'Soldier for Life' continues to serve as 32nd Army under secretary

By J.D. LeipoldFebruary 26, 2016

Former Soldier sworn in as 32nd Army under secretary
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Former Soldier sworn in as 32nd Army under secretary
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Former Soldier sworn in as 32nd Army under secretary
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WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 25, 2016) -- Patrick J. Murphy, a third-generation veteran and the first Soldier from the Iraq War elected to Congress, was officially sworn in as the 32nd under secretary of the Army in a Pentagon ceremony, Feb. 24.

Murphy had been confirmed by the Senate as under secretary, Dec. 18, and legally sworn into the post, Jan. 4. Three days later, Jan. 7, he was appointed as acting secretary of the Army, effectively giving him dual-hat responsibility.

Before the 42-year-old Murphy took the oath administered by Army General Counsel Alissa M. Starzak, hosts Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley and Eric K. Fanning addressed the packed auditorium.

Fanning, who has been nominated by President Obama to be the next Secretary of the Army but not yet confirmed by the Senate, opened his remarks by explaining how he first met Murphy.

Fanning was a newly minted under secretary of the Navy when he met Murphy for the first time. Murphy was in Congress leading the charge for the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."

"It wasn't at all clear that the repeal would pass," Fanning said. "It took the incredible leadership of Patrick and a small group of others willing to lead this charge to ensure repeal…Patrick, there are more people than you know grateful for your courage, thank you."

Fanning also addressed Murphy's father, a former Sailor who served 22 years with the Philadelphia Police Department.

"Jack…Patrick tells us that you taught him that you have to stand for something or you'll fall for anything, so you damn well better stand for something," Fanning continued. "It's clear Patrick has taken these words to heart. I don't think anyone doubts his positions or his convictions."

Murphy is a 1996 graduate of Kings College in Pennsylvania, where he was captain of the hockey team and student government president as well as a graduate of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Scranton.

Following graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve, but remained on inactive duty while attending law school from Widener University, earning his juris doctor in 1999.

In 2000, Murphy went on active duty serving with the Judge Advocate General Corps and teaching constitutional law at West Point. Following the 9/11 attacks, Murphy volunteered for overseas deployment, serving in Bosnia in 2002 and in Baghdad as a JAG lawyer with the 82nd Airborne Division from 2003 to 2004. Murphy worked to reconstruct the justice system from some 1.5 million Iraqis and also prosecuted two high-level terrorists in Iraq's highest court.

The Army's chief of staff expressed his support for Murphy, saying the secretary has the traits of Army leadership taught from the beginning of any Army career -- competence, commitment and character.

He said Murphy has an "exceptional level" of confidence, "from what I have seen day in and day out many hours a day."

"Commitment -- it comes through in spades, every day, in every meeting on every issue -- he has an incredible amount of commitment," said Milley.

"He's also got a huge amount of character, which is a lot of different things, but one part of character that I look to the most is integrity -- that portion of your character, which means you're going to stand tall in the breach, that you've got a spine of steel and you're willing to tell truth to power no matter the personal consequences -- that level of courage I see in Secretary Murphy."

Milley said Murphy also possessed "enormous compassion" that was selfless and focused on Soldiers, their families and the Army civilian corps.

"This is a secretary who has tremendous amount of talent and energy, and this is a secretary that I personally am very proud to serve alongside -- so thank you Secretary Murphy for doing what you're going to do for the country and for what you've already done," he said.

After the swearing-in, Murphy was presented a presidential commission signed by Obama, then he took a few minutes to address the audience, thanking family, friends and Army leadership, past and present.

"This is such an awesome, awesome honor to be back with the Army family. I joined it at age 19 when I was a student at Kings College," he said, explaining the Army would be doubling down on Soldier for Life.

"To be part of the leadership team of the Army is a pretty incredible responsibility. When you look at what's going on with ISIS, Iraq, Syria and now Libya… we're asking so much of our Soldiers and our civilians and families…I'm so grateful to be back on the Army team to help serve…I'm all about it."

Related Links:

Army News Service

Under Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy

National Guard: Operation Desert Storm