    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [February 26, 1991]
    [Page 179]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 179]]

    Remarks at a Retirement Ceremony for General Maxwell R. Thurman in
    Arlington, Virginia
    February 26, 1991

        Thank you very, very much. And let me salute our Secretary of
    Defense, the Chairman of our Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Staff of the
    Army, Secretary of the Army behind me, Members of Congress that are here
    today, and so many friends of our honoree, our most distinguished
    General Thurman.
        I'm sorry to kind of hit and run, but I wanted to come over here and
    pay my respects to Max. To all of you here today, his friends, his
    admirers, thank you very much. To all those in uniform and in the
    service, through your devotion to our common defense, you show the same
    spirit and commitment that we're now seeing shine so brilliantly in the
    actions of every single man and woman now serving in the Persian Gulf.
        Secretary Cheney and General Powell just came over to the White
    House for a briefing, and I got a good update from them. And as I noted
    earlier today, we are not only on schedule, we are ahead of schedule. No
    Commander in Chief has ever been so proud of America's men and women in
    uniform.
        This is Max Thurman's day. And they say you can't keep a good man
    down, and the man we honor this afternoon certainly proves it. A
    distinguished officer of the field artillery; two tours in Vietnam; four
    stars; commander in chief of the Southern Command; a general who is as
    human as he is professional, as generous as he is just.
        General Thurman has devoted his career, his entire career, to
    helping all around him reach their fullest potential. His life and work
    are a testament to the power of an individual. And his brilliant role in
    the liberation of Panama was a fitting grace note to a great career. By
    assuring the freedom of the Panamanian people, General Thurman has
    played a crucial role in the revival of democracy in this, our own
    precious hemisphere.
        At home and abroad, America has been fortunate to have Maxwell
    Thurman in uniform. He's been the man who never shirked responsibility.
    I've been told, for instance, that General Thurman was standing outside
    the Papal Nunciature when somebody asked who was responsible for the
    loud music. He immediately said, ``I am the music man--CINC music.''
    Nobody argued from there on.
        If you can't keep a good man down, it's also true that it's hard to
    see a good man go, especially in time of war. General Thurman, your
    retirement from service, as well-earned as it is, leaves a great void.
    Simply stated, there is no more dedicated officer in the United States
    Army. A generation of service men and women, some of whom will rise to
    match your rank, now go forward with your leadership in their minds and
    your example in their hearts. Your devotion to service has brought honor
    to your nation, and your commitment to America has inspired admiration
    in all of us. Thank you, sir.

                        Note: The President spoke at 4:03 p.m. in the
                            Ceremonial Hall at Fort Myer Army Base. In his
                            opening remarks, he referred to Secretary of
                            Defense Dick Cheney; Colin L. Powell, Chairman
                            of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Carl E.
                            Vuono, Army Chief of Staff; and Secretary of the
                            Army Michael P. W. Stone.