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MOSUL, Iraq (July 8, 2008) - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff met with more than 200 Soldiers and Airmen in the lower
enlisted ranks here today to thank them for their service and to
give them the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.
The troops, ranging from pay grades E-2 to E-5, serve at Forward
Operating Base Marez here and were part of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's
second "all-hands call" in two days.
As he did yesterday with troops deployed to Camp Victory in
Baghdad, Mullen shared his thoughts on family, deployments,
retention, the importance of leadership, and simply his admiration
for today's force.
"We have the greatest military the country has ever had," said
the 40-year veteran who began his career during the Vietnam War.
"Thank you for all your service during this critical time in our
nation's history."
Young servicemembers today are challenged with serving in one of
the busiest periods of the U.S. military's history. Since the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, more than 180,000
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have deployed to Iraq and
Afghanistan, many of them for multiple tours. Because of the high
deployment tempo, it is important for troops to focus on
leadership, mentoring and sharing their experience with new
recruits, the chairman said. Even with the latest technologies and
an ever-evolving arsenal, he noted, the individual servicemember
still is the military's No. 1 asset.
"People are our most important resource," he said. "It is no
truer in any situation anywhere than it is in combat."
Mullen also expressed his appreciation for military recruiters
and the significant role they play in a challenging environment to
allow the services to maintain demanding deployment cycles. Only 30
percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for
military service, the admiral said.
"We're in a time of a very unpopular war where the potential to
serve is going down," he said. "But I've seen tremendous success in
recruiting all across the services. My hats go off to those who
recruit as they continue to make their numbers from month to
month."
But as new recruits continue volunteering for the armed forces
and troops continue to serve in such a fast-paced environment,
families are affected, Mullen said, noting that families always
have been a deciding factor on whether or not troops continue their
service.
"Deployments are a lot to ask of the families, and they deserve
our gratitude and thanks," he said. "The families' sacrifice is the
troops' sacrifice, and we recognize that. The families are a big
part of why we're such a successful military."
At Camp Victory yesterday and here today, Mullen concluded his
all-hands call by reiterating the importance of leadership and
passing on experiences troops gain as they advance through the
ranks.
"Leadership -- learn it and teach it," he said. "Leadership is
the core of what we are as servicemembers."
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