| Remarks By Governor |
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| November 16, 2005 |
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Demobilization of 3rd Battalion - 116th Armor Cavalry Regiment
General Rees, General Gayhardt, Lt. Colonel McCabe, Chaplain Hines, and members and friends of the great 3rd Battalion – 116th Armor Cavalry Regiment – I’m honored to be with you today. As I look out at you and your families – there is much I would like to say but one thing I must say: Welcome home 3-116 – and job well done!
The last time I spoke to you was June 2004 when you were getting ready to deploy to Iraq. Since then you’ve been on an 18 month marathon of duty, courage, grit, and sacrifice. Now you’re literally just a few steps from the finish line.
I know you want to be home with your families. I know you want a meal that tastes like real food. And I know don’t want to hear a longwinded speech from your Commander-in Chief. And believe me – I don’t want to give one. So I promise you – this is going to be short.
But you just spent the last year and a half in service to your country – wearing the American flag on your shoulders and American values in your hearts. While you were in Iraq, you were involved in more than 3,000 combat patrols – any one of which might have been stopped by an IED. You uncovered dangerous caches of weapons. And you helped the Iraqi people create their fledgling democracy by standing post as they voted for a prime minister and a constitution.
But with service also comes sacrifice. You missed important birthdays and anniversaries; gave up the comfort and security of your loving families; and lost two of your brothers in arms. For all these reasons – and many more – you deserve to hear me say on behalf of all the people of Oregon: Thank you.
You are absolutely the best Oregon has to give. We couldn’t be more proud of what you’ve accomplished – or more grateful to have you back home and safe. With your return, my prayers – and the prayers of thousands of Oregonians – have literally been answered.
Unfortunately, this homecoming is bittersweet because – as I mentioned – two brave members of the 3-116 did not survive your deployment to Iraq. Those two soldiers are 1st Sgt. Mark C. Warren from La Grande and Sgt. John Banks Ogburn III from Ontario. I attended memorial services for both these outstanding soldiers.
Sgt. Warren was older and – like me – a former Marine. In the words of one of your fellow guardsmen, “He liked teaching the younger guys.” Those younger guys included his two sons.
They learned from their father’s example and joined the Oregon National Guard.
Sgt. Ogburn was proud to be part of two families: His own and the 3-116. When he died, his captain said, “He was so gracious, almost to a fault.” Another friend spoke for every member of the 3-116 when he said after Sgt. Ogburn made the ultimate sacrifice. “There is a very special bond that develops with guys in a situation like the one we’re in Iraq. It’s like losing a family member.”
That bond not only ties you to every member of the 3-116, it ties you to every other generation of American veterans – going all the way back to the founding of our nation. As Shakespeare said, you are a band of brothers. But you are also a band of patriots who performed your duty with great skill, brought honor to your country, and made very difficult sacrifices that were shared by your wonderful families, and your comrades in arms.
As I told Oregon National Guard soldiers from the 82nd Cavalry – whom I demobilized last Sunday – I believe in shared sacrifice, and the value that we are all in this together. I believe the time has come to return to our long tradition of going to war as a nation – where everyone who gives up something, not just brave men and women in harms way – and their courageous families.
But that is a long speech for another day. Today is the day for saying thank you. For saying we missed you. And for saying God bless you – and welcome home and God bless America!
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