MYANMARNATIONALDEFENSECOLLEGESPEECH

25June2014
ALOMINGALABAKHAMYA.[GREETING]
GOODAFTERNOON,ANDTHANKYOUFORTHISSPECIALOPPORTUNITYTOTALKWITHYOUTODAY.MY
PRESENCEHEREISINDICATIVEOFTHENEWCHAPTERINOURTWOCOUNTRIESRELATIONSHIP.

ASAYOUNGEROFFICER,IATTENDEDOURARMYWARCOLLEGE,WHICHISVERYSIMILARTOYOUR
DEFENSECOLLEGE.THEEDUCATIONIRECEIVEDTHEREWASENRICHINGANDBENEFITEDME
THROUGHOUTMYCAREER.IHOPETHATMYBRIEFREMARKSWILLCONTRIBUTEINSOMESMALLWAYTO
YOURSTUDIESANDSUBSEQUENTENDEAVORS.IAMTRULYHONOREDTOBEHEREWITHYOU.

IAMHERETODAY,NOTASDIPLOMAT,BUREAUCRAT,ORPOLITICIAN,BUTASACITIZENSOLDIERINTHE
UNITEDSTATESMILITARY,WHICHPROUDLYOPERATESWITHGREATEFFECTIVENESSUNDERCIVILIAN
LEADERSHIP.IWILLDESCRIBEMYEXPERIENCESASANARMYOFFICERINTHECONTEXTOFHOWWE,AS
AMERICANS,FUNCTIONINADEMOCRACYANDASAPROFESSIONALMILITARYFORCE.

AFTERWARD,IWOULDLIKETOHEARFROMYOU,ANSWERYOURQUESTIONS,ANDLEARNFROMYOU.I
WANTTOLEAVEYOURBEAUTIFULCOUNTRYWITHTHEHOPETHATWECANLAYTHEFOUNDATIONFOR
ANENDURINGDIALOGUEBETWEENOURMILITARIES.

IHAVESERVEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESARMYFOR32YEARS.DURINGTHATTIME,IHAVEHADAWIDE
VARIETYOFJOBSANDEXPERIENCES.IHAVESERVEDINCOMBATINIRAQANDAFGHANISTAN,JUMPED
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OUTOFAIRPLANES,ANDPILOTEDAH64APACHEATTACKHELICOPTERS.IHAVESERVEDINTIMESOFWAR
ANDPEACE.

ISTARTEDOUTASAPLATOONLEADERANDHAVERISENINTHERANKSTOTHEPOSTIHOLDNOW,DEPUTY
COMMANDEROFU.S.PACIFICCOMMAND,WHICHOVERSEESU.S.MILITARYACTIVITIESTHROUGHOUT
ASIAANDTHEPACIFIC.

ASAU.S.ARMYOFFICER,IHAVESERVEDAROUNDTHEWORLDANDINTERACTEDWITHAVARIETYOF
FOREIGNMILITARIES.THROUGHTHOSEINTERACTIONS,IHAVEGROWNTOAPPRECIATETHENUMEROUS
SIMILARITIESWESHARE,REGARDLESSOFTHENATIONWESERVE.HOWEVER,PLEASELETMESHAREWITH
YOUWHATMAKESMEPROUDESTABOUTTHEU.S.MILITARYANDCONTRIBUTESTOOURABILITYTOFIELD
ONEOFTHEBESTANDMOSTCAPABLEFORCESINTHEWORLD.

WEAMERICANSAREANATIONOFGREATDIVERSITY,ANDOURMILITARYREFLECTSTHEVAST
BACKGROUNDSOFTHEAMERICANPOPULACE.THISDIVERSITYISOURGREATESTSTRENGTH.WE
UNDERSTANDTHATOURJOBASMEMBERSOFAMERICASMILITARYISNTJUST,OREVENPRIMARILY,
ABOUTWEAPONSORSYSTEMSITSABOUTPEOPLE.ITSABOUTTHEDIVERSEGROUPOFPEOPLEWE
LEADANDPEOPLEWESERVE.ANDMOSTIMPORTANTLY,ITSABOUTBUILDINGANDMAINTAININGTHE
TRUSTINOURGREATANDPROUDINSTITUTIONTHATUNDERPINSEVERYTHINGWEDO.

SOWHATMAKESTHEU.S.MILITARYSUCHAPROFESSIONALFORCE?WHATENSURESWEMAINTAINTHE
GOODORDERANDDISCIPLINE,ANDOVERALLQUALITY,REQUIREDTODOOURJOBEFFECTIVELY?ITBOILS
DOWNTOAFEWSIMPLETHINGS:
1) EDUCATIONANDTRAININGTOINSTILLPROFESSIONALCOMPETENCE,VALUESANDCOMMAND
AUTHORITY
2) STRICTADHERENCETOETHICALCONDUCTANDRESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTS
3) ACCEPTANCEOFDIVERSITY
4) RESPECTFORTHERULEOFLAW
5) SUBMISSIONTOCIVILIANCONTROL

FIRST,PROFESSIONALCOMPETENCEANDDISCIPLINECOMESFROMEDUCATION,TRAINING,AND
EXPERIENCE,BUTALSOTHROUGHADHERENCETOANATIONSVALUES.PROFESSIONALEDUCATIONAND
TRAININGAREABSOLUTELYESSENTIALTOWHOWEARETODAY.ASOLDIERSMOSTESSENTIAL
EQUIPMENTISNOTAWEAPON,BUTRATHERASETOFVALUESTHATHEORSHEBRINGSTOTHEMISSION,
ANDTHATWHICHTHEU.S.MILITARYENDEAVORSTOFOSTERINOURFORCESTHROUGHEDUCATIONAND
TRAINING.

THESECOREVALUESDISTINGUISHANYSOLDIERINANYARMYASATRUEPROFESSIONALANDWARRIOR
FORONESNATION.AMILITARYCANONLYBEASGOODASITSMOSTHONORABLESOLDIER.THEREFORE,
THEFIRSTTASKOFANYU.S.MILITARYCOMMANDERATEVERYLEVELFROMTHECOMMANDERINCHIEF
DOWNTOTHELOCALPLATOONLEADERISTOESTABLISHCLEARSTANDARDSOFCONDUCT,TOLEADBY

EXAMPLE,ANDTHENTOENSURETHATTHESEPRINCIPLESAREWELLUNDERSTOODANDIMPLEMENTED
THROUGHOUTHISORGANIZATION.

THISCANONLYBEACHIEVEDTHROUGHEXTENSIVETRAINING,EDUCATION,ANDOVERSIGHT.TRAININGIN
VALUESANDETHICSISEVERYBITASIMPORTANTFORTHEU.S.MILITARYASTIMESPENTTRAININGINTHE
FIELDORATTHERANGE.

IAMVERYPROUDOFTHETRAININGIRECEIVEDONHONORINGANDEMBODYINGTHEVALUESOFMY
COUNTRY.ASANOFFICERIHAVEWORKEDHARDTOPASSALONGTHESEVALUESTOTHENEXT
GENERATIONOFMILITARYLEADERS.

THESECONDPOINTIWANTTODISCUSSISOURRESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTSANDETHICAL
CONDUCT.HUMANRIGHTSARETHOSEUNIVERSALMORALPRINCIPLESTHATSETOUTSTANDARDSOF
HUMANBEHAVIORANDAREPROTECTEDASLEGALRIGHTSININTERNATIONALLAW.

THEYAREFUNDAMENTALRIGHTSTOWHICHALLHUMANBEINGSAREENTITLED.THEYDONOTCHANGE
BASEDONYOURRACE,GENDER,BELIEFSORPOSITIONINSOCIETY.THOSERIGHTSINCLUDELIFE;LIBERTY;
EDUCATION;SECURITYOFPERSON;FREEDOMFROMTORTURE,CRUELTREATMENT,AND
PERSECUTION;ANDFREEDOMOFTHOUGHT,CONSCIENCE,OPINION,RELIGION,EXPRESSION,AND
PEACEFULASSEMBLY.

WITHOUTARESPECTFORTHESERIGHTSWITHINSOCIETYANDESPECIALLYWITHINAMILITARY,SOCIETY
CANNOTCOMETOGETHERANDFLOURISH.NEIGHBORSWILLMISTRUSTNEIGHBORS,ANDNATIONSWILL
STRUGGLETOREACHTHEIRFULLPOTENTIAL.RESPECTANDPROTECTIONSFORHUMANRIGHTSNOTONLY
PRESERVEOURHUMANITYBUTFOSTERANENVIRONMENTWHEREPEOPLEALLPEOPLECANLIVEIN
PEACEANDWITHOUTFEAR.IFAMILITARYDOESNTRESPECTHUMANRIGHTS,HOWCANAPEOPLE
RESPECTANDLOVEITSMILITARY?

RELATEDTOHUMANRIGHTSISTHEMAINTENANCEOFHIGHETHICALSTANDARDS.ASIMENTIONED
BEFORE,WINNINGTRUSTBOTHATHOMEANDABROADREQUIRESUSTOUPHOLDTHEHIGHEST
STANDARDSOFETHICALCONDUCTWHENOURMILITARYISCALLEDTOFIGHT.THOSESTANDARDS
REQUIREUSTODOEVERYTHINGINOURPOWERTOSPARECIVILIANSFROMHARM,EVENWHENTHOSE
CIVILIANSMAYSUPPORTHOSTILEFORCES.

THISPRINCIPLEISSETOUTINAMERICANANDINTERNATIONALLAWTHATALLNATIONSAREBOUNDTO
FOLLOWFOREXAMPLE,THEGENEVACONVENTIONS.BUTITISMORETHANJUSTAPRINCIPLEOFLAW
ANDETHICS.WEHAVELEARNEDITISALSOANOPERATIONALNECESSITY.WHENWECOMMITABUSES
AGAINSTTHECIVILIANPOPULATION,WELOSETHEIRSUPPORT,ANDOURADVERSARIESGAINPOPULAR
SUPPORT.THISMAKESITHARDERFORUSTOPREVAIL,ANDULTIMATELYPLACESOUROWNTROOPSIN
GREATERDANGER.

IHAVESEENWARANDHAVELEADTROOPSINBATTLE.ASANYONEWHOHASSEENWARUNDERSTANDS,
ITISMUCHEASIERTOSAYWEMUSTUPHOLDTHESERULES,THANITISTODOSOONAREAL
BATTLEFIELD.SOLDIERSWHOAREBEINGFIREDONBYTHEENEMY,WHOSEETHEIRFELLOWSOLDIERSDIE
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BESIDETHEM,SOMETIMESACTONTHEIRPASSIONS.THATISHUMANNATURE.HOWEVER,A
DETERMININGCHARACTERISTICOFALLINTERNATIONALLYRESPECTEDPROFESSIONALMILITARIES,ISHOW
THEYADDRESSINSTANCESWHENPASSIONOVERWHELMSDISCIPLINE,HOWTHEYCORRECTAND
ACCOUNTFORVIOLATIONSOFHUMANRIGHTS.

IWANTTOEMPHASIZETHATTHEU.S.MILITARYISNOTPERFECT.WEAREANORGANIZATIONMADEUP
OFINDIVIDUALSWHOSOMETIMESMAKEWRONGCHOICES.BUTLETMEALSOSAYTHATIAM
TREMENDOUSLYPROUDOFOURMILITARYSATTEMPTSTOCORRECTANDLEARNFROMOURMISTAKES
ANDOUROVERWHELMINGDESIRETOCONSTANTLYIMPROVE.
LETMEGIVEYOUACONCRETEEXAMPLE.IMSUREYOUKNOWTHATATTHESTARTOFOURWARINIRAQ,
WEHADAPROBLEMWITHABUSEOFCIVILIANS.ITHURTUS.ITFUELEDRECRUITMENTFORTHEENEMY
WEWEREFIGHTING.ITDAMAGEDTHEINTERNATIONALREPUTATIONOFTHEU.S.MILITARY,GIVINGOUR
ENEMIESANADVANTAGE.THELOCALPOPULATIONBECAMELESSWILLINGTOWORKWITHUS.ITMADE
OURMISSIONMOREDIFFICULTTOACHIEVE.
WHENGENERALDAVIDPETRAEUSTOOKOVERCOMMANDOFOURFORCESINIRAQ,ONEOFHISFIRST
MESSAGESTOHISTROOPSWASTHATWEDONOTTOLERATETORTURE.THATTORTUREBYANYONE
DAMAGESEVERYONE.THATSUCHABUSESARENOTONLYMORALLYWRONGBUTSTRATEGICALLY
DAMAGINGTOTHEMISSION.THROUGHFOCUSEDEFFORT,INCLUDINGSTRICTOVERSIGHTAND
ACCOUNTABILITY,WEMENDEDOURREPUTATION,ANDWEREABLETOTURNTHESITUATIONTOOUR
ADVANTAGEONTHEGROUND.

SOIAMEXTREMELYPROUDOFOURMILITARYSVALUESANDHOWWEWORKHARDEACHDAYTOMEET
THEHIGHESTSTANDARDSTHATOURCITIZENSEXPECTANDTHATBRINGHONORTOOURINSTITUTION.
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THIRD,THEU.S.MILITARYINCLUDESALLASPECTSOFOURSOCIETY,EVERYTYPEOFPERSONYOUCANFIND
INTHEUNITEDSTATES,WITHEVERYTYPEOFBACKGROUND.WEHAVESUCCESSFULLYINTEGRATED
WOMEN,AFRICANAMERICANSANDOTHERMINORITIES,AND,MOSTRECENTLY,GAYAMERICANS.OUR
MILITARYHASBEENAMODELFORTOLERANCEFORTHERESTOFU.S.SOCIETY.THISINTEGRATIONHAS
NOTERODEDOURPROFESSIONALCAPABILITIESBUTRATHERENRICHEDUSANDENABLEDUSTODRAW
UPONTHEWIDEARRAYOFSTRENGTHSFROMACROSSTHESPECTRUMOFAMERICANSOCIETY.

IAMALIVINGEXAMPLEOFTHEU.S.MILITARYSCOMMITMENTTOINTEGRATION,TOLERANCE,AND
INCLUSION.MYANCESTRYISNATIVEAMERICAN,ONEOFTHESMALLESTANDPOORESTETHNICGROUPS
INOURCOUNTRY.BUTBECAUSEANYCITIZENCANJOINOURMILITARYANDWEALLSTARTATTHE
BEGINNINGASEITHERTHEMOSTJUNIOROFFICERORENLISTED,IWASGIVENTHESAMECHANCETO
SUCCEEDASEVERYONEELSE.

MYSUPERIORSHAVEJUDGEDMEBASEDONMERITHOWWELLICARRIEDOUTORDERS,HOWWELLI
SOLVEDPROBLEMS,ANDHOWWELLIEARNEDTHETRUSTOFMYSOLDIERSANDTHEPEOPLEISERVE.AS
ARESULT,ICOMEHERETODAYASATHREESTARGENERAL.

FOURTH,APROFESSIONALARMYMUSTRESPECTANDENFORCETHERULEOFLAWBOTHDOMESTICAND
INTERNATIONAL.THISINCLUDESTHEPROTECTIONOFCITIZENS,THEIRRIGHTS,ANDPROPERTY.A
PROFESSIONALMILITARYMUSTBEOPENANDTRANSPARENT,WITHASYSTEMTHATFAIRLY,JUSTLY,AND
EVENHANDEDLYPUNISHESTHOSETROOPSWHOVIOLATETHELAW.

ANEFFECTIVESYSTEMMUSTBEABLETOINVESTIGATEANDUNCOVERACTIONSTHATMAYBE
EMBARRASSINGTOTHEMILITARY,SUCHASABUSEOFAUTHORITY,STRAYINGFROMTHELAWSOF
WARFAREANDHUMANITY,ANDSTRAYINGFROMONESTRAINING.THATSYSTEMMUSTENSURETHAT
THOSEWHOVIOLATETHELAWAREIDENTIFIEDANDPUNISHED.

SOMETIMESIHEARTHECONCERNTHATPROSECUTINGSOLDIERSWHOCOMMITSUCHOFFENSESHURTS
MORALEINTHEFORCE.WEHAVEFOUNDINTHEU.S.MILITARYTHATTHEOPPOSITEISTRUE.WITHOUT
REALACCOUNTABILITYTODEALWITHTHESECASESQUICKLYANDTRANSPARENTLY,DISCIPLINEBREAKS
DOWN,COMMANDANDCONTROLSUFFERS,ANDTHEMISSIONCANFAIL.

INTHEU.S.SYSTEM,IFAU.S.SOLDIERORUNITISSUSPECTEDOFVIOLATINGUSEOFFORCEORRULESOF
ENGAGEMENTOROFENDANGERINGTHESECURITYOFNONCOMBATANTS,WECONSIDERITESSENTIAL
TOMOVESWIFTLYANDIMPARTIALLYTOINVESTIGATETHEFACTSTHROUGHESTABLISHEDAND
INDEPENDENTJUDICIALSYSTEMS,ANDTAKEAPPROPRIATEACTIONASREQUIRED.

FINALLYANDPERHAPSTHECORNERSTONEOFWHATMAKESTHEU.S.MILITARYAPROFESSIONALFORCE
ISTHEFACTTHATITFALLSUNDERTHECONTROLOFOURCIVILIANGOVERNMENT.
TOENSUREOURNATIONALDEFENSE,OURFOUNDERSCREATEDAMILITARYCOMPRISEDOFSOLDIERS
WHOSERVEUNDERLEADERSELECTEDBYTHEPEOPLE.THESESOLDIERSOBEYTHESAMERULESANDLAWS
ASTHEPEOPLEANDEXERCISETHEIRRIGHTSTOPARTICIPATEINTHEDEMOCRATICPROCESS.

WHILEINDIVIDUALSOLDIERSLIKEMYSELFCANVOTEANDCHERISHTHISRIGHTTHEU.S.MILITARY,AS
ANINSTITUTION,DOESNOTWEIGHINONPOLITICALDECISIONSORQUESTIONS.SIMPLYPUT,MILITARIES
POSSESSCAPABILITIESTHATARETOOPOWERFULTOBEPLACEDATTHEDISCRETIONOFJUSTAFEW
PEOPLE.RATHER,THEYMUSTBEATTHESERVICEOFALLPEOPLEANDUSEDINACCORDANCEWITHTHE
DEMOCRATICWILLOFTHEPEOPLE.

ASAMILITARYOFFICER,IBEGANMYCAREERBYSWEARINGANOATHTOTHEUNITEDSTATESOF
AMERICA.INTHATOATH,ISWORETOOBEYTHELAWFULORDERSOFTHEOFFICERSISERVED,ANDTHE
ORDERSOFTHEPRESIDENTOURCOUNTRYSHIGHESTCIVILIANLEADER.MYAUTHORITIESARELIMITED
BYU.S.LAWTOTHOSESPECIFICALLYGIVENTOMEBYTHEPEOPLEANDPLACESMEUNDERTHE
DIRECTIONOFDEMOCRATICALLYELECTEDCIVILIANLEADERSHIP.INOURSYSTEMOFGOVERNMENT,ONE
OFMYRESPONSIBILITIESISTOPROVIDEMYBESTMILITARYADVICETOMYCIVILIANLEADERSHIPONHOW
TOSOLVEPROBLEMS.

WEMAYNOTALWAYSAGREEONTHESOLUTIONSTOSPECIFICCHALLENGES,BUTIHONORMYOATHASA
SACREDDUTYTOOURDEMOCRACY,ASDOESEVERYMILITARYOFFICER,ANDIFOLLOWTHEORDERSAS
GIVENTOMEBYMYMILITARYANDCIVILIANSUPERIORS.THISCOMMITMENTHASENABLEDTHEUNITED
STATESTOBUILDAROBUST,EFFECTIVEMILITARYTHAT,ATTHESAMETIME,ISHIGHLYHONOREDBYOUR
CITIZENS.ICANTIMAGINEITANYOTHERWAY.

INCONCLUSION,IFOLLOWTHEPHILOSOPHYOFMYBOSS,ADMIRALLOCKLEAR,WHOALWAYSSAYS
TRAIN,TREAT,TRUST.

TRAINANDEDUCATEYOURSOLDIERSSOTHEYWILLBEREADYTOCARRYOUTTHEIRDUTIESINAWAY
THATDEMONSTRATESPROFESSIONALISMANDHONORSTHENATIONSVALUES.TREATYOURSOLDIERS
ANDTHECITIZENSYOUPROTECTWITHRESPECTANDDIGNITY.THENINSTILLTRUSTNOTONLYAMONG
YOURSOLDIERSBUTALSOBETWEENYOURSOLDIERSANDTHECIVILIANPOPULATIONANDLEADERS.I
TRULYHOPETHATYOURMILITARYWILLADHERETOASIMILARETHOSTHATWILLALLOWYOURMILITARY
ANDYOURCOUNTRYTOACHIEVEITSFULLPOTENTIALANDTHRIVE.

MANYOFYOUWILLCOMMANDANDLEADSOLDIERSINDIFFICULTSITUATIONS.SEVERALOFYOUMAY
REACHTHEHIGHESTRANKSWITHINTHEMYANMARMILITARY.SOMEOFYOUAFTERMILITARYSERVICE
MAYEVENSERVEYOURCOUNTRYASAGOVERNMENTCIVILIAN.

REGARDLESSOFTHEPATHYOUCHOOSE,EACHONEOFYOUWILLBEINAPOSITIONTOADVANCETHE
IDEALSOFPROFESSIONALCOMPETENCEANDVALUES,RESPECTFORHUMANRIGHTSANDETHICAL
CONDUCT,DIVERSITY,RESPECTFORTHERULEOFLAW,ANDSUBMISSIONTOCIVILIANCONTROLOFTHE
MILITARY.INTHISWAY,YOUWILLBEABLETOEFFECTCHANGEANDFORGEAPATHWAYTOMEANINGFUL
REFORMSTHATWILLBUILDAMOREPROFESSIONALMILITARYANDASTRONGERCOUNTRY.

THESEARESOMEOFMYREFLECTIONSBASEDONMYEXPERIENCEASANOFFICERINAMERICASARMED
FORCES.MYEXPERIENCEISUNDOUBTEDLYDIFFERENTFROMYOURSINMANYWAYS.IDONOTPRETEND
THATWEHAVEALLTHEANSWERS.

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HOWEVER,IDOBELIEVETHEBASICIDEASIHAVEMENTIONEDARERELEVANTEVERYWHERE.IAM
CONFIDENTTHATADHERENCETOTHESEPRINCIPLESWILLBEESSENTIALTOENDINGTHELONGSTANDING
CONFLICTINYOUROWNCOUNTRYINKACHINSTATE,SHANSTATE,ANDEVERYWHEREANDTO
ENABLINGRECONCILIATIONBENEFITTINGALLOFMYANMARSPEOPLE.INMYEXPERIENCEWORKING
WITHOTHERMILITARIES,IHAVEFOUNDTHATWHENANATIONSARMEDFORCESAREABOVEPOLITICS,
RESPECTTHEULTIMATEAUTHORITYOFELECTEDCIVILIANS,ABIDEBYTHERULEOFLAWANDPROTECT
CIVILIANS,THEYWILLWINTHETRUSTOFTHEPEOPLETHEYSERVE.ITMAYSEEMTHEYAREACCEPTING
SIGNIFICANTRESTRICTIONSONTHEIRAUTHORITY,BUTINFACTTHEYENDUPSTRONGER,MORE
RESPECTED,ANDMOREEFFECTIVEWHENTHEYARECALLEDTOFIGHT.

WITHTHAT,IAPPRECIATETHEOPPORTUNITYTOSPEAKTOYOUANDWOULDLIKETOANSWERANY
QUESTIONSYOUMAYHAVE.

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