|
Thanks, Augusta, for supporting Ft. Gordon
By Brig Gen. Jeffrey W. Foley| Guest Columnist
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 ·
As the year comes to a close, we reflect with gratitude on your
outstanding support of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, veterans,
and wounded warriors of this community. It is important for all
of us who serve to know you care.
We are an army and a nation at war -- an incredible strain on our
force and our families...but our resolve is unwavering. The secretary
of defense, Robert Gates, wrote in the January issue of Foreign
Affairs , "to fail -- or to be seen to fail -- in either Iraq or
Afghanistan would be a disastrous blow to U.S. credibility, both
among friends and allies and among potential adversaries."
He also warned of the dangers posed by insurgencies and failing
states. Terrorist networks may, "find sanctuary within the borders
of a weak nation and strength within the chaos of social breakdown...
the most likely catastrophic threats to the U.S. homeland -- for
example, that of a U.S. city being poisoned or reduced to rubble
by a terrorist attack -- are more likely to emanate from failing
states than from aggressor states."
General David McKiernan, the commander of the International Security
Assistance Force in Afghanistan, recently noted that "defeating
the threat in the region is of vital national security interest
to the U.S." We must succeed.
Recently, our nation signed a historic security agreement with
Iraq establishing the foundation of a long term, strategic partnership.
This agreement takes effect on New Years Day 2009, and is the result
of significant shared progress reflecting the maturing relationship
between two sovereign nations.
General Ray Odierno, our senior commander in Iraq, has said the
agreement defines a new operating environment, but our mission remains
to work side by side with our Iraqi partners to protect the populace,
eliminate Al-Qaeda and other extremists, and build a stable Iraq.
He is confident we will complete our mission with honor and success.
CIVIC AND business leaders, neighbors, and friends; your continued
confidence in those who serve is critical as your army strives to
restore balance between current demands on our all-volunteer force
and the need to transform and build readiness for an uncertain future
of persistent conflict. Your army is modernizing warfighting.
Defense scholar Michael Evans states, "Microsoft coexists with machetes;
and stealth technology is met by suicide bombers."
The army is spinning out parts of future combat systems from the
drawing board to reality so these advancements can be available
and usable for troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Again, quoting Secretary Gates' Foreign Affairs article, "the United
States needs a military whose ability to kick down the door is matched
by its ability to clean up the mess and even rebuild the house afterward."
I want to thank the citizens of the CSRA for what you do for our
military and their families year round. It takes a community to
support a family, and you all do it with grace and pride. We share
the same goals, live in the same neighborhoods, and volunteer side
by side in the same schools and places of worship. Our service members
devote thousands of volunteer hours annually throughout the CSRA.
They are selfless and I am so very proud of all they do to give
back to our community.
We recognize that we are all pulling on the same rope, in the same
direction -- our community is stronger or it.
There are 769 service members deployed from Fort Gordon during
this holiday season. Although far from home, they can focus on their
mission because they know you care about them and their families.
You are doing your part in this global war on terror -- you are
helping to sustain the team. Thank you for making our community
an exceptional place to live and serve. Like so many of you throughout
the CSRA, I am proud to an American. Beth and I wish you a safe
and joyous holiday season!
(The writer is commanding general of Fort Gordon in Augusta.) From
the Tuesday, December 23, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
|
