Britt Veteran s Monument Dedication Ceremony Address by Major General (Ret) Stewart Wallace, USA Representative Upmeyer, Representative Rahons Let me start by recognizing and thanking MSG (Ret) Jerry Christensen for all his great work in getting this monument built. Mayor Nelson..other distinguished guests, friends, and most importantly Veterans! Thank you all for inviting me back to this great community. I am honored and priviledged to be here and to be able to participate in this important ceremony! As many of you know, I spent my first 18 years growing up in Britt.the formative years that gave me the experiences, values, ethics, and character to be somewhat successful over my life. While Britt was small in size, it was huge in the impact it had on me and many others who were lucky enough to grow up here and either stay or venture out into the bigger world! Now I have been fortunate to have traveled and lived all over the world during the past 45 years. I can tell you that no matter where I go or what I do.there has never been a situation or event that I have been involved in that I could not relate the answer or solution back to an experience or lesson I first learned here in Britt. You, who currently reside here and in the surrounding area, are very lucky and should be very proud of what you have created and what you stand for! Now at the outset I said, this was an important ceremony and I mean that most sincerely! It is important for two reasons: First and foremost by dedicating this monument today, we recognize and honor each of the 571 men and women whose
names appears on the stone. It is a small but permanent way of saying thank you for stepping forward and answering your country s call..thank you for interrupting your life, for leaving school or your career and your loved ones thank you for going off to protect all the rights and privileges we are so lucky to have in this country. And most of all thank you for your dedication and commitment to our way of life! The monument contains the names of Britt veterans who have served in every conflict from the civil war to the present. The list includes 1 Distinguished Service Cross recipient (our nation s 2 nd highest honor for valor), 2 Silver Star Awardees, 4 who were POW s, 5 of my classmates and 30 who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for America. Each one is a hero and each one is special..special because in this age of entitlement, they accepted the responsibility of stepping forward to protect and defend the Constitution.our freedom.our way of life! I am sure others will be added and I would ask all of you to encourage those who have served to have their names enshrined as well. It is important that they be recognized and remembered. So to all whose names we see etched here in stone and to those who will be added on behalf of a grateful nation and community, let me offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your service and sacrifice. We all salute you and dedicate this monument in your honor! The second reason I believe this ceremony and monument are so important is because they represent and honor a way of life a cultured environment if you will. A way of life that each of the individuals we just honored, were willing to go off and if necessary give their lives to preserve!
Growing up in Britt s way of life gave me many experiences and taught me many things that have allowed me to grow and succeed.and, I suspect, were the same reasons so many others who have lived here have had a complete and satisfying life! The environment or way of life that I experienced here was one of total commitment on the part of the entire community to doing what was right. Parents insisting that their children be respectful to their elders and to authority. Neighbors constantly checking on one another and providing help and assistance whenever necessary. Resident and particularly farmers working long and hard hours to not only succeed but to provide essential commodities to the rest of the world. There was no sense of entitlement in those days but rather I learned very early on that you get what you earn. Local businessmen through their mentorship during after school and summer jobs taught us the life skills necessary to be successful! High school activities and athletic programs taught us the value of commitment and team work. Our teachers were true educators, not just teachers. They taugh us much more than academic material they taught us about life, the world around us and they were active in the community and our lives. A perfect example was Paul Crockett, the Vocational Agricultural teacher, who not only was an excellent educator, but was also the local Scoutmaster for what was one of the most successful Boy Scouts Program in this state during the 50 s. In just 5 short years, he produced 20 Eagle Scouts and imparted life skills to countless others who participated in this program. But he did not do it alone he enlisted the entire
communities involvement and people from all walks of life, with and without children helped. We learned discipline love of god love of country commitment and leadership. All qualities that have served me and others well throughout our lives! As a result of this very positive environment, I have developed over the years, 5 axioms or principles that I try to live by each day. They are not revolutionary in nature, but rather blinding flashes of the obvious. I would like to briefly share them with you because I believe they summarize this way of life and the lessons learned from growing up in this great community. I also believe they still have relevance today not only for young people, but for everyone as well. They are simply these: 1. You can always do more and go further than you think you can. 2. Teams can always accomplish more than individuals. 3. Success does not just happen it takes hard work and education and planning. 4. You have to take care of those entrusted to your responsibility.in army vernacular take care of the troops 5. Leadership means taking charge and dong what is right. Now at this point you might ask what is the relevance of all this My point is simply this Britt provided a tremendous environment for its citizens to live and work in and for young people to grow and develop. An environment worth protecting
over the years as evidence by the names behind me. I am sure that this way of life still exists and would ask each of you to rededicate yourselves to maintaining its existence. It is vital to the future of our Nation! I would also like to encourage each of you to pause for a second whenever you pass this monument and remember what it stands for and the brave men and women who have sacrificed to preserve it. Bring your children and grand children here.tell them why this is so important...that it represents the very foundation of our American society and their future! Above all never let them FORGET. Freedom is not FREE! In closing, let me relate a recent article I read in the Wall Street Journal that really captures all of what this ceremony and the monument are about The article describes a documentary film that is called Brothers at War and is made by a man who has two brothers in the War in Iraq. He goes to Iraq to see what life is like on a daily basis for each of his brothers.one a West Point Captain and the other an Army Sergeant. The film is neither prowar nor antiwar; it is non-political and simply shows our soldiers and Marines as professionals. There are no victims, just decent men doing a tough job! It certainly will not play in LA, NYC, or Washington, DC, but is very popular in military towns and rural America. The last three paragraphs of the article really tell the story and I quote, A young Army specialist named Christopher MacKay says he s fighting for a better life for his nieces.
Mr. Rademacher (the film maker) presses him: Would it be worth it if ends up costing your life? Spc. MacKay answers matter of factly. Yeah, I d give my life for America any day. Wouldn t think twice. That s not John Wayne speaking. That s a young man who knows what he signed up for, knows why he signed up, and knows who he s fighting for. In an America where Michael Jackson s death gets more press coverage than a Medal of Honor winner, it s sure nice to see at least one camera filming men who really matter. For me the names on this monument and the community of Britt will always be what really matters!!! Thank you and may God Bless this wonderful place and its people. most especially its Veterans forever.