2nd Generation Paratrooper PT II

Here is my address to the Basic Airborne Class 45-05 at Graduation Thursday 6 Oct 05.

Good morning paratroopers old and new, distinguished guests, friends and family. Thank you for the opportunity to take a few minutes of your time.

Today is about honoring these men and women. They have completed training that represents a commitment to the legend and legacy of the airborne. They are anxious to get their wings so I promise this will be short. Just three main points.

First - Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
Second - The road to glory is service and sacrifice
Third - Live each day in a heroic manner.

Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
People will expect you to be sharper and tougher than non-paratroopers. They expect you to be a little smarter too – even though you do jump out of perfectly good airplanes.

The paratroopers that went before you bought the reputation that you wear with their blood. Treasure that reputation. Treasure that legacy. Honor it and never do anything to bring discredit on the airborne. Keep your honor intact. Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.

The road to glory is service and sacrifice.
Because you are paratroopers, you will be expected to serve harder and sacrifice more than non-paratroopers. Do not shirk or shrink away from this service. Wade into it fearlessly! Add to the legend and legacy! If you show me someone that is bathed in glory, I can show you where they sacrificed or served to get there. When things are tough, remind yourself that you are “on the road to glory”, because the road to glory is service and sacrifice.

Live each day in a heroic manner.
Do not be satisfied with who you are but choose worthy goals and be proud as you achieve them. Be strong, smart ,fast and lethal. Making a combat jump is a matter of being in the right unit at the right time. Being ready for a combat jump is a matter of personal preparation that takes daily self-discipline. Be prepared when your moment comes - by living each day in a heroic manner.

So that’s it: three main points.
Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
The road to glory is service and sacrifice
Live each day in a heroic manner.

In closing, I’d like to prepare you for a question that you will hear over and over for the rest of your lives.

People will ask you: Why in the world would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane? The answer is: because they let officers fly them.

I’d like to thank Alpha company (1/507 Parachute Infantry Regiment) for the opportunity to shadow the class through jump week and be the speaker today. The job of getting 250 jumpers 2 jumps a day is huge and they did it admirably.

Good luck and god bless you all.

Here is a picture of me pinning the wings on my son.
Later in the day I pinned them on in a more traditional manner.

HooHah