Secretary Wormuth's Farewell Speech

Thank you, Gabe, for those kind words and for your tremendous service as Under Secretary of the Army.

You have been an extraordinary leader – ably representing the Army in the DMAG arena, solving countless problems, identifying creative options no one else could think of, and being a force multiplier on every issue we put on your plate.

I have deeply valued your partnership and friendship. And I’m so pleased that I get to share in this wonderful ceremony with you, my battle buddy in a business suit.

General George, my battle buddy in a green suit: thank you for hosting this incredible send-off.

Thank you and Patty for being wonderful partners for me and Drew and for all you have done together over decades of service to the Army and our country.

Chief, I owe you a debt of gratitude. I learned so much working with you and with General McConville before you. I deeply value our civil-military partnership. Our respectful collaboration was the backbone of everything we achieved together for the Army.

Our partnership was often spirited… sometimes VERY spirited. I joke that the relationship between the Secretary and the Chief is like an arranged marriage – and just like in marriage, trust is key. I greatly appreciate the trust we worked hard to build.

The key to building and sustaining that trust has been our shared love for the Army and the desire to do all we could to make it ready for whatever the future holds.

While we may have disagreed from time to time, I knew we could always talk through our differences because we both want what is best for the Army. It has been a true honor and pleasure to lead alongside you.

I am a people person, and that’s why I have loved serving as the Secretary - because at its core, the Army is people.

The Army’s most fearsome weapons are not its most advanced helicopter, or the Abrams tank, or even its long-range hypersonic weapon – which we just successfully tested, by the way.

The Army’s most fearsome weapons are the men and women who wear the uniform, who embody the Soldier’s Creed, and who live the Army values.

Our people are what sets the Army apart and makes us the best Army in the world.

As I depart this role, I will not forget the people – the soldiers I saw going through basic training, learning to do things they didn’t think they could do.Nor will I forget seeing the pride their families took in them as they graduated, sometimes in the pouring rain at Fort Jackson.

I will not forget the professionalism of our soldiers – Active, Guard, and Reserve, whether training in California desert, Louisiana swamp, or Alaska snow.

Sharing the latest innovations from USASOC, walking me through the fine points of our air defense systems in Poland, or exercising with allies and partners across Australia, Japan, and Korea.

I will not forget the spirit of innovation our soldiers embody as they transform in contact, partner daily with industry and academia to stay on the cutting edge, and learn lessons from Ukrainian soldiers fresh off a battlefield transformed by the ubiquity of drones.

I will not forget the hundreds of recruiters I’ve talked to across the country who are finding new ways to share their Army stories with young people, tens of thousands of whom are choosing to join our Army thanks to their hard work.

I will not forget attending dignified transfer ceremonies at Dover, whether in the sweltering heat of August or the dreary cold of winter. While thankfully far fewer in number than a decade ago, this solemn ritual is a reminder that some make the ultimate sacrifice and do not come home.

I will not forget witnessing the pain of those families, but I find solace in how the Army strives to comfort them, even as the months and years pass.

And finally, I will not forget the extraordinary team of Army senior leaders, political appointees, and civilian and uniformed professionals who together accomplished so much in the last four years.

One thing I’ve learned through many years at the Pentagon and working with our military is that you don’t get anything done by yourself – it takes a team to accomplish anything of real significance.

And working together, this team delivered.

Together, we steadily advanced the most significant modernization of our offensive and defensive systems in the last forty years, using our resources and new authorities wisely to get real warfighting capabilities into the hands of our soldiers.

Together, we envisioned and are now implementing significant changes to our force structure that will ensure the Army is purpose-built for large-scale combat against advanced adversaries.

Together, we improved quality of life for our soldiers and families, building new barracks and daycare centers, piloting new dining options, and providing more time for new parents to spend with their new children.

And together we steered through a profound recruiting crisis, transformed our entire recruiting enterprise, and put the Army on a path to build back its end strength inside the next POM cycle.

None of this would have been possible without the dollars, authorities, and oversight given to us by the United States Congress. I am grateful for the Members and professional staff who are our partners in the legislative branch.

I also truly appreciate the many reporters who cover the Army – thank you for holding us accountable when we fall short and sharing our accomplishments when we excel.

Now more than ever, we need the American public to know the Army and to know that we are their Army.

I am so proud of all that we have done.

But there’s still so much more to do.

Looking ahead, I know I can count on Army leaders at every echelon to take prudent risks, to move faster, and focus on doing more of what makes us better - while shedding anything we reasonably can that is getting in our way.

I’ve learned over the years that sometimes the Army really IS a Big Green Machine, with many layers of bureaucracy, rules, regulations, and processes. An organization as large and far-flung as the Army needs rules and processes to function effectively – without them, chaos would soon reign.

But we need to resist what I call “the coral reef effect,” where, with the best of intentions, we often keep adding requirements and regulations without ever taking anything away.

I have no doubt the incoming team will enthusiastically embrace the mission to simplify the Army’s bureaucracy, and I wish them Godspeed.

But I also note that in a time when “bureaucrat” has become something of a four-letter word in some quarters, many of the people in the Army who work the hardest every day to get things done are career civilian professionals.

Public servants.

I’ve seen them in our ammo plants, depots, and arsenals.

I’ve met them in our daycare centers, hospitals, and public works departments.

They’ve dazzled me, demonstrating our newest capabilities and pioneering innovations in our Army labs.

And they’ve impressed me in the Pentagon, where they’ve put in long hours to ensure that we are spending taxpayer dollars wisely and keeping critical programs on track.

They often serve without much recognition, so before I go, let me say thank you to the more than 265,000 Army civilians for what you do to support our soldiers. Your contributions are seen and valued.

It has truly been the honor of my professional life to serve as the 25th Secretary of the Army.

I could never have foreseen this opportunity, nor could I have pursued it without the steadfast love and support of my family, who are here today.

I am deeply grateful for what all of us here and all around the Army have done together to ensure our soldiers and their families have what they need to protect and defend this great nation.

I will miss the responsibility that comes with being in the arena, but I will miss the Army and our people so much more.

Thank you for the enormous privilege and adventure of these years serving with you, working to make our Army better, stronger, and more lethal.

I will never forget it, and I will never forget all of you.