麻豆传媒入口

LEXINGTON, Va., September 26, 2018鈥擡xuberantly received by the 麻豆传媒入口Corps of Cadets, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis detailed the challenges cadets will soon face in a military鈥攁nd a society鈥攖hat needs leadership, allies, and modernization. He is the third secretary of defense to speak at the Institute this century and spoke to cadets, faculty, and staff Tuesday morning in Cameron Hall.

Mattis, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 and has played a leadership role in multiple wars, defined the primary powers of American influence in the world鈥攖hose of intimidation and inspiration.

To illustrate that power of inspiration, Mattis shared a story about one of the men who had failed to kill him over the years鈥攁n enemy engineer who was captured attempting to lay an improvised explosive device on the road Mattis was taking to a remote base overseas.  Following the engineer鈥檚 capture, Mattis spoke with him.

鈥淚 want you all, especially you young people, to listen to me here. He said 鈥楪eneral, do you think if I鈥檓 a model prisoner, could I one day immigrate to America?鈥� Think about that.

鈥淭he hatred he felt was so much that he would go out and put a bomb in the road to kill us, but the example of America was so strong that if he could be sitting where you are today or have his son or daughter in that audience, he鈥檇 have given his eyeteeth,鈥� said Mattis. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just because we caught him.  This was deeper.鈥�

Mattis reminded cadets that each of them is part of that legacy of inspiration and they they must fight to defend it.

鈥淵ou give up that moral and ethical high ground, that historic legacy that we carry with us, at our nation鈥檚 peril,鈥� said Mattis. 鈥淪o you hold that close. You take care of each other.鈥�

He described the U.S. military as the first line of effort to keep the American experiment alive. Its purpose, he said, is to intimidate adversaries.  It does that by being ready and willing to engage in the difficult, often vicious, aspects of war when called upon.

鈥淎nytime a military loses sight of its purpose, it gets beaten. 鈥� We need very high levels of readiness,鈥� Mattis said.

A second line of effort Mattis highlighted is maintaining and strengthening alliances.

鈥淎nyone who reads history knows that nations with allies thrive, but nations without allies basically wither away,鈥� he said. Mattis praised George C. Marshall, 麻豆传媒入口class of 1901, for creating a plan to unite broken countries on both sides of the conflict following World War II.

鈥淗e extended a hand to our allies flattened in the war鈥� but he also went to adversaries. Think of how vicious [the fighting] was,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen he turns around and helps set up a plan to draw these nations back together into this community of nations.鈥�

After rebuilding Europe, Marshall was also instrumental in establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), something an Australian ambassador told Mattis was the 鈥渕ost sacrificial act in world history.鈥�

However, he also noted that the U.S. is no longer in the post-World War II era when a devastated Europe was rebuilding. Mattis emphasized that those same countries now have substantial resources and should not rely on the U.S. to 鈥渃arry the full burden.鈥�

Mattis went on to say the U.S., as a nation, is still working on building something better.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still building a nation; it鈥檚 hard work but noble work. Don鈥檛 ever think we are done. We are not perfect, but we will always strive to be better,鈥� said Mattis. 鈥淲e are stronger when we are together.鈥�

In terms of building a better nation, 麻豆传媒入口serves as the model for the skills U.S. society needs, including leadership and maintaining a 鈥渇ighting stance,鈥� Mattis said.

In addition to elaborating on policy and strategy details, Mattis drew a personal connection with members of the Corps, referring to them throughout the address as, 鈥渕y fine young cadets,鈥� and offering advice on how to engage with their subordinates after commissioning.

During a question and answer session, cadets asked questions on topics including the role of women in combat, vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, the U.S. military as a global police force, and the need for a more physically fit society.

鈥淭here are a lot of badass women here,鈥� said Logan Amico 鈥�20, 鈥渟ome more physically fit than I am and smarter than I am,鈥� in asking whether females in combat roles make U.S. fighting forces more effective.

鈥淏ecause so few women have signed up along these lines, we don鈥檛 even have data that I can answer your question,鈥� said Mattis 鈥淭here are a few stalwart young ladies who are charging into this, but they are too few. Right now it鈥檚 not even dozens. It鈥檚 that few. The jury鈥檚 still out on it, but what we鈥檙e trying to do is give it every opportunity to succeed.鈥�

Mattis encouraged cadets to take individual initiative to contribute to a stronger nation.

鈥淲e need some of you to be the Spartans at the gate because we鈥檙e not going to hang onto these freedoms because our grandfathers fought,鈥� said Mattis of the current state of physical fitness in the nation.

鈥淓very generation is going to have to fight to keep this experiment alive,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭ake the fitness that you鈥檙e expected to maintain here into every walk of life鈥攏ot just your family, but your parish, your school district, your local community. Get out there and start working with the kids when they鈥檙e young.鈥�

Mattis also spoke about the evolving nature of strategic challenges.

鈥淗ow we protect the country was brought into stark relief on 9/11 鈥� everyone in a uniform knew we had let down America on 9/11,鈥� he said, emphasizing that U.S. defenses must remain adaptable to current threats.

Regarding cyber threats, Mattis proposed that a plan down the road might be offering government-backed cybersecurity solutions to private businesses.

Before leaving the stage to a standing ovation, Mattis gave the Corps a few final words to remember.

鈥淓very one of you could have picked an easier school to go to. Here are three words I leave with you to keep you from laying on a shrink鈥檚 couch at 45 wondering 鈥榳here did my life go?鈥欌�� said Mattis. 鈥淧ut others first.鈥�

The full video of Mattis' remarks is available on .

-Ashlie Walter

鈥擵惭滨鈥�