WEBVTT

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Ladies and gentlemen , it is a pleasure

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to welcome you to the promotion

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ceremony in honor of Colonel Steven

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Rice . I am Lieutenant Colonel

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Stephanie Roth , and I am your master

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of ceremonies for today's event . In

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just a few moments , I'll ask you to

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stand as the official party enters . If

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you're unable to stand , please remain

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seated .

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Ladies and gentlemen , please rise for

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the official party .

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Please remain standing for the posting

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of the colors and the national anthem .

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During the singing of the national

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anthem , it is customary for civilian

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guests to place their hand over their

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heart . The 18-second Color Guard will

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be posting the colors and Makesha

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Armstrong will be performing the

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national anthem . And by .

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Come But

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For . Hearts

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Hello is ready For what

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part .

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Hot . Present

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Hearts .

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Whoa , say , can you

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see by the

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dawn's early

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light , what's so proud .

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Boldly we hail at

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the twilight's last gleaming

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whose stripes and bright

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stars .

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or the we

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were so gallantly streaming .

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It's red la .

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The bombs bursting in .

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G . to

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that our flag . Oh

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or the land . And of

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the free .

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And

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B

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Or Huh ?

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Yeah .

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Colors . Colors turn harch .

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Please remain standing for the

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invocation by Chaplain Wilton .

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Let's pray . Gracious heavenly Father ,

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I thank you for this day and for your

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presence here with us . As Colonel Rice

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is about to be promoted , I humbly ask

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that you would calm any nerves he might

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be feeling and allow him to really

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enjoy this wonderful accomplishment .

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Please also continue to provide him

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with the wisdom and courage to lead our

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Illinois Air National Guard through

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whatever challenges that lie before us .

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Lord , thank you also for the love and

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support Colonel Rice has been shown

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from his family and his many years of

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military service . Please bless his

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wife Jeanette , and , um , and be a

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great comfort to her as she continues

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to support her husband as he served so

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many . Please also bless their children ,

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Hannah , Kyle , Ethan , and Andrew for

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their many sacrifices that have allowed

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their dad to year after year , answer

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our nation's call . I know there are

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other family members like grandparents

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and others that have passed on that

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would have been so proud to see this

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promotion . I thank you for the many

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ways they helped shape Colonel Rice's

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life . May his integrity , service ,

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and excellence honor their memory and

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bring you glory . Lastly , Lord God ,

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thank you for the military members of

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our great state . Please help us be

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good defenders of freedom and always

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ready to serve . Pray in your holy name .

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Amen .

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Thank you , Chaplain Wilton , the 182nd

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Color guard and Makesha Armstrong .

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Ladies and gentlemen , please be seated .

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Thank you all for joining us on this

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momentous day as we celebrate the

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promotion of Colonel Steven Rice to the

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rank of Brigadier General . The

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presiding officer for today's ceremony

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is the adjutant general of Illinois ,

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Major General Rodney Floyd .

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The Illinois National Guard would like

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to extend a warm welcome to Colonel

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Rice's wife Jeanette , as well as their

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children , Hannah and her husband

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Dustin , Kyle and his wife Kirsten ,

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Master Sergeant Ethan Rice and his wife

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Technical Sergeant Lizzie Rice and

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their son Andrew , their grandchildren

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Nora , Bradley , Scarlett , and Olive ,

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Colonel Rice's parents Beth and Master

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Sergeant retired Lonnie Rice . Mrs .

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Rice's mother , Cecil and her guest

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Nick , Colonel Rice's brother Larry and

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his wife Christie , and Colonel Rice's

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sister Sarah and her husband Mitch . We

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would also like to welcome the rest of

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their family and friends who were able

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to make it here today . We'd like to

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welcome the following distinguished

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visitors attending on behalf of

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Lieutenant Governor Stratton ,

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community outreach coordinator Paris

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McConnell . Representative from US

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Congressman Darren LaHood's office ,

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16th District , the military and

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veterans advisor Miguel Ortiz .

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Illinois State Representative ,

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ninety-second District Representative

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Jehan Gordon Booth . The adjutant

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general for the state of Illinois ,

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Major General Rodney Boyd . Director

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F-35 Fleet readiness and sustainment ,

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Major General Donald DK Carpenter . The

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former Assistant Adjutant General Air

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Major General retired Daniel McDonough ,

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Chief of Staff Commander , Illinois Air

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National Guard Brigadier General Kevin

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Jacobs , the Assistant Adjutant General

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Army Brigadier General Lenny Lenny

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Williams . The former Assistant

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Adjutant General Air Brigadier General

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retired Frank Rezak . The former

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Assistant General Air , Brigadier

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General retired Jay Sheedy . The

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former assistant to the commander of

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the Air Force Legal Operations Agency ,

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Brigadier General retired Clayton

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Mushon . The former Air National Guard

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assistant to the Deputy Judge Advocate

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General , Brigadier General retired

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John Marty Green . Former Chief of

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Staff for the Illinois Air National

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Guard and the Air National Guard

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Assistant to the commander of the 12th

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Air Force , Brigadier General retired

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William Robertson . Army Chief of Staff ,

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Colonel Paul Metzdorf , Chief of the

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Joint Staff Headquarters , Colonel

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Matthew Garrison . Headquarters ,

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Illinois Air National Guard Judge

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Advocate , Colonel Matthew Getton .

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Inspector General Colonel Germaine

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Tillman . NGAP to

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Command Chaplain , National Guard

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Bureau , Colonel Michael Doan .

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Commander , 182nd Airlift Wing ,

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Colonel Rusty Ballard . Commander ,

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183rd Wing , Colonel Sean Straley .

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Commander , 182nd Mission Support Group ,

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Colonel Bridget Zorn . Commander ,

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182nd Operations Group , Colonel

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Brandon Rutherford . Commander , 182nd

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Mission Medical Group , Colonel Douglas

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Bauer . Commander , 182nd

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Contingency Response Group , Colonel

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Jolie Session . Deputy State Air

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Surgeon , Illinois National Guard ,

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Colonel Aaron Boyer . Deputy Commander ,

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182nd Airlift Wing , Lieutenant Colonel

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Robert Reed . State Command Chief

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Warrant Officer , Chief Warrant Officer

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5 , Thomas Black . State Command ,

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senior enlisted Leader , Command

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Sergeant Major Kehindi Salami . State

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Command Chief Air Chief Master Sergeant

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Christopher Mertz . 182nd Command Chief ,

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Chief Master Sergeant Donald Henry .

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Finally , we would like to extend our

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sincerest gratitude to all

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distinguished officers , senior leaders ,

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soldiers , airmen , and honored guests

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who took the time to join us today .

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Your camaraderie and shared commitment

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to our mission make this occasion truly

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special .

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Colonel Steven Rice was born in

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Morrison , Illinois in August 1968 .

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From late 1968 to the summer of 1972 ,

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Steve and his parents lived in Del Rio ,

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Texas , where his father Lonnie was

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stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base as

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a crew chief on T-38 Talons . After his

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father's separation , the family

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returned to rural . Morrison in

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Northern Illinois . Steve attended

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Morrison , Illinois public schools

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until his graduation in 1986 . He

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enjoyed playing high school football ,

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participated in a world choir and high

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school musicals . Upon graduation in

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1986 , Steve entered the United States

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Air Force as a munition system

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specialist at the age of 17 . Colonel

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Rice has held the titles of supervisor ,

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trainer , instructor , evaluator , and

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commander . Above all , he cherishes

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the titles of husband to Jeanette ,

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father to Hannah , Kyle , Ethan , and

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Andrew , and Papa Steve , Denora ,

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Bradley , Scarlett , and Olive . He has

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1700 hours in the C-130 as a flight

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engineer , instructor , and senior

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evaluator . And mostly through his

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service , he has traveled to every

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state in the United States and 45

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foreign countries and US territories .

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In almost 40 years , Colonel Rice has

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worn 7 enlisted ranks and 7 officer

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ranks , held 6 different Air Force

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specialty codes , deputy command for 8

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years , and G series command for a

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total of 16 years . In this time , he

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has affected the lives of countless

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airmen , always taking time to hear the

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concerns , assist when able , and

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strive to make his units better by

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placing airmen in the best position to

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successfully balance their lives and

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subsequently accomplish the wing's

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mission . Colonel Rice proudly

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resides in Fulton County , Illinois ,

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where he enjoys fishing , golfing ,

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woodworking , and providing lectures on

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Fulton County's contributions during

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the American Civil War . Ladies and

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gentlemen , it is now my honor to

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introduce the Adjutant general of

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Illinois , Major General Rodney Boyd .

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Well , good afternoon , everyone . Wow ,

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wow , what a special day it is today .

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We're here to honor of Colonel Rice ,

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soon to be , uh , Brigadier General

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Rice . Uh , but I do want to say a few

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things before uh we get on to the

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business of why we're all here . Uh ,

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first and foremost , I'd like to , uh ,

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uh , say thank you to the family ,

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Jeanette , the kids , grandkids , mom

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and dad , all the support system . Uh ,

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that made this possible , right ?

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Because we're not able to do what we

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love to do , and that is wear this

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uniform and serve this great state and

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this great nation unless we have the

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support of our family members . Uh , so

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thank you all . And secondly , I would

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like to ask all the veterans in the

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audience to stand up please . All the

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veterans . Let's give him a big round

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of applause , ladies and gentlemen .

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Thank you , thank you . Thank you very

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much . So , um , I just want

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to take a minute to just kind of paint

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the picture of how difficult this , it

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is to achieve the rank of Brigadier

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General . Um , Let's start off by

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saying less than 2% of the entire

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population even serve in our armed

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services . Less than 2% . And then this

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is a , a , a real alarming statistic .

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Of the ladies and the young men and

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women that's trying to serve in our

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services , approximately 70-70% Of

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those between the age of 17 to 24

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are ineligible to join our services

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unless they have some type of waiver .

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77% They have to have a waiver to join

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our services . And then

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lastly , The last stat statistic I'll

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throw at you . Less than 1% of Air

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Force officers , specifically those

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starting from the rank . Of 2nd

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Lieutenant achieved the rank of

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Brigadier General . That's how

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difficult it is . That's why it's so

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special that this is happening today

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and that it , it speaks of , of the

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work that Steve has put in to achieve

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that rank . And I know in , in , in the

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announcement Steve mentioned that uh he ,

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he , he , he takes credit for doing

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what he had to do , taking a hard

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assignment , but he also Says it takes

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a village to create a general officer .

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And , and it really does . It takes

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years and years of experience and

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people in and out of your lives to , uh ,

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to , to create a general officer .

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But now you're here . You're here .

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And I'll keep it simple . You have 2

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jobs to do now that you're here . The

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first job is to take care of the people

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that you're responsible for . First and

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foremost . If anything come

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before the people that serve for you ,

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you're dead wrong . It's all about the

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people that serve for you . The people

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in our organization are our most

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precious commodity , and we have to

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take care of them . We have to make

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sure that they're taking care of their

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requirements to be promoted , going to

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schools . I used to always tell my

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young soldier when it comes to military

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uh education , there's never a good

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time to go . Never . You just got to do

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it , like Nike , just do it . And

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then , more importantly , Make sure

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their personal lives are taken care of ,

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right ? Make sure they have the things

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they do . in the home . The things that ,

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that , that have to be taken care of in

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the home is taken care of . It's OK to

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ask , how's your day ? How's your

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family ? Because real leaders are

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really They really care about the

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people they're in charge of . And

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that's , that's some of the things that

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they ask . And then the 2nd item that

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you have to do . is to leave the

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organization in a better place than you

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received it . Now , now that's nothing

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against the person before you . We , we

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as senior leaders should always strive .

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To lead the organization in a better

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place than when we receive it . We , we

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shouldn't go by , let's continue doing

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the status quo , wherever the status

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quo is . That's not your job . Your job

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is to look at the organization and say

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how can I take it to the next level .

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And if you do that , by the time you

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move on , you would have succeeded .

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Now I had the opportunity to work with

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Steve for the last 18 months . And we

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talked about things , about taking care

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of Of airmen , taking care of soldiers ,

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taking care of the family , right ?

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Family is important . And When you

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make a decision to place someone in a

20:37.140 --> 20:39.540
position that Steve is about to be

20:39.540 --> 20:41.819
placed in . You have to know that

20:41.819 --> 20:43.819
person . You have to know that that

20:43.819 --> 20:46.041
person cares about the organization and

20:46.041 --> 20:49.859
cares about people . And I'm , I'm glad

20:49.859 --> 20:51.915
to say that in getting to know Steve

20:51.915 --> 20:53.989
these last 18 months , I'm more than

20:53.989 --> 20:57.390
convinced that he's the right person to

20:57.390 --> 20:59.420
do this job . And , and one of the

20:59.420 --> 21:01.531
things Steve and I was in , he was in

21:01.531 --> 21:03.864
my office earlier this week , on Monday ,

21:03.864 --> 21:05.920
I think it was Monday . And I said ,

21:05.920 --> 21:08.142
hey Steve , you got , you got , you got

21:08.142 --> 21:07.270
double tap . He said , he said , what

21:07.270 --> 21:09.510
do you mean by that ? I said , well ,

21:09.550 --> 21:11.494
you're getting promoted . I said ,

21:11.494 --> 21:13.606
typically when somebody gets promoted

21:13.606 --> 21:15.606
to brigadier Jim , they go and do a

21:15.606 --> 21:17.828
staff job , right ? It's like a warm-up

21:17.828 --> 21:20.050
job . I said , but not you . You got to

21:20.050 --> 21:21.994
come in , not only are you getting

21:21.994 --> 21:24.217
promoted , but you aren't the commander

21:24.217 --> 21:26.161
of the Air National Guard . You're

21:26.161 --> 21:29.719
responsible for 3000 people . And

21:29.729 --> 21:31.896
millions of dollars of equipment right

21:31.896 --> 21:35.890
away . There's no warm up time for

21:35.890 --> 21:39.739
you . It's off to the races . But

21:40.140 --> 21:43.040
again , I'm thoroughly convinced that

21:43.040 --> 21:45.262
you're the right person for the job and

21:45.262 --> 21:47.579
you can do it . I want to say thank you

21:48.189 --> 21:50.245
to everyone here on behalf of the uh

21:50.245 --> 21:52.599
the 10,000 soldiers and the 3000 airmen

21:52.599 --> 21:54.766
of the Illinois National Guard . Thank

21:54.766 --> 21:56.821
you all for being here today . Let's

21:56.821 --> 21:59.439
celebrate Colonel Promotable Steve Rice .

21:59.560 --> 22:00.560
Thank you all .

22:11.010 --> 22:12.843
Colonel Rice , please join Major

22:12.843 --> 22:14.566
General Boyd at center stage .

22:16.619 --> 22:18.920
Ladies and gentlemen , please rise .

22:23.229 --> 22:26.260
Attention to orders . This is to

22:26.260 --> 22:28.149
certify that the President of the

22:28.149 --> 22:30.699
United States of America , authorized

22:30.699 --> 22:34.569
by Act of Congress July 20th , 1942 ,

22:34.819 --> 22:37.140
has awarded the Legion of Merit to

22:37.140 --> 22:39.180
Colonel Steven B . Rice for

22:39.180 --> 22:41.300
exceptionally meritorious conduct and

22:41.300 --> 22:43.467
the performance of outstanding service

22:43.467 --> 22:45.780
to the United States as Director of

22:45.780 --> 22:48.865
Staff AI headquarters Illinois . Air

22:48.865 --> 22:52.446
National Guard from 15 May 2024 to

22:52.446 --> 22:56.446
31 December 2025 during this period ,

22:56.456 --> 22:58.512
Colonel Rice's consummate leadership

22:58.666 --> 23:01.255
and strategic vision were instrumental

23:01.255 --> 23:02.866
in enhancing the readiness ,

23:02.866 --> 23:05.375
modernization , and global partnerships

23:05.375 --> 23:08.076
of the entire force . He masterfully

23:08.076 --> 23:10.020
led three wings through the annual

23:10.020 --> 23:12.771
validation of 95 . Control grades and

23:12.771 --> 23:16.491
was critical in securing 8 C-130J Super

23:16.491 --> 23:19.371
Hercules aircraft , a significant leap

23:19.371 --> 23:22.932
in technological capability . His

23:22.932 --> 23:25.312
leadership extended to the global stage

23:25.572 --> 23:27.822
where he was instrumental in securing

23:27.822 --> 23:30.371
Portugal as a new state partner and

23:30.371 --> 23:32.812
strengthening long-standing alliances

23:32.812 --> 23:35.660
with the Polish Air Force . These

23:35.660 --> 23:38.410
efforts fortified relationships with

23:38.410 --> 23:40.466
international partners and furthered

23:40.466 --> 23:42.688
the United States security interests in

23:42.688 --> 23:44.739
the European theater . Colonel Rice

23:44.739 --> 23:47.099
expertly directed support for multiple

23:47.099 --> 23:50.250
domestic operations , including crucial

23:50.250 --> 23:52.060
preparations for the Democratic

23:52.060 --> 23:54.180
National Committee , ensuring the

23:54.180 --> 23:56.650
safety of over 12 million . Citizens

23:56.849 --> 23:59.290
and led the rapid stand up of 5

23:59.290 --> 24:01.179
security forces teams to meet the

24:01.179 --> 24:03.346
critical National Guard response force

24:03.346 --> 24:06.050
tasking , focusing on total force

24:06.050 --> 24:08.089
readiness , he implemented a

24:08.089 --> 24:11.030
revolutionary new recruiting structure

24:11.250 --> 24:13.180
which led to the reduction of the

24:13.180 --> 24:15.849
statewide vacancy gap by over 200

24:15.849 --> 24:18.680
positions . The distinctive

24:18.680 --> 24:22.400
accomplishments of Colonel Rice reflect

24:22.400 --> 24:24.880
great credit upon himself , the

24:24.880 --> 24:27.560
Illinois Air National Guard , and the

24:27.560 --> 24:30.520
United States Air Force , given under

24:30.520 --> 24:34.030
my hand Duke A . Pirek , Major

24:34.030 --> 24:36.800
General , United States Air Force

24:36.800 --> 24:38.959
Director , Air National Guard .

24:43.550 --> 24:44.606
You all can clap .

24:57.790 --> 24:59.010
Publish the order .

25:01.589 --> 25:03.829
By order of the Secretary of the Air

25:03.829 --> 25:06.300
Force and direction of the President ,

25:06.650 --> 25:09.229
Colonel Steven B . Rice , Joint Force

25:09.229 --> 25:11.550
Headquarters , Illinois Air National

25:11.550 --> 25:14.270
Guard is extended federal recognition

25:14.270 --> 25:16.048
and is promoted to the grade of

25:16.048 --> 25:18.505
Brigadier . General , effective 1

25:18.505 --> 25:21.824
January 2026 by order of the

25:21.824 --> 25:24.405
Secretaries of the Army and Air Force

25:24.704 --> 25:27.704
signed Steven S . Nordhaus , General ,

25:28.104 --> 25:31.025
United States Air Force Chief National

25:31.025 --> 25:33.709
Guard Bureau . Who ?

25:47.989 --> 25:51.160
Please be Please be seated .

25:53.660 --> 25:56.619
At this time we ask Mrs . Rice , their

25:56.619 --> 25:59.199
children , and General Rice's parents

25:59.199 --> 26:01.500
to please come forward and assist with

26:01.500 --> 26:02.500
the pinning .

27:11.790 --> 27:12.790
No .

27:26.089 --> 27:26.510
No

27:45.599 --> 27:46.599
Right .

28:00.689 --> 28:01.689
We're good .

28:32.790 --> 28:35.979
Mm . That'd be fine .

28:46.270 --> 28:50.150
Yeah I

28:50.150 --> 28:51.150
think .

29:04.780 --> 29:07.479
General Rice , General Rice's parents

29:07.479 --> 29:09.479
and children may please be seated .

29:29.819 --> 29:32.219
Ladies and gentlemen , please stand as

29:32.219 --> 29:34.619
Major General Boyd will now administer

29:34.619 --> 29:36.841
the oath of office to Brigadier General

29:36.841 --> 29:40.250
Rice . Raise your right hand and repeat

29:40.250 --> 29:42.609
after me . I can state your name . I ,

29:42.849 --> 29:45.071
Steven B . Rice , having been appointed

29:45.071 --> 29:47.016
a general in the United States Air

29:47.016 --> 29:49.238
Force , having been appointed a general

29:49.238 --> 29:51.238
in the United States Air Force , do

29:51.238 --> 29:53.405
solemnly swear that I will support and

29:53.405 --> 29:55.571
defend , do solemnly swear that I will

29:55.571 --> 29:57.682
support and defend the Constitution .

29:57.682 --> 29:59.905
Of the United States , the Constitution

29:59.905 --> 29:58.935
of the United States against all

29:58.935 --> 30:01.265
enemies , foreign and domestic ,

30:01.385 --> 30:03.274
against all enemies , foreign and

30:03.274 --> 30:05.441
domestic , that I will bear true faith

30:05.441 --> 30:07.441
and allegiance to the same , that I

30:07.441 --> 30:09.607
will bear true faith and allegiance to

30:09.607 --> 30:11.774
the same , that I take this obligation

30:11.774 --> 30:13.774
freely without mental reservation ,

30:13.974 --> 30:16.084
that I take this obligation freely

30:16.425 --> 30:18.805
without mental reservation or purpose

30:19.145 --> 30:22.189
of evasion or purpose of evasion . And

30:22.189 --> 30:23.967
that I will well and faithfully

30:23.967 --> 30:26.099
discharge and that I will well and

30:26.099 --> 30:28.310
faithfully discharge the duties of the

30:28.310 --> 30:31.150
office upon which I am about to enter ,

30:31.270 --> 30:33.492
the duties of the office upon which I'm

30:33.492 --> 30:35.548
about to enter . So help me God . So

30:35.548 --> 30:37.326
help me God . Congratulations ,

30:37.326 --> 30:36.670
Brigadier General .

30:52.310 --> 30:53.489
Please be seated .

30:56.089 --> 30:58.310
The journey to the rank of general

30:58.310 --> 31:00.979
officer is not taken alone . It is a

31:00.979 --> 31:03.300
path of shared commitment , sacrifice ,

31:03.339 --> 31:06.540
and unwavering support from family . To

31:06.540 --> 31:08.660
signify this chapter , Brigadier

31:08.660 --> 31:11.319
General Rice's personal one star flag

31:11.609 --> 31:13.890
will now be presented by the command

31:13.890 --> 31:16.099
chief of the Illinois Air National

31:16.099 --> 31:18.219
Guard , Chief Master Sergeant

31:18.219 --> 31:20.020
Christopher Mertz , and will be

31:20.020 --> 31:22.380
unfurled with his wife Jeanette .

31:48.949 --> 31:49.949
You good ?

31:53.780 --> 31:56.949
The Air Force authorizes individual

31:56.949 --> 31:58.893
flags to those who warrant them by

31:58.893 --> 32:00.893
virtue of their office . The United

32:00.893 --> 32:03.005
States Air Force incorporates the use

32:03.005 --> 32:05.116
of flags to signify the presence of a

32:05.116 --> 32:07.160
general officer . This flag will be

32:07.160 --> 32:09.079
present at all official military

32:09.079 --> 32:11.520
functions hosted by Brigadier General

32:11.520 --> 32:13.880
Rice and will be visibly displayed in

32:13.880 --> 32:14.839
his office .

32:32.939 --> 32:35.050
Ladies and gentlemen , it is my honor

32:35.050 --> 32:37.050
to present to you Brigadier General

32:37.050 --> 32:39.106
Steven B . Rice , Assistant Adjutant

32:39.106 --> 32:41.469
general of the Illinois Air National

32:41.469 --> 32:42.349
Guard Air .

32:50.209 --> 32:52.750
Mm . Wow ,

32:54.689 --> 32:57.560
I . What an amazing day .

33:00.020 --> 33:02.209
Before I start , I'd like to , um ,

33:02.849 --> 33:05.071
just thank some of the special people ,

33:05.119 --> 33:07.286
uh , several of which helped make this

33:07.286 --> 33:09.508
day so special today . Uh , Stephanie ,

33:09.508 --> 33:11.680
uh , as MC , thank you so much . Um ,

33:11.800 --> 33:13.744
you know how much you mean to me .

33:13.744 --> 33:15.967
Chaplain Wilton , Chaplain Doan , thank

33:15.967 --> 33:17.967
you for being here today . Chaplain

33:17.967 --> 33:20.244
Doan flew in from Virginia , I believe ,

33:20.244 --> 33:22.356
so thank you so much for being here .

33:22.356 --> 33:24.411
Makesha Armstrong for your beautiful

33:24.411 --> 33:26.522
rendition of the national anthem . It

33:26.522 --> 33:28.744
was fantastic . Oh , it was beautiful .

33:28.744 --> 33:27.250
Wow .

33:34.209 --> 33:36.369
Our fantastic color guard aircraft

33:36.369 --> 33:38.599
maintenance for making a C-130

33:38.599 --> 33:41.739
magically appear yesterday . So , uh ,

33:41.750 --> 33:43.917
happened to coincide with the , uh , a

33:43.917 --> 33:46.083
maintenance inspection , so lucky me .

33:46.219 --> 33:48.729
Uh , the sound guys who , uh , are ,

33:48.739 --> 33:50.961
and the PA folks are kind of the unsung

33:50.961 --> 33:53.017
heroes also , they're the behind the

33:53.017 --> 33:55.239
scenes people that make the , the sound

33:55.239 --> 33:57.295
in the , in the video and the , uh ,

33:57.295 --> 33:59.517
pictures all , uh , go without flaw . I

33:59.517 --> 34:01.517
appreciate all you do . Uh , Ed and

34:01.517 --> 34:03.517
Michelle from Tin Roof over there .

34:03.517 --> 34:05.683
Thank you so much . Adam Smith and the

34:05.683 --> 34:07.906
servers of Libation , thank you so much

34:07.906 --> 34:10.017
today . And finally , uh , Lieutenant

34:10.017 --> 34:09.959
Mushon , Lieutenant Knox , Lisa

34:09.959 --> 34:12.070
McKinney , and everyone else who made

34:12.070 --> 34:14.239
this day , uh , and had a hand in this

34:14.239 --> 34:16.840
day so amazing and memorable for my

34:16.840 --> 34:18.951
family and I . So thank you so much .

34:18.951 --> 34:20.340
Another round , please .

34:26.219 --> 34:28.386
So I was in Louisville , Kentucky last

34:28.386 --> 34:30.608
weekend . Uh , my brother and I go down

34:30.608 --> 34:32.775
there every year and my dad sets up at

34:32.775 --> 34:34.886
a World War II show , a massive World

34:34.886 --> 34:36.886
War II collectors show , and it's ,

34:36.886 --> 34:38.886
it's really something to see if you

34:38.886 --> 34:40.830
ever get a chance . But I was down

34:40.830 --> 34:40.570
there talking to my mom . We were

34:40.570 --> 34:42.737
walking around looking at things and I

34:42.737 --> 34:45.070
said to my mom , I said , you know , or ,

34:45.070 --> 34:47.292
or she says to me , rather , you know ,

34:47.292 --> 34:47.010
what , what are you thinking for your

34:47.010 --> 34:49.121
speech ? What's , what's coming up on

34:49.121 --> 34:51.177
Friday ? Have you , have you thought

34:51.177 --> 34:51.090
much about it ? And I said , well , mom ,

34:51.159 --> 34:53.270
I , I don't know . I have a couple of

34:53.270 --> 34:55.381
ideas , but I , it's kind of swirling

34:55.381 --> 34:57.603
around . And she , I said , well , what

34:57.603 --> 34:59.603
do you , what do you think I should

34:59.603 --> 34:59.050
talk about ? And , in typical

34:59.050 --> 35:01.050
Midwestern mom fashion , she says ,

35:01.050 --> 35:03.161
well , we , we need to start when you

35:03.161 --> 35:05.161
were born and we need to talk about

35:05.161 --> 35:07.328
when you're a little guy and And , and

35:07.328 --> 35:07.000
uh , and , and you really like

35:07.000 --> 35:09.167
SpaghettiO's and they need to know all

35:09.167 --> 35:11.389
of this . And , and there's 57 years of

35:11.389 --> 35:13.444
this that she's ready for me to , to

35:13.444 --> 35:16.080
just spew out right now . And I , I

35:16.080 --> 35:18.358
thought about it and I said , you know ,

35:18.358 --> 35:20.469
I , I , thanks , mom . That's a great

35:20.469 --> 35:22.580
idea . Let me think about it . And as

35:22.580 --> 35:24.747
my brother and I are driving back from

35:24.747 --> 35:24.169
Louisville , I'm thinking , I , I like ,

35:24.199 --> 35:26.366
she's kind of talking about the dash .

35:26.760 --> 35:28.760
And the dash , you know , I , I get

35:28.760 --> 35:30.982
philosophical sometimes and , and those

35:30.982 --> 35:33.030
of you that , that , um , uh ,

35:33.040 --> 35:35.120
certainly that officiate at funerals

35:35.120 --> 35:37.360
know the , the famous poem , the dash .

35:37.840 --> 35:40.062
And then the dash is that , that , that

35:40.159 --> 35:42.103
dash on a , on a headstone or on a

35:42.103 --> 35:43.659
memorial that , that , that

35:43.659 --> 35:45.826
encapsulates the , the day you're born

35:45.826 --> 35:47.826
and the day you pass away , and the

35:47.826 --> 35:49.992
dash is your life , right ? The dash .

35:49.992 --> 35:49.350
I'm like , they don't want , we're ,

35:49.439 --> 35:51.606
we're not ready for that yet . We're ,

35:51.606 --> 35:53.606
I'm not at the end yet . So let's ,

35:53.606 --> 35:55.606
let's just , but , but I said , you

35:55.606 --> 35:55.060
know , there's another dash in your

35:55.060 --> 35:56.893
life , come to think of it . And

35:56.893 --> 35:59.100
there's the dash that many of you have

35:59.100 --> 36:01.211
in here , and that's the dash of your

36:01.211 --> 36:03.489
service , um , your service commitment .

36:03.530 --> 36:05.586
The day you enlisted or the day that

36:05.586 --> 36:07.697
you swore your commission , uh , uh ,

36:07.697 --> 36:09.863
swore the oath , came in , and the day

36:09.863 --> 36:11.697
that you separated , whether you

36:11.697 --> 36:13.808
retired or you , you did one tour and

36:13.808 --> 36:15.863
got out . So you have a , you have a

36:15.863 --> 36:18.197
service dash . And I thought , well , I ,

36:18.197 --> 36:20.363
I don't have that yet either . I , I ,

36:20.363 --> 36:22.530
General McDonagh has that . He's got a

36:22.530 --> 36:24.586
dash now . I , I I , I'm , I'm still

36:24.586 --> 36:28.379
dashing , like I'm still dashing . So ,

36:28.919 --> 36:30.919
so to fast forward , I get home , I

36:30.919 --> 36:32.975
talked to Jeanette , and uh I said ,

36:32.975 --> 36:35.086
yeah , I'm telling her about my mom ,

36:35.086 --> 36:34.800
what she had to say , and I'm telling

36:34.800 --> 36:36.911
her about this dash stuff , and she's

36:36.911 --> 36:39.133
just looking at me . She goes , if this

36:39.133 --> 36:41.189
speech lasted more than 12 minutes ,

36:41.189 --> 36:44.840
I'm dashing out the door . So , so I'm

36:44.840 --> 36:47.007
gonna keep this dash part short , uh ,

36:47.007 --> 36:49.062
but I have a lot of people that , to

36:49.062 --> 36:51.173
recognize and thank . And , and right

36:51.173 --> 36:53.489
off the bat , um , Obviously General

36:53.489 --> 36:55.840
Boyd , I , I can't say enough about you

36:55.840 --> 36:58.280
and , and , and your commitment to this

36:58.280 --> 37:00.391
organization , uh , the men and women

37:00.391 --> 37:02.447
I've seen it firsthand so many times

37:02.447 --> 37:04.669
and , and , and your ability to connect

37:04.669 --> 37:06.780
and it's absolutely genuine and , and

37:06.780 --> 37:08.836
sir , I am proud to be on your staff

37:08.836 --> 37:11.600
representing the air side of this great

37:11.600 --> 37:13.767
organization and thank you so much for

37:13.767 --> 37:16.409
what you do for us very well , very

37:16.409 --> 37:18.750
well represented and I'm proud to be

37:19.419 --> 37:21.697
helping you along the way so thank you .

37:23.110 --> 37:25.110
We did talk in his office . Uh , we

37:25.110 --> 37:27.332
also talked about timing and how timing

37:27.332 --> 37:29.554
is so pivotal in your life . It's crazy

37:29.554 --> 37:33.340
how So many points of time .

37:35.199 --> 37:37.570
Affect where you end up and how in your

37:37.570 --> 37:39.292
relationships , in your , your

37:39.292 --> 37:41.489
assignments and , and everything along

37:41.489 --> 37:43.711
the way . And then I thought more about

37:43.711 --> 37:45.933
it . I said , well , it's time and then

37:45.933 --> 37:48.100
it's time and place , because time and

37:48.100 --> 37:48.050
place are the two things that have to

37:48.050 --> 37:51.810
collide to make something happen . And

37:51.810 --> 37:54.032
I have so many time and places with all

37:54.032 --> 37:56.254
of you out here today . There's so many

37:56.254 --> 37:58.366
times that we were at the right place

37:58.610 --> 38:01.050
along the way , 40 years , and here we

38:01.050 --> 38:03.106
are . So thank you so much for being

38:03.106 --> 38:05.272
here . Uh , there's no other place and

38:05.272 --> 38:07.439
no other time I'd rather be than right

38:07.439 --> 38:07.389
here right now . So thank you so much .

38:09.260 --> 38:13.209
Um , Our civilian , uh , members

38:13.209 --> 38:15.376
here that , that came to , to either ,

38:15.376 --> 38:17.649
um , mostly represent our elected

38:17.649 --> 38:19.760
officials , both local and national .

38:19.760 --> 38:21.760
So thank you so much for being here

38:21.760 --> 38:23.919
today . Um . Civilian control of the

38:23.919 --> 38:26.360
military by our elected leadership is

38:26.360 --> 38:29.360
the bedrock of our democracy , and that

38:29.360 --> 38:31.304
trust and respect that we show one

38:31.304 --> 38:33.138
another only makes us stronger .

38:33.850 --> 38:35.850
Yesterday I had the chance to visit

38:35.850 --> 38:37.961
with Congressman LaHood in his office

38:37.961 --> 38:40.409
in Peoria , and we had a wonderful talk ,

38:40.510 --> 38:43.270
uh , about 45 minutes , and it was just

38:44.090 --> 38:46.312
two central Illinois guys talking about

38:46.312 --> 38:48.368
what's best for this area and what's

38:48.368 --> 38:50.590
best for the state of Illinois , and it

38:50.590 --> 38:52.368
was very genuine , and I really

38:52.368 --> 38:54.590
appreciate what he had to say and he is

38:54.590 --> 38:56.701
always , uh , looking out for the men

38:56.701 --> 38:58.812
and women of , of this organization ,

38:58.812 --> 39:00.868
as are our other elected officials ,

39:00.868 --> 39:03.340
obviously . I , I sincerely appreciate

39:03.340 --> 39:05.229
all you've done for in the past ,

39:05.229 --> 39:07.451
currently doing , and will do for us in

39:07.451 --> 39:09.618
the future . So thank you to take time

39:09.618 --> 39:11.784
today and spend with my family and I .

39:11.784 --> 39:13.840
Uh , Major General McDonough , I , I

39:13.840 --> 39:15.784
have to talk about you for a quick

39:15.784 --> 39:17.784
second . Um , I know you don't like

39:17.784 --> 39:19.840
this . But the first time I met this

39:19.840 --> 39:22.062
man , um , I was just a tech sergeant .

39:22.062 --> 39:24.284
I was an E6 and I had just come back at

39:24.284 --> 39:26.396
some point from Little Rock Air Force

39:26.396 --> 39:28.340
Base going through flight engineer

39:28.340 --> 39:30.451
training . And I'm , I'm an Air Force

39:30.451 --> 39:32.618
guy at this point . I'm a blue , I'm ,

39:32.618 --> 39:34.618
I'm darker blue than my jacket is ,

39:34.618 --> 39:36.673
it's how I , I'm and uh view the Air

39:36.673 --> 39:38.562
Force . And I , I came up to this

39:38.562 --> 39:40.784
gentleman and he's a , he's a captain .

39:40.784 --> 39:40.510
Not only is he a captain , he's a

39:40.510 --> 39:42.830
fighter pilot . And my heroes growing

39:42.830 --> 39:45.219
up were fighter pilots . So he , he is ,

39:45.320 --> 39:47.376
he is this guy , right ? And I go up

39:47.376 --> 39:49.598
and I go out , stick my hand out . Uh ,

39:49.598 --> 39:51.876
hello , sir , Tech Sergeant Steve Rice ,

39:51.876 --> 39:54.098
and I'd like to meet , uh , pleasure to

39:54.098 --> 39:56.264
meet you . He says , uh , my , I go by

39:56.264 --> 39:58.479
carp , just call me Carp . And I , I

39:58.479 --> 40:00.479
looked at him and I , I didn't even

40:00.479 --> 40:02.701
know what he was saying . I didn't even

40:02.701 --> 40:02.360
understand what he was saying out of

40:02.360 --> 40:05.159
his mouth . And I realized that because

40:05.159 --> 40:07.326
I'm like , I , I fish . I'm like , was

40:07.326 --> 40:09.381
it , was he talking about fish ? And

40:09.479 --> 40:11.600
come to find out , this man was a

40:11.600 --> 40:13.600
carpenter before he came in the Air

40:13.600 --> 40:15.767
Force , before he became a , a fighter

40:15.767 --> 40:17.989
pilot . He was a carpenter . He swung a

40:17.989 --> 40:17.790
hammer back when you'd used hammer and

40:17.790 --> 40:21.280
nails , um . And actually , uh , that's

40:21.280 --> 40:23.447
what he did for a living and he , uh ,

40:23.479 --> 40:25.701
his call sign , what he , his go by was

40:25.701 --> 40:28.120
carp . So , but the point of that whole

40:28.120 --> 40:30.231
story was that that's , that's how he

40:30.231 --> 40:32.453
made you feel . And after that moment ,

40:32.453 --> 40:34.342
I realized that he is such , he's

40:34.342 --> 40:36.509
really a good guy . He could have came

40:36.509 --> 40:38.564
in strong , he He could have punched

40:38.564 --> 40:40.787
down if he wanted to . He didn't . He ,

40:40.787 --> 40:42.620
he , he made me feel special and

40:42.620 --> 40:44.731
important at that pivotal time of our

40:44.731 --> 40:46.731
unit's history when we were merging

40:46.731 --> 40:48.842
enlisted aviators with former fighter

40:48.842 --> 40:50.842
pilots . And those of you that were

40:50.842 --> 40:53.009
around for that time , Rick Wayneman ,

40:53.009 --> 40:54.898
I saw you out there . It , it was

40:54.898 --> 40:56.898
strange times , Bruce Bennett , you

40:56.898 --> 40:59.120
know , it was , it was a little tenuous

40:59.120 --> 41:01.176
at first . But , uh , because of men

41:01.176 --> 41:03.342
like him and , and General Robertson ,

41:03.342 --> 41:05.231
because of you guys' kindness and

41:05.231 --> 41:04.949
consideration , it didn't take long for

41:04.949 --> 41:08.070
us to be a , um , a cohesive fighting

41:08.070 --> 41:10.237
unit . And , and , and , and more than

41:10.237 --> 41:12.403
that , you treated us like family , so

41:12.403 --> 41:14.929
I appreciate that . Um ,

41:16.169 --> 41:18.336
Brigadier General Williams and the men

41:18.336 --> 41:20.558
and women of the Illinois Army National

41:20.558 --> 41:22.558
Guard , I couldn't be more proud to

41:22.558 --> 41:24.725
serve alongside you . You might see in

41:24.725 --> 41:26.725
the program on the backside that my

41:26.725 --> 41:28.502
great grandfather served in the

41:28.502 --> 41:30.558
Illinois National Guard before there

41:30.558 --> 41:32.613
were airplanes , so he didn't have a

41:32.613 --> 41:34.669
choice . So he , uh , obviously went

41:34.669 --> 41:36.669
green . And , uh , I didn't realize

41:36.669 --> 41:38.725
till my dad told me he served longer

41:38.725 --> 41:40.725
than I thought . He was in from the

41:40.725 --> 41:43.739
late late 1800s clear up until almost

41:43.739 --> 41:45.906
World War One he served . So he was in

41:45.906 --> 41:49.040
the 6th Illinois Infantry . Um , it was

41:49.040 --> 41:51.096
proud , and I think we have a family

41:51.096 --> 41:53.096
heirloom , his pocket watch that is

41:53.096 --> 41:55.770
inscribed with his , his rank . Uh , he ,

41:55.840 --> 41:58.062
he , he attained corporal and he , in ,

41:58.062 --> 42:00.284
in the 6th Illinois Infantry . It's a ,

42:00.284 --> 42:02.610
it's a prized possession for us . So ,

42:02.620 --> 42:05.590
um , I'm proud to be associated with

42:05.590 --> 42:07.368
the men and women of the Army ,

42:07.368 --> 42:09.646
Illinois Army National Guard . It's my ,

42:09.646 --> 42:11.812
my , my pleasure . And Chief Black , I

42:11.812 --> 42:14.034
saw you here , and Sergeant Major Kelly

42:14.034 --> 42:16.257
and , and Sergeant Major Salami . Thank

42:16.257 --> 42:18.090
you so much for coming . Um , Uh

42:19.379 --> 42:21.379
Colonel Metzdorff , I see you , you

42:21.379 --> 42:23.490
made it here . I'm not so sure that ,

42:23.490 --> 42:25.268
uh , uh , uh , you know , I got

42:25.268 --> 42:27.435
something to talk about you later . My

42:27.435 --> 42:29.768
airing of grievances is coming up later .

42:29.768 --> 42:31.712
And so , uh , I'll get to you in a

42:31.712 --> 42:34.429
minute , so just stand by . Um ,

42:34.949 --> 42:37.171
General Jacobs , sir , uh , I've , I've

42:37.171 --> 42:39.282
been a fan of yours for a long time .

42:39.282 --> 42:41.338
We kind of came up through the ranks

42:41.338 --> 42:43.616
together , you at Scott , me in Peoria ,

42:43.616 --> 42:43.429
Obviously , all the conferences ,

42:43.550 --> 42:45.606
National Guard Association along the

42:45.606 --> 42:48.510
way , August , and , uh , I'm so , uh ,

42:48.750 --> 42:50.861
proud to be working side by side with

42:50.861 --> 42:52.861
you in so many capacities and , and

42:52.861 --> 42:55.083
thank you for being here and making the

42:55.083 --> 42:57.306
time . It really means a lot to me . So

42:57.306 --> 42:59.472
thank you so much . Uh , Chief Mertz ,

42:59.472 --> 42:59.149
I look forward to working with you and

42:59.149 --> 43:01.371
seeing you develop this next generation

43:01.371 --> 43:03.593
of the , of the enlisted force in our ,

43:03.593 --> 43:05.649
in our great state . Um , you have a

43:05.649 --> 43:07.705
great vision . You're taking , you ,

43:07.705 --> 43:09.760
you got , you just like me , you got

43:09.760 --> 43:11.982
big boots to fill . I got big booths to

43:11.982 --> 43:11.469
fill . You got even bigger booths to

43:11.469 --> 43:13.909
fill , uh , because Chief Burton is

43:13.909 --> 43:15.965
there . Thank you so much for making

43:15.965 --> 43:18.020
your way , and , uh , it means a lot

43:18.020 --> 43:20.187
for me , for you , uh , all to be here

43:20.187 --> 43:24.110
today . Um , General Robertson , uh ,

43:24.350 --> 43:26.406
you know , I could stand up here and

43:26.406 --> 43:28.461
talk for hours about your mentorship

43:28.461 --> 43:30.794
and your I wouldn't be here without you ,

43:30.794 --> 43:33.017
obviously , you've been such a big part

43:33.017 --> 43:35.017
of , of , of my life and , uh , you

43:35.017 --> 43:34.889
taught me about mission . You know ,

43:34.929 --> 43:37.530
you're a mission guy . It didn't come

43:37.530 --> 43:39.697
at the cost of , of airmen . It didn't

43:39.697 --> 43:41.752
come at the cost of families . You ,

43:41.752 --> 43:43.808
you , but you made it clear from day

43:43.808 --> 43:46.030
one that mission was important . We had

43:46.030 --> 43:48.086
to make the mission . And you didn't

43:48.086 --> 43:50.308
suffer fools , and I , I don't either .

43:50.308 --> 43:52.689
I appreciate that about you . And now ,

43:52.770 --> 43:54.881
uh , fast forward , uh , I would have

43:54.881 --> 43:57.103
never known working with you as a major

43:57.103 --> 43:59.500
and I as a young , or as an NCO . That

43:59.500 --> 44:01.570
somehow , some way , our , your

44:01.570 --> 44:03.792
daughter and my son would come together

44:03.792 --> 44:06.014
and , and form a family . And now we're

44:06.014 --> 44:08.181
gonna have my 5th grandchild . So it's

44:08.181 --> 44:10.237
amazing . So I , only in the guard ,

44:10.237 --> 44:13.570
right ? It's just amazing . Um ,

44:14.469 --> 44:16.802
the three wing commanders , oh , let me ,

44:16.802 --> 44:18.691
uh , before I , I move on , I , I

44:18.691 --> 44:20.580
wanted to shout out to the former

44:20.580 --> 44:20.419
leaders of the Air National Guard , uh ,

44:20.550 --> 44:22.661
and , and , uh , General Cabeto , you

44:22.661 --> 44:24.550
got missed in the opening , and I

44:24.550 --> 44:26.969
really apologize , but I , we , uh , uh ,

44:27.070 --> 44:29.181
you are such a great , uh , mentor to

44:29.181 --> 44:31.310
me also , General Rezak for sure ,

44:31.510 --> 44:33.929
General Sheedy , Liz , great to see you .

44:34.389 --> 44:36.445
And thanks for being here today . It

44:36.445 --> 44:38.667
really means a lot to me . So thank you

44:38.667 --> 44:40.722
so much . Um , and then I missed one

44:40.722 --> 44:42.945
other person , General Carpenter . Uh ,

44:42.945 --> 44:45.278
I'm getting shaky up here . Let me , oh ,

44:45.278 --> 44:47.500
let me , let me get to him real quick .

44:47.500 --> 44:49.500
So , uh , Major General Carpenter ,

44:49.500 --> 44:49.229
thank you for being here today and

44:49.229 --> 44:51.580
taking the time . Um , Rico Gamba ,

44:51.669 --> 44:53.949
Chief Gamba retired us here in the , in

44:53.949 --> 44:56.949
here somewhere , and , um , he and I

44:56.949 --> 45:00.310
and Cy Snyder . Uh , and , and Rico

45:00.310 --> 45:02.366
Gamba were the trailblazers , and we

45:02.366 --> 45:04.532
were the first ones to go up to flight

45:04.532 --> 45:06.532
engineer training . And it was hard

45:06.532 --> 45:08.643
work . It was nerve-wracking . Uh , I

45:08.643 --> 45:08.310
don't know if any of the four of us had

45:08.310 --> 45:10.532
ever sat on a C-130 before we ever went

45:10.532 --> 45:12.840
down there . But , um , it was some of

45:12.840 --> 45:15.399
the best times of my life and I wish

45:15.399 --> 45:17.455
you all the best as you look forward

45:17.455 --> 45:19.510
into retirement . So , thank you for

45:19.510 --> 45:21.843
being here . It means a lot . Thank you .

45:21.843 --> 45:23.621
The 3 wing commanders and their

45:23.621 --> 45:25.455
leadership teams , um , are many

45:25.455 --> 45:27.566
challenges ahead of you , but you are

45:27.566 --> 45:29.788
the right people , the right leaders at

45:29.788 --> 45:31.899
the right time . Uh , Colonel Henshel

45:31.899 --> 45:34.010
couldn't make it today . Apparently ,

45:34.010 --> 45:33.979
his new wife , uh , outranks me and

45:33.979 --> 45:36.146
they're on their honeymoon somewhere .

45:36.146 --> 45:37.889
So I , I , uh , I was a little

45:37.889 --> 45:40.111
disappointed and I see we're rate , but

45:40.111 --> 45:42.167
that's , uh , you know what , that's

45:42.167 --> 45:45.610
the way it goes . Um , Rusty ,

45:45.989 --> 45:48.322
um , I'm so glad you made it back . You ,

45:48.322 --> 45:50.656
I heard you before I saw you , uh , the ,

45:50.656 --> 45:52.878
I like the , the , I think it was maybe

45:52.878 --> 45:55.045
a attack a beam over the airfield . It

45:55.045 --> 45:54.520
was beautiful . So thank you for making

45:54.520 --> 45:56.576
it back from Little Rock with your ,

45:56.576 --> 45:58.687
with the , uh , the ops guys that are

45:58.687 --> 46:00.798
down there going through C-130J model

46:00.798 --> 46:02.798
training . Thank you for all you're

46:02.798 --> 46:04.909
doing to better yourselves and get us

46:04.909 --> 46:07.076
ready for that next big step , pivotal

46:07.076 --> 46:09.131
step in that new mission . And Julie

46:09.131 --> 46:11.187
Sessions , I see you're here . Thank

46:11.187 --> 46:13.298
you for coming . Um , your leadership

46:13.298 --> 46:15.131
in the CRG has been phenomenal .

46:15.131 --> 46:17.464
Brandon , you know how I feel about you .

46:17.464 --> 46:19.576
You and I go way back , and I'm , I'm

46:19.576 --> 46:21.687
just , I'm grateful for you all to be

46:21.687 --> 46:21.439
here today . Thank you , thank you so

46:21.439 --> 46:24.120
much . Um , interesting little fun fact ,

46:24.429 --> 46:26.540
yesterday I , I popped out here for a

46:26.540 --> 46:28.707
few minutes and since Rusty was gone ,

46:28.707 --> 46:30.929
um , uh , Lieutenant Maon said , well ,

46:30.929 --> 46:33.040
you can use his office , you know , I

46:33.040 --> 46:35.096
needed to get on email , so I got in

46:35.096 --> 46:35.040
there and popped on my laptop and I'm

46:35.040 --> 46:37.151
looking around and I see the pictures

46:37.151 --> 46:39.207
of his children and they've grown so

46:39.207 --> 46:41.373
much . Uh , I was really amazed at the

46:41.373 --> 46:41.370
short period of time . how much they've

46:41.370 --> 46:43.426
grown and , but next to the pictures

46:43.426 --> 46:45.537
was this little etched glass , like a

46:45.537 --> 46:47.592
tumbler . It must have been a gift ,

46:47.592 --> 46:49.889
I'm not sure . And on it , it said , US

46:49.889 --> 46:53.419
Air Force . Because even the army needs

46:53.419 --> 46:56.860
heroes , and And I ,

46:57.639 --> 47:01.000
I saw that and I thought , Uh ,

47:01.590 --> 47:04.340
and he's former army . So it's , uh ,

47:04.350 --> 47:06.629
it's like , I didn't know how to take

47:06.629 --> 47:08.573
it , but I , I chuckled and I just

47:08.573 --> 47:10.685
thought it was hilarious . So I , and

47:10.685 --> 47:12.351
can I get one of those like ,

47:15.370 --> 47:19.189
No offense , sir . Uh , Sean Straley ,

47:19.270 --> 47:21.492
he's the wing commander at the , at the

47:21.492 --> 47:24.310
183rd at Springfield . He's a fantastic

47:24.310 --> 47:26.699
friend of mine . Um , if you want to

47:26.699 --> 47:28.866
learn something about somebody , spend

47:28.866 --> 47:31.760
2.5 days , uh , in , in , in the , in

47:31.830 --> 47:34.179
the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport stuck

47:34.179 --> 47:36.590
snowbound . You can't get a connecting

47:36.590 --> 47:38.757
flight either onto your destination or

47:38.757 --> 47:40.979
back home to Peoria , and then you have

47:40.979 --> 47:43.257
to rent a car and drive home with them .

47:43.257 --> 47:45.312
So if you ever want to know somebody

47:45.312 --> 47:47.423
really , really good , that's the way

47:47.423 --> 47:49.590
to do it . So , but he is , uh , where

47:49.590 --> 47:51.923
is he , by the way ? Oh , there you are .

47:51.923 --> 47:54.257
Uh , and if you ever need a protein bar ,

47:54.257 --> 47:54.120
he's got a protein bar in his pocket .

47:54.959 --> 47:57.015
The man , is that in your hand ? You

47:57.015 --> 47:59.126
got one in your hand ? What is that ?

47:59.126 --> 48:01.403
So , he , no , he's a fantastic leader .

48:01.403 --> 48:03.570
Um , he's an Indiana boy , but I don't

48:03.570 --> 48:05.737
hold that against him because I got an

48:05.737 --> 48:07.792
Indiana family , but he's a good man

48:07.792 --> 48:09.848
and , and he , uh , he did time with

48:09.848 --> 48:09.810
the army too . So he's , he's , uh ,

48:09.939 --> 48:13.590
you're a free man now . So , Keep up

48:13.590 --> 48:17.540
the great work , OK ? Um , moving on to

48:17.540 --> 48:20.010
the men and women , um , They're

48:20.010 --> 48:22.121
standing out there and they're like ,

48:22.121 --> 48:24.343
just please shut up because my feet are

48:24.343 --> 48:24.070
killing me , my back's killing me .

48:24.330 --> 48:26.219
I've been there . But when you're

48:26.219 --> 48:28.330
trying to build something and sustain

48:28.330 --> 48:30.552
something , it's all about the people .

48:30.552 --> 48:32.719
So I just quickly want to go through a

48:32.719 --> 48:34.886
few things , um , the officers and the

48:34.886 --> 48:38.300
commanders , you care and You're all

48:38.300 --> 48:40.467
about the welfare of our airmen . They

48:40.467 --> 48:42.469
look up to you , they emulate you ,

48:42.860 --> 48:44.399
they're watching you , and

48:44.419 --> 48:47.199
unfortunately , they judge you . So

48:47.199 --> 48:49.421
just realize that you need to always be

48:49.421 --> 48:51.310
on point , be the best version of

48:51.310 --> 48:54.169
yourself . But don't live , don't live

48:54.169 --> 48:57.510
in a world where you are transparent or

48:57.649 --> 48:59.760
can't be approachable by the youngest

48:59.760 --> 49:01.760
troops that you command or that you

49:01.760 --> 49:04.729
supervise . Be available to them . Talk

49:04.729 --> 49:07.300
to them . They're scared to talk to you .

49:07.469 --> 49:10.790
I was scared to talk to officers , but

49:11.389 --> 49:13.989
make it a point to reach out this drill

49:13.989 --> 49:16.310
weekend , connect . Maybe somebody

49:16.310 --> 49:18.550
you've never met before . It might be

49:18.550 --> 49:20.772
the difference whether or not they stay

49:20.772 --> 49:23.050
in another 6 years or another 20 years .

49:23.050 --> 49:25.489
Trust me , I know how that works . It

49:25.489 --> 49:27.729
matters . Uh , the Chiefs , there's too

49:27.729 --> 49:30.370
many of you to count . Uh , I can't

49:30.370 --> 49:32.481
start going down the names . We'll be

49:32.481 --> 49:34.481
here forever of all the chiefs that

49:34.481 --> 49:36.481
have impacted my life and the , the

49:36.481 --> 49:38.314
ones that we went to . Countless

49:38.314 --> 49:40.537
inspections , exercises , you name it ,

49:40.537 --> 49:42.703
um , you're You're who the airmen look

49:42.703 --> 49:44.759
up to because you are the top of the

49:44.759 --> 49:46.870
enlisted corps and you're the subject

49:46.870 --> 49:49.037
matter experts , and they , they adore

49:49.037 --> 49:51.037
you . So just like the officers and

49:51.037 --> 49:53.148
commanders , you , you're part of the

49:53.148 --> 49:55.203
team that makes this happen . Please

49:55.203 --> 49:58.679
make yourself available and uh . Keep

49:58.679 --> 50:00.790
up the , the good fight . Thank you .

50:00.790 --> 50:02.879
Um , NCO Corps . The saying is that

50:02.879 --> 50:05.046
you're the backbone of the Air Force .

50:05.046 --> 50:06.768
I think that's , that's true ,

50:06.768 --> 50:08.546
obviously , but you're also the

50:08.546 --> 50:11.270
heartbeat . When I , um , when I'm

50:11.270 --> 50:13.159
still on active duty , we had a

50:13.159 --> 50:15.326
ceremony . I , I got to listening to ,

50:15.326 --> 50:17.492
to the ranks I held . I realized I had

50:17.492 --> 50:19.770
one more rank that I forgot to mention ,

50:19.770 --> 50:21.826
and that rank was buck sergeant . So

50:21.826 --> 50:24.048
raise your hand if you were ever a buck

50:24.048 --> 50:26.215
sergeant . Yeah , well , believe it or

50:26.215 --> 50:28.326
not , that was a rank that doesn't no

50:28.326 --> 50:30.215
longer exist , hasn't , uh , uh ,

50:30.215 --> 50:32.381
existed for quite a while , but it was

50:32.381 --> 50:34.548
when you went as an E4 , you went from

50:34.548 --> 50:36.603
a senior airman to a buck sergeant .

50:36.603 --> 50:38.715
You didn't get more pay , but you got

50:38.715 --> 50:40.603
to color in your star and make it

50:40.603 --> 50:42.603
silver . It was blue at that time .

50:42.603 --> 50:44.826
Bennett said that you had made it . You

50:44.826 --> 50:47.600
were an NCO . And the NCO Corps truly ,

50:47.739 --> 50:49.961
truly is the heartbeat , and you're the

50:49.961 --> 50:52.128
ones that make it happen . In the heat

50:52.128 --> 50:54.350
of the afternoon , in the cold , frigid

50:54.350 --> 50:56.572
mornings , you get these airplanes that

50:56.572 --> 50:58.795
have , they don't want to fly , but you

50:58.795 --> 51:00.906
make them fly , and I , I , I applaud

51:00.906 --> 51:03.072
that . Uh , and finally , the airman ,

51:03.072 --> 51:05.072
the airman , uh , inside of me is a

51:05.072 --> 51:06.683
17-year-old kid , you know ,

51:06.683 --> 51:08.850
18-year-old kid , when I , by the time

51:08.850 --> 51:10.961
I , uh , got to my first assignment ,

51:10.961 --> 51:12.850
and I had setbacks . You know , I

51:12.850 --> 51:15.072
didn't get the career field I wanted to

51:15.072 --> 51:17.295
go into , uh , initially , and I didn't

51:17.295 --> 51:17.179
get to the assignment I wanted . I got

51:17.179 --> 51:19.235
sent , you know , halfway around the

51:19.235 --> 51:21.346
world to Korea for a year , and I , I

51:21.346 --> 51:23.512
wasn't a big fan . I was like , strike

51:23.512 --> 51:22.820
one , strike 2 . What's going on ,

51:22.899 --> 51:25.010
Uncle Sam ? I , I'm not liking this ,

51:25.010 --> 51:27.570
this pitch count . And uh but the , the ,

51:27.610 --> 51:30.250
the , the short of that is beyond those

51:30.250 --> 51:32.370
setbacks , they were challenges , and

51:32.370 --> 51:34.481
they hardened me and they , they made

51:34.481 --> 51:37.129
me work harder to achieve what I wanted

51:37.129 --> 51:39.290
to achieve . So for you airmen out

51:39.290 --> 51:41.401
there that think maybe , you know , I

51:41.401 --> 51:43.512
don't wanna do this job or this isn't

51:43.512 --> 51:45.623
what I thought I was signing up for ,

51:45.623 --> 51:47.568
make that change . Find out how to

51:47.568 --> 51:49.734
change , find out how to cross train .

51:49.734 --> 51:52.068
But don't change your attitude about it .

51:52.068 --> 51:54.123
Just work , just , just keep plowing

51:54.123 --> 51:56.290
forward and good things happen to good

51:56.290 --> 51:58.179
people . So that's my , that's my

51:58.179 --> 52:01.090
little plug for that , um . Yeah .

52:01.949 --> 52:03.949
I'm gonna , I'm gonna speed this up

52:03.949 --> 52:07.360
here , folks . So , um , Next , I'm

52:07.360 --> 52:09.582
just gonna touch really quickly on some

52:09.582 --> 52:11.471
of the places in my personal life

52:11.471 --> 52:13.693
because I have so many friends that are

52:13.693 --> 52:15.916
here . Uh , Morrison , my Morrison , my

52:15.916 --> 52:18.027
Morrison clan . I have some childhood

52:18.027 --> 52:20.193
friends here that , uh , Frank , I see

52:20.193 --> 52:22.193
you , Gary , play , we , we had the

52:22.193 --> 52:21.879
best time growing up . Thank you for

52:21.879 --> 52:23.768
being here . It's where I learned

52:23.768 --> 52:25.990
patriotism , teamwork , and community .

52:25.990 --> 52:28.010
Um , Frank and Jennifer , thank you

52:28.010 --> 52:30.570
again . Uh , Bob and Joanne , Uncle Bob

52:30.570 --> 52:32.514
and Joanne for being here . All my

52:32.514 --> 52:34.514
Morrison family , uh , thank you so

52:34.514 --> 52:36.737
much . Lewistown , uh , when I came off

52:36.737 --> 52:38.737
of active duty in 1992 , I moved to

52:38.737 --> 52:40.792
Lewistown in Fulton County . I lived

52:40.792 --> 52:42.792
there for 32 years . That's where I

52:42.792 --> 52:44.959
raised my children . Um , the meat and

52:44.959 --> 52:47.126
potatoes of my life are in Lewistown ,

52:47.126 --> 52:49.403
Illinois , and I love every one of you ,

52:49.403 --> 52:53.030
um . Yeah , Gary

52:53.030 --> 52:55.197
Babcock , Bart Walker and family . I'm

52:55.197 --> 52:57.363
just gonna talk , I won't name all the

52:57.363 --> 52:59.197
names , but the the Havens , the

52:59.197 --> 53:01.530
Hoffmans , the Baldwins , Coach Winkler ,

53:01.530 --> 53:03.752
Coach Bennett , Tommy Boone , I saw you

53:03.752 --> 53:05.697
here . Gary Beard , who's a combat

53:05.697 --> 53:07.419
Vietnam veteran , Purple Heart

53:07.419 --> 53:09.586
recipient . Thank you for being here .

53:09.586 --> 53:09.310
Todd and Angie White , and Angie , I'll

53:09.310 --> 53:11.366
get to you in the list of grievances

53:11.366 --> 53:13.620
here next . Um , all my brothers in

53:13.620 --> 53:16.659
Masonic Lodge , Bishop Hill , or Bishop

53:16.659 --> 53:19.219
Post one of the American Legion and VFW

53:19.219 --> 53:21.219
Post 5001 . Thank you all for being

53:21.219 --> 53:23.600
here . And then Weatuck , about 5 years

53:23.600 --> 53:25.711
ago , I moved to Weatuck , which is a

53:25.711 --> 53:27.600
little lake , uh , golf community

53:27.600 --> 53:29.600
outside of Canton , still in Fulton

53:29.600 --> 53:31.822
County . Uh , our neighbors , Galen and

53:31.822 --> 53:33.933
Candace Hanson , the Ackermans , uh ,

53:33.933 --> 53:35.933
Charlie Schlangen and Tim and Holly

53:35.933 --> 53:38.070
Seagres , Brinkston , uh , Eye Oaks ,

53:38.229 --> 53:40.550
uh , Jim and Susie Episcopo , Fanna

53:40.550 --> 53:42.739
Stocks , Stu Pup , Lisa , and Stew

53:42.739 --> 53:45.469
Pup's dad , Stu Dog , uh , Sean and

53:45.469 --> 53:48.389
Courtney Purdick , Scott and Aaron

53:48.389 --> 53:50.667
Slack , Bob and Rochelle can't be here .

53:50.667 --> 53:52.500
They're in Florida , and Max and

53:52.500 --> 53:54.556
Lucille Latimer . I know I'm missing

53:54.556 --> 53:56.389
people . I just wanted to , uh ,

53:56.389 --> 53:58.556
Larrilyn , I saw you here . Thanks for

53:58.556 --> 54:00.667
coming . And now I'm moving on to the

54:00.667 --> 54:02.889
airing of grievances , and this will be

54:02.889 --> 54:05.056
quick , but , uh , Angela White , uh ,

54:05.056 --> 54:04.729
he's , she's the wife of retired CAMMA

54:04.729 --> 54:06.896
Sergeant Todd White . I've known her a

54:06.896 --> 54:08.951
long time . You will salute me after

54:08.951 --> 54:11.118
the ceremony , and it will be captured

54:11.118 --> 54:14.129
with a photo . Um . So , is she here ?

54:14.969 --> 54:17.090
God , she didn't come . Oh , she got

54:17.090 --> 54:18.757
the last laugh on me , yeah .

54:20.850 --> 54:24.350
It is suspicious . OK . All right ,

54:25.020 --> 54:28.030
um , retired , uh , Senior Master

54:28.030 --> 54:30.141
Sergeant Angela Rudd , I saw you were

54:30.141 --> 54:32.850
here . Uh , you will have my calendar

54:32.850 --> 54:35.017
printed for me on Monday , even though

54:35.017 --> 54:37.183
you're retired now . Yes , I can do it

54:37.183 --> 54:40.300
myself , but that's not the point . OK .

54:40.540 --> 54:43.139
And Colonel Paul Metzdorf , you may or

54:43.139 --> 54:45.250
may not have your vehicle searched on

54:45.250 --> 54:47.306
the way off base today . I , I don't

54:47.306 --> 54:51.290
know . I'm not sure . OK , Mom and

54:51.290 --> 54:53.401
Dad , this is , uh , this is your day

54:53.401 --> 54:55.623
as much as mine , and you taught me all

54:55.623 --> 54:57.568
of these things we've talked about

54:57.568 --> 54:59.623
already , and , and , uh , I'm gonna

54:59.623 --> 55:01.846
try to not make this a tear jerker , so

55:01.846 --> 55:04.012
I'm just gonna just get , get right to

55:04.012 --> 55:03.790
it . Uh , thank you for everything ,

55:04.100 --> 55:06.378
all you've done for me all these years ,

55:06.378 --> 55:08.433
for our whole family , not just me .

55:08.433 --> 55:10.570
This is a family event . Uh , 01 of

55:10.570 --> 55:13.179
them's asleep already . I gotta see , I ,

55:13.629 --> 55:16.520
I gotta sleep . 12 minutes . Oh . OK ,

55:16.729 --> 55:18.840
thank you for all you do . We'll talk

55:18.840 --> 55:21.280
later . Uh , my brother Larry and

55:21.280 --> 55:24.399
Christy , uh , uh , Sarah and Mitch ,

55:24.479 --> 55:26.959
you guys , um , you're my best friend ,

55:27.120 --> 55:30.320
Sarah . Uh , I admit you may be mom's

55:30.320 --> 55:33.600
favorite , but not today . Not , not

55:33.610 --> 55:37.419
today . So , my children ,

55:37.540 --> 55:39.373
Hannah , Kyle , Ethan , Andrew ,

55:39.373 --> 55:41.484
spouses , Dustin , Kirsten , Lizzie ,

55:41.484 --> 55:43.651
we have the best times . I'm so glad I

55:43.651 --> 55:45.818
built this house out at Weatuck and we

55:45.818 --> 55:48.151
can all enjoy this lake , lake life and ,

55:48.151 --> 55:50.207
and try this game of golf , which is

55:50.207 --> 55:52.449
not very kind to all of us . And , uh ,

55:52.500 --> 55:54.667
you know , we keep going back for some

55:54.667 --> 55:56.833
reason . I don't know why , but , uh ,

55:56.833 --> 55:58.778
we can't seem to give it up . So I

55:58.778 --> 56:01.000
really , really do appreciate it . Uh ,

56:01.000 --> 56:02.500
I love you guys . And my 4

56:02.500 --> 56:04.500
grandchildren , uh , Sleepy peepers

56:04.500 --> 56:06.444
down here and Nora , that's Brad ,

56:06.550 --> 56:08.860
Scarlett , and Olive , and I'm so

56:08.860 --> 56:10.916
excited to see where your lives take

56:10.916 --> 56:13.138
you and nothing would please me more to

56:13.138 --> 56:15.304
see you , one of you , if all of you ,

56:15.304 --> 56:17.471
in uniform someday , uh , for the next

56:17.471 --> 56:19.638
generation , future generation of what

56:19.638 --> 56:22.149
we do here . It's , it's wonderful . Uh ,

56:22.199 --> 56:23.699
I don't want to exclude my

56:23.699 --> 56:25.755
mother-in-law , Cecile . Uh , just a

56:25.755 --> 56:28.032
quick story . One day , uh , years ago ,

56:28.032 --> 56:29.977
I asked Cecile , I said , hey , if

56:29.977 --> 56:32.199
Jeanette and I were hanging off a cliff

56:32.199 --> 56:34.366
by our , our fingernails , and you had

56:34.366 --> 56:36.643
to save one of us . Who would you save ?

56:36.939 --> 56:40.370
And she thought , and she said , well ,

56:40.500 --> 56:43.770
I'd have to stay , save Steve . And

56:43.770 --> 56:45.826
this is her only daughter . It's her

56:45.826 --> 56:48.449
only child . So I knew right then , if

56:48.449 --> 56:50.560
she's gonna save me , all right , all

56:50.560 --> 56:52.782
right , all right , all right , right .

56:52.782 --> 56:55.005
OK . Uh , Jeanette . All the people and

56:55.005 --> 56:57.227
friends who made this trip today , made

56:57.227 --> 56:59.659
this special , um , and Jeanette last ,

56:59.770 --> 57:01.937
uh , obviously , uh , you're the light

57:01.937 --> 57:03.659
of my life , you're my biggest

57:03.659 --> 57:05.826
supporter , um , sometimes my harshest

57:05.826 --> 57:08.103
critic , but you do it in a loving way .

57:08.103 --> 57:10.214
I love you . You're the best . You're

57:10.214 --> 57:12.548
the , you're the foundation of , of our ,

57:12.548 --> 57:14.881
our , our family nucleus . You , you're ,

57:14.881 --> 57:14.820
uh , you're the center of our universe ,

57:14.830 --> 57:16.997
and , and I love you so much and thank

57:16.997 --> 57:18.997
you so much , so for being here and

57:18.997 --> 57:22.209
your support . Um , I'll leave with one

57:22.209 --> 57:24.431
of my favorite Abraham Lincoln quotes .

57:25.389 --> 57:27.611
He said , I'm a success today because I

57:27.611 --> 57:29.979
had a friend who believed in me . And I

57:29.979 --> 57:32.201
didn't have the heart to let him down .

57:35.500 --> 57:37.500
Please take , uh , hold off for a

57:37.500 --> 57:39.556
minute . I have some flowers to , to

57:39.556 --> 57:41.778
hand out , and I'll come up and say one

57:41.778 --> 57:43.111
last word . Thank you .

58:39.090 --> 58:40.090
So .

59:00.110 --> 59:02.332
So , one last thing I wanted to mention

59:02.332 --> 59:04.610
before , uh , and I , I kind of forgot ,

59:04.610 --> 59:06.666
I got , I got ahead of myself , last

59:06.666 --> 59:10.300
thing . Talking about my wife and uh I

59:10.300 --> 59:12.522
just want to tell you about the kind of

59:12.522 --> 59:14.744
person she is , if you don't know her .

59:14.744 --> 59:16.689
She's , she's amazing . So several

59:16.689 --> 59:18.411
years ago , um , Makesha , the

59:18.411 --> 59:20.522
wonderful woman who stood up here and

59:20.522 --> 59:22.744
sang today , and her were at an event ,

59:22.744 --> 59:24.967
a , a , a party , and they were talking

59:24.967 --> 59:27.133
about , um , Makesha's brother and the

59:27.133 --> 59:29.949
fact that he was on , uh , uh , he had

59:29.949 --> 59:31.727
uh kidney failure and he was on

59:31.727 --> 59:34.060
dialysis and he was , he needed a donor ,

59:34.060 --> 59:36.229
a kidney donor . Well , my wife says ,

59:36.280 --> 59:38.447
well , she can have one of mine , it's

59:38.447 --> 59:40.502
not a big deal . And Makesha looks ,

59:40.639 --> 59:42.695
looks at Jeanette like , uh , yeah ,

59:42.719 --> 59:44.840
just stop . Come on now . And she's

59:44.840 --> 59:47.062
like , no , I'm serious , we're gonna ,

59:47.062 --> 59:49.419
yeah , I'm doing it . So , she , uh ,

59:50.159 --> 59:52.350
she , my wife , that is , went through

59:52.350 --> 59:54.294
all of the tests , all , it took 2

59:54.294 --> 59:56.517
years , it was a process , and she went

59:56.517 --> 59:59.979
through it . And in the winter of 2021 ,

01:00:00.060 --> 01:00:02.171
it was right in the middle of COVID .

01:00:02.171 --> 01:00:04.060
We were up at Rush Hospital . And

01:00:04.060 --> 01:00:06.282
that's when I met Michael and Barb . We

01:00:06.282 --> 01:00:08.449
were up there . I'll never forget it .

01:00:08.449 --> 01:00:11.959
So , um , yeah , on that day , She ,

01:00:12.479 --> 01:00:16.229
she did it . So , uh , don't wanna get

01:00:16.229 --> 01:00:19.719
upset . But , but there's my , uh , she

01:00:19.719 --> 01:00:22.139
changed her life and it was amazing .

01:00:22.479 --> 01:00:24.479
And I know you're gonna kill me for

01:00:24.479 --> 01:00:26.368
that . I can't help it . I have ,

01:00:26.368 --> 01:00:28.423
they're here , Michael , and they're

01:00:28.423 --> 01:00:30.479
beautiful people . Come on . So with

01:00:30.479 --> 01:00:32.701
that being said , that's , I just wanna

01:00:32.701 --> 01:00:31.560
shout out to you .

01:00:40.080 --> 01:00:42.191
All right , I'm out . I thank you all

01:00:42.191 --> 01:00:44.302
so , so much . Um , please , those of

01:00:44.302 --> 01:00:46.610
you that , uh , that can , please stay .

01:00:46.760 --> 01:00:48.871
We have , we have some hors d'oeuvres

01:00:48.871 --> 01:00:50.927
and some drink , and , and , uh , we

01:00:50.927 --> 01:00:53.149
need you to eat the food , uh , eat the

01:00:53.149 --> 01:00:55.260
food , and , and , uh , mingle . It's

01:00:55.260 --> 01:00:57.204
so wonderful that you get , I know

01:00:57.204 --> 01:00:59.371
there's people here who have never met

01:00:59.371 --> 01:01:01.538
one another , and you , these are like

01:01:01.538 --> 01:01:01.010
circles of my life . Do you ever have

01:01:01.010 --> 01:01:03.300
those planets that collide and And

01:01:03.300 --> 01:01:05.300
you're like , wow , I've never seen

01:01:05.300 --> 01:01:07.244
these people from in , at the same

01:01:07.244 --> 01:01:09.578
place and they're from different worlds ,

01:01:09.578 --> 01:01:11.689
but uh it's special to me . So , with

01:01:11.689 --> 01:01:13.856
all that being said , I am gonna , I'm

01:01:13.856 --> 01:01:15.967
gonna step down . Thank you so much .

01:01:32.899 --> 01:01:34.955
The members of the Illinois National

01:01:34.955 --> 01:01:37.010
Guard are proud of Brigadier General

01:01:37.010 --> 01:01:39.121
Rice and look forward to working with

01:01:39.121 --> 01:01:41.121
him as he takes on new challenges .

01:01:41.260 --> 01:01:43.580
Please stand for the Bennett remain

01:01:43.580 --> 01:01:46.060
standing for the benediction by

01:01:46.060 --> 01:01:47.393
Chaplain Michael Done .

01:01:57.750 --> 01:02:01.500
Please join me for a prayer . We're

01:02:01.500 --> 01:02:03.919
grateful to you , oh God , for

01:02:05.169 --> 01:02:08.909
The uh amazing . Legacy

01:02:09.510 --> 01:02:13.379
Of this rice family . And this .

01:02:14.550 --> 01:02:18.340
Platform that they've built to . To

01:02:18.340 --> 01:02:21.800
launch yet another . Great

01:02:21.800 --> 01:02:25.500
opportunity for General Rice to serve .

01:02:26.919 --> 01:02:30.840
Thank you for this family . Thank you

01:02:30.840 --> 01:02:34.409
for the friends . The ,

01:02:34.610 --> 01:02:38.110
the Small and and big

01:02:38.110 --> 01:02:41.409
military units . And this ,

01:02:41.629 --> 01:02:45.020
this . Great opportunity to serve .

01:02:47.879 --> 01:02:50.159
We thank you that you've answered so

01:02:50.159 --> 01:02:53.060
many prayers already and

01:02:54.820 --> 01:02:56.709
And we're praying once again your

01:02:56.709 --> 01:03:00.560
blessings on , The continuation

01:03:00.560 --> 01:03:03.860
of leadership and service .

01:03:06.159 --> 01:03:08.439
Continued blessings for the family ,

01:03:09.040 --> 01:03:11.479
continued blessings for all of the

01:03:11.479 --> 01:03:13.659
units of the Illinois Guard .

01:03:15.870 --> 01:03:19.040
We're praying blessings for . The

01:03:19.040 --> 01:03:21.096
remainder of our time together , may

01:03:21.096 --> 01:03:23.489
you knit our hearts together , bless

01:03:23.489 --> 01:03:26.860
the food we share . And

01:03:26.860 --> 01:03:30.629
bless all of us . To give

01:03:30.629 --> 01:03:33.590
honor and glory to you in all we do and

01:03:33.590 --> 01:03:36.810
all we say . In your name we pray .

01:03:37.050 --> 01:03:37.590
Amen .

01:03:45.159 --> 01:03:47.280
This concludes today's ceremony . We

01:03:47.280 --> 01:03:49.502
invite you to join General Rice and his

01:03:49.502 --> 01:03:51.659
wife Jeanette d'oeuvres and cake ,

01:03:51.760 --> 01:03:53.760
followed by a reception at the base

01:03:53.760 --> 01:03:56.040
Club . At this time , please remain

01:03:56.040 --> 01:03:58.280
standing for the departure of the

01:03:58.280 --> 01:04:00.520
official party and playing of the Air

01:04:00.520 --> 01:04:01.320
Force song .

01:04:30.399 --> 01:04:31.399
OK .

01:04:42.510 --> 01:04:44.621
Thank you all and please join General

01:04:44.621 --> 01:04:46.788
Rice and his family to the left of the

01:04:46.788 --> 01:04:48.659
stage to wish them well on this

01:04:48.659 --> 01:04:50.939
momentous day . Thank you .