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25June2014
ALOMINGALABAKHAMYA.[GREETING]
GOODAFTERNOON,ANDTHANKYOUFORTHISSPECIALOPPORTUNITYTOTALKWITHYOUTODAY.MY
PRESENCEHEREISINDICATIVEOFTHENEWCHAPTERINOURTWOCOUNTRIESRELATIONSHIP.
ASAYOUNGEROFFICER,IATTENDEDOURARMYWARCOLLEGE,WHICHISVERYSIMILARTOYOUR
DEFENSECOLLEGE.THEEDUCATIONIRECEIVEDTHEREWASENRICHINGANDBENEFITEDME
THROUGHOUTMYCAREER.IHOPETHATMYBRIEFREMARKSWILLCONTRIBUTEINSOMESMALLWAYTO
YOURSTUDIESANDSUBSEQUENTENDEAVORS.IAMTRULYHONOREDTOBEHEREWITHYOU.
IAMHERETODAY,NOTASDIPLOMAT,BUREAUCRAT,ORPOLITICIAN,BUTASACITIZENSOLDIERINTHE
UNITEDSTATESMILITARY,WHICHPROUDLYOPERATESWITHGREATEFFECTIVENESSUNDERCIVILIAN
LEADERSHIP.IWILLDESCRIBEMYEXPERIENCESASANARMYOFFICERINTHECONTEXTOFHOWWE,AS
AMERICANS,FUNCTIONINADEMOCRACYANDASAPROFESSIONALMILITARYFORCE.
AFTERWARD,IWOULDLIKETOHEARFROMYOU,ANSWERYOURQUESTIONS,ANDLEARNFROMYOU.I
WANTTOLEAVEYOURBEAUTIFULCOUNTRYWITHTHEHOPETHATWECANLAYTHEFOUNDATIONFOR
ANENDURINGDIALOGUEBETWEENOURMILITARIES.
IHAVESERVEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESARMYFOR32YEARS.DURINGTHATTIME,IHAVEHADAWIDE
VARIETYOFJOBSANDEXPERIENCES.IHAVESERVEDINCOMBATINIRAQANDAFGHANISTAN,JUMPED
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OUTOFAIRPLANES,ANDPILOTEDAH64APACHEATTACKHELICOPTERS.IHAVESERVEDINTIMESOFWAR
ANDPEACE.
ISTARTEDOUTASAPLATOONLEADERANDHAVERISENINTHERANKSTOTHEPOSTIHOLDNOW,DEPUTY
COMMANDEROFU.S.PACIFICCOMMAND,WHICHOVERSEESU.S.MILITARYACTIVITIESTHROUGHOUT
ASIAANDTHEPACIFIC.
ASAU.S.ARMYOFFICER,IHAVESERVEDAROUNDTHEWORLDANDINTERACTEDWITHAVARIETYOF
FOREIGNMILITARIES.THROUGHTHOSEINTERACTIONS,IHAVEGROWNTOAPPRECIATETHENUMEROUS
SIMILARITIESWESHARE,REGARDLESSOFTHENATIONWESERVE.HOWEVER,PLEASELETMESHAREWITH
YOUWHATMAKESMEPROUDESTABOUTTHEU.S.MILITARYANDCONTRIBUTESTOOURABILITYTOFIELD
ONEOFTHEBESTANDMOSTCAPABLEFORCESINTHEWORLD.
WEAMERICANSAREANATIONOFGREATDIVERSITY,ANDOURMILITARYREFLECTSTHEVAST
BACKGROUNDSOFTHEAMERICANPOPULACE.THISDIVERSITYISOURGREATESTSTRENGTH.WE
UNDERSTANDTHATOURJOBASMEMBERSOFAMERICASMILITARYISNTJUST,OREVENPRIMARILY,
ABOUTWEAPONSORSYSTEMSITSABOUTPEOPLE.ITSABOUTTHEDIVERSEGROUPOFPEOPLEWE
LEADANDPEOPLEWESERVE.ANDMOSTIMPORTANTLY,ITSABOUTBUILDINGANDMAINTAININGTHE
TRUSTINOURGREATANDPROUDINSTITUTIONTHATUNDERPINSEVERYTHINGWEDO.
SOWHATMAKESTHEU.S.MILITARYSUCHAPROFESSIONALFORCE?WHATENSURESWEMAINTAINTHE
GOODORDERANDDISCIPLINE,ANDOVERALLQUALITY,REQUIREDTODOOURJOBEFFECTIVELY?ITBOILS
DOWNTOAFEWSIMPLETHINGS:
1) EDUCATIONANDTRAININGTOINSTILLPROFESSIONALCOMPETENCE,VALUESANDCOMMAND
AUTHORITY
2) STRICTADHERENCETOETHICALCONDUCTANDRESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTS
3) ACCEPTANCEOFDIVERSITY
4) RESPECTFORTHERULEOFLAW
5) SUBMISSIONTOCIVILIANCONTROL
FIRST,PROFESSIONALCOMPETENCEANDDISCIPLINECOMESFROMEDUCATION,TRAINING,AND
EXPERIENCE,BUTALSOTHROUGHADHERENCETOANATIONSVALUES.PROFESSIONALEDUCATIONAND
TRAININGAREABSOLUTELYESSENTIALTOWHOWEARETODAY.ASOLDIERSMOSTESSENTIAL
EQUIPMENTISNOTAWEAPON,BUTRATHERASETOFVALUESTHATHEORSHEBRINGSTOTHEMISSION,
ANDTHATWHICHTHEU.S.MILITARYENDEAVORSTOFOSTERINOURFORCESTHROUGHEDUCATIONAND
TRAINING.
THESECOREVALUESDISTINGUISHANYSOLDIERINANYARMYASATRUEPROFESSIONALANDWARRIOR
FORONESNATION.AMILITARYCANONLYBEASGOODASITSMOSTHONORABLESOLDIER.THEREFORE,
THEFIRSTTASKOFANYU.S.MILITARYCOMMANDERATEVERYLEVELFROMTHECOMMANDERINCHIEF
DOWNTOTHELOCALPLATOONLEADERISTOESTABLISHCLEARSTANDARDSOFCONDUCT,TOLEADBY
EXAMPLE,ANDTHENTOENSURETHATTHESEPRINCIPLESAREWELLUNDERSTOODANDIMPLEMENTED
THROUGHOUTHISORGANIZATION.
THISCANONLYBEACHIEVEDTHROUGHEXTENSIVETRAINING,EDUCATION,ANDOVERSIGHT.TRAININGIN
VALUESANDETHICSISEVERYBITASIMPORTANTFORTHEU.S.MILITARYASTIMESPENTTRAININGINTHE
FIELDORATTHERANGE.
IAMVERYPROUDOFTHETRAININGIRECEIVEDONHONORINGANDEMBODYINGTHEVALUESOFMY
COUNTRY.ASANOFFICERIHAVEWORKEDHARDTOPASSALONGTHESEVALUESTOTHENEXT
GENERATIONOFMILITARYLEADERS.
THESECONDPOINTIWANTTODISCUSSISOURRESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTSANDETHICAL
CONDUCT.HUMANRIGHTSARETHOSEUNIVERSALMORALPRINCIPLESTHATSETOUTSTANDARDSOF
HUMANBEHAVIORANDAREPROTECTEDASLEGALRIGHTSININTERNATIONALLAW.
THEYAREFUNDAMENTALRIGHTSTOWHICHALLHUMANBEINGSAREENTITLED.THEYDONOTCHANGE
BASEDONYOURRACE,GENDER,BELIEFSORPOSITIONINSOCIETY.THOSERIGHTSINCLUDELIFE;LIBERTY;
EDUCATION;SECURITYOFPERSON;FREEDOMFROMTORTURE,CRUELTREATMENT,AND
PERSECUTION;ANDFREEDOMOFTHOUGHT,CONSCIENCE,OPINION,RELIGION,EXPRESSION,AND
PEACEFULASSEMBLY.
WITHOUTARESPECTFORTHESERIGHTSWITHINSOCIETYANDESPECIALLYWITHINAMILITARY,SOCIETY
CANNOTCOMETOGETHERANDFLOURISH.NEIGHBORSWILLMISTRUSTNEIGHBORS,ANDNATIONSWILL
STRUGGLETOREACHTHEIRFULLPOTENTIAL.RESPECTANDPROTECTIONSFORHUMANRIGHTSNOTONLY
PRESERVEOURHUMANITYBUTFOSTERANENVIRONMENTWHEREPEOPLEALLPEOPLECANLIVEIN
PEACEANDWITHOUTFEAR.IFAMILITARYDOESNTRESPECTHUMANRIGHTS,HOWCANAPEOPLE
RESPECTANDLOVEITSMILITARY?
RELATEDTOHUMANRIGHTSISTHEMAINTENANCEOFHIGHETHICALSTANDARDS.ASIMENTIONED
BEFORE,WINNINGTRUSTBOTHATHOMEANDABROADREQUIRESUSTOUPHOLDTHEHIGHEST
STANDARDSOFETHICALCONDUCTWHENOURMILITARYISCALLEDTOFIGHT.THOSESTANDARDS
REQUIREUSTODOEVERYTHINGINOURPOWERTOSPARECIVILIANSFROMHARM,EVENWHENTHOSE
CIVILIANSMAYSUPPORTHOSTILEFORCES.
THISPRINCIPLEISSETOUTINAMERICANANDINTERNATIONALLAWTHATALLNATIONSAREBOUNDTO
FOLLOWFOREXAMPLE,THEGENEVACONVENTIONS.BUTITISMORETHANJUSTAPRINCIPLEOFLAW
ANDETHICS.WEHAVELEARNEDITISALSOANOPERATIONALNECESSITY.WHENWECOMMITABUSES
AGAINSTTHECIVILIANPOPULATION,WELOSETHEIRSUPPORT,ANDOURADVERSARIESGAINPOPULAR
SUPPORT.THISMAKESITHARDERFORUSTOPREVAIL,ANDULTIMATELYPLACESOUROWNTROOPSIN
GREATERDANGER.
IHAVESEENWARANDHAVELEADTROOPSINBATTLE.ASANYONEWHOHASSEENWARUNDERSTANDS,
ITISMUCHEASIERTOSAYWEMUSTUPHOLDTHESERULES,THANITISTODOSOONAREAL
BATTLEFIELD.SOLDIERSWHOAREBEINGFIREDONBYTHEENEMY,WHOSEETHEIRFELLOWSOLDIERSDIE
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BESIDETHEM,SOMETIMESACTONTHEIRPASSIONS.THATISHUMANNATURE.HOWEVER,A
DETERMININGCHARACTERISTICOFALLINTERNATIONALLYRESPECTEDPROFESSIONALMILITARIES,ISHOW
THEYADDRESSINSTANCESWHENPASSIONOVERWHELMSDISCIPLINE,HOWTHEYCORRECTAND
ACCOUNTFORVIOLATIONSOFHUMANRIGHTS.
IWANTTOEMPHASIZETHATTHEU.S.MILITARYISNOTPERFECT.WEAREANORGANIZATIONMADEUP
OFINDIVIDUALSWHOSOMETIMESMAKEWRONGCHOICES.BUTLETMEALSOSAYTHATIAM
TREMENDOUSLYPROUDOFOURMILITARYSATTEMPTSTOCORRECTANDLEARNFROMOURMISTAKES
ANDOUROVERWHELMINGDESIRETOCONSTANTLYIMPROVE.
LETMEGIVEYOUACONCRETEEXAMPLE.IMSUREYOUKNOWTHATATTHESTARTOFOURWARINIRAQ,
WEHADAPROBLEMWITHABUSEOFCIVILIANS.ITHURTUS.ITFUELEDRECRUITMENTFORTHEENEMY
WEWEREFIGHTING.ITDAMAGEDTHEINTERNATIONALREPUTATIONOFTHEU.S.MILITARY,GIVINGOUR
ENEMIESANADVANTAGE.THELOCALPOPULATIONBECAMELESSWILLINGTOWORKWITHUS.ITMADE
OURMISSIONMOREDIFFICULTTOACHIEVE.
WHENGENERALDAVIDPETRAEUSTOOKOVERCOMMANDOFOURFORCESINIRAQ,ONEOFHISFIRST
MESSAGESTOHISTROOPSWASTHATWEDONOTTOLERATETORTURE.THATTORTUREBYANYONE
DAMAGESEVERYONE.THATSUCHABUSESARENOTONLYMORALLYWRONGBUTSTRATEGICALLY
DAMAGINGTOTHEMISSION.THROUGHFOCUSEDEFFORT,INCLUDINGSTRICTOVERSIGHTAND
ACCOUNTABILITY,WEMENDEDOURREPUTATION,ANDWEREABLETOTURNTHESITUATIONTOOUR
ADVANTAGEONTHEGROUND.
SOIAMEXTREMELYPROUDOFOURMILITARYSVALUESANDHOWWEWORKHARDEACHDAYTOMEET
THEHIGHESTSTANDARDSTHATOURCITIZENSEXPECTANDTHATBRINGHONORTOOURINSTITUTION.
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THIRD,THEU.S.MILITARYINCLUDESALLASPECTSOFOURSOCIETY,EVERYTYPEOFPERSONYOUCANFIND
INTHEUNITEDSTATES,WITHEVERYTYPEOFBACKGROUND.WEHAVESUCCESSFULLYINTEGRATED
WOMEN,AFRICANAMERICANSANDOTHERMINORITIES,AND,MOSTRECENTLY,GAYAMERICANS.OUR
MILITARYHASBEENAMODELFORTOLERANCEFORTHERESTOFU.S.SOCIETY.THISINTEGRATIONHAS
NOTERODEDOURPROFESSIONALCAPABILITIESBUTRATHERENRICHEDUSANDENABLEDUSTODRAW
UPONTHEWIDEARRAYOFSTRENGTHSFROMACROSSTHESPECTRUMOFAMERICANSOCIETY.
IAMALIVINGEXAMPLEOFTHEU.S.MILITARYSCOMMITMENTTOINTEGRATION,TOLERANCE,AND
INCLUSION.MYANCESTRYISNATIVEAMERICAN,ONEOFTHESMALLESTANDPOORESTETHNICGROUPS
INOURCOUNTRY.BUTBECAUSEANYCITIZENCANJOINOURMILITARYANDWEALLSTARTATTHE
BEGINNINGASEITHERTHEMOSTJUNIOROFFICERORENLISTED,IWASGIVENTHESAMECHANCETO
SUCCEEDASEVERYONEELSE.
MYSUPERIORSHAVEJUDGEDMEBASEDONMERITHOWWELLICARRIEDOUTORDERS,HOWWELLI
SOLVEDPROBLEMS,ANDHOWWELLIEARNEDTHETRUSTOFMYSOLDIERSANDTHEPEOPLEISERVE.AS
ARESULT,ICOMEHERETODAYASATHREESTARGENERAL.
FOURTH,APROFESSIONALARMYMUSTRESPECTANDENFORCETHERULEOFLAWBOTHDOMESTICAND
INTERNATIONAL.THISINCLUDESTHEPROTECTIONOFCITIZENS,THEIRRIGHTS,ANDPROPERTY.A
PROFESSIONALMILITARYMUSTBEOPENANDTRANSPARENT,WITHASYSTEMTHATFAIRLY,JUSTLY,AND
EVENHANDEDLYPUNISHESTHOSETROOPSWHOVIOLATETHELAW.
ANEFFECTIVESYSTEMMUSTBEABLETOINVESTIGATEANDUNCOVERACTIONSTHATMAYBE
EMBARRASSINGTOTHEMILITARY,SUCHASABUSEOFAUTHORITY,STRAYINGFROMTHELAWSOF
WARFAREANDHUMANITY,ANDSTRAYINGFROMONESTRAINING.THATSYSTEMMUSTENSURETHAT
THOSEWHOVIOLATETHELAWAREIDENTIFIEDANDPUNISHED.
SOMETIMESIHEARTHECONCERNTHATPROSECUTINGSOLDIERSWHOCOMMITSUCHOFFENSESHURTS
MORALEINTHEFORCE.WEHAVEFOUNDINTHEU.S.MILITARYTHATTHEOPPOSITEISTRUE.WITHOUT
REALACCOUNTABILITYTODEALWITHTHESECASESQUICKLYANDTRANSPARENTLY,DISCIPLINEBREAKS
DOWN,COMMANDANDCONTROLSUFFERS,ANDTHEMISSIONCANFAIL.
INTHEU.S.SYSTEM,IFAU.S.SOLDIERORUNITISSUSPECTEDOFVIOLATINGUSEOFFORCEORRULESOF
ENGAGEMENTOROFENDANGERINGTHESECURITYOFNONCOMBATANTS,WECONSIDERITESSENTIAL
TOMOVESWIFTLYANDIMPARTIALLYTOINVESTIGATETHEFACTSTHROUGHESTABLISHEDAND
INDEPENDENTJUDICIALSYSTEMS,ANDTAKEAPPROPRIATEACTIONASREQUIRED.
FINALLYANDPERHAPSTHECORNERSTONEOFWHATMAKESTHEU.S.MILITARYAPROFESSIONALFORCE
ISTHEFACTTHATITFALLSUNDERTHECONTROLOFOURCIVILIANGOVERNMENT.
TOENSUREOURNATIONALDEFENSE,OURFOUNDERSCREATEDAMILITARYCOMPRISEDOFSOLDIERS
WHOSERVEUNDERLEADERSELECTEDBYTHEPEOPLE.THESESOLDIERSOBEYTHESAMERULESANDLAWS
ASTHEPEOPLEANDEXERCISETHEIRRIGHTSTOPARTICIPATEINTHEDEMOCRATICPROCESS.
WHILEINDIVIDUALSOLDIERSLIKEMYSELFCANVOTEANDCHERISHTHISRIGHTTHEU.S.MILITARY,AS
ANINSTITUTION,DOESNOTWEIGHINONPOLITICALDECISIONSORQUESTIONS.SIMPLYPUT,MILITARIES
POSSESSCAPABILITIESTHATARETOOPOWERFULTOBEPLACEDATTHEDISCRETIONOFJUSTAFEW
PEOPLE.RATHER,THEYMUSTBEATTHESERVICEOFALLPEOPLEANDUSEDINACCORDANCEWITHTHE
DEMOCRATICWILLOFTHEPEOPLE.
ASAMILITARYOFFICER,IBEGANMYCAREERBYSWEARINGANOATHTOTHEUNITEDSTATESOF
AMERICA.INTHATOATH,ISWORETOOBEYTHELAWFULORDERSOFTHEOFFICERSISERVED,ANDTHE
ORDERSOFTHEPRESIDENTOURCOUNTRYSHIGHESTCIVILIANLEADER.MYAUTHORITIESARELIMITED
BYU.S.LAWTOTHOSESPECIFICALLYGIVENTOMEBYTHEPEOPLEANDPLACESMEUNDERTHE
DIRECTIONOFDEMOCRATICALLYELECTEDCIVILIANLEADERSHIP.INOURSYSTEMOFGOVERNMENT,ONE
OFMYRESPONSIBILITIESISTOPROVIDEMYBESTMILITARYADVICETOMYCIVILIANLEADERSHIPONHOW
TOSOLVEPROBLEMS.
WEMAYNOTALWAYSAGREEONTHESOLUTIONSTOSPECIFICCHALLENGES,BUTIHONORMYOATHASA
SACREDDUTYTOOURDEMOCRACY,ASDOESEVERYMILITARYOFFICER,ANDIFOLLOWTHEORDERSAS
GIVENTOMEBYMYMILITARYANDCIVILIANSUPERIORS.THISCOMMITMENTHASENABLEDTHEUNITED
STATESTOBUILDAROBUST,EFFECTIVEMILITARYTHAT,ATTHESAMETIME,ISHIGHLYHONOREDBYOUR
CITIZENS.ICANTIMAGINEITANYOTHERWAY.
INCONCLUSION,IFOLLOWTHEPHILOSOPHYOFMYBOSS,ADMIRALLOCKLEAR,WHOALWAYSSAYS
TRAIN,TREAT,TRUST.
TRAINANDEDUCATEYOURSOLDIERSSOTHEYWILLBEREADYTOCARRYOUTTHEIRDUTIESINAWAY
THATDEMONSTRATESPROFESSIONALISMANDHONORSTHENATIONSVALUES.TREATYOURSOLDIERS
ANDTHECITIZENSYOUPROTECTWITHRESPECTANDDIGNITY.THENINSTILLTRUSTNOTONLYAMONG
YOURSOLDIERSBUTALSOBETWEENYOURSOLDIERSANDTHECIVILIANPOPULATIONANDLEADERS.I
TRULYHOPETHATYOURMILITARYWILLADHERETOASIMILARETHOSTHATWILLALLOWYOURMILITARY
ANDYOURCOUNTRYTOACHIEVEITSFULLPOTENTIALANDTHRIVE.
MANYOFYOUWILLCOMMANDANDLEADSOLDIERSINDIFFICULTSITUATIONS.SEVERALOFYOUMAY
REACHTHEHIGHESTRANKSWITHINTHEMYANMARMILITARY.SOMEOFYOUAFTERMILITARYSERVICE
MAYEVENSERVEYOURCOUNTRYASAGOVERNMENTCIVILIAN.
REGARDLESSOFTHEPATHYOUCHOOSE,EACHONEOFYOUWILLBEINAPOSITIONTOADVANCETHE
IDEALSOFPROFESSIONALCOMPETENCEANDVALUES,RESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTSANDETHICAL
CONDUCT,DIVERSITY,RESPECTFORTHERULEOFLAW,ANDSUBMISSIONTOCIVILIANCONTROLOFTHE
MILITARY.INTHISWAY,YOUWILLBEABLETOEFFECTCHANGEANDFORGEAPATHWAYTOMEANINGFUL
REFORMSTHATWILLBUILDAMOREPROFESSIONALMILITARYANDASTRONGERCOUNTRY.
THESEARESOMEOFMYREFLECTIONSBASEDONMYEXPERIENCEASANOFFICERINAMERICASARMED
FORCES.MYEXPERIENCEISUNDOUBTEDLYDIFFERENTFROMYOURSINMANYWAYS.IDONOTPRETEND
THATWEHAVEALLTHEANSWERS.
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HOWEVER,IDOBELIEVETHEBASICIDEASIHAVEMENTIONEDARERELEVANTEVERYWHERE.IAM
CONFIDENTTHATADHERENCETOTHESEPRINCIPLESWILLBEESSENTIALTOENDINGTHELONGSTANDING
CONFLICTINYOUROWNCOUNTRYINKACHINSTATE,SHANSTATE,ANDEVERYWHEREANDTO
ENABLINGRECONCILIATIONBENEFITTINGALLOFMYANMARSPEOPLE.INMYEXPERIENCEWORKING
WITHOTHERMILITARIES,IHAVEFOUNDTHATWHENANATIONSARMEDFORCESAREABOVEPOLITICS,
RESPECTTHEULTIMATEAUTHORITYOFELECTEDCIVILIANS,ABIDEBYTHERULEOFLAWANDPROTECT
CIVILIANS,THEYWILLWINTHETRUSTOFTHEPEOPLETHEYSERVE.ITMAYSEEMTHEYAREACCEPTING
SIGNIFICANTRESTRICTIONSONTHEIRAUTHORITY,BUTINFACTTHEYENDUPSTRONGER,MORE
RESPECTED,ANDMOREEFFECTIVEWHENTHEYARECALLEDTOFIGHT.
WITHTHAT,IAPPRECIATETHEOPPORTUNITYTOSPEAKTOYOUANDWOULDLIKETOANSWERANY
QUESTIONSYOUMAYHAVE.
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