2003 Speeches
Remarks By Ambassador Frank Lavin At The Marine Ball, Orchid Hotel
November 7, 2003
Thank you for that gracious welcome. Good evening to Singapore military leadership, representatives of allied and friendly militaries, Admiral Cassius, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor for me to be here tonight and to celebrate the evening with you.
It is an honor because I am allowed to introduce our speaker, about whom more in a minute.
It is an honor because although we enjoy the blessings of peace here in Singapore, we must be ever mindful that our nation is at war.
We remember that the United States Marine Corps does something that almost no other military component in the world does: they win wars.
We are grateful for the contribution of the sister services and our allies, many of which are in this room tonight and all of which play a vital part in coalition operations.
But any Marine will remind you of two truths: You join the Marine Corps in order to fight. And you fight in order to win. The Marines have held to these truths for 228 years.
There’s a slogan that embodies the essence of the Marines, a parallel phrase: Your best friend; your worst enemy.
I reflected on this seeming contradiction when I had the chance to visit yesterday with our speaker.
One would expect a career of distinction from General Glueck, who serves as Commanding General of the third Marine Expeditionary Brigade and as Deputy Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Earlier in his career, General Glueck participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was also in combat in the Balkans in Operation Provide Promise.
Later, General Glueck helped supervise NATO campaigns in Kosovo and refugee programs in Albania and also directed relief missions in Turkey following an earthquake.
When General Glueck and I were comparing notes earlier, it turned out that our paths crossed some twenty years ago when I was on the Reagan White House Staff and the General was a Presidential Command Pilot. He flew the President’s helicopter, Marine One.
This range of achievement reminds us that there is no more principled friend than the Marines, and there is no more ferocious opponent.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming our speaker, Brigadier General Ken Glueck.