Speeches - Grand Opening of the North Carolina Military Academy

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Remarks of
The Honorable Bob Etheridge
Dedication of the North Carolina Military Academy
October 26, 2003

Thank you for that kind introduction. I want to thank General Ingram, Colonel Hignite, NCO Commandant Walker and all the leadership of the 139th Regiment, the North Carolina National Guard and Fort Bragg for inviting me to join you all on this special occasion.

I promise I will keep my remarks brief, but I want to take a few minutes to talk to you all about why this day is important to me, why it is important to the Guard and why it is important to our country. First, I'd like to as you all to join me in observing a brief moment of silence for the soldiers who were killed this week in Iraq.

Thank you. As the Congressman from North Carolina's Second Congressional District, I have the honor of serving the men and women of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. Although these installations are new to my district, I'm no stranger to our troops.

Faye and I have lived for more than thirty years just up the road in Harnett County, and we have always been proud to call the men and women of Bragg and Pope and Guard units throughout North Carolina our friends and our neighbors. As the Second District's Congressman, I have visited our service members abroad in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, aboard ship in the Persian Gulf and many other hotspots throughout the world.

I know firsthand that our troops are the finest fighting force on the face of the earth. They are well trained, highly motivated and superbly led. When force is necessary, your missions are often very difficult. But I have every confidence our warriors will rise to the occasion and win the day.

All too often people make the mistake of thinking that the National Guard only exists to respond to natural disasters and other domestic emergencies. Here in North Carolina, we certainly do rely on the Guard when a hurricane slams into the coast and moves inland to areas ill-prepared to deal with such calamities. More than fifteen hundred North Carolina National Guard troops responded last month to help our neighbors recover from Hurricane Isabel. The state mission of the Guard is a vital one, and one in which the men and women of the Guard perform with dedication, professionalism and excellence.

But the primary mission of the National Guard and the Air National Guard is the federal one. That mission is to provide combat-ready units that are:
o Trained to standard
o Fully manned
o Fully equipped, and
o Readily available

The National Guard's heritage goes as far back as the United States Constitution and its vitality is just as enduring. Mindful of its historic past, today's Guard marches boldly into the 21st Century providing unmatched leadership for military and devoted service to our country. This new facility will play a vital part in keeping the Guard on the cutting edge.

This is a joyous day for the North Carolina National Guard as we officially open and dedicate this new $30 million facility here at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. To secure the funding for this new facility, we worked across party lines in Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, to win the necessary support for this new modern infrastructure. This represents an investment in North Carolina and an investment in a stronger America in the 21st century.

Too often the Guard gets overlooked when Congress is deciding where to put our defense resources. But this new facility represents the recognition by the Congress and the Army that the Guard needs to be a higher priority in the future.

The 139th Regiment provides combat arms training for the Army National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve and the Active Army. This work is essential to the military's combat training to maintain the highest readiness at all times.

This new building will facilitate that mission in new ways and enhance the effectiveness of this Regiment immeasurably. Built on this thirty-acre site, this new facility now exceeds 57,000 square feet with a building footprint of eleven hundred feet by three hundred feet. This state-of-the-art building features two conference rooms, a library/learning center, a dining facility, ten classrooms, and logistics and supporting areas. It's a far cry from the World War II vintage buildings we've left behind.

As the former Superintendent of North Carolina's public schools, I have spent my career advancing the cause of lifetime learning. And what strikes me about this facility is its tremendous potential as a laboratory for learning. And the learning that takes place here will make the difference between victory and defeat for our soldiers.

That is why this event is so important for our Guard troops. This new facility will enable them to get the best training in the world for some of the most difficult missions in the world.

You know, time was when our Reserve component was not much more than an afterthought among our nation's military planners. No more. Since the post-Cold War reforms of military force structure, our Reserve component soldiers play an essential role in our nation's military deployments.

Guard soldiers bleed the same as active soldiers; Bobby Franklin proved that. Staff Sergeant Franklin was killed in August in Operation Iraqi Freedom when the vehicle he was driving was blown up by a home-made bomb. I believe it is well past time the Guard receives the recognition you are due.

When the most recent call-ups go into effect, nearly 70 percent of North Carolina's National Guard will be activated and engaged. The United States of America relies on our Reserve component more now than ever before. And the distinction between Active and Reserve becomes less pronounced because we have become one team for one fight for one country for one future.

I can tell you that the Guard and Reserves do not always receive the consideration you have earned from some of the higher-ups in the military bureaucracy, and sometimes your friends in Congress have to weigh in and make some attitude adjustments. Let me assure you that as long as I serve in the U.S. House, your voices will be heard.

Finally, I want to recognize the family members of our citizen soldiers for their sacrifices on the homefront. A soldier's life is never easy, and the hardships our Guard troops endure are particularly burdensome for the families interrupted by the call to duty. I want you to know that all your love, prayers and support sustain our troops and empower them to accomplish their mission for our country.

So in conclusion, on behalf of the people of North Carolina and the Congress of the United States, on this joyous occasion, let me congratulate you on this new facility and thank you for all that you do to keep America free and strong.