Transcripts For CSPAN Air 20240704

On and in a new way. I saw this morning the Biden Administration is looking at the uc mj revisit a Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment can be prosecuted in military the language as it presently exists isnt strong enough, to your point. Do we have time for questions . Very good. Thank you for being flexible with us and thank you for this conversation is much appreciated and looking forward to the next speaker here. Thank you. [applause] we sought answers to the question where actions let us since the executive order and how we have come together to commemorate it signing. Last Nights Program was simply spectacular. This speech is included our president , fabulous dinner, all the excellent conversation, a few months ago when i committed to speaking at the symposium, no one told me that that was good to happen where i had a chance to speak, so theres no pressure this morning to be the closing speaker, but i do hope that i can close the symposium and not disappoint. Today i want to talk to about progress, only possible due to a american seizing opportunity and accomplishing the extraordinary. Since the founding of our great nation, our society has changed. In its infancy, america asserted that all man are created equal, but without years of progress, we would not have met that reality. Progress possible only due to the hard work and dedication of so many ordinary americans. Executive order 9181 575 years ago was a major milestone in that progress. A milestone that marked a step in our nations history, a step towards as the executive order states, equality of treatment and opportunity. A step to providing americans, no matter their race, color, religion or National Origin with the same opportunities to achieve the extraordinary. Gave africanamericans opportunity, opportunities for all americans to serve together in defense of our great nation. And while the executive order serves as a major milestone, it is joined by the executive order 9980 in a womans arms act. All three together, signed by president truman, created opportunities for ordinary americans to accomplish the extraordinary. Sometimes we may not see the extraordinary, but we can just look around, look in this very room to see what so many have accomplished. We must share the extraordinary stories so the next generation knows what is possible, what can be accomplished with the opportunities in front of them. They dont like to do exactly that, share how we got here, share the stories of americans who, because of this milestone, were able to accomplish extraordinary things. A few days ago, on the anniversary of executive 9981, i had the distinct honor to accept one of the only two remaining stearman training the aircraft that the airmen trained on during world war ii. We were able to do that with a handful of documented original Tuskegee Airmen. It was a special day for me personally, and for the United States air force. In fact, i mentioned there are only two. The other one graces the home of this very museum. You may have already seen it today or if you visited the museum previously, but it had a very distinctive blue and yellow paint scheme that will end up at the National Museum of the United States air force has the exact same painting scheme. Reflecting on that story, the aircraft made me realize how far we have come. Their progress our society has made since the Tuskegee Airmen learned to conquer the skies. The point of those airmen, of desegregation in the armed forces is never a guarantee. It took extraordinary actions of two americans and a chance meeting with a third, seizing opportunities to make it happen. In 1930 9, 2 africanamerican aviators organized a goodwill flight from chicago to washington, d. C. Their mission was to Court Congress and lobby for change in legislation that would allow africanamericans to join the army air corps. They flew from chicago to washington, d. C. In a twoseater lincoln flight plate biplane. It had a decade of wear and tear and it was brought to its breaking point and they had difficulty from the very starter flight to make it to washington, d. C. It was fraught with mechanical issues, technical delays but through all that, they persevered and they refused to give up and they finally made it to washington, d. C. While walking the halls of congress they crossed paths with one senator. That senator was harry s truman. After hearing about the flight and being shown the worn out biplane that brought them from chicago, the senator from missouri, the show me state, told them, if you guys have the guts to fly that thing to washington, i have the guts enough to see you get what you are asking for. To his word, and i would say in a bit of foreshadowing, then senator truman wrote legislation to show training for all americans, free of bias, under the training program. By the end of that year, Congress Passed a new Civil Pilot Training Program legislation, and this time, with funding earmarked for Flight Training at historically black colleges and universities, paving the way for the Tuskegee Airmen. Nine years after that chance meeting with del wyatt, president truman signed the executive order. It took two ordinary americans a chance encounter with a third and further progress seizing opportunity to make the extraordinary happen. Progress had set the stage for the Tuskegee Airmen and ward wrote you. And world war ii. 200 million africanamericans answer the call to serve their nation. Some more Tuskegee Airmen, somewhere in the infantry and army units. But the vast majority served in supportive roles in transportation and mess halls as stewards on ships leaving cargo. He and all the other africanamericans played a vital role. Despite segregation, despite not having the same opportunities for other americans, when the nation called, they show their patriotism and they show their worth. World war ii gave us the greatest generation, ordinary americans doing extraordinary things. Taking advantage of new opportunities, opportunities for segregation and discrimination. Because ordinary americans, progress was possible. Because of ordinary americans, we can now celebrate americans from all corners of our nation coming together, bringing a rich diversity, serving our nation and leading up the highest levels of government. Working on our nations founding documents. Colin powell, the first africanamerican chairman of the joint chiefs and the first africanamerican secretary of state. Chappy jake general chappy james to become the first africanamerican fourstar general in the United States air force, whose picture hangs just outside the office and the pentagon. Michelle howard, the United States navy to become the first woman to command a United States navy ship in the first to obtain a fourstar rank for their operations. And, the nation that has embraced our current secretary defense. Providing opportunity for leadership only in the armed forces. Opportunity for americans to serve and do great things beyond their service in uniform. Americans like john allen who went from attending segregated schools to fighting fighter jets in vietnam who left the air force in 1973, gained a law degree and would be a superior court judge serving for another 23 years. For growing up in a segregated school and serving his nation in and out of uniform. With the opportunities things to executive order 9981. Like joseph munro, one of the first africanamericans to earn a phd in Computer Science in the first to be a full professor at the United States air force academy. After his service, he became a distinguished college professor. In ordinary american with assuring neri opportunity to educate the next generation all things to the executive order 9981. The engineer who served in the air force and with nasa, and what he might be best known for after his service. This when he invented the super soaker. Something you may have experience soaking sonos or being soaked by his invention. He went on to have over 100 patents for revolutionary technology. An ordinary American Driving Technology Thanks extraordinary opportunities only possible due to executive order 9981. Joining the air force out of high school where she worked on the sr 71 in you to pressure seats. After going on tenacity work on spacesuits going on to manage Space Shuttle crew as the program ended. Suiting up africanamerican nationalists, charles bolden, Frederick Gregory and dr. Bernard harris. In an ordinary american with an extraordinary opportunity to drive space exploration, and opportunity made possible by executive order 9981. These are all ordinary americans who had opportunities possible through the steps taken in 1948. Their stories, and the stories of so many americans, who served and went on to the real legacy of the executive order 9981. Nonprofit orders, Community Leaders and elected officials. Americans have served and gone on to other careers that have shaped america. Sometimes we dont see it, but look around at what so many have accomplished. These are the examples for the next generation that follows. They inspire the next generation to take on the challenges of their own. To change things to make america better. To do that, they must hear, they must see, not just the ones highlighted here today, but the many more americans that have extraordinary opportunities to do great things for our nation. They have to see it because i believe young people only aspire to be what they see. None of us decide to grow up to be something weve never seen before, that we didnt know anything about. Its the reason im here today. I aspire to be what i can see. When i was in high school, my father said, for years in the military you will never achieve. Ive had 30 and still counting. It was the aspect that he encouraged me because he had toured in vietnam. He talked to me about going to the military academy and i told him, im not interested in the military. And he encouraged me to apply for scholarships to help pay my way through school. So i did, i applied for all three, army, navy and air force. I got selected to go to all three. I elected not to go to the navy interview because i knew i did not want to be in the navy. I got a scholarship for the air force in the army, i was pursuing a degree in architecture and Civil Engineering because i wanted to go back to texas, i graduated high school in virginia and my dad knew how the process worked in the army. He said you go army, theres no guarantee will be an engineer. You go air force, they will make you an engineer, so i went air force. And i came home at christmas and talk to my dad, he gave me more advice and said all you have to do is go to class and go to lab and thats what i did, and i was on the drill team. And then i went to summer camp, we went down to Laughlin Air Force base and i got to ride in one of the trainer aircraft. You got the parachute, helmet, eggo, god, that was fun. Im pretty competitive so i looked at the other people and i said, i think i can get one. And so, thats the happen, i got a pilot spot my senior year, and so the four years didnt quite work out. I was planning to move back to texas and i never did. I never been assigned to texas and my 38 years. So when i reflect on my career, i know ive been truly blessed. Im very humble when im out and about, and it happened to me last night at last nights event. When people approach me and tell me that im an inspiration, and what goes through my mind is, really. Im just cq brown junior. Im an ordinary american that has been provided extraordinary opportunities. Opportunities provided by executive order 998 one that allowed me to be the first africanamerican service tree in the history of our military. 22nd chief of staff of the air force, and to be nominated to be the nation chairman of joint chiefs. Remember, i was only going to do for years. For those who had served in uniform, who inspired you to join the armed forces . Who inspired you to serve for the greater good of our nation . More importantly, what are we all doing to inspire the next generation . We must show the next generation opportunities by sharing stories of those who got us here. Those who accomplish the extraordinary in stories like those shared during the symposium we continue to inspire the next generation and further the legacy of change. As the symposium comes to a close, you must reflect on how far weve come as a nation. The major, infantry officer in the segregated Infantry Division and an army aviator in vietnam said in his retirement ceremony, and the army a black man was not allowed to lead a squad to the latrine. We have come a long way. We have come a long way indeed. Today its only possible its only possible. Seizing the opportunity that may possible so many extraordinary achievements, many of them first. As you look forward, you must remember that progress is a constant in our great society. I hope that one day, that there will be no more to be celebrated, that we all celebrate each others achievements as fellow americans. Their future becoming a reality is in large part thanks to this 25 years ago. They ensure the next generation will be stronger than the last. Because today, americans from all backgrounds are working together to move our nation forward. 25, 50, 75 years from now, celebrating the 150th anniversary, we are on the progress that we seem to make. And we repeat the words of the general, we have come a long way because executive order 9981 to possible for ordinary americans to have so many extraordinary opportunities. Thank you for allowing me to be here a part of this historic symposium. Thank you. [applause] on monday, a discussion with veterans of the female tactical for two of afghanistan. There are a group of 60 a afghan women trained by the u. S. Military who participated in more than 2000 highprofile missions against the taliban. After the fall of kabul in 2021, 41 members of the platoon were evacuated to the United States. Hosted by the womens Foreign Policy group, watch live at 6 30 p. M. Eastern on cspan, cspan now, our free mobile video app, and online at cspan. Org. Order your copy now available on cspan shot. Or, your access to the federal government with bio and Contact Information for every house and Senate Member and Important Information on congressional committees. The president s cabinet, federal agencies and state governors, stand the code to order your copy tr go to cspan shop. Org. Its 29 95 cents plus shipping and handling in every purchase help support our nonprofit operation. Quick cspan is your unfiltered view of government, funded by these Television Companies and more, including cox. s syndrome is extremely rare. But friends dont have to be. When you are connected, youre not alone. Cox supports cspan as a Public Service along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. Next, policy analyst and journalist discuss judicial overhaul efforts in israel, they also talk about the large protest those changes triggered. Other topics include how the u. S. Could impact change in israel. This is about one hour. Being with us today. Lets get right at it. Earlier this week as