[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 3 (Monday, January 22, 1996)]
[Pages 63-65]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
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
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to get the hang of it. I like General Abrams because he's not 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 sand bags, 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 signifi-
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cant 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 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, USAF,
Assistant Division Commander, 3d Infantry Division.