As I look out over this distinguished audience, I know I am with people who share the same values I cherish, the Army values. The years when I honed and sharpened those values are some of the best years of my life.
Army values are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.
Today, I want to talk specifically about service. There was a time when many Americans knew personally the meaning of service. Today, very few Americans have this experience or even understand what it means to serve one's country. It's getting harder to fill the ranks. Fewer young people today view military service as a beneficial and desirable part of their education.