GyBill
10-28-2010, 17:43
ALMAR from GENERAL JIM AMOS
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 039/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS// SUBJ/PASSING OF THE COLORS//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1. AS YOUR COMMANDANT I WANT TO SAY, FIRST AND
FOREMOST, THANK YOU ... FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR NATION AT A
CRITICAL TIME IN ITS HISTORY, FOR WHAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN YOUR MANY
SACRIFICES, FOR YOUR CONTINUED COURAGE IN THE FACE OF GREAT DANGER AND,
FINALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FIDELITY TO EACH OTHER, TO OUR MISSION AND
TO OUR CORPS. OUR PERFORMANCE AT HOME AND ABROAD, IN GARRISON AND IN
COMBAT, HAS EARNED US THE RIGHT TO STAND PROUDLY IN THE LONG AND
ILLUSTRIOUS LINE OF MARINES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE.
2. THROUGHOUT THIS REMARKABLE PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY, GENERAL CONWAY
AND HIS WIFE ANNETTE HAVE LED OUR CORPS WITH WISDOM, STRENGTH AND
GRACE. THEIR MANY INITIATIVES WILL SERVE US WELL AS OUR CORPS
CONTINUES ITS MARCH INTO UNCERTAIN TIMES. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP, AND ON BEHALF OF THE MARINE CORPS FAMILY, BONNIE AND I
WISH THEM GODSPEED.
3. WHILE WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON COMBAT OPERATIONS IN
AFGHANISTAN,LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS MUST CONSIDER THE LIKELY CHALLENGES
OF THE NEXT TWO DECADES AND HOW THE CORPS WILL MEET THEM. THE FUTURE
WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD WE KNEW PRIOR TO THE ATTACKS ON 9-11.
THROUGH INNOVATION AND A WILLINGNESS TO ADAPT, WE WILL REMAIN
AMERICA'S EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN READINESS.
4. MY PRIORITIES AS COMMANDANT:
- WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE BEST TRAINED AND EQUIPPED MARINE
UNITS TO AFGHANISTAN. THIS WILL NOT CHANGE. THIS REMAINS OUR TOP
PRIORITY.
- WE WILL REBALANCE OUR CORPS, POSTURE IT FOR THE FUTURE AND
AGGRESSIVELY EXPERIMENT WITH AND IMPLEMENT NEW CAPABILITIES
ANDORGANIZATIONS.
- WE WILL BETTER EDUCATE AND TRAIN OUR MARINES TO SUCCEED IN
DISTRIBUTED OPERATIONS AND INCREASINGLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS.
- WE WILL KEEP FAITH WITH OUR MARINES, OUR SAILORS AND OUR FAMILIES.
5. ON 29 OCTOBER, I WILL RELEASE MY COMMANDANT'S PLANNING GUIDANCE.
I DIRECT EVERY MARINE TO READ MY GUIDANCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WAY
AHEAD. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, SERGEANT MAJOR KENT AND I WILL BE
VISITING MANY OF YOU AT MAJOR BASES AND STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS, CONCERNS AND IDEAS AS WE
PREPARE THE CORPS FOR THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
6. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE
CORPS,COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.// Association Members and
Friends,
Our new Commandant
Note: Jim Amos was a pilot for Braniff International from 1978 to 1982.
General Amos graduated from the University of Idaho in 1970. He was
designated a Naval Aviator in 1971, and has held a variety of
operational and staff assignments since 1972.
Operational assignments include tours with Marine Fighter Attack
Squadrons 212, 235, 232 and 122 where he flew the F-4 Phantom II.
In 1985 General Amos assumed command of Marine Air Base Squadron 24/
Marine Wing Support Squadron 173. Transitioning to the F/A-18 Hornet,
he assumed command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 and
subsequently joined Carrier Air Wing Eight onboard USS Theodore
Roosevelt (CVN-71). General Amos took command of Marine Aircraft Group
31Beaufort, SC in May 1996. In August 2002, he assumed command of the
Third Marine Aircraft Wing and deployed with 3d MAW to Iraq for
Operations Iraqi Freedom I and II. General Amos assumed command of II
Marine Expeditionary Force in July 2004.
General Amos' staff assignments include tours with Marine Aircraft
Groups 15 and 31, the III Marine Amphibious Force, Training Squadron
Seven, The Basic School, and with the MAGTF Staff Training Program.
Promoted to Brigadier General in 1998 he was assigned to NATO as
Deputy Commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and as the
U.S. Deputy General, Fleet Marine Forces, Europe, Naples Italy.
During this tour he commanded NATO's Kosovo Verification Coordination
Center, and served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil
during the air campaign over Kosovo. Transferred in 2000 to the
Pentagon, he was assigned as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation.
Reassigned in December 2001, Lieutenant General Amos served as the
Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans,
Policies and Operations Department, Headquarters, Marine Corps.
From August 2006 to July 2008, Amos served as Commanding General,
Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Deputy Commandant for
Combat Development and Integration.
General Amos is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk,
VA and the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL. His personal decorations
include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service
Medal, the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Bronze Star, Meritorious
Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine
Corps Achievement Medal, as well as numerous campaign and service
awards.
General Amos became the 31st Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
on July 3, 2008. In June 2010, he was recommended for nomination by
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to succeed James T.
Conway as Commandant, while recommending Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. to
fill his role as Assistant Commandant. He was formally nominated by
President Obama on July 20, who interviewed him for the job on June 17.
If confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee, his appointment
would break the tradition of the Commandant being held by an infantry
officer. He received support from the committee during a confirmation
hearing on September 21st and will be sworn in at a ceremony on October
22, 2010.
On a crisp, fall morning on the historic ceremonial grounds at Marine
Barracks Washington, Gen. Jim Amos took command of the United States
Marine Corps on Friday, becoming the 35th commandant in the service's
235-year history.
After taking the colors from outgoing commandant General James Conway,
Amos' first pronouncement reflected the electricity in the air and the
chorus of "oo-rahs" ringing out from the stands.
"If I said I was about to jump out of my skin right now, it would be
an understatement, said Amos, who just minutes before stood on the
parade field alone and silent, poised to begin his new job.
Amos, 63, becomes the first aviator in the Corps' history to be
appointed commandant and only the second assistant commandant in almost
three decades to be promoted to the top position.
The "Passage of Commandants" ceremony took place before a standing-
room-only crowd, studded with the military's top uniformed and civilian
leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Medal of Honor
recipients, members of Congress, foreign delegations and civilian
leaders.
His incoming assistant commandant, Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford, who
relinquished command of I Marine Expeditionary force Tuesday, was
scheduled to be promoted and sworn in Saturday.
Friday marked more than the passage of commandants. For Conway, it was
also, the culmination of a 40-year career for an infantryman who rose
to the highest rank in the Marine Corps.
He and his wife Annette hosted a final gathering at the Home of the
Commandants for a private retirement ceremony conducted by Navy
Secretary Ray Mabus.
As he closed out his brief remarks, Amos gave a short glimpse of his
resolve to fight for the future of an expeditionary Marine Corps.
"We've always said we'd be most ready when the nation is least ready,"
Amos said. "Our nation still needs a force that is most ready when the
nation is least ready and, ladies and gentlemen, that will be my focus
as commandant for the next four years."
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 039/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS// SUBJ/PASSING OF THE COLORS//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1. AS YOUR COMMANDANT I WANT TO SAY, FIRST AND
FOREMOST, THANK YOU ... FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR NATION AT A
CRITICAL TIME IN ITS HISTORY, FOR WHAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN YOUR MANY
SACRIFICES, FOR YOUR CONTINUED COURAGE IN THE FACE OF GREAT DANGER AND,
FINALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FIDELITY TO EACH OTHER, TO OUR MISSION AND
TO OUR CORPS. OUR PERFORMANCE AT HOME AND ABROAD, IN GARRISON AND IN
COMBAT, HAS EARNED US THE RIGHT TO STAND PROUDLY IN THE LONG AND
ILLUSTRIOUS LINE OF MARINES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE.
2. THROUGHOUT THIS REMARKABLE PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY, GENERAL CONWAY
AND HIS WIFE ANNETTE HAVE LED OUR CORPS WITH WISDOM, STRENGTH AND
GRACE. THEIR MANY INITIATIVES WILL SERVE US WELL AS OUR CORPS
CONTINUES ITS MARCH INTO UNCERTAIN TIMES. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP, AND ON BEHALF OF THE MARINE CORPS FAMILY, BONNIE AND I
WISH THEM GODSPEED.
3. WHILE WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON COMBAT OPERATIONS IN
AFGHANISTAN,LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS MUST CONSIDER THE LIKELY CHALLENGES
OF THE NEXT TWO DECADES AND HOW THE CORPS WILL MEET THEM. THE FUTURE
WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD WE KNEW PRIOR TO THE ATTACKS ON 9-11.
THROUGH INNOVATION AND A WILLINGNESS TO ADAPT, WE WILL REMAIN
AMERICA'S EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN READINESS.
4. MY PRIORITIES AS COMMANDANT:
- WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE BEST TRAINED AND EQUIPPED MARINE
UNITS TO AFGHANISTAN. THIS WILL NOT CHANGE. THIS REMAINS OUR TOP
PRIORITY.
- WE WILL REBALANCE OUR CORPS, POSTURE IT FOR THE FUTURE AND
AGGRESSIVELY EXPERIMENT WITH AND IMPLEMENT NEW CAPABILITIES
ANDORGANIZATIONS.
- WE WILL BETTER EDUCATE AND TRAIN OUR MARINES TO SUCCEED IN
DISTRIBUTED OPERATIONS AND INCREASINGLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS.
- WE WILL KEEP FAITH WITH OUR MARINES, OUR SAILORS AND OUR FAMILIES.
5. ON 29 OCTOBER, I WILL RELEASE MY COMMANDANT'S PLANNING GUIDANCE.
I DIRECT EVERY MARINE TO READ MY GUIDANCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WAY
AHEAD. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, SERGEANT MAJOR KENT AND I WILL BE
VISITING MANY OF YOU AT MAJOR BASES AND STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS, CONCERNS AND IDEAS AS WE
PREPARE THE CORPS FOR THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
6. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE
CORPS,COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.// Association Members and
Friends,
Our new Commandant
Note: Jim Amos was a pilot for Braniff International from 1978 to 1982.
General Amos graduated from the University of Idaho in 1970. He was
designated a Naval Aviator in 1971, and has held a variety of
operational and staff assignments since 1972.
Operational assignments include tours with Marine Fighter Attack
Squadrons 212, 235, 232 and 122 where he flew the F-4 Phantom II.
In 1985 General Amos assumed command of Marine Air Base Squadron 24/
Marine Wing Support Squadron 173. Transitioning to the F/A-18 Hornet,
he assumed command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 and
subsequently joined Carrier Air Wing Eight onboard USS Theodore
Roosevelt (CVN-71). General Amos took command of Marine Aircraft Group
31Beaufort, SC in May 1996. In August 2002, he assumed command of the
Third Marine Aircraft Wing and deployed with 3d MAW to Iraq for
Operations Iraqi Freedom I and II. General Amos assumed command of II
Marine Expeditionary Force in July 2004.
General Amos' staff assignments include tours with Marine Aircraft
Groups 15 and 31, the III Marine Amphibious Force, Training Squadron
Seven, The Basic School, and with the MAGTF Staff Training Program.
Promoted to Brigadier General in 1998 he was assigned to NATO as
Deputy Commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and as the
U.S. Deputy General, Fleet Marine Forces, Europe, Naples Italy.
During this tour he commanded NATO's Kosovo Verification Coordination
Center, and served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil
during the air campaign over Kosovo. Transferred in 2000 to the
Pentagon, he was assigned as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation.
Reassigned in December 2001, Lieutenant General Amos served as the
Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans,
Policies and Operations Department, Headquarters, Marine Corps.
From August 2006 to July 2008, Amos served as Commanding General,
Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Deputy Commandant for
Combat Development and Integration.
General Amos is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk,
VA and the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL. His personal decorations
include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service
Medal, the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Bronze Star, Meritorious
Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine
Corps Achievement Medal, as well as numerous campaign and service
awards.
General Amos became the 31st Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
on July 3, 2008. In June 2010, he was recommended for nomination by
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to succeed James T.
Conway as Commandant, while recommending Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. to
fill his role as Assistant Commandant. He was formally nominated by
President Obama on July 20, who interviewed him for the job on June 17.
If confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee, his appointment
would break the tradition of the Commandant being held by an infantry
officer. He received support from the committee during a confirmation
hearing on September 21st and will be sworn in at a ceremony on October
22, 2010.
On a crisp, fall morning on the historic ceremonial grounds at Marine
Barracks Washington, Gen. Jim Amos took command of the United States
Marine Corps on Friday, becoming the 35th commandant in the service's
235-year history.
After taking the colors from outgoing commandant General James Conway,
Amos' first pronouncement reflected the electricity in the air and the
chorus of "oo-rahs" ringing out from the stands.
"If I said I was about to jump out of my skin right now, it would be
an understatement, said Amos, who just minutes before stood on the
parade field alone and silent, poised to begin his new job.
Amos, 63, becomes the first aviator in the Corps' history to be
appointed commandant and only the second assistant commandant in almost
three decades to be promoted to the top position.
The "Passage of Commandants" ceremony took place before a standing-
room-only crowd, studded with the military's top uniformed and civilian
leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Medal of Honor
recipients, members of Congress, foreign delegations and civilian
leaders.
His incoming assistant commandant, Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford, who
relinquished command of I Marine Expeditionary force Tuesday, was
scheduled to be promoted and sworn in Saturday.
Friday marked more than the passage of commandants. For Conway, it was
also, the culmination of a 40-year career for an infantryman who rose
to the highest rank in the Marine Corps.
He and his wife Annette hosted a final gathering at the Home of the
Commandants for a private retirement ceremony conducted by Navy
Secretary Ray Mabus.
As he closed out his brief remarks, Amos gave a short glimpse of his
resolve to fight for the future of an expeditionary Marine Corps.
"We've always said we'd be most ready when the nation is least ready,"
Amos said. "Our nation still needs a force that is most ready when the
nation is least ready and, ladies and gentlemen, that will be my focus
as commandant for the next four years."