CSPAN — Defense Secretary Hegseth in South Carolina
20260810 161000 UTC
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[00:00:02] MANDATORY EDUCATION.
[00:00:04] IT'S ALL THESE THINGS WE DO TOGETHER.
[00:00:08] SO I CAN'T LOOK THE OTHER WAY. I THINK YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO'S HAVING A
[00:00:12] HARD A LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. YOU'RE WORKING HERE TO FIGHT,
[00:00:15] BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. IT ISN'T ABOUT PARTY.
[00:00:19] IT'S ABOUT SPECIAL INTERESTS,
[00:00:21] WEALTH THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN, PLAYBOOKS BEING CREATED BY
[00:00:24] PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE STATE.
[00:00:27] THEY PUMP THEIR IDEAS THROUGH
[00:00:30] OUR STATE HOUSES FOR STUFF NO
[00:00:32] ONE WOULD VOTE FOR.
[00:00:36] THAT'S WHY OUR STATE HOUSE IS SO CROWDED, BUT WE'RE COMMITTED,
[00:00:39] BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THIS RACE
[00:00:40] THE TOSSUP RACE, BUT WE REALLY
[00:00:44] HAVE A CHANCE TO BREAK THE SUPER
[00:00:47] MAJORITY, AND PEOPLE LISTENING MIGHT NOT KNOW, WE HAVE THE MOST
[00:00:49] CORRUPT STATE HOUSE IN THE
[00:00:52] COUNTRY, $60 BILLION BRIBE SCANDAL, IF YOU REMEMBER, AND NO
[00:00:56] WONDER OUR ENERGY COSTS ARE GOING UP, RIGHT?
[00:00:59] >> WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THIS TO GO LIVE TO REMARKS FROM DEFENSE
[00:01:03] SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH, SPEAKING IN SOUTH CAROLINA AT A CEREMONY
[00:01:06] TO RENAME JOINT BASE CHARLESTON
[00:01:12] IN HONOR OF THE LATE SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. LIVE COVERAGE HERE ON C-SPAN.
[00:01:16] >> THANK YOU, SECRETARY BESSENT. IT IS MY HONOR TO INVITE THE
[00:01:19] GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HENRY MCMASTER,
[00:01:23] TO THE PODIUM.
[00:01:30] >> I'M FOR YOU.
[00:01:35] I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF. I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT WE
[00:01:38] NAME IMPORTANT THINGS OUT TO PEOPLE.
[00:01:42] IT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW TO
[00:01:46] ASK WHAT HAPPENED HERE. WHO WAS THIS MAN?
[00:01:50] WHO WAS THIS WOMAN?
[00:01:51] WHAT DID THEY DO?
[00:01:55] WE PUT THEIR NAME ON THIS
[00:01:57] MONUMENT, ON THIS PEDESTAL, ON THIS BUILDING.
[00:02:00] IN THIS COUNTRY, TODAY, FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITTLE OR
[00:02:04] NO UNDERSTANDING OR KNOWLEDGE
[00:02:06] ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO BUILD OUR
[00:02:09] GREAT, UNIQUE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, COUNTRY.
[00:02:13] IT TOOK SACRIFICE. IT TOOK FLOOD.
[00:02:17] AND NO STATE HAS GIVEN MORE BLOOD AND MORE SACRIFICE AND NO
[00:02:21] MORE SONS THAN OUR STATE, THE
[00:02:24] STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
[00:02:28] LINDSEY KNEW THAT. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS WHAT
[00:02:31] INSPIRED HIM. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY HE
[00:02:35] DEDICATED HIS LIFE IN AND OUT OF UNIFORM.
[00:02:38] SOME PEOPLE SERVE THEIR COUNTRY IN A SUIT.
[00:02:40] OTHERS SERVE IT IN UNIFORM.
[00:02:43] OTHERS SERVE IT IN CASUAL CLOTHES.
[00:02:46] LINDSEY SERVED IN ALL THREE.
[00:02:48] HE MADE THIS STATE, HIS COUNTRY
[00:02:51] AND HIS PEOPLE PROUD. OUR STATE'S GOT A LONG HISTORY,
[00:02:55] UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
[00:02:58] FROM THE DAY JUNE 28, 1776, FROM
[00:03:01] THE SOUTH CAROLINA PATRIOTS
[00:03:03] REPELLED THE BRITISH NAVY AT THE
[00:03:07] BATTLE OF SULLIVANS ISLAND,
[00:03:08] UNDER THE COMMAND OF COLONEL
[00:03:14] WILLIAM. HE NOW HAS HIS NAME ON THAT POST.
[00:03:17] THE BATTLE OF CAMDEN, WHERE MORE
[00:03:22] YOUNG MEN, BIGGEST LOSS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
[00:03:26] KING'S MOUNTAIN IN 1780, 1781,
[00:03:31] AND GENERAL WAR SHIPS CARRYING
[00:04:07] TROOPS AND OTHERS OUT OF
[00:04:09] CHARLTON HARBOR ON DECEMBER 14, 1782.
[00:04:13] SOUTH CAROLINA HAS GIVEN HER
[00:04:15] ALL, AND UP TO THIS PRESENT
[00:04:18] MOMENT, WHEN SHE'S GIVEN US LIFE
[00:04:21] OF LINDSEY GRAHAM. I DON'T KNOW IF LINDSEY WAS EVER
[00:04:25] IN COMBAT, BUT HE WAS CLOSE TO
[00:04:28] IT, AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT ENTAILED.
[00:04:31] HE PROBABLY HAD BEEN AROUND THE WORLD MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE
[00:04:34] FROM OUR STATE LATELY.
[00:04:38] AND CLEARLY HE HAD THE SPIRIT
[00:04:40] AND STRENGTH OF ALL TRUE WARRIORS.
[00:04:43] HE WOULD NOT QUIT.
[00:04:44] AND FROM TIME TO TIME, HE BURIED
[00:04:49] HIS -- HE BARED HIS FANGS WHEN NECESSARY. WHY DID HE DO IT?
[00:04:52] HE DID IT FOR US. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, THIS
[00:04:55] POOR BOY FROM A LITTLE TOWN IN
[00:04:57] SOUTH CAROLINA, AS HE CALLED
[00:05:01] HIMSELF, WAS ONE OF THE MOST
[00:05:03] CONSEQUENTIAL MEN OF OUR TIME.
[00:05:08] HE HAD GIVEN US A PRECIOUS GIFT,
[00:05:11] A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY,
[00:05:16] PATRIOTISM, DETERMINATION, AND LAW.
[00:05:19] IT IS MOST FITTING THAT THIS MOST IMPORTANT PLACE BEAR THE
[00:05:22] NAME OF LINDSEY GRAHAM. THANK YOU.
[00:05:26] [APPLAUSE]
[00:05:32] >> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR MCMASTER.
[00:05:35] IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INVITE THE SECRETARY OF WAR, THE HONORABLE
[00:05:39] PETE HEGSETH, TO THE PODIUM FOR
[00:05:40] HIS REMARKS.
[00:05:50] >> SENATOR, GOVERNOR, MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR HITCHING A RIDE WITH US THIS
[00:05:54] MORNING.
[00:05:55] THE SON OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ALL
[00:05:59] PATRIOTS, AND HE IS A PATRIOT OF
[00:06:00] THE HIGHEST ORDER AND LOVES OUR
[00:06:04] MILITARY. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM DEDICATED
[00:06:08] HIS LIFE TO SERVING THIS STATE AND SERVING THE ARMED FORCES OF
[00:06:11] THE UNITED STATES. HE SERVED THIS NATION BOTH IN
[00:06:14] UNIFORM AND IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS, AS EVERYONE HERE
[00:06:18] KNOWS. BUT IN BOTH CAPACITIES, IT WAS
[00:06:20] ALWAYS THE SAME MISSION.
[00:06:22] HE KNEW THE TIME WAS TRUE THAT
[00:06:25] TOEN SURE PEACE, WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR WAR.
[00:06:29] PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE. PROTECT YOUR STATE.
[00:06:31] PROTECT YOUR SOVEREIGNTY, OR YOU WILL LOSE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE
[00:06:36] WHO'S WILLING TO TAKE IT FROM YOU.
[00:06:39] LINDSEY SPENT HIS FINAL YEARS
[00:06:40] TAKING ON A READY CAL LEFTIST IDEOLOGY THAT HAD RUN RAMPANT IN
[00:06:44] THE MEDIA, IN ACADEMIA, AND EVEN
[00:06:46] AMONG A FEW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
[00:06:49] A HARD LEFT DECLARED WAR ON OUR
[00:06:51] OWN MILITARY.
[00:06:54] THIS NATION SPENT 45 YEARS FIGHTING COMMUNISM IN THE COLD
[00:06:58] WAR. AND THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO.
[00:07:00] NOW IT SEEMS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE REALITY OF
[00:07:03] WHAT COMMUNISM LOOKS LIKE.
[00:07:05] IT STARTS UP WITH PROMISES AND
[00:07:08] IT ENDS IN PRISON.
[00:07:11] THE PROMISE IS HEAVEN, BUT DELIVERS HELL. SENATOR GRAHAM STOOD UP AGAINST
[00:07:15] THAT RADICAL, WOKE IDEOLOGY THAT
[00:07:18] KILLED OUR MILITARY RECRUITING. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THEY COULDN'T
[00:07:22] EVEN HIT RECRUITING GOALS. YOUNG PATRIOTS DIDN'T WANT TO
[00:07:24] SERVE UNDER THESE WOKE SO-CALLED LEADERS.
[00:07:27] BUT INSTEAD OF RAISING
[00:07:29] STANDARDS, THEY LOWERED GOALS.
[00:07:32] PRESIDENT TRUMP PROMISED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ALONGSIDE SENATOR GRAHAM, THAT HE WOULD
[00:07:36] REBUILD THE MILITARY. HE PROMISED HE WOULD MAKE OUR
[00:07:38] FORCES STRONGER THAN EVER AND
[00:07:40] THAT HE WOULD RUN THOSE RADICALS OUT OF THE PENTAGON.
[00:07:44] AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE AND WE HAD DONE.
[00:07:48] IN THIS NEW GOLDEN AGE OF
[00:07:49] AMERICA, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS HAD
[00:07:52] NO STRONGER ALLY IN CONGRESS THAN COLONEL LEFT HAND SEE
[00:07:56] GRAHAM. LINDSEY GRAHAM.
[00:07:59] IT FALLS TO US TO COMPLETE THE WORK THAT LINDSEY GRAHAM BEGAN
[00:08:03] AND ADVOCATED FOR FOR DECADES.
[00:08:05] AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, THE WAR
[00:08:07] DEPARTMENT IS SEEKING A HISTORIC
[00:08:10] GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT OF $1.5
[00:08:12] TRILLION FOR AMERICA'S WARRIORS.
[00:08:15] AND LINDSEY HIMSELF SAID TO ME,
[00:08:18] IN HIS OFFICE, THIS IS THE BEST
[00:08:20] MILITARY BUDGET I'VE SEEN SINCE
[00:08:22] I'VE BEEN IN CONGRESS, END QUOTE.
[00:08:26] THIS DEPARTMENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO
[00:08:29] LINDSEY GRAHAM IN THE NAMING OF THIS BASE.
[00:08:32] BUT THERE COULD BE NO GREATER TRIBUTE THAN CONGRESS TO GIVE
[00:08:35] THAN TOEN VEST IN OUR WARRIORS
[00:08:37] FOR THE FULL $1.5 TRILLION.
[00:08:40] MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
[00:08:47] FULLY FUNDING OUR WARRIORS WOULD BE ONE LAST GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT
[00:08:51] FOR COLONEL LINDSEY GRAHAM AND A
[00:08:53] MAJOR PART OF HIS LEGACY.
[00:08:55] AND I BELIEVE THAT HE WILL CONTINUE HERE AND AROUND THE
[00:08:58] WORLD TO INSPIRE AIRMEN FOR GENERATIONS TO COME, AND I SAY
[00:09:02] AROUND THE WORLD, BECAUSE AS WE
[00:09:05] MENTIONED, NOW WHEN THEY LAND IN
[00:09:09] FAR-FLUNG PLACES. THE WORLD WILL REMEMBER THAT NAME.
[00:09:13] SOUTH CAROLINIANS GROW ONE STORIES OF LEGENDARY WARRIORS
[00:09:17] FROM THIS STATE, WARRIORS LIKE THE SWAMP BOX, FRANCES MARION,
[00:09:20] WHO HELPED WIN OUR FREEDOM AT
[00:09:24] YORKTOWN. LIKE LIEUTENANT SHAW, A PIE LOOT WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN WORLD WAR
[00:09:28] I. OR GENERAL MCINTYRE, WHO SPENT
[00:09:30] HIS FINAL MOMENTS SAVING INNOCENT LIVES. OR HOW ABOUT JUST A FEW WEEKS
[00:09:34] AGO. PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO A MARINE WHO FOUGHT
[00:09:37] THE COMMUNIST IN THE JUNGLES OF
[00:09:43] VIETNAM. HE'S FROM LEE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. NOW SOUTH CAROLINIANS WILL GROW
[00:09:46] UP LEARNING ABOUT THE NAMESAKE
[00:09:48] OF THIS INCREDIBLE JOINT BASE, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM.
[00:09:52] I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I ACTUALLY
[00:09:56] KNEW HIM FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
[00:09:57] I WAS TELLING HIS SISTER THAT.
[00:10:01] 19 YEARS AGO, YOUNG LIEUTENANT, FIRST LIEUTENANT PETE HEGSETH
[00:10:05] CAME BACK FROM IRAQ, WAS PART OF A VETERANS ORGANIZATION CALLED
[00:10:07] VETS FOR FREEDOM THAT BELIEVED
[00:10:09] IN THE SURGE IN IRAN AND
[00:10:12] ADVOCATING FOR TROOPS ON THE GROUND. WE WERE A YOUNG SCRAPPY VETERANS
[00:10:15] ORGANIZATION WITH NO MONEY AND NO ACCESS TO CONNECTIONS.
[00:10:18] THE FIRST AND ONLY SENATOR WILLING TO MEET WITH FIRST
[00:10:21] LIEUTENANT PETE HEGSETH AND
[00:10:26] NOWHERE WAS SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. HE WELCOMED US INTO HIS
[00:10:29] CONFERENCE ROOM, SAT US DOWN AS A BUNCH OF LIEUTENANTS AND
[00:10:33] OTHERS AROUND THE TABLE FRESH BACK FROM IRAQ WHO WANTED THE
[00:10:36] RIGHT STRATEGY, AND I'LL NEVER
[00:10:38] FORGET HE SAT THERE AND SAID,
[00:10:40] GENTLEMEN, I CAN'T DO IT, THE
[00:10:42] ACCENT, BUT IT ALSO EVOLVING
[00:10:46] INTO A TRUMP ACCENT, WELCOME TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN STILL SAY
[00:10:50] THE WORD VICTOR. HE BELIEVES IN MISSION SUCCESS. HE BELIEVES IN THE TROOPS.
[00:10:53] HE BELIEVES IN GIVING THE TROOPS EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED. AND HE SERVED HIMSELF.
[00:10:57] IN FACT, A FEW YEARS LATER, CAPTAIN HEGSETH WAS AN
[00:11:00] INSTRUCTOR AT A BASE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF KABUL IN
[00:11:03] AFGHANISTAN, AND WHO CAME TO VISIT? LEFT HAND SEE GRAHAM.
[00:11:07] I MENTIONED WE WERE OUT THERE AT THE SCHOOL AND WE COULD GIVE HIM
[00:11:10] AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE TALIBAN WAS UP TO. SURE ENOUGH, DURING HIS DUTY,
[00:11:13] THERE HE WAS, JET LAGGED AS ALL
[00:11:17] HELL. BECAUSE HE HAD A SCHEDULE LIKE NOBODY ELSE.
[00:11:20] BUT HE WAS THERE TO HEAR FROM US BECAUSE HE WANTED TO HEAR WHAT
[00:11:23] WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.
[00:11:26] FAST FORWARD, I MENTIONED THE MILITARY BUDGET OF $1.5 TRILLION.
[00:11:30] THE LAST MEETING I HAD WITH SENATOR GRAHAM WAS ABOUT A WEEK
[00:11:32] BEFORE HIS PASSING OR SO.
[00:11:37] AND HE SAID, HE'S THE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.
[00:11:40] MR. SECRETARY, WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A RECONCILIATION?
[00:11:44] I SAID, WITH TOTAL, WE'RE GOING TO NEED $350 BILLION FOR OUR
[00:11:47] MILITARY. THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE GETS US
[00:11:49] TO $1.1 TRILLION.
[00:11:54] $350 BILLION IN RECONCILIATION, AND WE'LL BE READY.
[00:11:56] HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, HOW'S
[00:11:59] 355 SOUND TO YOU? HE WANTED TO GIVE EVEN MORE THAN 350.
[00:12:02] HE WANTED TO ENSURE OUR MILITARY
[00:12:06] WAS AS EQUIPPED AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, BECAUSE HE WAS THINKING OF PLACES LIKE THIS ONE
[00:12:09] RIGHT HERE.
[00:12:10] I SAW FIRSTHAND AS A YOUNG FIRST
[00:12:13] LIEUTENANT, AS A CAPTAIN IN A
[00:12:14] COMBAT ZONE, AND AS THE
[00:12:18] SECRETARY, THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT OF LINDSEY GRAHAM. AND HE KNEW THAT IF YOU'RE GOING
[00:12:22] TO SEEK PEACE, YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR WAR. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PREPARED MILITARY.
[00:12:26] HE TALKED THE TALK, AND HE WALKED THE WALK. AND NOW 20 YEARS LATER, THANKS
[00:12:30] TO HIS HELP IN THE SENATE, THIS ADMINISTRATION IS BREAKING
[00:12:33] RECRUITING RECORDS, BEATING OUR GOALS, TAKING BACK THE
[00:12:37] DEPARTMENT FROM THE WOKESTERS, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IRAN
[00:12:40] NEVER HAS A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[00:12:42] EVERY PRESIDENT FOR A QUARTER
[00:12:45] CENTURY SAID THEY WOULD NOT LET
[00:12:47] IRAN GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON, BUT THEY NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT
[00:12:51] IT, UNTIL PRESIDENT TRUMP AND LEFT HAND SEE GRAHAM WAS RIGHT THERE FOR HIM IN THE SENATE.
[00:12:54] SO NOW IT FALLS TO US TO CONTINUE SENATOR GRAHAM'S WORK
[00:12:57] OF BUILDING UP OUR MILITARY. THE HARD WORK OF DEFENDING THIS
[00:13:01] NATION, AND I KNOW WITH FULL CONFIDENCE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT
[00:13:05] WE WILL DO.
[00:13:06] WELL DONE, COLONEL GRAHAM.
[00:13:09] WE HAVE THE WATCH FROM HERE.
[00:13:12] SO MY FELLOW AMERICANS, IT IS MY
[00:13:14] HONOR TO SAY WELCOME TO JOINT BASE LINDSEY GRAHAM.
[00:13:18] MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU.
[00:13:21] [APPLAUSE]
[00:13:28] >> THANK YOU, SECRETARY HEGSETH. IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INVITE THE
[00:13:32] SENATOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE HONORABLE
[00:13:35] DARLINE GRAHAM, TO THE PODIUM
[00:13:36] FOR HER REMARKS.
[00:13:45] >> THANK YOU, AND SECRETARY HEGSETH, I CAN DO LINDSEY'S
[00:13:49] ACCENT, AND HE WOULD SAY WHAT ARE WE DOING SITTING OUT IN THIS
[00:13:52] HOT SUN TODAY? THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD SAY.
[00:13:55] BUT WHAT AN EMOTIONAL AND
[00:13:58] EXCITING DAY.
[00:13:59] I WANT TO THANK SECRETARY
[00:14:02] HEGSETH, SECRETARY BESSENT, AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, GOVERNOR
[00:14:06] MCMASTER, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I COULD NOT BE MORE HONORED TO
[00:14:09] BE WITH YOU TODAY. WHAT AN HONOR FOR MY BROTHER,
[00:14:13] AND WHAT A TRIBUTE TO HIS 33
[00:14:14] YEARS OF SERVICE.
[00:14:17] LINDSEY LOVED THE AIR FORCE.
[00:14:19] HE LOVED ITS MISSION.
[00:14:23] HE LOVED WEARING THE UNIFORM OF HIS COUNTRY. HIS INTEREST IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS
[00:14:26] AND NATIONAL SECURITY STARTED WITH HIS SERVICE IN THE AIR FORCE.
[00:14:29] MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT LINDSEY ORIGINALLY WANTED TO BE A PILOT.
[00:14:33] HE ACTUALLY GOT HIS PILOT'S
[00:14:38] LICENSE IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HE HAD ISSUES WITH HEARING IN ONE
[00:14:40] EAR, SO HE CHOSE TO BECOME A LAWYER INSTEAD, AND THE REST, OF COURSE, IS HISTORY.
[00:14:44] IT DIDN'T TAKE HIM LONG TO MAKE
[00:14:46] A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST AIR FORCE.
[00:14:49] IN HIS FIRST FEW YEARS ON ACTIVE DUTY, HE UNCOVERED SERIOUS
[00:14:53] PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR FORCE'S DRUG TESTING PROCEDURES.
[00:14:56] IT EARNED HIM A SPOT ON "60
[00:14:58] MINUTES," BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
[00:15:00] HE SAVED THE CAREER OF A PILOT
[00:15:03] WHO HAD BEEN WRONGLY ACCUSED OF DRUG USE. AFTER THAT, HE WAS SENT TO SERVE
[00:15:07] IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE IN EUROPE.
[00:15:10] IT WAS IN A DIVIDED GERMANY THAT
[00:15:11] HE SAW THE BERLIN WALL AND EVILS
[00:15:16] OF COMMUNISM BURST IN. HE CARRIED WHAT HE SAW THERE
[00:15:18] WITH HIM THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
[00:15:22] LINDSEY LEFT IN 1989 AND CAME
[00:15:23] HOME TO JOIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA AIR NATIONAL GUARD.
[00:15:27] WHEN THE GULF WAR CAME IN 1990,
[00:15:29] HE WAS ACTIVATED TO SUPPORT TROOPS PREPARING TO DEPLOY OUT
[00:15:33] OF MCINTYRE. WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HE JOINED
[00:15:37] THE AIR FORCE RESERVES.
[00:15:42] WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SENATE, HE CONTINUED HIS SERVICE.
[00:15:44] IN APRIL 2003, HE DID HIS FIRST
[00:15:47] RESERVE DUTY RIGHT HERE IN CHARLTON.
[00:15:50] IN 2004, I TRAVELED WITH LINDSEY
[00:15:52] TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND MET WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IN THE
[00:15:56] OVAL OFFICE.
[00:15:59] THERE, PRESIDENT BUSH PRESIDED OVER HIS PROMOTION.
[00:16:02] LINDSEY BECAME THE FIRST MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN DECADES TO SERVE
[00:16:05] IN AN ACTIVE WAR ZONE WITH
[00:16:08] DEPLOYMENTS TO IRAQ AND
[00:16:11] AFGHANISTAN.
[00:16:12] IN 2007 WHILE IN IRAQ, COST OF
[00:16:17] WAR TRULY HIT HOME. LINDSEY SPENT DAYS WORKING ON
[00:16:20] REBUILD ISSUES WITH THE NAVY
[00:16:23] COMMANDER. ONE DAY AFTER HE LEFT, HE
[00:16:26] RECEIVED WORD THAT HE HAD BEEN KILLED BY AN I.U.D.
[00:16:30] AS LINDSEY PUT IT, BY SOME
[00:16:34] STRANGE TWIST OF FATE, HE HAD SPENT HIS FINAL DAY WITH HIM.
[00:16:37] IT TOUCHED LINDSEY DEEPLY. LINDSEY RETIRED AS A COLONEL
[00:16:41] FROM THE AIR FORCE RESERVES IN
[00:16:43] JUNE 2015, NOT BY CHOICE, BUT
[00:16:46] BECAUSE AIR FORCE POLICY
[00:16:49] REQUIRED IT HE HAD AGED OUT.
[00:16:50] 33 YEARS OF HONORABLE SERVICE
[00:16:54] ACROSS ACTIVE DUTY, THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD, AND AIR FORCE
[00:16:59] RESERVES. IT WAS SOMETIMES HARD TO TELL IF LEFT HAND SEE WAS A SENATOR WHO
[00:17:02] HAPPENED TO SERVE IN THE AIR FORCE OR AN AIR FORCE LAWYER WHO
[00:17:05] HAPPENED TO SERVE IN THE SENATE.
[00:17:09] SUCH WAS HIS LOVE FOR BOTH.
[00:17:11] THAT'S THE MAN HE'S NAMED AFTER.
[00:17:13] A MAN WHO LOVED HIS COUNTRY, LOVED HIS STATE, AND LOVED THE
[00:17:17] UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
[00:17:19] I COULD NOT BE MORE HONORED OR
[00:17:22] HUMBLED FOR HIM TO BE RECOGNIZED IN SUCH A FASHION FOR HIS
[00:17:26] LIFETIME OF SERVICE. THANK YOU.
[00:17:29] [APPLAUSE]
[00:17:39] >> THANK YOU, SENATOR GRAHAM. IT'S NOW MY HONOR TO INVITE OUR
[00:17:43] DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS AND LEADERSHIP TO THE INSULATION
[00:17:45] SIGN FOR THE UNVEILING.
[00:18:16] THE MOMENT HAS NOW ARRIVED, WITH THE SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE
[00:18:20] AND DEEP RESPECT FOR OUR PAST TOGETHER, LET US MARK THIS NEW
[00:18:23] BEGINNING IN 3, 2, 1.
[00:18:34] [APPLAUSE]
[00:18:40] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS CONCLUDES OUR CEREMONY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN
[00:18:43] CELEBRATING THIS HISTORIC MOMENT, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL
[00:18:46] DAY.
[00:18:49] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE] [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL
[00:18:52] CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2026]
[00:18:57] >> YOU BEEN NG