[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 42 (Monday, October 22, 2001)]
[Pages 1481-1482]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in a Welcoming Ceremony for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff in Arlington, Virginia

October 15, 2001

    Thank you all. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, thanks for those 
kind remarks, and congratulations once again. I know your family is 
proud, and I want to congratulate Mary Jo, Rich, and your daughters, 
Nicole and Erin.
    I also want to congratulate Pete Pace, who succeeds General Myers as 
the Vice Chairman. Pete, I want to congratulate Lynne, as well; Tiffany, 
Lieutenant Pete Pace, and of course, I've got to congratulate your mom, 
Doris. Moms are pretty important, as I learned firsthand. And so did 
you.
    Mr. Secretary, we did a fine job in picking these two men. There's 
no question we made the right choice. And there's no question I made the 
right choice when I named you Secretary of Defense.
    The country is coming to know Don like I know him. He's a no-
nonsense kind of guy. He speaks his mind. He's results-oriented. He's 
the right man at the right time to defeat the evil ones. I appreciate 
your service. I appreciate the service of Paul Wolfowitz, your Deputy, 
and all the folks you've assembled at the Defense Department. I also 
want to welcome the Members of Congress who are here; I know Congressman 
Ike Skelton is here, and others are, as well.
    General Myers and I have spent a lot of quality time together 
recently. He has my complete confidence. Richard B. Myers is the 15th 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, taking his place in a line that 
began with another general who was born in Missouri, Omar Bradley. And 
like Omar Bradley, General Myers is known for his calm manner, sound 
judgment, and his clear strategic thinking. Now, at any time those 
qualities would be important; but today, they're indispensable.
    When General Myers and General Pace stood at my side in Crawford, 
Texas, this summer, I spoke of our duty to protect and defend America's 
values and interests in the world. Since that time, those values and 
interests have come under direct attack.
    America has awakened to a great danger. We have entered a different 
kind of war. And the enemy is finding out we are ready. We are fighting 
this war, and we will win this war on many fronts--by diplomacy, law 
enforcement, financial sanctions, and intelligence. And our military is 
playing an essential role. Eight days ago, I sent the Armed Forces into 
action. They have performed with skill and precision. They know their 
work, and they know the American people are behind them.
    I made a commitment to every service man and woman: For the mission 
that lies ahead, you will have everything you need, every resource, 
every weapon, every means to assure full victory for the United States, 
our allies, our friends, and the cause of freedom.
    In the war against terror, there will be times of swift and visible 
action. There will be times of steady and quiet progress. We will be 
patient, and we will be persistent. The terrorists are beginning to 
understand: There is no place to run; there is no place to hide; there 
is no place to rest.

[[Page 1482]]

    During last week's memorial service at the Pentagon, Secretary 
Rumsfeld observed that the terrorists reserve special contempt for the 
United States military. And it's easy to see why. In the values and 
traditions of our military, you represent everything they hate. You 
defend human freedom. You value life. Here and around the world, you 
keep the peace that they seek to destroy. You live by a code of honor 
and a tradition of loyalty and decency.
    The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs represents the best in this 
tradition. Since the day he was commissioned as second lieutenant in 
1965, Dick Myers has brought great credit to his uniform and to his 
country. He and his outstanding Vice Chairman have assumed crucial 
positions at a crucial hour, and our country is thankful for your 
service.
    May God bless you all, and may God bless the United States.

Note: The President spoke at 3:30 p.m. in Conmy Hall at Fort Myer. In 
his remarks, he referred to Mary Jo Myers, wife of Gen. Richard B. 
Myers, USAF, and their son, Rich, and their daughters, Nicole and Erin; 
and Lynne Pace, wife of Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, their son, Lt. Pete Pace, 
USMC, their daughter, Tiffany, and Gen. Pace's mother, Doris Pace.