[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 83 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO THE U.S. ARMY ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 222d BIRTHDAY

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the primary mission of any army is to 
fight and win the wars of the nation which it protects. For the past 
222 years, since June 14, 1776, the soldiers of the United States Army 
have valiantly and successfully defended the interests, ideals, and 
people of our Nation.
  The American Army that was born on that June day a little more than 
two centuries ago is very different from the military force that meets 
our Nation's security needs as we prepare to enter the new millenium. 
The soldiers of our first Army were largely untrained, were poorly and 
infrequently paid, and faced tremendous logistical burdens. It is truly 
testament to the leadership abilities of General Washington that he was 
able to hold his troops together in the face of such odds. Of course, 
the men and women who serve in today's Army receive months of intensive 
and excellent training before they join their units, are paid fair 
wages on a regular basis, and benefit from a commitment to creating a 
professional, career oriented force. Despite these differences, one 
thing that has remained constant about those who have served in the 
United States Army over the past 222 years is that these are largely 
men and women who are selfless individuals and who are motivated by a 
patriotic desire to make a difference. From Valley Forge to Sierra 
Leone, no nation's army has benefitted more from the efforts of a finer 
array of people than our's.
  Throughout its history, the American Army and its soldiers have 
served with distinction on literally every continent of the world. 
Minutemen, Johnny Reb & Billy Yank, Rough Riders, Doughboys, Dogfaces, 
and GI Joes have stood up to dictators, deposed tyrants, beaten back 
communism, defended freedom, and protected all that we hold dear. 
Additionally, our soldiers have served as a grassroots diplomatic corps 
in combat boots, spreading to people around the globe the knowledge 
that Americans are peaceful, that there is no finer form of government 
than democracy, and that we prefer building friendships with the 
citizens of other nations to fighting them in wars. There is no 
question that in many ways, a candy bar given to a small child from a 
smiling GI is the best form of foreign aid and diplomatic relations 
that can be undertaken by the United States.

  While the battlefield accomplishments of the United States Army are 
impressive and unequalled in history, the missions of today's Army go 
far beyond that of warfighting. In addition to being able to act and 
react decisively to threats to our Nation no matter where they might 
arise, our Army is now tasked with a number of non-traditional missions 
which range from providing fresh water to refugees in Rwanda to keeping 
the peace in Bosnia. Though these missions are more varied and 
decidedly different from simply containing or destroying our enemies, 
our soldiers have characteristically embraced their new 
responsibilities without complaint and are carrying out their duties 
professionally.
  As we approach the new century and look to the future, Americans have 
good cause to be optimistic. Our Nation is enjoying a period of 
prosperiety, the world is in a relativly peaceful state, and we no 
longer are in a Cold War contest with another superpower, however, we 
must not allow ourselves to be lulled into a state of complacency. 
While things are calm now, we must remember that threats to our 
security and interest can crop up suddenly and we must remain vigiliant 
for such developments. We cannot ignore our military and those who 
serve in them, to do so would undermine years of hard work and the 
significant investment we have made in building the finest and most 
technologically advanced fighting forces ever known to man. Clearly the 
Army will continue to have a critical role in assuring that the United 
States remains secure and that the world remains a stable place where 
disputes are resolved in manners short of warfare.
  Mr. President, as the Army celebrates its 222nd birthday, it is 
important that we pause from our duties to remember the men and women 
who have served in the ranks of this service throughout its history. It 
is easy to forget that those who protect us and who carryout the 
policies we develop in this Chamber are individuals who are young, 
making many sacrifices, and have volunteered to protect the Nation. 
Their service is invaluable and they should be commended for their 
efforts. On this occasion I say to each of these soldiers, from the 
newest graduate of Fort Jackson to Chief of Staff Reimer, a happy 222nd 
birthday and thank you for all you do to keep the United States free 
and safe.

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