A'salam alaykum.
General Austin; Lieutenant Generals Cone and Barbero; Charge Stuart Jones; senior commanders of the Iraqi Security Forces: let me first thank you all for attending this Transfer of Authority. Your presence here today honors us and reminds us of the importance of our mission on behalf of the people of Iraq.
To my good friend and colleague, Major General Vince Brooks, permit me to say what an honor it is to share the stage with you today. Your inspired leadership of U.S. Division-South over the past year set a new standard of excellence. Thank you for the outstanding work you did on behalf of this division and the people of Southern Iraq, and in making this transition as smooth and seamless as possible.
Those thanks go as well to the great officers and enlisted Soldiers of the Big Red One. Ninety-two years ago, our two divisions helped bring an end to the First World War in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. It seems fitting that we should serve together again near the end of a very different conflict, one that is no less important to the cause of world peace and stability.
The assistance the Soldiers of the Big Red One gave us throughout this process, starting with our Embed LNO program, our visit to Basra last summer and again during our recent exercises at Fort Lewis, Washington, renewed the historic bond of fellowship between our two organizations. More importantly, the great work of the First I.D. over the past year truly set us up for success. Please accept our sincere thanks and warmest wishes as you return to Fort Riley, Kansas and rejoin your families for a well-earned rest. Be sure to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we carry on the noble mission of U.S. Division-South here in Basrah.
To the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Third Brigade of the Fourth Infantry Division, and the rest of the subordinate units in USD-South, thank you for the great work you're doing, day after day, to help this headquarters do its mission and to give our Iraqi partners the advice, training, and assistance they need in order to succeed. My staff and I appreciate your efforts and we will do our best to give you the support and leadership you deserve.
To the people of Southern Iraq, let me say what a privilege it is to be a guest in this great country. On Wednesday I had the pleasure of seeing Camp Bucca turned over to the Iraqi people in an historic and dignified ceremony. Once a prison and U.S. base, the camp will now serve as the nucleus of an ambitious project called the Basrah Logistical City, which will bring jobs and clean water to thousands of Iraqis. The real stars on stage that day weren't the soldiers, the diplomats, the elected officials, or the businessmen, but a small group of local schoolchildren holding Iraqi flags and singing their national anthem. These children are the future of a secure, sovereign, and self-reliant Iraq. Their mere presence reminded us why we do what we do and how important our work here really is. The impressive performance of the Iraqi Security Forces during the recent Ashura commemorations was only the latest success story of many that prove the security of Iraq and the future of her children are in capable hands.
We will do everything in our power to ensure the Iraqi Security Forces have all the assistance they need in the months ahead, and we will do the same for our partners in the PRTs and the U.S. State Department, as we gradually transition the U.S. role in Southern Iraq over to a new consulate that will soon occupy these very grounds.
Last but not least, to the men and women of the 36th Infantry Division, this is the moment we've all been planning and preparing for, for what seems like an eternity. From PANAMAX in 2008, to Bright Star in 2009, to the Pre-Mobilization Training and seemingly endless command-post exercises of 2010, we have trained and prepared for this mission like no other in the recent history of our great division. Not only are the eyes of Texas upon us, as always, but the eyes of the United States and of the great people of Iraq as well. Never before have I felt so honored to be part of such an outstanding team of selfless and dedicated citizen-soldiers. Sixty-seven years ago, ours was the first U.S. Army division to set foot on European soil when T-patchers stormed the beaches of Salerno, Italy. Today, we have the great responsibility of being among the last American units to leave Iraq, and we are committed to completing this mission with success and honor. Standing shoulder to shoulder, with perseverance and a clear sense of purpose, let us add a new chapter to the storied saga of the Arrowhead Division, one that future T-patchers can read about with pride. I have all the confidence in the world that we will succeed, and that we will make our great state and our country proud.
In parting, I would like to quote an old Arab proverb: For every glance behind us, we have to look twice to the future. It reminds us that the future is where we should keep our eyes fixed, not the past. As we end this ceremony and return to our jobs, let us never forget that the common purpose which unites us all is the future of Iraq and the enduring partnership between our two nations. Thank you. Shukran.
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