited for 43:05.070 --> 43:07.181 Congress to act , many got frustrated 43:07.181 --> 43:09.292 and considered leaving the military . 43:09.449 --> 43:11.671 But Colonel Halloran encouraged them to 43:11.671 --> 43:14.719 stay on in an open letter . She 43:14.729 --> 43:16.951 reminded them of the hurdles that women 43:16.951 --> 43:19.520 had already achieved already cleared . 43:20.209 --> 43:22.376 They had already proven their value in 43:22.376 --> 43:24.669 wartime and in peace time . And she 43:24.679 --> 43:27.419 said , those who bet against you lost . 43:28.350 --> 43:30.729 Ladies and gentlemen , 75 years ago , 43:31.030 --> 43:34.540 American women won a game and 43:34.550 --> 43:38.489 America won yet a game . We've now 43:38.500 --> 43:40.722 had three women lead combatant commands 43:40.722 --> 43:42.833 including General Richardson at South 43:42.833 --> 43:45.056 comm and General Van Ovos at transcom . 43:46.629 --> 43:49.080 We've had distinguished women , four 43:49.090 --> 43:52.600 star officers in the army , the Navy , 43:52.610 --> 43:55.570 the Air Force and the Coast Guard and 43:55.580 --> 43:57.913 command Sergeant , Major Veronica Knapp , 43:57.913 --> 43:59.969 recently served as a senior enlisted 43:59.969 --> 44:02.260 leader of the 101st airborne Division . 44:03.219 --> 44:05.108 And three years ago , Joanne Bass 44:05.108 --> 44:07.540 became the first woman to serve as 44:07.550 --> 44:09.929 Chief Masa Sergeant of the air force . 44:12.389 --> 44:15.280 Women's service has made our military 44:15.290 --> 44:18.689 stronger and that's worth celebrating 44:18.699 --> 44:22.669 today . And it is yet another spur to 44:22.679 --> 44:25.149 drive us all to make even more progress 44:25.159 --> 44:28.429 as we go forward together . So let's 44:28.439 --> 44:31.129 renew our resolve to make our military 44:31.139 --> 44:35.050 even stronger , more capable and 44:35.060 --> 44:38.379 more just for all the brave patriots 44:38.389 --> 44:40.919 who raise their hand to serve our great 44:40.929 --> 44:44.510 country . And I am truly honored to be 44:44.520 --> 44:47.979 here with all of you . And I'm proud of 44:47.989 --> 44:50.419 what our women contribute to this great 44:50.429 --> 44:52.889 country . May God bless you and may God 44:52.899 --> 44:55.066 continue to bless the United States of 44:55.066 --> 44:56.288 America . Thank you , 45:12.610 --> 45:15.040 ladies and gentlemen , the Persian Zone , 45:15.050 --> 45:17.570 United States Army band vocal ensemble 45:17.580 --> 45:19.600 will perform making history . 45:29.919 --> 45:32.389 Each of us helped when the battle was 45:32.399 --> 45:36.080 down to the wire and 45:36.090 --> 45:38.510 all of the women and the men who came 45:38.520 --> 45:42.469 through under fire and 45:42.479 --> 45:45.790 maybe not one of us saved the day , but 45:45.800 --> 45:47.129 maybe together 45:50.060 --> 45:52.840 when the call got through , when the 45:52.850 --> 45:56.189 hill was taken , when the tide was 45:56.199 --> 45:58.370 turned and the world was , 46:03.219 --> 46:05.830 I'm making his story 46:07.469 --> 46:09.899 every moment . Could 46:10.830 --> 46:13.399 we each have a role to play ? 46:16.780 --> 46:18.919 Could Chips 46:21.969 --> 46:24.590 and the song we too . 46:25.560 --> 46:27.250 Taking his 46:29.469 --> 46:31.040 every day 46:36.139 --> 46:38.199 to we made . Thank you . 46:40.889 --> 46:42.649 It so no 46:47.290 --> 46:49.949 ST boring stuff . 46:52.479 --> 46:56.260 All that came in tearing 46:57.110 --> 47:00.689 you one more because his 47:00.699 --> 47:04.350 story is affected by 47:04.360 --> 47:08.159 how we've been intersected by a 47:08.169 --> 47:12.010 million dreams connected part of 47:12.020 --> 47:13.020 one home . 47:16.580 --> 47:19.620 Every person is bad 47:20.649 --> 47:21.100 is 47:25.050 --> 47:25.489 with 47:32.419 --> 47:33.419 is with the 47:36.719 --> 47:40.500 no know which side you're on . 47:42.770 --> 47:44.810 We history 47:46.429 --> 47:48.600 will give a kiss or 47:52.260 --> 47:52.949 went to the 47:55.949 --> 47:56.679 went to the 48:04.850 --> 48:05.139 I 48:09.530 --> 48:10.530 I , 48:13.840 --> 48:15.669 yes , you had 48:17.330 --> 48:19.840 guys answer the call . 48:43.550 --> 48:45.889 Ladies and gentlemen , please rise for 48:45.899 --> 48:48.010 the departure of the official party . 49:19.530 --> 49:21.641 Ladies and gentlemen , this concludes 49:21.641 --> 49:23.530 today's ceremony . Thank you for 49:23.540 --> 49:25.651 joining us . Please feel free to come 49:25.651 --> 49:28.090 forward and meet today's VIP S from the 49:28.100 --> 49:30.322 armed forces retirement home along with 49:30.322 --> 49:32.379 major have sitting in the front row 49:32.389 --> 49:35.010 seats again . Thank you for attending 49:35.020 --> 49:37.080 today's event and enjoy the rest of 49:37.090 --> 49:37.560 your day .