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MIHY-29-1993
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WEST POINT PRESS OFF i CE
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THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Iminediate Release
May 29, 1993
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT
Michie Stadium
west Point, New York
10:20 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:
Thank you very much.
Please be
seated.
General Graves, thank you f o r t h a t f i n e i n t r o d u c t i o n
and f o r your outstanding leadership here. General S u l l i v a n and
the d i s t i n g u i s h e d p l a t f o r m guests, d i s t i n g u i s h e d guests, a l l , the
f a m i l i e s and guests of t h i s graduating class; and, most of a l l ,
to the young men and women of the Corps of Cadets.
I t i s a great p r i v i l e g e f o r me today t o j o i n I n t h i s
c e l e b r a t i o n of accomplishment. To the class of 1993, 1 want t o
extend my h e a r t f e l t congratulations. You've worked hard, and
you've w e l l earned the honor bestowed upon you today.
To your parents and your r e l a t i v e s : Let me assure
you t h a t , however o f t e n you've wondered about i t , you r e a l l y
aren't dreaming. Your sons and daughters, your brothers and
s i s t e r s r e a l l y made i t , And you can take p r i d e i n t h e i r
graduation and i n the strong values t h a t you must have helped t o
i n s t i l l i n them t h a t made t h i s day possible f o r them.
To the f a c u l t y and s t a f f of t h i s wonderful Academy:
Let me o f f e r my g r a t i t u d e f o r your dedication as t h i s h i s t o r i c
i n s t i t u t i o n graduates i t s 50,000th cadet. I t i s said here a t
West Point t h a t much of the h i s t o r y you teach was made by the
people you taught. That's t r u e , and very much t o your c r e d i t .
The work you and your predecessors have c a r r i a d forward since
1802 i s t r u l y t h a t of nation b u i l d i n g , and today your nation
thanks you once again.
For the class o f 1993, today marke the completion o f
an arduous process. I look out at you and t h i n k you endured
Beast Barracks, YOU passed countless PT t e s t s , none of which I
could pass anymore. (Laughter.) You have met high standards f o r
d i s c i p l i n e , f o r physical f i t n e s s , f o r academics and, I must say,
I am imprsscsc' by your h a i r c u t s . (Laughter and applause.)
Mo one i s p e r f e c t , of course, as even the president
dei-.oni;urates from time to time.. I'm reminded t h a t one ot your
graateat graduates and one of my predecessors as Commander-inChief, General Dwight Eisenhower, was punished as a cadet f o r
sue;; -.sn-ible offenses as -- I quote -- "apparently making no
re*ojn".ble e f f o r t to have h i s room properly cleaned at a.m.
ins-v a c t i o n , " and — I wonder what a "reasonable e f f o r t " i s —
and, second, "being l a t e f o r breakfast." i n the u n l i k e l y event
th-.i. t.iere have been any such breaches of d i s c i p l i n e on your
pai-t, l e t me announce today t h a t i n keeping w i t h customary
p r a c t i c e , I exercise my prerogative as Commander-in-Chief t o
grr.r.t amnesty t o the Corps of Cadets.
(Applause.) I hope the
assembled crowd i s not too t r o u b l e d t h a t so many seem t o be
c e l e b r a t i n g . (Laughter.)
Two centuries ago at t h i s bend i n the Hudson River,
America's f i r s t defenders stretched a chain across the r i v e r t o
prevent B r i t i s h ships from d i v i d i n g and conquering our new
nation. Today we add 1,003 new l i n k s t o t h a t unbroken chain of
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America's defenders
1,003 new and s o l i d segments i n the Long
Gray Line, a l i n e t h a t stretches back 191 years through your
ranks and as f a r i n t o the f u t u r e as the Lord l e t s the United
States of America e x i s t . The Long Gray Line has never f a i l e d us,
and I b e l i e v e i t never w i l l .
Like the great chain i t s e l f , you have emerged from
the forge, t e s t e d and tempered, composed c f a stronger metal than
you brought here. F o r t y - e i g h t months ago, you came here as young
adults. Today when you leave t h i s stadium, you w i l l be o f f i c e r s
of the u n i t e d States Army.
West Point has prepared you f o r a l i f e o f service.
And as you w e l l know, West Point's graduates have served America
i n many, many ways, not only by leading troops i n t o combat, b u t
also by e x p l o r i n g f r o n t i e r s , founding u n i v e r s i t i e s , l a y i n g out
the r a i l r o a d s , b u i l d i n g the Panama canal, running c o r p o r a t i o n s ,
serving i n the congress and the White House, and walking on the
moon.
Yet, no service i s more important o r admirable than
your simple decision t o put on the uniform of t h i s great n a t i o n
and t o serve wherever America c a l l s you i n defense of freedom.
The w i l l i n g n e s s t o serve and s a c r i f i c e f o r the greater good i s
the u l t i m a t e t r i b u t e t o your character and your e f f o r t s . For
those services and s a c r i f i c e s , those t h a t brought you here and
those t h a t w i l l take you and our great n a t i o n i n t o the f u t u r e ,
you have the appreciation o f a l l the American people.
You have, stepped forward not only t o serve, but t o
lead. For the hallmark of West Point has been i t s t r a d i t i o n of
growing leaders of character, whenever the n a t i o n c a l l e d ,
members of the Long Gray Line have l e d the way. Your
predecessors l e d t i g h t - l i p p e d troops i n t o the smoke and flame of
b a t t l e at C h a n c e l l o r s v i l i e and Gettysburg. They were f i r s t out
of the muddy trenches i n t o the attack at the Meuse-Argonne. They
led the f i r s t wave of assaults from Normandy. They held the l i n e
at Pusan, and were f i r s t o f f the h e l i c o p t e r s i n the l a Drang
v a l l e y and the I r o n T r i a n g l e . More recent graduates were among
those who jumped i n t o Panama and l e d the charge i n t o I r a q . And
the corps was there as w e l l when the c a l l car.ie from the v i c t i m s
of hunger, when the c a l l came from the victi.r.s of Hurricane
Andrew. From F l o r i d a t o Somalia, you have been there.
The 172 b a t t l e streamers on the Army f l a g
commemorate the s k i l l and courage o f those who have gone before
you. Marked and unmarked graves around the world t e s t i f y t o the
corps' s e l f l e s s devotion t o country. Your s t e a d f a s t commitment
to duty, honor, country i s our n a t i o n a l s t r e n g t h .
My commitment end t h a t of the Congress and the
American people i s t o stand by you. That means before we ask you
to put your l i f e and the l i v e s of those whoai you command i n
harm's way, i t i s our solemn r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o take your advice,
to give you the t o o l s you need., and then t o give you our complete
support. That i s our pledge t o you as you enter t h i s career.
You are p i n n i n g on your g o l d bars a t a time o f
remarkable challenge and change f o r the United States. On t h i s
Memorial Day weekend, we a l l pray t h a t we have sent America's
sons and daughters t o war f o r the l a s t t i m e . Yet, h i s t o r y
suggests t h a t , during your years of s e r v i c e , we w i l l again need
to c a l l upon America's weapons and w a r r i o r s t o defend our
national interests.
The changes c f recent years sallow us t o be hopeful.
But ctimmon sense reminds us t o be preparers, One way we must be
prepared i s by ensuring t h a t our forces haave what they need t o
get t h e job done, the equipment and the q m a i i t y people needed t o
ensure t h a t we can achieve d e c i s i v e v i c t o r r y should we be c a l l e d
to b a t t l e once again. As our forces must. change t o meet the
challenges and dangers of a new world, onee need w i l l remain
consteint: the requirement f o r leaders of .character.
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You w i l l be c a l l e d upon i n many ways i n t h i s era:
to keep the peace, to r e l i e v e s u f f e r i n g , to help teach o f f i c e r s
from new democracies i n the ways of a democratic army, and s t i l l
to f u l f i l l the fundamental mission which General MacArthur
reminded us o f , which i s always to be ready t o win our wars.
But whatever the challenge, I know you w i l l
accomplish your mission, not only because of your t r a i n i n g , but
because of your values and character. I w i l l do my p a r t by doing
whatever i s necessary t o keep our forces ready — and to keep our
microphones up.
(Laughter.) I w i l l do my p a r t — and I t h i n k
the congress w i l l , too -- t o make sure t h a t our forces are always
ready t o f i g h t and win on a moment's n o t i c e , we ought, r e a l l y ,
to meet the standard of one of your classmates, Pat Malcolm, who
came i n the c l u t c h and d e l i v e r e d the goods f o r you. I f we can do
t h a t , you w i l l be able t o serve.
(Applause.)
I f you have the character and w i l l to win, we owe i t
to you to make you the b e s t - t r a i n e d , the best-prepared, the bestequipped and the best-supported f i g h t i n g force on the face or the
earth.
The budget cuts t h a t have come at the end of the
Cold War were necessary, even welcome, appropriate i n l i g h t of
the collapse of the s o v i e t Union and other changes. But we must
be m i n d f u l , even as we t r y so hard to reduce t h i s t e r r i b l e
n a t i o n a l d e f i c i t , that there i s a l i m i t beyond which we must not
go. we have to ensure t h a t the Unitad states i s ready, ready to
win and superior to a l l other m i l i t a r y forces i n the world.
(Applause.)
In doing t h a t , we can ensure -hat the values you
learned hare and the values you brought here from your f a m i l i e s
and your communities back home w i l l be able to spread throughout
t h i s country and throughout the world and give other people the
o p p o r t u n i t y to l i v e as you have l i v e d , t o f u l f i l l your God-given
capacities.
we must also stay prepared by understanding the
threats of t h i s new era. we can't p r e d i c t the f u t u r e . We cannot
t e l l p r e c i s e l y when the next challenge w i l l come, or e x a c t l y what
form i t w i l l take. Yet, we do know t h a t the t h r e a t s we face are
fundamentally d i f f e r e n t from those of the recent past. The end
of the b i p o l a r superpower Ccid War leaves us w i t h u n f a m i l i a r
t h r e a t s , not the absence of danger.
consider what we witness today i n the world you w i l l
move i n t o . Ethnic and r e l i g i o u s c o n f l i c t , the v i o l e n t t u r m o i l of
d i s s o l v i n g or newly created s t a t e s , the random violence of the
assassin and the t e r r o r i s t . These are forces t h a t plagued the
world i n the e a r l y days of t h i s century. As we scan today's
bloodiest c o n f l i c t s , from the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, t o
Armenia, to Sudan the dynamics of the Cold war have been replaced
by many of the dynamics of o l d war.
A p a r t i c u l a r l y t r o u b l i n g new element i n the world
you face, however, i s the p r o l i f e r a t i o n around the globe of
weapons of mass d e s t r u c t i o n and the means f o r t h e i r d e l i v e r y .
Today, ambitious and v i o l e n t regimes seek to acquire arsenals of
nuclear, b i o l o g i c a l and chemical warfare.
As we discovered i n I r a q , surging stocks of
b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e s and other advanced arms have enabled outlaw
nations t o extend the t h r e a t of mass d e s t r u c t i o n a long way
beyond t h e i r own borders. And meeting these new t h r e a t s w i l l
require a new approach and a new determination shared by a l l
peace-loving nations to oppose the spread of these dread weapons.
In the coming months, our a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w i l l
address the dangers from growing s t c c k p i l e s ot nuclear matpriaic
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that could be used in these weapons, and the risk of nuclear
smuggling and terrorism.
We will soon begin negotiations on a comprehensive
test ban treaty which will increase our political leverage to
combat this proliferation, We will reform our export controls to
keep weapons-related technologies out of the wrong hands, while
cutting red tape for legitimate American export activities. And
we must make further changes in how we organize the government to
reflect the priority that we place on nonproliferation.
For, i f we roust contemplate the possibility of
sending America's men and women once again into harm's way, then
we owe i t to you to do our best to prevent the proliferation of
weapons that could vastly multiply the dangers and the casualties
of any conflict.
Ultimately, preparedness lies in strength. And i f
our nation is to be strong at abroad; i t must also be strong at
home. I t was President Eisenhower who once said, "A strong
economy is the physical basis -- the physical basis of a l l our
military power."
One of the most potent weapons behind our victory in
World War I I was the industrial might of the United states. What
ultimately enabled us to prevail in the cold War was the simple
fact that our free political and economic institutions had
produced more prosperity and more personal human happiness than
did the confining institutions of communism.
In the same way our global era leadership must -must depend on our ability to create jobs and growth and
opportunity for Americans here at home who, in turn, w i l l have
the finances to make sure we can maintain the world's strongest
military.
Unfortunately for too many years in this new global
economy, we have had difficulty maintaining opportunity at home.
In the face of intense competition around the world, and the now
familiar problems we have in the United states, our debt has
grown from SI t r i l l i o n to S4 t r i l l i o n , even as we have reduced
military spending and investments in areas th~,z are crucial to
our future in new technologies, in education and training, and in
converting defense cutbacks into domestic economic opportunities.
Today we face especially troubling phenomenon that
the United states has never faced before at home
slow economic
growth which does not create new jobs. We must refuse to accept
this as a pattern that w i l l be repeated in the future. Just as
our security cannot rest upon a hollow Army, neither can i t rest
upon a hollow economy.
If we are to sustain the American way of l i f e that
you have been trained so well to defend, we must do more and do
better. We must cultivate the teacher who can hold her class'
attention, encourage the entrepreneur who bets his savings on his
own ideas. We must do right by the middle class families of this
country who work hard and play by the rules. We must pay down
the deficit and make downpayments on the future, both at the same
time honoring work, rewarding investment, and sharpening our
competitive edge. I f you can win on the battlefield, surely
America can win in every field of competition we must face as we
march toward the 2lst century.
That is the great challenge facing our country. And
the congress today is facing that challenge in dealing with the
economic plan I have presented. The House of Representatives,
led by concerned Americans like congressman Jack Reed who i s the
only west Point graduate in the United states Congress, has sent
a plan to the Senate which now must be produced from the Senate
in the form of an economic plan to bring this country back.
In this new era, those of us in political l i f e need
a new strategy, need sound tactics, need the kind of discipline
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- s in implementing i t that a l l of you have learned co provide for
our nation's defense here at West Point. In short, we must
approach the Job of rebuilding our nation with the same kind of
single-minded determination that you have brought your s k i l l s ,
your dedication and leadership ability, too, in these four years,
and that you will bring to the defense of our nation in the years
ahead. We can do no less for you.
Finally, let me say this, someday, some of you out
here w i l l be sitting in the situation Room at the White House, or
with the President, or with the secretary of Defense in some
other circumstance. At that moment you will be called to give
your advice on an issue which may be small, but also may be large
and of incredible significance to the future of this country.
I ask you in a l l the years ahead to keep preparing
for that day throughout your careers. 3y continuing study and
continuous listening and continuous absorption of every
experience you have, the world i s changing rapidly. And i f you
do not work to make change our friend, then i t can become our
enemy. You represent the very best of the American people. I t
will be your understanding of our nation's challenges and your
embodiment of our nation's values, enriched by what you have
learned here, leavened by the experiences to c m " bound by your
oe,
commitment to Duty-Honor-Country which will permit you to make
our greatest contribution to the nation
continuing service.
You have earned your turn to lead. To follow in the footsteps cf
those who have been on the Plain before you.
over the past four years, your nation has invested
heavily in you. The s k i l l s and dedication you now bring to the
defense of our nation are more than ample repayment. I am proud
of the work you do, honored to serve as your Commander-in-Chief,
confident that a l l Americans join me in saluting your
achievement, and very, very optimistic about the future of our
nation in your hands.
Good luck, God bless you, and God bless America.
(Applause.)
END
10:40 A.M.
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THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Iminediate Release
May 29,
1993
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT
Michie Stadium
west Point, New York
10:20 A.M.
EDT
THE PRESIDENT:
Thank you very much.
Please be
seated.
General Graves, thank you f o r t h a t f i n e i n t r o d u c t i o n
and f o r your outstanding leadership here. General S u l l i v a n and
the d i s t i n g u i s h e d p l a t f o r m guests, d i s t i n g u i s h e d guests, a l l , the
f a m i l i e s and guests of t h i s graduating class; and, most of a l l ,
t o the young men and women of the Corps of Cadets.
I t i s a great p r i v i l e g e f o r me today t o j o i n i n t h i s
c e l e b r a t i o n of accomplishment. To the class of 1993, 1 want t o
extend my h e a r t f e l t congratulations. You've worked hard, and
you've w e l l earned the honor bestowed upon you today.
To your parents and your r e l a t i v e s : Let me assure
you t h a t , however o f t e n you've wondered about i t , you r e a l l y
aren't dreaming. Your sons and daughters, your brothers and
s i s t e r s r e a l l y made i t , And you can take p r i d e i n t h e i r
graduation and i n the strong values t h a t you must have helped t o
i n s t i l l i n them t h a t made t h i s day possible f o r them.
To the f a c u l t y and s t a f f of t h i s wonderful Academy:
Let me o f f e r my g r a t i t u d e f o r your dedication as t h i s h i s t o r i c
i n s t i t u t i o n graduates i t s 50,000th cadet. I t i s said here at
West Point t h a t much of the h i s t o r y you teach was made by the
people you taught. That's t r u e , and very much t o your c r e d i t .
The work you and your predecessors have c a m ad forward since
1302 i s t r u l y t h a t of nation b u i l d i n g , and today your nation
thanks you once again.
For the class of 1993, today marks the completion of
an arduous process. I look out at you and t h i n k you endured
Beast Barracks, YOU passed countless PT t e s t s , none of which I
could pass anymore. (Laughter.} You have met high standards f o r
d i s c i p l i n e , f o r physical f i t n e s s , f o r academics and, I must say,
I am imprasced by your h a i r c u t s . (Laughter and applause.)
No one i s p e r f e c t , of course, as even the President
deivonttrate.s from time to time. I'm reminded t h a t one of your
graatest graduates and one of my predecessors as Commander-inChief, General Dwight Eisenhower, was punished as a cadet f o r
sue;; -.orribie offenses as -- I quote
"apparently making no
re.^.o jn-.ble e f f o r t t o have h i s room properly cleaned at a.m.
inst a c t i o n , " and -- I wonder what a "reasonable e f f o r t " i s -and, second, "being l a t e f o r breakfast." i n the u n l i k e l y event
tiv-Lt. t^ere have been any such breaches of d i s c i p l i n e on your
pair-, l e t me announce today t h a t m keeping w i t h customary
p r a c t i c e , I exercise ray prerogative as Commander-in-Chief t o
grc.nt amnesty t o the Corps of Cadets.
(Applause.) I hope the
assembled crowd i s not too t r o u b l e d t h a t so many seem t o be
c e l e b r a t i n g . (Laughter.)
Two centuries ago at t h i s bend i n the Hudson River,
America's f i r s t defenders stretched a chain across the r i v e r to
prevent B r i t i s h ships from d i v i d i n g and conquering our new
nation. Today we add 1.003 new l i n k s t o t h a t unbroken chain of
MR
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America's defenders
1,003 new and s o l i d segments i n the Long
Gray Line, a l i n e t h a t stretches back 191 years through your
ranks and as f a r i n t o the f u t u r e as the Lord l e t s the u n i t e d
States of America e x i s t . The Long Gray Line has never f a i l e d us,
and I b e l i e v e i t never w i l l .
Like the great chain i t s e l f , you have emerged from
the forge, t e s t e d and tempered, composed c f a stronger metal than
you brought here. F o r t y - e i g h t months ago, you came here as young
adults. Today when you leave t h i s stadium, you w i l l be o f f i c e r s
of the United States Army.
West Point has prepared you f o r a l i f e of service.
And as you w e l l know, West Point's graduates have served America
i n many, many ways, not only by leading troops i n t o combat, but
also by e x p l o r i n g f r o n t i e r s , founding u n i v e r s i t i e s , l a y i n g out
the r a i l r o a d s , b u i l d i n g the Panama Canal, running c o r p o r a t i o n s ,
serving i n the congress and the white House, and walking on the
moon.
Yet, no service i s more important or admirable than
your simple decision t o put on the uniform of t h i s great n a t i o n
and t o serve wherever America c a l l s you i n defense of freedom.
The w i l l i n g n e s s t o serve and s a c r i f i c e f o r the greater good i s
the u l t i m a t e t r i b u t e t o your character and your e f f o r t s . For
those services and s a c r i f i c e s , those t h a t brought you here and
those t h a t w i l l take you and our great n a t i o n i n t o the f u t u r e ,
you have the a p p r e c i a t i o n o f a l l the American people.
You have stepped forward, not only t o serve, but t o
lead. For the hallmark of West Point has been i t s t r a d i t i o n of
growing leaders of character, whenever the n a t i o n c a l l e d ,
members of the Long Gray Line have l e d the way. Your
predecessors l e d t i g h t - l i p p e d troops i n t o the smoke and flame of
b a t t l e at c h a n c e l l o r s v i l l s and Gettysburg. They were f i r s t out
of the muddy trenches i n t o the attack at the Meuse-Argonne. They
led the f i r s t wave of assaults from. Normandy. They held the l i n e
at Pusan, and were f i r s t o f f the h e l i c o p t e r s i n the l a Drang
v a l l e y and the Iron T r i a n g l e . More recent graduates were among
those who jumped i n t o Panama and l e d the charge i n t o Iraq- And
the corps was there as w e l l when the c a l l came from the v i c t i m s
of hunger, when the c a l l came from the victi.r.s of Hurricane
Andrew. From F l o r i d a to Somalia, you have been there.
The 172 b a t t l e streamers on the Army f l a g
commemorate the s k i l l and courage of those who have gone before
you. Marked and unmarked graves around the world t e s t i f y t o the
Corps' s e l f l e s s devot" an t o country. Your s t e a d f a s t commitment
to duty, honor, country i s our n a t i o n a l s t r e n g t h .
My commitment and t h a t of the Congress and the
American people i s to stand by you. That means before we ask you
to put your l i f e and the l i v e s of those whom you command i n
harm's way, i t i s our solemn r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o take your advice,
to give you the t o o l s you need,, and then t o give you our complete
support. That i s our pledge t o you as you enter t h i s career.
You are p i n n i n g on your g o l d bars at a time o f
remarkable challenge and change f o r the United States. On t h i s
Memorial Day weekend, we a l l pray t h a t we have sent America's
sons and daughters t o war f o r the l a s t t i m e . Yet, h i s t o r y
suggests t h a t , during your years of s e r v i c e , we w i l l again need
to c a l l upon America's weapons and w a r r i o r s t o defend our
national interests.
The changes cf recent years sallow us t o be hopeful.
But common sense reminds us to be prep&recE., One way we must be
prepared i s by ensuring t h a t our forces haave. what they need t o
get t h e job done, the equipment and the q m a i i t y people needed t o
ensure t h a t we can achieve d e c i s i v e v i c t o r r y should we be c a l l e d
to b a t t l e once again. As our forces must . change t o meet the
;
challenges and dangers of a new world, onee need w i l l remain
ccnstaint; the requirement f o r leaders of character.
MR
OE
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WEST POluT PRESS OFFICE
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P . 004 •»jt
You w i l l be called upon i n many ways i n this era:
to keep the peace, to relieve suffering, to help teach o f f i c e r s
from new democracies i n the ways of a democratic army, and s t i l l
to f u l f i l l the fundamental mission which General MacArthur
reminded us of, which i s always to be ready to win our wars.
But whatever the challenge, I know you w i l l
accomplish your mission, not only because of your t r a i n i n g , but
because of your values and character. I w i l l do my part by doing
whatever i s necessary to keep our forces ready — and to keep our
microphones up. (Laughter.) I w i l l do my part — and I think
the congress w i l l , too
to make eure that our forces are always
ready to f i g h t and win on a moment's notice, we ought, r e a l l y ,
to meet the standard of one of your classmates, Pat Malcolm., who
came i n the clutch and delivered the goods f o r you. I f we can do
that, you w i l l be able to serve. (Applause.)
I f you have the character and w i l l to win, we owe i t
to you to make you the best-trained, the best-prepared, the. bestequipped and the best-supported f i g h t i n g force on -the face of the
earth,
The budget cuts that have come at the end of the
Cold War were necessary, even welcome, appropriate i n l i g h t of
the collapse of the Soviet Union and other changes. But we must
be mindful, even as we t r y so hard to reduce t h i s t e r r i b l e
national d e f i c i t , that there is a l i m i t beyond which we must not
go. we have to ensure that the united states i s ready, ready to
win and superior to a l l other m i l i t a r y forces i n the world.
(Applause.)
In doing that, we can ensure -hat. the values you
learned here and the values you brought here from your families
and your communities back home w i l l be able to spread throughout
t h i s country and throughout the world and give other people the
opportunity to l i v e as you have lived, to f u l f i l l your God-given
capacities.
We must also stay prepared by understanding the
threats of t h i s new era. We can't predict the future. We cannot
t e l l precisely when the next challenge w i l l come, or exactly what
form i t w i l l take. Yet, we do know that the threats we face are
fundamentally d i f f e r e n t from those of the recent past. The end
of the bipolar superpower Cold war leaves UG with unfamiliar
threats, not the absence of danger.
consider what we witness today i n the world you w i l l
move into. Ethnic and religious c o n f l i c t , the violent turmoil of
dissolving or newly created states, the random violence of the
assassin and the t e r r o r i s t . These are forces that plagued the
world i n the early days of t h i s century. As we scan today's
bloodiest c o n f l i c t s , from the Soviet union and Yugoslavia, to
Armenia, to Sudan the dynamics of the Cold War have been replaced
by many of the dynamics of old war.
A p a r t i c u l a r l y troubling new element i n the world
you face, however, i s the p r o l i f e r a t i o n around the globe of
weapons of mass destruction and the means for t h e i r delivery.
Today, ambitious and violent regimes seek to acquire arsenals of
nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.
As we discovered i n Iraq, surging stocks of
b a l l i s t i c missiles and other advanced arms have enabled outlaw
nations to extend the threat of mass destruction a long way
beyond t h e i r own borders. And meeting these new threats w i l l
require a new approach and a new determination shared by a l l
peace-loving nations to oppose the spread of these dread weapons.
i n the coming months, our administration w i l l
address the dangers from growing stcckpiles of nuclear matpriaic
MR
OE
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that could be used in these weapons, and the risk of nuclear
smuggling and terrorism.
We w i l l soon begin negotiations on a comprehensive
test ban treaty which w i l l increase our political leverage to
combat this proliferation. We will reform our export controls to
keep weapons-related technologies out of the wrong hands, while
cutting red tape for legitimate American export activities. And
we must make further changes in how we organize the government to
reflect the priority that we place on nonproliferation.
For, i f we must contemplate the possibility of
sending America's men and women once again into harm's way, then
we owe i t to you to do our best to prevent the proliferation of
weapons that could vastly multiply the dangers and the casualties
of any conflict.
ultimately, preparedness lies in strength. And i f
our nation is to be strong at abroad, i t must also be strong at
home. I t was President Eisenhower who once said, "A strong
economy i s the physical basis — the physical basis of a l l our
military power."
One of the most potent weapons behind our victory in
World War I I was the industrial might of the United states, what
ultimately enabled us to prevail in the cold War was the simple
fact that our free political and economic institutions had
produced more prosperity and more personal human happiness than
did the confining institutions of communism.
In the same way our global era leadership must -must depend on our ability to create jobs and growth and
opportunity for Americans here at home who, in turn, w i l l have
the finances to make sure we can maintain the world's strongest
military.
Unfortunately for too many years in this new global
economy, we have had difficulty maintaining opportunity at home.
In the face of intense competition around the world, and the now
familiar problems we have in the United states, our debt has
grown from $1 t r i l l i o n to S4 t r i l l i o n , even as we have reduced
military spending and investments in areas that are crucial to
our future in new technologies, in education and training, and in
converting defense cutbacks into domestic economic opportunities.
Today we face especially troubling phenomenon that
the United States has never faced before at home — slow economic
growth which does not create new jobs. We must refuse to accept
this as a pattern that will be repeated in the future. Just as
our security cannot rest upon a hollow Army, neither can i t rest
upon a hollow economy.
If we are to sustain the American way of l i f e that
you have been trained so well to defend, we must do more and do
better. We must cultivate the teacher who can hold her class'
attention, encourage the entrepreneur who bets his savings on his
own ideas. We must do right by the middle class families of this
country who work hard and play by the rules, We must pay down
the deficit and make downpayments on the future, both at the same
time honoring work, rewarding investment, and sharpening our
competitive edge. I f you can win on the battlefield, surely
America can win in every field of competition we must face as we
march toward the 2lst century.
That is the great challenge facing our country. And
the Congress today is facing that challenge in dealing with the
economic plan I have presented. The House of Representatives,
led by concerned Americans like Congressman Jack Reed who i s the
only west Point graduate in the United states Congress, has sent
a plan to the Senate which now must be produced from the Senate
in the form of an economic plan to bring this country back.
In this new era, those of us in political l i f e need
a new strategy, need sound tactics, need the kind of discipline
�MAV-29-1993
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in implementing i t that a l l of you have learned co provide for
our nation's defense here at West Point. In short, we must
approach the Job of rebuilding our nation with the same kind of
single-minded determination that you have brought your s k i l l s ,
your dedication and leadership ability, too, in these four years,
and that you w i l l bring to the defense of our nation in the years
ahead. We can do no less for you.
Finally, let me say this, someday, some of you out
here w i l l be sitting in the Situation Room at the White House, or
with the President, or with the secretary of Defense in some
other circumstance. At that moment you will be called to give
your advice on an issue which may be small, but also may be large
and of incredible significance to the future of this country.
I ask you in a l l the years ahead to keep preparing
for that day throughout your careers. 3y continuing study and
continuous listening and continuous absorption of every
experience you have, the world i s changing rapidly. And i f you
do not work to make change our friend, then i t can become our
enemy. You represent the very best of the American people. I t
will be your understanding of our nation's challenges and your
embodiment of our nation's values, enriched by what you have
learned here, leavened by the experiences to c m * bound by your
oe,
commitment to Duty-Honor-Country which w i l l permit you to make
our greatest contribution to the nation — continuing service.
You have earned your turn to lead. To follow in the footsteps cf
those who have been on the Plain before you.
Over the past four years, your nation has invested
heavily in you. The s k i l l s and dedication you now bring to the
defense of our nation are more than ample repayment. I am proud
of the work you do, honored to serve as your Commander-in-Chief,
confident that a l l Americans join me in saluting your
achievement, and very, very optimistic about the future of our
nation, in your hands.
Good luck, God bless you, and God bless America.
(Applause.)
END
10-.40 A.M.
EDT
�3883
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
WASHINGTON
May
28, 1993
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
ANTHONY LAKE^J^
SUBJECT:
West P o i n t Graduation
Ceremony Background
P r e s i d e n t s have t r a d i t i o n a l l y o f f e r e d the commencement address a t
one o f the n a t i o n ' s s e r v i c e academies every year.
Last year West
P o i n t ' s g r a d u a t i o n address was presented by General Gordon
S u l l i v a n , the Army Chief o f S t a f f ; P r e s i d e n t Bush spoke a t West
P o i n t ' s g r a d u a t i o n ceremony i n 1991.
Your i t i n e r a r y a t West P o i n t , which i s d e s c r i b e d a t Tab A, i s
o r g a n i z e d around t h r e e main events:
the g r a d u a t i o n ceremony a t
10:00 am; a b r i e f w a l k i n g t o u r o f the academy grounds (Trophy
P o i n t and the parade ground -- "the P l a i n " -- which f e a t u r e
monuments i n t r i b u t e t o d i s t i n g u i s h e d academy g r a d u a t e s ) ; and a
r e c e p t i o n a t the Superintendent's q u a r t e r s .
At Tab B i s a b r i e f i n g paper w i t h background m a t e r i a l on the
h i s t o r y , o r g a n i z a t i o n and mission o f the U.S. M i l i t a r y Academy a t
West P o i n t . The b r i e f i n g paper c o n t a i n s a s h o r t l i s t i n g o f some
issues o f i n t e r e s t t o Academy o f f i c i a l s .
However, they w i l l not
r a i s e s u b s t a n t i v e issues f o r d i s c u s s i o n d u r i n g your v i s i t .
Your g r a d u a t i o n address, which i s being p r o v i d e d s e p a r a t e l y ,
emphasizes two major themes: i t r e i t e r a t e s your pledge t o
s u s t a i n the readiness o f our armed f o r c e s and r e a f f i r m s your
commitment t o r e s t o r e a sound economy, which i s the b a s i s o f a
s t r o n g n a t i o n a l defense. While n o t i n g the values t h a t West P o i n t
and the m i l i t a r y p r o f e s s i o n have long r e p r e s e n t e d , the address
makes a s p i r i t e d c a l l f o r Senate passage o f your economic p l a n .
The speech a l s o i n c l u d e s c e r t a i n f e a t u r e s t h a t are t r a d i t i o n a l l y
a p a r t o f m i l i t a r y academy g r a d u a t i o n address, e.g., a g r a n t o f
amnesty f o r those cadets s e r v i n g punishment f o r minor r e g u l a t o r y
infractions.
I n a d d i t i o n t o the Deputy S e c r e t a r y o f Defense, Dr. W i l l i a m
Perry, the A c t i n g S e c r e t a r y o f the Army, Mr. John Shannon, and
the Army Chief o f S t a f f , General Gordon S u l l i v a n (who w i l l
accompany you on A i r Force One), you w i l l meet o t h e r
d i s t i n g u i s h e d o f f i c e r s a t West P o i n t :
cc:
Vice P r e s i d e n t
Chief o f S t a f f
�General Jack G a l v i n , who r e t i r e d l a s t summer as t h e
Supreme A l l i e d Commander i n Europe, i s a c u r r e n t l y v i s i t i n g
p r o f e s s o r a t the academy.
L i e u t e n a n t General Howard Graves, t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t a t
West P o i n t , who a t t e n d e d Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar i n 1961.
B r i g a d i e r General Bob Foley, t h e Commandant o f Cadets,
who i s t h e o n l y Medal of Honor winner s t i l l on a c t i v e duty i n t h e
Army. (By t r a d i t i o n , a l l members o f t h e armed f o r c e s s a l u t e
Medal of Honor r e c i p i e n t s , i r r e s p e c t i v e of rank.)
Captain Ricky L. Waddell, who i s an Arkansas Rhodes
Scholar winner c u r r e n t l y assigned t o t h e f a c u l t y a t West P o i n t .
Cadet F i r s t Captain Shawn D a n i e l , Commander of t h e Cadet
Corps, who w i l l be assigned t o t h e 82d A i r b o r n e D i v i s i o n a t F o r t
Bragg, North C a r o l i n a , f o l l o w i n g g r a d u a t i o n .
Attachments
Tab A
Scenario a t West P o i n t
Tab B
B r i e f i n g Points
Tab C
General O f f i c e r Bios
�As of
5/28/93
SCENARIO FOR THE VISIT OF
THE PRESIDENT TO WEST POINT
May 29, 1993
9:05
a.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a r r i v e s a t Stewart
I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t , Newburgh, New York,
and i s g r e e t e d by Colonel Paul Weaver, the
Commander of the 105th A i r l i f t Group, New
York A i r N a t i o n a l Guard.
9:15
a.m.
The P r e s i d e n t d e p a r t s Stewart I n t e r n a t i o n a l
A i r p o r t v i a Marine One en r o u t e t o West
Point.
[ F l i g h t t i m e : 10 minutes.]
9:25
a.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a r r i v e s a t West P o i n t on the
P l a i n (main parade ground) and i s g r e e t e d by
the Academy's S u p e r i n t e n d e n t , L i e u t e n a n t
General Howard Graves, and the Cadet F i r s t
C a p t a i n , Shawn D a n i e l .
The P r e s i d e n t i s e s c o r t e d t o the motorcade
and i s g r e e t e d by Dr. W i l l i a m Perry, the
Deputy S e c r e t a r y of Defense, Mr. John
Shannon, the A c t i n g S e c r e t a r y of the Army,
B r i g a d i e r General Bob Foley, the Commandant
of Cadets and B r i g a d i e r General Galloway, the
Dean of Academics.
9:30
a.m.
The P r e s i d e n t proceeds v i a motorcade t o
Michie Stadium f o r the g r a d u a t i o n ceremony.
[ D r i v e t i m e : 20 minutes.]
9:50
a.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a r r i v e s a t Michie Stadium and
i s e s c o r t e d t o the h o l d area.
The P r e s i d e n t
i s b r i e f e d i n the h o l d area on the g r a d u a t i o n
ceremony sequence of events.
9:57
a.m.
The
P r e s i d e n t proceeds t o the s t a g i n g p o i n t .
10 : 00 a.m.
12:15
p.m.
Graduation ceremony a t which the P r e s i d e n t
w i l l be i n t r o d u c e d by the S u p e r i n t e n d e n t ,
L i e u t e n a n t General Graves, t o d e l i v e r the
g r a d u a t i o n address.
12:15
p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t d e p a r t s M i c h i e Stadium v i a
motorcade en r o u t e t o Trophy P o i n t . [ D r i v e
t i m e : 5 minutes.]
12:20
p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a r r i v e s a t Trophy P o i n t and
proceeds t o a t o u r of the P l a i n (main parade
ground) guided by Colonel Bob Doughty,
Chairman of West P o i n t ' s Department of
H i s t o r y . Dr. Perry, Mr. Shannon, General
S u l l i v a n and s e l e c t e d cadets w i l l accompany.
�1:00 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t d e p a r t s Trophy P o i n t and walks
to Superintendent Graves' house.
[Walk time:
5 minutes.]
1:05 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a r r i v e s a t L i e u t e n a n t General
Graves' house f o r a r e c e p t i o n .
1:10 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t a t t e n d s a r e c e p t i o n hosted
by L i e u t e n a n t General Graves. Attendees a t
the r e c e p t i o n w i l l i n c l u d e s e l e c t e d Members
of Congress, Dr. Perry, Mr. Shannon, General
S u l l i v a n , members o f West P o i n t ' s Academic
Board and t h e i r spouses and s e l e c t e d cadets.
2:30 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t proceeds t o t h e P l a i n f o r
departure.
2:45 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t d e p a r t s t h e P l a i n v i a
Marine One en r o u t e t o Stewart A i r p o r t .
[ F l i g h t time: 10 minutes.]
3:00 p.m.
The P r e s i d e n t d e p a r t s Stewart A i r p o r t v i a A i r
Force 1.
�West Point Background Information
H i s t o r y : West P o i n t s i t s a s t r i d e a b l u f f o v e r l o o k i n g the Hudson
about f i f t y m i l e s n o r t h o f New York C i t y . The U.S. M i l i t a r y
Academy (USMA) a t West Point was founded i n 1802 d u r i n g the
J e f f e r s o n A d m i n i s t r a t i o n t o counter the p r a c t i c e o f awarding Army
commissions t o p a r t i s a n s u p p o r t e r s . During the R e v o l u t i o n a r y
War, West P o i n t served as a f o r t r e s s i n t e n d e d t o p r e v e n t B r i t i s h
ships from c o n t r o l l i n g the Hudson River waterway.
I n our e a r l y p e r i o d , West P o i n t p r o v i d e d many o f the c i v i l and
r a i l r o a d engineers who b u i l t the n a t i o n ' s roads, r a i l w a y s , dams,
canals and c i t i e s . I t r e t a i n s an emphasis on e n g i n e e r i n g t o t h i s
day.
West P o i n t graduates served i n every campaign from the War
of 1812 through the Mexican-American War, and commanded both
s i d e s i n most o f the major b a t t l e s o f the C i v i l War. Robert E.
Lee, S t o n e w a l l Jackson, James L o n g s t r e e t , J.E.B. S t u a r t , U.S.
Grant, W i l l i a m T. Sherman, and many o t h e r s e n i o r commanders on
both sides were graduates.
West P o i n t s u p p l i e d many s e n i o r l e a d e r s i n b o t h w o r l d wars,
i n c l u d i n g Pershing, Eisenhower, MacArthur, P a t t o n and Bradley.
Two graduates -- Grant and Eisenhower -- became P r e s i d e n t s .
Other graduates, such as Maxwell T a y l o r , Andrew Goodpaster,
W i l l i a m Westmoreland, Alexander Haig, John G a l v i n and Norman
Schwarzkopf played prominent r o l e s i n the p o s t war e r a .
Women e n t e r e d the Academy i n 1976 and have been f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d
i n t o cadet l i f e s i n c e then. Women have h e l d every cadet rank,
i n c l u d i n g F i r s t Captain.
West P o i n t has had s e v e r a l female
Rhodes and M a r s h a l l Scholars, and a female graduate o f the Class
of 1981, Margaret Belknap, i s s e r v i n g t h i s year as a White House
Fellow.
Women graduates serve i n a l l branches except i n f a n t r y ,
armor, f i e l d a r t i l l e r y and s p e c i a l f o r c e s .
The M i s s i o n o f West P o i n t : the m i s s i o n o f the U.S. M i l i t a r y
Academy i s t o p r o v i d e t r a i n e d commissioned o f f i c e r s f o r career
s e r v i c e i n the A c t i v e Army. The o p p o r t u n i t y nor an Academy
e d u c a t i o n i s the Army's best v e h i c l e f o r a t t r a c t i n g blue c h i p
candidates i n t o the s e r v i c e . The Academy experience places g r e a t
emphasis on m o r a l / e t h i c a l development, s e l f l e s s s e r v i c e and
l e a d e r s h i p o f complex o r g a n i z a t i o n s . West P o i n t graduates remain
i n the s e r v i c e i n s i g n i f i c a n t l y h i g h e r numbers than t h e i r peers
from o t h e r commissioning sources and are w e l l r e p r e s e n t e d among
the Army's s e n i o r l e a d e r s h i p .
The Academy Today: West P o i n t i s c o n s i d e r e d one o f the best
academic i n s t i t u t i o n s i n the c o u n t r y . Only Harvard, Yale and
S t a n f o r d have produced more Rhodes S c h o l a r s .
I t s s t u d e n t body,
the U n i t e d States Corps o f Cadets, i n c l u d e s 4000 men and women
from every s t a t e and t e r r i t o r y ( i n c l u d i n g 39 f o r e i g n cadets from
a l l i e d n a t i o n s ) . The Academy has a s t r o n g m i n o r i t y r e c r u i t m e n t
program and a w i d e l y d i v e r s i f i e d s t u d e n t body. Candidates compete
based on the "whole person" concept and must demonstrate
o u t s t a n d i n g performance i n l e a d e r s h i p , academics and p h y s i c a l
aptitude.
Candidates must be nominated by a Congressman o r Senator, o r by
the Vice P r e s i d e n t (one per c l a s s ) .
100 " P r e s i d e n t i a l "
�nominations ( a c t u a l l y c o n t r o l l e d by the S e c r e t a r y of the Army)
are s e t aside each year f o r sons and daughters of s e r v i c e
persons, whose t r a n s i e n t l i f e s t y l e s make c o n g r e s s i o n a l
nominations d i f f i c u l t t o p r o c u r e . Sons and daughters of Medal of
Honor winners are a u t o m a t i c a l l y a d m i t t e d i f a c a d e m i c a l l y
qualified.
Nominees must be found a c a d e m i c a l l y q u a l i f i e d f o r
admiss ion by the Academic Board.
Cadets r e c e i v e f r e e housing,
t u i t i o n and a monthly s t i p e n d . They are l e g a l l y members of the
r e g u l a r armed f o r c e s and are s u b j e c t t o the Uniform Code of
M i l i t a r y Justice.
The academic program i s f o u r years i n l e n g t h and i n c l u d e s two
months of mandatory m i l i t a r y t r a i n i n g each summer. Graduating
c l a s s e s number a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1,000 cadets. Women make up 10% of
every c l a s s . 70% are coirunissioned i n t o t h e combat arms
( i n f a n t r y , armor, a r t i l l e r y , a i r defense, e n g i n e e r s , a v i a t i o n ) .
A s m a l l number are p e r m i t t e d t o go i n t o the o t h e r s e r v i c e s .
The
c u r r i c u l u m i s evenly balanced between m a t h / s c i e n c e / e n g i n e e r i n g
and the h u m a n i t i e s . Every cadet must s u c c e s s f u l l y pass every
course t o graduate and m a i n t a i n a 2.0 or C average o v e r a l l .
Mandatory courses i n c l u d e two years of advanced c a l c u l u s ,
p h y s i c s , c h e m i s t r y , American p o l i t i c s , i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s ,
economics, l e a d e r s h i p , psychology, f o r e i g n language, computer
science and a f i v e - t e r m e n g i n e e r i n g sequence. E i g h t semesters of
p h y s i c a l e d u c a t i o n are r e q u i r e d , and every cadet must p l a y an
i n t r a m u r a l or i n t e r c o l l e g i a t e s p o r t i n the s p r i n g and f a l l .
New cadets ( f o u r t h classmen or "plebes") undergo a c h a l l e n g i n g
s i x week i n d o c t r i n a t i o n p e r i o d c a l l e d "Beast Barracks", f o l l o w e d
by a h i g h l y d i s c i p l i n e d f i r s t year. Plebes are r e q u i r e d t o
memorize i n f o r m a t i o n , p e r f o r m a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d u t i e s , undergo
f r e q u e n t i n s p e c t i o n s and i n g e n e r a l s u c c e s s f u l l y complete a
r i g o r o u s freshman year. P h y s i c a l or mental abuse, however, i s
s t r i c t l y forbidden.
A unique aspect of the Academy i s t h e Honor Code and System.
The
Cadet Honor Code s t a t e s t h a t "a cadet w i l l not l i e , cheat or
s t e a l or t o l e r a t e those do".
V i o l a t i o n s of the Honor Code may
s u b j e c t cadets t o s e p a r a t i o n , a l t h o u g h the S u p e r i n t e n d e n t has
d i s c r e t i o n a r y a u t h o r i t y t o impose l e s s e r s a n c t i o n s . Cadet honor
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a d m i n i s t e r the Code, i n v e s t i g a t e a l l e g e d
v i o l a t i o n s , and p r e s i d e a t Honor Boards which determine i f a
v i o l a t i o n has o c c u r r e d (accused cadets are assigned l e g a l counsel
and are p r o v i d e d comprehensive due process p r o t e c t i o n s ) .
Academy graduates make up a p p r o x i m a t e l y one t h i r d of the o f f i c e r
corps of t h e a c t i v e Army. Graduates are r e q u i r e d t o serve s i x
years on a c t i v e d u t y . Many g r a d u a t e s , such as Dana Mead
(Tenneco) and Pete Dawkins ( P r i m e r i c a ) , go on t o s u c c e s s f u l
business careers a f t e r l e a v i n g the s e r v i c e .
Academy Leaders:
USMA i s l e d by t h r e e g e n e r a l o f f i c e r s .
The
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t , L i e u t e n a n t General Howard D. Graves, i s a Rhodes
Scholar and engineer o f f i c e r .
He commands the Academy and the
West P o i n t M i l i t a r y R e s e r v a t i o n and r e p o r t s d i r e c t l y t o t h e C h i e f
of S t a f f of the Army. The Commandant of Cadets, B r i g a d i e r
General Robert F. Foley, i s an i n f a n t r y o f f i c e r and the o n l y
Medal of Honor h o l d e r remaining on a c t i v e duty i n the Army.
He
commands the Corps of Cadets.
The Dean of the Academic Board,
�B r i g a d i e r General Gerald Galloway, i s an engineer o f f i c e r who
a d m i n i s t e r s t h e Academy f a c u l t y and c u r r i c u l u m and heads t h e
Academic Board.
Another d i s t i n g u i s h e d s e n i o r o f f i c e r , General John R. G a l v i n ,
serves on t h e f a c u l t y as t h e O l i n V i s i t i n g Professor i n N a t i o n a l
Security Studies.
General G a l v i n r e t i r e d l a s t summer as t h e
Supreme A l l i e d Commander, Europe. P r i o r t o h i s s e r v i c e as
SACEUR, he served as Commander i n C h i e f , Southern Command
(CINCSOUTH). He i s a noted s c h o l a r and author i n a d d i t i o n t o h i s
m i l i t a r y accomplishments.
Issues o f I n t e r e s t :
t h e f o l l o w i n g issues have r e c e n t l y a f f e c t e d
the Academy and w i l l be o f i n t e r e s t t o t h e Academy l e a d e r s h i p .
0
Size o f t h e Corps o f Cadets: two years ago, Congress
reduced t h e s i z e o f t h e s t u d e n t body from 4,400 t o 4,000 as
p a r t o f t h e drawdown. West P o i n t has u n t i l 1995 t o reach
this figure.
0
A c t i v e Duty Requirement: t h e same l e g i s l a t i o n i n c r e a s e d t h e
a c t i v e duty requirement from f i v e t o s i x years.
Candidates
must now commit t o t e n years o f s e r v i c e ( f o u r a t West P o i n t
and s i x a f t e r w a r d s ) .
0
Regular Commissions: t h r o u g h l a s t year, a l l USMA graduates
(and D i s t i n g u i s h e d M i l i t a r y Graduates from ROTC) were given
Regular commissions, which a f f o r d e d some p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t
involuntary separations.
Recent l e g i s l a t i o n s p e c i f i e s t h a t ,
b e g i n n i n g i n 1996, a l l o f f i c e r s , r e g a r d l e s s o f source o f
commission, w i l l r e c e i v e r e s e r v e commissions.
0
C i v i l i a n i z i n g the Faculty:
t h e 1993 Defense A u t h o r i z a t i o n
B i l l d i r e c t e d USMA t o a l t e r i t s t r a d i t i o n a l l y m i l i t a r y
f a c u l t y t o i n c l u d e a t l e a s t 50% c i v i l i a n i n s t r u c t o r s .
�05-26-1993 15=24
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USMA.
P. 02
ACADEMY RELATIONS DIVISION
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
WEST POINT, NEW YORK 10996-1788
(914) 988-2006
TO PROVIDE THE NATION WITH LEADERS OF
CHARACTER WHO SERVE THE COMMON DEFENSE"
LIEUTENANT GENERAL H W R D. GRAVES
OAD
Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy
On July 22, 1991, Lieutenant General Howard Dwayne
Graves became the S4th Superintendent of the U.S. Military
Academy, West Point, N.Y.
Born i n Roaring Springs, Texas, on August 15, 1939,
General Graves grew up in the Texas Panhandle, i n and around
the c i t y of Amarillo. He graduated from the U.S. Military
Academy i n 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a
commission as a second lieutenant i n the Corps of Engineers.
After graduation, he attended Oxford University i n England
for three years as a Rhodes Scholar where he earned Bachelor
of Arts, Master of Arts and Master of Letters degrees.
General Graves has broad experience as a commander of
m i l i t a r y units and i n s t a l l a t i o n s . He commanded an engineer
company of the 82nd Airborne Division i n the Dominican
Republic; the 54th Combat Engineer Battalion at Wildflecken,
west Germany; the 20th Airborne Engineer Brigade of the
X V i u Airborne Corps at Port Bragg, North Carolina; and
C a r l i s l e Barracks, Pennsylvania. He also served as the
Assistant Division Commander for Support of the l e t Infantry
Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, Kansas. I n Vietnam, from
J u l y 1968 to July 1969, he was i n i t i a l l y an engineer
operations o f f i c e r and, later, assistant division engineer
with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
In Washington, at the national command l e v e l . General
Graves has held several key Joint service assignments.
Those include Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense
from 1973 to 1976; Vice Director of the Joint Staff from
1986 to 1987; and Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1991. In the l a t t e r
assignment, he served as the principal m i l i t a r y
representative i n c r i t i c a l international negotiations.
- 1 -
�05-25-1993 15:25
Sid 938 3214
SGS USMA.
In addition to his academic work at Oxford University,
he served as an instructor, assistant professor and
associate professor at West Point from June 1970 until June
1973. As Commandant of the Army War College, he was
responsible for the final level of professional military
education for senior officers of the Army, including many
who held key command and staff positions in Operation Desert
Storm.
Among General Graves' military awards are the Defense
and Army Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior
Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster and
three Bronze Star Medals. He is also a Master Parachutist.
General Graves and his wife, the former Gracie P.
Newman, have two children. Gigi (Mrs. Eric Kail) i s a
graduate of Georgia State University. Greg, a graduate of
the Military Academy's Class of 1988, i s an Army f i r s t
lieutenant currently stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado.
- 2 -
P. 03
�05/26/93
14:24
W S POINT SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPT.
ET
002'002
General John R. Galvin
(U.S. Army Ret.)
General John R. Galvin is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of National Security
Studies at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He assumed this position
July 1, 1992 upon his retirement after 44 years of military service.
Prior to his rciircmcm. General Galvin was the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and the
Commander-in-Chief. United States European Command from June 26, 1987 to June 24, 1992.
He was bom May 13, 1929 in Wakefield, Massacliuscils. He served as an enlisted man in
the 182nd Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard from 1948 to 1950. Appointed to the United
States Military Academy, he graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry
in 1954. He holds a Master of Arts in English from Columbia University. In 1971, he was a
fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His military education includes
completion of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, the Armor Officer Advanced Course, the U.S.
Army Command and General Staff College and the Anny War College.
In 1973 he began seven years of service ui Europe as the Deputy Secretary of the Joint Staff,
Headquarters, U.S. European Command. He then moved to Supreme Headquarters Allied
Powers Europe in Belgium where he served as a military assisiam to the Supreme Allied
Commander, Europe (General Goodpaster and later General Haig). He then returned to
Germany to command the suppon conimaiid of die 3rd Infantry Division. In 1977 he became the
Chief of Staff of that Division. His final appointment during that tour was as assistant division
commander of the 8th Infantry Division from 1978 to 1980.
He returned to the United States, where he commanded the 24ih Infantry Division at Fort
Stewart, Georgia. In his second period of European service, General Galvin cuininandcd the VII
US Corps in Germany from 1983 to 1985.
He has also had broad experience outside Europe. In the 1950s lie served in infantry units in
Puerto Rico and as a Ranger insuuetor in Colombia. He later served two tours in Vietnam with
the 1st Cavalry Division, including command of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry. From 1985 to
1987 General Galvin was commander-in-chief, U.S. Southern Command in Panama.
He has also served in the United States as an instructor and assistant professor of English at
the United Slates Military Academy; in the Pentagon as military assisiam and aide lu ihe
Secretary of the Army; as assistant deputy chief of staff for uaiiiing at the Army's Training and
Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia.
General Galvin's published books include The Minute Men, a study of the first battle of the
American Revolution; Air Assault an analysis of the development of air mobility in twentieth
century warfare; and Three Men of Boston, a study of the political events leading to the
American Revolution. He has also written 50 articles on strategy, tactics, history, and leadership.
He is married to the former Virginia Lee Brcnnan. They have four daughters: Maty Jo
(Mrs. Richard Schradc), Beth, Kathleen, and Erin,
A t of Msy-VS
�05-26-1993 15:30
914 938 3214
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P.11
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
WEST POINT, NEW YORX 10996-1788
PH: (914) 938-2006 / FAX: (914) 446-5820
"TO PROVIDE THE NATION WITH LEADERS OF
CHARACTER WHO SERVE THE COMMON DEFENSE"
BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT F. FOLEY
Commandant of Cadets
In June 1992, Brigadier General Robert F. Foley became
the 63rd Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy,
West Point, N.Y.
General Foley was born in Newton, Mass., May 30, 1941.
He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1963 with a
Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the Infantry.
His f i r s t assignment was as a
platoon leader for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry
Regiment, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii.
He served in Vietnam from December 1965 to December
1966, i n i t i a l l y as a heavy mcrtar platoon leader, later as
assistant operations officer and then as company commander
for Company A, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th
Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Vietnam.
General Foley's command positions include serving as
commander, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division
and Commander, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Europe.
He has also served as Chief of Staff, 7th Infantry Division,
Fort Ord, C a l i f . , and Assistant Division Commander, 2nd
Infantry Division in Korea.
General Foley attended the Advanced Course at the U.S.
Army Armor School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff
College and the U.S. Naval War College.
General Foley's military awards include the Medal of
Honor, the Legion of Merit (with 4 Oak Leaf C l u s t e r s ) , the
Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal
(with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the
Parachutist
Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Army Staff
Indentification Badge.
He i s married to the former Julie Languasco. They have
three children: Sara; Mark, a cadet at the U.S. Air Force
Academy; ar.d David, a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy.
�05 26-93
.
12:55
©703 6 1 4 01*3
JT STAFF GFO MTR
AFRICAN AFFAIRS
RESDME OF SERVICE CAREER
Of
CS^AID E W R C L O A , Brigadier General
DAD ALWY
DftlE AND PLACE OF BIREH 27 Novaiter 1935, Mobile, Alabana
YE^RS OF ACTIVE OCWrSSIOgP SEKJTCZ Over 33
FKESaTT ASSIQ^HSNT Dean of the Academic Board, Onitad States Military
Academy, West Point, New York 10996, sirce July 1990
MHiTEAHY SCHOOLS AT
Engineer Officer Basic (1957) and Advanced Courses (1966)
Qrritred States Army Cctnnand and General Staff College (1968)
United States Anny War College (1974)
EUUCAITCKAL DFtXEES
United States Military Academy - BS Degree - ifo Major - (1957)
Princeten University - FS Degree - Civil Engineering - (1962)
University of North Carolina - PHD Degree - Geography - (1979)
JrTJKhLLGEi lANGCRGE(S) German
MSJOR EUIY ASSIC^MENIS
FRCM
TO
Aug 57
H3V 57
Nov 57
May 58
May 58
May 59
May 59
Nov 59
59
Apr 61
Jun 61
Jun 62
Jun 62
May 64
Jun 64
May 65
Jun 65
Sep 65
Sep 65
Kay 66
May 66
Jan 67
Jan 67
Jun 67
Jun 67 J u l 68
J u l 68
Jan 71
ASSIQMEOT
Student, Engineer Officer Basic Course, United States Anny
Qigineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Student, United States Anny Infantry School, Fort Benning,
Georgxa.
Platoon. Leader, later. Executive Officer, Company B, 23d
Engineer Battalion, United States Anny Europe
Connander, Cbrpaiy B, 23d Engineer Battaliai, United
States Army Europe
Assistant S-3 (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters
Ccnpany, 23d Engineer Battalion, Chi ted States Anny Europe
Student, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Area Engineer, United States Military Acadeny, West Point,
New York
Aide-de-camp to the Superintendent, United States Military
Acadeny, West Point, New York
Special Assistant for Gifts and Mamrials, United States
Military Acadeny, West Point, New York
Student, Engineer Officer Mvanced Course, United States
Amy Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
S-3 (Qperaticns), 45th Engineer Group, tfrttted States Amy
Vietnam
Assistant G-3 (Operatiens), 1st Cavalry, 1st Cavalry
Divisicn, United States Amy Vietnam
Student, United States Anny Ccnmand and General Staff
Oollege, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Operations Research Analyst, later. Assistant Systems
Manager, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, United States
Army, Washington, DC
^joo;
�'
05.'26.'93
13:00
© 7 0 3 614 0183
JT STAFF GFO MTR —
AFRICAN AFFAIRS
CSXOIC HXAKD c&jjrwAY, R r l g ^ i i e r General
MftJCR DPIY Assi<a<gins
FROM
Feb 71 Jan 72
Jan 72 Oct 72
Oct 72 Feb 73
Feb 73 Jun 74
Jun 74 Mar 77
Jun 77 Jul 79
Jul 79 Jul 85
Jul 85 Jun 86
Jul 86 Jun 90
PROMJnag
2LT
lET
CPT
MAT
ITC
OQL
BG
TO
ASSIQMNT
Assistant Director, Doctrine, Evaluation and Ganmand
Systems Directorate, Office of the Assistant Chief of
Staff for Operations and Research, Nashingtcn, DC
Connander, Engineer Regicn, Military Region I , United
States Army Vietnam
Assistant Engineer, United States Anny ES">gineer Group,
Vietnam
Student, United States Arm/ War Oollege, Carlisle
Barracks, Pennsylvania
District Engineer, ttvitfri States Anny Engineer District,
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Student, Cliiversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North
Carolina
Professor and Deputy Department Head, Department of Geography and Onraputer Science, United States Military
Academy, West Point, New York
Special Assistant to the CCnnander-in-Chief, United States
Anny Europe and Seventh Army
Professor ard Department Head, Department of Geography and
Canputer Science, United States Military Academy, West
Point, New York
DATES CF APPOINIMENr
Ttjqjutdry
Permanent
4 Dec 58
7 Dec 61
2 Aug 65
18 Jun 77
3 Jan 74
4 Jun 57
4 Jun 60
4 Jun 64
4 Jun 71
18 Jun 77
4 Jun 81
1 Jul 90
US IMJUKftTICNS AND BADGES
Legion of Merit (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air- Medals
Joint Service Conmendatian Medal
Army Oanroendatian Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Parachutist Badge
Ranger Tab
Army Staff Identification Badge
SOURCE OF CCMyilSSICN UStt.
SLMfeKY CF JOINT ASSKSFBTCS Waiver of the joint duty prerequisite has been
request based on selecticn and projected utilization in scientific and
technical s k i l l s .
As of 1 July 1990
2
!2]001
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e o f the Press Secretary
For Iminediate Release
May 29, 1993
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT
Michie Stadium
West Point, New York
10:20 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:
Thank you very much.
Please be
seated.
General Graves, thank you f o r t h a t f i n e i n t r o d u c t i o n
and f o r your outstanding leadership here. General S u l l i v a n and
the d i s t i n g u i s h e d p l a t f o r m guests, d i s t i n g u i s h e d guests, a l l , the
f a m i l i e s and guests o f t h i s graduating class; and, most o f a l l ,
t o the young men and women of the Corps o f Cadets.
I t i s a great p r i v i l e g e f o r me today t o j o i n i n t h i s
c e l e b r a t i o n o f accomplishment. To the class o f 1993, I want t o
extend my h e a r t f e l t congratulations. You've worked hard, and
you've w e l l earned the honor bestowed upon you today.
To your parents and your r e l a t i v e s : Let me assure
you t h a t , however o f t e n you've wondered about i t , you r e a l l y
aren't dreaming. Your sons and daughters, your brothers and
s i s t e r s r e a l l y made i t . And you can take p r i d e i n t h e i r
graduation and i n the strong values t h a t you must have helped t o
i n s t i l l i n them t h a t made t h i s day possible f o r them.
To the f a c u l t y and s t a f f of t h i s wonderful Academy:
Let me o f f e r my g r a t i t u d e f o r your dedication as t h i s h i s t o r i c
i n s t i t u t i o n graduates i t s 50,000th cadet. I t i s said here a t
West Point t h a t much o f the h i s t o r y you teach was made by t h e
people you taught. That's t r u e , and very much t o your c r e d i t .
The work you and your predecessors have c a r r i e d forward since
1802 i s t r u l y t h a t of nation b u i l d i n g , and today your n a t i o n
thanks you once again.
For the class of 1993, today marks the completion o f
an arduous process. I look out a t you and t h i n k you endured
Beast Barracks. You passed countless PT t e s t s , none o f which I
could pass anymore. (Laughter.) You have met high standards f o r
d i s c i p l i n e , f o r physical f i t n e s s , f o r academics and, I must say,
I am impressed by your h a i r c u t s . (Laughter and applause.)
No one i s p e r f e c t , of course, as even the President
demonstrates from time t o time. I'm reminded t h a t one o f your
greatest graduates and one of my predecessors as Commander-inChief, General Dwight Eisenhower, was punished as a cadet f o r
such t e r r i b l e offenses as — I quote — "apparently making no
reasonable e f f o r t t o have h i s room properly cleaned a t a.m.
i n s p e c t i o n , " and — I wonder what a "reasonable e f f o r t " i s —
and, second, "being l a t e f o r breakfast." I n the u n l i k e l y event
t h a t there have been any such breaches of d i s c i p l i n e on your
p a r t , l e t me announce today t h a t i n keeping w i t h customary
p r a c t i c e , I exercise my prerogative as Commander-in-Chief t o
grant amnesty t o the Corps o f Cadets.
(Applause.) I hope the
assembled crowd i s not too troubled t h a t so many seem t o be
c e l e b r a t i n g . (Laughter.)
MR
OE
�- 2 -
Two centuries ago a t t h i s bend i n the Hudson River,
America's f i r s t defenders stretched a chain across the r i v e r t o
prevent B r i t i s h ships from d i v i d i n g and conquering our new
n a t i o n . Today we add 1,003 new l i n k s t o t h a t unbroken chain of
America's defenders — 1,003 new and s o l i d segments i n the Long
Gray Line, a l i n e t h a t stretches back 191 years through your
ranks and as f a r i n t o the f u t u r e as the Lord l e t s the United
States of America e x i s t . The Long Gray Line has never f a i l e d us,
and I b e l i e v e i t never w i l l .
Like the great chain i t s e l f , you have emerged from
the forge, t e s t e d and tempered, composed of a stronger metal than
you brought here. F o r t y - e i g h t months ago, you came here as young
a d u l t s . Today when you leave t h i s stadium, you w i l l be o f f i c e r s
of the United States Army.
West Point has prepared you f o r a l i f e o f s e r v i c e .
And as you w e l l know, West Point's graduates have served America
i n many, many ways, not only by leading troops i n t o combat, but
also by e x p l o r i n g f r o n t i e r s , founding u n i v e r s i t i e s , l a y i n g out
the r a i l r o a d s , b u i l d i n g the Panama Canal, running corporations,
serving i n the Congress and the White House, and walking on the
moon.
Yet, no service i s more important or admirable than
your simple decision t o put on the uniform of t h i s great n a t i o n
and t o serve wherever America c a l l s you i n defense of freedom.
The w i l l i n g n e s s t o serve and s a c r i f i c e f o r the greater good i s
the u l t i m a t e t r i b u t e t o your character and your e f f o r t s . For
those services and s a c r i f i c e s , those t h a t brought you here and
those t h a t w i l l take you and our great n a t i o n i n t o the f u t u r e ,
you have the appreciation of a l l the American people.
You have stepped forward not only t o serve, but t o
lead. For the hallmark of West Point has been i t s t r a d i t i o n of
growing leaders of character. Whenever the n a t i o n c a l l e d ,
members of the Long Gray Line have l e d the way. Your
predecessors l e d t i g h t - l i p p e d troops i n t o the smoke and flame of
b a t t l e a t C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e and Gettysburg. They were f i r s t out
of the muddy trenches i n t o the a t t a c k a t the Meuse-Argonne. They
led the f i r s t wave of assaults from Normandy. They held the l i n e
at Pusan, and were f i r s t o f f the h e l i c o p t e r s i n the l a Drang
Valley and the I r o n T r i a n g l e . More recent graduates were among
those who jumped i n t o Panama and l e d the charge i n t o I r a q . And
the Corps was there as w e l l when the c a l l came from the v i c t i m s
of hunger, when the c a l l came from the v i c t i m s of Hurricane
Andrew. From F l o r i d a t o Somalia, you have been there.
The 172 b a t t l e streamers on the Army f l a g
commemorate the s k i l l and courage of those who have gone before
you. Marked and unmarked graves around the world t e s t i f y t o the
Corps' s e l f l e s s devotion t o country. Your steadfast commitment
to duty, honor, country i s our n a t i o n a l s t r e n g t h .
My commitment and t h a t of the Congress and the
American people i s t o stand by you. That means before we ask you
to put your l i f e and the l i v e s of those whom you command i n
harm's way, i t i s our solemn r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o take your advice,
to give you the t o o l s you need, and then t o give you our complete
support. That i s our pledge t o you as you enter t h i s career.
You are pinning on your gold bars a t a time of
remarkable challenge and change f o r the United States. On t h i s
Memorial Day weekend, we a l l pray t h a t we have sent America's
sons and daughters t o war f o r the l a s t time. Yet, h i s t o r y
suggests t h a t , during your years of s e r v i c e , we w i l l again need
to c a l l upon America's weapons and w a r r i o r s t o defend our
national interests.
MR
OE
�- 3 -
The changes of recent years allow us t o be hopeful.
But common sense reminds us t o be prepared. One way we must be
prepared i s by ensuring t h a t our forces have what they need t o
get the job done, the equipment and the q u a l i t y people needed t o
ensure t h a t we can achieve decisive v i c t o r y should we be c a l l e d
to b a t t l e once again. As our forces must change t o meet the
challenges and dangers of a new world, one need w i l l remain
constant: the requirement f o r leaders of character.
You w i l l be c a l l e d upon i n many ways i n t h i s era:
to keep the peace, t o r e l i e v e s u f f e r i n g , t o help teach o f f i c e r s
from new democracies i n the ways of a democratic army, and s t i l l
to f u l f i l l the fundamental mission which General MacArthur
reminded us o f , which i s always t o be ready t o win our wars.
But whatever the challenge, I know you w i l l
accomplish your mission, not only because of your t r a i n i n g , but
because of your values and character. I w i l l do my p a r t by doing
whatever i s necessary t o keep our forces ready — and t o keep our
microphones up.
(Laughter.) I w i l l do my p a r t — and I t h i n k
the Congress w i l l , too — t o make sure t h a t our forces are always
ready t o f i g h t and win on a moment's n o t i c e . We ought, r e a l l y ,
to meet the standard of one of your classmates, Pat Malcolm, who
came i n the c l u t c h and d e l i v e r e d the goods f o r you. I f we can do
t h a t , you w i l l be able t o serve.
(Applause.)
I f you have the character and w i l l t o win, we owe i t
to you t o make you the b e s t - t r a i n e d , the best-prepared, the bestequipped and the best-supported f i g h t i n g force on the face of the
earth.
The budget cuts t h a t have come a t the end of the
Cold War were necessary, even welcome, appropriate i n l i g h t of
the collapse of the Soviet Union and other changes. But we must
be m i n d f u l , even as we t r y so hard t o reduce t h i s t e r r i b l e
n a t i o n a l d e f i c i t , t h a t there i s a l i m i t beyond which we must not
go. We have t o ensure t h a t the United States i s ready, ready t o
win and superior t o a l l other m i l i t a r y forces i n the world.
(Applause.)
In doing t h a t , we can ensure t h a t the values you
learned here and the values you brought here from your f a m i l i e s
and your communities back home w i l l be able t o spread throughout
t h i s country and throughout the world and give other people the
opportunity t o l i v e as you have l i v e d , t o f u l f i l l your God-given
capacities.
We must also stay prepared by understanding the
t h r e a t s of t h i s new era. We can't p r e d i c t the f u t u r e . We cannot
t e l l p r e c i s e l y when the next challenge w i l l come, or e x a c t l y what
form i t w i l l take. Yet, we do know t h a t the t h r e a t s we face are
fundamentally d i f f e r e n t from those of the recent past. The end
of the b i p o l a r superpower Cold War leaves us w i t h u n f a m i l i a r
t h r e a t s , not the absence of danger.
Consider what we witness today i n the world you w i l l
move i n t o . Ethnic and r e l i g i o u s c o n f l i c t , the v i o l e n t t u r m o i l of
d i s s o l v i n g or newly created s t a t e s , the random violence of the
assassin and the t e r r o r i s t . These are forces t h a t plagued the
world i n the e a r l y days of t h i s century. As we scan today's
b l o o d i e s t c o n f l i c t s , from the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, t o
Armenia, t o Sudan the dynamics of the Cold War have been replaced
by many of the dynamics of o l d war.
A p a r t i c u l a r l y t r o u b l i n g new element i n the world
you face, however, i s the p r o l i f e r a t i o n around the globe of
weapons of mass d e s t r u c t i o n and the means f o r t h e i r d e l i v e r y .
MR
OE
�- 4 -
Today, ambitious and v i o l e n t regimes seek t o acquire arsenals of
nuclear, b i o l o g i c a l and chemical warfare.
As we discovered i n I r a q , surging stocks of
b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e s and other advanced arms have enabled outlaw
nations t o extend the t h r e a t of mass d e s t r u c t i o n a long way
beyond t h e i r own borders. And meeting these new t h r e a t s w i l l
r e q u i r e a new approach and a new determination shared by a l l
peace-loving nations t o oppose the spread of these dread weapons.
In the coming months, our a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w i l l
address the dangers from growing s t o c k p i l e s of nuclear m a t e r i a l s
t h a t could be used i n these weapons, and the r i s k of nuclear
smuggling and t e r r o r i s m .
We w i l l soon begin n e g o t i a t i o n s on a comprehensive
t e s t ban t r e a t y which w i l l increase our p o l i t i c a l leverage t o
combat t h i s p r o l i f e r a t i o n . We w i l l reform our export c o n t r o l s t o
keep weapons-related technologies out of the wrong hands, while
c u t t i n g red tape f o r l e g i t i m a t e American export a c t i v i t i e s .
And
we must make f u r t h e r changes i n how we organize the government t o
r e f l e c t the p r i o r i t y t h a t we place on n o n p r o l i f e r a t i o n .
For, i f we must contemplate the p o s s i b i l i t y of
sending America's men and women once again i n t o harm's way, then
we owe i t t o you t o do our best t o prevent the p r o l i f e r a t i o n of
weapons t h a t could v a s t l y m u l t i p l y the dangers and the c a s u a l t i e s
of any c o n f l i c t .
U l t i m a t e l y , preparedness l i e s i n s t r e n g t h . And i f
our n a t i o n i s t o be strong at abroad, i t must also be strong at
home. I t was President Eisenhower who once s a i d , "A strong
economy i s the p h y s i c a l basis — the p h y s i c a l basis of a l l our
m i l i t a r y power."
One of the most potent weapons behind our v i c t o r y i n
World War I I was the i n d u s t r i a l might of the United States. What
u l t i m a t e l y enabled us t o p r e v a i l i n the Cold War was the simple
f a c t t h a t our free p o l i t i c a l and economic i n s t i t u t i o n s had
produced more p r o s p e r i t y and more personal human happiness than
did the c o n f i n i n g i n s t i t u t i o n s of communism.
In the same way our g l o b a l era leadership must —
must depend on our a b i l i t y t o create jobs and growth and
opportunity f o r Americans here a t home who, i n t u r n , w i l l have
the finances t o make sure we can maintain the world's strongest
military.
Unfortunately f o r too many years i n t h i s new g l o b a l
economy, we have had d i f f i c u l t y maintaining o p p o r t u n i t y a t home.
In the face of intense competition around the world, and the now
f a m i l i a r problems we have i n the United States, our debt has
grown from $1 t r i l l i o n t o $4 t r i l l i o n , even as we have reduced
m i l i t a r y spending and investments i n areas t h a t are c r u c i a l t o
our f u t u r e i n new technologies, i n education and t r a i n i n g , and i n
converting defense cutbacks i n t o domestic economic o p p o r t u n i t i e s .
Today we face e s p e c i a l l y t r o u b l i n g phenomenon t h a t
the United States has never faced before a t home — slow economic
growth which does not create new jobs. We must refuse t o accept
t h i s as a p a t t e r n t h a t w i l l be repeated i n the f u t u r e . Just as
our s e c u r i t y cannot r e s t upon a hollow Army, n e i t h e r can i t r e s t
upon a hollow economy.
I f we are t o sustain the American way of l i f e t h a t
you have been t r a i n e d so w e l l t o defend, we must do more and do
b e t t e r . We must c u l t i v a t e the teacher who can hold her class'
a t t e n t i o n , encourage the entrepreneur who bets h i s savings on h i s
MR
OE
�- 5 -
own ideas. We must do r i g h t by the middle class f a m i l i e s of t h i s
country who work hard and play by the r u l e s . We must pay down
the d e f i c i t and make downpayments on the f u t u r e , both a t the same
time honoring work, rewarding investment, and sharpening our
competitive edge. I f you can win on the b a t t l e f i e l d , surely
America can win i n every f i e l d of competition we must face as we
march toward the 21st century.
That i s the great challenge f a c i n g our country. And
the Congress today i s facing t h a t challenge i n d e a l i n g w i t h the
economic plan I have presented. The House of Representatives,
led by concerned Americans l i k e Congressman Jack Reed who i s the
only West Point graduate i n the United States Congress, has sent
a plan t o the Senate which now must be produced from the Senate
i n the form of an economic plan t o b r i n g t h i s country back.
I n t h i s new era, those of us i n p o l i t i c a l l i f e need
a new s t r a t e g y , need sound t a c t i c s , need the kind of d i s c i p l i n e
i n implementing i t t h a t a l l of you have learned t o provide f o r
our nation's defense here a t West Point. I n short, we must
approach the job of r e b u i l d i n g our nation w i t h the same kind of
single-minded determination t h a t you have brought your s k i l l s ,
your d e d i c a t i o n and leadership a b i l i t y , too, i n these four years,
and t h a t you w i l l b r i n g t o the defense of our nation i n the years
ahead. We can do no less f o r you.
F i n a l l y , l e t me say t h i s . Someday, some of you out
here w i l l be s i t t i n g i n the S i t u a t i o n Room a t the White House, or
w i t h the President, or w i t h the Secretary of Defense i n some
other circumstance. At t h a t moment you w i l l be c a l l e d t o give
your advice on an issue which may be small, but also may be large
and of i n c r e d i b l e s i g n i f i c a n c e t o the f u t u r e of t h i s country.
I ask you i n a l l the years ahead t o keep preparing
f o r t h a t day throughout your careers. By continuing study and
continuous l i s t e n i n g and continuous absorption of every
experience you have, the world i s changing r a p i d l y . And i f you
do not work t o make change our f r i e n d , then i t can become our
enemy. You represent the very best of the American people. I t
w i l l be your understanding of our nation's challenges and your
embodiment of our nation's values, enriched by what you have
learned here, leavened by the experiences t o come, bound by your
commitment t o Duty-Honor-Country which w i l l permit you t o make
our g r e a t e s t c o n t r i b u t i o n t o the nation — continuing service.
You have earned your t u r n t o lead. To f o l l o w i n the footsteps of
those who have been on the P l a i n before you.
Over the past four years, your n a t i o n has invested
h e a v i l y i n you. The s k i l l s and d e d i c a t i o n you now b r i n g t o the
defense of our nation are more than ample repayment. I am proud
of the work you do, honored t o serve as your Commander-in-Chief,
confident t h a t a l l Americans j o i n me i n s a l u t i n g your
achievement, and very, very o p t i m i s t i c about the f u t u r e of our
n a t i o n i n your hands.
Good luck, God bless you, and God bless America.
(Applause.)
END
10:40 A.M.
EDT
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Office of Press and Communications - Philip J. “P.J.” Crowley
Creator
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National Security Council
Is Part Of
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<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36076">Collection Finding Aid</a>
Identifier
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2011-0516-S
Description
An account of the resource
This collection consists of White House press releases from the files of P.J. Crowley. Crowley served as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director of Public Affairs the National Security Council from 1997–1999. The press releases are arranged by subject or, as in the case of the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, by date.
Provenance
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Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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370 folders in 33 boxes
Text
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Clinton - West Point [May 29, 1993]
Creator
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National Security Council
Office of Press and Communications
Philip "PJ" Crowley
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2011-0516-S
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Box 5
<a href="http://catalog.archives.gov/id/7585702"></a>
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36076">Collection Finding Aid</a>
Source
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7585702
42-t-7585702-20110516s-005-004-2015
Provenance
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Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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Adobe Acrobat Document
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Preservation-Reproduction-Reference