Not look at you unless you bribe them so you end up paying more. One of my first memories as a child was holding the hand of a dying man. And my grandmother crying saying that nothing more we could do for him. Just help him die. I can still feel his hand getting cold and stiff in my hand. And i remember thinking, how quickly it happened. If rs and the look of death in his eyes is still haunting me. All you needed was a simple surgery, which here in america is an outpatient surgery. There, he wasnt worth saving because he was too old and he in his 60s. The communists also hated excellence. And success. They wanted everyone to be equally poor, because it was easier to control people that way. And what they were doing they are taking away peoples dignity. Because the message was, well, youre not good enough to take care of yourself. I have to do it for you. But here to the younger generation, i would like emphasize the fact that nobody in this world can take care of you better than yourself. You have the power to not give it away to anybody, no mater matter what they promise you. One of the dreams i had when all was lost we felt even forgotten by god at times, was i had a picture of the american flag. The symbol of freedom. So i would take it out and stair at it and dream of america and what it is like to be free. To eat a hamburger or cheese cake or to walk in central park. I got caught in class and the teacher came trying to take the flag way from me. I did not surrender it. In spite of all the pressures and threats, i was ready to die. Because life had no meaning without freedom. But i couldnt afford to lose the hope. And thats all i had. The hope that some day the americans are going to come and blow us up. Blow up every brick every stone, every board until there was nothing left standing. You see, i was a part of such a corrupt and evil system that i felt even i wasnt worth saving. And given americans anything for exchange for freedom. All of the gold in the mountains, all of the oil in southern romania. Life and heart. It is really important for you to hear and be aware of your government, keep an eye on them, no matter who is out there. And keep them responsibility. It is not easy for me to put myself out there and share my pain with you, but i feel it is really important. Because when youre out there and you are in the country and you have the power, i want you to think of me and learn from other countries mistakes and do not try to socialist communist. I have heard that, even here in america, we can have a better communist or socialist. It is like saying, you can have a better cancer. Its evil. Please dont even try it. You will save your receive a lot of pain and heartache. Theres another thing i need to set the record straight about. Vietnam. Weve heard so many times that vietnam was in vein that american soldiers died for nothing. That we had no business being there. With every move americans made in vietnam, we behind the iron curtain felt the soviet grip lose its strength and it gave us time to breath and stay alive. Because you kept them busy in vietnam. They lost track of us. And theres no more evil empire thanks to you. As a little girl i didnt dream of prince charming coming on a white horse to carry me off to his castle. I knew i needed more than that. I needed an american fighter pilot. That would come on a fighter jet. Blow up everything. And carry me off to america. And the luckiest woman alive to have found him. And honored to spend the rest of my life with him, loving him and taking care of him. [ applause ] by the time i came to america, i was numb. I wasnt dead but i have never really been alive either. Thats what oppression does to you. Slowly kills your spirit first. Only after that it takes away your life. It is like living with a plastic bag over your head. You cant see and you can hardly breath. But what makes it worse is the fact that you hear somewhere far away, you know wonderful land called america, there is better. We spent the night in new york and i was overwhelmed by all of the wonderful things i saw. Fancy cars. Clothes. And the shoes. I havent seen a diamond until i came to america. The sky scrapers, all shiny grand. Steel. Marble. And the food. And i had nothing. We came with a bag of clothes. Not a penny in our pocket. And didnt speak english. Yet, we were not bitter one bit. We were proud to be a small part of a country that could have and make such wondrous things. And all those things were a promise that some day we can have all that. We can have it all. And i do now. You are light years ahead of me because you are born here. You can have you can do a lot more than i could even dream of. You took us in when we were outcast in our own country. You taught us the meaning of new words like kindness and happiness. And joy. And theres one more thing i would like to mention. For the younger generation. When you run the country. Can you please put an end to celebrating diversity. Instead of focussing on what separates us focus on what brings us together as one. I have to tell you immigrants come to america to be free. To get away from government. To live the american dream. If we wanted to celebrate diversity, we could have stayed where we were. Thank you for listening to that. And now, i would like to put a face to the oppressed all over the world. And say a thank you. Thank you for everything youve done. I know in your darkest moments you are wondering if it was all worth it. It is worth it. And i want to say oh, yes, it makes a big difference. The worlds a better place because americans are in it. Americans are the best. Because they are the only ones who fight for other peoples froe dom. People who have tshthey dont even know. And they w will never meet. And they never ask for anything in exchange. Maybe just a little place to bury their dead. So thank you for everything. Be proud. Do not listen to what the is talking about. Because america is loved all over the place. But millions of oppressed people who are hoping that some day youre going to go rescue them next. So thank you for everything youve done youre doing and you will be doing. Not only for our country but for the world. It makes all the difference in the world. God bless you and god bless america. [ applause ] thank you very much mariana for your remarks. So steve thank you, too. They are a great team arent they . They really are. Lets give a round of applause. [ applause ] weve got about five minutes until the next session. So lets take a question or two, okay . Sure. Okay. Yes, i do have a question for awesome presentation by both of you. But for general ritchie. You spoke about a very beautiful concept, loyalty. And over yesterday and today, we hear stories, beautiful stories about how our great servicemen dont let their fellow servicemen down. They are always there. So that loyalty is very, very touching. But i was just wondering if you could Say Something about trust. I dont know if you would categorize trust as being the same as loyalty. How that played into it. Is this a part of it . Certainly trust has to do with integrity. And integrity underlined everything that we do. If our word is no good, what else is there . There is nothing else. So all of those great qualities, loyalty, team work discipline responsibility. Its all tied together by integrity. And those who are here from a lot of the Great Schools and universities, you understand that well because you live by a code. A code of honor. Which is basically a code of integrity. We have to count on each other. We depend on each other. Not only to accomplish the mission, but to live or die. My son is an air force pj, which is the air force version of the seals. I dont know how they do it but im sure glad they do. Particularly as someone who flew Fighter Airplanes we knew that when and if we went down, that they would make every effort, tle they would make every effort, take every risk to come and get us. It is a matter of our code, a matter of our honor the matter of our team work our discipline, and all tied together by trust and integrity. And of course, its what makes our nation, as mariana said, the greatest on earth. Churchill said america is great because she is good. Shes good. Which means integrity and trust. He said when she ceases to be good, we will cease to be great. Jim, its amazing that we finished on time. But i think time is just about up, isnt it . One more question. All right. Thank you. Here are a few of the comments we have reseptemberly received on the 114th congress. My comment is nothing is going to change in washington, d. C. As the previous caller said theres too much corruption. Some of these senators been there too long. Its time for them to go. Give the younger ones a chance. New ideas. This countrys on the wrong path. We not going to get anywhere as long as these senators stay in that same position. John mccain and them, theyve been down there. Lindh lindsey graham. Same old thing. Time for change. People are working too hard in this country. Have to work two an and three jobs to take care of their family and still not getting anywhere. Something has to give. Im look at the overall conversations that you guys have been having for the last three to four months. And congress, the government is so huge, what can tle do when they go in there today . I tell you, they can be like the leaders that she should have been. The leaders i was raised around. The men that liked around in the communities that they lived in and said these are our children. These are our young men. And these are our daughters. What can we do in the realistic way, to make this a better place to live. I would have anyone that will yield power and wisdom in front of the faces of us have to work and pay for it, guys, you know we are living a pretty good life here. Lets take what you got the opportunity do and do something right and quit playing games with, you know what you think you will value in life that you have to give away one day. My question to the 114th congress that is going to do nothing for the american people. I cant understand how is it that congressmen become good people until they get elected. When they go to washington, the lies propaganda, and it just seems disturbing to me that it seems like everything president obama does is wrong and it is sad to me buzz im a pastor. And i heard these people come upon your colleague just came on and said he was a christian. Jesus said that if you do this to the least of them you have also done it to me. And continue to let us know what you think about the programs youre watching. Call us at 2026263400. Email us at comments at cspan. Org. Or send us a tweet. Join the cspan conversation. Follow uslike us on facebook, join us on twitter. Speaking about military leadership and responsibilities,. Responsibilities. Morning, everyone. I am from Penn State University mid class shipman im here, honored to introduce to you, current commander general of the marine corps recruiting command. He was 1981 graduate of the franklin and martial college in lancaster, pennsylvania. He was then commission of Second Lieutenant through the artillery command. During his time under the car he obtained his masters in military studies and he now has three kids one boy and two girls, all graduated from virginia tech. And also a native new jersyan. Without further ado, here is marine corps Major General mark a. Relax. Can everyone here me . Sorry, my microphone doesnt work very well. Go homies. I have a l clear mandate from the president to keep us on time. So that signal forget it. Dont have time for a signal. So we will talk briefly, first of all as i look across this room, and i see a lost uniforms. Cadets, mid shipmen. Elder pc. Scholarship winners. Shipmen. Elder pc. Scholarship winners. Congratulations. Congratulations for making a close. Congratulations for making a decision that service is something that you wanted to pursue. And your service that you chose was that in uniform. It is annardus four years. We expect a lot from you. Then you take your place with us in the United States military. For those of you that i see, maybe a little bit older, who have done your service in the past, i just want to thank you for making that decision. For serving as honorably as you have and for setting establishing a legacy for all of us. Im a marine. And in two days, three days, excuse me, is november 10th. That is the birthday of the United States marine corps. It is our anniversary. 239 years of history. Built upon the shoulders of young men and women heros, who have done everything that their nation has asked them throughout the decades, throughout the generations, in war and in peace. And so we will gather and we will cut a cake. Matter of fact i got to rundown to quanico and cut a cake today. That cake is not just flour and sugar and water, it is blood and sweat and sacrifice. For those of that you were here yesterday, i took a lock at the program, what an amazing three days that the American Veteran center set up for you. Ock at the program, what an amazing three days that the American Veteran center set up for you. K at the program, what an amazing three days that the American Veteran center set up for you. Yesterday you met and listened to young men and women who early in their lives made the decision to stand up. To serve. To count. And no matter what that individual choice was, no matter where they came from and no matter what service they joined they found themselves in very tough positions. And i think as you all saw, they paid can you not hear me back there . Not at all. You cant hear me back there . I apologize. They paid a tremendous price for their service. I think what you saw in every one of those individuals is that they are not satisfied to be characterized by their hardship. They live to be counted upon for their deeds. And their actions their leadership, their commitment is the thing that you witnessed yesterday and heard in their testimony to you as they talked about what happened to them, how they recovered, and now what are they doing to count. What are they doing to stand up and be the leaders that they were in uniform and how they will be for the rest of their lives. Now today, today is more about history. And what a tremendous, what a tremendous schedule today. Well talk about the Tuskegee Airmen. You will have men who served their country, a country that was not so sure exactly what position they held in our country. But they chose to stand up. And they represent other groups, such as the marine. The soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Team that fought so heroically in italy and were made up of japanese citizens whose families sat in determent camp that the government decided they should be during war. Members of the infantry regimen, constituted mostly out of puerto rico, who fought so bravely in their time. And the american code talkers. The native americans who did so much and came off of the reservations to serve a country marine corps, who quite frankly had little interest in who they were and what they were until their nation needed them in the most dire times we had ever experienced. So the gentleman from the Tuskegee Airmen will set an example of courage and service that is rare in our history. Not unusual because so many, when the nation needed them, they came forward. Then you fast forward to some of our great heroes. Sergeant first class melvin morris, medal of honor winner. A personal hero of mine harvey barney. Barney, as we know him, is an artillery man. Im an artillery man. Hes a marine. Im a marine. He took over an Infantry Company and fought well enough to win an award in combat. And the day will go on. And you will talk about the second world war. You will talk to veterans from the korean war, vietnam war, et cetera. So today is a day that lines up very nicely with what happened yesterday when you talked to our heros from the latest wars in afghanistan and in iraq. One of the things they asked me to talk about is a little bit about leadership. As a marine, i think those interested in the marine corps with are all about leadership. But the marine corps doesnt hold a patent on leadership. You see leadership across the country. You see leadership in the schools. We see in in all of our service. All of you that are in uniform, one sort of uniform or another decided you wanted to pursue a career in the United States military. You have service and sacrifice demanded from leaders. Leading is a fairly simple fundamental process. It is influencing people or a unit in such a way as to accomplish the mission. Its that easy. And it is really that hard. The things you have learned in school, the processes that they tried to teach you are just a very thin veneer on what leading your soldier sailors marines and air men in your future. Ywj you have spent time now working hard to develop skills, to understand what it is to be a servant leader. Understand it is important know thousand follow first before you can be expected to lead well later. Leadership is about sacrifice about commitment about laying yourself open to your people and giving them all that you can. When youre a junior leader, you are closest to your marine soldier sailor or airman. Youre with them everyday. You see the good, the bad and the ugly. You are under the microscope of expectation and responsibility everyday. As you progress and change, you will find that your leadership style, what it is that you have to do o to motivate a particular individual Unit Organization must be then modified. As you become more senior. So as we the services, bring you in and we begin to teach you those skills that we believe are necessary for to you flourish in our respective organizations we need you to Pay Attention as you move forward. We need you to be open. We need you to be active enthusiastic. In the marine Corps Officers eat last. Which means theres times where you dont eat at all. If somebody cant ride, the officer walks. Thats who we are, thats what we do. Our marines are important to us, as are the soldiers sailors, airmen and coast guardsmen led in their particular service. Leadership is about sacrifice. How much you are willing to give of yourself to ensure that your individuals, i say this over and over again, sailor soldiers airmen and coast guardsmen, make them successful. Yesterday at this time, i was in the u. S. Virgin island. St. Thomas. Not a bad gig. I was there for about 16 hours. Which sun fortunately kind of the way we roll. I command the recruiting enterprise. Ive got 5300 people across the country who go out and find young men and women who are interested in the marine corps. Officers officer candidates, midshipmen cadets such as yourselves, rotc how many of you are on marine corps