United States Army People

"The enemy fought with savage fury, and met death with all its horrours, without shrinking or complaining: not one asked to be spared, but fought as long as they could stand or sit."

"We ran down the middle of the bridge, shouting as we went. I didn’t stop because I knew that if I kept moving they couldn’t hit me. My men were in squad column and not one of them was hit. We took cover in some bomb craters. Then we just sat and waited for others to come. That’s the way it was."

"Airborne combat in Sicily and Italy had been invaluable in preparation for the Normandy operation. We learned what could be done by parachute troops and troop carrier pilots, but, more important, we learned what they could not do. The airborne troops had more than held their own against German infantry, but meeting German armor in good tank country could be disastrous. The airborne-troop carrier team had to be thoroughly trained and honed to a keen edge. Small mistakes could lead to disaster, with airborne troops badly scattered and heavy troop carrier losses. On the other hand, with hard work and thorough training, the team could be made into an extremely effective battle force, a force that could tip the scales to victory in any future combat operation. And although we had made a number of mistakes and learned costly lessons in Sicily, that had been a comparatively small operation. For OVERLORD we would be three airborne divisions, more than 1,300 transports, and 3,300 gliders. It was to be a tremendous undertaking."

"Army NCO's trace their roots to the beginnings of American military history. They helped Washington preserve the Continental Army at Valley Forge, stood with Winfield Scott at Chippewa, and directed Zachary Taylor's guns at Palo Alto. They carried the nation's colors at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, fought yellow fever in Cuba with Walter Reed, and led Pershing's and Eisenhower's legions into Germany. Whether helping local populations build a village in Southeast Asia or teaching young Iraqi soldiers to conduct operations, American NCOs are leading from the front and are some of our nation's best ambassadors. Over time, through various changes in tactics and technology, Army NCOs have emerged as the Army's small-unit leaders, trainers, and guardians of standards."

"Our NCO Corps is unrivaled by any army in the world, envied by our allies, and feared by our enemies. Throughout the Army's history, the NCO has been a pivotal figure, but never more so than today with our spectrum of operations: full combat, tank-on-tank fighting, as during the invasion of Iraq; the guerilla/insurgency war ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan; peacekeeping operations in Kosovo; and humanitarian support for survivors of the tsunami in Asia, hurricanes in the southeast, and fires in the southwest. Our Army must be ready for this broad range of operations in the years ahead. As NCOs embrace their ever-growing responsibilities in the twenty-first century, this volume will help them remember how they came to be the "backbone of our Army.""

"Although our Army today is, in many respects, a very different force than the Army of 1989 or 1945, many things stay the same. Our Soldiers still serve the people of the United States and live the Army values. They embody the Soldier's Creed and our Warrior Ethos, which states, "I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, I will never leave a fallen comrade.""

"It was pretty special being from a small town, where we kind of drew inspiration from our veteran community. Those old-timers kind of built us up as young men, and gave us a solid foundation to grow on."

"Every man on the mission that night was engaged in their own unique problem set. My teammates were also looking for some way to liberate those hostages. I just happened to be the man at the right place with the bolt cutters. So I had to find a way to capitalize on the opportunity that I was given."

"Let's get into the fight."

"It was an honor for me to participate that night, because you live for hostage rescues. When you look back on that night, it embodies the selfless service of my teammates. Especially Sergeant Joshua Wheeler. They put the lives of the hostages above their own. When you think about Army values like duty, personal courage, and selfless service, that's what stands out to me about that mission."

"Sergeant First Class Thomas P. Payne distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, above and beyond the call of duty, on October 22, 2015, during a daring nighttime hostage rescue in Kirkuk Province, Iraq, in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. Sergeant Payne led a combined assault team charged with clearing one of two buildings known to house the hostages. With speed, audacity, and courage, he led his team as they quickly cleared the assigned building, liberating 38 hostages. Upon hearing a request for additional assaulters to assist with clearing the other building, Sergeant Payne, on his own initiative, left his secured position, exposing himself to enemy fire as he bounded across the compound to the other building from which entrenched enemy forces were engaging his comrades. Sergeant Payne climbed a ladder to the building’s roof, which was partially engulfed in flames, and engaged enemy fighters below with grenades and small arms fire. He then moved back to ground level to engage the enemy forces through a breach hole in the west side of the building. Knowing time was running out for the hostages trapped inside the burning building, Sergeant Payne moved to the main entrance, where heavy enemy fire had thwarted previous attempts to enter. He knowingly risked his own life by bravely entering the building under intense enemy fire, enduring smoke, heat, and flames to identify the armored door imprisoning the hostages. Upon exiting, Sergeant Payne exchanged his rifle for bolt cutters, and again entered the building, ignoring the enemy rounds impacting the walls around him as he cut the locks on a complex locking mechanism. His courageous actions motivated the coalition assault team members to enter the breach and assist with cutting the locks. After exiting to catch his breath, he reentered the building to make the final lock cuts, freeing 37 hostages. Sergeant Payne then facilitated the evacuation of the hostages, even though ordered to evacuate the collapsing building himself, which was now structurally unsound due to the fire. Sergeant Payne then reentered the burning building one last time to ensure everyone had been evacuated. He consciously exposed himself to enemy automatic gunfire each time he entered the building. His extraordinary heroism and selfless actions were key to liberating 75 hostages during a contested rescue mission that resulted in 20 enemies killed in action. Sergeant First Class Payne’s gallantry under fire and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Special Operations Command, and the United States Army."

"On September 11, 2020, aptly on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that launched the United States' global war against terrorists, then-Sergeant Major Thomas Patrick Payne traveled to the White House to receive the Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump, the nation's highest award for valor bestowed for hos part in one of the largest hostage rescues in history. Over nearly a score of combat deployments, Sergeant Major Payne had fought on virtually every front in the United States' global war against terrorists and extremists. He insists that his actions at the prison compound on October 22, 2015, were just what all of his teammates expected of each other."

"I was a senior in high school. I was in class and we turned on the TV after the first plane hit. [...] That was the defining moment. Once the towers fell on 9/11, that’s when I decided I was going to join the military and I was going to serve with the 75th Ranger Regiment."

"In combat you are constantly studying the enemy, and the enemy is constantly studying you, but conducting a hostage rescue mission behind enemy lines at night is something we prepare to do every single day at Special Operations Command. We start planning hostage rescue missions from the simple conviction that failure is not an option. When the Kurdish government reached out for assistance in a hostage rescue mission, we all considered it a 'no fail' mission. We were not going to fail our partners. We knew it was highly probable that those hostages would be executed if we didn't action that target. And we considered it our duty to bring those people home."

"Once, a student asked me what the secret was to being a good combat leader, a man who commands the loyalty and respect of his subordinates. That was a question I'd been formulating the answer to for many years, almost from Day One when I set foot on Vietnamese soil. My answer to him and the class was a simple one which I would repeat many times throughout the years. "If you want a soldier's respect and loyalty, you must demonstrate two things. First, you must show that you know more than the soldier you are leading. Your subordinate must be aware that you have knowledge he does not possess, and that you are trying to teach him. "The second thing you must demonstrate is a genuine concern for his safety and well-being. The concern must be real, because a young soldier can spot a faker a mile away. If your concern for him is genuine- and he knows it- then you can rest assured that he will follow you into the jaws of death.""

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Miller, 5th Special Forces Group, distinguished himself while serving as team leader of an American-Vietnamese long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy-controlled territory. Leaving the helicopter insertion point, the patrol moved forward on its mission. Suddenly, one of the team members tripped a hostile booby trap which wounded four soldiers. S/Sgt. Miller, knowing that the explosion would alert the enemy, quickly administered first aid to the wounded and directed the team into positions across a small stream bed at the base of a steep hill. Within a few minutes, S/Sgt. Miller saw the lead element of what he estimated to be a platoon-size enemy force moving toward his location. Concerned for the safety of his men, he directed the small team to move up the hill to a more secure position. He remained alone, separated from the patrol, to meet the attack. S/Sgt. Miller singlehandedly repulsed two determined attacks by the numerically superior enemy force and caused them to withdraw in disorder. He rejoined his team, established contact with a forward air controller, and arranged the evacuation of his patrol. However, the only suitable extraction location in the heavy jungle was a bomb crater some 150 meters from the team location. S/Sgt. Miller reconnoitered the route to the crater and led his men through the enemy-controlled jungle to the extraction site. As the evacuation helicopter hovered over the crater to pick up the patrol, the enemy launched a savage automatic-weapons and rocket-propelled-grenade attack against the beleaguered team, driving off the rescue helicopter. S/Sgt. Miller led the team in a valiant defense which drove back the enemy in its attempt to overrun the small patrol. Although seriously wounded and with every man in his patrol a casualty, S/Sgt. Miller moved forward to again singlehandedly meet the hostile attackers. From his forward exposed position, S/Sgt. Miller gallantly repelled two attacks by the enemy before a friendly relief force reached the patrol location. S/Sgt. Miller's gallantry, intrepidity in action, and selfless devotion to the welfare of his comrades are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army."

"It seemed like the entire world knew I'd come out of Womack's Nut Ward, and as a result I was accused of everything from shoplifting to armed robbery to murder. Nobody took my word for anything. Any derogatory stories that could be old about me were given maximum dissemination. When you have the Medal of Honor, all actions- good, bad, true, or false- are magnified, and an undue amount of significance is attached to each. My every move- real or imagined- became front-page news. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but not much."

"Mail is such a critical thing to soldiers in the field because of their Spartan way of living. Mail can make or break any situation. When you get a letter, man, your morale shoots sky-high. Especially when it smells just like your girlfriend. That perfume smell, you know? There you are, sitting in the middle of nowhere, and the next thing you know someone comes along, says, "Here you go, man," and flips you a leter. A letter that he's probably sniffed most of he perfume out of before it gets to you."

"Six fellow soldiers also received the Medal of Honor with me on that warm, clear day in June, 1971. However, only one man stood beside me. Tragically, the other five were awarded posthumously. Such sorrow reflects the magnitude of the actions of those individuals who are considered for the CMH. A female lieutenant colonel once asked me if I knew why they gave me the medal. She asked the question in such a way that I took it as meaning she knew the reason- did I? Her question pissed me off. I thought, what the hell do you know? How could you, who have never seen combat, possibly know? I was preparing to give it to her with both barrels at the conclusion of her comment. However, she said something profound that hit the nail right square on the head. She said, "They gave you the medal because they realize that something has happened to you that they can't understand." You were absolutely right, ma'am. My apologies."

"They don't have mail call out in the field like you'd think. If we all gathered round he sarge to receive your mail we'd probably be attacked. It would be an ideal time to do so, with all of us clustered together in one big, easy target. So one or more guys distributed the goodies. Just as receiving mail will boost your spirits, absence of mail will, over a long period of time, dramatically lower your morale. This is particularly true if you're expecting something. You start getting jealous of guys who get mail, especially if they are receiving it on a constant basis. I've seen two guys exchange heated words because one was extremely happy about hearing from his girl, while the other hadn't heard from home in weeks. Enough said."

"I remember Kelly most for the times we spent playing cards. You name the card game, and we played it. We were both avid card players, and even though our card games were strictly for fun, we were both highly competitive and hated to lose. The winner always took great delight in the loser's whining, excuses, and accusations of cheating. Good-natured miniscuffles broke out on occasion. My most vivid memories were of the times we played cards by moonlight. The moon appeared so much larger by the equator, and the absence of air pollution out in the bush allowed the moonlight to bathe us unfiltered. There we sat, playing game after game inside the platoon's perimeter when we weren't pulling guard or on patrol. At night we played without the usual theatrics, whispering only to name the game or utter a put-down. The stillness of the jungle and the glossy blackness of the night sky combined with the moon's frozen brilliance to create an eerie, haunting setting. The worn, creased cards that Kelly always carried were never idle for long under those conditions. Now they'd be idle forever. Death was now close to home."

"There is no freer man alive than a captain of cavalry in command of his own troop."

"To the American and Filipino officers and soldiers who gave their lives in the defense of the Philippines"

"I scraped the last of the rice from my mess kit and looked out across the little clearing. My aides, Major Johnny Pugh and Captain Tom Dooley, were walking up to the battered trailer that served as my headquarters on Bataan. "About time to go, General," Johnny said. "General Sutherland said the boat would be at Mariveles at noon." I got up, put on my tin lid, and got a leg up on our jeep. We bumped down the pretense of a road to the piers of the little village that sits on the southern tip of the peninsula. My orderly, Sergeant Hubert Carroll, kept one weather-beaten eye on the air above our jeep all the way to Mariveles. But this day- March 10, 1942- there was no strafing. At least not for us."

"Distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly superior enemy forces. At the repeated risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in his position, he frequented the firing line of his troops where his presence provided the example and incentive that helped make the gallant efforts of these men possible. The final stand on beleaguered Corregidor, for which he was in an important measure personally responsible, commanded the admiration of the nation's allies. It reflected the high morale of American arms in the face of overwhelming odds. His courage and resolution were a vitally needed inspiration to the then sorely pressed freedom-loving peoples of the world."

"Under the provisions of Executive Order 11545, July 9, 1970, the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America take pleasure in awarding the Defense Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious achievement while serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Intelligence) (Resources and Management) and then concurrently as Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Deputy Director of Defense Intelligence (Production, Plans and Operations) during the period March 1976 to January 1977. During this period he displayed superlative leadership qualities and professional competence of the highest order in the realignment of Department of Defense intelligence activities and planning, direction, and management of the Defense Intelligence Agency. As a member of the Defense Intelligence Board, he was instrumental in an active dialogue between Defense intelligence users and producers, insuring production of quality products responsive to user needs. To provide better focus on production and management activities, General Wilson carried out he most extensive reorganization of the Defense Intelligence Agency since its founding, initiating a complete manpower survey and a number of in-depth management improvement studies to achieve optimum use of diminishing resources. The singular distinctive achievements of General Wilson reflect the highest credit upon himself, the Department of Defense, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the United States Army."

"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566/0-1290347), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 5307th Composite Unit in action in North Burma on 15 March 1944. Because of command inefficiency, two platoons of a combat team were pinned down, unable to return fire, retreat, or evacuate their wounded. Lieutenant Wilson, although not a member of this team, acting on his own initiative and with utter disregard for his own life, took over command. Setting up mortars, Lieutenant Wilson personally crawled to the Japanese lines and using radio, directed mortar fire on the enemy. As a result the platoons were able to withdraw, though still under heavy fire. Lieutenant Wilson, under this fire, carried back two wounded men of one of the platoons that had withdrawn to a safe position. He immediately reorganized the team, saving the entire unit from being routed and badly shot up. Lieutenant Wilson’s actions are representative of the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."

"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566/0-1290347), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 5307th Composite Unit on the night of 28 March 1944, at ****, Burma. Lieutenant Wilson with utter disregard for his own life, returned to a previously evacuated area under a terrific Artillery barrage to aid some of his wounded men who could not be evacuated that night."

"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States in positions of great responsibility and trust from April 1973 to August 1977, serving successively as Deputy Director for Estimates, Deputy Director for Attache Affairs, Deputy to the Director; and Director, Defense Intelligence Agency. During this period, which represents the capstone of an illustrious and distinguished military career, spanning more than 36 years of active service, Lieutenant General Wilson exemplified professional capabilities and personal traits of leadership, initiative, and integrity essential for maximum contribution to the security of the United States. By his superb leadership of this large and complex joint organization of 4,400 military and civilian persons, worldwide, he steered the Agency through some of its most difficult times since its establishment in 1961. His assessments and evaluations in Strategic Arms Limitation, Mutual Balanced Force Reductions in Europe, Panama Canal Treaty negotiations, Soviet threat in the third world, impact of the US force reductions in South Korea, and the prospects for peace in the Middle East assisted the President and Secretary of Defense in making critical decisions. His initiative led to greatly improved intelligence support of contingency planning by the unified and specified commands and their service components. His professionalism, resourcefulness, and leadership in international events and crises contributed significantly to the preservation of national security. His superior performance of duty as Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, culminates a distinguished and heroic service as soldier, leader, and statesman and reflects the highest credit upon him, the Department of Defense, and the United States Army."

"In 1992, Sam was chosen to be president of Hampden-Sydney College and served in the position until 2000. As president, one of Sam's first accomplishments was refurbishing campus buildings that had fallen into disrepair. He also was responsible for significantly growing the HSC endowment. In 1996, HSC gained national attention for its decision, after a long and highly publicized debate, the college chose to remain an all-male college. Sam was also responsible for bringing many celebrities to campus for major events. In 1993, HSC held a symposium on the Vietnam War attended by General William Westmoreland, film director Oliver Stone, and journalist Morley Safer, among others. Other celebrities that visited during Sam's tenure included actor James Earl Jones, authors Doris Goodwin and Tom Clancy, and controversial former military officer and aspiring politician Oliver North. After retiring from the presidency, Sam continued to teach and remain active in the Farmville area. He worked with HSC undergraduate Drew Prehmus to complete the biography "General Sam." Sam died on June 10, 2017 of lung cancer at the age of 93. Sam was married twice, the first time to Frances Brenda Downing (1926-1987), whom Sam met while stationed at Fort Benning shortly after the war. They had four children: Sam Jr. (1946-), Susi (1949- ), Jackson (1952-), and David (1957-). After the death of Brenda in 1987, Sam remarried to Susi Wilson (born Virginia Howton), who was herself a native of the South and an officer in the U.S. military."

"General Sam's leadership style is not something that can be reproduced and mass-distributed. Leadership does not function in that manner. Each individual must work to find his or own strengths and weaknesses and learn from them to fashion a leadership style. General Sam successfully did exactly that. Perhaps an undergraduate's attempt to capture the personality of a man who used his innate physical and intellectual resources to react effectively to the stressful problems that life threw at him offers a more complete picture of leadership in action than a series of PowerPoint slides. I am wagering that a complex narrative portrait of this man will teach us more and will affect us more deeply than a sequence of culled principles or reductive rules."

"Sam continued to rise in the ranks, earning promotion to major general and then lieutenant general before retiring in 1977. He spent extended periods of time in the 1970s in the Soviet Union as an intelligence officer. He also developed close relationships with men in government such as George H. W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. Sam's last post was as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His decision to retire was not just for his benefit, but done out of concern for the health of his wife, Brenda. After retiring from the military, at the behest of his friend Earl “Frosty” Lockwood, Sam worked as a consultant for the small, D.C. area intelligence firm Betac. Despite pressure from some admirers, Sam mostly kept out of politics and avoided calls for running for office. He spent most of his time on his farm and taught college courses on politics and government at Longwood University and HSC. A man of faith, he also taught Sunday School in the Farmville area. A warm and outgoing man who liked to tell stories, Sam was an accomplished musician, who liked to play piano and guitar for the many visitors to the farm."

"Be good, do good, and you might just get to Hampden-Sydney someday."

"General Samuel Vaughan Wilson was a highly decorated veteran of World War II, Cold War intelligence officer, commander in Vietnam, and president of Hampden-Sydney College for eight years. Wilson spent more than 35 years working for the United States military, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general. Over the course of his career, General Wilson worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency and played a prominent role in formulating the army's counter-insurgency (COIN) doctrine. Wilson was born September 23, 1923 in Rice, Virginia. He was the son of Jasper Dennis "Cap'n Jack" Wilson (1879-1959) and Helen Wilson (1893-1955). Sam's family had deep roots in rural Virginia and the Prince Edward County area. After graduating from high school in 1940, and inspired by a speech by Winston Churchill, Sam enlisted in the Virginia National Guard, though he lied about his age in order to enter the service (originally as a bugler). He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a second lieutenant by the age of 18. During World War II, Sam volunteered for the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as “Merrill's Marauders.” The Marauders gained fame in what was then Burma. The 3,000 man force fought Japanese troops behind the lines with the help of English, Indian, and Burmese forces. The Marauders suffered more than 95% casualties. Sam was among those who were wounded, killed, or who fell ill in the tropical and mountainous conditions. He served only a few months in the Marauders, but his experiences were formative. He won the respect of his men for his scouting missions, which often found him miles ahead of Japanese forces. For his conduct, Sam was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but he had to wait years to get it. Later, Sam served as a historical advisor to the 1962 Sam Fuller film Merrill's Marauders and had a speaking role in the movie."

"Having the opportunity to know and to help others know a man who was able to act effectively in morally complex circumstances has been a privilege for which I am grateful. The greatest value of my project has been the opportunity to come to know, appreciate, and perhaps, in some measure, dramatize for others the life and achievements of an honest and passionate man, a patriotic American, General Samuel Vaughan Wilson. For that I will be forever grateful to him. From the forests and fields of Depression-era Southside Virginia to the swampy jungles of World War II Burma, from the pinstripe suits of the White House to the shadows and mirrors surrounding the Kremlin during the Cold War, this narrative describes the journey of a man who spent his whole life in service. He learned early that by putting one foot in front of another, much can be achieved, and in the face of daunting challenges, he accomplished with unwavering determination what lesser men would call impossible. His innate abilities as a leader shone equally in his varied military career, his role as an educator and college President, his contributions to his community, and his devotion to family and to God. General Samuel Vaughan Wilson offers each of us a glimpse into our own potential- if we have the will to reach for it."

"After the war, Sam joined the ranks of U.S. intelligence, tasked with containing communism and maintaining the balance of power in Europe. Sam was a student at Columbia University, where, as an officer in OSS (Office of Strategic Services), he studied Russia and Russian history. He became fluent in Russian and German and later spoke other languages as well. Despite his intelligence and accomplishments, Sam never obtained a college degree, though later in life he received various honorary degrees. In the 1950s, now a major, Wilson worked in Germany as a spy, a job that not only put his life in danger, but placed extraordinary pressure on his family, who traveled with him. Nevertheless, by the 1950s, Sam's career had established a pattern: he would travel across the globe, while also working for long stretches in the United States. Over the course of his career, he served at various military posts, including Fort Bragg, Fort Leavenworth, and Fort Benning. In the early 1960s, Colonel Wilson worked with Ed Lansdale in Washington, D.C., to formulate the United States' counterinsurgeny doctrine. In Vietnam, Sam would help implement this doctrine. Sam believed the war against communism could not be won in Vietnam without the support of the local population. Winning the "hearts and minds" of civilians, therefore, was essential to victory. Eventually, Sam was put in charge of pacification efforts in Long An province in 1967. He served in that capacity for several months before returning to the States in late 1967 to teach Special Forces at Fort Bragg. Decades later, Sam served as a commentator for Ken Burns’s critically acclaimed documentary on the Vietnam War."

"Well, as some of you already know, this is home for me. Hampden-Sydney College has been in my blood since I was a small boy. I am overwhelmed with delight to be here. And I have no particular message other than to note my primary conviction as far as the mission of this College is concerned. It is that the most important person walking the grassy knolls of this campus is the student. He is followed closely, almost lockstep, by the second most important person, the teacher. And the most important event transpiring on this campus is the colloquy between that student and teacher. All else is secondary and supporting. That's the direction in which I'm headed, folks, and I hope you'll be with me."

"You, my fellow warriors, must be able to describe, to put in simple, effective words, who you are, what you stand for, why you are doing what you are doing. That means you must first be able to answer these questions for yourself, in your own mind, in your own heart."

"Ninety percent of intelligence comes from open sources. The other ten percent, the clandestine work, is just the more dramatic. The real intelligence hero is Sherlock Holmes, not James Bond."

"The 1960s might be called the burnt-over decade; strife over civil rights set American cities alight; women demanding greater rights torched their bras; and the draft cards of many antiwar protestors went up in flames. The youth revolt assaulted all the bastions of tradition; the sense of innocence that pervaded American culture gave way to a cynicism that polarized- and still does- American society. While West Point appeared as an oasis of order and discipline, it could not entirely escape the turmoil and demands for change. The cadets, after all, were products of that same overindulged baby boomer generation."

"While a conservative, I was no troglodyte- a claim some of my charges might contest. West Point is a kind of monastery tucked away on a bluff overlooking the Hudson, far removed from the hustle and tussles of modern life (ironically within an hour's drive of Manhattan). Tradition was its bedrock. Cadets still wore the gray uniforms of the Battle of Chippewa in the War of 1812, and many of the practices dated back at least that far. For decades, adherence to hoary teaching practices- rote memorization, daily recitations, arcane grading methods- left the Military Academy trailing the best civilian universities. West Point was in the midst of changing its pedagogic methods and modernizing the curriculum, but that, too, widened old fault lines. I agreed with those who wanted to make tempered adjustments when called for but also believed in preserving the best of the old system and enforcing the rules as written, which applied equally to officers and cadets. The tactical officers bore responsibility for the discipline and military training of cadets; the former demanded most of our energies."

"Of all Army schools, West Point is the most resistant to change."

"Integrity must be the core value in everything a Soldier does. Integrity is the unflinching adherence to high standards of duty and honor no matter what the physical risk, the emotional stress, or the ridicule of others. Integrity requires you to do your best, to do your duty. Remember: Winston Churchill once said that duty is the noblest word in the English language."

"Other than my father, George Washington influenced me most. Washington remains a timeless national icon because of his republican rectitude and for always keeping his word. As a battlefield commander, he had a losing record. His greatness as a general rested in his personal intangibles; and he was at his best when the chips were down. His bold riposte across the Delaware kept alive the flickering embers of American hopes in the war. After the drubbings at Brandywine and Germantown, with his beaten and demoralized army wintering in Valley Forge, he did not return to Mount Vernon and the comforts of home. He stayed with his men, endured the privations, and with the help of General von Steuben, trained his troops and restored their morale and combat efficiency as proven the next time the Continental Army faced the British at Monmouth. It was a different army. He established his reputation based entirely on the way he conducted his life. Earlier, in a conference with Native Americans, he said, "Brothers, I am a warrior. My words are few and plain; but I will make good what I say." I would like to be remembered that way."

"Be there. That has always been my personal standard. Be there for my soldiers, and if a soldier is undergoing adversity, be there by his side."

"Outstanding physical fitness is vital; as a combat Infantryman, you're nothing if you're not in superb physical condition. Outstanding physical fitness helps every Soldier perform regardless of his job- whether in combat, combat support, or combat service support. Stamina is the most important facet of physical fitness."

"I'm awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for my actions in Korea. In 1967, I'm awarded a second, along with two Silver Stars, as a battalion commander in the Vietnam Conflict. Those awards, in addition to five Purple Hearts, and two Bronze Stars- and my later inauguration into the Ranger Hall of Fame- all the credit goes to my sergeants and my men. I know it was tough for them, but I was right there with them, and I tried to praise each man every chance I got. That's my leadership style. Just be there. No great plans of maneuver or anything like that. I've never been anything much more than another rifleman."

"Strive for excellence in every activity. "Good enough" is never good enough until it is the best you can do. Whenever you settle for anything less than your best, you're cheating yourself, your Soldiers, our Army, and this great country."

"Colonel Puckett's retirement at the end of June 1971 marked the end of his time in uniform, and the beginning of an important chapter of his life. He decided to retire because he had been invited to take a position that appealed enormously to him, that of national programs coordinator for Outward Bound. As always, he threw himself into the new endeavor, giving energy and direction to a superb organization, and spurring a number of initiatives that made a superb organization even better. Following that experience, he became the executive vice president of MicroBilt, a soft-and-hardware computer company, learning considerably about the revolution beginning in the IT sector and enjoying the new challenges immensely. In each of his civilian capacities, he brought what he'd always provided to the military units he had led: clear vision, dedication, integrity, and inspirational leadership."

"Ralph Puckett was, in my experience, truly unique in his commitment to serve those in the ranks of the organizations he treasured. He was also unique in the way in which he inspired each of us he touched to truly strive to be all that we could be. Despite the praise and compliments that he frequently offered, he was, at heart, a leader who was never fully satisfied with anyone's level of performance, including his own, no matter how exceptional; rather, his approach could best be characterized by a phrase familiar to many of us who served: "One more, Ranger"- whether it was one more push-up, one more pull-up, one more iteration of a tough training exercise, or better performance in any aspect of our profession as soldiers and leaders. But he managed to provide his exhortation in such a positive, encouraging manner that we did everything humanly possible not to fail him; indeed, we did all that we could do to live up to his expectations, to enable him to "confirm our excellence," as he put it. And when some of us did stumble or fail im, his response was supportive, encouraging us to recognize our mistake, learn from it, and take action to avoid it in the future. He truly cared about people and genuinely sought to help them achieve their fullest potential. That technique of leadership- affirmative, positive, motivating- is what truy set Ranger Puckett apart, and that is what made him such a tremendous addition to any organization he led or supported. He truly embraced the greeting Rangers render to superior officers, "Rangers lead the way!" And he wanted to be sure that every Ranger would, indeed, do just that."