[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
[January 13, 1996]
[Pages 56-58]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to American Troops at Taszar Air Base, Hungary
January 13, 1996

    Thank you very much, General Joulwan, and General Shalikashvili, 
General Crouch, and especially General Abrams. This is--he was saying on 
the way in, this is about the third time we have done this, and we're 
about to get the hang of it. I like General Abrams because he's not

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bashful about his enthusiasm. [Laughter] He might be out there--if he 
were out there, he'd be cheering louder than all of you.
    Let me say also I am delighted to be here with our United Nations 
Ambassador, Madeleine Albright; Brian Atwood, the Director of the Agency 
for International Development; Dick Holbrooke, who did such a fine job 
in making this peace that you are here to help enforce; Ambassador 
Hunter. And I'd like for the Members of Congress who have come with me 
to be recognized. I want you to make them welcome. If it weren't for 
them, none of us would be here today. Thank you, gentlemen, and--
[applause]--thank you.
    I also want to say a special word of regard for General Bill Bell, 
who had to leave because of his wife's illness. I know he's here in 
spirit. And I know that all of you will send him your thoughts and 
prayers.
    Men and women of the 21st Theater Army Area Command, 1st Armored 
Division, the 29th Support Group, the 30th Medical Brigade, all of you 
who are taking part in Operation Joint Endeavor, I am very, very proud 
to be here with you today. A few moments ago, General Abrams briefed me 
on all you have achieved here in Hungary. As many of you know, General 
Abrams' father gave his name to the M1-A1 tank that is helping you to 
keep the peace in Bosnia. I have just reviewed a company of those tanks 
that are about to convoy to Tuzla. And when I look out at you, I can't 
help but think that those tanks are a good symbol for this whole 
operation. The Abrams is the best all-around tank in the world, and you 
are the best all-around fighting force. Like the tank, you are proven, 
fast, tough, and, if you have to be, lethal. But I did find one 
difference between the Abrams and the men and women of Operation Joint 
Endeavor: the Abrams is very, very quiet. [Laughter]
    I'm going from here to Tuzla. You know, I meant to go from Tuzla to 
here, but the clouds made it impossible for us to land, and I had to 
come here, and that's why you had so much advance notice of our being 
here. [Laughter] I can't believe you got up such a crowd, General, on 
such short notice, but I think, speaking for all of us, we're delighted 
to see you.
    I want to say for those of you heading to Tuzla, I have been fully 
briefed on the operation there. I'd like to be able to report that when 
you get there, you will find deluxe accommodations. [Laughter] I'd like 
to be able to report that. But even for a political leader that's 
stretching the truth a little more than it will bear. [Laughter]
    I do understand they've got showers and heaters and Red Horse tents 
with hard floors and electricity. Some soldiers have turned their MRE 
boxes into dressers, shelves, and tables. They're even doing some custom 
conversions on Humvees, complete with car stereos. And I was told just 
before I got off the plane that with a little bit of ingenuity and a lot 
of plywood, duct tape, and sandbags, some of our soldiers are making 
Tuzla the next best thing to Taszar.
    The most important thing I can say to you, seriously, is that Task 
Force Eagle is heavily armed and very well prepared. The airfield and 
communications are up and running. J-STAR aircraft are patrolling high 
above the clouds. The Navy and the Marines are keeping watch from the 
Adriatic. Apache gunships are flying the treetops. The Special Forces 
are everywhere. The operation in Bosnia is moving ahead, step by step, 
steadily, surely, and safely.
    Let me say to those of you who are based here in Hungary, none of 
this could happen without you. You know that. You provide the beans, the 
bullets, the black oil that keep our people fed, armed, and ready to 
roll. As of today, in just a single month--think of it--12,000 troops, 
700 trucks, 200 trains have passed through this point.
    Our airplanes have flown 400 sorties. You've got a 300-bed hospital 
up and running that I just drove by and a tent city for 7,000 troops. 
That's a pretty impressive track record. You should feel proud of the 
job you're doing. I am very proud of the job you are doing.
    I came here also to tell you that this is a very important job. Just 
before I left Washington I signed an Executive order that creates a new 
campaign medal. It's called the Armed Forces Service Medal, to be 
awarded to all those who serve our Nation in significant noncombat 
military missions, such as peacekeeping operations. And I'm pleased to 
announce that as participants in Operation Joint Endeavor, each of you 
will receive America's newest military honor.
    While I'm here, I also want to express my gratitude to the people of 
Hungary, to their government and their military for their hospitality, 
their cooperation, their professionalism. Remember that just 6 years 
ago, Hungary was

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still part of the Warsaw Pact. Now it's home to the largest American 
military operation in Europe since World War II. And that, too, is a 
tribute to the people who wore these uniforms before you, and for all 
America has stood for the last 50 years.
    I am proud of the hard work that we have done in the last couple of 
years with Hungary and other nations getting the Partnership For Peace 
off the ground and preparing to open NATO's doors to new members. In 
Bosnia itself, those of you who are going will be joined by other new 
friends, Polish and Czech combat battalions, Hungarian engineering 
corps, soldiers from the Baltic States, and a Russian brigade.
    When your mission is completed, all of you will be able to look back 
at this new partnership with former adversaries and say: We made 
history. We did something that really mattered. And you will be able to 
be proud of it for as long as you live. I thank you for that, and I hope 
you will always feel that deep pride.
    I know you've been trained to fight wars and to win them. You are 
the best in the world at that. This mission is different. We have asked 
you not to fight a war but to give a people exhausted by war the 
strength to make and stay at peace. You will succeed because you're the 
finest fighting force in the world, and your presence in Bosnia can and 
will make the difference between a war that starts again and a peace 
that takes hold.
    All over the world, people look to America for help, for hope, for 
inspiration. We can't be everywhere. Even you can't do everything. But 
where we can make a difference and where our values and our interests 
are clearly at stake, we must act, and they are clearly at stake in 
Bosnia.
    All of its people are looking to America, and America looks to you, 
the men and women of our Armed Forces. I know that you and your families 
bear the heaviest burden of our leadership. We ask you to travel far 
from home, to be apart from your loved ones for long periods of time, to 
take on difficult and sometimes dangerous missions. We ask all these 
things, and time and time and time again you deliver.
    So I really come here with one very simple message: The American 
people are proud of what you're doing. They're proud of how you're doing 
it. They're proud of you. And your Commander in Chief is very, very 
proud of you. To each and every one of you, I say: Godspeed, and God 
bless our United States of America.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 9:23 a.m. in the dining facility. In his 
remarks, he referred to Gen. William W. Crouch, USA, Commanding General, 
U.S. Army Europe; Gen. John N. Abrams, USA, Commander, 5th Corps; U.S. 
Ambassador to NATO Robert E. Hunter; and Brig. Gen. Burwell Bell, USA, 
Assistant Division Commander, 3d Infantry Division. The Executive order 
of January 11 establishing the Armed Forces Service Medal is listed in 
Appendix D at the end of this volume.