Charting a new path towards our national security.Good afternoon... General (Henry A.) Obering, thank you for the invitation to speak today ... it's truly an honor As a verb, to accept a bill of exchange, or to pay a note, check, or accepted bill, at maturity. To pay or to accept and pay, or, where a credit so engages, to purchase or discount a draft complying with the terms of the draft. to take part in such an important and historical event, the dedication of the Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Missile defence is an air defence system, weapon program, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. Originally conceived as a defence against nuclear-armed ICBMs, its application has broadened to include shorter-ranged Site. Distinguished Visitors: Mrs. Nancy Reagan, former Governor Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that , Senator Ted Stevens, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England. I'm proud to represent Air Force Space Command, and its nearly forty thousand men and women stationed around the world standing watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. At this moment, this fully-integrated team of active duty, Reserve, Guard, government civilians and contractors are delivering space effects to joint warfighters, as well as to civil and commercial customers. Our space professionals accomplish this by flying our communications, early warning, weather, and precision, navigation and timing satellites; monitoring the ground-based radars and other sensors
Why do I mention all this? It's because these space capabilities, and the professionals providing them, are an integral part of this nation's missile defense. Another integral part of our defense has been our Intercontinental Ballistic Missile intercontinental ballistic missile: see guided missile. Force. As our Air Force Chief of Staff, General Moseley has said, America's ICBM ICBM: see guided missile. ICBM in full intercontinental ballistic missile Land-based, nuclear-armed ballistic missile with a range of more than 3,500 mi (5,600 km). Only the U.S. force has been, and continues to be the "back stop" for all our nation's military forces. Air Force Space Command operates, maintains, secures and supports this force. Those of us who have spent time in the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Business, hold President Reagan in especially high regard. His leadership at the height of the Cold War was the turning point towards achieving victory in that titantic struggle for peace and freedom. He was the driving force behind the deployment of the Peacekeeper Missile in the 1980s. This past September, we completed deactivation de·ac·ti·vate tr.v. de·ac·ti·vat·ed, de·ac·ti·vat·ing, de·ac·ti·vates 1. To render inactive or ineffective. 2. To inhibit, block, or disrupt the action of (an enzyme or other biological agent). 3. of Peacekeeper as we pulled the final missile from its silo. The mission of Peacekeeper and the vision of President Reagan had been achieved without ever firing a shot in anger. Today, his vision lives on as we embark on Verb 1. embark on - get off the ground; "Who started this company?"; "We embarked on an exciting enterprise"; "I start my day with a good breakfast"; "We began the new semester"; "The afternoon session begins at 4 PM"; "The blood shed started when the partisans a new chapter ... and prepare to meet new threats. For over three decades, space professionals have been providing an uninterrupted space-based early warning capability. The Air Force Space Command team is also proud to provide the launch ranges, communications, navigation, and timing capabilities so instrumental in making this day a reality. As a host base for one of two ground-based interceptors fielding locations, Air Force Space Command is also responsible for ensuring the Ballistic bal·lis·tic adj. 1. a. Of or relating to the study of the dynamics of projectiles. b. Of or relating to the study of the internal action of firearms. 2. Missile Defense System Noun 1. missile defense system - naval weaponry providing a defense system missile defence system naval weaponry - weaponry for warships has the needed security for its interceptors and critical supporting infrastructure and access to range assets required to accomplish its mission. We are proud to do our part for this great team, as we realize President Reagan's dream. For he knew that peace and prosperity could only be achieved through courage and strength. This missile defense site postures us for success today and against challenges we cannot yet begin to predict. There have been skeptics ... and there will always be. Those who will question our resolve and our ability to rise to the occasion. But as we look ahead, I'm reminded of a story relayed by Mrs. Reagan about her husband giving a speech at the University of California The University of California has a combined student body of more than 191,000 students, over 1,340,000 living alumni, and a combined systemwide and campus endowment of just over $7.3 billion (8th largest in the United States). . When he had finished his remarks, a student rose to ask a question. How, he wondered, could someone of President Reagan's generation possibly understand the younger generation? "You grew up in a different world," the student observed. "Today we have television, jet planes, nuclear energy, and space travel." "You're right," said Reagan. "We didn't have any of those things when we were young ... pause ... we invented them." And that's the same thing we're doing today ... we're taking the next step. We're charting a new path towards preserving our national security. And, as we do so, the men and women of Air Force Space Command look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Missile Defense Agency. We are proud to play our part in such an important mission. Thank you. Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command Remarks at the Reagan Missile Defense Site Dedication, Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 3,456 acres (1,399 hectares), SW Calif., near Lompoc; chief Pacific coast launch site for military satellites. , Calif., April 10, 2006 |
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